12 Best Places to Take Your Grandchildren for a Day Out

One of the best gifts you can give your grandchildren is the gift time. Simple day adventures are fun excursions and true memory makers. Where you take your grands for the day isn’t important. What is important is showing up. If you think back to your own childhood, the smallest destinations with loving grandparents may have left the biggest impression on your heart. Here are 12 places to take your grandchildren for a day out.

Take Them for Ice Cream

“I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream” is a chant my grandfather taught his grandchildren. Whether we were running errands or spending an evening on my grandparent’s farm, all other plans took a detour when Grandpa had a custard craving. We joined Grandpa and cheered along as we drove to the next town to “Custer’s Last Stand.” We walked up to the window, ordered, and took a seat on the benches or tables outside. This simple outing ranks as one of my favorite summer memories. Take your grandchildren for ice cream. Don’t forget to sing an ice cream song along the way!

Plan a Swim Day

My grandparents didn’t own a pool, but their friends owned a lake. Grandma packed a picnic lunch, gathered towels, grabbed her can of “Off”, and we were on our way. There was nothing like a day swimming at the lake. I can still remember the sunshine glinting on the water and the bullfrogs croaking along the shore. If you don’t have access to a lake or a pool, it can be just as much fun. Many state parks have pools. Teach your grands to play “Shark” or “Marco Polo.” My friend has swim days with her granddaughters at our local YMCA. It’s wonderful exercise and entertainment during the long winter months. In the summer, their swim days are spent at a KOA campground pool. For extra fun, she buys the girls a new float or silly raft. Swim days are great fun.

Try Boating

We have some wonderful memories from days spent boating on our huge public lake. Nana and Pap (my kids’ grandparents) rented a pontoon boat while Pap played captain. The sun on our faces and the breeze in our hair gave us a wonderful feeling. We navigated to quiet spots for a family swim. With our life jackets on, the lake water felt refreshing. We sought out nearby rocks to swim to and rest on. We even had a contest to see who could make the biggest splash. This was a repeat activity for several summers. A day spent boating is a great way to bond and relax. 

Go Fishing 

Fishing is a great way to spend a special day with your grandchildren. When my sister and I were young, Grandpa taught us how to fish. Along with tackle, he took old blankets to avoid splinters from the lake’s old dock. He also took a brown bag packed with sandwiches, fruit, and cans of soda for the boring times in between each catch. One of my favorite fishing memories is the way my sister reacted to worms. Another is trying to keep random snapping turtles from stealing the fish on our lines. I have a treasured photo of my sister and me and a stringer-line full of our day’s catch. 

Go to the Movies

Movies are an enjoyable activity for both grands and grandparents. Sitting in an air-conditioned theater, munching on popcorn or a favorite candy can bring back pleasant memories of childhood for seniors. I remember my grandparents taking me to see Herbie Rides Again when I was young. My grandparents drove a Volkswagen Beetle so it made the movie and the conversation on the ride home particularly enjoyable. These days you have to be a bit more discerning when it comes to finding age and theme-appropriate movies. Our local Cinema has a summer special they offer where they show vintage children’s-movies for a reduced price. Sometimes you can even catch a double feature. Twice the fun!

Visit Historical Destinations

I will never forget throwing chests of tea into the Boston Harbor from an American Revolutionary replica ship. Of course, the buoyant chests were secured by a rope and hoisted back aboard by colonial-costumed guides who provided us with historical information about the Boston Tea Party. My grandparents took us on a day trip to Boston, where Grandma’s sister lived. On another day trip, we toured The Paul Revere House. During each trip, we visited my great aunt’s beautiful home. To this day, I enjoy visiting historical cities. Give your grandchildren the gift of history. 

Seek Out Local and State Fairs

I remember spending a lot of time at local fairs while growing up. My grandfather came from generations of dairy farmers and grew up milking and tending cattle. Grandpa loved the livestock barns during fair season. Although I was fond of animals, I much preferred the rides and cotton candy at fairs. It was a win-win situation and an enjoyable outing for all. My grandparents would ride more sedate rides like the ferris wheel and merry-go-round and Grandma would snap pictures of us on the bumper cars and more herky-jerky rides. And then there was funnel cake. No fair is complete without it. Even better than local fairs are state fairs. I only attended one in my youth but it was a sight to behold. I think it’s fair to say that fairs are an excellent day activity.

Attend Parades

Another day activity my grandparents introduced me to was parades. Sometimes my grandparents were in parades. My grandfather was a volunteer fireman and my grandmother was a member of the ladies auxiliary. They were also members of the local Grange. I remember them chatting with all of the townsfolk they knew. It was such a treat to see my grandparents dressed up and marching. But my enthusiasm for parades stemmed more from the bands that marched by, the creativity of the floats, the free candy that was tossed my way, and the balloons, toys, and gizmos that were peddled by walking vendors. We raised our own children taking them to our Local Labor Day parade each year. Kids love parades.

Find Theme Parks

Do you really want to “wow” your grandkids? Take them to a theme park. Theme parks have rides for every age. If you have very young grandchildren, most theme parks have a section just for toddlers. Toddler rides are suitable for grandparents as they are mostly slow and steady. For non-coaster riding grands, there are still intermediate rides to be enjoyed. Flying swings, log flumes, kiddie coasters, and water-squirting attractions will keep them happy and cool in the summer heat. For your hardcore roller coaster riders, theme parks specialize in thrill rides. Some roller coasters boast speeds of up to eighty miles per hour. My kids made great memories through the years going to three different theme parks with their grandparents. 

Take Them to a Zoo or Aquarium

Another day trip destination that will dazzle your grands is a zoo or aquarium. These are attractions that boast fun for every attendee. Lions and tigers and bears will fascinate your grandchildren. I will never forget my first trip to the zoo. I was standing next to the giraffe habitat when one walked over to me and licked my cheek with its dark tongue. What a thrill. Our kids went to the zoo with their grandparents and returned home with hilarious stories involving the peculiar antics of orangutans. They loved the snake house and bat cave. They also have a gorilla story they love to retell…years later. Their favorite animal exhibit at the aquarium was the otters. They also enjoyed walking through the glass tunnel of the shark and sea turtle tank. Being so close to sea creatures amazed them. 

Play at the Park

Parks are always a hit with kids. My grandparents set up a swing set, a sandbox, and hung a tire swing for my sister and me. When we were little, my sister and I loved playing in their yard under the shade of their trees. As we grew older, we craved monkey bars and merry-go-rounds. We were lucky. My grandparents had a nice park in their little town. In the winter, we used the manicured hills of that park for winter fun. We used sleds and round disks for sleigh riding. When we got home, we drank hot chocolate. 

Take Them Bowling

Do you have some local lanes? Grandchildren love to go bowling. With the advent of bumper bowling, gutterballs are a thing of the past for kids. Great graphics and a screen that automatically keeps score, make bowling fun and easy. Our local bowling alley has neon glowing lights on the lanes and ceiling for night bowling. Bowling alleys offer food and drinks and typically a few video games kids enjoy. In the late autumn of her life, my husband’s grandmother joined a bowling league. She became a proficient bowler and won many trophies. Are you good at bowling? Pass on your know-how to your grandchildren.

12 Best Places to Take Your Grandchildren for a Day Out

Relationship bonds are built and strengthened when you share new experiences with your young loved ones. You will connect in a unique way when you share new and fun experiences together. Want to give your grandchildren lifetime memories? Take them to one – or all – of the above destinations.