3. Sesame Place

If you are over the age of 10, you may feel as if you are taking one for the team by visiting this Pennsylvania park. The denizens of Sesame Street probably still hold a warm place in your heart from your childhood, but you don’t want to spend your hard-earned vacation days hanging out with Big Bird. You aren’t seven any more. Your kids, however, still get stars in their eyes at the thought of Bert and Ernie, Elmo, and The Cookie Monster. The core concept of parenting is sacrificing your needs for the happiness of your children. To them, Sesame Place equals pure joy.

You will also get to live vicariously through them as they take a ride on cleverly named, themed attractions such as Sesame Streak, Snuffy’s Slides, and Flying Cookie Jars. Sesame Place celebrates the joys of childhood through dozens of heart-warming attractions specifically built for small children. It’s a kind of parental paradise.

4. SeaWorld

Yes, the days since the release of Blackfish have been a struggle for the company. The bottom line has dwindled, as horrified customers have crossed SeaWorld off the list of potential vacation destinations. If you are focused on family-friendly entertainment, however, you should still consider it as a viable option.

After all, what appealed to you about SeaWorld when you were a child hasn’t changed. Kids of all ages are still capable of interacting with majestic sea creatures in a controlled environment.  And if your child has questions about the living conditions of their new aquatic friends, that conversation can be instructive as well. SeaWorld has unquestionably made a lot of mistakes, but the core concept upon which the company was founded remains sound. If you loved it as a child, it’s worth the time investment to evaluate whether your children will as well. I recognize that this selection is toxic given all the current headlines, but as someone who grew up loving the idea of Sea World, I still believe in their mission statement even if they have strayed in recent years.

5. Legoland

One of the most daring risks in the industry in the 1990s was the attempt by Lego to translate its Denmark theme park into an American venture. A little over 15 years later, the company seems prescient with their decision making. Legos are the hottest they have ever been thanks to the glory of The Lego Movie. The resurgence of the Lego brand is so extreme that Legos are a prime target for thieves.

Legoland embraces all of the elements that thrilled you as a youth. Literally millions of the bricks provide the foundation for themed rides in areas such as – I kid you not – Duplo Village and Miniland, the latter of which features scale models of famous metropolitan architectural landmarks such as the White House, the Statue of Liberty, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Yes, parents! You can trick your kids into doing something educational while they’re having the time of their lives! Legoland teaches the joy of creativity, and your kids will love every second it.