The day has come to just embrace your children’s penchant for talking like a pirate and turning it into a family adventure. After all, pirate culture is trendy no matter your age and needs to be celebrated with all of the whimsical wonder it requires. And there’s just no better way to do that than with a pirate adventure your whole family will love.
Charleston, South Carolina
Head south and get ready to embrace your inner pirate on a Charleston Pirate Tour in Battery Park, Charleston. Christen your real life pirate adventure with a sacred pirate pledge, draw your sword in a fight fit for the seven seas, and embark on a treasure hunt.
But it’s not just about swashbuckling fun. The captain will keep things moving along with brief history lessons perfect for kids and adults alike intermixed with learning how to be a pirate.
Charleston Exchange & Provost; Photo by: Travis, Flickr.com
If you want to dig deeper into pirate legends in Charleston, head to the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon. For nearly 250 years, the building has stood as a historical, and fantastical, Charleston landmark. Visitors tour through a guided exhibition and the famed Provost Dungeon located in the cellar. Along with a fascinating lesson about the building’s role as a military prison during the American Revolution, you’ll also learn more about the pirate folklore of the area.
Find More Things to do With Kids In the Area: Charleston
Pirate dinner adventure (dinner theater and show) in Buena Park, CA. Photo Credit: William Zain, Flickr.com
Carlsbad, California
If you’re living with pint-sized pirates, you know they work up an appetite on their adventures. That’s why you need to get down to business and feed your crew while watching buccaneers swoop down from 18th century Spanish galleons, battling with swords and knives, and swapping horrible pirate-themed jokes. Pirate’s Dinner Adventure in Carlsbad keeps your kids fed and entertained while parents secretly thrill in the hilarity of watching grown-folks dress up as pirates and make you laugh all night long.
Legoland – Pirate Shores Splash Battle ride in Pirate Shores. The people in the boats squirt water at other boaters and people along the side of the ride. Photo Credit: Ron McDonald
If your kids are still begging to get in touch with their pirate-side, take them to Pirate Shores at LEGOLAND. Whether you’re a landlubber or a scallywag, the Pirate Shores attraction puts kids on a pirate ship ride like a pirate reef ship or splash battle. There’s also a splash pad and water area called Swabbies Deck for the littles. If you haven’t guessed, you’re going to get wet. It’s just the fate of being a pirate.
Find More Things to do With Kids In the Area: California
Panama City Beach, Florida
Pirate-obsessed families traveling down Florida’s glorious 30A can stop at Panama City Beach and hop aboard a pirate cruise on the Sea Dragon and get ready for all things pirate folklore. It’s all about pirate stories, pirate treasure hunts, and the obligatory pirate sword fight. Once you’ve had your fill of life on the sea, head over to Pirate’s Island Adventure Golf to claim your bounty.
Photo Credit: Steve Cook, Flickr.com
Mini golfers follow in the footsteps of the notorious Blackbeard and Captain Kidd. Your family will pass through a tidal lagoon, caves with hidden booty, and a panoramic mount view of your pirate adventure. In other words, you’ll pass fabulously kitchy pirate landscape that will drive your kids wild in excitement.
Find More Things to do With Kids In the Area: Panama City Beach and 30A
Nassau, Bahamas
Set sail to the Bahamas and transport your family back to 1716 at Pirates of Nassau. The museum itself is an over-the-top step back in time pirate adventure, but with a dose of reality mixed in. The museum keeps it real by teasing apart the fact from fiction when it comes to all things piracy. For example, pirates almost never made anyone walk the plank, nor did they mark their treasure with a big X on a map. Bummer.
Pirates of Nassau also touches on the career trajectory of a pirate, which could be super useful if your kids decide they want to become a freelance pirate themselves. In between all the history lessons, kids delight in the wax figures, the pirate ship replicas and pillaged towns. After exploring the museum, eat at the onsite Smugglers and dine on conch salad and kid-friendly fare at a covered table outside. You’ll want to be outside while your kids shout at passersby that they’re going to steal their bounty. After all, pirate fever in the Bahamas is inevitable.
Try another cool experience with kids in the Bahamas a Dolphin Kiss.
Outer Banks, North Carolina
Ready to explore a real life Blackbeard hideout? Head to Ocracoke Island and visit Teach’s Hole where you’ll watch a short film, get a look at real pirate flags, see depictions of pirate women, and get an eyeful of pirate swords and weaponry. Ocracoke is also the place where the nefarious Blackbeard met his demise.
After a historical overview of all things Blackbeard, climb aboard Miss Hatteras Captain Clam’s Children’s Pirate Cruise. It’s a tongue twister of a name to say, so make a game of untangling it with your kids. Once you’ve mastered it, down a pirate costume complete with hats, eye patches, and swords where your boat will jovially come under “attack” by another boat and a blast from water cannons. It’s all in good fun and also provides stunning views of surrounding beaches.
Find More Things to do With Kids In the Area: Outer Banks and North Carolina
So go ahead. Let your kids talk like pirates and use it as an excuse to book that pirate-themed adventure you never knew you wanted. Ahoy!
