7 Places To Create Your Own Extraordinary Family Adventure This Summer

Gettysburg is just one of the many places to create a family adventure this summer.

Ready for your own family adventure? Want to make history come alive this summer for your family?  Check out these 7 places to visit!  Listen to your favorite G.A. Henty audio adventures as you travel with your family to create your own “extraordinary adventures”!  Create fun family memories that will last a lifetime!

1. Gettysburg, PA

Touted as a turning point, the Battle of Gettysburg resulted in 51,000 casualties — the war’s bloodiest battle — as the Union defeated General Robert E. Lee’s second invasion of the North. At the Gettysburg National Military Park, you can examine this conflict from start to finish, beginning at the National Park Service Museum and Visitor Center. Here you will find interactive exhibits, multimedia presentations and relics of the battle, as well as more extensive information in the Resource Room and the Museum Bookstore.

http://www.gettysburgfoundation.org/

2. Monticello (Charlottesville, VA)

Charlottesville is a hotbed of presidential history, thanks to several presidential homes in and around it. The largest and most popular, Monticello, was Thomas Jefferson’s home, which reveals quite a look at Thomas Jefferson the man. From the architectural details (look for the dumbwaiters built into the sides of the fireplace in the dining room) to his personal items in his bedroom and office (they are basically one and the same!), Monticello is quite the showplace.

We visited here with our family several years ago and loved it!  The gardens alone are amazing!

http://home.monticello.org/

3. Plymouth Plantation, MA

At Plymouth, Plantation families can travel back in time to when Native Americans and the Pilgrims cohabitated. The bicultural museum offers an interactive learning experience, utilizing interpreters, exhibits and programs to teach about the Wampanoag people and explore issues that have affected their community throughout the ages.  Kids typically have the choice to have a Pilgrim or a Wampanoag experience.

https://www.plimoth.org/

4. Philadelphia, PA

Like Washington, D.C., Philadelphia is home to numerous historic sites and attractions that played a role in American history. For instance, there is Carpenters’ Hall, the meeting place of the First Continental Congress, or Independence Hall, where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were brought to life. Then there is Pennsylvania Hospital, the country’s first hospital, which was co-founded by Benjamin Franklin. The Liberty Bell Center is home to the iconic symbol of freedom for America. And who doesn’t want to see the U.S. Mint, where pocket change and commemorative coins are made?

http://historicphiladelphia.org

5. Creation Museum (Petersburg, KY)

The state-of-the-art Creation Museum allows you to venture through biblical history, stunning exhibits, botanical gardens, planetarium, petting zoo, zip line adventure course, and much more. This 75,000-square-foot facility has welcomed over 2.5 million guests since opening.

Plus, check out the new Ark Encounter!  The Ark Encounter features a full-size Noah’s Ark, built according to the dimensions given in the Bible. Spanning 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high, this modern engineering marvel amazes visitors young and old.

https://creationmuseum.org/

6. Appomattox Court House (Appomattox, VA)

A historic site where Confederate army commander Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union commander Ulysses S. Grant in the American Civil War.  Listen to our audio adventure, With Lee in Virginia, as you travel to this National Park!

https://www.nps.gov/apco/index.htm

7. Colonial Williamsburg (Williamsburg, VA)

In Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area, you will be transported back in time to meet tradespeople, women, members of the enslaved community, shopkeepers, and political figures that call Williamsburg home. With so much to see and do, there is something for everyone—history lovers, makers, and fans of architecture. Get caught up in the historic moments taking place around you. Take a scenic carriage ride through the city for a unique perspective on transportation in the 18th century.

https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/