Where do you vacation when you are not going to WDW?

[jldriscoll]

A third for Cedar Point. Never really thought of it as a vacation because we live close enough to make it a day trip or an over night. Fun, Fun, Fun. With the addition of Camp Snoopy it's even great for the little ones. I haven't been, but Great Bear Lodge is open in Sandusky now. Saw it on the travel channel. Looks like loads of fun too. On the web at http://www.greatbearlodge.com/default.asp

 

[SandraC]

dh and I saw a 30 minute show on the Discovery Channel about Cedar Point. I thought, 'WOW, change of plans!' However, we picked Paramount Kings Island as a mini-trip to (a) save money, already have Paramount seasons passes (b) It's a good 10 hours in the car, a good half way practice for WDW driving trip. Cedar Point is about 6 hours drive for us. I looked into the cost and it's HUGE especially to stay at their resorts, which I would want to do. I think Cedar Point will have to wait for us, when my kids are older. I am looking forward to PKI in July, we booked a nice hotel 4 miles away with free breakky and an indoor pool in case it rains for the duration! Sandra

 

[pooh2001]

Every summer - Lake George, New York in the Adirondack Mts.
We do a boat ride called the Minnie-Ha-Ha (Indian name - not the mouse)
Every year we get our picture taken on the boat.

This year we do WDW then 1 day home and the next day drive to ....
you guessed it , Lake George for the 4th of July.

Warm days, cool nights. boating, swimming, hiking, horse back riding,
water parks, amusement parks, and relaxing in the mountains.
Just the kind of vacation I need after a trip to WDW.
What makes my Lake George Vacation after WDW even more relaxing...
we stay in a cabin with a kitchen and laundry, right on the lake.


Yeah for NY State !

 

[SandraC]

The first time I went to WDW, I was 12 years old. We drove from Montreal and stopped in Lake George (well, not IN THE LAKE) our first night. It was very cool! I loved it! Sandra

 

[B3LM]

Lake George is beautiful! DH was attending training in Schenectady for 5 months back in 1990 during our engagement. We drove to Lake George and spent the day there. We also went to a delicious restaurant that's really popular around there, but I can't think of the name of it. It has a great view of the lake.

Beth

 

[LisaNJ25]

We went to the Outer Banks, NC the first week of April. We rented a Beautiful house in Nags Head right on the ocean. It was a very relaxing vacation.

Lisa

 

[BethC]

We're going to Cedar Point for a couple of days in June - we always stay at the Hotel Breakers and love it there!

In August we're going to WDW, but on the drive home we plan on stopping in Chattanooga for a night or two. My daughter was in a concert this year where they sang the Chattanooga Choo-Choo song and she can't wait to see the real thing!

Last summer we went to Niagara Falls and really enjoyed that as well. Maybe we'll try that again next summer.

 

[docswkids]

We have gone to Cape May Point for the last 3 summers. It is such a quiet, beautiful spot. There is a cute little state park with a lighthouse and a great nature program for kids.

We took the kids to Beaches in Negril, Jamaica 2 years ago and we all loved it. Very expensive, but totally family oriented, great food, excellent childcare available during most of the day and evening included in the price, and absolutely stunning beach. We'd like to try the one in Turks and Caicos sometime.

Hawaii was an excellent place to take kids. There were beaches that had large sand bars protecting them so kids could swim like in a pool. So much to do there and so beautiful.

We took the kids to Jazzfest in New Orleans twice. There is a great kids area with a multitude of activities and entertainment. The music and the food are outstanding. The crowd is a very family oriented bunch. It was not rowdy in the least. There is also alot to do in New Orleans with kids. They have a great zoo and aquarium with a ferry between them. They have many small historical museums, a childrens museum, and interesting touring. The French Quarter is fine if you skip Bourbon Street.

San Francisco is another fun city for kids. Riding the street cars, walking the variety of neighborhoods. We rode bikes across the Golden Gate bridge with a kid in a Burley trailer all the way to Tibouron and took the ferry back to Fisherman's wharf. There are great restaurants including an excellent Chinatown. Just outside of SanFrancisco there are many other wonderful places to go. We loved Point Reyes National Seashore.

Before the kids we went on a trip to the four corners in the southwest and saw Taos, NM, Moab Utah with its amazing mountain biking and beautiful national parks, Mesa Verde, Bryce Canyon, Zion national park, the north rim of the grand canyon, monument valley, etc... We are waiting for our kids to get a little older, because this trip requires a lot of driving to get from one place to the other. I think they would enjoy the sites now, but their long drive tolerance is low.
We love Mount Desert Island in Maine. We just never have two weeks in the summer anymore to make it work with the long drive from Philly.

 

[loriace1]

Speaking of Northern Ohio, Cedar Point is great. We just spent Mother's Day at Great Bear Lodge, also in Sandusky, Ohio. It is a fabulous indoor water park, my kids loved it.

We also love going up to Mackinac Island, Michigan then coming down the west coast of Michigan (Traverse City, Saugatuk, Grand Haven, Dunes) and then finishing up by driving on over to Chicago. Get a lot of variety on that trip, nature and big city fun.

 

[crazyme5kids]

We are going to Baltimore for 4th of July and then over to Penn. (Gettysburg, Penn. Dutch area). I love Washington DC, Up State New York. We might try to go to Mystic Conn. this summer. My one son will be spending two weeks in Penn. at Kean lake with my sisters family, my other son might be going to Mexico with my husband (a work/pleasure trip).

 

[Disneyolic]

We are planning a trip to Baltimore, MD, next month for just a couple days.

We usually go to the Adirondacks (Fourth Lake) every year in July and sometimes in the fall for peak foliage.

Every couple years we go to Ocean City, MD, for my beach fix. I grew up going there every year with my parents and brother.

We plan to go to Las Vegas/California maybe in 2004. We have family in both places. California has a lot to do there - we'll need 2 weeks.

 

[MemereMouse]

We have a summer cottage on a small lake in West Newbury, Vermont which we can use from May to October. It is a wonderful place to relax and let the world go by but it is also close to all the White Mountains of New Hampshire and Green Mountains of Vermont attractions so we can either do nothing but swimming and boating or go all out for a day in the mountains.

 

[sara]

I've heard of Holiday World, B3LM! We live 45 min. from there. Not much of a "vacation" for us, since I take the kids about once a week. It is a great park for younger children. I'm not sure if you know, they have free drinks now. Drink stations are set up all over the park. I've heard, there are sunscreen stations at Spalshing Safari. It really is a fun place to go!!! Have a great time!!!


We'll be going to Nantucket for our family vacation this year.


Sara

 

[elemusing]

There are other places to vacation besides WDW?

 

[goofy4tink]

Our winter vacation favorite, well...after wdw, is my dad's in Pompano Beach. Right on the water. Summertime is Old Cape Cod!! And it has to be the 'outer Cape'. Like Maine too. Just haven't been for awhile now.

 

[Spirit Feather]

Let me know if I can answer any Cincinnati questions for you Cincy bound vacationers. We have annual passes to everything.

We used to live on Chincoteague Island, Virginia. www.chincoteague.com Very lovely place and we love to go back to visit. The ocean front beach is on a National Park so there are no big hotels on the beach, no ugly boardwalk. Just you, the ocean, sand and wild ponies. I know a great little family run hotel that is only $575 for a whole week. This is a nice one bedroom/living room/kitchen place. Only about 7 minutes from the ocean.

This summer I was trying to decided between a trip to Chincoteague Island or Chicago and Wisconsin Dells. DH changed all of those plans, we are now going to Washington, DC. We got a 4-star Hyatt hotel overlooking Capitol Hill for $65 a night and round-trip airfare for $99 per person through priceline. Other than food and the Metro, everything is pretty much free once you get there.

Going back to WDW in March 2003 with my in-laws, including bro-in-law and his girlfriend. Should make for an interesting trip. I am also toying with the idea of planning a youth group trip to WDW in OCT 2003, just so I can go back!

 

[Ratpack]

Myrtle Beach, SC!!! Have to go at least 2-3 times a year.

 

[KJMAX1]

Well duh...if we cant go to WDW we go to Disneyland, where else? LOL Usually we visit family, or go to the ocean for a week.

 

[Baloo]

I grew up in Indiana and have been to KI many,many times but my boys haven't.I think they're old enough now to ride all the thrill rides there.Holiday World was actually closer to home but I've never been there but we been talking about stopping there on one of our trips up to Indiana.The coaster the Raven is one of the top wood coasters in the wolrd! When we take mini vacations we head for the Smokie Mts.,Gatlinburg,Pigeon Forge are all just a short drive.Last summer we went to Atlanta and 6 Flags.Great coasters but yick when it came to cutomer service!

 

[Dismom63]

We rent a house on Cape Cod each summer and this August we are taking the kids to Hawaii! Can't wait - maybe someone has some tips for me ?!
Sharon