Keep the Kids in School This Summer
Historic Colonial Tour of America is Ideal Family Vacation
The Signal - Business Section, May, 2005
It’s almost here again: summertime with the kids. Rather than worry they’ll forget the American history lessons learned in school, why not take them to see where it all began with the Pilgrims, Plymouth Rock and the full East Coast colonial tour. This is first-hand education cleverly disguised as a family vacation, and one trip you’ll all remember.
Honestly, how many adults do you know have actually seen the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, walked Boston’s Freedom Trail, or visited the presidential homes of George Washington’s Mount Vernon or Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello? A few perhaps, but traveling to visit landmarks and historic monuments is a worthwhile investment, especially for those whose history books remained nearly unopened throughout an entire semester.
For the kids - and most adults as well - hands-on learning is a lot more fun and way more effective than sitting through a lecture or doing homework. It’s amazing to see the places and things we know about from American History 101. Plymouth Rock sounds really big, but in reality it’s about the size of a rock found in the jetty at our local beaches. At Mount Vernon, George Washington painted the dining room his favorite color which, surprisingly, was turquoise. Then there’s colonial Williamsburg, our founding fathers’ version of Disneyland for the fife and drum set, and a must-do for people of all ages.
From a logistical standpoint, flying to a hub city like Washington, DC, New York or Boston and traveling by ground is the best way to see the sights. Rent a car and make your way around US headquarters, exploring the many museums, landmarks, monuments and parks in the Washington, DC area. Located in the heart of this presidential town on the Potomac River is the Capitol itself, with major avenues leading from the building through a grid of streets that make up the surrounding city. So it’s fairly uncomplicated to navigate from one monument to another.
While on your historic journey, be sure to share interesting facts along the way. It’ll impress the family. Did you know that for brief periods of time, both New York City and Philadelphia served as the capital of the United States? Then in 1790, George Washington helped Congress select the District of Columbia as the permanent home for the nation’s capital. Just imagine how much you’ll learn once your travels begin.
After the DC excursion, hit the road or hop on a train to visit the historic sites in our former national capital, Philadelphia. To go from DC where history is currently being made in the White House, the Library of Congress and the Pentagon, to Philadelphia and experience where our forefathers began American history by writing the Declaration of Independence and ringing the Liberty Bell is truly remarkable, and an unforgettable travel adventure.
Another useful factoid in taking a colonial vacation: some things are actually free. Really, there is no admission fee to visit our national parks and museums. Your historic summertime travels will allow you to stay on budget. Even the sights that charge for entrance are often very reasonably priced. For example Williamsburg tickets start at $29 for adults and $15 for kids, and increase depending on the level of access you’d like for the day.
Before the final school bell rings to announce the arrival of summer, start planning your extended learning program for the kids. Working with a travel expert an educational colonial tour is easily packaged as a family vacation, and is one summer school course your family will appreciate for years to come.
Commentary provided by Eric Maryanov, president and founder of All-Travel.com, the Los Angeles-based travel management company with an office in Valencia. He can be reached at 661.775.7511..
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