What's your favorite family vacation

M

mnglamourgirl

Cathlete
I'm starting to plan our family vacation this summer. Does anyone have a favorite family vacation? We went out to Mount Rushmore 2 years ago and had a great time. We also went up to the North Shore in MN and it was absolutely beautiful.

Thanks for sharing,
Terri
 
Any of the National Parks - Yosemite, Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, Gran Canyon... would be sure winners I would think. Yosemite and Rocky Mountain are two of my favorite National Parks, but I haven't been to Yellowstone or Grand Canyon (I SOO want to hike the canyon!) so there are many options.
 
Hey there Terri! Are you looking for something relaxing or more of something new to see? My favorite place to go to just relax and unwind is Sarasota, FL... Siesta Key is so nice & relaxing. My mom, sister, and I have went there two or three times.
 
Surfside Beach SC...We have Minnesota friends who spent a vactaion there with our family a 4 years ago...and now they go with us every year. It's great! Lots to do, great for kids and adults..and warm! What's not to love?!? If you are going online, look up Myrtle Beach...but for a place to stay look in Surfside. Good Luck and happy vacationing!

Debra

Bite off more than you can chew. Then chew it---Ella Williams
 
Ours is pretty simple b/c it's close but it's Port Aransas, TX. We stay in condos called the Dunes and we all love the beach and the condos. It's only about a 3-4 hour drive from us but it's a tradition for us every year on my bday and my son's bday, which are back-to-back. (sept 30-Oct 1)
 
Hmmm... my favorites are all northwest destinations.

Homer, AK is one of the most beautiful places on earth, lots of kayaking, wildlife tours, hiking, fishing, and good eats up there. I believe you can also get a helicopter tour of the glacier across the bay from the spit...

The San Juan Islands in WA state are magical and relaxing. Kayak, go crabbing, catch a whale-watching cruise, tour a lavender farm and sample the lavender lemonade and cookies, sail, rent one of Suzie's Mopeds and boogie all over the island, visit local wineries, take your bicycles and island-hop for free on the ferries...

But the low-budget option we tend to pick the most often is a simple camping trip to mountain-lake destinations. We love to canoe, swim, hike, mt. bike, and just hang out in front of the campfire, under bright, beautiful stars.
 
This is kind of what we're looking for. I'm considering Yellowstone or Glacier Nat'l Park. We'd like to camp, however, we've never camped before. My mom has a pop-up camper that she'd let us borrow. If we camped in the Yellowstone park, there are no utility hook ups. While that would be fun, I think for our first time camping that may be too much "roughing it" for the kids (11, 8 & 6). I checked out some area campgrounds and KOA on the West Side looked okay. Has anyone camped around Yellowstone?

Terri
 
Every September my husband and I go to Ocracoke, NC. It's an island below Hatteras on the Outer Banks. No chain restaurants or chain hotels, no buildings on the beach, just a nice fishing village with quirky little shops, galleries, restaurants, and 14 miles of seashore. We go kayaking in the sound, take the dogs for very early walks on the beach, look out for dolphins in the ocean, watch amazing sunsets, eat fresh seafood, relax, read, and and totally veg. NO SHOES, No Problem...ahhh, I can't wait until September!
 
Terri-

Yellowstone holds a fond place in my heart -I lived and worked in the park for 8 mo. in 1992. Every weekend on my own I'd go Backpacking, car camping, bicycling, festivals etc.

The KAO in West Yellowstone is very nice. I recall eating KAO's yummy bbq!

YS Park has a variety of lodging (cabins, lodges) that was relatively inexpensive. IMO pop up tenting inside the park would be beneficial, waking up inside the park is awesome and convenient. Especially if you're an early riser. (Road traffic is high during peak season) Have you tried the park's website?

You're kids should love it. We have dreams of taking our 5 yr old daughter there in the future.

Just a note: A woman I met in '92 is working there as a massage therapist at Snow Lodge-driving a snowmobile from Gardner to Old Faithful and back every week.

I love to share Yellowstone memories. Sorry for babbling.

Enjoy your planning. Amy
 
Sedona Arizona! The red rocks are breathtaking and there are numerous hikes to choose from. You are also only a few hours away from the Grand Canyon.

Cheryl
 
My choices are northen MI along Lake MI cause alot of people say it's the best kept secret in the country ( Charlevoix, Petoskey, and Harbor Springs) or Hawaii or Grand Canyon.
 
>Surfside Beach SC...We have Minnesota friends who spent a
>vactaion there with our family a 4 years ago...and now they go
>with us every year. It's great! Lots to do, great for kids
>and adults..and warm! What's not to love?!? If you are going
>online, look up Myrtle Beach...but for a place to stay look in
>Surfside. Good Luck and happy vacationing!
>
>Debra
>
>Bite off more than you can chew. Then chew it---Ella
>Williams

We own a home in Garden City Beach, SC, which as you know is adjacent to Surfside. We've been going there for 40+ years. It has changed so much over the years, but one thing remains constant, it's a great family place!

If you can't find acommodations in Surfside, check out Garden City... it's basically the same thing -- Garden City is about two miles south of Surfside -- they adjoin each other.
 
I'm glad you mentioned that - since MI is so close, I thought about heading to the Upper MI and northern MI - maybe that's where we go...
 
We went to Estes Park, Colorado to the YMCA Camp of the Rockies a few years ago when our children were elementary age. It's like a family camp. You stay in a cabin, the kids walk to day camp every day and there are several daily activites to choose from for the whole family or adults while the kids are at camp. There's a library, putt-putt, hiking, fishing, bike rides, hay rides, etc. And the mountain scenery is beautiful. Lots of fun!

Gin
 
I've camped in Yellowstone and the Tetons. It was a long time ago, but I loved waking up and watching the elk grazing near the campground. Lots of wildlife to be seen. I would suggest, however, if you are going camping, do a dry run first. Maybe a weekend camping trip with the pop up. All you need is to arrive somewhere in the dark, everyone tired and hungry, and not be able to put the danged thing up. You may want to experiment with meals too. We usually take a habachi and grill chicken or hamburgers. I have a small 2 burner propane stove that I cook anything from pancakes to rice on. And don't forget to make lists, more lists and check them repeatedly. What toiletries will you need, a first aid kit, dish detergent, raingear, extra socks, etc, etc. Have fun.
 
I live in Michigan (central lower peninsula) and it can't be beat for a summer outdoor vacation (wait--am I biased?). If you're in Minnesota you might consider a trip to the Pictured Rock National Lakeshore in Munising and then on Tahquemenon Falls, the largest falls east of the Mississippi, after Niagara. Those two destinations are really spectacular.

The other place I've heard is great, but haven't visited yet, is Door County, Wisconsin. That's supposed to be a wonderful family vacation spot, too.
 
I second and third Myrtle Beach. There is so much to do for everyone in the family. I haven't been there in the summer but for the last couple of years we've gone in October to play the miniature golf courses. Ok..we're all adults but we have a great tournament between the 5 of us and they have over 50 of them. Lots of shopping and good food too.

For a lazy vacation, my favorite vacation is to go to St. George Island which is located on the Gulf of Mexico about 1 and half from Tallahassee, FL. There is nothing to do there but play in the surf and watch the dolphins. There are no high rises and no fast food places. Just a great place to relax and recharge.
 
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