A

• A&M Peanut Shop, Mobile, Alabama
• Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine
  
• ​Alabama Fan Club Museum, Fort Payne, Alabama
• Alabama Walking Park, Fort Payne, Alabama
  
• The Alamo, San Antonio, Texas
  
• Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, Missouri
  
• The Anne Frank Tree, Little Rock, Arkansas
  
• The Ark Encounter, Williamstown, Kentucky
• AT&T Stadium tour, Arlington, Texas
  
• Audobon Park and Zoo, New Orleans, Louisiana
  
• Austin capitol building tour, Austin, Texas
  

B

• Badlands National Park, Interior, South Dakota
  
• ​Bar Harbor, Maine
• Bar Harbor Motel, Bar Harbor, Maine
• Barton Springs pool, Austin, Texas
  
• Beale Street, Memphis, Tennessee
  
• Bear Country USA, Rapid City, South Dakota
  
• ​Beau Jo’s Colorado-Style Mountain Pies, Denver, Colorado
• Ben and Jerry’s, Burlington, Vermont
  
• ​Biloxi Beach, Biloxi, Mississippi
  
• Biloxi Sound shrimping, Biloxi, Mississippi
  
• Bite of Maine, Scarborough, Maine
  
• Blue Bell Creamery, Brenham, Texas
  
• Bread & Circus Sandwich Kitchen, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
  
• Broken Boot Gold Mine, Deadwood, South Dakota
  
• Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, Frankenmuth, Michigan
  
• ​Buc-ees
  
• Bug Ranch, Amarillo, Texas
  
• Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, Virginia
  

C

• Cabot’s, Burlington, Vermont
  
• Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas
  
• Cafe du Monde, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Cajun Encounters, Slidell, Louisiana
  
• Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
  
• Cape Cod, Massachusetts
• Cape Henry Lighthouse, Virginia Beach, Virginia
  
• ​Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  
• ​​Caterpillar Visitors Center and Museum, Peoria, Illinois
  
• Catoctin Wildlife Preserve, Thurmont, Maryland
  
• Cavender’s
  
• Central BBQ, Memphis, Tennessee
  
• Charlotte Motor Speedway (tour), Charlotte, North Carolina
  
• ​Cheers bar, Boston, Massachusetts
• Cherry Crest Adventure Farm, Ronks, Pennsylvania
  
• Cheyenne Depot Museum (Big Boy #4014), Cheyenne, Wyoming
  
• Chick-Fil-A Dwarf House, Atlanta, Georgia
  
• ​​Children’s Museum (outside only), Indianapolis, Indiana
  
• Churchill Downs Racetrack, Louisville, Kentucky
  
• Circuit of the Americas karting, Austin, Texas
  
• Cirque du Soleil, Treasure Island, Las Vegas, Nevada
  
• ​City Museum, St. Louis, Missouri
  
• Clementine’s Naughty and Nice Creamery, St. Louis, Missouri
  
• ​Cliff Walk, Newport, Rhode Island
  
• Clinton Presidential Library Gift Shop, Little Rock, Arkansas
  
• Clinton Presidential Park Bridge, Little Rock, Arkansas
  
• Cog Railway, Mount Washington, New Hampshire
  
• Coors Brewing Company, Golden, Colorado
• The Corn Palace, Mitchell, South Dakota
  
• Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville, Tennessee
  
• Crater of Diamonds State Park, Murfreesboro, Arkansas
  
• Crazy Horse Memorial, Crazy Horse, South Dakota
  
• Custer State Park, Custer, South Dakota
  

D

• Deadwood, South Dakota
  
• Death Valley National Park, Death Valley, California
  
• Devil’s Tower National Monument, Devil’s Tower, Wyoming
  
• Diamond Creek Road (Grand Canyon), Peach Springs, Arizona
  
• Dinosaur Caves Park, Pismo Beach (Pacific Coast Highway), California
  
• Downtown Bow, New Hampshire
  
• Downtown Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico
  
• ​Dr. Pepper Museum, Waco, Texas
  
• Dude Perfect Headquarters, Frisco, Texas

• Duquesne Incline, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  
• ​​Durango & Silverton Railroad train ride, Durango, Colorado

E

• Ellis Island, New York City, New York
  

F

• ​Factory Five Racing tour, Wareham, Massachusetts
• Falls Park, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
  
• ​​Fargo Visitors Center, Fargo, North Dakota
  
• Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts
  
• Field of Dreams movie site, Dyersville, Iowa
  
• The 5-8 Club, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  
• Flight 93 National Memorial, Shanksville, Pennsylvania
  
• ​Ford’s Piquette Avenue plant, Detroit, Michigan
  
• Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Dearborn, Michigan
  
• Forney Museum of Transportation, Denver, Colorado
• Fort Worth Stockyards cattle drive, Fort Worth, Texas
  
• Fort Worth Stockyards rodeo, Fort Worth, Texas
  

G

• Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  
• Gateway Arch National Park, St. Louis, Missouri
  
• Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, Georgia
  
• ​​Ghiradelli, Magnificent Mile, Chicago, Illinois
  
• Giordan’s, Chicago, Illinois
• Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum, Glendive, Montana
  
• Gold Coast Dogs, Chicago, Illinois
  
• Golden Light Cafe, Amarillo, Texas
  
• Goo Goo Clusters store, Nashville, Tennessee
  
• Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee
• Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon, Arizona
  
• Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan
• ​Grand Old Opry, Nashville, Tennessee
  
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
  
• Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan
  
• Griffith Observatory, Hollywood, California
  
• Gulf Islands National Seashore, Pensacola, Florida
  

H

• Harley-Davidson Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  
• Harper's Ferry, West Virginia
  
• Headlands International Dark Sky Park, Mackinaw City, Michigan
• Heinz Field (now Acrisure Stadium) stadium tour, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  
• Hendrick Motorsports, Charlotte, North Carolina
  
• ​​The Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, and Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Dearborn, Michigan
• Hershey Park, Hershey, Pennsylvania
  
• ​Holliday Park (Big Boy No. 4004), Cheyenne, Wyoming
  
• Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood, California
  
• Hoover Dam, Boulder City, Nevada
  
• Horseshoe Curve, Altoona, Pennsylvania
  
• The Hot Brown at the Brown Hotel, Louisville, Kentucky
  
• Houston Space Center, Houston, Texas
  

I

• Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and Track, Indianapolis, Indiana
  
• In-N-Out Burger, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  
• Iowa Speedway for INDYCAR practice, Newton, Iowa
  

J

• Jack Daniels Distillery, Lynchburg, Tennessee
  
• Jimmie Cone, Damascus, Maryland
  
• Jimmy’s Serious Sandwiches, Little Rock, Arkansas
  
• Joe Gibbs Racing, Huntersville, North Carolina
  
• ​​The Joe Louis Fist statue, Detroit, Michigan
• ​Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que, Kansas City, Kansas
  
• John Deere Tractor and Engine Museum, Waterloo, Iowa
• ​Joshua Tree National Park, Twentynine Palms, California
  

K

• K1 Speed, Charlotte, North Carolina
  
• ​Kenefick Park (Big Boy No. 4023), Omaha, Nebraska
  
• Kroll’s Diner, Mandan, North Dakota
  

L

• La Brea Tar Pits (outside only), Los Angeles, California
  
• Lafeyette Square, New Orleans, Louisiana
  
• ​La Jolla Children’s Pool Beach, La Jolla, California
  
• Lake Placid, New York
  
• Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
  
• Leo Carrillo Beach (Pacific Coast Highway), Malibu, California
• Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail National Park Visitor Center, Omaha, Nebraska
  
• ​Lincoln’s Home National Historic Site, Springfield, Illinois
  
• Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Springfield, Illinois
• Lincoln’s Tomb, Springfield, Illinois
  
• Little Rock Visitor’s Center, Little Rock, Arkansas
  
• The Lorraine Motel (outside), Memphis, Tennessee
  
• Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, Louisville, Kentucky
  

M

• Mackinac Island, Michigan's Upper Peninsula
• ​Magnificent Mile, Chicago, Illinois
  
• Makoshika State Park, Glendive, Montana
  
• Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota
  
• ​Mammoth Cave National Park, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky
  
• Mega Cavern, Louisville, Kentucky
• Millenium Park, Chicago, Illinois
  
• Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  
• Mark Martin’s dealership, Batesville, Arkansas
  
• Mayflower II, Plymouth, Massachusetts
  
• McWay Falls (Pacific Coast Highway), Big Sur, California
  
• Medora, North Dakota
  
• Mega Cavern, Louisville, Kentucky
• Menger Bar, San Antonio, Texas
  
• Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
  
• Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  
• Montana Brewing Company, Billings, Montana
  
• Montezuma Castle National Park, Camp Verde, Arizona
  
• Moon Pie General Store, Chattanooga, Tennessee
  
• ​Moonstone Beach, Cambria (Pacific Coast Highway), California
  
• Morro Bay (Pacific Coast Highway), California
  
• Mother’s, New Orleans, Louisiana
  
• Motor World, Virginia Beach, Virginia
  
• Mount Rushmore, Keystone, South Dakota
  
• Museum of the American Railroad, Frisco, Texas
  

N

• Napoleon House, French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana
  
• ​Nashville, Tennessee
  
• Nashville Parthenon, Nashville, Tennessee
  
• National Aquarium, Baltimore, Maryland
  
• National Corvette Museum, Bowling Green, Kentucky
  
• National Memorial and Museum and the Field of Empty Chairs, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  
• The National Monument of the Forefathers, Plymouth, Massachusetts
  
• National Railroad Museum, Green Bay, Wisconsin
  
• National Route 66 Museum, Elk City, Oklahoma
  
• National Toy Train Museum, Ronks, Pennsylvania
  
• The National Transportation Museum, St. Louis, Missouri
• Nebraska/Iowa state line, Omaha, Nebraska
  
• Needles Highway, Custer, South Dakota
  
• The Neon Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada
  
• North Shore Scenic Drive, from Duluth to Two Harbors, Minnesota
  
• Nymeo Field (Frederick Keys baseball), Frederick, Maryland
  

O

• Oatman, Arizona
  
• Obed and Isaac’s Microbrewery, Peoria, Illinois
  
• Ocean City, Maryland
  
• Oklahoma Route 66 Museum, Clinton, Oklahoma
  
• Olana, Hudson, New York
  
• ​Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, Madison, Illinois
• Old Town Albuquerque, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  
• ​Olympic Park, Atlanta, Georgia

P

• Pacific Coast Highway, California
  
• Painted Canyon Overlook, Theodore Roosevelt National Park (extended), North Dakota
  
• ​​Palmer's Candy, Sioux City, Iowa
  
• Paul Revere house, Boston, Massachusetts
  
• Peabody Hotel (march of the ducks), Memphis, Tennessee
  
• Penske Racing, Mooresville, North Carolina
  
• ​Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles, California
• Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona
  
• Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (Pacific Coast Highway), Big Sur, California
• Pictured Rocks cruise, Munising, Michigan
  
• Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Viewing Area (Pacific Coast Highway), San Simeon, California
• Pike’s Peak, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  
• Pilgrim Memorial State Park, Plymouth, Massachusetts
  
• ​Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Pirates games, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  
• Pittsburgh Zoo, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  
• ​​Potomac Eagle Polar Express train ride, Elkins, West Virginia
  
• Plump’s Last Shot, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Plymouth Rock, Plymouth, Massachusetts
  
• Point Park, Lookout Mountain, Tennessee
  
• ​Point Pleasant Beach, Point Pleasant, New Jersey
  
• ​Polish Art Center, Hamtramck, Michigan
  
• ​Polish Village Cafe, Hamtramck, Michigan
  
• Pop’s 66, Arcadia, Oklahoma
  

• Portland, Maine
• Public Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
  

​

Q  

R

• Raceway Leguna Seca, Salinas, California
  
• Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Straasburg, Pennsylvania
  
• ​Rainbow Ryders hot air balloon ride, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  
• Red Caboose Motel, Ronks, Pennsylvania
  
• Red Rocks Cafe, Charlotte, North Carolina
  
• Red Rock Scenic Byway, Sedona, Arizona​
• Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Virginia
  
• ​Ride experience, Dover International Raceway, Dover, Delaware
• ​River Walk, San Antonio, Texas
  
• River Walk boat tour, San Antonio, Texas
• Rocky Gap State Park, Flintstone, Maryland
  
• Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Colorado
  
• Rosa Parks arrest site, Montgomery, Alabama
• Route 66, St. Louis, Missouri
  
• ​Route 66 ghost town, Glenrio, Texas
  
• Route 66 Midpoint, Adrian, Texas
  
• ​Runza (bierocks/runzas), Omaha, Nebraska
  
• Ryman Auditorium (tour), Nashville, Tennessee
  

S

• Safehouse spy restaurant, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  
• Samuel Adams Brewery tour, Boston, Massachusetts
  
• San Diego Zoo, San Diego, California
  
• Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California
  
• Sequoia National Park, Three Rivers, California
  
• ​17-Mile Drive, Monterey (Pacific Coast Highway), California
  
• Shelby American, Las Vegas, Nevada
  
• ​Shelby American Museum, Boulder, Colorado
• Shiner Bock Brewery, Shiner, Texas
  
• Shoreline Sightseeing cruise, Chicago, Illinois
  
• Sight and Sound Theater, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
  
• The Sixth Floor Museum, Dallas, Texas
  
• Skybridge, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
  
• ​Skyline Chili, Indianapolis, Indiana
  
• Slyman’s Restaurant, Cleveland, Ohio
  
• Smoky Mountain Moonshine (tasting), Ole Smoky Distillery, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
  
• Soul Fish Cafe, Little Rock, Arkansas
  
• SpeedVegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
  
• ​Statue of Liberty, New York City, New York
  
• ​Stewart-Haas Racing, Kannapolis, North Carolina
  
• Straasburg Rail Road, Straasburg, Pennsylvania
  
• Subway ride on the “L,” Chicago, Illinois
  
• Sun Studio, Memphis, Tennessee​
  
• Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park. Custer, South Dakota
  

T

• Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, St. Louis, Missouri
  
• ​Tennessee Valley Railroad, Chattanooga, Tennessee
  
• Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas
  
• Titanic Museum, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
  
• ​Titletown Park, Green Bay, Wisconsin
  
• ​Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Medora, North Dakota
  
• ​Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill restaurant, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  
• Tower Building/U Drop Inn/Conoco, Shamrock, Texas
  
• Treats Sugarhouse, Bow, New Hampshire
  
• ​Turkey Hill Experience, Columbia, Pennsylvania
  

U

• The Union Oyster House, Boston, Massachusetts
  
• ​Union Station, Kansas City, Missouri
  
• United Center to see Michael Jordan statue, Chicago, Illinois
  
• Universal Studios Hollywood, Hollywood, California
  
• U.S. Air Force Museum, Dayton, Ohio
  
• ​USS Albacore, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
  
• USS Midway Museum, San Diego, California
  

V

• The Varsity, Atlanta, Georgia
  
• ​Virginia Beach, Virginia
  

W​

• Waco Mammoth National Monument, Waco, Texas
  
• "Walk Into History" Freedom Trail Tour, Boston, Massachusetts​
• Wall Drug Store, Wall, South Dakota
  
• ​Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida
  
• ​Warner Bros. Studio, Burbank, California
  
• Waugh Drive Bridge bats, Houston, Texas​
  
• ​“Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign, Las Vegas, Nevada
  
• ​West Acres Mall, Fargo, Minnesota
  
• ​Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, Cumberland, Maryland
  
• ​West Side Market, Cleveland, Ohio
  
• ​Whale watching, Provincetown, Massachusetts
  
• ​Whitney Plantation, Wallace, Louisiana
  
• ​Willis Tower/Skydeck, Chicago, Illinois
  
• ​Winslow, Arizona
  
• ​World of Coca-Cola, Atlanta, Georgia
  
• Wrigley Field for Cubs vs. Brewers game, Chicago, Illinois
  

X

Y

• Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
  
• Yellowstone River Inn Restaurant, Glendive, Montana
  

Z

• Zimmerman Park, Billings, Montana
  

​

     Trying to decide if a destination or activity is worth your money or time?  We understand.  Whenever any potential stop crosses our radar, we always look to the advice and experience of others who have "been there" and "done that" before ordering tickets or working it into our itinerary.

     Now it's our turn.  We want to do for your family what others have done for us: provide quick and honest, no-nonsense reviews of the things we've seen, done, and eaten to help you decide if any of these activities and experiences make sense for your family.

     Each "Was It Worth It?" identifies what and where an activity is, when we went, what we did, how much we paid, how much time we spent, what we liked and didn't like, and if we'd do it again.

     Activities/destinations are listed below alphabetically, but they can also be viewed by state.  

     New reviews are added weekly, so be sure to check back often.

Was It Worth It?