Where else do you vacation?

[klfrech]

I'm sure where to post this question, but I thought I'd start here.
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.

 

[Disneylvr]

We have very limited amount of vacation days and most of them are spent in WDW! But we take an ocassional car trip down to Branson, MO and Table Rock Lake. Next year we plan to visit Washington DC for the first time.

 

[swclark]

Nothing compares, as you well know - but in the summer we do the "driving" vacation. Not sure where you are.. but will let you know anyway. We try and combine the fun (parks) and educational (history) and even it all out. Some of the places we have gone are:

Hershey, Gettysburg, etc. There are lots of little things to do here and there is Hersheypark, a zoo and a water park (gettysburg and some other places are an easy day trip).

Williamburg, VA. Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens, Water Country, etc. There are also other side trips here as well.

Washington, DC. Big on history, easy to get around, there is a 6 flags about an hour away in MD, also Baltimore aquarium, Fort McHenry, etc. is pretty close for a day trip as well.

This year we went to NYC (felt we should spend the $$ there)l.. but the kids are older now. No amusement parks, but lots of fun and plenty to do with museums, baseball, muscials, etc.

We are looking for a summer destination for next year. The rest of the family does like the beach thing (though not me, I also felt caged on the cruise) so we are considering Myrtle Beach .. but my additions would be Charleston and some other surrounding towns (husband is civil war buff as well). The other consideration is Cedar Point Ohio (big amusement) and also some history.

We have also gone to CA and to disneyland, universal and hollywood, LA and Palm Springs, type stuff (nothing real educational there, but was fun just the same . And went to San Diego (zoo, wild animal park, seaworld, etc., as well as lots of history)

 

[aring75]

Have you tried DL/Cali Adv? I have never been, so I am unfamiliar with the similarities, but DCA seems to be very different from anything WDW has. Just a thought. . .

 

[scarlett873]

you mean, there are other vacation destinations out there?

 

[Tikiman]

Hawaii, Tahiti, Fiji, Southern California and Lake Mead/ Las Vegas.

 

[skiwee1]

We take plenty of vacations. Since DH doesn't like WDW, I go with my toddler and mother. We go to WDW 2-3 times a year. As a family, with just DH and kids, we go snow skiing in the winter for a couple of weeks. We also go to the ocean 2 weeks a year in the summer. DH only goes one of those weeks and then I take my mother with me and the kids for the second week. DH and I go to Atlantic Ciry every month for 3-4 days in the fall and winter also. Just us two and it is great! DH and I also go somewhere farther away once a year. This year it is going to be the Carribean. So WDW is just one small vacation out of all of them.

 

[anniet]

We go to Disney World in the Winter (most of the time) and in the summer we head to the mountains and go hiking/visit museums, stuff like that.

We just came back from a 2 week driving vacation. We visited Lake Champlain, Lake Placid, Burlington Vermont and Franconia NH.

But we are in Massachusetts. Don't know where you are, but find something that you do like to do, (as much as Disney, although I can't imagine that, so ALMOST as much as Disney) and do it!

 

[ducklite]

In the past few years, I/we/DH&DS have been to:

Alberta--the Canadian Rockies-simply gorgeous! Lots of things to do in Calgary, Stampede week is a hoot! West Ed Mall has a great indoor waterpark, ice rink, shopping, some rides, lots of fun. And the mountains,Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, WOW! We're already booked for next July.

Las Vegas, need I say more.

Indy Speedway, Saturn Plant in Spring Hill, Bud Brewery--DH and DS did this male bonding testosterone trip and left me at home.

Mirror Lake Inn, Lake Placid, a perennial favorite

Miami--not my first choice

Vero Beach, Disney service without the parks and characters, a nice change of pace

The CT shore

Burlington, VT, pretty and interesting

Boston

Gettysburg

Cleveland/Cedar Point

Kings Island

-Anne

 

[DisDee]

This year we are going to NC Outer Banks. We've been to Niagara Falls, Finger Lkes in NY, Hershey,PA, Williamsburg, Mystic, Conn., Carnival Cruise to Canada, most recently a long weekend in NY at the Mohonk Mt. House. We're hoping to do a National Park tour(inspired by the Wilderness Lodge) and a cruise to Alaska(maybe for our 30th.) We havent't been extravagant with our vacas, but like to get away several times a year.

 

[Lisa P.]

In the last few years, besides Orlando, our family has also spent wonderful weeks in:

--- Williamsburg/Virginia Beach VA (history, theme park, fishing, beach, museums, resort activities)
--- Marco Island FL (fishing, crabbing, swimming, sailing, airboat rides, resort activities)
--- Hilton Head SC (fishing, crabbing, swimming, kayaking, dolphin watch, resort activities)
--- NYC (landmark sightseeing, museums, central park, shopping)
--- Gatlinburg TN (touristy sights, museums, theme park, water park, hiking in the Smokies, swimming, fishing, resort activities)
--- quieter mountain resorts in TN, GA, NC (hiking to waterfalls, canoeing, rafting, biking, fishing, mini-golf, resort activities)
--- Caribbean cruise (loved the snorkeling and the dinners)

Our plans in the next few years include weeks in:
--- Washington DC
--- Las Vegas/Sedona AZ/Grand Canyon
--- San Diego/Anaheim CA
--- more visits to Orlando & Smoky Mountains (very near home, lots of fun for us!)

We don't have specific plans but would also love to visit, someday:
--- Niagara Falls & Quebec City
--- Alaska (the land tours sound better than the cruises!)
--- some of the castles of Europe and revisit Munich, Athens, Paris (DH & children have not been)
--- several Islands of Hawaii (Oahu/history, Kauai/waterfall hiking, Big Island/Volcano Nat'l Park)
--- sailing in the Caribbean
--- whitewater rafting trip in Colorado
--- Yellowstone in WY & Big Sky MT
--- San Francisco/Monterey, Yosemite & the Sequioas in CA
--- Whistler/Banff (sp?) in western Canada
--- Great Wall of China

If you like watersports, consider Mexico's many busy, coastal tourist cities. If you're an active family with no small children, consider an adventure vacation, like whitewater rafting or a large dude ranch. If money is not a big concern, look into safari adventure trips in South Africa or a huge array of vacation options in Australia!

 

[kellympmo]

We like to be on the go as well--beaches do not work for us. We went to Colorado last summer & had the greatest time. Hiking, horseback riding, white water rafting, hitting a rodeo, etc. We have also been to Europe a few times (Ireland, England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland) on a shoestring and have seen so many cool things and met interesting people. (If you hit it at the right time--it can be even cheaper than a deluxe WDW vacation.) Also love Wash DC & Vegas.

Good luck!

 

[Jubaby]

I also vote for NYC. We went this summer and had a blast. I walked so much my feet felt like I was at WDW. We did Broadway plays, museums, shopping, landmarks, and many great restaurants.

Our family is wanting to plan a trip to Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens, Washington DC.

Next summer when visiting our parents in West Virginia we are going to go to Kennywood Park in Pittsburgh, Hershey, and go up to Niagara Falls.

 

[jlb]

Disney in the fall and Key West in the spring...we have also gone to Dominican Republic. My husband and I are thinking of taking a Disney break next fall and check out Beaches in Jamaica or trying a cruise.

 

[Krissalee]

DH and I have been bit by the travel bug! There are so many places we want to go! We try to get away 2-3 times a year for at least a week, and we plan many weekened trips in between.

In the past 4 years we have been married, we have been to:

WDW
The Florida Keys (yearly with my parents and sisters)
California (San Francisco, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Sonoma & Napa)
Alabama
St. John in the Carribbean (Honeymoon at Caneel Bay)
The Outer Banks of North Carolina

Next month - Alaskan cruise!

We have spent weekends (or long weekends):

NYC
Baltimore
Boston
The Castskills (my folks have a cabin up there)
Hershey, PA (my sister worked at Hotel Hershey)
Lancaster, PA (I went to college near-by)
Camping in Vermont

I am always planning the next trip!

Krissy

 

[gm]

besides disney we like San Antonio!! It is so fun there with the riverwalk and Fiesta during April and of course the Alamo. You won't believe how many stars I have seen there. On the riverwalk I saw tom cruise and nicole when they were married, jane seymor, sheila on y&r and b&b, and a few others that I cant remember but were famous. Most of them were either shopping at rivercenter mall or walking down riverwalk and oh I saw a antonio banderas with the kids at Fiesta Texas theme park.

We also like to go to Las Vegas and London-we got relatives there so no hotel expenses but airfare ranges from $300+.

been there done thats and wouldnt go back because $$$$$$ are -Africa(safari and stayed at the Mt Kenya Safari park and lodge and Mombasa(the carribean of Africa-beautiful beaches and resorts). India-stayed in Bombay for 2 weeks and also Amsterdam-beautiful place but cold.(these were before the disney got all my money lol!!!)

 

[jaguar9748]

Cruising - it is the best!!! It's almost better than Disney - almost!! I know, I shouldn't say that!! I've been on 5 cruises - go every year and I haven't had a bad one yet. St. Thomas is my favorite place, but I also loved Royal Caribbean's private island of Coco Cay.

 

[DisneyAlly]

We just went to Grand Canyon and Las Vegas May this year. We had a wonderful time! Grand Canyon was unforgetable - it felt almost like a religious experience after leaving Sin City, Las Vegas! Actually, Las Vegas reminded me a bit of Epcot WS - oohh...don't flame me on that... But then how can I not compare. You get to experience Venice, Paris, Egypt, New York, Bellagio, Monte Carlo and more all in one day! And we were pigging out at different resort restaurants everyday!

 

[ncligs]

gm,

We also went to San Antonio this July. My cousin lives there and owns the Holiday Inn by the airport(Comfort Suites). So we got to stay there for 6 days. We did the RiverWalk and Alamo,IMAX, etc.
We are also going back next July

We also went to the NC Outerbanks the last week in July for a week. We had 19 members of our family rent an 8BR house on the ocean(split 5 ways )

And we always go to Vero Beach(FL) every yr. And at least 1 trip to WDW (OKW).We don't like to drive over 5 hrs, so we always get good fares over the internet for our travels.

 

[PatriciaH]

Since the 7 years my DH and I have been together we have been to Mexico two times (Cancun and Playacar), Las Vegas (to see O and Mystere), San Diego (and Disneyland), Miami (two times), Key West, Newport, RI, New York (many times I am from NY), Turks and Caicos (5 year anniversary), Vermont, Baltimore, MD and WDW four times (5 in November). We really love to travel! Next year we are moving to Orlando and hope to get a 3 or 4 night Disney cruise in. We are also dying to go back to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. We love Mexico and the Mexican people. There is so much to do there and the beaches are beautiful. We also want to see Europe (I have only seen Ireland, DH Spain), India, Hawaii, Alaska, Africa, Costa Rica, South America (esp Peru, Brazil and Columbia), New Orleans, more of California (DH's sister lives here and we have a free air ticket coming up), Japan, Bali, Australia and New Zealand. Whew! I am SURE I have left out many places. Travel is easy for us now we are DINK's but I have no problem draging children along for the ride. I think travel is the best way to learn.