Suzie

Wow I like those additions, especially the live music & theater. I also think the train ride is a good one.

MomDDTravel

I like the list... I saw some things on there that I could do from here with dd and so I appreciated it.

I loved being in the mountains last summer and it is so beautiful...I can see why you love it!

dfnh

There are things on the T&L list I wouldn't want to see. I agree it is a silly list and I much prefer Suzie's plus the other suggestions. We never did take our son to Disneyworld. When he was 22 he and DH drove cross country they stopped at Niagra Falls and then kept driving - too many tourists! We did go to Williamsburg one year. When he was in high school his high school history teacher asked how many had been to different historical sights here on the east coast. He was the only one who had been to several.

Vttraveler

Well, if we get to count other redwoods in California in lieu of those at Muir woods, our younger son saw 6/10 of these before age 10. His brother was a little older for some.

I am not sure it is silly to take kids on longer trips when they are younger as long as they and the parents enjoy traveling. I don't think it is good to do them to check off a list of kids "must see" destinations. I agree they often remember remarkably little about the major tourist attractions
I like Suzie's list, too, and would add visits associated with the child's own history (where s/he was born if not where you are currently living, for example) and family history. Visits to family and family reunions are also important trips.
I was finally persuaded to visit Disneyland as part of a family reunion. I preferred our get-together destinations like Cape Cod and Smith Mt Lake, Va. much better but have to admit everyone else liked Disneyland.

In New York we found the Lower East Side Tenement museum was much more interesting to our kids than Ellis Island.

NeoPatrick

We didn't travel a lot when I was small -- we couldn't afford to time or money wise. But what do I remember most?

The Air Force museum near Dayton, Ohio where we lived.

The Cincinnati Zoo.

The Dayton Art Institute, a beautiful building with some great Egyptian treasures and a real mummy.

The field trip to the Libby Owens glass plant where they made automobile headlights -- fascinating.

Taking a ride on an old steam train.

Visiting US Grant's birthplace down on the Ohio River.

The famous "Serpent Mound", an old Indian mound in the shape of a huge, long snake.

Family Sunday drives and picnics in the Hocking Hills of southern Ohio.

Lots of others.

My point? I feel sorry for those who feel that the most enjoyable or important things for kids to see have to be a major excursions across the country or even to other parts of the world. No matter where you live they are great treasures waiting to be discovered in your back yard.

dfnh

NeoPatrick, basically I agree with you but I have to admit we took a major car trip to Bowling Green KY because DH wanted to see Mammoth Caves. I'm sure our son enjoyed the trip but for his birthday surprise we did a tour of the Corvette Assembly plant nearby. I'm sure he loved it more than a trip to Disneyworld.
One day I talked with a well traveled friend about vacations with kids. He thought that after Disney anything else would be a let down so he never took his kids to local places. Our son would have felt he'd been major gypped it we didn't attend demolition derbies at the local fair.

Brahmama

Adding to Suzie's List:

The inside of a church/cathedral/mosque or temple

(hopefully often!)

coldkelly

NeoPatrick- You are so right. My daughters have their best memories of days at the zoo, the beach, camping trips complete with campfires and s'mores. Now that they're all in college, I've done trips to Key West, Washington DC, Las Vegas, Chicago, NYC etc. but those childhood adventures just have a very special place in their hearts. No need to spend a great deal of money- just do your research and go with the right mindset.