In the United States, we are lucky to have a plethora of historical sites in which to visit with the family. Whether you are taking a summer road trip, a winter vacation, or a spring excursion, there is not limit to the amount of historical sites you can visit with the children. Not only is it exciting for you, but it also encourages learning in children as they get a first hand account of the past. The problem is, after going to several historic sites the prices of admission start to add up. That is why it is essential that you know where and how to find discount admissions to all of the historic sites in the area in which you are visiting.
First you need to figure out which sites you want to visit. There are landmarks such as state parks, battlefields, homes from the 1600 and 1700′s, and museums. You may want to check a particular city’s website to see what the area has to offer in terms of what historical monuments can be viewed by the public. Then find the website of the historical site you want to visit to see what the prices are. You may find discounts there directly in the form of a coupon you can print out or you may have to visit other websites to see where the discounts can be found.
The state visitor’s center is another excellent place to go to see if they offer any discounts. You can first check it out online, or you could go there first when you arrive in the city of your choice. They often give you books that include many coupons to historical sites in the area. They may list the major ones, but they may also give you a few coupons to places you have never heard of that you may want to see. If you don’t see any discounts, you should talk to someone who works there to see if there are any special passes if you are seeing more than one, or if there are any deals for family rates or group packages if your group is large enough.
If you want to make sure you have coupons in hand before you leave, you may also want to peruse the state website to see what links they offer you that may lead you to discounts. Some historical sites allow you discounts based on what day you visit, as weekdays tend to be less expensive then weekends. Children are almost always lower priced then adults, so make sure you buy separate children and adult tickets to get the most for your money.
If you still haven’t found any discounts, then simply show up at the historical site and see what they can offer you. They may have an afternoon special in which if you come in after a certain time you get the next day for free. That way you can spend a little bit of time there and then come back the next day and spend many more hours. As long as you keep your eyes open you can probably find some sort of deal which will save you money in the long run.
Low Cost Admissions to Historical Sites
A long-standing tradition in many families on car trips is to stop at historical sites. This encourages children to take an interest in the past. You can take time from any vacation to go to historical landmarks, whether your main travel is by plane, train, or boat. The trick is to find discounted admission fees for the kids.
The first order of business is to find out what historical landmarks are in the states you are going to visit. You can do this by going to the internet site of the National Parks Systems. This site gives a thorough list of historic places of all kinds for all fifty states and for some nearby islands as well.
The National Parks site lists National Historic Parks which are a network of natural and historic places, and National Historic Sites which deal with only one locale. It lists such National Memorials as Mount Rushmore, but also some you may never have heard of. It also lists National Battlefields.
Once you have the name of an historic site you want to visit, you can search the internet for that specific site. If there is a webpage for that historical landmark, it may have offers for discounts or coupons you can print off to use there. If not, you may have to do a little more research.
One way to learn more is to go to a state’s Visitor’s Center. These are usually located as you enter the state on a major road or highway. Signs often give directions for how to get there if the Center is not located in plain sight of the highway.
The Visitor’s Center staff is usually more than happy to share with you all the information they know or have on local historic landmarks. If there are any discounts they will probably know about them. If there are any coupons, they will probably have access to them.
Sometimes, there is no one manning the center. In this case, you will have to sort through the brochures for yourself. This isn’t as easy, and you will not have the insider’s perspective. Try anyway. It’s better than no information.
You can also visit the websites of any of the different states’ tourism information. This will give a complete list of all the historic landmarks in the entire state. It often gives a brief description.
Sometimes the landmarks are listed under the city or area they are located in. This presents a problem if you don’t know where they are. Most states will list discounts and special offers along with each landmark. Some will have printable coupons.
Of course, the tried and true method for finding historical landmarks to visit is an easy one. You just travel along with your eyes open, looking out for interesting places to learn about the past. If this is your way of doing things, it is certainly a fun experience.
The trouble is that it is often hard to find discounts, special offers, or coupons when traveling this way. Ask anyway. Sometimes there are discounts that are available but will only be given if you bring up the subject.
Your kids may act like they are too bored with history to want to bother with seeing these bits of the past. However, if you expose them to history that they can see, touch, and feel, they will come away excited. Finding discounts just makes it easier to visit more landmarks.
