I went to New Lanark expecting to see a mill town similar to those I'd seen in the eastern United States, and I was not disappointed when I visited in fall 2015. Like other historical towns I've toured, this site is very well organized to educate school groups; that is probably fitting, since the education of children is one of the key components of the vision of Robert Owen, the social reformer who founded New Lanark. Owen created a society at the mill in which workers had good housing for their families, and their children had education through Britain's first infants' school. Owen hoped that not only would his mill town turn a profit, but that the lives of his workers would improve. Even though I've seen similar towns in the United States, I enjoyed walking through the factory, school, and museums at New Lanark and learning more about Owen's vision. I also appreciated the walk up the Clyde River to the very scenic Falls of Clyde.

Logistics: New Lanark is easiest to reach by automobile, and is only a short drive away from both Glasgow and Edinburgh.