Unique family vacation ideas

Summer is the unofficial season of vacations, especially for families. School is not in session in summer, and kids' often busy schedules may grind to a halt in summer, when sports leagues, dance classes and other activities go on hiatus.

School closures and a largely empty obligation schedule makes summer a great time for families to go on vacation. Traditional vacation hotspots like adventure parks and resorts merit consideration, but the following are some unique family vacation ideas that can help parents and their children make lasting memories.

· Ballpark tour: For families that love baseball, a summer ballpark tour can be a truly unique experience. Whether families prefer Major League Baseball and its large ballparks or the more intimate settings at minor league stadiums, there's no shortage of options on a ballpark tour. Both MLB and minor league stadiums tend to be located in large or mid-size cities, which means there's plenty to do in between games as well.

· Camper/RV trip: A family vacation in a camper or RV is a cozy way for families to bond as they vacation at their own pace. National parks across the United States and Canada make for ideal places to visit when touring each country in a camper or RV. But there's really no limit to the experiences families can enjoy on self-driving trips when their beds are on board for the ride.

· History road trip: Historical landmarks dot the North American landscape, making a history road trip a fun way to hit the road and learn a little something along the way. American history buffs have no shortage of historic sites to see regardless of which region of the country they plan to visit or which period of history most intrigues them, from the Revolutionary War to the California Gold Rush to the American Civil War and more. Canadian history buffs can go all the way back to the days of the dinosaurs at the Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta or visit Nova Scotia to see the eighteenth century economic and military hub the Fortress of Louisbourg, which is the largest historical reconstruction in North America.

· Urban tours: One of the joys of visiting Europe is the chance to travel from city to city without spending too much time in the car or on the train between stops. Though North America might be more spread out, families can still tour various urban locales in a single vacation. Parents can pick a region of the country (such as the northeastern United States) and then plan road trips that enable them to visit different cities in that area over the course of a week to two weeks. Make an effort to try the foods each city is known for and visit a local landmark, making sure to leave time to walk around so everyone can get a feel for what a day in each city is like.

Family vacations can be as unique as the individuals taking them.