Trips with the kids!

[Rosehip]

So, after several years of being in school, not working, depending on family...I've got a job! And because I'm going to continue living w/family for the time being, I'll be able to save a good bit but also have a nice amount of money to do some fun things. I would REALLY love to take a vacation with the kids. We're very lucky in that relatives have a beach house which we can use, and I've taken a couple of other trips with them.

They're 3.5 & 5.5. They're pretty flexible, helpful kids, so travel reasonably well. I'm looking for ideas.

What sort of trips have you taken with your kids? I'm open to driving or flying, going solo, or maybe with other family or friends... NY, CT, NJ, MA, RI, PA, VT, NH area all within reasonable driving distance.

The kids are pretty good walkers. I'm not too much of a beach/resort person though I can definitely see the appeal with kids. But really, I like to GO - walk, explore, see sights & culture, try new foods, etc. I pretty much expect my kids to do the same, and they generally rise to the occasion insofar as their ages allow.

[meemee]

mama i am on the west coast so dont know details about your neck of the woods.

what dd and i love doing is exploring little towns. we do a little bit of adventure (i do this mainly too to help 'stretch' dd's anxiety). we take a road trip without a plan. we can do this because i have a car big enough for the two of us to sleep in if it came to that.

we first go to a town i want to go to and then i show her the map and let her choose the next one. we explore quaint little shops, check out the museums and other shows. its nice not to have a fixed itenerary. one time i remember we spent a whole afternoon hanging out at a sculpture in a park that dd climbed all over. its nice to have the freedom to move on or stay. i never really focused on children's activity. sometimes for us the locals were much more friendly. so at times we would spend a Looong time at lunch because the owners were talking to us and showing dd around.

so are you headed to the beach house?

if you dont live in NY how about NY city. take them to a children's play.

plan to spend at least a day and night at a really fun hotel and just stay there and have dc enjoy the hotel.

[simplemama32]

I'm down south, so I'm not familiar with that area either, but about a vacation! Yay for you!

DS and I have only gone on a couple vacations, and they've been with family. One was to a resort, but not your typical over-priced, over-crowded resort. This place was basically just a big group of cabins in the mountains, kind of like a state park. It had a decent playground and pool, a nice family restaurant on site, and a general store/ice cream shop with a laundry and basic supplies. There was a TON of nature stuff to do nearby (needed a car for a lot of it, though), so we hiked and explored and hung out at the pool.

The other trip was to a nearby city last spring. We got a room at a hotel downtown that caters to business travelers (so it was all-suite...and cheaper than the hotel across the street with regular rooms & only a few suites). We were able to walk everywhere, and there were lots of play areas, fountains, an aquarium, etc...perfect for DS.

Before I had DS, my mom and I went to Savannah, GA one year for my birthday, and I'd love to take DS one day. It is a FABULOUS place, and I would say there's something for everyone. Art, quaint shops, history, beach nearby-ish (Tybee Island), culture, literary links (like Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil). Anyway, not saying you should fly all the way down here to GA, but I'm sure you could find a similar place near your area...with a great town full of culture, but a beach or kid stuff nearby.

I agree with PP about NYC, too...DS and I are definitely making a trip up there when he gets older. I've also been thinking about something like this? I think it's kind of pricey though...the cheapest I saw was about $140/night.

Something like this looks interesting, too. I love history and gardens, and DS would love the "Enchanted Woods."