Log on and get out
By Erica Hill
CNN Headline News
(CNN) -- This summer, one of the best things you can do with your kids is get them outside. Not sure where to take them? A few minutes surfing the Web before you hit the road can help.
The National Park Service is a great place to start. In the park section, you can search them all from A-Z, or search by location or topic. Topics include the type of park (national park, seashore, monument, etc.), activities (i.e. swimming, boating, camping), and interests (caves, endangered species, U.S. presidents, to name a few).
The "History and Culture" section offers a look back at the people who shaped the areas we now call national parks -- from Native Americans to African-Americans and women.
There is also a series of printable travel itineraries, "Discover our Shared Heritage," that may help you plan a day trip or longer based on a city or theme.
The "Nature and Science" section brings you deeper into the ecosystems, and offers a glimpse at how the National Park Service is trying to preserve many of the natural wonders.
You'll learn even more in the "Interpretation and Education" section. Be a teacher for a day and put together a fun lesson on one of the parks you plan to visit. You'll also find a guide to Junior Ranger programs here.
Park alternatives
If it's roller coasters and log flumes you're after, visit the Web site of the amusement park before you leave the house.
Most parks will let you buy and print tickets online, avoiding at least one line for the day. Some also have a coupon section. The discounts are not necessarily for the park, however, but may help lower the cost of nearby lodging.
There's also an entire world in the back yard or in local parks.
Try hunting for wildflowers and bugs with your kids and then look them up. If you don't have wildflowers or insect reference book handy, don't worry, you can find a wealth of pictures online. Do a simple Internet search to find the site that fits you best. We used a similar tactic last spring to find out what all the plants in our front yard were!
Surfing the Internet can help get you out of the house this summer. Just remember that getting out is the goal, so don't sit too long in front of the screen.
On that note, I'm off to walk the dog.
