Editor’s Note: NEA Member Benefits understands how much you love to travel and how much you’ve missed it. As states begin to relax their regulations with regard to COVID-19 and more Americans become vaccinated, travel is opening up more and more. Before planning a trip, read the health and safety protocols and requirements for visitors to any destination, as well as those of airlines, car rentals and hotels before booking and again before traveling.
This summer, introduce your kids to some of our nation’s most influential leaders such as presidents Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. These storied commanders in chief navigated complex issues and kept America true to its pursuit of freedom, liberty and justice for all.
You’ll be happy to know that many of today’s presidential museums and monuments eschew musty rooms packed with old furniture and instead focus on interactive exhibits, public art installations and even the chance to climb aboard Air Force One.
Here are our picks for the best presidential sites—including libraries, museums and more—that will inspire everyone in your family.
Lincoln Memorial and President Lincoln’s Cottage in Washington, D.C.
Although President Abraham Lincoln spent much of his life in Springfield, Illinois, some of his most famous sites—the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall and President Lincoln’s Cottage—can be found in Washington, D.C.
One of the most famous monuments in the country, the temple-like Lincoln Memorial is sure to leave a lasting impression on little ones and teens alike—and adults, too.
Modeled after the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, the monument features 38 columns and three chambers, which house inscriptions of Lincoln’s inaugural address and the Gettysburg Address, murals and, of course, the imposing statue of Lincoln himself.
The views from the memorial are spectacular: Gaze across the reflecting pool to the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol building beyond.
Lincoln’s Cottage, where he and his family spent summers during the Civil War, now functions as a “museum of ideas,” commemorating some of President Lincoln’s most important decisions—including the Emancipation Proclamation—which were made there.
NEA member travel benefits: For a great deal, book a flight through NEA Travel: Flights to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Dulles International Airport (IAD) or Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI). The hotels booking page features deals like an average of $198 a night at the stylish boutique Melrose Georgetown Hotel or $216 per night at the Hotel Hive, which is walking distance to the memorial and has rooms with bunk beds perfect for families.
Plan your itinerary: Lincoln Memorial | Lincoln’s Cottage | Official Tourism Site of Washington D.C.
President William McKinley Sites in Niles and Canton, Ohio
President William McKinley, our 25th president, was born in Niles, Ohio, and lived in Canton (about an hour’s drive away) for most of his adult life. There are several sites dedicated to him in both cities, including his presidential library and museum, birth home and grave site.
Niles is home to The National McKinley Birthplace Memorial Museum, the McKinley Memorial Library and the McKinley Birthplace Home and Research Center, which is a replica of the house where McKinley lived with his family until the 1840s. The McKinley museum has many items, such as objects from McKinley’s presidential campaign, on display.
The McKinley Presidential Library and Museum in Canton houses Discover World, an interactive science center; a historical library; a planetarium; and the presidential museum dedicated to McKinley, making it chock-full of entertaining and educational activities for the whole family. Exhibits include “The Street of Shops,” a full-size replica of an historic town, plus hundreds of images and objects, including many from the Civil and Spanish–American wars, which tell the story of President McKinley’s life and career.
McKinley’s tomb is also in Canton and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975. His wife and two of his children are also interred at the elaborately domed mausoleum.
NEA member travel benefits: Fly into Akron-Canton Airport (CAK), which is about 15 minutes away from the McKinley Presidential Library and Museum. NEA Travel: Flights is the best place to find great prices on airline tickets and hotels. You can find hotels like the Hampton Inn & Suites Niles/Warren, Ohio for an average of $135/night or the Fairfield Inn & Suites Canton South, which is a 10-minute drive from the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum and has an indoor pool and fitness center. Or for around $158/night, you can enjoy a golf resort with an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, an outdoor pool at the Bertram Inn at Glenmoor.
Plan your itinerary: The National McKinley Birthplace Memorial Museum | McKinley Memorial Library | McKinley Birthplace Home and Research Center | McKinley Presidential Library and Museum | McKinley’s Tomb | Visit Canton | Explore Trumbull County | TourismOhio
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California
Located 30 miles from Los Angeles on a hill with sweeping views, the Reagan Library is one of Southern California’s most beautiful and unique destinations.
Highlights include the Air Force One Pavilion, which contains an actual aircraft that flew seven U.S. presidents, a full-size replica of the White House Oval Office and a piece of the Berlin Wall. There’s also an exhibit dedicated to the history of the Secret Service. The Reagan Museum showcases hundreds of artifacts from the 40th president.
Outside, the grounds replicate the White House South Lawn, and there are memorials to the president and his wife, Nancy, who are both buried there.
NEA member travel benefits: Book a flight through the NEA Travel Program to Bob Hope Burbank International Airport (BUR) to get great prices, and then it’s 25 miles to Simi Valley. You can also fly into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which is about 45 miles away. Visit NEA Travel: Hotels to find deals at hotels like an average of $108 per night at Grand Vista Hotel, which has a heated outdoor pool and 24-hour fitness center, and is a 5-minute drive from Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. You may also find an average of $127 per night at Best Western Posada Royale Hotel & Suites, which has a pool and fitness center and is just 3 miles away from the library.
Plan your itinerary: The Reagan Library| City of Simi Valley| Visit California
Mount Rushmore in Keystone, South Dakota
The ultimate tribute to our most influential presidential leaders, this famous national memorial carved into the South Dakota peak of Mount Rushmore incorporates the faces of 4 presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt.
Surrounded by the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota, the imposing monument took 14 years to carve into the mountainside. A highlight is walking the Presidential Trail to get up close to the sculpture and spot wildlife such as mountain goats, yellow-bellied marmots, three species of frogs and various birds.
Nearby, Rapid City commemorates presidents with sculptures, each carved by a different artist and placed in various spots around the city. Walking maps of this so-called City of Presidents are available.
NEA member travel benefits: The closest airport to Mount Rushmore is Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP), which is about a half-hour away. You can book your flight through NEA Travel: Flights for great prices. Then head over to NEA Travel: Hotels to find deals at unique accommodations like Under Canvas Mount Rushmore, a glamping resort with furnished safari-style tents, which is an average of $198 a night. Holy Smoke Resort has classic log cabins for an average of $151 a night. For something more traditional, there’s the Comfort Inn & Suites Mount Rushmore, for an average of $142 a night.
Plan your itinerary: Mount Rushmore |Black Hills & Badlands| Visit Rapid City | Travel South Dakota
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum in Boston, Massachusetts
Set on the Boston waterfront on a 10-acre park, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum was designed by famous architect I.M. Pei and contains three theaters and 25 multimedia exhibits.
Visitors will learn about Kennedy’s life, legacy and leadership, and children will especially enjoy the “Lift-off! The U.S. Space Program” exhibit. The impressive display on Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy highlights her significant achievements as first lady and includes several items of her clothing.
Summer is an ideal time to visit with kids of all ages. Picnics on the grounds are welcome, and from May to October, President Kennedy’s sailboat Victura is on display.
NEA member travel benefits: Book a flight through the NEA Travel Program to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). Visit NEA Travel: Hotels to find deals at the closest hotel to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum, which is the DoubleTree by Hilton Boston Bayside, which averages $194/night. A bit further afield, the Hotel Boston averages $148/night. Or spend a bit more for the fun and stylish Hotel Indigo Boston Garden, an IGH Hotel, which averages $203/night and is centrally located in Boston near the North Station train station.
Plan your itinerary: The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum |Visit Boston | Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism
