Historical road trip vacations are something you should consider for yourself and your family. If you take time to learn about history, you will be captivated by the wonder of the events and be transported into the past. Our family has gained so much knowledge and appreciation for history as we made roadside stops as we traveled through the US. Here are my 3 reasons to go on a historical road trip vacation.
1. History Is Remembered
“Those who can not remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” George Santayana.
History, whether good or bad, is something we need to take and learn from. Taking our family to destinations where they can see pictures, monuments, and read historical information has been invaluable! I can still vividly see my daughter’s face when we walked by pictures of the liberation of concentration camp pictures of WWII at Mott’s Military Museum in Groveport, Ohio. It was one of her greatest learning moments as a 5th grader. I want her to see and remember that humanity is better than that, and we should never allow genocide to happen if it is within our power to stop it.
I’ll never forget the emotions that overwhelmed me when Mr. Mott slid open the doors to a building that housed vehicles from 9/11. As a firefighters’ wife, I paused to think about those who had lost loved ones in that tragic terrorist event. We have American heroes who are memorialized in our museums throughout the US, and learning about them and their service helps keep their memories alive.
I remember standing in the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio, and how it evoked so many emotions for me. Listening to the stories and putting faces to the men and women who have done so much for the USA made me feel overwhelmingly grateful.
Going on a historical road trip helps us remember history.
2. History Comes Alive
We all remember the scene in Night At the Museum when everything comes to life, right? Going to a historic destination for a vacation will do the same thing for you. It will be that moment when that point in history becomes mentally tangible and real to you. As you walk through the displays and the docents or costumed guides engage you in conversation, you become sucked into the time period you are learning about. Colonial Williamsburg is one of my favorite places to have this happen. I am always compelled to buy colonial clothes and walk through the town as if I were really there in that time period. I enjoy drinking in the authentic buildings, listening to well-educated colonial guides, and tasting food from the period to create a day of time travel back to the 1700s.
Jamestown Settlement is another great location to immerse yourself in the makings of early America. Walking the ships, Native American village, and the recreated Jamestown Settlement with guides who give you the best-known information about the time period is are amazing experiences. Learning about the resilient people who helped establish the Jamestown Colony is absolutely mind-blowing. I walked around, imagining the difficulty it took to survive those first years.
History becomes relatable and alive when you travel to a historical destination.
3. History Engages the Mind and Creates Life Long Learners
“History should be studied because it is essential to individuals and to society and because it harbors beauty.” Peter Sterns, Why Study History 1998
Learning history doesn’t always have to be through books. The mind is opened and engaged when you are actively walking through a museum or historical location. You can use your five senses to learn in an all-encompassing way. Your eyes are used to see where and what took place, hands can touch various things displayed, noses can smell the old wood, your ears hear the stories coming from speakers or guides, and tongues taste the food from an era gone by from a museum or local eatery. When you engage all the senses, you will have a well-rounded learning experience, and it is a wonderful way to soak in the history.
When you go to a museum or historic destination, it opens your mind to learning in a completely different way. I recently read an article called Hands-On is Mind On, from Scholastic, and it is true! Get your hands busy and interacting with learning because it will enlighten you to a whole new way of gathering information about the past.
Going to a museum or a historical location engages the mind, awakens all five senses, and creates a greater love for learning.
Traveling and being an educator going on historical road trip vacations has expanded my love for history. Every place you go, even the town you live in, has an amazing history to learn from. Stop in at your local historical society or museum and see what has happened in your area. It’s fascinating, I promise.
We are creating history. Let’s remember the past so we can create a more promising future.
Happy Adventures,
Brandy
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