Inexpensive Family Vacation?

[mom2rose&john]

I live in the Buffalo area. IMO, driving for as much as 12 hours only to stay four days is not my idea of fun. I would do a stay-cation if I only had four days. One day at the Corning Museum of Glass is fun for all ages. Letchworth Park is fun for a day. An overnight in Niagara Falls. The Butterfly museum near Niagara on the Lake is fun for all ages. If you would like to travel farther we did The Berkshires in Western Mass. is very fun. Howes Caverns on the way there would take half a day. Or Boston? Not super inexpensive, but it was not a break the bank vacation for us. Inexpensive is vague do you have a dollar amount you would like to share? I can understand you not keen on the idea but our idea of inexpensive could be vastly different. Also what are your interests? It would help to narrow down ideas.

 

[mrsabbott]

I am a big fan of the "staycation"!! We often overlook the neat things to do that are within reasonable driving distance! Some of our most enjoyable experiences have been when we played tourist in our own town! Research things that are nearby and make a plan! Money you would save on lodging alone would allow you to have a special dinner out or to be able to afford tickets to a particular attraction you wouldn't normally splurge on. And you never know when you might find a good deal on something.. check groupon!

 

[halfpintpeggy]

I also agree that driving 12 or so hours for a 4 day vacation doesn't sound like much fun. Why not pick an interesting town within say a few hours of Buffalo, stay in a hotel with an indoor pool, & treat yourselves to restaurant dinners each night?

 

[TwoMisfits]

If you didn't like the DC option, how about Pittsburgh, PA, which is an under 4 hour drive? The Carnegie Museums are 1st rate (get a premium family membership and you can go in all of them) - some of the best in the country (http://www.carnegiemuseums.org/default.aspx). You can also ride the Inclines to get a beautiful view of the city and the meeting of the 3 rivers (http://duquesneincline.org/ OR https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attract...ongahela_Incline-Pittsburgh_Pennsylvania.html). A Ducky Tour is great here also, b/c of the beautiful rivers. And you can take in a Pittsburgh Pirates game, since you'll be there after baseball season starts! Lastly, if you'd love to experience some green on your trip, the Phipps Conservatory is pretty nice (https://phipps.conservatory.org/). Now, if you go, make sure you also get a burger with the fries on top to be a true Pittsburghian...

I tried to pick things both your 20 year olds and 8 year old would like...there is more to Pittsburgh, but you'd probably have one unhappy person if you'd tried some of it...

 

[neatokimmo]

Myrtle beach weather will be hit or miss in April. We used to go in May every year. Sometimes it was 80, sometimes 60.

 

[luv2sewtjr]

I was also going to suggest Pittsburgh given your time frame and location. The Andy Warhol is one of the Carnegie museums and I really enjoyed it. We also went to the Carnegie science and art museum. The Cathedral of Learning on the campus of University of Pittsburgh was really interesting. We took a tour over Christmas break and really enjoyed it.

My kids and I also enjoyed a trip to Philadelphia a couple years ago. The Constitution Center was amazing and I could have spent more time there. My kids were underwhelmed by the Liberty Bell but I loved it. We wanted to go to the Mint (there are only two) but they don't have production on Fridays so maybe next time...

 

[Northernlites]

I suggest going to Blue Mountain in Collingwood Ontario,Canada. It would only be 3 hours from Buffalo, There is lots to do in that area, it is a four season resort town with many activities for all ages. Right now the US dollar is 30% higher than Canadian. Plus there is Plunge! Aquatic Center which is open 365 days with indoor and outdoor swimming, everyone of all ages loves it. https://www.bluemountain.ca/things-to-do/activities/plunge-aquatic-centre

 

[unrequited23]

I don't think Cedar Point opens until May. The water in any of the Great Lakes will still be very cold at that time of the year. Lake Erie doesn't even warm up to 70 until July. I would either head south, rent a place on the coast and just do a simple beach vacation or visit Pittsburgh/Chicago with an eye towards museums and sporting events.