Are you looking for a different idea for your holidays this year? Trying to figure out what would be a good place to go and feeling like you’re running out of fun and different ideas? So why not consider taking your vacation to a place of historical value? Even if you have children, vacations to historical places to visit can be a lot of fun and filled with much more action than one might imagine.
On top of that, they are also very educational. Believe it or not, if you have children, they will really enjoy trying to imagine a battle scene or seeing an actual reenactment of a battle or some other historical moment in history. Going to a place that has a lot of history brings history to life and is much better than reading about it in history books.
When you start planning this, sit down with your family members and figure out what moment in history, within limits, that you and your family might be interested in experiencing. Do you prefer the Civil War era to the Revolutionary era? Do they prefer all American history over world history? Would you prefer the times of World War II or the Wild West? All of this is important so take note. It will make deciding on a location much easier.
After you’ve done this, try to pick one or even two of the different eras that they showed the most interest in, and then do your research on different places to go that have things associated with these time periods. For example, if the Revolutionary War is of great interest, consider a place like Philadelphia. For those who love the Civil War, consider Wilmington Delaware or Gettysburg or Washington DC which has tons of historical museums that should please everyone.
Find out when there will be different events in the places you are interested in visiting so everyone can experience living history through re-enactments, festivals or other events that are historically based.
Get in touch with different historical societies to find out more about the area and how you can enjoy history and get involved with it. Be sure to ask which months have fewer tourists but still offer the same historical events. This way, you’ll be able to ask more questions of your own to any guides that may be on the tours you take. With fewer people you can receive more personalized attention.
Make sure that whatever you plan to see, you find your accommodation close to where the historic sites are. You may even want to see if they have campgrounds near the area so you can get a better idea of what it was like to live in the area in the past.
Another good thing you can do is book a room at a historic bed and breakfast in your destination. Not only will these be great places to stay with great service, but they’ll usually be decorated in period style, and who knows, maybe the room you book will be one that good old George Washington slept in in one of his many trips.