Summer Adventures with Kids
We pulled these 357 summer adventures out of our full catalog of kid-friendly spots in New York, Hawaii, Texas and Oklahoma. Every listing has the ages it suits, what it costs, how long to budget, parking notes, and what to pack.
Showing 48 of 357 adventures — pick a state above for the full list
Bear Mountain State Park
Bear Mountain, NY
HikingHistoric Hudson River park with trails, pool, merry-go-round, and Appalachian Trail. Paid entry. …
Green Lakes State Park
Fayetteville, NY
SwimmingSwim in Caribbean-blue glacial lakes at Green Lakes State Park near Syracuse NY - sandy lifeguarded …
Robert H. Treman State Park
Ithaca, NY
SwimmingGorge trails, multiple waterfalls, and a stunning natural swimming hole near Ithaca. Paid entry. …
Robert H. Treman State Park Camping and Cabins
Ithaca, NY
CampingCampsites and simple cabins beside the stone-walled waterfall swimming hole at Treman, the best swim …
Kane Mountain Fire Tower
Caroga Lake, NY
HikingQuick and easy fire tower hike perfect for young or beginner hikers. Free. Best from about age 4. …
Stony Brook State Park
Dansville, NY
SwimmingGorge swimming, three waterfalls, and rock formations in a quiet setting. Paid entry. Works from …
Long Island Children's Museum
Garden City, NY
Indoor-PlayFourteen hands-on galleries in Garden City with bubbles, a climbing structure, a sound studio, and a …
Rogers Rock Campground
Hague, NY
CampingWooded lakeside campground on the quiet north end of Lake George. Paid entry. Works from toddler …
Eighth Lake Campground
Inlet, NY
CampingLakefront campground with beach and calm water on the Fulton Chain of Lakes. Paid entry. Works from …
Goodnow Mountain Fire Tower
Newcomb, NY
HikingFamily-friendly fire tower hike with interpretive signs and High Peaks views. Free. Best from about …
Floodwood Pond
Saranac Lake, NY
KayakingMotor-free interconnected ponds perfect for family kayaking and canoe adventures. Free. Best from …
Children's Museum at Saratoga
Saratoga Springs, NY
Indoor-PlaySmall Saratoga Springs children's museum with a pretend-play diner, a fire truck and a toddler area …
Na Pali Coast Boat Tour
Eleele, HI
NatureBoat tour along 4,000-foot sea cliffs with waterfalls, sea caves, and dolphins. Paid entry. Best …
Road to Hana Bamboo Forest (Pipiwai Trail)
Hana, HI
HikingMagical bamboo forest hike to a 400-foot waterfall at the end of the Road to Hana. Paid entry. Best …
Wai'anapanapa State Park
Hana, HI
HikingBlack sand beach with sea caves, lava tubes, and blowholes on the Road to Hana. Paid entry. Best …
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve
Honolulu, HI
SwimmingSnorkel with colorful fish in a volcanic crater bay with protected reef. Paid entry. Best from about …
Maui Zipline
Haiku, HI
Aerial-AdventureFamily zipline course through tropical scenery with lines for kids as young as 5. Paid entry. Best …
Twin Falls Maui
Haiku, HI
HikingEasy waterfall hike with swimming at the first stop on the Road to Hana. Free. Best from about age …
Hilo Farmers Market
Hilo, HI
NatureHawaii's biggest farmers market with 200+ vendors, exotic fruits, and tropical flowers. Free. Works …
Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area
Kula, HI
HikingCool mountain forest of redwoods and pines on Haleakala that feels like the Pacific Northwest. Free. …
Baby Beach Lahaina
Lahaina, HI
SwimmingUltra-shallow protected beach perfect for toddlers and babies. Free. Works from toddler age. About …
Camp Olowalu
Lahaina, HI
CampingOceanfront camping and glamping with excellent snorkeling right off the beach. Paid entry. Best from …
Leeward Coast Dolphin Watching
Waianae, HI
NatureBoat tours to see wild spinner dolphins and sea turtles along the leeward coast. Paid entry. Best …
Makapu'u Point Lighthouse Trail
Waimanalo, HI
HikingPaved coastal cliff trail to a lighthouse with winter whale watching. Free. Best from about age 3. …
Dallas World Aquarium
Dallas, TX
AquariumDescend through an indoor rainforest of sloths, toucans and monkeys to a shark tunnel and manatees …
Great Wolf Lodge Grapevine
Grapevine, TX
SwimmingIndoor water park hotel in Grapevine kept at 84 degrees year-round, with body slides, a wave pool, a …
Space Center Houston
Houston, TX
ScienceNASA's Houston visitor center with a tram to real Mission Control, a walk-through shuttle, moon …
Little Elm Beach
Little Elm, TX
SwimmingSandy lake beach on Lewisville Lake with roped swim area and free life jacket loans. Free. Best from …
Bullock Texas State History Museum
Austin, TX
MuseumThree floors of Texas history in downtown Austin anchored by a real 1686 shipwreck hull, plus an …
Daingerfield State Park
Daingerfield, TX
CampingStunning fall foliage and family lake swimming at a hidden East Texas gem - camping, fishing, …
Dallas Museum of Art
Dallas, TX
MuseumFree-admission art museum in the Dallas Arts District with a hands-on kids studio, Egyptian …
Purtis Creek State Park
Eustace, TX
FishingStocked catch-and-release lake where kids always catch fish. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A …
Trinity Trails
Fort Worth, TX
BikingOver 100 miles of paved family-friendly trails along the Trinity River in Fort Worth - free biking, …
SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium
Grapevine, TX
AquariumMall aquarium in Grapevine with eye-level tanks, touch pools and a walk-through shark and ray …
The Health Museum
Houston, TX
ScienceHouston museum of the human body with a walk-through giant heart, a climb-in brain and a simulated …
Grelle Recreation Area
Spicewood, TX
HikingUncrowded Lake Travis cove with wooded trails and swimming. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A …
Beavers Bend State Park Cabins
Broken Bow, OK
LodgingRustic and modern state park cabins in the pines at Beavers Bend, minutes from Broken Bow Lake and …
Broken Bow Lake
Broken Bow, OK
SwimmingCrystal-clear 14,000-acre mountain lake with calm swimming coves and 180 miles of shoreline. Free. …
Museum of the Red River
Idabel, OK
MuseumIdabel museum forty minutes from Broken Bow with a full mounted Acrocanthosaurus and Native American …
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Oklahoma City, OK
MuseumOklahoma City Western museum with a full-scale indoor frontier town, a kids cowboy corral, and rodeo …
Beavers Bend Marina
Broken Bow, OK
KayakingPontoon and boat rentals on crystal-clear Broken Bow Lake. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A …
Broken Bow Treehouse and Glamping Stays
Broken Bow, OK
LodgingTreehouses, A-frames, geodesic domes and canvas glamping tents scattered through the woods around …
Evening Hole Fishing Area
Broken Bow, OK
FishingPopular family fishing pier on the Mountain Fork River with trout and bass. Paid entry. Best from …
The Maze of Hochatown
Broken Bow, OK
NatureGiant 29,000 sq ft wooden maze in Hochatown near Broken Bow - tickets sold at the gate, with …
Raymond Gary State Park Camping
Fort Towson, OK
CampingSmall shaded lakeside campground and swimming area east of Hugo, and a workable overflow option when …
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
Norman, OK
MuseumNorman natural history museum with a record-holding Pentaceratops skull, an Apatosaurus mount, and a …
Pine Creek Lake Camping
Valliant, OK
CampingBasic Army Corps campgrounds on a quiet reservoir west of Broken Bow, for families who want an empty …
Lake Wister State Park Camping
Wister, OK
CampingShoreline camping areas and cabins on Lake Wister in the Ouachita foothills, an easy pairing with …