Adventures for Preschoolers

Bend, TX

Colorado Bend State Park

70-foot Gorman Falls waterfall with spring-fed swimming holes. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. Easily a full day. Dogs welcome.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~5h
Paid

Canyon, TX

Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Second-largest US canyon with the iconic Lighthouse Trail hike. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip. Moderate effort.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~4h
Paid

Dripping Springs, TX

Hamilton Pool Preserve

A collapsed grotto with a 50-foot waterfall into a jade pool. Reservation required, and swimming is often closed after rain.

Swimming
Ages 5+
~2h
Paid

Fredericksburg, TX

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

Iconic granite dome summit scramble with 360-degree Hill Country views. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~3h
Paid

Austin, TX

Austin Bouldering Project

Indoor bouldering gym in south Austin with colour-graded routes, padded floors and day passes with rental shoes for first-time kids.

Rock Climbing
Ages 5+
~2h
Paid

Austin, TX

Barton Creek Greenbelt

12 miles of creek trails with swimming holes and bouldering in Austin. Free. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.

Hiking
Ages 5+
~3h
Free

Dallas, TX

Cedar Ridge Preserve

600 acres of rugged trails and scenic overlooks in Dallas. Free. Best from about age 4. About two hours. Dogs welcome. Moderate effort.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~2h
Free

Fort Davis, TX

Davis Mountains State Park

Cool mountain camping with skyline trail and historic pueblo lodge. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip. Moderate effort.

Camping
Ages 4+
~4h
Paid

McKinney, TX

Erwin Park

10 miles of DORBA-maintained mountain bike trails in McKinney TX with a beginner skills course, playground, and free primitive camping

Mountain Biking
Ages 4+
~3h
Free

San Antonio, TX

Natural Bridge Caverns

Largest Texas cavern with ropes course and outdoor maze above ground. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip.

Nature
Ages 4+
~3h
Paid

San Marcos, TX

Rio Vista Park

Crystal-clear spring-fed river with natural falls for floating and swimming. Free. Best from about age 4. About two hours.

Swimming
Ages 4+
~2h
Free

Vanderpool, TX

Lost Maples State Natural Area

Stunning fall foliage and limestone canyon trails along the Sabinal River. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip.

Hiking
Ages 5+
~4h
Paid

Hilo, HI

Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station

World-class stargazing at 9,200 feet with free evening telescope programs. Free. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip.

Nature
Ages 5+
~3h
Free

Honolulu, HI

Diamond Head State Monument

Iconic volcanic crater hike with panoramic Waikiki and ocean views. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. About two hours. Moderate effort.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~2h
Paid

Kapaa, HI

Wailua River Kayaking

Kayak Hawaii's only navigable river, then hike to a 120-foot hidden waterfall you can swim under. Paid, ages 5+. No kayaking on Sundays.

Kayaking
Ages 5+
~5h
Paid

Kula, HI

Haleakala National Park Sunrise

Sunrise from 10,023 feet above a volcanic crater that looks like Mars. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip.

Nature
Ages 4+
~3h
Paid

Eleele, HI

Na Pali Coast Boat Tour

Boat tour along 4,000-foot sea cliffs with waterfalls, sea caves, and dolphins. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. Easily a full day.

Nature
Ages 5+
~5h
Paid

Haiku, HI

Maui Zipline

Family zipline course through tropical scenery with lines for kids as young as 5. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. About two hours.

Aerial Adventure
Ages 5+
~2h
Paid

Haiku, HI

Twin Falls Maui

Easy waterfall hike with swimming at the first stop on the Road to Hana. Free. Best from about age 4. About two hours. Easy going.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~2h
Free

Honolulu, HI

Battleship Missouri Memorial

Walk the deck and interior of the battleship where WWII ended, from the surrender plaque to the bridge and sixteen-inch gun turrets.

Museum
Ages 5+
~3h
Paid

Kailua, HI

Lanikai Pillbox Hike

Short steep hike to WWII bunkers with stunning views over Lanikai Beach. Free. Best from about age 5. About an hour. Dogs welcome.

Hiking
Ages 5+
~1h
Free

Kihei, HI

Molokini Crater Snorkeling

Snorkel in crystal-clear water inside a volcanic crater with 150-foot visibility. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. Easily a full day.

Snorkeling
Ages 5+
~5h
Paid

Lihue, HI

Kauai Tubing Adventure

Float through century-old plantation tunnels on inner tubes with headlamps. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip.

Tubing
Ages 5+
~3h
Paid

Waimea (Kauai), HI

Koke'e State Park Camping

Mountain camping at 3,600 feet above Waimea Canyon with cool forest air and stargazing. Paid entry. Best from about age 4.

Camping
Ages 4+
Overnight
Paid

Haines Falls, NY

Kaaterskill Falls Trail

The tallest two-tiered waterfall in New York State at 260 feet. Free. Best from about age 5. About two hours. Dogs welcome.

Hiking
Ages 5+
~2h
Free

Lake Placid, NY

Mount Jo Trail

Short family hike with a spectacular High Peaks panorama above Heart Lake. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. About two hours.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~2h
Paid

Saranac Lake, NY

Saranac Lake Islands Camping

Paddle-in island camping on the Saranac Lakes with 87 primitive sites. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. Plan to stay overnight.

Camping
Ages 5+
Overnight
Paid

Sundown, NY

Peekamoose Blue Hole

Stunning blue-green natural swimming hole with waterfall in the Catskill forest. Free. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip.

Swimming
Ages 5+
~3h
Free

Fort Ann, NY

Shelving Rock Falls Trail

Short family hike to a beautiful waterfall near Lake George. Free. Best from about age 4. About two hours. Dogs welcome.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~2h
Free

Indian Lake, NY

Indian Lake Islands Campground

Paddle-in island camping on scenic Indian Lake in the central Adirondacks. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. Plan to stay overnight.

Camping
Ages 5+
Overnight
Paid

Jamesville, NY

Clark Reservation State Park

Glacial plunge basin with cliff-rimmed lake and unique geology near Syracuse. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. About two hours.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~2h
Paid

Keene Valley, NY

Beaver Meadow Falls Trail

Scenic river trail to a beautiful 30-foot waterfall in the High Peaks. Free. Best from about age 5. About two hours. Dogs welcome.

Hiking
Ages 5+
~2h
Free

Naples, NY

Grimes Glen Park

Wade up a fossil-filled creek to reach two hidden waterfalls in a narrow gorge. Free. Best from about age 5. About two hours.

Hiking
Ages 5+
~2h
Free

Saranac Lake, NY

Floodwood Pond

Motor-free interconnected ponds perfect for family kayaking and canoe adventures. Free. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip.

Kayaking
Ages 4+
~4h
Free

Stony Point, NY

Harriman State Park

Massive park with 200+ miles of trails, swimming lakes, and mountain views. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~4h
Paid

Wolcott, NY

Chimney Bluffs State Park

Otherworldly clay spires sculpted by erosion on the shore of Lake Ontario. Free. Best from about age 5. About two hours.

Hiking
Ages 5+
~2h
Free

Fort White, FL

Ichetucknee Springs State Park

Float a crystal-clear 72-degree spring run through shaded forest on inner tubes - the classic Florida tubing trip for families.

Tubing
Ages 4+
~4h
Paid

Key Largo, FL

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

The first undersea park in the US. Snorkel boats run out to living coral reef, and two calm beaches work for kids not ready for the boat.

Snorkeling
Ages 5+
~5h
Paid

Merritt Island, FL

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Stand under a real Saturn V, walk through the Atlantis shuttle exhibit, and meet an astronaut - a full day, and worth it.

Science
Ages 4+
~8h
Paid

Boca Raton, FL

Red Reef Park

Snorkel a shallow boulder reef twenty yards off the sand in water rarely more than six feet deep, with angelfish, parrotfish and green turtles.

Snorkeling
Ages 5+
~3h
Paid

Hobe Sound, FL

Jonathan Dickinson State Park

Paddle Florida's first Wild and Scenic River through cypress, and climb the sand pine ridge for a view over the whole coast.

Kayaking
Ages 5+
~5h
Paid

Holt, FL

Blackwater River State Park

One of the purest sand-bottom rivers in the world, with a broad white sandbar on every bend for stopping to swim and eat. Gentle enough for kids.

Kayaking
Ages 5+
~5h
Paid

Islamorada, FL

Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park

Walk through a quarry cut into 125,000-year-old coral reef, with fossil coral heads standing out of the sawn rock walls.

Nature
Ages 5+
~2h
Paid

Jacksonville, FL

Big Talbot Island State Park

Boneyard Beach is littered with the bleached skeletons of whole oak and cedar trees, toppled off an eroding bluff onto the sand.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~3h
Paid

Marathon, FL

Curry Hammock State Park

Shallow, protected flats ideal for a first family paddle, a quiet beach, and the best hawk-watching site in the Keys each October.

Kayaking
Ages 4+
~4h
Paid

Melbourne Beach, FL

Sebastian Inlet State Park

Florida's most productive saltwater fishing spot, with a walkable jetty, a calm lagoon beach for kids and surfing on the north side.

Fishing
Ages 4+
~4h
Paid

Riviera Beach, FL

Peanut Island Park

An island reached only by water taxi, with a rock-protected snorkel lagoon shallow enough to stand in and a campground on the far side.

Snorkeling
Ages 4+
~4h
Paid

Wakulla Springs, FL

Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park

One of the world's deepest freshwater springs, with a riverboat tour past wild alligators and a 1937 lodge that has barely changed.

Swimming
Ages 4+
~4h
Paid

Rio Grande, PR

El Yunque National Forest

The only tropical rainforest in the US National Forest system, with roadside waterfalls and a canopy tower a short walk from the car.

Hiking
Ages 4+
~5h
Free

San Juan, PR

Castillo San Felipe del Morro

A six-level Spanish fortress on the headland, with tunnels, sentry boxes and the best kite-flying lawn in the Caribbean.

Nature
Ages 4+
~3h
Paid

Aguadilla, PR

Crash Boat Beach

Submerged pier pilings have grown coral and sponge into an artificial reef, making this the easiest genuinely good snorkel on the west coast.

Snorkeling
Ages 5+
~3h
Free

Cabo Rojo, PR

Playa Sucia (La Playuela)

A curved bay under limestone cliffs at the island's south-west tip, with the 1882 Los Morrillos lighthouse on the headland above.

Swimming
Ages 4+
~4h
Free

Camuy, PR

Parque Nacional Cavernas del Rio Camuy

One of the largest cave systems in the world, entered by trolley down into a sinkhole, with a subterranean river running far below the walkway.

Nature
Ages 5+
~3h
Paid

Culebra, PR

Tamarindo Beach

Swim out a short way from a quiet Culebra shore and you are over turtle grass where green sea turtles graze most mornings. No facilities at all.

Snorkeling
Ages 5+
~3h
Free

Guanica, PR

Gilligan's Island (Cayo Aurora)

A tiny mangrove cay a short ferry hop off Guanica, where shallow turquoise channels between the roots work like natural swimming pools for kids.

Snorkeling
Ages 4+
~4h
Paid

Loiza, PR

Pinones

A coastal boardwalk and bike path through mangrove and palm, lined with kiosks frying the best street food on the island.

Biking
Ages 4+
~4h
Free

Luquillo, PR

Charco Frio, Rio Sabana

A cold, clear river pool on the edge of El Yunque, reached by a short forest walk - a local swimming hole rather than a sight.

Swimming
Ages 5+
~3h
Free

San Juan, PR

Balneario El Escambron

A reef-protected cove minutes from Old San Juan with genuinely good snorkelling, lifeguards, showers and calm shallow water for young children.

Snorkeling
Ages 4+
~3h
Paid

San Juan, PR

Castillo San Cristobal

The largest Spanish fort built in the Americas, with a tunnel system, a dungeon and centuries-old ship drawings scratched into the walls.

Nature
Ages 5+
~2h
Paid

Broken Bow, OK

Broken Bow Treehouse and Glamping Stays

Treehouses, A-frames, geodesic domes and canvas glamping tents scattered through the woods around Hochatown and Broken Bow Lake

Lodging
Ages 4+
Overnight
Paid

Broken Bow, OK

Evening Hole Fishing Area

Popular family fishing pier on the Mountain Fork River with trout and bass. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. About two hours.

Fishing
Ages 4+
~2h
Paid

Broken Bow, OK

Mountain Fork River Kayaking

Kayak and canoe rentals on the crystal-clear Mountain Fork River near Beavers Bend. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. About two hours.

Kayaking
Ages 5+
~2h
Paid

Idabel, OK

Museum of the Red River

Idabel museum forty minutes from Broken Bow with a full mounted Acrocanthosaurus and Native American art of the Americas.

Museum
Ages 4+
~2h
Free

Oklahoma City, OK

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Oklahoma City Western museum with a full-scale indoor frontier town, a kids cowboy corral, and rodeo and Native American galleries.

Museum
Ages 4+
~3h
Paid

Oklahoma City, OK

OKC Sailing School

Week-long learn-to-sail camps for kids on Lake Hefner, open to non-members, plus a half-day Pirate Camp for ages 5 to 7. Paid.

Sailing
Ages 5+
~7h
Paid

Oklahoma City, OK

Oklahoma City Museum of Art

Oklahoma City art museum built around a fifty-five foot Chihuly glass tower, with weekend family art studios and a film theater.

Museum
Ages 4+
~2h
Paid

Oklahoma City, OK

Oklahoma History Center

Oklahoma City state history museum with hanging aircraft, a full oil derrick, a Route 66 section and a hard-hitting Dust Bowl gallery.

Museum
Ages 5+
~3h
Paid

St. John, VI

Trunk Bay

An underwater snorkel trail with signs mounted on the seabed, in shallow calm water inside Virgin Islands National Park.

Snorkeling
Ages 4+
~4h
Paid

Christiansted, VI

Christiansted National Historic Site

A yellow Danish fort on the harbour front, with dungeons, ramparts and cannon, in a walkable eighteenth-century colonial town.

Nature
Ages 5+
~2h
Paid

St. John, VI

Annaberg Sugar Plantation

The best preserved sugar mill ruins in the Virgin Islands, on a hillside with a windmill tower and a view to the British islands.

Nature
Ages 5+
~2h
Paid

St. John, VI

Hawksnest Bay

The closest good reef to Cruz Bay: elkhorn coral heads sit a short swim from the sand, with parking directly beside the beach.

Snorkeling
Ages 4+
~3h
Free

St. Thomas, VI

Coki Beach

The best shore snorkelling on St. Thomas - dense reef fish right off the sand, in shallow, protected, usually calm water.

Snorkeling
Ages 4+
~3h
Free

St. Thomas, VI

Sapphire Beach

Reef within easy swimming range at both ends, a long shallow sandy middle for small children, and a straight view across to St. John from the sand.

Snorkeling
Ages 4+
~3h
Free