Virtual Road Trip of the USA for Kids (of all ages)
Let’s all learn and play together, by taking a Virtual Road trip of the USA for Kids (of all ages)!
Print a blank US map. Each day, learn about a new state. Have them color the state on the map so they can track their journeys.
You can watch videos, virtual sightsee in museums, try local foods, learn some local “slang”, talk about history, if you are a sports family talk about the teams in the state. The options are endless. Whatever you choose there are resources available. You can reference our latest blog article INCREDIBLE PLACES YOU CAN VISIT VIRTUALLY, search Google or YouTube. However you choose let’s start a discussion and tag us #cernysjourneys!
Cernys’ Journeys Kids will also share videos daily on YouTube on what we are doing as a family. Please follow and subscribe: 
Below is a list of the states and some ideas (there are links embedded in the text for easy use). Our family is going to virtually travel alphabetically:
Alabama (AL), 1819
Capital: Montgomery
Nickname: Heart of Dixie
Notable people from Alabama
• Rosa Parks, Civil Rights Activist (Tuskegee)
• Helen Keller, (Tuscumbia)
Go on a field trip to the US Space and Rocket Center
Alaska (AK), 1959
Capital: Juneau
Nickname: Last Frontier
Biggest state in the US with no other boarding states.
Learn about the Northern Lights.
Arizona (AZ), 1912
Capital: Phoenix
Nickname: Grand Canyon State
Things to do in Phoenix
Virtual Tour of the Grand Canyon
Arkansas (AR), 1836
Capital: Little Rock
Nickname: Land of Opportunity
President Clinton is from Arkansas
Arkansas Activity Book – provided by the Secretary of State
The honeybee is the official state insect. Talk about bees!
California (CA), 1850
Capital: Sacramento
Nickname: Golden State
California is the Avocado capital of the World – eat some
Go the San Diego Zoo
Colorado (CO), 1876
Capital: Denver
Nickname: Centennial State
The first teddy bear was made in Colorado – draw a teddy bear or read a story to your teddy.
Denver is 1 mile above sea level.
Connecticut (CT), 1788
Capital: Hartford
Nickname: Constitution State
Home to the US Coast Guard
Mystic Seaport Museum
Delaware (DE), 1787
Capital: Dover
Nickname: First State
Learn about the Dutch, the first settlers in Delaware
First scheduled steam railroad began in New Castle in 1831 – draw a train.
Florida (FL), 1845
Capital: Tallahassee
Nickname: Sunshine State
Eat some oranges or make some orange juice
Disney – learn about the magic behind Disney
NASA – visit the Kennedy Space Center
Georgia (GA),1788
Capital: Atlanta
Nickname: Peach State
Visit the Georgia Aquarium
Ray Charles is from Georgia – listen to some of his music.
Martin Luther King, Jr – learn about him and his legacy.
Hawaii (HI),1959
Capital: Honolulu
Nickname: Aloha State
Hawaii is the 50th state
Make a volcano
Idaho (ID), 1890
Capital: Boise
Nickname: Gem State
Sacagawea – Native American guide for explorers Lewis and Clark
Know for potatoes – make French fries for dinner
Illinois (IL), 1818
Capital: Springfield
Nickname: Prairie State
Chicago – 3rd largest city in the US
Go to the Shedd Aquarium
Indiana (IN),1816
Capital: Indianapolis
Nickname: Hoosier State
Learn about Neil Armstrong, Purdue graduate and first man to walk on the moon
Go to the Indiana Dunes National Park–
Iowa (IA),1846
Capital: Des Moines
Nickname: Hawkeye State
Sliced bread was invented by an Iowan from Davenport – make a sandwich
There are 4 pigs to 1 human in Iowa – talk about pigs
Kansas (KS),1861
Capital: Topeka
Nickname: Sunflower State
Home of Dorothy from Wizard of Oz – watch the movie
State Flower is a sunflower – make or draw one
Kentucky (KY), 1792
Capital: Frankfort
Nickname: Bluegrass State
Home of the Kentucky Derby – make and wear some fun hats
The song ‘Happy Birthday to You’ was written by two sisters in Louisville.
Louisiana (LA),1812
Capital: Baton Rouge
Nickname: Pelican State
Jazz capital of the world – listen to some Jazz music
Make some jambalaya or beignets
Maine (ME),1820
Capital: Augusta
Nickname: Pine State
Learn about Moose
Acadia National Park is the second most visited National Park in the United States
Maryland (MD),1788
Capital: Annapolis
Nickname: Old Line State
Francis Scott Key – Wrote the U.S. national anthem The Star-Spangled Banner – learn and sing it
Babe Ruth is from Maryland – Play some ball!
Massachusetts (MA),1788
Capital: Boston
Nickname: Bay State
Landing place for the Mayflower – talk about the Pilgrims
Boston’s Freedom Trail
Michigan (MI),1837
Capital: Lansing
Nickname: Wolverine State
Learn about the Great Lakes
Learn about Henry Ford and go to the museum
Minnesota (MN),1858
Capital: Saint Paul
Nickname: Land of 10,000 Lakes (there is actually 11,842 lakes)
Known for agriculture – plant a seed and watch it grow
Saint Paul has a twin city, Minneapolis
Mississippi (MS), 1817
Capital: Jackson
Nickname: Magnolia State
Square Dancing is the state dance -learn how to dance
Named after the Mississippi River – draw it in on your map
Missouri (MO), 1821
Capital: Jefferson City
Nickname: Show Me State
Learn about Mark Twain, American author of Tom Sawyer
Take a tour of the St Louis Arch
Montana (MT),1889
Capital: Helena
Nickname: Treasure State
Largest population of Grizzly Bears in lower 48 – learn/draw one!
Evil Knievel was from Montana – watch some of his stunts
Nebraska (NE),1867
Capital: Lincoln
Nickname: Cornhusker State
Birthplace of Kool-Aid – make and drink some!
Largest Mammoth Fossil found – talk about Mammoths
Nevada (NV),1864
Capital: Carson City
Nickname: Silver State
Rains 10 inches or less a year – driest state in the US. Talk about water and why we need it.
#1 producer of gold in the US
New Hampshire (NH), 1788
Capital: Concord
Nickname: Granite State
First of the thirteen colonies to declare its independence from England
State Butterfly: Karner Blue – make a butterfly
New Jersey (NJ),1787
Capital: Trenton
Nickname: Garden State
Diner Capital of the Country – create a diner for lunch or dinner
Thomas Edison invented many devices in New Jersey including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, the telegraph and the electric light bulb. – Try it yourself!
New Mexico (NM),1912
Capital: Santa Fe
Nickname: Land of Enrichment
One out of every three families in New Mexico speaks Spanish as well as English – learn Spanish
Santa Fe is home to the largest Hot Air Balloon festival
New York (NY),1788
Capital: Albany
Nickname: Empire State
New York City is the largest city in the US
Visit NYC virtually
North Carolina (NC),1789
Capital: Raleigh
Nickname: Tar Heels State
In 1903 the Wright Brothers made the first successful powered flight by man at Kill Devil Hill near Kitty Hawk – Make Paper Planes
Home to Nascar
North Dakota (ND),1889
Capital: Bismarck
Nickname: Flickertail State
#1 producer of honey in the country
World’s Largest Buffalo monument stands tall on the hill in Jamestown. Learn about Buffalo.
Ohio (OH),1803
Capital: Columbus
Nickname: Buckeye State
Make Buckeyes – they are delicious!
Home to Cedar Point – go on a virtual roller coaster ride.
Oklahoma (OK), 1907
Capital: Oklahoma City
Nickname: Sooner State
Located in Tornado Alley – talk about tornados and maybe make one.
Largest population of Native Americans in US.
Oregon (OR),1859
Capital: Salem
Nickname: Beaver State
The Goonies (1985) was set in Oregon- watch it!
State Mammal is the Beaver – learn about it.
Pennsylvania (PA), 1787
Capital: Harrisburg
Nickname: Keystone State
Home to Hersey’s Chocolate World – eat some!
The United States Declaration of Independence is the pronouncement adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 4, 1776. Learn about it.
Rhode Island (RI),1790
Capital: Providence
Nickname: Little Rhody
Smallest state in the US.
The Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Rhode Island. Learn about tennis and play.
South Carolina (SC), 1788
Capital: Columbia
Nickname: Palmetto State
The first battle of the U.S. Civil War took place at Fort Sumter – learn about it.
State Slogan: Smiling Faces. Beautiful Places – draw some faces.
South Dakota (SD), 1889
Capital: Pierre
Nickname: Coyote State
Take a virtual tour of Mount Rushmore
State Minerals – learn about minerals
Tennessee (TN), 1796
Capital: Nashville
Nickname: Volunteer State
Home of Country Music – listen to some
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States.
Texas (TX), 1845
Capital: Austin
Nickname: Lone Star State
Texas is larger than any European country
Learn about the Alamo – https://www.thealamo.org/
Utah (UT), 1896
Capital: Salt Lake City
Nickname: Beehive State
Tour Arches National Park
Great Salt Lake – the largest salt water lake in the Western Hemisphere
Vermont (VT), 1791
Capital: Montpelier
Nickname: Green Mountain
Ben & Jerry’s – eat some ice cream and take a tour!
14th state in the US after the original 13 colonies.
Virginia (VA), 1788
Capital: Richmond
Nickname: Mother of Presidents
This state is the birthplace of 8 US presidents, more than any other state. They are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson. This includes seven of the first 12 presidents.
Take a virtual of Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home
Washington (WA), 1889
Capital: Olympia
Nickname: Evergreen State
Home to Boeing – Learn more about planes.
West Virginia (WV), 1863
Capital: Charleston
Nickname: Mountain State
State Fruit: Golden Delicious Apple – Enjoy!
Nearly 75% of West Virginia is covered by forests. – Learn about the importance of forests.
Wisconsin (WI), 1848
Capital: Madison
Nickname: Badger State
Try different kinds of cheese!
Learn about the Green Bay Packers – GO PACK GO!
Wyoming (WY), 1890
Capital: Cheyenne
Nickname: Equality State
Visit Yellowstone
Wyoming has the lowest population of all 50 US states.
Please do join us on our virtual road trip across the USA. Let’s get the conversations flowing and join together during this time. We all can learn no matter how old we are and have fun while doing it. We look forward to virtually traveling with you and your family!
On a side note, this may help inspire you for your future family trips, so happy early planning! 🙂
