Where Should we Vacation Next Summer?

[Tigger&Belle]

I'm trying to figure out where we should vacation next summer. I have some thoughts, but thought that maybe some of you could comment on some of my ideas or give some suggestions.

We prefer driving distance from the Washington DC area, so the western half of the country is out (we'd like to go to California, but $ and time off from work would probably prevent us from doing that). Driving distance in our minds would be a good days drive.

This summer we went to Myrtle Beach for a week--we like the beach, but there were so many distractions that we really didn't spend as much time in the ocean. Also, the waves were so small that it was hard to even boogy board.

A beach vacation is possible, but we'd prefer a nice, small town--a town to walk around in, get ice cream, etc, but not lots of amusements. We've been to Bethany Beach, DE before, which is nice, but I'd prefer some other place since my DD will be going to college not far from Bethany and she would be more likely to go with us if it's not near where she'll be living all year.

Maine would be nice--we've never been there and would like to go some time. Would want to either stay at one place for a week and day trip from that home base or maybe split the time in 2 places. Is early August a good time for Maine?

Another idea is Wisconsin. Would be as long as I would want to drive. We lived there many moons ago and would like to show the area to our kids. My DH's family has a cabin that we could stay at for a couple of days (near Racine) but would need ideas of things to do. Would want to visit Madison (where we lived) and the kids would like a Wisconsin Dells water park. Maybe those things, including the drive, would take up a week-long vacation.

Southern Florida would be possible (more than we wanted to drive), but being summer I don't know if that's such a good choice. We'd like to go to the Everglades some time. It would also be hard to be close to Orlando without going there, but my DH really has no desire to do the parks.

Any help with these ideas or any other suggestions?

I'm not happy unless I'm planning a trip so I figure that the sooner I figure out where we'd want to vacation the sooner I can start planning.

Thanks, T&B

 

[Crankyshank]

What about Newport, Block Island, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Bar Harbor, or Cape Cod?

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

We drove to Virginia Beach this summer and rented a house on Sandbridge Beach (a large family vacation). We had a really great time . . .!! It is a nice small private family beach community with mostly rental properties. We hung around the beach during the day and at night we went to dinner and to the Strip (which has a huge variety of discount stores, etc). We also visited Busch Gardens (Williamsburg) Water Country and we went to Motorworld.

Have fun deciding!

 

[puffkin]

How about Cape Cod? Boston also has some great sites. I have also heard the Finger Lakes are nice in New York. Also, there are some nice resorts in the Poconos that are great for families and probably not horribly expensive.

 

[Quackmore]

Maine would be nice in August but the ocean temp. up there is very cold for swimming. I would recommend the Bar Harbor/Acadia national park area of Maine or if you don't have to be too near the Ocean the Sebago Lake area of Maine is nice too! Have you ever considered the Outer Banks of North Carolina? I have never been but that's on my list of places I want to visit.
So many places,so little time right?

 

[Tigger&Belle]

What about Newport, Block Island, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Bar Harbor, or Cape Cod?

Where is Block Island? We've been to (passed through) Newport RI, which was really nice. Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, or Cape Cod would be possibilities since when we've gone to New England before we've skipped those figuring that they would be possible destinations of their own and not something to hit in a day passing through.

I've heard of Bar Harbor--is it an actual town to stay in or an area to check out (if that makes any sense )?

T&B

 

[wenbel]

Bar Harbor is a town to stay in. It is very tourist centered. Maine is nice in early August. I think that Rockland,Maine has a big Lobster Fest around the first week of August. I live in Central Maine and we have white water rafting in our area if you are interested in that sort of thing.

 

[Minnie824]

If you go to Wisconsin, you could go to Lake Geneva. 45 min west of Racine, quaint little town, nice hotel there with an indoor waterpark. Little shops, good restaurant...Popeyes (not the chicken place). Also, you could go to Door County WI...about 4 hrs north of Racine.

If you decide somewhere other than WI, how about Gatlinburg, TN? Lots to do there
Or, could drive to Mall of America in Minnesota, and do things around Minneapolis/St. Paul.

 

[bcvgal]

Anywhere along the North Carolina coast is nothing like Myrtle Beach. Very nice but your not gonna find big waves but the beaches make up for that. One of my fave places is Charleston SC. If you want to be on a beach try Kiawah Island that way you can have lots to do but a great beach too.

 

[Kallison]

Early August is perfect for Maine.

Acadia National Park is awesome, I would look for a house on Mount Desert Island.

 

[Crankyshank]

Block Island is off the coast of RI. It's absolutely breath taking and you can take the ferry over from Newport.
http://www.blockisland.com/

 

[antmaril]

I would like to recommend Northern Michigan. Traverse City, Petoskey, Charlevoix, Mackinac Island. Beautiful. On the water -- lots of small towns for shopping and eating. It's a really beautiful area.

 

[justhat]

We went to Maine in early August 1997 and it was beautiful. I was looking at colleges with my mom, so we didn't really do too much touristy stuff, but we did walk around the little towns a lot, ate at local restaurants-great seafood!-and drove around a lot just taking in the scenary. The weather was great-no humidity at all and temps in the low 80s/high 70s. We went to Lewiston (Maine's 2nd largest city!), Brunswick, and Waterville and flew in/out of Portland (I think, we didn't spend any time there other than the airport) and all of them were very nice places. I'd really like to go back and drive this time (I think it's about 600 miles) so that I could see some places in between, but that might be awhile before it happens since it would mean Madison in the car for 10+ hours!

BTW, we were in Myrtle Beach this summer too-last week of June/1st week of July (and again in mid-April for a week). My mom has a condo there so we go often, and I totally understand what you mean about there being too much to do besides the beach. This summer was the first time we spent lots of time at the pool cause she LOVED the water slides and playing in the pool (not the beach cause she HATED the sand/ocean/everything about the beach unless she was on a towel!).

 

[Quackmore]

Here's a pretty good link to the Bar Harbor/Acadia National park area. It's worth a look. Good luck on your choice of vacations.

http://www.barharborinfo.com/lodging_frame2.html

 

[Allie322]

We rented a house in Corolla NC this summer and it was fabulous, though based on your original post, maybe Duck NC would be better suited for you. Great beaches, warm ocean water, quaint town, a wide variety of rental choices. It was such a nice vacation.

RI and/or Cape Cod are also good choices. Some nice beaches (the water can be chilly), lots of shopping, and close proximity to plenty of rainy day activities.

You are really on the ball planning next year's vacation already!

 

[luvwinnie]

We're going to Maine (Midcoast) next week for the first time. I will give you details when we get back. We are staying at an RV place though, not a hotel.

 

[KellyLynn]

This will be my first post on the Dis , we vacation in Bar Harbor every summer!
The have a wonderful little town with excellent resturants, whale watching, sea kyacking and great little shops. While we camp there there are wonderful hotels right on the water and there is so much to do at Arcadia that we never get bored. Oh and if you like Mini Golf ( I have a 12, 4 and 3 year old that love it) they have a great course called Pirates Cove.

August is a good time to go as it is warmer then and it is the tourist season.
The tourist season starts July 4th.


If you would like I have all my travel guides fom this summer pm me if you would like a list of the hotels in the area or any other information.


That is my dream place to live~!

 

[dcgrumpy]

We rented a house in Ellsworth ME on Branch Lake during the last week of July two summers ago. It's about half an hour or so from Bar Harbour. We'd love to go back.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

We drove to Virginia Beach this summer and rented a house on Sandbridge Beach (a large family vacation). We had a really great time . . .!! It is a nice small private family beach community with mostly rental properties. We hung around the beach during the day and at night we went to dinner and to the Strip (which has a huge variety of discount stores, etc). We also visited Busch Gardens (Williamsburg) Water Country and we went to Motorworld.

Have fun deciding!

Virginia Beach would be a possibility. We went to Busch/Water country this summer before our beach trip and enjoyed that a lot, especially WC.

Thanks, T&B

 

[LBAK]

We love Williamsburg. Walking around at night was so peaceful. DD rode go-karts one night, we played mini golf one night, did a ghost tour one night, etc.

During the day Busch Gardens and Water country USA kept us very entertained as did Colonial Williamsburg. There were tons of restaurants at all prices and types of food. We just love that area to vacation in.