Girl Scout Weekend

[PatsGirl]

Hi Everyone Although I gave up being a leader this year, the Cadette GS troop has asked me to research an end-of-year trip for them to take this June. So I'm here to ask for help.

In the past we've gone to Canobie Lake Park, Rocking Horse Ranch, Water Country, Newport, Providence, Boston, Blue Man Group, and I can't remember where else.

This year there are 5 girls ages 12 and 13 and their favorite thing to do is shop but I'd like that to be a side trip, lol. So far I've come up with a tour of the south coast of Maine (OOB, Ogunquit, Portland?), SkyVenture (tunnel), and the Maine Indoor Karting.

Would love other recommendations, comments, reviews, etc. It can be one night (for drives less than 2 hours) or two nights. They didn't really give me a true budget but I'm figuring around the $1K mark. Karting is $300, skydive tunnel is $425...hotels seem to be relatively inexpensive in south Maine the first weekend of June. I researched a bit and figure $130/night for two rooms and the girls still prefer chicken nuggets and pizza so food will be reasonable. Mostly I'm looking for appropriate group activities that are different from what we've already done.

Help

 

[ferrytale]

Hmmm...not being from your area it's hard to say, but that sounds like a good bit of activity for them. My girls are "lazy" when we go away they like to plan extra time for naps or time to just veg out. Almost all of them are involved in many things besides scouts and our scout weekends often wind up as time to unwind and relax. If they are into it - maybe throw in some time in the evenings to do facials, manicures/pedicures, and chat or have a girls movie night. As cadettes, the girls should be doing most of the planning themselve...theoretically. However my group is 15 girls in Cadettes/Seniors/Ambassadors and if my co-leader and I left them plan everything as they are supposed to then we wouldn't ever do anything but sit, talk, & eat...lol.
Sounds good on the price too...our 1 DAY trip to NYC is costing over $3000, but includes and awesome workshop with the cast of Wicked and a performance - which is where the majority of the $$ is going.
Have fun!

 

[MichelleinMaine]

re Maine Indoor Karting- we happened to be there last night. I wasn't nuts about it. It's indoors (no kidding ) crammed into a warehouse. It's alot of tight turns- you can't see peripherally because of the helmet, so not sure if someone's passing you and it's all turns. Honestly, it was a little scary for me. My DS 14 loved it, but I surely wouldn't need to ever go again.

For the money- take them to Funtown and ride the gokarts there! Not exactly the same thing, but alot more fun IMO. Plus, you'd get the whole amusement park too.

Where is the skydiving? Only one I know of is in NH. If they want to do a White Mountain trip- there's lots of fun there- skydiving, there's also a zipline course there. Alpine slides. Go up Mt Washington by car, train, or foot

There is also a zipline course going up in Wiscasset, ME, but not sure when it's opening. A coastal trip could include something of a boating tour- whale watch? (The one out of Portsmouth NH is our favorite)

 

[PatsGirl]

Thanks. NYC was mentioned to the girls but they've all been there several times so it didn't get much response. I'll take a look at Mt. Washington too, that sounds doable. Should I look at North Conway for accomodations, is that where the zipline is? Well, google is my friend

 

[MichelleinMaine]

The zipline is in Lincoln, I guess. http://www.alpinezipline.com/ (45min or so from Conway, over the Kancanmangus Pass) There are plenty of hotels in Lincoln though, lots of other things to do.

 

[PatsGirl]

The zipline looks like fun. I also just found a company, ZOAR Outdoor in the Berkshires, that has a combo trip of white water rafting and zipline with camping cabins that I'll add to my list. Again, anyone who has done this, please comment.

I'll keep the kart info at hand. Most of the girls are not dare devils and might not like it if it is too scarey, which is also my thought for the rafting/zipline tour as well. I'm not the leader this year but I always encourage outdoor activities. I know they want to shop and sleep and gab but I think it's important that some scouting-type event should take place as well

 

[golfgal]

The zipline looks like fun. I also just found a company, ZOAR Outdoor in the Berkshires, that has a combo trip of white water rafting and zipline with camping cabins that I'll add to my list. Again, anyone who has done this, please comment.

I'll keep the kart info at hand. Most of the girls are not dare devils and might not like it if it is too scarey, which is also my thought for the rafting/zipline tour as well. I'm not the leader this year but I always encourage outdoor activities. I know they want to shop and sleep and gab but I think it's important that some scouting-type event should take place as well

I haven't done these activities in Boston but elsewhere. The go-karts are fun (I wouldn't do the indoor ones either-no where near as much fun) but the problem with the go-karts is the ride is short and then done. If you can get some kind of unlimited use pass or something like that, it would be worth going.

White water rafting is a BLAST. I would move that way up on your list but check out the size of the rapids before you go and how they do the tours. The place we went you had your own raft and had to navigate yourself but the rapids were all 3's with one 4 so very manageable. I think girls that age would get a huge kick out of white water rafting.

Personally, I wouldn't do the zip lining unless there was a backup activity on sight. there will be a lot of kids that are afraid of heights and won't do the zip line.

 

[cntrygal]

HErshey park has a girlscout weekend, the boy scout one is great, have been to the girl scout one, and the hershey outlets are right there for shopping

 

[ferrytale]

HErshey park has a girlscout weekend, the boy scout one is great, have been to the girl scout one, and the hershey outlets are right there for shopping

I will agree that this is a nice trip, I didn't think to mention it b/c I wasn't sure how far they wanted to travel. It's 2 hours from my house in PA, and driving from Maine would be quite a hike. BUT it is a fun weekend. Chocolate World is free to get in and tour, you only have to pay for the movie, or the Trolley tour, and then any souvenirs you want to purchase. The campground is nice, or there are plenty of hotels in the area.

 

[maddiel]

What about doing some of the LL Bean Outdoor Discovery School programs? Moonlight Kayaking sounds cool and then they could shop in Freeport.

M.