Just left Alaska 4 weeks ago, in the Lower 48 preaching at churches in FL, AL, GA, SC, NC, TN, OH, IN, MO, AR, TX, NM, OR, WA, ID. Currently in Lizton, IN. Come down every 4th winter for a furlough or three or four months to preach at churches that support the missions work in Alaska, and get cheap doctor and dentist work done.
I am looking for some things to do to broaden my three kid's horizons. Don't have a boatload of money, and we as a family prefer not to go to amusement parks or suchlike, we enjoy doing outdoorsy activities that don't cost much. My oldest son has gotten into rockhounding, and I must say, it's catchy, I've gotten to like it as well. I'm leaving Lizton, Indiana, on Thursday, and, in this order will travel to Jasonville, IN. Wilson Creek, MO. Birmingham, AL. Crestview, FL. Pensacola, FL. Holt, FL. Cairo, GA. Simms, AL. Anderson, SC. Temple, GA. Neosho, MO. Mooresville, NC. Harmony, NC. Colbert, GA. Mena, AR. Austin, TX. Crownpoint, NM. Payette, ID. Baker City, OR. Summerville, OR. Pendleton, OR. Vancouver, WA. Spokane, WA. Bonners Ferry, ID. Buhl, ID. Twin Falls, ID. Between Thursday and May 14th, when we cross the border to drive back to Alaska. If anyone knows of good places to rockhound, hike, walk battlefields, look for arrowheads, etcetera around these places, some local knowledge would be greatly appreciated. For example, an elderly man at a church in Northwest Georgia told us about a hillside the kids could get some fossil coral and shells at, said he'd gotten some there 70 years ago as a kid, sure enough they were still there, and our kids found enough for a ziploc bag full. Another elderly couple in Ohio took us to a spot where their ancestors fought the Shawnee, and described the battle. Neither of these places showed up on an internet search. Appreciate any info.

Maybe some in the congregations will know of all the local attractions
Sounds like a great thing to do especially with family.

Lots of battle fields in the south. Huntsville Al. Has a space museum.

You mentioned Wilson Creek, Mo. so I'll bet you're going to stop in at Wilson Creek Baptist Church and preach there.
If so, that's just a mile or less to the east of the Wilson's Creek Civil War Battlefield. It's a federal park so you can't take metal detectors in. Cool place to visit.

Thanks, Osagian. Will go there. Don't own any metal detectors. You are correct, I'll be at Wilson Creek Baptist Church. Going to go to Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas as well when we are in Mena, Arkansas.

We went to a space center near Celina, OH, but thanks Wamp.

In Jasonville, IN go to the greene sullivan state forest and shakamak state parks. Great fishing and outdoors! Beautiful country and former coal mines!!

What church you preaching at there?

about 20 to 30 min from lizton, IN

https://imsmuseum.org/

Between Wilson Creek and Neosho is Roaring River State Park. Large spring, hatchery and release trout, trails, true Ozark mountain/hills country.

Agree with Turkey Time. Worth the short drive. Cool habitat in Mo. if you go back by St Joseph Mo. think it’s 29. Drive though Squaw Creek NWR. Great for kids not sure they have the snow geese now but it’s an impressive wetland. Worth the drive for wildlife species

There's fossil bed in several spots in Oregon, and a place to dig opals in northern Nevada.

Thanks everyone, getting a list of these places. Ilcooner, I'll be at Blessed Hope Baptist in Jasonville.

Don't forget the last big battle out west , the Little Big Horn battlefield at Crow Agency off I- 90 / hwy 212 , the museum in Hardin is one of the busiest in the state . There's the Missouri River Breaks in North Central Montana which is a place time forgot almost literally ha ha

Then there's Yellowstone NP and some other fantastic stops I know you and your family would enjoy .

The spotting scope is still working well for me it gets a work out each fall . Ha ha

To get from Missouri to Idaho it seems likely you will drive I-90 through the Black Hills of South Dakota which provide sight seeing and rock hunting bonanza. I would ask locals including rock shop folks for tips. Further on your trip search out locals near the Musselshell in Montana for additional hotspots for amazing fossilized shells.

I know you are not planning to be in PA but your list of states includes OH which is on the western border of PA. About 4 hours east of the PA/OH border is Gettysburg PA . One of the most well known battlefields of the civil war .And Washington DC is another 2 hours southeast of Gettysburg And there are many things to do there .But if at al possible go there to see the Vietnam Wall, the Korean war memorial and the WWII memorial. I promise those 4 things will show you and your kids a picture of what America was made of throughout it's history

Murfreesboro - 75 miles SE of Mena, Ar has the only public diamond mine in the country - Crater of Diamonds State Park. Thirty of forty miles east of Mena is a lot of quartz Crystal Mining

4 years ago we went by Yellowstone and Little Big Horn, I go by attractions that are near churches I preach at, and this trip the churches that have invited us to come by so I can preach are not in that neck of the woods. When we leave Florida heading back to Alaska the day after Easter, we are going to Mena, Arkansas, to preach, then swing south to Austin, TX, and head west from there to Crownpoint, NM. After preaching there, the next church is in Payette, ID. I know in Arkansa we are going to Crater of Diamonds State Park and from there to Payette, Idaho, the only other thing I know we have planned is the Grand Canyon. Looking at those opal mines nvwrangler mentioned.

Already left Ohio, I want to go see Gettysburg and the war memorials in Washington DC before I die, but have no churches to preach at over that way this trip. Thanks for all the tips so far.

I can help you with two.

I'm from Birmingham and live in Georgia.

Birmingham you want to visit Vulcan. Its the world's largest cast iron statue. You can't miss it as he stands tall atop of Red Mountain. Vulcan, the roman god of the forge was cast as Birmingham's entry at the 1904 World's Fair to represent the coal and iron industry of the area. BTW, Red Mountain is so named for it's iron ore.
After that go west to Tannehill Ironworks State Park just west of Bessemer where three reconstructed civil war era blast furnaces are. There you can see the early development of the iron industry in the area.
If you're fortunate you might visit when trade days are being held.

Colbert, GA is just northeast of Athens. You want to avoid Athens unless you are into hippie leftist college towns. Seriously, other than the University of Georgia the town is nothing but an old dried up southern mill town. And for God's sake don't let the locals talk you into eating at the Varsity, what'll you have what'll you have. For some odd reason it's a state thing to eat at the Varsity. A nastier burger I've never put in my mouth, had to lick my arse to get the taste out of my mouth.
But south of there is the Oconee National Forest and Lake Oconee. UGA is doing some good research in the forest. North you have the Chattahoochee National Forest and the North Georgia Mountains. I recommend visiting Rabun County to take in the mountains. If you're up there around the middle to end of June the mountain laurel will be in bloom.

you didn't mention Ky but you might be passing thru . If in the mammoth cave area take one of the tours. If your kids are rock hounds the formations from the under ground river are unreal. Tons of state parks here. Natural arch and carter caves , natural bridge park also. Both ends of the state have miles of hiking trails.