I was just reading an interesting post about Mt. Rushmore and whether or not it was a "must see" place for a family to take it's children. This post started me thinking.....

What are some of the things that people should definitely try to take their children to before they leave the nest? Within reason, of course. I'm sure few families can take a year off to back pack around Europe, but I also don't think that marching off to Disney every year or only taking camping trips is very diverse.

So anyhow, all of you experts, what do you think is a definite "Must See/Must Do" for families?

Well, I'd have to say Washington, D.C., to give kids some sense of history.

I am 79 and the best vacation ever was driving across our USA. See Mpunt Rushmore (awesome), Crazy Horse is near by, go on to Cody, Wyo., to Yellowstone Natl Park, down thru the Grand Tetons to Salt Lake City, on to Reno, then beautiful San Franciso, take the shore route down to LA, on to Vegas, Hoover Dam, the best of all the Grand Canyan, petrified forest, up thru Utah and Colorado. I get my album pictures out and go thru this same trip occasionally.

I agree with the DC trip. I would add NYC, Boston, San Fran, the Grand Canyon, and a vacation on both coasts. I didn't do any of these with my parents, but I did make it everywhere except Boston on my own or with friends before my 18th birthday.

Actually I saw most of these after 18, and some I still have to visit, but I would say a few national parks like the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone, New York, California (maybe San Diego and surroundings), Washington, D.C., Boston, and Philadelphia.

I also feel strongly that parents should take their kids abroad, even if they can only afford to go to French Canada or Mexico. I plan to take my daughter to several countries, but I really want to take her on a 1-2 month trip to Europe when she gets in her mid to late teens. I think it is important to teach kids about the greater world around them, and seeing these places for themselves may make college a lot more rewarding as they can relate to their classes and the news more.

Interesting question. We take our kids to Hawaii every year, and Kari, you are right, that's not the most educational way to spend our travel buck. But it has been an easy introduction to travel, airplane rides, etc., that we've all benefitted from.

Before my kids hit 18 I hope to take them to:

Washington, DC (I was 12 the first time there and LOVED it)
New York City, a microcosm of America
Drive across the country, no better way to realize it's size and diversity
Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier Nat'l Park, appreciate the reasons for protecting these beautiful, natural places
Mexico and Canada, no, Virginia, we're not the only country in North America
A few more trips to Europe, we've taken them once and I want our family in Scotland to be more than a Christmas card once a year.

Disney and camping have their places too. Anytime you can have fun together as a family and get out of your regular routine, it's a good thing.