Other Vacations than Disney!

[Mulan112501]

I'm starting this thread since Shawna asked me about Hilton Head, and I thought it might be helpful to see where other people go with their kids besides DL/WDW. Am I crazy? Leanne may have me booted! LOL!

We have one daughter who turns 5 this November. We go every year to Hilton Head, usually with some part of mine or my husband's family. We love the downtime. We rent a condo in Sea Pines, right on the sound across from Daufuskie (sp?) Island. There is great beach just out our door, and we always rent something facing the sound. We usually go in the shoulder/off season - so we build lots of sand castles! There are also resident dolphins, so we see those when we get up in the AM until we go to bed at night. There are lots of playgrounds around the island, so we usually take at least 2x day to play. We're also getting into bike riding, and there are great bike paths + the beach.

I'd like to hear what YOU do! This board is GREAT!
Thanks Leanne!

Anna C

[fantasmicmom]

Besides Disneyland, we've done lots in San Diego. We've been to Seaworld, San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, and Legoland. We just started getting into the "big" vacations. Our girls are 5 and 2. My family never went on vacations except camping trips. It was fun and there are good memories, but if it wasn't for choir tours in high school, I would have rarely even left Idaho! I loved the idea of growing up and taking my own family on vacations. We also do a lot of camping, fishing, and just visiting family in other towns.
We would like to take our girls to Texas. A few days in San Antonio for the Alamo, zoo, river taxi rides, and of course, Seaworld. Then we would head to a beach town and see what the Gulf Coast is like. We might do Hawaii in a couple of years too. We really want to try a Disney Cruise and of course WDW.
Portland and Seattle are also really cheap airfare for us and we heard there are fun things to do there like zoos, rose and chinese gardens, children's musuems, etc... We thought it might be fun to stay a weekend there.
We're a young family with more kids on the way so we have lots of vacations in our future. I love planning different vacations, but right now is such a magical age for my kids that Disneyland is their first choice for vacations! That might not always be the case, so I'll cherish it while I can!
By the way Mulan, the place you described sounds beautiful. Where is that at?

[Mulan112501]

Katie -

Hilton Head Island is in South Carolina, roughly between Charleston SC and Savannah GA. We love it.

We LOVE Portland OR! Hubby and I were just there for adults only vacation this May (10 yrs married!) and we are now working on angles to take Miss G (our 5 year old). She loves Shamu whales, and we stay near the coast - in a town called Yachats OR. There is a resident pod of them you can see swim up and down...but at this point I'm not sure she's ready for the natural beauty vacation - and the OR coast is quite cold!

I would say that you might need to be a bit older for Portland - that being said - every child is different so I don't want to be discouraging. There is a great park, the rose garden, etc. There is also fun public transportation with MAX and streetcar. You don't need a car staying downtown. Several play areas downtown, and of course Powell's Bookstore. We bring an extra suitcase for all the wonderful books we get every trip! If you do have a car - you've got the recreation areas around the Dalles, Mt. Hood, and a short trip to Astoria to see the mighty mouth of the Columbia.

We want to do San Antonio too at some point. I went in '86 - many moons ago -but it was great fun. Hubby had a conference there this fall, and we almost went. I had Miss G ready to sign up for a camp at San Antonio Sea World..but we decided to go to HHI instead.

Thanks for latching on to the thread!

Anna C

[fantasmicmom]

Anna, are you guys in South Carolina? If not, what got you started going there? And i'm trying to remember, you're planning a trip to Disneyland, not DisneyWorld? Which one are you closer too?
Oh, thanks for the info on OR. My husband's dream trip is to travel by train all the way along the coastline with stops at national parks and stuff. I also think the kids need to be a little older to appreciate that kind of trip!

[Disney5]

Hi Anna and Katie -
No, Leanne will appreciate this post as well - and I REALLY do! I love DL but I want Morgan to experience as much as possible. DL once a year is a special thing, but I'd really ideally like to have at least one other vacation to another place for her. Next year I'd like to do some beach thing since I'll be more comfortable with her around water by that time.
Roughly what kind of money would you recommend for a vacation to Hilton Head - I think the Dolphins would be a really cool thing!
Houston is one for me, I'd love to take her there and to Galveston (I've seen the dolphins there as we crossed on the ferry!)
Now, Colorado is a wonderful place for kids - you can go to Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods - horseback riding (older kids of course), Cave of the Winds, lots of Indian shows at the mesas there too (I'm not remembering the name of the big one), the Denver Zoo is phenomenal, there's an aquarium there that's rated second best in the country to the Monterey Bay one in California, Elitch Gardens, and the Mollie Brown house (my favorite, can't wait until Morgan is old enough for that!!!) Of course no trip to Denver is perfected until you take your kids to dinner at Casa Bonita (the same place we met up with Leanne and Andy on our last trip back home!) I had my birthdays there every year growing up. That's just a start!

[Mulan112501]

Katie -

We live KY. We got started going to Hilton Head because we had good friends in MI who went there every year, and it sounded fun - so we started going as well. We are planning another trip to DL in Feb 2007. It will be our 3rd time out there with our daughter. We've done WDW - and will again - but right now we're fixated on DL. I think it's partly because DL is easier I think to do with smaller children - and it's something special that our family does that no one else around here thinks about!

Shawna -
From where you are - N Cal - I'm not sure on airfare/car to SC. We drive - and it takes us about 10 hrs to get from our house in KY to Hilton Head. We've spent anywhere from $900 to rent 2 bed/bath beachfront to $3500 for 4 bed/bath (when we've had lots of family staying with us!). We find it reasonable - but we go in the shoulder season - not in the summer. A good place to check is vbro.com - and there are a bunch of other Hilton Head rental spots. Pricing is Sat to Sat. We like the full condo/house thing. I like to cook, and we like the space and having a place to do laundry. There is a Disney Vacation resort on the island - but I've never seen it. It's not beachfront - but I think they do have a shuttle to a beach area.

Colorado also sounds great! My best friend from high school lives in Summitt County - up in the mountains in a cabin her husband built. Someday - I think that would be a GREAT summer vacation!

Anybody else out there with ideas? Let us know!

Anna C

[Tink]

Anna - thanks so much for starting this topic! I would never boot you for that. lol I lived in Sumter South Carolina for a year as a child and we spent a ton of time at Myrtle Beach. I believe the Disney resort is in Savannah, but I am not positive.
Katie - if you really can go to Portland for cheap, you might want to consider it this December! Rent a car and drive to Salem. There is a part of Salem that the city helps people pay to do Christmas lights. Blocks and blocks of lit up houses that are incredibly beautiful! They do Horse Carriage rides through this area. It is definitely a site to see! When we went there was not a house in a several block range that was not decorated.
I am originally from Oregon, and we saw this several years ago when visiting family.
There are a few destinations Andy and I really want to go to with Alex. One is Yellowstone National Park. We both would love to go again, and Alex has never seen it. The other place is Hawaii. I worked for the airlines for almost 10 years and never took that long flight because I hate to fly. One day, we will get Alex there!
When Alex gets older we want to take him to the D.C. area because it is an incredible place to see.
Leanne

[Disney5]

I'd also like to take Morgan to DC - I love that place!!!
So, I don't know why I didn't think of this before, but the area we live in would be a really neat vacation area - I'd say kids 4, 5 and older. Gold rush area and Nevada City is the former capital of California. Old historic victorians - really beautiful and so fun to look at. We have horse drawn carriages that are always running in the downtown area of Nevada City. The neighboring town of Grass Valley (the two are pretty much connected) also has the victorians and a fantastic walk in downtown. There are old mines to visit and camping/hiking trails. A little further south actually has some places where you can pan for gold yourself - and you'll likely find some and can sell it at the store there.
Christmas time is especially fun. In Nevada City they have folks who do the historic dress and carol up and down the main street area on particular evenings throughout the month. Grass Valley shuts down the roads downtown and has the street faire - live music and complete with actual roasted chestnuts - and hot cocoa!
We are one of the very few areas in the country where you can find pasties - a Cornish food that the miners used to eat - kind of a pot pie kind of thing.
It's a very fun and historical trip that kids would really enjoy!

[Mulan112501]

We took Miss G to DC at Easter this year. She REALLY wants to go to NYC - so we thought we would try the urban experience. My Brother in Law also lives in DC - so it was a good chance to see him as well. We stayed in a Marriott connected to the Metro @ Crystal City.

She loved riding the Metro, and did really well navigating the station and using her ticket through the turnstile. Watching her learn subway etiquette was fun - we kept telling her she would lose her seat if she kept getting up - and she did! But only once. From then on she kept planted!

We went to the Natural History museum to see Dinosaur bones and gemstones...we tried to keep it targeted to her interests. It was a little nutty for her - and a long wait sometimes to get to what she wanted to see. The American History museum went a little better - seeing the BIG FLAG (the one from 9-11 at the Pentagon) and the one they are restoring. We also took a BIG walk around the mall - to see how she would do with distances.

Next step is Chicago next spring. Hubby has a conference, and we'll try another urban weekend....

[Tink]

We have a great Holiday event in Castle Rock each year. The annual Star Lighting ceremony. Each November they light the star on Castle Rock and it stays lit until after the Stock Show in January so it can help guide the cowboys home.
The celebration includes carolers, horse drawn carriages, reindeer, Santa, dancers, singers and more. It is a place we love to go to. We took Alex last year for only the 2nd time (the first year he was too young, second year I think we were at Disneyland) and he had a blast. He loved riding the carriages. If you are in Colorado the third Saturday in November, Castle Rock is the place to be!

[Disney5]

Neat ideas ladies! Not this year Leanne, but next year Castle Rock looks good!

[Tink]

Yep, Morgan would love it!

[fantasmicmom]

I feel so stupid. I also love Yellowstone National Park and only live a few hours away and yet we have never taken our girls! We talk about it every year and then we just don't do it! I am definitely going to go next summer, just after DL! Maybe in June or September. There are just so many places I want to go!

[Tink]

lol Katie, why on earth would you feel stupid? We live a short drive from Colorado Springs, yet Alex has been through it on the way to the cabin, but since we always have the dogs with us we have never stopped to take him to all the wonders there: 7 falls, Cave of the Winds, Santa's Workshop and more! Sometimes it is the things closest to us that we neglect to do. lol

[fantasmicmom]

I agree Leanne. You spend all your time planning your trips to the faraway destinations because you think you can go to the ones closest to you anytime!

[Disney5]

I agree Katie! Since Morgan's car sitting time is pretty limited, we've been much better about taking her to see local places (and many we've got visited before either because our work schedules were too ridiculous and the weekends were for rest!)
We're really looking forward to the many things in Colorado we can take her too, especially next summer!
If everyone here posts about what great things they have for little kids locally, we have a bunch of destinations to consider!!!

[Wiggles1]

We have a 26' travel trailer, so when we take a vacation it's usually to national parks. Our absolute favourites are Grand Teton & Yellowstone. We've been to many NPs in the West and now we're just an hour from Glacier NP. It's been kind of a tradition for us to take a 2 week trip north. Now we're so far north that we'll have to travel south to visit Yellowstone -- LOL! But for us, a great family vacation involves national parks. That's our "thing" pretty much. We love to camp, but it's far from "roughing it" when you have all the luxuries of an RV. Every now and then we'll go on what we call a "camping camping trip" like to the beach or something. I guess now that we're in Montana, we'll have to camp at lakes and stuff. Really looking forward to working our way into Canada towards Banff and such!
We've done the other trips like to Disneyland, Sea World, the zoos, etc. We even took our girls back east to Vermont to a place called Smuggler's Notch. It's a family resort and my mom used to take me there when I was little. I was pleasantly surprised to see it was still operating so we could take our girls there. That was about 10 years ago. Anyone been there?

[Disney5]

No Rena - but I want to hear more about Vermont and your trip there. That one really intrigues me, I'd like to try something like that!
As far as camping - any time I don't have hot running unlimited water and electrical, that is roughing it and I can't handle it. Morgan will have to go camping without me if she wants that experience. Hotel rooms are my camping - 1 bathroom to share is roughing it for me! If we could drive to a hotel in the National parks that'd be perfect for me (as long as there aren't too many bugs or bees or wasps...I know...)

[Wiggles1]

Shawna --
Smuggs is a great place with awesome kid's programs! Here's the link -- <A href="http://www.smuggs.com/">http://www.smuggs.com/
LOL @ your idea of roughing it. Actually, it's not bad in a trailer/RV. We have all the luxuries of home pretty much and some of the RV parks are amazing. But if you like national parks, some of them have the most incredible hotels and lodges. Check out the Awahnee in Yosemite or the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone. AWESOME places to stay!

[Disney5]

Thanks Rena! I love your ideas! I'll keep those filed away for future family getaways!!!
I know, my idea of "roughing it" is pretty silly. It's all about bugs and dirt and hot water and electricity for me!

[Tink]

I have done the 'roughing' it before! Sleeping in a tent is a great experience. Once.
We have a 'cabin' now. Actually, we have 2. One is an actuall cabin - no water or toilet, but a warm stove and a roof over our heads and beds to sleep on. The newer 'cabin' is actually a house with two floors. Downstairs it the kitchen/dining area, family room, wood stove, and bathroom. Upstairs is a very large loft where we all sleep.
Andy has done wonders this place. We have running water (not always hot, but I can live with that) and a real toilet!
And of course when you go outside there are acres and acres of beauty, and a view of Pikes Peak.
Now THAT is my idea of roughing it.

[Disney5]

Not always hot....hmmmm. let's see, Shawna won't be visiting you there.

[Tink]

lol Shawna. We do boil water when we need the hot stuff! Like to 'wash' in the mornings. And to wash dishes.
Leanne

[Disney5]

Lol - I will await your return and we can rough it by experiencing the outdoors at the zoo.

[Tink]

Sounds good to me!

[Wiggles1]

Shawna (11/22/2006)[hr]Thanks Rena! I love your ideas! I'll keep those filed away for future family getaways!!!I know, my idea of "roughing it" is pretty silly. It's all about bugs and dirt and hot water and electricity for me! LOL -- sounds like RVing would be your type of roughing it. Most places hav full hook-ups, so electricity is not a problem. The thing I love about traveling in an RV is that your scenery always changes. There is nothing better than stepping out of your RV and taking a look at the Tetons, in my book! Of course, the lodges are just as nice, but costly. Our trailer has 2 bedrooms of sorts. One side is for the kids and has 2 sets of bunks, so everyone has their own bed. The other side has a slide out queen bed, which adds a lot of room. And we have all the other junk like a tub, shower, microwave, TVs, DVD players, usually cable &amp; internet access, etc. I have to admit though, I do miss "camping camping". Rick &amp; I used to tent camp before we got married. It was a great way to get out of our houses for the weekend. Then we went to a pop-up trailer. That didn't have all the luxuries of a regular RV, but it was cool. We loved it because we could physically move it around by hand. You can't do that with a big trailer or motorhome. There was a beach campground called Jalama that we loved going to and some spots were right on the sand. We could wiggle that pop-up into those spots and get really great views of the ocean. The bigger RV you get, the harder it is to move around, so that's a trade off. We're actually on our second travel trailer now. We love it and it's a really fun way to travel with kids because it's relatively inexpensive compared to hotels and such.:)

[Disney5]

Actually your RV sounds pretty darn nice! Now if I could get a great one, I might be a little more inclined to camp! Of course, no camping camping for me. Sleeping with the dirt and in an area accessible to bugs just isn't something I can do.
I do admit though, one of the things I love about Colorado is the mountains and scenery. I love hiking in the mountains. I think growing up with friends and family who had "cabins" (but they were fantastic houses not real cabins) in the mountains we visited and staying at the resorts probably spoiled me.
When I was 8 I went camping in my grandparent's camper - I thought it was so cool - the pull out beds and how small things were. Just a novelty like a playhouse, then I got older!