All the activities you loved as a kid are making a comeback—and these are the best places to indulge your inner child
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Camp No Counselors
Best for: Adults who want to play classic camp games and make friendship bracelets
According to a 2024 YPulse survey, 32% of 18- to 39-year-olds wish they could go to summer camp to feel like a kid again. If that sounds like you, and you yearn for those summer days when the only items on your to-do list were archery, arts and crafts, and swimming, an all-inclusive three-day stay at Camp No Counselors will be right up your alley.
At one of three locations—Northeastern Pennsylvania (two hours outside of Manhattan), California (the Sierra Nevada Mountains, just outside of Fresno) and Texas (a few hours from Austin, Houston and Dallas)—you’ll be treated to dodgeball tournaments and camp Olympics, slip and slides, arts and crafts, and rock-wall climbing during the day. When the sun goes down, you’ll get to enjoy social nights with a no-tip bar, campfire, live bands and themed parties.
There is one catch: You’ll have to plan ahead for this kidulting trip, since this is strictly a spring and summer offering. The next available date is April 2, 2026, in Texas, with three more camps planned at the various locations between May and September.
Where to stay: Bunk accommodations, food and activities are all included at Camp No Counselors. And you can go alone or book a stay with your partner or friends. Either way, you’ll get to meet some new friends, since you’ll be sharing a bunkhouse with six to 11 other people—yep, just like when you went to camp as a kid!
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Los Angeles, California
Best for: TV fans and theme-park lovers
I live in Los Angeles, and it’s easy to take for granted the wide array of kidulting fun available here—particularly when it comes to TV nostalgia. But, of course, the sprawling city is a treasure trove of pop-culture goodness. Plus, there are all the rides and attractions a kid (or a kid-at-heart) could dream of.
Here’s a small sampling of what you could do: Sip coffee at Central Perk on the Friends set, then explore Stars Hollow on the Gilmore Girls set during the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. Next, mosey on over to Universal Studios Hollywood to race Mario and Bowser at Super Nintendo World and dive into the action with other rides based on your favorite movies and shows. Or sign up to be a part of a studio audience for the taping of a television show. End your vacation with a trip to nearby Anaheim to walk through Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland or ride the Cars Radiator Springs coaster at California Adventure.
Where to stay: Tripadvisor travelers recommended the Howard Johnson by Wyndham in Anaheim. It’s a surprisingly solid budget pick located minutes from the parks—plus, it has waterslides and cannons for the ultimate in throwback fun. There’s also The Tangerine in Burbank, a retro-cool motel close to the studio tours and tapings. It will bring you back to the good, old days, only with better bedding and free Wi-Fi.
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Phoenix, Arizona
Best for: Pinball wizards
If your perfect Saturday afternoon as a kid was spent playing Ms. Pac-Man or Galaga at an arcade, Phoenix has got the perfect retro itinerary for you. The Cobra Arcade Bar has a collection of more than 200 vintage arcade games and throwback drinks like the Garbage Pail Kid, the Princess Peach and the Punch Out. On weekends, you’ll find food trucks and a local DJ to amp up the fun.
When you’ve had your fill here, get a slice at Ziggy’s Pizza downtown … and find its hidden surprise, much like a video-game level-up. Duck through the freezer door in the back and into the Stardust Pinbar, a David Bowie glam rock speakeasy with 16 pinball machines—and 8,000 pinballs embedded in the bar. It’s definitely a vibe!
Where to stay: Continue the throwback tour at the Rise Uptown Motel. This mid-century-modern hotel boasts record players and a house-made popsicle stand.
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Airbnb’s OMG! Rentals
Best for: Friends looking for the ultimate sleepover
In this case, your vacation rental is the main attraction of this kidulting trip. Airbnb offers wacky themed rentals all over the world, including special movie-themed stays where you’ll feel like you’re living in your favorite flick, at least for a night or two. We’re talking an uber-pink Barbie Dreamhouse near the beach in Malibu; a Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine rented out by actor Matthew Lillard, who played Shaggy in the movies from the early 2000s; and a mushroom-shaped Smurf’s House in a Belgian forest. You can also stay in the house used in Poltergeist in Simi Valley, California … if you dare.
Other listings offer a different type of fun. You can camp out in a luxurious treehouse in Texas Hill Country, bring your lightsaber to a Star Wars–style Earthship in Taos, or stay inside a giant Idaho potato on a farm in Boise. Because why not?
Where to stay: The prices of these homes vary widely on OMG! Listings. You’ll pay about $200 a night for the Earthship in New Mexico, to $800 a night for the Poltergeist house in the Los Angeles area.
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Forks, Washington
Best for: Fans of the Twilight movies
Were you Team Jacob or Team Edward? If you know what we’re talking about (and maybe even owned a T-shirt pledging your, ahem, undying allegiance to one of them), you’ve probably dreamed of visiting Forks, the rainy setting of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. If this speaks directly to your sparkly soul, head straight to this often-overcast town in Washington’s Olympic Peninsula with a copy of this Twilight map of shooting locations in hand. You can also check out props and costumes from the films in the Collection, an exhibit devoted to all things Twilight.
Die-hard fans of the vampire series should visit in September for the Forever Twilight festival. You’ll be among the thousands who descend on the small town for screenings, special tours and appearances by actors from the films.
Where to stay: Try the Pacific Inn Motel, with its framed art from the movies. Or check out the Kalaloch Lodge at Olympic National Park, where you can fully enjoy the beautiful landscape from the movies, as well as the national park.
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Las Vegas, Nevada
Best for: Low-tech gamers
Las Vegas has long been the destination where adults go to play. However, the city has a few new additions that can turn this into the ultimate kidulting adventure—or at least give you an “innocent” break from the Strip’s normal debauchery—as I discovered on my son’s birthday trip.
First on the list: Swingers Crazy Golf, a nine-hole mini-golf spot located in the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, a venue that also includes carnival games like Skee-Ball, water-gun races, and down-the-clown games for prizes. I also highly recommend the Netflix Bites–themed restaurant at MGM, where characters from Squid Game popped up behind our booth. Finally, Play Playground near Luxor features a giant version of the game Operation, a bouncy maze, an oversized light-up whack-a-mole game, and a trampoline bull’s-eye game where you don a big Velcro suit. It’s silly fun at its finest.
Where to stay: For close proximity to Swingers, Play and other top kidulting spots on the Vegas Strip, I’d suggest staying at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. You’ll be treated to an award-winning pool, complete with a lazy river perfect for relaxing after a day of gaming.
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Fort Collins, Colorado
Best for: Older Millennials and Gen Xers
There’s no shortage of retro fun in Fort Collins, a college town located in northern Colorado. For the ultimate blast from the past, start with Totally 80s, a restaurant and museum that boasts the largest collection of ’80s pop-culture memorabilia—from cereal boxes and vintage arcade games to handwritten lyrics from ’80s bands—as well as great pizza, ’80s music videos, an arcade and a souvenir shop. You can also get your game on at Pinball Jones, a barcade that includes Skee-Ball, Pac-Man, pool and, yes, a large assortment of pinball games.
For those visiting in the warmer months, there’s also the Holiday Twin Drive-In Theater, one of the few drive-ins left in the state. True ’80s kids are also pretty much obligated to check out Rollerland, a 12,0000-square-foot rink boasting live DJs, laser tag and another arcade.
Where to stay: Book a room at the Armstrong Hotel in Old Town Fort Collins, the only independent hotel in town. It has a cozy and playful vibe, and you can really go old-school here by hopping on a complimentary bicycle to check out the area.
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Woodloch Resort in Hawley, Pennsylvania
Best for: Adults seeking the vacations they didn’t have as kids
At Woodloch, an all-inclusive lakeside resort nestled in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, fun and games are always on the agenda. From scavenger hunts and go-karts to paddle boats, horseback riding and bingo, there’s a little something for everyone. And if you’re looking for seriously old-school fun, they’ve got that too. Case in point: The Double Dare competition has dunk tanks, waterslides and messy snack-eating challenges. And yes, adults are welcome to embrace their inner child, right alongside the kids. Then, at night, you can participate in karaoke and variety shows.
Where to stay: Woodloch Resort, of course! It offers rooms and suites overlooking the lake for two- to four-night stays, and has both indoor and outdoor pools.
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D&D Heaven
Best for: Dungeon masters and cosplayers
My brother was obsessed with Dungeons & Dragons when he was a kid, and he’s back at it again today to connect with old friends and relieve some stress. There are several Dungeons & Dragons camps—costumes and game experience optional—including the Adventure Away D&D B&B in Frederick, Maryland, and Dungeons and Dragons in a Castle, which takes place in various castles in the U.S. and the U.K. In England, would-be clerics, bards and rogues can stay in a medieval castle and play with a top-tier dungeon master and other players for up to eight hours, before splitting off for crafts or outdoor games.
Where to stay: Food and accommodations are included in these packages available in different locations throughout the year. Choose from castles, manors and Victorian homes, where you’ll be free to live your best life … for a few glorious days, anyway.
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Mansfield, Missouri
Best for: Little House on the Prairie fans
Netflix just started filming its reboot of the classic TV series based on the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder … in Canada. However, travelers can go see the real Rocky Ridge Farm, including the farmhouse where Wilder lived with her husband, Almanzo, in Mansfield (just outside of Springfield). If you want the whole prairie experience, attend the annual Laura Ingalls Wilder Days festival. Typically held in late September, it features pioneer demonstrations, as well as period costumes, music and crafts. You can even run through the fields outside the farmhouse, recreating the opening scene from the old show. Come on, you know you want to!
You can visit the farmhouse anytime, but the festival provides the best look back in time to what life was like for Wilder. To make a long weekend out of it, travel experts suggest staying in Springfield and exploring the Ozarks.
Where to stay: Tripadvisor travelers recommend the well-located Hotel Vandivort, Springfield’s first boutique hotel, which boasts a rooftop lounge and fine-dining restaurant. While this isn’t exactly a Little House–type farm stay, it’s perfectly fine to enjoy a few modern amenities before and after your trip back through time.
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- Emma K. Adam, professor of human development at Northwestern University; interviewed, July 2025
