USA Destinations Guide: Family Travel Across America

Leah

May 15, 2026

map of usa destinations visited

Have you ever thought about traveling to all 50 states? The idea never crossed my mind until I had kids and started this blog. Once they were born, my husband and I decided to prioritize family travel in our lives, and it slowly evolved into a goal of visiting every single state together as a family.

Before we had kids, we enjoyed weekend getaways and maybe one longer vacation a year. Then we had our daughter and went on our first family trip to Myrtle Beach when she was just 2 months old.

From that moment I knew having kids would never slow us down. Fast forward to 2013, we were a family of five and made our first trip to Walt Disney World. The kids were 5, 2.5, and 10 months. We drove from New York to Florida. It was chaos. It was crazy. I loved every minute of it.

That trip changed everything. We started a travel savings account, started planning further ahead, and started talking as a family about all the places we still wanted to go. The 50 state challenge was born! Not as a race to check boxes, but as a framework for filling our kids’ childhoods with experiences and adventures.

This page is the home base for all of our USA travel content. Every destination here is one we have visited as a family. If we went, I wrote about it.

Looking for theme park travel specifically? Visit our Theme Park Guide for Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Hersheypark, and more.

Family Travel Destinations in the USA We’ve Visited

We are currently at 30 states visited and counting. Below you will find every destination we have covered, organized by region. Use this as your starting point and click through to the full guides for everything you need to plan your trip.

Our 50 States Rules:

  • Only trips all five of us take count
  • Driving through counts and long layovers count, flying over does not
  • Any states visited together as a family of five count, even before the challenge officially started

The goal has never been just checking states off a list. It is about creating lifetime memories together and encouraging our kids to develop a genuine love of travel. I don’t know if we will make it to all 50, but we will have a lot of fun trying.

Looking for trip ideas organized by length or type? See our Family Trip Itinerary Ideas for weekend getaways, road trips, and more.

New York State

New York State is our home and our most explored territory. We are based in Rochester, NY, and have spent years discovering everything the Empire State has to offer, from the thundering falls of Niagara to the vineyards of the Finger Lakes, the wild trails of the Adirondacks, and the streets of New York City. There is more to explore here than most people realize, and we are still finding new places every season.

Read our full New York State Guide →

Rochester & Western New York

Rochester is our home base and the lens through which we explore Western New York. From Seabreeze Amusement Park and the Strong Museum of Play, to seasonal favorites like apple picking, fall farms, and holiday events, Rochester has more to offer than people give it credit for.

We have been writing about this area since the beginning and have built one of the most comprehensive Rochester family travel resources you’ll find anywhere.

Read our full Rochester Guide →

Rochester posts:

rochester childrens museum strong museum of play hasboro
The Strong Museum of Play

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is one of the most breathtaking natural wonders in North America and the fact that it is just over an hour from Rochester means we have visited multiple times across every season. Winter Niagara Falls is especially underrated. Fewer crowds, frozen ice formations, and an entirely different atmosphere than the summer rush.

Finger Lakes

The Finger Lakes region is one of New York State’s best kept secrets for family travel. Gorges, waterfalls, wine trails, and charming small towns all within a short drive of Rochester. We keep coming back every season and still find new things to love.

Western New York

Western New York goes from west of Rochester, through Buffalo, and to the Pennsylvania border. We have covered Buffalo and Jamestown for a fun weekend trip.

Upstate New York & the Adirondacks

From the southern tier to the North Country, Upstate New York has some of the most beautiful and underexplored family destinations in the Northeast. We have covered Syracuse, Cooperstown, Lake George, the Adirondacks, and more.

watkins glen gorge trail
buffalo riverworks
3 sisters islands at niagara falls state park

Southeast

The Southeast is the region we keep coming back to. From the beaches of Myrtle Beach and the mountain towns of Tennessee to the theme parks and resort pools of Orlando. It is the perfect family travel region because it offers so much variety and can make for a great road trip.

Orlando, Florida

Orlando is much more than Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, though the theme parks are certainly why most families start here. We have covered Orlando from the theme park angle extensively on our Walt Disney World Guide, but there is plenty more to Orlando for families looking for a full vacation experience.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach was our first family vacation destination, we went when our daughter was just 2 months old and we have been going back ever since. It is one of the best family beach destinations on the East Coast with something for every age, a relaxed pace, and enough attractions to fill a full week without ever feeling rushed.

Tennessee

The Smoky Mountains and Pigeon Forge are one of our favorite family destinations in the Southeast. The combination of natural beauty, easy hiking, and the unique attraction lineup in Pigeon Forge makes it a trip the whole family enjoys. Anakeesta in Gatlinburg is one of our hidden gem recommendations for any family visiting the area.

water slide at encore resort
the island fountain show during the day pigeon forge

    Southwest

    The Southwest was a trip that changed the way our family thinks about road tripping. Wide open landscapes, dramatic national parks, and some of the most unique experiences we have ever had as a family. If you have never done a Southwest road trip with your family, put it on the list.

    Utah

    Nevada & Las Vegas

    Arizona

    New Mexico

    California

    white sands national park at sunset
    White Sands National Park
    hikes for kids at zion national park

    Theme Parks

    Theme parks are their own category in our family’s travel life, and they deserve their own dedicated guide. From Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando to Hersheypark and LEGOLAND, we cover the best theme park destinations for families in depth.

    Read our full Theme Park Guide →

    Road Trip Resources

    Some of our best family travel memories have happened in the car. Road trips are a big part of how we travel as a family and we have put together resources to help you make the most of every mile.

    Our USA Bucket List

    We are at 30 states and still going. Here are some of the destinations still on our list, the places we have not been yet but are actively planning or dreaming about. I will update this section as we check more off.

    States we still want to explore:

    • Pacific Northwest: Oregon and Washington are high on the list
    • Texas: it has been on the radar for years
    • Montana and Wyoming: Yellowstone is a bucket list trip for our whole family
    • New England deeper: we have hit Connecticut and Massachusetts but want to do Maine
    • New Orleans: I would love to experience the city and food

    I love that this is a goal our whole family is working toward together. The benefits of chasing it, the planning conversations, the road trips, the memories made along the way; far outweigh whether or not we ever reach all 50. We will have a great time trying.

    Tips for Visiting All 50 States as a Family

    If you want to start your own 50 state challenge here is what has worked for our family:

    • Plan a few years out but stay flexible. Think about which states you can hit in a single trip or road trip — the Southwest let us knock out Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona in one go.
    • Make the drive part of the adventure. Road trips are how we have covered the most ground. The stops along the way are often the most memorable parts.
    • Take advantage of where you live. We have knocked out a lot of Northeast states because we live in Rochester and they are within a day’s drive.
    • Just take the trip. It is easy to over-plan. Sometimes you need to book it and go.
    • Watch for travel deals. We keep a travel savings account and check for sales regularly — it makes the bigger trips more accessible.

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