Where else to vacation?

[texaslady22]

We've really become VERY good at maximizing credit card sign on bonuses, hotel nights, and credit card rewards.

This year we're going to Great Wolf Lodge on Spring Break, a 10-day trip to Disneyworld, a week of camp, and a trip to New York!

Our kids are 4, 1 (turning 2), and 7 (turning 8).

Now that we have this year's trips paid off, I'm looking to next year. Where should we go? We did a cruise last year, but I'm not sure I want to do another one. I don't know what else is out there, but I do know I want to make memories with my children!

 

[Planogirl]

Have you gone west? We went to San Diego and Disneyland a few years back and had a marvelous time.

I don't know where you are but San Antonio and the Hill Country are always fun if you don't want to go far.

 

[HeatherC]

So many beautiful places to see!

Florida beaches...Clearwater, Keys
California, Pacific Coast Hightway, Monterey, San Francisco
Oregon Coast
Grand Canyon, Sedona
Colorado Rockies
New Orleans and Gulf Coast
New England....Maine, NH, VT, Rhode Island (Newport), Boston
Outer Banks
Smoky Mountains, Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg
Chicago
Charleston and Svannah
Williamsburg and DC

All of these are awesome trips for families!

I am sure others will give you even more ideas!

Have fun picking a place for your next adventure!

 

[Happyjen27]

Here is a great article on places to travel before your kids are grown.

They list 40 destinations, and the ages for which they are most appropriate.

We love to travel, and now that mine are getting older, so many places have opened up to us. This year, Costa Rica! A great excuse to teach them spanish and good way to get more stamps on their little passports.

http://www.ivillage.com/must-see-places-take-kids-theyre-grown/6-b-454632

 

[nighttowll]

Have you gone west? We went to San Diego and Disneyland a few years back and had a marvelous time. I don't know where you are but San Antonio and the Hill Country are always fun if you don't want to go far.

I'd second this. I love San Antonio, and I grew up in Houston. Both have tons to do, and since the cost of living is much less than there than most of the US, you can do quite a lot for a not unreasonable amount of money.

Last year I had a little mini road trip planned, but do to health issues we had to cancel. I was so disappointed. Thinking about trying again this year. Natchez Trace down to New Orleans, over to Galveston, up to Houston, then over to San Antonio. We were going to hit the zoo in New Orleans which I really like, the Mardi Gra Muesem, do some volunteer work, check out the French Quarter, and eat Cajun food and snow balls. Then do the tree sculpture tour in Galveston, and go to Moody Gardens. Then do NASA in Houston. Then the river walk, the Mexican market, the water park, maybe a tube ride down the river as well in San Antonio. There are lots of other things to see and do in all these cities as well.

I also think the desert in general out west is great for kids. We went when I was about 10 for a three week road trip. Did the Grand Canyon, went sand sledding in white sands, saw the painted desert, visited the art galleries in Sedona, saw Carlsbad Caverns, the cliff dwellings, the Alamo, Rock climbing at City of Rocks, and went to Mexico. I remember it was just surreal to see the desert spread out before me. Even though we didn't do any roller coasters or anything it was an awesome trip. I think every kid should see the Grand Canyon and go sledding in the sand before they grow up. Amazing experiences. I've gone back a number of times as an adult. It's still cool, but just not the same.

A trip on my wish list right now is Steam Boat Springs, Colorado. They have amazing natural springs, an indoor ice skating rink that doubles as a bumper car rink on ice, snow tubing, snow mobiles, skiing, and a number of other winter activities. This will be our next big trip.

As far as other cities go.

St. Louis is a great place to visit with kids. Many of their museums and parks are free.

Washington DC of course.

Gatlinburg or Branson, but I find them both very touristy.

Charleston SC is nice as well.

It really all depends on what type of things you are interested in doing.

 

[eliza61]

First,
You make memories any where you go or whatever you do. My kids fondest memories of their dad is the summers when they went fishing and to the Philies baseball games.
I had them make a list and those times beat out WDW.

My kids loved the "City" and so much stuff in major cities is free for small kids especially in the summer.

We love Washington dc (like pp)
Philadelphia, where I currently live is awesome and has tons of stuff in a 3 hour drive. every thing from lancaster to the jersey shore. wonderful area.
national parks.

 

[disfanforlife]

Here is a great article on places to travel before your kids are grown.

They list 40 destinations, and the ages for which they are most appropriate.

We love to travel, and now that mine are getting older, so many places have opened up to us. This year, Costa Rica! A great excuse to teach them spanish and good way to get more stamps on their little passports.

http://www.ivillage.com/must-see-places-take-kids-theyre-grown/6-b-454632

Thanks for posting this link! I think I saw it before but it has a lot of great ideas and I have saved it now to study up on!

 

[mrsp1030]

We've lived so many places in the US and there are a lot of amazing places to explore. San Diego is full of activities (that is where we are headed this spring break), San Antonio is awesome and we love the Jw marriott there. Awesome activities for kids and amazing pool! Plus you can go the 2 hour trek to Houston also and see NASA Among other great things. Arizona is another great place to visit. Sedona, Grand Canyon and the resorts there are also amazing. Chicago and Boston are great cities chocked full of entertainment for kids. Also, Hilton head, Amelia island, Myrtle beach, Marco island, destiny provide great beach destinations.

 

[hsmamato2]

google travel blogs for some ideas there's always somewhere interesting to go..... lots of names like mommypoints havepointswilltravel millionmilessecrets etc etc etc.... I always run out of funds/points before I run out of ideas
My kids have love Maine and the Assateague seashore (camping) Disney on both coasts- Yosemite, Yellowstone,Colorado, Utah, California- The Grand Canyon,Sedona...... Canada Niagara Falls.... my goal is to get back to Utah for more parks adventures, and Europe after that ( I want to see English countryside!)
...forgot to add...NYC makes for some fun....love Washington DC with kids...Hilton Head... Heck,St Louis MO is fun too!

 

[Narnia_girl]

I love all these ideas because I love showing my kids this great country! My first choice is always Rocky Mountain National Park. After paying thousands to get into WDW, it's a drastic change: $20 for a family pass that's good for a WEEK!

Of course you still have food/lodging costs. But you can spend the week hiking, exploring and picnicking in the most jaw-dropping scenery.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

All great ideas so far, but as PP mentioned, you can make memories anywhere. I see you're from TX. Lots of stuff to see right in your home state. How about Palo Duro Canyon or Big Bend? Or, really just any random city with a decent hotel that has a pool

 

[bjscheel]

Places we've gone:

Colorado Springs/Pikes Peak area
Branson
Wisconsin Dells
Disneyland/San Diego

Want to go to:
Alaska
Smoky Mountain National Park
Charleston SC
Yellowstone
somewhere in Texas- don't know which part would be good

We can charge enough on the SW card for business to fly free every year or two. So places SW flies are going to have some influence! The other influence is that DH doesn't like to drive on vacation (hence all the WDW trips). Branson and WI Dells don't bother him so much, but navigating Denver was a hassle. So I would like places where we don't have to drive a lot either, or can use taxis. We did DL/San Diego without a car and it worked out for what we wanted to accomplish.

Edited to add that if my girls had to choose between those vacations and the in-state family church camp we go to every year, they would choose church camp! Luckily they don't have to choose.

 

[bless7ings]

Thanks for posting! Some new great ideas!

Here is a great article on places to travel before your kids are grown.

They list 40 destinations, and the ages for which they are most appropriate.

We love to travel, and now that mine are getting older, so many places have opened up to us. This year, Costa Rica! A great excuse to teach them spanish and good way to get more stamps on their little passports.

http://www.ivillage.com/must-see-places-take-kids-theyre-grown/6-b-454632

 

[mom2rose&john]

What about a dude ranch. We did one when the kids were 5 and 7 and they still talk about it three yrs later.

I am from the Northeast and my favorite summer vacations have been in Maine, Toronto and renting a beach cottage on Lake Erie.

We just returned from a twelve day vacation in Scottsdale/Grand Canyon/Sedona. While awesome I think your kids may be too young for that.

Delray Beach Fl. was a great place for the kids. Not much driving. The Beach is great and there were short trips to a turtle sanctuary, Marine life aquarium/museum. We flew Southwest from Buffalo to Ft Lauderdale and drove approx 20 mins to Delray.

What do like to do? Chill and relax or explore? So many things to do and so little time and money

 

[dpswift]

We have had great trips to Baltimore, Dollywood, Ocean City Maryland. We love cruising but I noticed that you are not that into it.

We also like to combine trips to National Parks with our vacations. Cades Cove in Tennesee (near Dollywood) is amazing

 

[AquaDame]

Any limitations...? We LOVE Hawaii, popping around Vancouver & Victoria in British Colombia, had a great time in Yellowstone and San Francisco. Further abroad I can't even start to recommend cities and towns in Europe. Just a treasure trove over there! Honestly I haven't even seen enough of the US myself and I'm in my thirties! This thread convinced me to start an ACTUAL bucket list and now I have a list of 44 places I want to go.

 

[momoflizandains]

Thanks for all of the great ideas!

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

Arta does nice family rafting trips.

 

[BubMunkeyBles]

Alaska!

 

[Kirby]

We went to a family reunion one year at Snow Mountain Ranch in Colorado when they were ages 6 and 10. It's up near Winter Park. They are in their 20's now and they still mention it from time to time.

Snow Mountain Ranch is on the west side of Rocky Mountain State Park and it's sister location is on the east side, Estes Park. Both are fun places to go to.