15 Summer Bucket List Destinations For Families

After traveling full-time around North America for 8 years and visiting 49 states (just not Hawaii!), these are our top picks to add to your summer travel bucket list!



I have broken this down into 3 categories. National Parks, Beach Vacations and Cities. You can easily jump to the one that interests you or check out all 15 of them!



If you use Pinterest be sure to pin these posts to your Travel Summer Bucket List board!



National Parks



Yellowstone National Park



Glacier National Park



There is something about the glacier blue water and the ruggedness of the park that has made it our favorite National Park in the US! We have visited with younger kids, older kids and grandparents and there is something for everyone.



You can do an easier hike like Trail of the Cedars or the more difficult (and one of our favorites) Grinnel Glacier. There are beautiful lakes and waterfalls to explore along with cool things to do outside of the park.






Glacier National Park Content:




21 Amazing Things To Do In Glacier National Park In 2024



24 Unique VRBO MONTANA Stays [14 With Hot Tubs]



The Best Hikes in Glacier National Park



Visit the Magnificent Bowman Lake and Polebridge Mercantile



Tips For Driving The Stunning Going To The Sun Road



7 Awe Inspiring Things To Do In Many Glacier



One Day Glacier National Park Itinerary



The Best Glacier National Park Itinerary From 1 to 7 Days



Glacier National Park Guides




Yellowstone National Park



Yellowstone National Park is one of those places to visit at least once (and hopefully more than that!) during your life. It’s an amazing park that offers surreal views, constantly changing and surprising landscape and wildlife. There are so many great places to visit and things to do in Yellowstone National Park. 






Yellowstone National Park Content:




18 Top Things To Do In Yellowstone National Park



Yellowstone Guides



Yellowstone Vacation: 12 Day Itinerary for Visiting In & Around The Park



22 Amazing Things To Do In Red Lodge, Montana



Yellowstone In Winter: 11 Top Things To Know And Do!



Grand Canyon Of Yellowstone: 6 Best Things To Do!



VRBO Yellowstone: 18 Unique Places You Will Want To Stay



Old Faithful Yellowstone – 19 Tips And Things To Do



Yellowstone Packing List: 17 Things You Will Want To Bring



12 Amazing Things To Do In Gardiner, Montana [+ Where To Stay]



9 Awesome Things To Do In West Yellowstone



23 Exciting and Fun Things To Do In Bozeman, MT



Best Things to do in Livingston, MT and Paradise Valley



11+ Fun Things To Do around Tower Roosevelt in Yellowstone



Planning A Trip To Yellowstone: 11 Things To Know



8 Breathtaking THINGS TO DO Near Yellowstone National Park



8 Things You Don’t Want To Miss In Mammoth Hot Springs



11 Reasons To Visit Fishing Bridge Yellowstone



The Mount Washburn Hike In Yellowstone National Park With Kids!




North Cascades National Park



North Cascades National Park is one of the lesser visited  National Parks in the US . I don’t know why?! There are over 300 Glaciers here! It was gorgeous and is definitely a National Park you should have you on your list. There are so many amazing things To Do In North Cascades National Park.






North Cascades is located in Washington State. If you want to make it a long trip you can also add in Olympic National Park in Washington and a stop in Seatle.



17 Amazing Things To Do In North Cascades National Park



Redwoods



The Redwoods are a combination of Redwood National and State Parks that spread all up the northern coast of California. This means there is a good amount of ground to cover and a lot of cool things to do in Redwood National Park. In our post we explain more about how the parks are setup and the things you don’t want to miss.






The Redwoods are so magical!! If you want to extend your trip look to do a Northern California Road Trip!



23 Magical Things To Do In Redwood National Park



Acadia National Park



Acadia National Park in Maine is a fun summer destination. From the incredible views in the park, the unbelievable hikes – climbing up the side of a mountain – seriously! To exploring Bar Harbor and the surrounding area. There are a lot of fun things to do for the whole family. Don’t forget to try the local lobster and go on a lobster boat tour!






Acadia National Park and Maine Content:




17 Fun Things To Do In Acadia National Park



Acadia National Park Itinerary [Plus Where To stay]



Acadia National Park Guides



11 Things To Do In Bar Harbor Maine



15 Amazing Things To Do In Maine




Beach Vacation



South Padre Island



Destin Florida



We have visited Destin, Florida so many times I have lost count – once we stayed for 2 months! It is one of our favorite places in the US to visit with the  gorgeous beaches  and fun  family-friendly attractions . We keep going back because of all the awesome  things to do in Destin, FL!



Water sports ,  golf ,  fishing ,  dolphin cruises ,  waterfront dining , and  amazing sunsets  are just a few of the best things to do when you  visit Destin!






Destin, Florida Content:




31 Best Things To Do In Destin, Florida [Plus Top Tours]



Free Things To Do In Destin, Florida



12 Best VRBO Destin Florida Locations You Will Love



8 Fun And Exciting Destin Fishing Charters



14 Amazing RV Parks in Destin Florida




Gulf Shores



We have visited Gulf Shores in Alabama multiple times and each time we and had a jam-packed fun time filled with  beautiful beaches ,  delicious food ,  relaxation  and amazing  sunsets . There are so many awesome  things to do in Gulf Shores, Alabama .



You won’t want to miss visiting  Gulf State Park , learning about the  history and culture  in the area and all the fun outdoor activities you can do. Gulf Shores is very  family-friendly  and  affordable .






Gulf Shores, Alabama Content:




29 Best Things To Do In Gulf Shores, Alabama



Family Fun At The Beach Club Resort And Spa in Gulf Shores, Alabama



8 Best Airbnb and vrbo Gulf Shores Vacation Rentals For Families




South Padre Island



We planned to come to South Padre Island in Texas for 3 weeks and ended up coming back and staying for over 3 months! There are so many fun things to do in South Padre Island from amazing beaches and surfing, a fun nightlife, attractions for the whole family and an awesome vibe. When you come you won’t want to leave!






South Padre Island Content:




23+ Fun Things To Do In South Padre Island, Texas



14 Best VRBO South Padre Island Locations For An Amazing Vacation!



9 South Padre Island RV Parks For Your Next Vacation




Florida Keys



An awesome tropical vacation destination right here in the United States is the Florida Keys. It has such a Caribbean feel with the conveniences of being in the US.  The beaches are not the best but the water activities, sunsets and 100 miles to explore make a Florida Keys Road Trip a great summer vacation!






Florida Keys Content:




Florida Keys Road Trip: 29 Amazing Places To Visit [Map Included]



26 Epic Things To Do In Key West [Including Where To Stay]



The 4 Best Key West Water Activities To Do With Kids



Top 11 Best Beaches In The Florida Keys [Map Included]



Fiesta Key RV Resort in the Florida Keys




Oregon Coast



You may not think of the Oregon Coast as a beach destination but it is! Granted it isn’t the best for swimming in the ocean but the beaches are goregous and so much fun to explore. From hiking around the beaches to driftwood to tide pools.






Oregon Coast and Oregon Content:




26 Oregon Coast Road Trip Stops You Don’t Want To Miss



9 Best Oregon Waterfalls You Will Want To Visit



Mckenzie River Oregon: Epic 3 Day Itinerary



23 Fun Things To Do In Bend Oregon [Plus where to stay]



13 Family Friendly VRBO Bend Oregon Stays You Will Love



11 Kid Friendly Bend Oregon Breweries



Bend River Float How To [Maps Included]



10 Amazing Stops On The Hood River Fruit Loop [Map Included]



4 Best Amusement Parks in Oregon To Visit



7 Best Oregon Coast Camping Spots & 20 Things To Do




Cities To Visit In The Summer



Brewery in Bend Oregon



New York City, New York



Visiting New York City with kids is such a fun trip with all the  educational opportunities ,  broadway shows  and  food exploration ! Add in a few professional sports games, some shopping and a bike ride through Central Park and your whole family will be happy!






Visiting New York City With Kids [Itinerary Included]



Or plan a whole East Coast Road Trip!



Chicago, Illinois



When visiting Chicago with kids you won’t want to miss the  museums  (especially the Museum of Science and Industry),  Navy Pier ,  Millennium Park  to see the Bean, the  Chicago Riverwalk , and do a food tour to try a variety of the  delicious food !






Learn more about visiting Chicago with kids here: 25 Fun And Exciting Things To Do In Chicago With Kids



Boston, Massachussetts



Boston has so much history to share while also having fun activities to do with your family. It is a very walkable city. You won’t want to miss the donut tour and eating in Little Italy when you visit!






Learn more about Boston and Salem here: 29+ Fun Things to Do In Boston With Kids [Including Salem]



Bend, Oregon



We almost bought property in Bend, Oregon that is how much we like it! From the breweries and cideries to the outdoor activities and river float there are so many fun things for the whole family to do in Bend. Plus drive a short ways and you have waterfalls to ride down, cliff jumping and amazing hikes.






Bend, Oregon articles:




23 Fun Things To Do In Bend Oregon [Plus where to stay]



11 Kid Friendly Bend Oregon Breweries



Bend River Float How To [Maps Included]



13 Family Friendly VRBO Bend Oregon Stays You Will Love




Chattanooga, Tennessee



Chattanooga has fun outdoor activities for the whole family. From the incline train to the underground waterfall and Rock City and rock climbing. Plus they have an awesome brewery and food scene.






Chattanooga, Tennessee articles:




The Most Amazing Things To Do In Chattanooga With Kids [Itinerary Included]



5 Chattanooga Breweries To Visit With Kids And 1 To Skip



17 Chattanooga Restaurants You Won’t Want To Miss!



Visiting The Amazing Incline Mountain, Rock City And Ruby Falls



11 Fun Things To Do At Coolidge Park




There you have it! Where will you be heading this summer?!



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