Every Monday night, families used to gather around the television to watch the continuing adventures of the Ingalls family in the TV show based on the Little House on the Prairie novels by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Today, it is truly a momentous undertaking to find a show that a family with kids can watch without cringing at least once. Those days may be gone, but this show itself lives on in DVD form, and there are always the original novels by Laura herself. Many a young girl still grows up reading these infinitely fascinating tales of the tough pioneer life and the extraordinarily inspiring way in which a young girl became an American icon.

This is where the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum comes into play. There are actually two different museums with Wilder's name, but only one, in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, where the stories take place. The museum near Springfield is perfectly fine, but the one in Walnut Grove has a Laura and Nellie lookalike contest every year, usually in July. You remember Nellie, right? That little blonde snot who tried to make young Laura's life miserable every episode. Near the museum, you can also visit the actual site of the home where Laura and family lived.

And then there's the Wilder Pageant, which is the highlight of Walnut Creek's year. The Wilder Pageant takes place during the summer and features a live performance starring all the favorite characters from the show. A visit to the Wilder Pageant is like actually watching the Little House on the Prairie TV show come to life as you get to relive some of the favorite moments of the stories of the Ingalls' family history.

And if that weren't enough, all Little House fans can actually shop at the Olsen Mercantile store for things like flowers, clothing, pottery and collectibles. Oh, and don't forget to make a visit to Nellie's Café. The yellow ringlets of the snotty little Olsen girl may not be atop the head that serves you, but it's a really fun place to visit.

After you See Rock City and give the whole looking at seven states from atop the peak of Lookout Mountain a try, there is only one place left in this Tennessee vacation spot for you to hit. It is time to turn your kids into mole people, lace up their finest hiking boots and trek down into the ground beneath the surface of that majestic plateau of Tennessee limestone. What awaits you and the kids in the coolness that can only be found in the summertime 1,200 feet underground?

Ruby Falls! Yeah, sure, you've heard of Niagara Falls and all the other spectacular falls that America has to offer, but they are all aboveground. As amazing as the sight of a raging river falling over a cliff in the great outdoors may seem, that's nothing compared to the 145-foot drop of Ruby Falls, which takes place entirely beneath the ground. There is simply no other waterfall in the United States that compares to Ruby Falls.

How many times have you heard that what's important is the journey rather than the destination? Well, you can have it both ways at Ruby Falls. The destination is, of course, that amazing waterfall, but along the way you will be treated to all the memorable sights that make up a spectacular cavern. In addition to the expected stalagmites and stalactites (your kids can probably tell you which one is which if you are confused), there are also unusual rock formations with memorable names. Although you will probably see any number of these amazing rock formations, it is almost guaranteed that your kids will remember one rock formation in particular twenty years after the visit to Ruby Falls. It is called Steak and Eggs. Keep an eye out for it!

Ruby Falls, Lookout Mountain and Rock City make up a fascinating trip for kids and adults alike, and anyone living in proximity should make a trip to all three.

See Rock City.

There is nobody from the immediate north, south, east or west of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee who has not passed a veritable multitude of barns with the words "See Rock City" painted on them. Rock City is just one of the many fantastic sites to see in the Lookout Mountain area near Chattanooga. And Rock City is definitely a hot vacation spot for travelers with kids.

Kids in particular will go crazy at Rock City. Why? Because, well, it truly is a rock city. Rock City is a long, winding path of rock formations, which the guys in charge have doctored and dolled up to present a kind of story. In fact, if you pay close attention while you meander along these truly extraordinary rock formations, you can kind of create a little plot line for you and the children. Kids really love to turn a vacation into an adventure, and in too many cases that means pretending to be spies while chasing each other through the corridors of the hotel. Instead, the kids can squeeze through the narrow passage of Rock City known as Fat Man's Squeeze and pretend they are trying to escape from pirates. Or they can pretend they are helping some gnomes escape through the tunnel at Goblin's Underpass. And do not forget the myriad thrills as they cling to life on the magnificently frightening Swing-A-Long bridge. Of course, if you or the kids have a phobia about heights or swinging rope bridges, you bypass this particular thrill, fold up your umbrella and seek comfort beneath Shelter Rock. The more adventuresome members of your party can create a back story to the crossing of the bridge.

No one who sees Rock City forgets its undeniably magical appeal. If you take your kids to see this natural and even mystical wonder, you can bet that in another twenty years or so they will be eager to re-experience the pleasure through their own children's eyes.

Lookout Mountain is a place that any kid would love because, after all, where the heck are you going to see seven states while standing in one spot? Oh sure, there is that one little tiny spot out west where you straddle four states at once, but only one or two people can do that at any one time, and that's only four states. At Lookout Mountain, seven states can be glimpsed by dozens or even hundreds of people at once.

Lookout Mountain is located in Tennessee, and in all honesty, Lookout Mountain is a molehill, but in the grand scheme of things, especially in the flatter portions of Dixie, Lookout Mountain is a majestic plateau that rises into the warm southern sky near Chattanooga. It is also quite near the northwestern tip of Georgia and the northeastern quadrant of Alabama. Well, let's see, that's three states. But Lookout Mountain presents itself as a spot from which you can peer off into the distance and set your gaze upon seven states. What are the other four states?

The promotional material for Lookout Mountain suggests that in addition to Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, on really clear days you can see in the distance land belonging to the citizens of Kentucky, Virginia and both South Carolina and North Carolina. If you want to be completely and brutally honest with your kids, you'll have to tell them on top of the mountain that they are not necessarily seeing those states. If you want to make their trek up the mountain one they will remember for a lifetime, go ahead and let them think they saw the land of George Washington and Daniel Boone. Who is going to know the difference by the time your kids reach adulthood, right?

What really makes Lookout Mountain a destination spot that kids will enjoy is that there is more to it than the mountain itself. But you'll have to come back later to see Rock City ...

OK, so the kids loved Bigfoot Country in Willow Creek, and now they're all pumped up for the paranormal. The Bermuda Triangle is too dangerous and Loch Ness is too far away. But you're in luck because the truth is not out there; it's in Roswell, New Mexico. You and the spouse don't have to be Mulder or Scully to have a fine time exposing your kids, who may at times seem like aliens to you, Close Encounters of the Buzzword Kind. Let's be honest about Roswell, New Mexico. It is a destination spot your kids won't forget, not because of what they may learn about UFOs, but more for what they will learn about the ability of America to market literally anything. Roswell at times seems like literally stepping back into that innocent era of tourist traps where it was the cheesy quality that made them special. You know, like alligator farms and mermaid shows?

Just how much cheesy fun is the UFO capital of the world? Even the local Wal-Mart sports a sign that says "Aliens Welcome." Roswell is a company town, and the company headquarters is that big face on Mars. Everywhere you look in Roswell there are flying saucers and little gray aliens. There isn't a kid in American whose face won't light up the first time he sees one of the many saucers that appear to have crashed into the façade of one of Roswell's many alien-themed diners. Once the kids eat a hamburger made from an actual alien, (OK, that part was totally made up) round them up and head them over to witness a recreation of an actual alien autopsy being performed at the Area 51 Museum, and that part wasn't made up. There are exactly two places in Roswell that you and your kids will leave saying you believe. The Area 51 Museum not only offers an alien autopsy, but an upside down room and the ability for the kids to pose with an alien.

Once you finish with the fun it's time for the education. The International UFO and Research Center is the place to take the kids to learn about the actual history of the alleged Roswell crash, which gave birth the Roswell obsession with UFOs and aliens.

The great thing about taking the kids to San Francisco is that it no matter what season you make the trip you can bring the same heavy clothing. As Mark Twain once said, "the coldest winter I ever spent was the summer I spent in San Francisco." So pack up the windbreakers and the heavy denim and bring the kids along to what is often called the most beautiful city in America.

Of course, most kids don't appreciate beauty so your first stop should be the Rock. Alcatraz. The Big House on the little island. Alcatraz is the most famous prison in American history and a tour through its chilling halls is guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on most kids. Even if they don't have the slightest idea who Al Capone was, they'll be thrilled by the concept that ghosts of prisoners are said to sometimes haunt visitors. Alcatraz offers kids a glimpse into the uglier aspects of life, and so it can be used for both entertainment and educational purposes. Scare them straight in San Francisco!

After the dark side of the Rock, it's time to reveal a marvel of beauty to the young ones. The Golden Gate Bridge routinely makes the list of modern day wonders of the world and there have been preciously few people of any age who have not taken a walking tour of this gleaming monument to Manifest Destiny and come away awestruck. A tour of a bridge may not seem like the kind of thing to hold the interest of a child, but the Golden Gate Bridge is more than just a connector of two land masses. There is history and resonance to this bridge that almost lends it the aura of Mt. Rushmore or the Grand Canyon.

Clang, clang, clang went the trolley! One of the most surefire methods of making a kid enjoy a trip to a city without a theme park is to give him or her a ride on a cable car. The cable car used to be the primary method of public transportation in cities around the country, but none holds quite the grip on the imagination as those in Frisco. Nothing will bring a smile to your kids quicker than stepping into these living time travel machines and riding up and down the city's famous hills. Just remember to bring the sweater. Even in July.

A look at a must-see vacation spot for kids: Willow Creek, CA, the Gateway to Bigfoot Country

Is there any kid in America in the last three or four decades who has not been at one time or another totally captivated by the Bigfoot legend? And legend it must remain until a Sasquatch is captured or a carcass is discovered. Of course, the actual lack of solid evidence is not nearly enough to deter most children, and more than a few adults, from accepting as fact the existence of our big furry ally of the Pacific Northwest. Even if your kids are past the age where the latest Bigfoot documentary on the Discovery Channel is must-see TV, there is plenty of beautiful wilderness to enjoy in the environs surrounding America's self-proclaimed Gateway to Bigfoot Country: Willow Creek, California.

The first thing about Willow Creek that makes it a destination spot your kids won't soon forget is the genuinely creepy and undeniably life-size carving of Bigfoot created from one of the massive redwood trees that dot the landscape. This carving, done by Jim McClain, is supposedly the only Bigfoot statue in America based on an actual sighting of Sasquatch. In addition to the Bigfoot statue, Willow Creek also offers the finest museum in the country dedicated to Bigfoot. Let your kids get a chance to discover just how massive their hairy hero is by seeing actual cast moldings of alleged big footprints left behind by Sasquatch.

Of course, if you really want to do the whole Willow Creek Bigfoot trip right, then you should set your goal toward a Labor Day weekend visit for the famous Willow Creek Bigfoot Days Sasquatch-abration. Among the events that are spread out over this three day extravaganza are a pancake breakfast and steak barbecues, live theater, arts and crafts and entertainment. Monday is Kids Day and features activities especially designed for those little tykes for whom Bigfoot is such a fantastic attraction, including games and races.

Even if you can't make it to Bigfoot Days, a trip to Willow Creek could very well become the single most memorable vacation you and your family have ever gone on. Willow Creek is, after all the epicenter of more Sasquatch sightings than anywhere else in the US, located not far from where the most famous Bigfoot video ever shot was taken. What could be a greater vacation memory than an actual Bigfoot sighting by your kids?

An overview of the Grand Canyon Junior Ranger program for kids that will make a visit even more memorable.

All Americans, especially kids, should visit the Grand Canyon at least once in their life. As vast as America is, with all its natural wonders and beauty, you'd be hard pressed to find any other spot in this amazing country that is more likely to take your breath away. Adults as well as kids tend to be equally overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of this extraordinary spectacle, but the park extends a special privilege to children that is not granted to their parents. If you are really looking for a destination spot your kid will never forget, take advantage of the Grand Canyon Junior Ranger program. Heck, this program is nearly as memorable as if your kids were to come across Bobby and Cindy Brady still on the lookout for their little Indian buddy. Your rugrats may not leave for home with a flashlight filled with baked beans but they will take home a really cool iron-on badge and a certificate, as well as, a trip they are not likely to ever forget.

It is ridiculously easy for you to turn your trip to the Grand Canyon into an opportunity for your kids to becomes Junior Rangers. It doesn't cost anything and you can pick up all the information at visitor centers. The actual requirements for getting those stinkin' badges vary according to age, but in general the idea is to get the kids to consider the vast beauty and history of the Canyon on a more personal and reflective level. This is accomplished through noting specific observations and writing down impressions. The Grand Canyon Junior Ranger program also includes attending various programs led by official park rangers throughout your visit.

The more adventurous kids are urged to become Phantom Rattler Junior Rangers. Kids aged 4 to 14 must ride down into the canyon by mule and attend the Phantom Ranch at the bottom in order to achieve this level of Junior Ranger. Just a typical visit to the Grand Canyon is certainly going to be memorable, but if you really want your kids to come home from that big crack in Arizona with a memory that they will never, ever forget, be sure to look in on the Junior Ranger program.

There are many things to thrill the kids on a visit to the nation's oldest continual settlement including ancient reptiles, life-life wax replicas of their favorite movie heroes and the unique opportunity to play ghost hunter.

At one time every schoolchild in America knew that the oldest city in this country was St. Augustine, Fla., despite the fact that Pensacola, on the other end of the Florida panhandle, had been established first. (It was briefly wiped out by a hurricane). St. Augustine still enjoys its notoriety and is yet another hot tourist destination for many on the way to Orlando. In fact, kids especially can enjoy St. Augustine on its own terms and may even leave Florida with stronger memories of its attractions than those further south.

The St. Augustine Alligator Farm is clearly a prime destination spot for those traveling with kids. What kid doesn't enjoy the sight of these enormous and dangerous prehistoric reptiles? The park provides daily shows and tours and includes more wildlife than just the gators; some children may be even more impressed by the exotic birds.

Potter's Wax Museum is like hopping into a time travel machine with your kids in more ways than one. Compared to contemporary motion simulation rides and virtual reality experiences, a collection of wax figures is decidedly low tech and will doubtlessly bring back memories from your own childhood. With so few wax museums in operation anymore, many kids today have never had the chance to enjoy the strangely disorienting sensation of looking at such creepily life-like wax figures. St. Augustine's Potter's Wax Museum is filled with historical personages and celebrities that both you and the kids will instantly recognize.

The one must-see stop on your trip to St. Augustine that is almost guaranteed to leave your kids breathless is the Ripley Ghost Train Adventure. This incredibly popular attraction gives your family the chance to live the adventures you've watched unfold on the Sci-Fi Channel series Ghost Hunters.

Before you board the Victorian-style train you are handed the tools of a certified ghost hunter, including those really nifty electromagnetic field detectors used by the real life ghost hunters on the show. The climax of the Ripley Ghost Train Adventure is a half-hour tour through the appropriately named Castle Warden, a massive and exquisitely detailed recreation of a Moorish castle that became home to the very first Ripley's Believe or Not Museum. Tour operators make no guarantee that you will actually see any supernatural entities, but plenty of those who've taken the trip have claimed to see things that could not be explained.

Portland, Ore. offers both natural beauty and a progressive approach to making education entertaining.

Portland, Ore. is perhaps the biggest tourist secret in America. Depending upon which direction you take, a two hour drive from Portland can be like a tour of America in miniature. The majestic beauty of this state is a never-ending surprise featuring incredible natural wonders that take the breath away. Where else in America can your kids spend the morning watching whales breach through the surface of the ocean, drive up a mountain in the afternoon and enjoy an incredible sunset among crested buttes in a desert setting at night?

Mt. Hood's snowcapped peak is the centerpiece of Portland and a trip to this amazing city would not be complete without driving along the winding roads that will ultimately present you and your kids with a spectacular view of the city. Not too far away is the equally magnificent site of Multnomah Falls cascading 620 feet down into the Columbia River Gorge. Getting to Multnomah Falls involves some intense physical activity, but even those kids who consider getting up off the couch to get something to drink during their third straight hour of playing video games to be too much exertion will be captivated by the extraordinary sights they will discover on the way. Once you actually get to the waterfall, every single step is immediately forgiven. Multnomah Falls is one of those enthralling examples of nature that few ever forget.

Portland is a great tourist spot beyond what Mother Nature has given it, however. For instance, there is the Kidd Toy Museum, containing over 10,000 toys collected over the years by just one man. Many of these go back to the 19th century, making this museum a little history lesson in the bargain.

The Oregon Zoo is considered one of the finest in the country and is home to an extraordinary collection of animals. The Portland Children's Museum is a must for those with younger children, featuring a revolving series of special exhibits and a vast collection of opportunities for kids to engage in interactive and hands-on learning experiences. Older kids will enjoy the renowned Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, which offers everything from a tour of a submarine to Imax movies to a thrilling motion simulator that offers a series of virtual experiences including a Grand Prix race and a trip into a volcano.

Mobile, Alabama and the surrounding communities offer a wealth of exciting tourist spots that will satisfy your kids' need for entertainment, and possibly teach them something too.

Mobile, AL is quiet Dixie community that typically only makes the news when a hurricane hits. Nestled within its gorgeous antebellum mansions and towering shiny beacons of progress are enough kid-friendly tourist destinations to keep you busy for a long weekend or just a day-long stayover on your way to Orlando.

The first stop is a no-brainer. There isn't a child alive who won't be entertained (and educated) by a trip to the Gulf Coast Exploreum located downtown. Recently, the Exploreum featured popular touring exhibits such as actual archaeological casts of victims of the Mt. Vesuvius eruption, and the record-breaking exhibit The Human Body. Check the Exploreum web site here to get details on current and upcoming attractions. In addition to the touring exhibits and a revolving list of science and nature-themed movies screened in the most impressive Imax theater in the region, there are also two interactive learning centers, and the Ciba Lab that allows kids to actually take part in compelling science experiments.

Five minutes away from the Gulf Coast Exploreum is Battleship Memorial Park, home to the USS Alabama. In addition to the WWII battleship itself, the park also features a submarine and a collection of warplanes. Kids will enjoy the thrill offered by the flight simulator ride and be utterly captivated by the tour of the ship itself. A visit to the USS Alabama is a great way to get your kids interested in history as they get the opportunity to actually see and feel what it was like to serve on board a ship during World War II.

A thirty minute drive from Battleship Memorial Park will take you to Gulf Shores where your kids can enjoy either the warmth and natural beauty of the Gulf of Mexico or the colder but potentially more pleasing waters inside Waterville, USA. This water theme park is loaded with the kinds of attractions that satisfy children of all ages, including a beach-sized wave machine, unbelievably tall slides, high-speed tube rides, a surf wave simulator, and a lazy river expedition around the park.

Washington, DC may seem like a place you'd never want your kids to visit, and with good reason. Kids are very impressionable and there are just way too many bad influences hanging around Washington street corners, especially Pennsylvania Avenue. There are plenty of destinations that kids will thrill to that won't upset your future ideological expectations for kids by exposing them to whatever political party you decree to be responsible for all the problems facing America. If you pick right, your kids can actually come away from Washington, DC without even being aware that it is the center of gridlock in the American government.

The National Zoo

Not a local zoo. Not a county zoo. Not a state zoo. But the National Zoo of America. And with good reason because the National Zoo in Washington, DC is a kids' fantasia of incredible animals that will take their breath away. The National Zoo is famous for its Giant Pandas, of course, but don't think that those cuddly creatures are the only attraction that will delight you and your children. The National Zoo in Washington, DC is home to big cats, reptiles, ocean creatures, exotic birds, and pretty much any other type of animal that you kid is crazy about.

American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History is more than just a collection of artifacts, mannequins and dinosaur bones. This traditional stopping place in Washington, DC has really gone high tech over the years, featuring the exciting planetary experience called SonicVision, an incredible new space show called Cosmic Collisions, and one of the most amazing IMAX film experiences in the country, featuring an ever-changing collection of must-see films. No kid will leave thismuseum complaining about how museums are boring.

Six Flags America

Bet you didn't know there was a thrilling theme park just a half hour's driving distance from the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. Midway through your trip to teach your young ones all about American history and the importance of becoming politically aware, take a day off to have just good old fashioned vacation fun. All kids love Six Flags theme parks and just because Six Flags America is almost near enough to see the Capitol's dome from its highest point doesn't mean it isn't the kind of place to make your kids forget all about the boring places you've been dragging them to. Six Flags America might well be better known as Six Flags Superheroes as many of the most thrilling thrill rides have names associated with DC Comics heroes. For instance, a trip on the Superman: Ride of Thrill rollercoaster is a guarantee to pump new life into the bodies of older kids and teens who have seen just one too many marble structures. In addition to the requisite thrill rides, Six Flags America also has tamer rides to get your smaller children back into shape for returning to the standard tourist fare in Washington, DC.