Budget vacation idea - PA residents - Apx. $1000?

[Vandercapellen]

Not in the amusement park arena, but a close idea for you. We have gone to a family resort in the Poconos. The one where we go is very inexpensive, but a bit more than your estimate for a full week - but 2 meals per day are included. That's vacation for me - don't have to worry about what's for breakfast and dinner - just head to the dining room and order. LOVE THAT! This type of vacation is definitely 'make your own fun' - gotta want to get involved - in the bocce tournaments, happy hours, tennis, walks down the river, family bingo every night, and lounge singers for entertainment in the evenings.

My sister's family goes with us, our kids are 9,8,7,6 and 5 all together, and they love it -just getting up in the morning and heading to the pool or tennis courts with their cousins. They like it just as much as WDW!

I was just gonna make a suggestion of a place in the Poconos that my family just LOVES. I wonder if we are talking about the same place. Chestnut Grove. It's very affordable, and they have activity directors and the kids make friends that they keep in touch with during the year. I have recomended it to many people.

http://www.chestnutgrove.com/

Check it out!

Edit.. I just read down further and noticed that you did mention the name of the resort. Both the place I mentioned and the place you mentioned are owned by brother, or maybe father and son.

 

[walkdmc]

I recommend the White Mountains in NH. We went there last Summer and had the best time. It was a very relaxed vacation and cheap. For $99/night, we stayed in a cottage at the Mt. Coolidge Motel. There was a beautiful lake behind the cottage and plenty of places to relax.

I'm not outdoorsy either but this trip inspired me to care a little more for nature, it was just so beautiful. We did a lot of walking but not 1/2 of what we'd do on a Disney trip.

Things we did on that trip:
1. drank wine by the lake
2. went Moose site seeing - no luck
3. drove up Mt. Washington on a clear day
4. Visited Clark's Trading Post and saw a Chinese acrobat show as well as a bear show
5. drove to a nearby town and bought candy from the longest candy counter in the Guinness Book of World Records
6. Played mini golf at THE BEST course we've ever visited
7. walked some big gorge then visited another smaller gorge (gorge is such an ugly word for such a pretty site).

The whole trip was just about $1000 for 5 days for our family of 4.

 

[fitzy819]

Lot's of great suggestions in this thread. As others have said, I love how accessible our state is to so many other places!

Williamsburg is a really buget friendly trip we found last summer (family of 6 - kids ages 15 to 5). Hotel, food, and park tickets could easily be done for $1000 for a 5 to 7 day trip.

Washington DC is also a great trip and one we do every few years. So much to do there is free. Lodging and food can be pricey, so you have to shop carefully. The best way to visit for us is to stay at a hotel close to a metro and then use that to get around...we always kid that it is sort like doing disney transportation.

You mentioned Lancaster/Hershey area, but have you done Philadelphia? Historic section, Franklin Institute, Consititution Center, the zoo?

One of our favorite things to do is to travel off season to places...th beach in the winter, the Poconos in the summer. You can get some great deals.

I second the DC and Williamsburg trip. You can also get a pass that has admissions to Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens and Water country. There is so much to do in DC (and a lot of it is FREE!!!) and then Williamsburg (which is AMAZING!) is between 2 1/2 to 3 hours away so you could spend a few days at each.

 

[brymolmom]

I was just gonna make a suggestion of a place in the Poconos that my family just LOVES. I wonder if we are talking about the same place. Chestnut Grove. It's very affordable, and they have activity directors and the kids make friends that they keep in touch with during the year. I have recomended it to many people.

http://www.chestnutgrove.com/

Check it out!

Edit.. I just read down further and noticed that you did mention the name of the resort. Both the place I mentioned and the place you mentioned are owned by brother, or maybe father and son.

LOL - that is funny - yup - both owned by Daniels brothers....Chestnut was bought by the youngest years ago. So definitely very similar in how they are run.