Where else do you vacation?

[klfrech]

Ok, it's time to try something else. We've been to Disney/Universal so many times that I've lost count. We vowed we would not go back this year, but we just came back yesterday! We can't stop ourselves. However, I can honestly say that after this trip we need a break. I'm just not sure what to do next. Maybe someone out there can save us! We like action-packed vacations--don't want to sit on a beach, don't want to take a cruise (actually we did it and all felt like caged animals). We have a 9 year old daughter who loves the parks, etc. Can anything else compare? I'd love to hear what others have done.

 

[BarryHom]

I do connect the dots and do coaster trips. There are a lot of coaster parks out there. One you may want to try is Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH. Although it isn't a theme park per se, it does have some thrill rides!

 

[robvia]

I also need lots of action. No cruise ship for me.

This year is winding down in terms of visiting other parks.
Although you could fly the week of Sept 11th if you wanted for cheap. Most parks up north only have weekend hours after Labor Day.

We go skiing the 2nd week of December. Crowds are less, and prices are low. 2 years ago it was Vermont, our first ski trip, web site of our trip is here.
http://home.attbi.com/~robvia/vermont.htm
Daughter who was 9 at the time loved it. There was alot to do because Smugglers notch is geared towards kids.
Last year we skipped, because these trips are expensive.
This year it will be Vail Colorado, which some say is the Disney World of ski resorts. I've already scoped out the place to stay.
http://www.apolloparklodge.com/
http://vail.snow.com/index.asp
We've been saving since last year for this trip.

 

[Jane E.]

Several years ago we went to Williamsburg & Washington DC. There was a lot to see at both places. I don't like "relaxing" vacations. I like to keep busy! We spent two full days seeing Williamsburg and Carters Grove. The third day we left for Washington DC. We stayed in an Embassy Suites in Virginia which was very convenient. They had a complimentary van which picked up & dropped off at the subway which we rode into the city. We toured the Capitol, White House, several Smithsonian museums, Ford Theater, Arlington Park, and the Holocaust Museum. There was a lot more that we didn't get to see. I don't know how it is post 9/11, but our family had a great time there. However, I had to do preplanning to get White House tix.

Before that we had rented cabins in the Mountains of eastern NC several times. We spent those trips hiking in the mountains, picnicing, rafting, visiting the Smokies, seeing all the waterfalls on our waterfall map, shopping at local craft shops, even touring a cave & mine, as well as trying local restaurants and tourist traps (like gocarts, shopping areas). We also visited Dollywood.

This year we were planning a trip to California, but we decided against it with all of the airplane problems. We decided not to fly anywhere but visit Orlando again.

 

[PartyofSix]

Jane: I have been searching for two weeks solid literally! I can't find a cabin in the NC,TN mountains for a decent rate. Do you have any tips for me? I need something with at least 5bedrooms and prefer 6 and they are very exp. I mean 700 type expensive~! Shoot I can mess around and find a Disney home for WAY less than that. Any advise or tips would be great unless I find something soon we'll be orlando bound unless like the orginal poster i can find something better. Our catch is we don't fly and we have 2 yo triplets! So planning is a big deal.

 

[comfortcove]

We try to take a memorable family vacation on a regular basis, for fun and memories! Our last two were with all 3 kids, one to Seattle/ Vancouver/ Whistler in B.C., it was soo beautiful. Last summer a week in Chicago, downtown, doing cool city-stuff. I love Chicago. We live near Williamsburg, so we can do Busch and Water Country anytime. Can't wait for US /IOA/HRH Sunday!

 

[comfortcove]

To Tammy, I cannot help with large cabins, but we have stayed at a beautiful resort in Blowing Rock, NC (near Boone, and in the mountains) called Chetola. It is really beautiful, comfy and quiet. The kids love it, all kinds of mountain activites, an onsite lake, fishing, backs up to a huge National Park with hiking trails galore, and Chetola has a fine restaurant, and indoor rec complex with a huge pool etc. I wish I had the #, but call info, and call for their rates. It used to be eligible for RCI exchange, don't know if it still is. The condos have large balconies, you can eat outside on them, and last time we had one with a whole sauna and jacuzzi room with cedar walls. I would lock my self in there for spa treatments, and wouldn't let my husband in. LOL. Anyway, don't know if it would work, but an option for you. In winter, good skiing, too. No onsite nightlife, but Blowing Rock is a happening little town, artsy and with lots of neat restaurants and maybe clubs, but I am not sure.

 

[sharbear]

Rental houses anywhere but Orlando are very expensive. Esp. if you need a lot of bedrooms. We just double up, figure that we'll live through a week. I don't know what you like to do but we like to do outdoor things. Whitewater rafting, canoeing and hiking and stuff like that.

We just got back from a cabin at a lake. I thought that I would hate it but we had a great time. We waterskied, sailed, hiked and just did low key things. But it was a blast, much more fun than I thought.

What about Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon. I read in USA today that they are having problems filling the lodges in the National Parks and that there are vacancies available.

Good luck, we feel the same way you do. After our last trip to Orlando we felt the need to do something else. I am afraid that my family is tired of amusement parks. We aren't even going to Cedar Point this year, just had enough.

Sharbear

 

[Jane E.]

Party of 6, NC is more expensive than Orlando for housing. For a 2bdr cabin we paid $550 and that was 7 years ago. However, it was a beautiful, new cabin, with cathedral ceilings, 'wall of glass' in the livingroom & lots of land. It was secluded at 4000ft. We felt it was worth the money, but it definately wouldn't work for you. If you do a search on the internet it may help you. The town we stayed in was Silva, NC. Its outside of Cherokee. Its also much less touristy than Cherokee. I don't even have the name of the real estate company that we used, but I know they no longer handle that particular cabin anyway. We used a reputable company & asked for pictures. I ended up spending a little more money than we had budgeted, but it was well worth the expense.