There is something special about being hit with the smell of delicious carnival food when arriving at a state fair. You can’t go without eating fried dishes, taking a whirl on rides, learning some local history and partaking in fun traditions.
Although fairs normally take place in the summer, and this past one was definitely disrupted, it’s never too early to start planning a trip for next year. Here are a few we would suggest:
Known as the Great Minnesota Get-Together, The Minnesota State Fair is the second-largest state fair in the country. The fair is spread across 320 acres and offers many different activities. Visitors can expect rides, attractions, delicious food and live music from everyone from local bands to big stars like Miranda Lambert and Tim McGraw.
The State Fair of Texas is the largest fair in the nation. Located on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Dallas and running for 24 days, it’s the longest-running fair in the country. The fair continues to evolve and add more attractions yearly. Don’t forget to snap a picture with the fair’s giant statue, “Big Tex.”
The Indiana State Fair offers plenty of fun family activities, including the Family Fun park, where the kids can ride around on mini tractors and play. Head to the Sleep Number Skyride, where guests can experience the fair from a birds’ eye view, visit Indiana’s Beer Wine & Spirits venue that showcases the best of Indiana’s adult beverages and go back in time while visiting Pioneer Village.
Located in Syracuse, The Great New York State Fair is where to go if you like delicious food, great music and fun activities. Attend a concert at Chevy Court, experience the thrills of the carnival rides and make sure to try the delicious food from Taste NY.
Read This Next
5 Family-Friendly Museums in Charleston
Destinations / North America
Aug 22, 2024#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedNorth America
Sep 3, 20266 Winnipeg, Canada, Destinations for Family Travel
It’s time to start dreaming of your next family trip. Here’s some destination inspiration for you. Take a visual journey through Winnipeg, Canada, with us.
Sponsored Content
Best of Both Worlds
Enjoy the best of both worlds when you fly with TAP Air Portugal thanks to the Portugal Stopover program. With the program, TAP passengers, whether traveling for business, leisure or both, can stop in Portugal for up to 10 days at no additional airfare on the way to their final destination. What does this mean for travelers wishing to explore by both land and sea? It means after flying to Portugal with TAP and experiencing the country in an entirely new way, travelers can then embark on scenic river and ocean cruises from Portugal’s port cities, or fly with TAP to another European destination.
Hotels
Sep 3, 20263 Caribbean, Latin American Marriott Hotels for Multigen Trips
Multigenerational travel continues to grow in popularity, with family travelers moving away from traditional getaways for meaningful trips with family members of all ages. The Caribbean and Latin America are growing destinations of interest for this type of travel, and three Marriott properties offer opportunities for multigen families to create lifelong memories.
Destinations
Sep 2, 2026Look Past the Traditional Classroom with Scott Dunn’s Back-to-School Itineraries
Parents looking to provide their kids with hands-on learning experiences going beyond textbooks by visiting unique destinations with family-centric approaches will find that and more with Scott Dunn's private, expert-led itineraries. These experiences provide lessons the classroom cannot.
Sponsored Content
GET TO KNOW TAP FORBIZ
Unlock flexible, refined business travel with TAP Air Portugal’s program, TAP FORBIZ. Developed for small, medium and large Companies, with options for corporate events, TAP FORBIZ offers exclusive advantages adapted to each type of business.
Destinations / North America
Sep 2, 2026Visit an Old-Fashioned County Fair in Maine
Celebrate autumn with a family trip to a traditional New England county fair. These annual celebrations of agriculture and country life are filled with sights and activities for the whole family to enjoy, from admiring prize pumpkins and meeting live animals to witnessing horse shows, listening to country music and dancing, and doing craft demonstrations. Most fairs also have carnival rides and hands-on activities for kids.
ShareThis