OT: Other family vacation ideas - DO I DARE??

[chrisn]

We've done the cruises, the All-Inclusives, condos, cottages, Hawaii, Caribbean, etc. I'm a beach girl at heart and I agree with the poster who said that they don't feel like they're on vacation until they see the white sands and turqoise waters. Cruises are fun but not my favorite. There are some STUNNING AI's in the Mayan Riviera (Yucatan, Mexico). Beautiful resorts, fabulous service, fun activities, beach to die for. I recommend any of the Iberostar Resorts. Maui is beautiful and fun. There is lots to do without being too commercialized like Oahu. The beaches are beautiful but different with gold and black sand and pretty water. Great snorkelling. But really my heart belongs to the Caribbean and St. John in particular. 2/3's National Park and it's beauty never ceases to take my breath away. If God has swimming pools, the beaches of St. John are probably among them. The BEST vacations for us is to spend a week at WDW then cap it off with a week lazing around on a gorgeous white sand beach. Simply amazing!

 

[RichNKatHolly]

The BEST vacations for us is to spend a week at WDW then cap it off with a week lazing around on a gorgeous white sand beach. Simply amazing!

Amen... we're kind of doing this this time with the land/sea. St. John sounds lovely, adding it to my now evergrowing list of must sees!

 

[calie_j]

Great thread with lots of ideas. When our youngest was 4 we went on a company paid vacation to Nashville for 4 nights and added on 4 nights in the Smoky's for just our family. That trip hooked us on yearly family vacations.

We've been to Branson (with 1 night in St Louis for the arch and 1 night at Lake of the Ozarks on the way home), Disney Land, Cape Cod (with day trips to Boston, Plymouth, and Salem. We also stopped at Niagara Falls for a few hours on the way home) and this year went to Yellowstone/Grand Teton. We're going to WDW over Thanksgiving as an extra vacation this year.

My list of places I want to go with the kids which keeps getting added onto is South Dakota (badlands, devil's tower, mt rushmore, black hills), Williamsburg and Virginia Beach with a day trip to the Outer Banks (this trip keeps getting put off but I WILL make it there someday), Glacier National Park, Grand Canyon, Seattle...........

I'm also planning to do a family cruise when each child graduates high school. For our oldest Alaska, middle child is a Carribean cruise that stops in Mexico and Belize, and I haven't decided yet for the youngest what would best suit her interests.

And this doesn't even include my list of adult only trips. Hope I win the lottery soon

Calie

 

[wrldpossibility]

San Francisco, lots of So. California (have family there), and Seattle/San Juan Islands. We're in Oregon, so smaller trips to the Oregon Coast are wonderful, as is Portland, OR.

I'm surprised there's been little mention of ski trips. They are wonderful family trips. We went on countless trips in Tahoe (grew up there) as a child, and as an adult, have enjoyed trips to Mt. Hood, Mt. Batchelor (Sun River, OR is a wonderful year-round family resort) and several Canadian resorts.

My kids are still very young, but I second the idea of Williamsburg, VA (went as a child). We'll definitely do that and more national parks and educational sites when the kids are older and can understand.

That's why WDW or DL are so great for us now...the kids are so small. I know Disney vacations are great for all ages, but (at least now) I feel there are so many great trips to take with older children, and that Disney is a perfect fit for a young child who is too small for some of the more educational things. JMHO.

Oh, almost forgot we're taking a week trip to Nantucket Island, MASS next summer, with a 7, 5, and 18 month old. It's my sister's wedding, but we're still making a vacation of it. If anyone's vacationed on Nantucket, I'd love ideas!

Amy

 

[RichNKatHolly]

Oh, almost forgot we're taking a week trip to Nantucket Island, MASS next summer, with a 7, 5, and 18 month old. It's my sister's wedding, but we're still making a vacation of it. If anyone's vacationed on Nantucket, I'd love ideas!

Amy

My mother is coming home from Nantucket tomorrow. SHe was there for 2 weeks and said that it is mostly the beach and shopping/town area. I'm sure the kids will love the beach! It should be a nice relaxing vacation.

If she comes home with any additional info I'll PM you. Enjoy, it's beautiful there (I've been to the Cape and Martha's Vineyard, would go again and try Nantucket).

 

[disneymom225]

Oh, almost forgot we're taking a week trip to Nantucket Island, MASS next summer, with a 7, 5, and 18 month old. It's my sister's wedding, but we're still making a vacation of it. If anyone's vacationed on Nantucket, I'd love ideas!

Amy

We love Nantucket! We have good friends who live there and we often find excuses to visit. Suggestions: Maria Mitchell House--she was one of the 1st female astronomers. Children's Beach is wonderful. Rent bikes and cruise around-there are bike trails all over the island. Comet's 9 Lives (jan Brett) is set on Nantucket, so you could read that and see if the kids can find the real places mentioned in the book. Dine at American Seasons--best restaurant I have ever eaten it-ever!!! We just went over easter and are going back for thanksgiving. Enjoy!

 

[dzneprincess]

. This Nov/Dec will be our last trip to Disney for a bit.

Thanks!!

Hehe I havent read any of the replies, but I read the above sentence and started giggling to myself..because do you know how many times I have said this?? It never seems to work out that way though. Have you thought about DCL? Then you get the best of both worlds. That is what we have been drawn to. But yet, I still can not keep myself away from the parks!

 

[RichNKatHolly]

Hehe I havent read any of the replies, but I read the above sentence and started giggling to myself..because do you know how many times I have said this?? It never seems to work out that way though. Have you thought about DCL? Then you get the best of both worlds. That is what we have been drawn to. But yet, I still can not keep myself away from the parks!

LOL - so true! We were just there in January. We did the cruise and one park day at MK. I want to take DD in Nov for the land/sea because we took DS to Disney when he was her age. You know, it is a vacation that can be done inexpensively if you try and the kids LOVE it. I probably couldn't do just the cruise being that we are SO CLOSE to the parks!

Happy planning!

 

[wrldpossibility]

We're looking forward to it. It's good there's just the beach and shops, because we'll be busy with wedding things too. If there were too many activities to choose from, we'd feel rushed.

Amy

 

[mjh8955]

DH gets Disneyed out so here are some of our other vacation experiences. We did Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands and surprised ourselves with how much fun we had. We have been to New Orleans several times, twice by train (from Champaign, Il.) Absolutely love the food and architectural flavor of the place. Our all time favorite though is St. George Island, which is on the Florida panhandle near Appalachicola. It is THE BEST for total relaxation. No high rises, tons of vacation homes to rent. We always stay at 300 Ocean Mile condos. The pool is out the front door, the beach out the other side. The only decisions we have to make is how much sunscreen to put on and where we're going out to dinner each night. Next non-Disney trip will be to Washington D.C.

 

[shelly3girls]

We love the Outer Banks in NC. In fact we are leaving for our yearly trip this friday. It is a week of complete relaxation.

We are hoping to go to Hawaii next Dec/Jan. Lisalovespooh I would love to hear how you like the Hilton. We were considering trying to rent one of the timeshares but would also consider a hotel room. I have not seen it for years and never actually stayed there but I know it is a beautiful resort.

 

[RichNKatHolly]

I am totally amazed at how far ahead some of you have trips planned! That is great. DH and I are going to get a little book together of everywhere we want to go and see what and when actually gets done.

With my new subscription to TravelZoo, we are getting some really fabulous deals. There was a 5 night Hawaii cruise with airfare from LA and 2 nights hotel pre or post cruise for $799pp the other day. Gosh, if I had the money, I'd have booked it right then and there!

Now, should we start a thread on how to save up for all this travelling??