Discount airlines may be making air travel cheaper than ever, but when it comes to family vacations, there's still nothing like a good old-fashioned road trip. Even with gas and tolls traveling in a car is almost always less expensive than flying by the time you factor in airfare for three or four (or more!).And you can't beat road trips for family bonding opportunities. To help you plan your next vacation on the road, we've pulled together four fun weeklong itineraries geared toward four different types of families.

Up Next: Quirky Missouri

Where to Stop: St. Louis, MO
Details: Spend your first day exploring St. Louis.
The Magic House is a children's museum with a three-story slide and an electrically charged ball that makes your hair stand on end. There's also a special children's garden within the Missouri Botanical Garden where kids can climb into a treehouse or check out a 19th-century steamboat. And don't miss the City Museum, a wacky place constructed out of materials salvaged from elsewhere in the city.

Next Stops: Stanton & Rolla, MO

Where to Stop: Stanton & Rolla, MO
Details: Drive west one hour to Stanton, where you'll see ubiquitous signs for the Meramec Caverns, where Jesse James and his gang supposedly once hid their loot. Families can go canoeing or rafting on the nearby Meramec River. Drive southwest to Rolla, where you can check out a museum full of colorful classic cars at Memoryville, U.S.A. And don't miss the Stonehenge Replica, which you'll find on the campus of the University of Missouri at Rolla.

Next Stops: Springfield & Branson, MO

Where to Stop: Springfield + Branson
Details: In Springfield you'll want to take a detour past the three-story Big Fork sculpture, located downtown. Have lunch at the Incredible Pizza Company, which offers a buffet of more than 30 varieties of homemade pizza, then head to the Fairgrounds -- a play land with mini golf, go-karts, and arcade games. Quirky attractions in Branson include the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum, whose cracked facade is a reminder that Missouri holds the record for the nation's worst earthquake.

Up Next: Battlefields + Historic Attractions

Where to Stop: Williamsburg & Jamestown, VA
Details: Start with a day in Colonial Williamsburg, VA, touring historic buildings and trying your hand at colonial chores and games. Drive southwest about 20 minutes to Jamestown, site of the first permanent English settlement in America. There's a living history museum there as well as a fort and reconstructed settlers' ships.

Next Stop: D.C. & Gettysburg, PA

Where to Stop: Washington, D.C & Gettysburg, PA
Details: You'll find historic attractions in spades in D.C. Explore the various museums and monuments here, such as the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials, the Washington Monument and the new WWII Memorial. Kids will also have a blast at the Spy Museum. Gettysburg, PA is the site of the Civil War's most famous battle. In addition to touring the battlefield, kids can also visit the nearby American Civil War Museum, which offers life-size dioramas and a reenactment of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Next Stop: Alexandria, VA

Where to Stop: Alexandria, VA
Details: Scavenger hunt through the Old Town to learn about George Washington and other historic figures. If the kids are overloaded on history, head to Cameron Run Regional Park (also in Alexandria area). At Mount Vernon, George Washington's gracious mansion home, tour the mansion and gardens, walk along the forest trail, and meet the farm animals. Kids get a colorful map with their ticket that guides them around the estate to solve a series of nine puzzles.

Up Next: Florida's Beaches

Where to Stop: Tampa & Tarpon Springs, FL
Details: Stop in Tampa to visit the Lowry Park Zoo. Meeting the manatees and sting rays (along with hundreds of other critters) will help get the kids in the mood for the beach. Tarpon Springs is Florida's sponge capital. The local specialty is on display at Spongeorama, where kids can learn how sponges grow and how they're harvested. There's also a small aquarium in town, as well as a quaint downtown area and two public beaches.

Next Stops: Clearwater & Venice Beach

Where to Stop: Clearwater & Venice Beach, FL
Details: Soft white sand and plenty of nearby restrooms and snack bars make Clearwater a perfect place for a day on the beach. You can also combine your swimming and sandcastle-building with a pirate cruise with Captain Memo. Drive south to Venice Beach, where kids can do some beachcombing. The beaches here are famous for their shark's teeth and shells. Try North Jetty Park, where facilities include playgrounds, a volleyball court and a concession stand.

Next Stops: Everglades City & Sanibel Island

Where to Stop: Everglades City & Sanibel Island, FL
Details: Everglades City is the gateway to Everglades National Park. You can take a narrated boat tour of the Ten Thousand Islands, or go canoeing or biking. Sanibel Island is one of the best places in the state to collect seashells. Try Old Lighthouse Beach, which boasts a historic wooden lighthouse (not open to the public) and a wildlife refuge. Kids may also enjoy the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum.

Up Next: Outdoor Adventures

Where to Stop: Browning & St. Mary, MT
Details: Begin your trip on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Browning. Stop at the Museum of the Plains Indian to view the rich diversity of historic arts of the Northern Plains tribal people, as well as work created by talented contemporary Native American artists. St. Mary is located on the eastern edge of Glacier National Park. Dedicate most of a day to exploring the heart of the park, with views of large glacial lakes, cedar forests and gorgeous alpine tundra.

Next Stops: West Glacier & Whitefish, MT

Where to Stop: West Glacier & Whitefish, MT
Details: Spend the day on the Flathead River in West Glacier with a guided whitewater rafting trip. This adventure is sure to be fun for the whole family and provides a view of the park from the Flathead's waters. Whitefish is home to Big Mountain Resort, where you can take a gondola ride to the top of the mountain for great views of Glacier National Park.

Next Stops: Bigfork & Charlo, MT

Where to Stop: Bigfork & Charlo, MTDetails: Take to the waters of Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. Bigfork and the numerous other lakeshore communities, including Lakeside and Polson, are great starting points for water fun, with opportunities for boating and fishing. A point of interest in Charlo is the Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana, where you can look back into the history of the Flathead Reservation through artifacts, early Montana clothing, and a gun collection used by native Indians.

Up Next: More Family Getaways

As you're thinking about how to spend your vacation time, consider taking some time out from stressful travel (i.e. crowded airports, expensive plane tickets, & the like) and hit the open road! What better way to spend some quality time with your family? Take a trip with no time table, no mandatory stops, and see how relaxing exploring the good ol' U.S. of A can be. For more vacation ideas, check out:

• + Top 10 Family Theme Parks
• + 10 Undiscovered National Parks

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