Spring break ideas within 10 hour drive from Boston

[Tattylou]

So we generally fly someplace warmer (Florida, California) for the Massachusetts April vacation. This year we are flying to Florida (St Pete beach and WDW) and we love doing that.
In 2019, April vacation coincides with Easter, which generally means flights will be higher than they already are on April vacation. DH is a teacher so we have no real wiggle room and end up flying the very pricey airfare of Sat to Sat of school vacation. So we were thinking maybe in 2019 we would drive and not fly for April vacation 2019 and save some money. I would say 10-12 hours drive from Massachusetts is our max. It will be myself, DH, my parents (in their 70s, but in good health) and our 2 sons (they will be 8 and 10 in spring 2019). We like amusement parks, beaches, very easy and populated hikes, mountains/lakes, nature centers/animals/zoos. Just going to add we go to NH and Maine every summer so we aren't interested in those areas or any place that will be colder than Mass in April. Any ideas??? Thank you!!!

 

[Hikergirl]

I don't know what part of April Easter falls in in 2019 but I'd just find the farthest point south that 10-12 hours takes you and concentrate on that area.
We spent an early April Spring Break in Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area and loved it. Great hiking weather and one of my favorite vacations, Smoky Mountain Nat'l Park is beautiful, and cabins with spectacular views are reasoable to rent even during the break.
We've also done Williamsburg VA during an April Spring Break. Weather was nice but too cold to swim at the pool or beach. It was nice for sightseeing and Busch Gardens.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I don't know what part of April Easter falls in in 2019 but I'd just find the farthest point south that 10-12 hours takes you and concentrate on that area.
We spent an early April Spring Break in Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area and loved it. Great hiking weather and one of my favorite vacations, Smoky Mountain Nat'l Park is beautiful, and cabins with spectacular views are reasoable to rent even during the break.
We've also done Williamsburg VA during an April Spring Break. Weather was nice but too cold to swim at the pool or beach. It was nice for sightseeing and Busch Gardens.

Easter will be 4/21, so the very end of that school vacation week.


OP - I was going to suggest the same areas!

DH and I did Colonial Williamsburg and Busch Gardens many years ago and loved it! - I think it was May, so not too far from your dates.

You could also combine it with a couple of days in DC if your kids would like the Smithsonian (which is definitely on our "want to do list"!) - Check whether that's cherry blossom time, though, as I would think that might inflate prices or make rooms harder to get.

Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg/Dollywood is another place I'd love to go, and I would think that would be a nice time of year for it.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

So we generally fly someplace warmer (Florida, California) for the Massachusetts April vacation. This year we are flying to Florida (St Pete beach and WDW) and we love doing that.
In 2019, April vacation coincides with Easter, which generally means flights will be higher than they already are on April vacation. DH is a teacher so we have no real wiggle room and end up flying the very pricey airfare of Sat to Sat of school vacation. So we were thinking maybe in 2019 we would drive and not fly for April vacation 2019 and save some money. I would say 10-12 hours drive from Massachusetts is our max. It will be myself, DH, my parents (in their 70s, but in good health) and our 2 sons (they will be 8 and 10 in spring 2019). We like amusement parks, beaches, very easy and populated hikes, mountains/lakes, nature centers/animals/zoos. Any ideas??? Thank you!!!

Unfortunately I think that anywhere you go within that time frame is going to still be fairly chilly and/or rainy.

My suggestion would be either Buffalo/Niagara Falls or Washington, D.C., but I think the latter is very busy that time of year as everyone else has the same idea.

We had a great time in Buffalo and found plenty to do. There are also relatively cheap flights there from Boston or Providence (SWA). Or if you drive and like baseball, you could hit Cooperstown on the way out there.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Unfortunately I think that anywhere you go within that time frame is going to still be fairly chilly and/or rainy.

My suggestion would be either Buffalo/Niagara Falls or Washington, D.C., but I think the latter is very busy that time of year as everyone else has the same idea.

We had a great time in Buffalo and found plenty to do. There are also relatively cheap flights there from Boston or Providence (SWA). Or if you drive and like baseball, you could hit Cooperstown on the way out there.

If you do this, Howe Caverns is about an hour from Cooperstown as well. It's really cool!
.

 

[Hikergirl]

Easter will be 4/21, so the very end of that school vacation week.

That is a nice week especially if the OP's break starts the day after Easter. Our is always the week before.
That opens up places since the weather will be nicer than the beginning of April.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Lake George area? It will still be chilly though...

 

[PollyannaMom]

Lake George area? It will still be chilly though...

Yeah, pretty in the spring, I expect, but definitely still chilly...though there's an indoor water park to artificially create a few warm days -

http://www.sixflagsgreatescapelodge.com/

 

[Hikergirl]

OP, I'm not sure what is open as far as the beach or boardwalk in April but another great place to go is Ocean City MD area.
We go in the summer and stay near Assateague Island and spend most of our time there because we love it, but OC is fun too.

 

[Tattylou]

Thanks for the ideas!!

So our spring vaca usually starts the Monday that is Patriots Day - April 15, 2019- so I think Easter must be the end of the break. For some reason I thought it was the start of the break, but I just looked it up.

My BFF is actually from Buffalo so I'm sure she could give me a lot of ideas for that area. We do want to do Cooperstown at some point as the kids, DH, and my dad are huge baseball fans. I remember Howes caverns from when I was a kid, but I'm not sure if they're open in April.

I like DC as an idea and was also considering Virginia/Busch Gardens.

I know nothing about Pigeon Forge, but I'm going to look into it for sure. I do hear about it a lot on these boards.

Ocean City is something I've looked into for summer, but I'm not sure what we could do there in April. I'll have to research. Lake George is also something I've considered for a summer trip.

The whole pick the furthest point south in a 10 hour drive and go there is a good idea too!

 

[Christine]

OP, I'm not sure what is open as far as the beach or boardwalk in April but another great place to go is Ocean City MD area.
We go in the summer and stay near Assateague Island and spend most of our time there because we love it, but OC is fun too.

Definitely NOT ideal in April. OCMD is pretty much shuttered up (most places) until the summer season starts. April is a funny month for DC. You could be in your winter coat, or you might need to put shorts on. But any warm weather in April is not sustained.

 

[xjillianpaige]

You could also check out the prices for an Amtrak and see where that takes you.

 

[shoney]

Could also check cruise prices out of northeastern ports.
Williamsburg would be nice at that time of year.

 

[Tattylou]

Could also check cruise prices out of northeastern ports.
Williamsburg would be nice at that time of year.

I love the idea of a cruise bc seems like there a lots of deals, but DH will not cruise. He's totally against it unfortunately. Otherwise he's pretty go with the flow as far as what we do for vacations.

 

[klacey1]

I know nothing about Pigeon Forge, but I'm going to look into it for sure. I do hear about it a lot on these boards.
!

I had never heard about Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg until these boards either (from NY, currently living in Mass too!), but I was interested enough from what I heard and took a girls’ trip in July 2015. We absolutely LOVED it! Stay in Gatlinburg if you enjoy walking to restaurants and attractions. Dollywood in Pigeon Forge is beautiful and a lot of fun! The quality of the rides and shows reminded me of Disney. There’s tons to do in this area.

 

[HeatherC]

Myrtle Beach or Williamsburg would be where we would go within 12 hours. We are in Massachusetts too.

We love Hilton Head Island and have done that several years now over Christmas or April break. But it is a 16 1/2 hour ride from our house. We drive 12 hours to Lumberton, NC . We leave around 6am. Have dinner, spend the night and are in Hilton Head by noon the next day.

There are beautiful beaches, tons of shopping, paved bike paths, golf and tennis galore. One of our favorite places. Well worth the drive to us.

Also..wanted to mention that if you are considering Williamsburg and Busch Gardens to check the schedule for Busch Gardens. We went over April break a few years ago and it was only open on Sat and Sun....which were the days we actually were driving to and from home.

 

[Tattylou]

Myrtle Beach or Williamsburg would be where we would go within 12 hours. We are in Massachusetts too.

We love Hilton Head Island and have done that several years now over Christmas or April break. But it is a 16 1/2 hour ride from our house. We drive 12 hours to Lumberton, NC . We leave around 6am. Have dinner, spend the night and are in Hilton Head by noon the next day.

There are beautiful beaches, tons of shopping, paved bike paths, golf and tennis galore. One of our favorite places. Well worth the drive to us.

Also..wanted to mention that if you are considering Williamsburg and Busch Gardens to check the schedule for Busch Gardens. We went over April break a few years ago and it was only open on Sat and Sun....which were the days we actually were driving to and from home.

How is the weather in Hilton Head in April?

 

[tvguy]

No suggestions, however, spring break here is always Easter week, so higher cost just comes with the territory. Almost has to be Easter week since there are enough students here that have religious obligations that week, that if it weren't a vacation week, they would be absent anyway.
Some schools here have also extended Christmas break to over 3 weeks until January 16th because if they come back any sooner, the absentee rate would be so high it is a waste of time.

 

[shoney]

No suggestions, however, spring break here is always Easter week, so higher cost just comes with the territory. Almost has to be Easter week since there are enough students here that have religious obligations that week, that if it weren't a vacation week, they would be absent anyway.
Some schools here have also extended Christmas break to over 3 weeks until January 16th because if they come back any sooner, the absentee rate would be so high it is a waste of time.

Same in the nyc/Long Island area. Spring break is the week before or after Easter depending on when Passover falls.
Last year I was able to get a decent deal to Cancun by leaving going Tuesday to Monday Easter was at the latter part of the week and the kids and myself were off that Monday too.
Saturday to Saturday is always much more money.

 

[Tattylou]

Same in the nyc/Long Island area. Spring break is the week before or after Easter depending on when Passover falls.
Last year I was able to get a decent deal to Cancun by leaving going Tuesday to Monday Easter was at the latter part of the week and the kids and myself were off that Monday too.
Saturday to Saturday is always much more money.

I wish we could do Mon to Mon or Tues to Tues bc it saves a lot of money on airfare. Sadly, DH can't use a personal day on the day before or after school vacation so this only works for us if they randomly have that Monday after off.
@tvguy Massachusetts April vacation is not always based on Easter, but in 2019 they happen to coincide. So that just makes the usually expensive April vacation airfare just that much more expensive.