Summer vacation suggestions please?

Me and my fiancee are looking for vacation spots within the US. Could you please offer suggestions and as to why you or your family liked them. and not just race tracks or auto museums.

Andrew

Where are starting from?

How long do you have?

How do you want to arrive?

What do you like to do?

How much money do you want to spend?

Ages?

I guess those questions will do for a starter.

Oh, let's add when do you want to go?

My favorite was the Gettysburg tour. But seeing as you're in PA, I'm assuming that wouldn't interest you all that much. I can't add any personal experience, but from everything that I've heard, I'd recommend Mackinac Island.

Head to Asheville,North Carolina and take a tour of Biltmore house. It'll take all day. Next day drive south on the Blue Ridge and head over to Gatlinburg. It's tacky but there are some neat shops to wander around in.We stayed in Pigeon Forge for a couple of days and took in a couple of the local shows (Louise Mandrel was great!) and hit every kart track in town with my son. Then on to the Jack Daniels distillery and stayed at the Opryland Hotel. THAT's an impressive hotel ! Next day we went north to Bowling Green,Ky. and hit the Corvette museum (you have to hit one thing involving cars). Onward north to Georgetown, Ky. and visit the downtown antique district and ,maybe, a horse farm. After that we headsed home to Michigan. It was a nice blend of different things to keep me, my wifew and a 17 year old amused.

I am very fond of the outerbanks of North Carolina. Take in the Wright Brother's museum, then sit back and do nothing for a week

I love Maui! I've been 4 times and can't wait to go back. It's one of the most beautiful places we've been. The snorkeling is amazing and there is lots to do. I even went to an autox (only watched since the rental car wasn't up to it).

My wife an I had a good time in New Orleans when we went for a 4 day weekend and just walked around the city etc.

Heading to Chicago in the Summer can be a blast. Try to work your trip around one of the festivals they have downtown. (Bluesfest, Jazzfest, Taste of Chicago, etc) There are endless things to do, fantastic museums and some of the best food and live music on the planet. It is also a very friendly big city, and chances are folks will treat you well.

A couple of years ago we drove out to the Badlands in SD - then to Mt. Rushmore - took in the sights and kept going - got to Yellowstone and spent some time there - back in the car and went down to Arches Natnl Park in Utah - then to Zion. Packed up and on to Arizona - stopped in at the Hualapai nation and went rafting down the Colorado - took a helicopter back to the top. We left Arizona, went up to Colorado and poked around Pike's Peak and Estes Park. Huge trip - incredible sites and didn't cost all that much.

Door County, Wisconsin. You can even take the Badger ferry across Lake Michigan on your way there. "Travel to Door County - its where rich people from Chicago spend their summers"

RossD wrote: Door County, Wisconsin. You can even take the Badger ferry across Lake Michigan on your way there. "Travel to Door County - its where rich people from Chicago spend their summers"

We go all the time. This will be a down year for us. I tried to be a docent for one of the light houses, but I think my Illinois address makes the Wisconsin people bump me out.

NEXT summer I do Yellowstone and everything in between.

My family (me, wife, two kids under 5) and the wife's entire extended family (mom, stepdad, step-siblings, sister, nephew, brother-in-law, grandmothers, etc) are headed to the beach (Destin area, gulf of mehico) this summer. We rented two houses for all of us to hang out in, and it seemed to us like we got a pretty decent deal- what with splitting the rental costs up, etc, it works out to like $75 a night for what appear to be pretty nice accomodations. We'll see.

I'm actually pretty excited- we've not taken a "family vacation," um, ever. Last time the wife and I went anywhere was a little 2-night getaway before our two-year-old was born, and before that it was our honeymoon in 2002. :|

Smoky mountains. Tons of outdoor sports, museums, driving roads, theme parks, shopping places, the weather is awesome in the summertime.

All good suggestions, please keep it coming. At some point, but not this summer i'm thinking starting route 66 in chicago and driving south. This summer I dunno. I don't mind travel, though my fiancee is pregnant so driving is much easier then flying, but I've driven to colorado twice and don't mind a long drive.

Andrew

In reply to DeadSkunk:

Having been to all those places that is cool trip. Hit up the Corvette Museum. I live near there and it never gets old. If you are near the Jack Daniels distillery, you might as well head a little further South and hit the Space And Rocket Center in Huntsville.

From PA, I have driven to a bunch of great family vacations.

DC - In the summer, DC can be a real blast. All the museums are free, there are a lot of great places to eat (Old Glory Tavern in GTown has awesome BBQ) the new Air&Space out near Dulles is amazing. Stay outside of the city at a place with a pool, and ride the Metro in. The zoo is nice, walking the mall is nice, touring the White House is an experience. Kids can even learn stuff.

Colonial Williamsburg - My 10-year old daughter loved it, went back for a second day. We hit Busch Gardens and Water Country, and of the three she chose Williamsburg for the go-back. You can rent period costumes, learn all about early settler life, and the history of the revolution.

Busch Gardens/Water Country/Kings Dominion - All three are in the same basic vicinity and all three offer a great alternative to flying to Disney. All three parks are fun and family friendly, and the area offers lots of hotels and restaurants and things to do (putt putt golf, ice cream, etc). There are historic attractions (see above) and even the naval yards.

Baltimore Inner Harbor - Nice for a weekend trip, you can hit the aquarium, do some shopping, and eat until you explode. Or add it to a DC trip or a Gettysburg trip.

Cedar Point - Great coasters, lots to do in the area, a must-see.

Splash Lagoon - another weekend trip, try an indoor water park. The lagoon is in Erie PA, but there are others around. Book a family suite complete with a king bed and bunk beds and an indoor connection to the pool area and your kids will never forget it. Order Pizza in the room!

Outer Banks, NC - we go every summer and either rent a house with a few families, or a condo for just us. I recommend Duck or Corolla, but everywhere is pretty nice. Easy drive, and a nice laid-back place with no highrises or boardwalks. Still plenty to keep the rugrats happy though.

Outdoor - Rent a cabin in Hocking Hills, OH (leave the kids at home) and go hiking, go rafting at Ohiopyle or the Cheat River, hit some national parks, tour Gettysburgh, run Skyline Drive and then see some battlefields. The Poconos. The Adirondacks. The Smokey Mountains. The are all memorable.

The Keys - Fly to Miami and rent a convertible and drive to Key West. You are required to do this before you die...or you lived in vain.

Nashville, TN - Stay at the Opryland Hotel, which is a vacation in itself. See some shows, tour some stuff, see the big ball of twine...all fun stuff.

Disney - Despite the corporate overlords who compel you to go, Disney is a really fun trip. I recommend staying on-property at an All-Star resort and getting a meal plan and making meal reservations for everything. Then sit back, relax, see all the park has to offer, and never wait in line or pull your wallet for anything.

+1 on New Orleans too. Awesome city just be careful were you go in the city. I have to say the Opryland Hotel is about the only thing worth seeing in Nashville in my opinion and there are some good places to eat.

How about New England? You can do a week between Boston and Cape Cod for a great mix of history, activities and beaches. If you want to get further away you can take a trip up the coast of Maine enjoying the breathtaking scenery, lobsters, B&Bs up to Acadia national park, then on the way home, cut across the top of NH on the Kankamagus highway and across Vermont. Stop in Burlington on Lake Champlain, then stop over in Lake Placid, NY, then head down the northway back to PA. - It is a trip I'll do with my GF in the next few years in my MGA.

pinchvalve wrote: From PA, I have driven to a bunch of great family vacations. DC - In the summer, DC can be a real blast. All the museums are free, there are a lot of great places to eat (Old Glory Tavern in GTown has awesome BBQ) the new Air&Space out near Dulles is amazing. Stay outside of the city at a place with a pool, and ride the Metro in. The zoo is nice, walking the mall is nice, touring the White House is an experience. Kids can even learn stuff. Colonial Williamsburg - My 10-year old daughter loved it, went back for a second day. We hit Busch Gardens and Water Country, and of the three she chose Williamsburg for the go-back. You can rent period costumes, learn all about early settler life, and the history of the revolution. Busch Gardens/Water Country/Kings Dominion - All three are in the same basic vicinity and all three offer a great alternative to flying to Disney. All three parks are fun and family friendly, and the area offers lots of hotels and restaurants and things to do (putt putt golf, ice cream, etc). There are historic attractions (see above) and even the naval yards. tour Gettysburgh,

FWIW, we did this family vacation with all of the above in one week. Best vacation I've ever had.

Right now one of my "dream" vacations is Dallas to Lime Rock for the Vintage Festival. Hit Pat's and Geno's for some sammiches. Gettysburg and NASM. The Herreshoff Museum (I like sailboats and the America's Cup boats of yore). Then up to Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome for one of their Saturday air shows (they do WWI to 20's and 30's aircraft). After Rhinebeck, shoot across to Watkins Glen then cannonball back to Dallas. Unfortunately do not have the time or money for said trip at the moment. While shooting up the coast, finding the best mom and pop seafood along the way.

EDIT: I just realized there's a vintage race at the Glen in the summer so that trip could be broken into two. Upper New York state has got to be better than Dallas in the summer.

Depending on how far along your fiance is, I would ask her what she would like to do...walking around preggers in the heat won't make for a fun time for either of you.

Maybe a train ride in the NW,Napa or through the Rockies?Fly into LA, rent a car and hit PCH to SF..spend a few days and fly back?

If you enjoy camping & mountain biking,Tsali is good. It's also close to the Tail of the Dragon.

Take a vintage car... start at Front Royal, VA and take Skyline Drive to Waynesboro, and then drive the whole length of the Blue Ridge Parkway, taking time to stop at exhibits and overlooks. Hit Biltmore, etc...

I also enjoyed flying into Miami, renting a car, renting a houseboat in Key Largo for a few days, then driving to Key West... again, taking time to play tourist along the way. From Key West, took a cat to the Dry Tortugas National Park for a great day of snorkeling, did a daylong sail and kayak trip, and a sunset sail. None of this might be really enjoyable to a pregnant wife though...

A little outside of your "US" request, but Bermuda is under a 2 hour flight out of Philly... and has plenty of inexpensive guest houses, great public transportation, etc. Weekly cruises out of Baltimore now as well.

For your Route 66 trip, take a look at what my non-mechanically inclined wife and daughter did a couple summers ago in a Corvair-powered VW Westy: http://www.fnader.com/TRIP.htm

Have fun! Bill

Durango, Colorado for the train ride, then rent a Jeep and drive over the mountain pass into Telluride. Visit during the bluegrass festival, if you're into that. The 4-wheeling will make the trip worth it. That, and the beauty of the Rockies. I'm sure there are many other things to do in southern CO.

I thought I would berkeleying hate New Orleans. I berkeleying loved New Orleans. All depends on what you like I guess. If you like incredible architecture, music, art...not to mention keeping a 48 hour steady, even buzz, with INCREDIBLE food to maintain levels of inebriation, New Orleans is for you.

Eat breakfast at Mother's.

Montana/Yellowstone.

We are already have a vacation planned to Vegas in July.

But I'm hoping we will still be able to take another road trip up there this year as well. Spent some time in Great Falls, MT and Gardiner, MT before we went into Yellowstone (sadly only for a day)

If not this year, next year. I'm absolutely in love with that part of the country.

If I was single, I'd probably already be there.