LAST UPDATED: February 5th, 2019
This post may contain affiliate links. When clicked, I may receive a small percentage of each sale. This does not affect your price in any way. As an Amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. See our full disclosure policy and privacy policy for more details.
One of the main focuses of our 3 month road trip was to do as many tours and museum visits as we could. Because Seth is a war nut, we mostly hit war memorials and aircraft museums. Here I’ve put together a list of the museums we visited and the tours we took, and all the information you need to add them to your list of must-dos!
Alabama
Battleship USS Alabama Museum Mobile, Alabama
Cost:
Adult(12+)- $15; Child(6-11)- $6; Senior(55+)& Retired Military- $13; Active Military- FREE
Hours:
April to September, 8am-6pm; October to March, 8am-5pm
Things to Know:
>Parking is $2/vehicle;
>Bring your CAA/AAA card to get $2 off the adult ticket price;
>Food is available onsite, though we found it quite expensive
DC
National Air and Space Museum Washington, DC
Cost:
FREE!
Hours:
Daily, 10am-530pm
Things to Know:
>There is a food court there, with common fast food options, but they are priced higher then normal, so if you’re on a budget bring snacks
>You will go through a metal detector to enter
>Tripods and selfie sticks are prohibited
>Elevators and Escalators are available
>IMAX movies are available for a fee- book ahead to ensure seats
>Allow for time in the gift shop- it is HUGE, well-priced and has a lot of neat stuff!
Florida
National Armament Museum Destin, FL
Cost:
FREE!
Hours:
Monday to Saturday, 9:30am-4:30pm
Things to Know:
Wear good shoes, and bring sunscreen/bugspray/umbrella if weather dictates- most of the aircraft are outside of the building
Cost:
FREE!
Hours:
Daily, 9am-5pm
Things to Know:
>Parking is free
>No backpacks allowed
>Visitors over 16 need proper ID
>The museum is located on the Naval Base
>Free tours are available throughout the day, check the website for times and pick up tickets at the front desk. Be sure to get on the Trolley Tour!
>Food is available in a themed restaurant on site- prices are quite good
**If you have time check out the Pensacola Lighthouse, also on base**
Louisiana
Cajun Pride Swamp Tour New Orleans, LA
Cost:
Adult- $24 or $19 online; Child (4-12)- $18 or $13 online
I found a 2for1 Groupon, and it may still be active. Use this link and search ‘swamp tour’ to see if it’s still available!
Hours:
Daily- 9:30am, noon, 2:15pm, 4:15pm. Last tour is seasonal and runs March 1- October 1
Things to know:
> Bug spray is not necessary
> Call ahead to ensure availability, if not buying tickets ahead
> Transportation from a number of New Orleans hotels can be provided for a fee. Check their website to see prices and availability
> Beer is available on site while you wait for your tour
Evergreen Plantation Edgard, LA
Cost:
Adults (18+)- $20, Children (5-18)- $6, Under 5- FREE
Hours:
Monday to Saturday- 9:30am, 11:30am, 2:00pm
Things to know:
> Gate is open 8:55 t0 2:15
> No reservation required
> Cash or check only- no cards
> Fair amount of walking, wear comfortable shoes
> Bring bugspray- Slave quarters were VERY mosquito-y
New York
American Museum of Natural History New York City, NY
Cost:
General Admission is suggested at $22**; admission to special exhibits and IMAX movies will be extra
Hours:
Daily, 10am-545pm
Things to know:
>**The American Museum of Natural History operates on a donation admission, so if you’d like to pay less just let the admission desk know how much you’d like to pay! Note, the special exhibits and IMAX will cost more
>Allow for at minimum 3 hours, though you can easily make a full day out of it and still not see everything
>Bring snacks- the cafeteria is PRICEY! (though there is great selection, and food tastes great if cost is no concern)
Aircraft Carrier
North Carolina
Battleship USS North Carolina Museum Wilmington, NC
Cost:
Adults(12+)- $14; Children(6-11)- $6; Seniors(65+)& Military(ID required)- $10
Hours: Summer (Friday before Labor Day to Memorial Day), Daily, 8am-8pm; Winter (Tuesday after Labor Day to Thursday before Memorial Day), Daily, 8am-5pm
Things to Know:
>Ticket sales end one hour before closing
>Allow for minimum 2 hours, though we spent 5.5 hours and still could have done another hour if we had time
>Wear comfortable shoes- there is A LOT of stairs and walking
>For fans of the show One Tree Hill, the gazebo in the field by the river is the former home of The Rivercourt! Check out the picnic tables and leave your mark!
Pennsylvania
American Helicopter Museum West Chester, PA
Cost:
Adults- $10; Seniors, Students with ID, Children- $8
Hours:
Wednesday-Saturday: 10am-5pm, Sunday: noon-5pm
Things to Know:
>The tour is self guided
>Expect to spend at least an hour, maybe 2 if you watch the movies
>Don’t hesitate to ask the volunteers questions- many are retired air force and have many stories to share
South Carolina
Patriot’s Point War Museum Charleston, SC
Cost:
Adult(12+)- $20; Child(6-11)- $12; Senior(62+)- $17; Military(with ID)- $17; Military(in uniform)- FREE
Hours:
Daily 9am-630pm *Ticket sales end at 5pm
Things to Know:
>Parking is $5/vehicle
>Allow for time in the gift store, it is impressive and well priced!
>Easily can spend a whole day here between the Vietnam Experience, Destroyer Ship, Submarine and Aircraft Carrier. We had 6 hours and didn’t see everything
>Wear comfortable shoes, there’s A LOT of walking and stairs!
>Chat with the guide in the Vietnam Experience- he was likely in the war!
Texas
The Alamo San Antonio, TX
Cost:
FREE!
Hours:
Daily 9am-530pm
Things to Know:
>The tour is self guided
>No cameras, hats, drinks or cell phone use is allowed inside the buildings
>No pets allowed
>Ask for a fudge sample in the gift shop!
**Be sure to walk the San Antonio Riverwalk as well, it’s very neat!**
Be the first to comment