Move over Felicity, Samantha, Kit Kitson and the rest of the bunch; American Girl dolls don't hold a candle to the country's finest historical reenactments. With National Geographic's 10 Best of Everything: Families as your guide, your tots can become Minnesota farmhands for a day or climb aboard the Pony Express.
1. Actor's Beechwood Mansion
580 bellevue Ave., Newport, RI 02840, 401-846-3772
Step back in time at the Astors' opulent Beechwood Museum. The Beechwood Theatre Company brings to life the Astor family, their friends and servants. There are daily tours of the early 20th-century mansion given by living history performers.
2. Gettysburg National Military Park
97 Taneytown Rd., Gettysburg, PA 17325, 717-334-1124
The most epic battle of the Civil War was fought here on July 1, 2, and 3, 1863. Confederate troops attempted their second invasion of the North at Gettysburg, not far from the state lines of Maryland and West Virginia. Union soldiers pushed back--at a cost of more than 7,000 lives. Five months later, Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address here. Reenactments are regularly scheduled.
3. Colonial Williamsburg
101A Visitor Center Dr., Williamsburg, VA 23187, 757-229-1000
Duke of Gloucester Street and the reconstructed governor's mansion are the centerpieces of this re-created historic city depicting the best of British colonial life in the New World. Shop for authentic toys, wear a tricorn hat, and return the greetings of costumed barristers, shopkeepers, and servants.
4. Middleton Place Plantation
4300 Ashley River Rd., Charleston, SC 29414, 800-782-3608
Experience a taste of the Old South, with the benefit of a view from the 21st century. This carefully preserved low-country plantation is now a resort, working farm, and historic garden area-- and a beautiful family destination. Staff members here are characters who introduce you to life on a 19th century southern rice plantation.
5. Castillo de San Marcos
1 Castillo Dr. S, St. Augustine, FL 32084, 904-829-6506
This fort was built in 1972 to protect Spain's footprint on the North American continent. Reenactments and weapons demonstrations are regularly scheduled, and rangers are on hand.
6. Conner Prairie
13400 Allisonville Rd., Fishers, IN 46038, 800-966-1836
A renowned living history museum, farm, and learning center where families can explore 19th century life of the American Midwest. It's divided into four main areas: a homestead, a prairie town, a farm, and a Lenape camp. Events are planned every weekend, including storytelling, traditional arts, farm experiences and more.
7. Oliver H. Kelley Farm
15788 Kelley Farm Rd., Elk River, MN 55330, 763-441-6896
Be a Minnesota farmhand for a day. Try churning butter and weaving a straw hat, and see oxen and horses at work in the fields. Dressed as farmers and field hands, staff members show families how a 19th-century farm was run. Seasonal activities and daily chores provide a hands-on view of daily farm life and early American agriculture.
8. Pony Express Re-Ride
1202 Penn St., Saint Joseph, MO 64503, 816-232-8206
This annual event commemorates the founding of the Central Overland and California Pikes Peak Express Company, also known as the Pony Express. In June, teams of horses and riders ride the original trail from Missouri, with handoffs along the way in Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and then across California to Sacramento. The ride begins at the original Pony Express headquarters, now a Missouri musuem. Families can mail a letter that will be carried along the route.
9. Flint Hills Overland Wagon Train
El Dorado, KS 67042, 316-321-6300
Experience life on the pioneer trail with an overnight covered wagon journey in the Flint Hills, an unspoiled tallgrass prairie that was once a pathway to the American frontier. Traditional entertainment and chuckwagon-style meals are provided, with a campfire and sleeping under the stars at night. You can bring your own horse and ride along.
10. George Ranch
10215 FM 762, Richmond, TX 77469, 281-343-0218
This historic park has been in one family for four generations. It includes a mansion home, working ranch, and seasonal crops that visitors can help to harvest. Schedule your visit for a Saturday and plan on having an authentic 19th-century-style meal at one of five different venues around the park.
Reprinted with permission of the National Geographic Society from the book
The 10 Best of Everything: Families by Susan Magsamen. Copyright ©2009 National Geographic Society.
Photo: Bates Littlehales
Related Links: The 10 Best Carousels in the U.S., The 10 Best Children's Museums in the U.S.
