Parent's Guide to Nauvoo - Part 1: Historic Nauvoo

One of our favorite traditions is taking a yearly trip to Nauvoo Illinois.  While this is often thought of as the Mormon Mecca, it is actually a great family vacation spot for people of any faith who have an interest in history and inexpensive family fun.  We constantly receive requests for advice on how to plan an effective trip to Nauvoo and decided to put together a list of suggestions.  This post will be the first in a series of recommendations regarding how to effectively vacation in Nauvoo.



Scheduling Your Trip
The historic sites in Nauvoo are open year round, but there is definitely more things for kids to do during the summer.  Think about your expectations and choose the timing of your trip accordingly.

The Nauvoo pageant, the largest draw to the area, typically runs the last three weeks of July.  While the pageant is wonderful it also brings larger crowds, making it difficult to get tickets for the indoor shows and carriage rides.  If you have younger children the largest advantage of going during the pageant is the pre-pageant Country Fair which includes outdoor games, dancing, crafts, and a puppet show.  On any given year our family may or may not attend the pageant, but we always spend as much time as possible at the Country Fair.


Fortunately most of the shows are running all summer long, so even if you don't come during pageant there is still plenty to do.  Read through the recommendations below and figure out what will work best for your family.  Then check online to see when each activity starts for the season.

Personally we like the first week of July.  The city of Nauvoo puts on a great fireworks display and we can catch some of the other shows before the pageant starts.  We usually stay for a whole week so we can still catch one night of each pageant, which is usually enough for our kids.

Daily Planning

Vignettes
One of the most powerful things to experience in Nauvoo are the short Vignettes performed by members of the pageant cast.  These performances highlight the spirit of Nauvoo in a way that you can't feel anywhere else.  Most of the Vignettes are designed for an older audience so young children may get bored.  If your kids would have trouble staying quite during a 15 minute monologue, then we wouldn't recommend trying to bring them to the Vignettes.  We usually split up with one parent (often Mom) bringing one of the older kids to a vignette while the other adult (usually Dad or a grandparent) takes everyone else to the Pioneer Pastimes.

The one Vignette designed for children is the Youth of Zion.  Whereas the other Vignettes are spiritual readings from historic journals, the Youth of Zion is a fun musical performance with some history mixed in.  The timing of this Vignette can make it difficult for first time visitors who are trying to do it all, but this is one of the best performances for kids that struggle to sit still.

Shows
When people refer to Nauvoo as "Mormon Disney" they are most likely referring to the countless shows, all of which happen to be free.  You will want to reserve tickets for the indoor shows plenty far in advance, and if you are visiting during the pageant we would recommend calling for tickets yesterday.

Obviously if you are visiting during the month of July you will want to watch the Nauvoo Pageant and possibly the British Pageant if it is playing.  I can not stress enough the potential for these performances to change your life.  Although you many be tempted to arrive early and get a seat up front, if you are bringing young children I would recommend instead getting a comfortable spot in the center back near the sound control booth.  While amazing, the pageant is long and we typically end up helping little ones with multiple trips to the restroom.  It is sometime also nice to stretch your legs, something not possible when you are in the middle of the crowd.

The two must see shows for kids are Just Plain Anna Amanda and Sunset on the Mississippi.  Just Plain Anna Amanda is a musical comedy performed by the Young Performing Missionaries, college kids who spend the summer singing for visitors.  Although it is possible to get in on standby, you will want tickets.  The front row is reserved for kids, and it is worth showing up early and sending your kids up front.  The show begins with a puppet show comedy act, followed by a musical showcasing what life was like for kids at the time.  Just be prepared as our kids repeat the songs and jokes from this performance all year long.

Sunset on the Mississippi is our favorite show, as it combines the best of the Young Performing Missionaries as well as old people acting silly.  The show is outside so you don't need tickets, plus if your kids get antsy they can get up and dance.  You will want to come early so your kids can participate in the children's parade before the show begins.  The only negative is that Sunset on the Mississippi conflicts with the Country Fair which makes for a difficult decision during pageant season.

For the slightly older crowd, we highly recommend Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo.  This is a romantic comedy staring some very silly old people.  Since the senior missionaries in this performance are not professional actors, it is hilarious to see them get out of their comfort zones.  This is not a show for little kids, but if you have extra adults, and you can get tickets to the early showing, you may want to send the little kids to the Country Fair while a couple people catch this performance.  If you brought along grandparents they may appreciate being sent to Rendezvous as a light hearted date and break from the grandkids.

When you look at the schedule you will see "The Promise" listed.  This is a good show, but not exciting enough for some younger audiences.  That said, if the forecast shows rain we would definitely try to grab some tickets.  We try to get seats by the door because we usually end up taking at least one of our kids out to the hall.

One of the greatest parts about Nauvoo is the seemingly random musical performances that will crop up as you are walking around town.  Be on the lookout for performances by the Nauvoo Brass Band and Bagpipers.  We are sure there is a schedule posted somewhere, but we usually just catch them as we are hanging out around town.

If you are visiting Nauvoo during the summer, but not during pageant, you may be lucky enough to each one of the BYU traveling groups stopping by for a performance.  Make sure to check the dates on the website to see who might be in town.

Rides
If you are looking for a relaxing activity you may want to consider taking either a Wagon Tour through Old Nauvoo or a Carriage Ride through the countryside.  Both tours take about an hour, which may be a bit long for younger children, but they are great activities for grandparents.  Tickets for these rides are distributed at the Visitor's Center first thing in the morning.  If you are visiting during pageant the tickets will be gone quickly so make sure to arrive early.  It is possible to get a seat or two on standby, but if you have kids with you then we wouldn't recommend this tactic.

The preferred alternative for young children is to take the oxen ride.  This is a quick ride and doesn't require tickets.  The kids will love seeing the oxen, you will get some cute pictures, but yet it is a much smaller commitment to you schedule.  Make sure to visit the oxen early in the day as they will often stop the rides early if it gets hot outside.

Although not a ride, this seems like a good spot to mention the Hand Cart Trek.  We have taken young kids on the Hand Cart Trek but wouldn't recommend it.  This is a wonderful activity to save for your teenagers.  Remember you will be back so don't feel like you have to do everything on this trip.

Historic Sites
There are over 30 historic sites to visit in Old Nauvoo, far more than you can visit in one (or even 10 trips).  Our kids have a list of favorites that we must visit every year, usually because of the free goodies, and then we add at least one new site with each visit.

The Brickyard should be your top priority, and our kids often go twice in the same trip.  The depth of information varies drastically depending upon who is giving the presentation, but the kids are really just there for the free brick anyways.  From a teaching perspective, this is a great opportunity to talk with your kids about the atonement.

Your next stop will probably be the Scovil Bakery, followed by a visit to the Family Living Center.  The Bakery gives out free cookies, and who doesn't love cookies.  The Family Living Center includes demonstrations of many common household tasks from the timeperiod.  Kids love helping to make rope, and if you time it right you can score some killer homemade bread.

 

The last "must see" site is the Webb Brothers' Blacksmith Shop.  This presentation is a little long for some younger kids, but this is the best place to learn about how the pioneers prepared to leave Nauvoo.  As a bonus, if you needed one, everyone receives a keepsake prairie diamond ring at the end of the presentation.  If your younger kids can't sit through the presentation you can play in the grass outside and they will still receive the souvenir at the end.

If you have young children, your goto place will quickly become Pioneer Pastimes.  This play area includes pioneer clothes for dressing up as well as a number of games.  Our kids average nearly 2 hours per day visiting Pioneer Pastimes.  Make sure to bring your camera because the kids will look adorable in their little outfits.  Although there are missionaries there to help, please remember that you are still responsible for supervising your own children.


While we visit the above sites every year, all of the sites in Old Nauvoo are staffed with missionaries who can share unique information about the city and life at the time.  We really enjoy visiting the Print Shop, Browning Gunsmith Shop, and the Brigham Young Home.  The Seventies Hall is wonderful for adults, but not great for kids.  The Pendleton Home and Log School, though not our favorite, is tailored more for the school age audience.  If it is your first visit to Nauvoo, we strongly recommend that you take a trip to the Joseph Smith Historic Site (run by the Community of Christ) in order to visit the Red Brick Store and Smith Family Cemetery.

Probably the coolest historic site is the Cultural Hall.  The Cultural Hall is used as the stage for both Just Plain Anna Amanda and Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo, which makes it difficult to get a formal tour of the building.  That said, if you can get in for a tour the history of the building, and particularly the upstairs dance hall, is just awesome.

For additional ideas check out the article: Ten places not to miss in Nauvoo



Planning your Sunday
While it is nice to remain flexible during the week, it is often beneficial to plan out your Sunday activities as Nauvoo is one of the most spiritual places you can spend your sabbath.

It may sound strange, but we would highly recommend that you go to church on Sunday morning.  We have attended both the missionary ward and the family ward while visiting Nauvoo.  Either way it is a unique experience.  Attendance can vary, but expect a huge turnout.  We have gone for the past 10 years and have rarely been seated in the chapel.

After church we typically take family pictures.  Whether you are LDS (and want pictures in from of the temple) or are just looking for some good scenery, Nauvoo is absolutely beautiful.

Sunday is our favorite time to visit Carthage, although it is also the busiest time to visit Carthage.  The Brass Band performance is wonderful for kids and a great way to feel the spirit.  After the performance we will often take the opportunity to share our testimonies and teach our kids about why we are willing to make the hard decision in life.  Although there are also wonderful vignettes inside the Carthage Jail, it is a tight space and probably best only for older children.  We prefer to make a separate trip to see the inside of the jail.

While the shows don't run on Sunday, most of the historic sites are still open on Sunday afternoon, so this is a great time to peacefully explore Old Nauvoo.

If your kids are up for it, or if they can sleep in a stroller, then Sunday evening is a wonderful time to visit the Trail of Hope.  This walk out of Nauvoo can easily be a spiritual highlight of your life.  Make sure that you are both spiritually prepared for this walk and that you bring bug spray.

We hope you find this information useful.  We will be posting additional advice for visiting Nauvoo over the coming weeks.  Nauvoo is a great tradition and one we hope you will consider experiencing with your family.

Sincerely,

-  A Trailhead Family


P.S.  For more information checkout:

http://www.nauvoopageant.org/
http://www.historicnauvoo.net/
http://www.beautifulnauvoo.com/
https://www.facebook.com/NauvooPageant
www.lds.org/locations/nauvoo-visitors-center