Jackie Jones

Latest posts by Jackie Jones

The Ultimate Guide to Minneapolis, MN with Kids: 38 Top Things To Do You Can't Miss

Submitted by Jackie Jones on Sat, 10/04/2025 - 1:00pm

Let kids' imaginations run wild at the Minnesota Children's Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum

There are so many fun things to do in Minneapolis and St. Paul, making the Twin Cities the perfect midwestern family getaway. From the famous Mall of America (there's an indoor amusement park!) to thousands (seriously, thousands) of lakes to explore, you're guaranteed to find kid activities to entertain everyone in your family.

Seasons are for real in Minneapolis and St. Paul, leading to glorious landscapes in the fall and spring, when families flock to the area's outdoor offerings. And when the "Mini Apple" becomes a frozen tundra (in, say, January and February), there are plenty of fun things to do in Minneapolis indoors, as well as those lakes to skate on in the open air.

The Twin Cities offer the best of both worlds, where big-city energy meets scenic landscapes and nature. Families chasing outdoor excursions can kayak on the Mississippi and bike on miles of winding trails, while those craving culture can take their pick of world-class museums and restaurants. And they don't call it "Minnesota nice" for nothing—you won't find a warmer population of people, despite those wintertime subzero temps!

Plan your midwestern getaway with our list of things to do in Minneapolis and St. Paul with kids. For more family vacation ideas in this part of the US, check out our Midwest Family Travel Guide.

Best Things to Do in Hot Springs, Arkansas with Kids: A National Park Family Vacation

Submitted by Jackie Jones on Sat, 09/27/2025 - 12:00pm

Get up close to a variety of animals at the Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo. Photo by the author

Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas is a unique family destination in several ways. It's America's only urban national park, meaning it's accessible from the city's busy downtown and free to visit. And while there are plenty of cool hiking trails, the big draw to Hot Springs is its water. Pools of the steaming geothermal spring water can be seen within the park, and families can stroll along Bathhouse Row where generations of people (including gangster Al Capone) came to soak in for medicinal purposes.

Outside of the national park, there are plenty of kid-friendly attractions in Hot Springs, from an interactive science museum to a gorgeous botanical garden. Read on for our guide to visiting Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, including itinerary ideas, where to eat, and lodging near the park. Check out our US National Parks Family Travel Guide for more parks to visit with kids, including our top-ten list of family-friendly national parks.

El Paso with Kids: 20 Best Things To Do in El Paso, Texas

Submitted by Jackie Jones on Sat, 07/26/2025 - 12:00pm

Even the benches are art at the El Paso Museum of Art.

El Paso, Texas, located right on the border with Mexico, is a multicultural town that's very family-friendly. Known as the "Sun City" due to its exceptionally high amount of sunshine, El Paso is very diverse, and you're just as likely to hear Spanish spoken there as English. The city celebrates its diversity with downtown museums (many of them free!) and a reputation for some great Tex-Mex cuisine.

Whether you come to El Paso as part of a Texas road trip or en route to Big Bend National Park, this town has plenty for families to explore, including a brand new, state-of-the-art children's museum. Here are 20 top things to do in El Paso, Texas with kids, including family-friendly El Paso restaurants and hotels. Check out our Ultimate Travel Guide for more vacation ideas!

Myrtle Beach with Kids: 32 Best Things To Do in Myrtle Beach, SC

Submitted by Jackie Jones on Sat, 07/19/2025 - 10:11am

Enjoy fun photo ops, unique shops, delicious restaurants, and more at Broadway at the Beach.

There is so much for families to love about Myrtle Beach, a vacation resort on South Carolina's Atlantic coast. Nicknamed the Grand Strand because of its 60-mile stretch of gorgeous beaches, this area is known as a sunny surf-side retreat and a golfer's paradise

But while the natural beauty of the coastline and the premier golf courses don't disappoint, there's also a ton of fun to be had off the sand (and the green). Myrtle Beach has lots of interactive museums, animal adventures, shopping destinations, and kids' activities for all ages. Add to that some great restaurants (particularly if you love seafood or barbecue) and hotels with unique amenities and you've got yourself an awesome family vacation.

Here are 32 things to do in Myrtle Beach with kids, from the popular Myrtle Beach Boardwalk to family-friendly Myrtle Beach resorts and hotels. Our Southern US Family Travel Guide has more great places to visit down south, including other South Carolina cities like Charleston and Columbia.

Visit Florida's First and Only Great Wolf Lodge in Naples, FL

Submitted by Jackie Jones on Fri, 06/27/2025 - 9:54am

Great Wolf's Breakaway Bay Slide is a big draw for families.

Florida, known for its amazing theme parks, welcomed another one when Great Wolf Lodge in Naples recently opened. With a 92,000-square-foot indoor water park and 500 guest rooms, this Naples, Florida hotel and attraction is one of the largest in the Great Wolf Lodge family...and the only one in Florida. (Great Wolf Lodge has 23 indoor water parks across the nation, including its most recently opened spot in Connecticut.) The Naples destination is a total blast for families—aside from water rides, the resort offers plenty to do, from a thrilling ropes course to a bowling alley and arcade!

So what sets Great Wolf Lodge Naples apart from its other locations? Our family took the plunge (literally!) and stayed at the water park for a fun-filled weekend. Read on for details from our adventure!

Crayola Experience Orlando: The Amusement Park for Crafty Kids

Submitted by Jackie Jones on Sun, 06/22/2025 - 10:07am

See the world's largest Crayola crayon at Crayola Experience Orlando.

Crayola Experience Orlando is a theme park made for kids who love art! Inside this 70,000-square-foot space, you'll find enough creative play opportunities and colorful hands-on activities to keep your family busy all day (including a giant, crayon-themed playground). We were at Crayola Orlando for four hours and still didn't get to all of the 27 exhibits! Tickets cost about $30 dollars per person, making the Crayola Experience a bargain compared to other Orlando theme parks and attractions. The age range of visitors at Crayola Experience Orlando runs the gamut, from infants to teenagers, so tap into your inner child and get those creative juices flowing...here's your guide to the Crayola Experience Orlando!

Little Rock with Kids: 25 Things to Do in Little Rock, Arkansas

Submitted by Jackie Jones on Sat, 05/31/2025 - 12:00pm

Kids will have the time of their lives on the giant slide at Riverfront Park.

Little Rock, Arkansas is a city with a robust political history, a mild climate, and tons of things for families to do—especially those who enjoy time outdoors. Just under two hours west of Memphis, Tennessee, Little Rock is the state's capital and its most populous city.

Set on the banks of the Arkansas River, Little Rock has a way of feeling like a big city and a small southern community all at the same time. This area may be home to a US president, yet the city still seems quaint and unintimidating. Little Rock boasts top-notch museums, world-class hiking, and great restaurants, making it an ideal travel destination for families.

Read on for our top 25 things to do with kids in Little Rock, Arkansas, including where to eat and where to stay while in town. Check out our Southern States Vacation Guide for more fun cities to visit in the South!

Big Bend National Park Lodging, Seeing Stars, and Best Things To Do with Kids

Submitted by Jackie Jones on Sat, 05/24/2025 - 12:00pm

There are several easy hikes in Big Bend National Park that kids of all ages enjoy.

Big Bend National Park in southern Texas is an excellent destination for families looking to spend time together "off the grid." The park is vast, rugged, and remote, spanning more than 800,000 acres along the border of the US and Mexico, right in the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert.

Big Bend is one of the least visited national parks, but I'm here to argue that should not be the case! Big Bend offers amazing hiking, memorable wildlife viewing, adventures on the Rio Grande river, and spectacular stargazing at night. Visiting does require serious planning because it is so far removed from modern civilization (cell phone service, for example, is unreliable at Big Bend). Yet a trip here may just change your life, as it did for me and my kids.

Read on for our guide to visiting Big Bend, including itinerary ideas, a Big Bend National Park map, where to eat, and lodging and hotels near Big Bend National Park. Check out our US National Parks Family Travel Guide for more national parks to visit with kids, including our top-ten list of family-friendly national parks.

Latest posts by Jackie Jones

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