The Big Digs
You hope your kids will love Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as much as you loved Raiders of the Lost Ark. Don't stop there—take them on a real-life archaeological dig. Led by paleontologists, these programs provide hands-on adventure that's worth building a vacation around—and that would make Indy proud.
By Melinda Page
1 of 5
The Mammoth Site
Hot Springs, South Dakota

Dig Up: Bones from the Ice AgeThe 26,000-year-old remains of 56 Columbian and woolly mammoths still lie in this giant sinkhole, enclosed by a roof. Kids can spend 1 1/2 hours excavating fossils in a replica pit. From $9 for 1 1/2 hours; The Mammoth Site.

Stay Here:FlatIron Coffee Bar & Guest Suites, from $135 a night; 745 N. River St.; FlatIron Coffee Roasters.

1 of 5
hgtv