Family vacations besides Disney

[mrsp1030]

We are all about travel and showing our kids the US and world before they grow up on us. Outside of Disney, what are some of your favorite vacations that you may have only done once but always remember. We are planning a cruise for 2016 but looking for options for next year now.

 

[slzer0]

We went to Bonnaroo with our then 13yo and it was incredible and unforgettable, but definitely not for everyone.

Subbing. Can't wait to read some great ideas!

 

[StitchBuddy]

We have gone to several places:

1. Tour of the Northeast including Boston, Plymouth Rock, Sturbridge Village, The Mayflower and Plymouth Plantation/Village, the beach, lighthouses, fall foliage, Bar Harbor, and Portland,Maine just to name a few.

2. Destin Beach

3. Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Colorado (hiking and white water rafting)

4. Grand Tetons, Yellowsone and Galcier National Parks (Camping, hikingand whitewaterrafting.

5. Skiing

6. NYC and surrounding areas

7. Washington DC

8. Hershey, Penn (Haven't don this, but have thought about it.)

9. Upper Penn, of Michigan

10. South Dakota, lots to see and do!

These are some of the non Disney trips we have taken and enjoyed over the last 17 years with our DD.We have done some of them more than once. Theres lots to see and do in the US have fun exploring!

 

[mm1971]

We are all about travel and showing our kids the US and world before they grow up on us. Outside of Disney, what are some of your favorite vacations that you may have only done once but always remember. We are planning a cruise for 2016 but looking for options for next year now.

We went to:

Punta Cana, Dominican and had a great time. Relaxing and tropical.

For closer destinations:

Niagra Falls (Canadian Side)
Outer Banks in the Carolina's
Washington D.C. (Smithsonian)

Have fun deciding. We are planning to head to Atlantis in the Bahama's next. Never been, but heard it was very nice.

 

[ajwolfe]

My kids love the Smokey Mountains in TN. We've stayed a couple times in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area and they are big fans of both the amusement parks available and the beautiful outdoors to take in. You could easily spend a week seeing it all.
Aside from out Disney trips we take a lot of little, quickie trips as well. Branson, Eurkea Springs AR, St Louis, Daytona Beach and Indianapolis are just a few of the places we've stayed and enjoyed ourselves.
Branson has a TON to do and see and is very family oriented as well. Somewhere I'm hoping to get next year is Tybee Island in GA. Love the look of it and have had several people recommend it.

 

[Happyjen27]

My kids insist that Niagara Falls, ON (the Canadian side) was better than Disney!

We've also enjoyed taking them to NYC, we stayed right in Times Square, and rode the subway and had a blast.

Hershey, PA was fun because we met family there, not so much because of Hershey Park, which wasn't as fun as Disney in their opinion. (I agree!)

Next up for us is 4 days at the Cape and then 3 nights in Boston.

They love cruising and request that type of vacation more than any other.

They also love going tent camping a half a dozen times a year. Lots of campgrounds have lean-tos and cabins now for people who don't have a tent, or prefer to not stay in one.

 

[ajwolfe]

They also love going tent camping a half a dozen times a year. Lots of campgrounds have lean-tos and cabins now for people who don't have a tent, or prefer to not stay in one.

I forgot to mention that as well. We have a camper, so not necessarily the same as tent camping. But my kids love exploring new campgrounds and state parks.

 

[chuss]

Club Med Cancun last summer and Club Med Ixtapa this summer. Kids loved going to "mini club" and learning trapeze, archery, sailing, snorkeling, and putting on a show at night. Mom and Dad (me) liked doing the same types of activities plus tennis, but then also relaxing on the beach while the kids did their thing. Everyone regrouped for family time around 4:30. The kids had a wonderful time meeting other kids from all over the U.S. Canada and Europe. And it was a completely "unplugged" week: no TV, video games, etc.

That being said, I'm hoping they love our WDW trip in early December because I want to book a bounce back for late August/early September next year! With Labor Day so late, I think that would be awesome.

 

[mrsp1030]

Love hearing all these ideas. We've lived in several parts of the US so we've done the majority of the east coast, TN, San Diego, parts of Texas, Ohio area, even lived in England so explored there. I think our biggest challenge is finding something that will entertain a 9, 6, and almost 3 year old!

 

[boltfan]

We took our daughters to London last summer and it was amazing. The history, the art, the food! And we made sure to do the Warner Brothers Harry Potter tour of course!

And on the cheaper side, we used to go every summer to the Outer Banks in NC. Absolutely gorgeous. My youngest now wants to move there as an adult!

 

[mrsp1030]

I can't wait to explore Europe with our kids. We miss living there!

 

[Pooh bear 39]

Colonial Williamsburg gets my vote

 

[mediadiva]

We have gone to several places:

2. Destin Beach

!

Destin is so fun with kids! I second NYC. The museums are so amazing, the public library, central park. Its just amazing.

 

[Sunnyday3]

Two not mentioned: Charleston SC and San Antonio TX.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

Living in Jersey and spending years working in Manhattan, I avoid NYC at all costs, however Lake Placid in upstate NY, former home of the Olympics, may be my favorite family vacation spot. So much to do no matter the time of year.

 

[mrsp1030]

Sounds like us and DC. We've been to the museums, monuments and zoo more than enough times in the past two years!!

 

[Meldev]

Totally agree with the previous posts about Niagara Falls - Canada! Went last fall with our kids - they loved it and want to go back this year!! (Little do they know we're surprising them with disney)

Also OBX is nice and relaxing with some history mixed in - and we're beach people so north myrtle is always on our list.

 

[1stvisit0909]

We are all about travel and showing our kids the US and world before they grow up on us. Outside of Disney, what are some of your favorite vacations that you may have only done once but always remember. We are planning a cruise for 2016 but looking for options for next year now.

We spent a week in Washington DC. It was amazing. My kids rank it right up there with Disney. Our congressman got us tours through his office, we took a "Free" walking tour of the mall (the tour was free, but you were expected to tip, it was AWESOME and we had a great tour guide), and we did as much of the smithsonians as we could cram in. We rented an apartment off vrbo and enjoyed even "big city" grocery shopping.

If you ask them where they want to go back to repeat a vacation, they both say "Disney or DC".

 

[alicat8]

I haven't been on many family trips with my daughter yet, but so far we've done Lake George, Cape Cod and Washington DC. This year we're doing Ocean City, MD and Disney. Next year it's going to be the California coast and DL. I also can't wait to take her to the Outer Banks in NC-we've had so much fun there in the past.

 

[1stvisit0909]

This year we did something different -our beach trips have always been to Destin (LOVE destin). this year we spent a week on a barrier island in the gulf - it was so peaceful. our most stressful decision was "beach or pool". We had no cell service, and spotty wi-fi. By far the most relaxing trip we've taken in several years - our previous two vacations were DC and Disney, neither of those has a high "relax" factor.