Six family-friendly U.S. cities to visit this summer

We’re officially in full swing of summer, and you may be attempting to do some last-minute family vacation planning. Even if you’re not ready to pack up the kids and head to Europe, there are plenty of amazing destinations right here in the U.S.

The following is a round-up of six family-friendly cities you can visit in the U.S. this summer or at any time, and some highlights of those cities to help you with planning. 

Six Family-Friendly U.S. Cities to Visit This Summer

brooklyn bridge

Nashville:

Nashville, Tennessee is a fabulous city to visit, no matter your age, but it’s also extremely family-friendly. During the day you can wander along Broadway and hear the music pouring out of the honky tonks. Some of them may even let people in of all ages, as long as it is daytime and not in the later evening hours.

Nashville has a lot of casual eateries, you can visit the Country Music Hall of Fame, and there’s also the Grand Ole Opry.

The Grand Ole Opry has nightly shows appropriate for all ages. 

The Gaylord Opryland Hotel is a good option for families in terms of lodging because it’s huge and caters to families with things like an indoor steamboat ride. 

San Diego:

San Diego has warm, temperate weather at any time of the year, and it’s beautiful. You can go to Balboa Park with is a famous zoo that also has gardens and museums.

With a Balboa Park Explorer Multi-Day Pass, it’s possible to see The San Diego Zoo and get entrance to the other museums for an entire week. 

old-town-san-diego

When you tire of the museums like the TheNAT San Diego Natural History Museum, head to the beaches or the tide pools at Cabrillo National Monument. 

New York City:

New York City isn’t always considered a family-friendly destination, but it should be. Also, some of the most amazing aspects of the city won’t cost you anything, like walking through Times Square or Central Park. The Museum of Natural History is great for kids too.

There are some plays on Broadway that are family friendly if you can score tickets including Aladdin, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Frozen, and for older kids, Hamilton. 

Washington D.C.:

Going to Washington D.C. is a learning experience, but it’s done in such a fun way that your kids probably won’t even notice the educational aspect. Washington, D.C. is also a fairly affordable city for visitors.

washington-dc-with-kids

The Smithsonian Institute boasts 19 free museums, and of these, some of the most notable are the National Zoo, the Air & Space Museum, and the Museum of Natural History.

The moments that will leave your kids in awe include the Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial. 

There are many kid-friendly hotels in the area as well. One hotel located near many of the must-see attractions is the Hyatt Place Arlington/Courthouse Plaza. Your family will have easy access to the Metro, which will bring you to all major attractions, which will reduce the stress of driving through D.C.

Boston:

Another location where history can come alive for kids is Boston. If you do opt for Boston, you might want the Boston CityPass. The Boston CityPass offers discounted admission to some of the most popular attractions in the city including the New England Aquarium, the Museum of Science, the Skywalk Observatory, and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum and Library.

You can also grab food at Quincy Market, or take a picnic in the Public Garden. Walk along the Freedom Trail, or take a self-guided tour of the campus of Harvard while you’re there. 

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There are Friday movie nights during the summer at the Hatch Shell, and admission to the Museum of Fine Arts is free for kids under 17 on the weekends. 

San Antonio:

Finally, if you want to make your way down south, consider San Antonio. San Antonio is the perfect family-friendly destination, and like many other cities on our list, it’s a place you can ensure is fairly affordable. 

The San Antonio Riverwalk is beautiful, and you’ll hear live music, you can take boat rides,and there are plenty of restaurants along the way. There is the old town so you can see the architecture and enjoy boutiques, and you can take in the history at The Alamo.

For the kids, there’s SeaWorld San Antonio as well as Six Flags Fiesta Texas. San Antonio is even home to Morgan’s Wonderland, which is the only amusement park in the U.S. designed for kids with special needs. There are the DoSeum interactive children’s museum and Natural Bridge Caverns for families with kids too. 

San Antonio is hot in the summer, so be prepared, but you can go year-round and enjoy fairly mild weather along with great things to do. 

How to see the best of St. Louis in one day

Saint Louis is a vibrant and interesting city compact enough to not be overwhelming on a short trip, but comparable to larger cities when it comes to culture and the arts. The City of Saint Louis also has excellent public transportation making visiting attractions easy and inexpensive.

St Louis

The St. Louis Metro has both train and bus stations located throughout the city. In addition to Metro commuter buses and trains, there is a trolley system which runs continuously with stops at all the major attractions. These two trolley lines, Downtown and Forest Park, are connected by Metro stations making it easy to move throughout the city. Day passes called Adventure Pass are available for both the Metro and trolleys so you can build your perfect trip. Visitors who only have one day to explore St. Louis can make the most of it by picking the trolley line that fits their interests best and riding the loop to find their favorite attractions. Trolleys stop every 20 minutes throughout the day and it is easy to hop on and off as you please anywhere along either line.

Downtown Trolley: Public Art, Architecture and Culture

The Downtown Trolley Line connects visitors to great outdoor art, culture and some of the best shops and local businesses in the city. After you make your way to the Gateway Arch, consider enjoying the Citygarden Sculpture Park. It’s full of amazing sculptures in the same vein as the arch, including some unique ones you’ll definitely want to take pictures of. Perhaps the most famous is the Hollow Head, a huge bronze likeness of the Greek god Eros’ head on its side. 

Worth stepping off the trolley for:

  • Gateway Arch
  • Citygarden Sculpture Park
  • National Blues Museum
  • Old Courthouse
  • Stifel Theatre

Forest Park Trolley: Outdoors and Family Activities Abounds

The Forest Park Trolley is an excellent pick for family activities and those interested in art and history. This aptly named loop runs around the perimeter of one of the largest parks in the country. Similar to Central Park in New York, Forest Park is home to several cultural and outdoor attractions. The majority of them are either totally free to visit or very inexpensive. Most visitors consider many attractions on the Forest Park trolley loop before ultimately being captivated by the city’s free zoo. The Saint Louis Zoo is one of the best zoos in the country, housing a large variety of animals. While most attractions like their butterfly garden and reptile habitat are totally free to visit, some exhibits do have a fee. No matter which exhibits you take in, the Saint Louis Zoo will keep the kids fascinated for hours and talking about your trip for weeks to come.

Worth stepping off the trolley for:

  • Saint Louis Zoo
  • Science Center
  • The Jewel Box Horticultural Center
  • Art Hill
  • World’s Fair Pavilion

No matter what you’re into, St. Louis is a great city to visit when you’re short on time. In one day, you can experience shopping, art and culture comparable to larger and more expensive coastal cities without having to break the bank.