Travel Activities for Aunts, Uncles & Kids

Discover fun travel activities for kids of all ages, from road trips and day trips to national parks, beaches, museums, city adventures, food experiences, travel games and memorable adventures with their favorite aunts and uncles.

Travel doesn't have to mean boarding a plane or planning a two-week vacation.

Sometimes, the best adventure is just a town you've never explored.

A road trip can become a memory-making adventure. A day at the beach can become an annual tradition. A museum can spark a new interest. A new restaurant can introduce your niece or nephew to a completely different culture.

At Funcles & Faunties™, we believe travel is about more than seeing new places.

It's about experiencing something together.

Whether you're planning a major family vacation, looking for a fun day trip with your niece or nephew, searching for road-trip activities or simply want to explore somewhere new, you'll find ideas here for making the journey part of the adventure.

You don't have to travel far to go somewhere new.

What Are Good Travel Activities for Kids?

The best travel activities keep kids engaged, curious and involved.

Depending on their age, try:

  • Road trips

  • Day trips

  • National parks

  • Beach adventures

  • Museum visits

  • City exploration

  • Travel scavenger hunts

  • Travel games

  • Food adventures

  • Photography

  • Travel journals

  • Souvenir challenges

  • Nature walks

  • Historical sites

  • Cultural experiences

  • Scenic drives

  • Camping trips

  • Train rides

  • Exploring new neighborhoods

  • Trying something neither of you has done before

The destination is only part of the experience.

The journey counts, too.

[Explore Adventure Activities →]

Travel Activities by Age

Different ages call for different kinds of travel adventures.

What excites a 4-year-old may not interest a teenager, so choose experiences that allow kids to participate, explore and make choices.

Travel Activities for Ages 2–4

Traveling with toddlers and preschoolers doesn't need to be complicated.

Keep the adventure simple and give them plenty of opportunities to move and explore.

Try:

  • Short day trips

  • Beach walks

  • Children's museums

  • Zoos

  • Aquariums

  • Parks

  • Farm visits

  • Nature walks

  • Scenic drives

  • Playground stops

  • Picnic lunches

  • Looking for animals

  • Travel scavenger hunts

  • Trying a new snack

  • Exploring a new town

For younger children, the stop along the way may be just as exciting as the destination.

Plan breaks.

Bring familiar snacks.

Allow time for exploration.

And don't worry if your carefully planned itinerary gets replaced by 45 minutes of watching ducks.

That's part of the adventure.

[Explore Activities for Ages 2–4 →]

Travel Activities for Ages 4–6

Kids ages 4–6 are becoming more curious about the world around them.

Give them opportunities to participate.

Try:

  • Day trips

  • Museums

  • Zoos

  • Aquariums

  • Beach adventures

  • Nature trails

  • Farm visits

  • Road trips

  • Historical sites

  • Children's attractions

  • Food adventures

  • Travel scavenger hunts

  • Photography

  • Exploring a new town

Give them a simple travel mission:

"Let's find three things we've never seen before."

Or:

"You get to choose our first stop."

Small choices can make kids feel like they're part of the adventure rather than simply being taken somewhere.

[Explore Activities for Ages 4–6 →]

Travel Activities for Ages 6–8

Kids in this age group are ready to become more involved in planning and exploring.

Try:

  • Road trips

  • National parks

  • Hiking

  • Museums

  • City adventures

  • Beach trips

  • Travel journals

  • Photography

  • Geocaching

  • Historical sites

  • Food experiences

  • Nature exploration

  • Scenic drives

  • Day trips

  • Camping

Give them a map.

Let them choose a snack stop.

Have them photograph interesting things.

Ask them to keep track of the places you've visited.

Turn them into part of the travel team.

[Explore Activities for Ages 6–8 →]

Travel Activities for Ages 8–10

Older kids can take on more responsibility during a trip.

Let them:

  • Help plan the itinerary

  • Choose a restaurant

  • Research a destination

  • Read a map

  • Track the route

  • Take photographs

  • Keep a travel journal

  • Choose an attraction

  • Create a travel playlist

  • Help pack

  • Research local history

Try:

  • Road trips

  • National parks

  • Museums

  • City exploration

  • Hiking

  • Camping

  • Beach adventures

  • Historical sites

  • Food tours

  • Geocaching

  • Day trips

The goal isn't to turn them into a professional travel planner.

It's to help them feel like they're part of the adventure.

[Explore Activities for Ages 8–10 →]

Travel Activities for Tweens

Tweens often enjoy having more independence and a greater say in what happens.

Let them participate in planning.

Try:

  • Weekend road trips

  • City adventures

  • National parks

  • Hiking

  • Photography

  • Museums

  • Food adventures

  • Thrift-shopping

  • Travel journals

  • Concerts

  • Sporting events

  • Beach trips

  • Exploring new neighborhoods

  • Trying new restaurants

  • Cultural experiences

Give your tween a challenge:

"You're in charge of choosing one stop on our trip."

Or:

"Find the most interesting place within 30 minutes of here."

Their choices can make the trip more personal.

[Explore Activities for Tweens →]

Travel Activities for Teens

Travel can be an especially meaningful way to stay connected with teenagers.

Try:

  • Road trips

  • Weekend getaways

  • National parks

  • Hiking

  • Photography

  • Concerts

  • Sporting events

  • Museums

  • Food adventures

  • Exploring new cities

  • Trying new restaurants

  • Shopping

  • Cultural experiences

  • Volunteering

  • Travel photography

  • Scenic drives

  • Learning about local history

Let your teen have a real role in the trip.

Ask them to choose a restaurant.

Let them create part of the itinerary.

Give them the camera.

Let them choose the playlist.

Or simply spend several hours in the car talking.

Sometimes the conversation is the adventure.

[Explore Activities for Teens →]

Road Trip Activities for Kids

Road trips can be just as memorable as the destination.

Keep kids engaged with:

  • Travel bingo

  • License plate spotting

  • "I Spy"

  • Would You Rather

  • Trivia

  • Music challenges

  • Audiobooks

  • Podcasts

  • Storytelling

  • Road-trip playlists

  • Travel journals

  • Photography challenges

  • Snack taste tests

  • Destination guessing games

  • Finding interesting roadside attractions

For older kids, create a travel challenge.

"Photograph five unusual things before we arrive."

"Find three different license plates."

"Pick the best roadside snack."

The goal is to turn "Are we there yet?" into "What's next?"

Travel Games for Kids

A few simple games can make a long trip much more enjoyable.

Try:

I Spy

Choose something you can see and let everyone guess what it is.

Travel Bingo

Create a card with things such as:

  • Red truck

  • Cow

  • Bridge

  • Motorcycle

  • Stop sign

  • Yellow car

License Plate Challenge

See how many different states you can spot.

Would You Rather?

Ask funny or imaginative questions.

Story Chain

One person starts a story.

Each person adds another sentence.

Twenty Questions

Think of a person, place or thing and let everyone guess.

Destination Detective

Give clues about where you're going and see if they can guess.

These games cost nothing and can work for different ages with a little adaptation.

Day Trips With Your Niece or Nephew

You don't need to book a hotel to have a travel adventure.

Choose a destination that's close enough to visit in one day.

Consider:

  • A nearby town

  • Beach

  • Museum

  • Zoo

  • Aquarium

  • Historic site

  • Nature preserve

  • National or state park

  • Farm

  • Festival

  • Farmers market

  • Scenic area

  • Sporting event

Pack snacks.

Make a playlist.

Choose a few stops.

Leave room for spontaneity.

A day trip can feel like a vacation without the vacation budget.

[Explore Budget-Friendly Activities →]

Exploring a New Town

One of the easiest travel adventures is exploring somewhere you've never been.

Walk around.

Look for interesting buildings.

Visit a local park.

Find a unique store.

Try a local restaurant.

Take photographs.

Visit a museum.

Get ice cream.

Ask your niece or nephew:

"What should we explore next?"

Let curiosity determine the itinerary.

National Park Adventures

National parks can provide incredible opportunities for families to explore nature and learn about the world around them.

Depending on the park and the child's age, try:

  • Easy hikes

  • Scenic overlooks

  • Wildlife watching

  • Junior Ranger programs

  • Nature photography

  • Ranger programs

  • Visitor centers

  • Picnic areas

  • Nature walks

  • Stargazing

Before visiting, check the park's official website for current conditions, closures, reservations, fees and safety information.

For younger kids, choose manageable activities.

For older kids and teens, give them a map and let them help plan the day.

[Explore Adventure Activities →]

Beach Travel Activities

A beach can provide an entire day of adventure.

Try:

  • Building sandcastles

  • Collecting shells where permitted

  • Beach scavenger hunts

  • Drawing in the sand

  • Looking for wildlife

  • Beach photography

  • Playing games

  • Having a picnic

  • Watching the sunset

  • Taking a walk

For older kids, try a photography challenge.

"Find five different textures."

"Photograph something interesting without taking a picture of a person."

"Capture the best sunset photo."

Always follow local beach rules and water-safety guidance.

Museum Adventures

Museums don't have to feel like school.

Turn your visit into a challenge.

Ask:

"What's the weirdest thing you can find?"

"Which exhibit would you take home?"

"What is your favorite thing here?"

"Can you find something older than 100 years?"

For younger children, look for children's museums and interactive exhibits.

For older kids and teens, let them choose which museum interests them.

The best museum is one that sparks their curiosity.

Food Adventures While Traveling

Food can be one of the best ways to experience a new place.

Try:

  • A local restaurant

  • A farmers market

  • A food hall

  • A bakery

  • A local specialty

  • A new cuisine

  • A picnic with local foods

  • A cooking class

  • A food truck

  • A dessert adventure

Create a simple challenge:

"We're trying one food we've never eaten before."

Or:

"You choose dessert."

Food can become part of the memory of a place long after you've returned home.

Travel Journals for Kids

A travel journal gives kids a way to document the experience.

Depending on their age, they can:

  • Draw pictures

  • Write about their favorite part

  • Record new foods

  • Collect ticket stubs

  • Add photographs

  • Write funny moments

  • Track destinations

  • Rate activities

  • Keep a list of places they've visited

You can even create a shared aunt-and-niece or uncle-and-nephew travel journal.

Years later, you'll have something much more valuable than a souvenir.

You'll have your memories.

Travel Photography With Kids

Give kids a camera or let them use an age-appropriate device with permission.

Create photography challenges:

  • Take a picture of something red

  • Find an interesting doorway

  • Photograph an animal

  • Capture a funny sign

  • Photograph your favorite meal

  • Take a picture of something you've never seen before

  • Capture the best view

  • Take a photo of your travel companion

For older kids and teens, photography can become a genuine hobby.

[Explore Creative Activities →]

Budget-Friendly Travel Activities

Travel doesn't have to mean spending a lot.

Try:

  • Day trips

  • Picnics

  • Hiking

  • Free museums

  • Public parks

  • Beach days

  • Scenic drives

  • Nature walks

  • Free community events

  • Library visits

  • Exploring new neighborhoods

  • Photography walks

  • Self-guided history tours

  • Geocaching

Bring food from home when practical.

Look for free admission days.

Explore destinations close to home.

And remember:

You don't have to travel far to travel differently.

[Explore Free Activities →]

How Can I Travel With Kids Without Spending a Fortune?

Start by thinking locally.

You may have interesting places within an hour or two that you've never explored.

Try:

One-hour adventure:
Explore a new park or town.

Half-day adventure:
Visit a museum, beach or hiking area.

Full-day adventure:
Plan a day trip.

Weekend adventure:
Choose a nearby destination and stay overnight if it fits your budget.

You don't have to start with a major vacation.

Start with curiosity.

How Do I Make Travel More Fun for Kids?

Give them something to look forward to and something to do.

Before the trip:

  • Let them help plan

  • Choose a destination

  • Make a playlist

  • Pack snacks

  • Create a travel journal

  • Research the destination

During the trip:

  • Play games

  • Take photographs

  • Try new foods

  • Ask questions

  • Explore

  • Let them make choices

After the trip:

  • Look at photos

  • Create a scrapbook

  • Write about the experience

  • Make a favorite-memory list

  • Start planning the next adventure

Involving kids before, during and after the trip makes the entire experience part of the adventure.

Create a Travel Tradition

One of the best ways to make travel meaningful is to turn it into something you do together regularly.

Maybe you:

Take an annual aunt-and-niece trip.

Have a yearly uncle-and-nephew road trip.

Visit a new town every summer.

Choose one new museum every year.

Take an annual birthday adventure.

Visit a new national park together.

Try one new restaurant every month.

The destination may change.

The tradition stays.

And as your niece or nephew grows, the adventure can grow with them.

The Journey Is Part of the Memory

Travel isn't always perfect.

You might miss an exit.

The weather might change.

The restaurant might be closed.

Someone might get tired.

The itinerary might fall apart.

And someday, those may be the stories you laugh about most.

"Remember when we..."

That's what shared experiences do.

They give you stories.

They create inside jokes.

They give you something to talk about years later.

So don't worry about creating the perfect trip.

Create a trip where you have the opportunity to be together.

You Don't Have to Go Far to Go Somewhere New

Travel can be a plane ticket.

It can also be a twenty-minute drive.

It can be a new restaurant.

A different hiking trail.

A nearby town.

A museum you've never visited.

A beach you've never explored.

A road you've never taken.

The point isn't how far you go.

It's that you go together.

So choose a destination.

Pack some snacks.

Make a playlist.

Bring your curiosity.

And go see what's out there.

Never Forget to Play.

More Ways to Find Your Next Activity

By Age

[Activities for Ages 2–4 →]
[Activities for Ages 4–6 →]
[Activities for Ages 6–8 →]
[Activities for Ages 8–10 →]
[Activities for Tweens →]
[Activities for Teens →]

By Type

[Indoor Activities →]
[Outdoor Activities →]
[Educational Activities →]
[Creative Activities →]
[Adventure Activities →]
[Free Activities →]
[Budget-Friendly Activities →]
[Travel Activities →]
[Food & Cooking Activities →]
[Arts & Crafts Activities →]

By Season

[Spring Activities →]
[Summer Activities →]
[Fall Activities →]
[Winter Activities →]

By Occasion

[Birthday Activities →]
[Christmas Activities →]
[Halloween Activities →]
[First Day of School Activities →]
[Summer Vacation Activities →]
[Rainy Day Activities →]