"Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

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ThankYouJack
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"Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by ThankYouJack »

What have been some of your favorite family vacations (ideally in the States) and what age do you think is ideal for kids to do that sort of trip?
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AnnetteLouisan
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by AnnetteLouisan »

Hershey Park and Lake George were pretty cool. Rowing in the lake, camping overnight, visiting the Hershey Factory. Learning that raccoons really like Oreos too, after they wash them by the lake….
Ages 6-10.

- Hiking in the Everglades was pretty cool. Being given a bag of oranges and grapefruits as a welcome upon arriving in Florida by train (I doubt they do that anymore).

-Skiing (or trying to) at an upstate Ny resort that had 11 feet deep manmade snow.

- Washington DC, seeing the Smithsonian, Library of Congress, Washington Monument, Capitol and Lincoln memorial.

- Niagara Falls, taking the Maid of the Mist boat beneath the falls. Seeing all the trees up north.

-Whale Watching off Montauk.

-Mad fishing in Key West. Watching dad try to crack open a coconut. Seeing huge fish hung upside down.

- seeing cactii and tumbleweed and wading in the “washes” in Arizona. Eating burritos (back before they were popular and widely marketed in the Northeast) in New Mexico.

We went to Disneyworld but that wasn’t one of my favorites, although I had fun.

All these are good for ages 6-10.
Last edited by AnnetteLouisan on Wed Jul 06, 2022 2:24 pm, edited 13 times in total.
Johndoefire65
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Johndoefire65 »

Black Hills SD. Varity of things to do. Not a ton of driving. Not that crowded (unless you go during sturgis rally).
ktdintex
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by ktdintex »

As a kid who had no interest in the outdoors, the only vacation I remember from junior high was visiting Yellowstone. Seeing bison and elk was amazing, along with the geological formations.
Mother Biggles
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Mother Biggles »

1) Backcountry weeklong camping trip with family - hired a guide to hike and camp along the Eastern Sierra mountain range.
2) Photography tour to Iceland - hired a photographer and toured all around.
3) Photography tour to Yosemite. Hired a photographer and toured all around.

I like photography, I like the outdoors, and I like camping. Daughters did not like Iceland. It was cold. Went in the winter to increase chances for Northern Lights. Saw them but seemed more dramatic on photographs and less in real life. They did not like the time change and did not like the cold. In retrospect ... probably better to take such tours with people who are into photography or adapt the tour to the desires of those in your party.
matti
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by matti »

Johndoefire65 wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 12:45 pm Black Hills SD. Varity of things to do. Not a ton of driving. Not that crowded (unless you go during sturgis rally).
Same here.
huzen
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by huzen »

My own childhood travel memories ages 6-12 include seeing fireflies, walking up inside a striped lighthouse, a storm on the Outer Banks, seeing the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean, seeing/hearing Niagara Falls and thinking about going over in a barrel, standing at the base of a NYC skyscraper and looking up, being on a car ferry in Alaska and seeing a glacier and the sun never setting. I remember when I was a teen I thought that my parents should have taken me to Disneyland (they had, but I was too young to remember it).

My own kids enjoyed seeing Redwoods, Oregon Dunes, Maui (snorkeling, whales, turtles, fruit), camping, any beach, any waterfall, any cool public park, any amusement/water park, train/trolly/airplane rides, any candy/ice cream shop. Ages 6-12. Younger kids will have fun but won't remember.

Once they're 12+ ask them where they want to go. Mine especially liked a trip to NYC that they requested and planned ages 13 and 17.

Yellowstone is an amazing place to take kids.
psteinx
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by psteinx »

Parents of younger kids are often eager to start something like this - "epic" memories/trips.

But really, kids' long-term memories of stuff like this are fairly weak before a certain age - 8 or 9 or thereabouts. Also, kids < 8 have limited endurance, walking ability, etc.

From 8+ though, sure.

That said, not sure trips need to be "epic"/expensive/far from home to be memorable. Camping in the woods/mountains, beach visits, visits to nearby cities can also be pretty memorable, plus convenient and not so expensive.
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marti038
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by marti038 »

Here's some we've done in no particular order:

DisneyWorld - The kids (10 & 7) love Disney, but I didn't exactly love it either time we went. My wife and our kids would call it their favorite vacation. It would be my least favorite, but I did enjoy it for the most part. My wife went to Disney a good bit growing up and she's always looked forward to taking her kids there. So it's a 10 for her and about a 4 for me, but I try to be a good sport.

Grand Circle Loop - We spent 10 days in October 2021 going from Las Vegas to N. Rim Grand Canyon to Monument Valley to Mesa Verde (skipped Arches and Canyonlands because we hit them in a previous trip) to Capital Reef to Bryce to Zion to home. This was loved by all. My parents (both 73 at the time) went on this trip too and I think it will be one of the most memorable because we had three generations together.

Jackson/Tetons/Yellowstone - Also an epic trip in July 2020. We were in Jackson on the 4th which was really unique for a family of southerners. Be sure to check out the Jackson Rodeo. This is my son's favorite trip after Disney. We had my wife's parents on this trip and it will also be special to us forever.

San Francisco/Sequoia/Yosemite - Just did this a month or so ago. The kids were not as impressed with Yosemite as I thought they'd be, though they loved a rafting rental we did on the Merced River. Yosemite is my favorite park when you get away from the crowds which is easier said than done. The kids were blown away when we drove past the first sequoias which is a memory I'll treasure forever. I was really glad to have a rental with a sunroof in Sequoia NP.

DW and I toured Glacier NP with a drive up to Banff and Jasper in 2011, about a year before our first child was born. It remains my favorite vacation and one that we will certainly do again with kids in tow.

Planning on touring Washington State NP's in 2023. Probably Colorado in 2024.
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MarkRoulo
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by MarkRoulo »

ThankYouJack wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 12:21 pm What have been some of your favorite family vacations (ideally in the States) and what age do you think is ideal for kids to do that sort of trip?
My wife and I raised our son with travel as something that one just did (yes, we are privileged).

And our first big trip was to London -- which was NOT the plan, we intended to work up to longer trips.

He was 2 1/2 when we went to London and probably doesn't remember much of it. But ... we (and he) still had a good time there and then.

So ...
  • Pick trips that you think will be fun at the time, not just after the fact. It is important to enjoy the "now" not just build memories
  • Do not expect the kid to enjoy the trip as much as you want them to. If they don't this should be your problem, not theirs.
  • Many of the "epic" events are geared towards adults (e.g. visit the Louvre or Santorini) than children. Kids don't do epic.
I don't know that we took many "epic" trips. London a few times was fun. We went to Stockholm to visit a Swedish friend who had worked as an au pair for a couple down the street. My son is into baseball so we've caught baseball games in a number of states. The baseball often has additional activities nearby (e.g. Minneapolis has a flour mill museum, Atlanta has the Coke museum, Baltimore and Sacramento have excellent train museums ...)

But, basically, kids have individual interests. A non-sports oriented child would have found many of our trips boring (and, also, we would have taken different trips if we had a different child).

Still:
  • Air and Space museums are often fun. Boeing has an excellent one near Seattle. Huntsville has one more focused on rockets.
  • New York City is worth a few days: Times Square, The USS Intrepid, the Natural History Museum, the Empire State Building
  • If you get anywhere near Des Moines, their Living History Farms consumed an entire day and we only left because they were closing
  • If you don't have one near you, a big state fair (e.g. Minnesota State Fair) is totally worth doing
  • The Luray Caverns are fun for kids (select the kids version of the audio tour; select this even if you are an adult)
  • We enjoyed downtown Seattle a long time ago; I don't know about now ...
  • Taking an Amtrak sleeper car trip is worth doing once. One day is fine.
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AnnetteLouisan
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by AnnetteLouisan »

Tulsa OK has a very interesting museum of the Native American, funded by the Kravises. “Epic” for many preteens and teens has to involve dolphins, whales, alps, stalagmite caves, teepees, waterskiing, pyramids, hang gliding or space. 😁
huzen
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by huzen »

psteinx wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 2:57 pm Parents of younger kids are often eager to start something like this - "epic" memories/trips.

But really, kids' long-term memories of stuff like this are fairly weak before a certain age - 8 or 9 or thereabouts. Also, kids < 8 have limited endurance, walking ability, etc.

From 8+ though, sure.

That said, not sure trips need to be "epic"/expensive/far from home to be memorable. Camping in the woods/mountains, beach visits, visits to nearby cities can also be pretty memorable, plus convenient and not so expensive.
I agree. The memories are often from family rituals. We always get special junk food. We always play certain travel games. We have running jokes. We look for the same things everywhere we go (rocks, birds, those souvenir coin machines).

Other memories come from seeing something out of the ordinary (alligators, a geyser, a cactus...) or from the experience itself when they're older (river rafting, ziplining, navigating the NYC subway system)
Wannaretireearly
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Wannaretireearly »

Asked my 13 year old son, trips 5-10 years old:

First trip to India, one via Dubai (pool pics, aquarium, buffets - Chinese food! Camel ride, 4WD drives on the desert)

Second trip to India (Taj Mahal, Wedding, nine checked bags! 13 total), Thailand on way back (jacuzzi tub, pothole accidents (don’t ask), lobster dinners)

Hawaii - Kuaii. Too many old ppl. Helicopter tour, kinda remembers it.

My only real travel memory 6-12. Trip to Kenya via Memorable Egypt stopover. Staying with family friends. Return trip where we hosted them in the UK and we all went to isle of white
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Duckie
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Duckie »

Wannaretireearly wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 4:54 pm Second trip to India (Taj Mahal, Wedding, nine checked bags! 13 total), Thailand on way back (jacuzzi tub, pothole accidents (don’t ask), lobster dinners)
Pothole accidents?? I'm asking.
Wannaretireearly
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Wannaretireearly »

Duckie wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 5:17 pm
Wannaretireearly wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 4:54 pm Second trip to India (Taj Mahal, Wedding, nine checked bags! 13 total), Thailand on way back (jacuzzi tub, pothole accidents (don’t ask), lobster dinners)
Pothole accidents?? I'm asking.
More open gutter, than pothole. Second, younger kids leg slipped thru while crossing street at night to our hotel. Luckily didn’t require ER, but still very painful for him. Lesson learned, watch out walking at night, especially in Asia.
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BrightEyes
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by BrightEyes »

I think the real key is to know what your kids, your family are interested in and what they think is special and amazing and fun. Ask them what their dream vacation would be— not promising anything, just having the conversation. Notice what kinds of books, movies, tv shows they like, what they are excited to tell you about what their friends are doing / where they are going. Do they like lots of people around, loud music, bright lights? Nature, animals, history? Are they (and you parents!) physically active? Able to sit quietly? What do each or all of you enjoy and where do those enjoyments intersect?

Taking someone who would happily wander all day through an art museum or department stores for a hike through the Grand Canyon might be memorable for them, but perhaps not a pleasant memory.

I don’t think my (now adult) children or I will EVER forget the Devil’s Rope Barbed Wire Museum on Route 66 https://www.barbwiremuseum.com/, and the week we spent there one day. Though apparently it is very, very fascinating for some people.

DO check in with the members of your party occasionally to see if each is having a good time. This assumes you care about their enjoyment and memory of the trip, of course! 😉

But the real point I’m trying to make, as others have, is that what matters for your family’s great vacation is what you/ they enjoy, not what various strangers on the internet had fun with. Talk to THEM, not us, to get that initial idea(s). Then come get more specific info about others’ experiences here when you have a direction.

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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by toomanysidehustles »

ThankYouJack wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 12:21 pm What have been some of your favorite family vacations (ideally in the States) and what age do you think is ideal for kids to do that sort of trip?
https://rafikisafari.com/wp/ - Costa Rica! We have been 2x..first trip when kids were 10 and 13, then again 13 and 16. Trying to go again this year right after Christmas. (sorry not in the states but a shorter flight for us in CO to go to south Florida or Hawaii)
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Duckie »

Wannaretireearly wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 5:23 pm
Duckie wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 5:17 pm Pothole accidents?? I'm asking.
More open gutter, than pothole. Second, younger kids leg slipped thru while crossing street at night to our hotel. Luckily didn’t require ER, but still very painful for him. Lesson learned, watch out walking at night, especially in Asia.
Ah, now I understand.
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by iamlucky13 »

psteinx wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 2:57 pm Parents of younger kids are often eager to start something like this - "epic" memories/trips.

But really, kids' long-term memories of stuff like this are fairly weak before a certain age - 8 or 9 or thereabouts. Also, kids < 8 have limited endurance, walking ability, etc.

From 8+ though, sure.

That said, not sure trips need to be "epic"/expensive/far from home to be memorable. Camping in the woods/mountains, beach visits, visits to nearby cities can also be pretty memorable, plus convenient and not so expensive.
It must vary a lot by person. I remember many details of visiting Yellowstone when I was 6, and have plenty of memories from kindergarten. I have a decent number of memories from before that. I was 3 or 4 when we did a long road trip to visit extended family in California that included stops at Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm.

With my own kids (both younger than 8), it is definitely preferable, but it doesn't strictly matter to me if they remember all the things we do, because at least I remember seeing them have fun. But knowing that they might not appreciate the activity in some grand way does affect my perspective when choosing specific activities.

It is definitely true that the most important memories are often not the most extravagent - Visiting grandpa and grandma's cabin and some of the hikes parents took me on were memories as important or even more so compared to Disneyland. Yellowstone was probably the overall winner for me, though. Now that I'm an adult, we mostly have to stay simpler for financial reasons and time constraints, but as we prepare for this summer's camping trip, they ask questions, like whether we'll get to spend a day exploring a lake in a rowboat again.
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by RoadThunder »

psteinx wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 2:57 pm Parents of younger kids are often eager to start something like this - "epic" memories/trips.

But really, kids' long-term memories of stuff like this are fairly weak before a certain age - 8 or 9 or thereabouts. Also, kids < 8 have limited endurance, walking ability, etc.

From 8+ though, sure.

That said, not sure trips need to be "epic"/expensive/far from home to be memorable. Camping in the woods/mountains, beach visits, visits to nearby cities can also be pretty memorable, plus convenient and not so expensive.
100% accurate. By the time my kids got into the teen years that’s when the fun really starts. Scuba, ATVs, gold prospecting, camping, mini bikes, ghost towns, metal detecting, list goes on..,
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by tennisplyr »

A fly/drive vacation from NY to LA. From there we drove the Pacific Coast Highway to San Francisco stopping at various spots, eg, Carmel, San Simione, wine country. Great views driving on the mountainsides with quaint little restaurants overlooking the valleys.

Also, our trip to Italy’s Amalfi Coast. Beautiful beaches, fabulous food and lovely mountainside views.
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Steelersfan »

A trip through the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Devils Tower, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, with stops in several towns along the way to visit museums and places of interest.
psteinx
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by psteinx »

iamlucky13 wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 6:28 pm
psteinx wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 2:57 pm Parents of younger kids are often eager to start something like this - "epic" memories/trips.

But really, kids' long-term memories of stuff like this are fairly weak before a certain age - 8 or 9 or thereabouts. Also, kids < 8 have limited endurance, walking ability, etc.

From 8+ though, sure.

That said, not sure trips need to be "epic"/expensive/far from home to be memorable. Camping in the woods/mountains, beach visits, visits to nearby cities can also be pretty memorable, plus convenient and not so expensive.
It must vary a lot by person. I remember many details of visiting Yellowstone when I was 6, and have plenty of memories from kindergarten. I have a decent number of memories from before that. I was 3 or 4 when we did a long road trip to visit extended family in California that included stops at Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm.
It's not so much that I (or most other people I think), can remember nothing before age 8. Rather, the memories from ages ~3-7 or so tend to be cloudy and undetailed. Snippets here and there, but, at least in my case, no real *continuous* memory of an epic trip or whatever.
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Sand101 »

We just did Philly and DC - Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Udvar-Hazy Center (Planes), National Archives (Declaration, Constitution), Ford's Theater, etc. Great trip. Probably good for teenager and up.
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by RoadThunder »

tennisplyr wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 6:38 pm A fly/drive vacation from NY to LA. From there we drove the Pacific Coast Highway to San Francisco stopping at various spots, eg, Carmel, San Simione, wine country. Great views driving on the mountainsides with quaint little restaurants overlooking the valleys.

Also, our trip to Italy’s Amalfi Coast. Beautiful beaches, fabulous food and lovely mountainside views.
Yeah….not sure my under age 10 crew would be rocking the “quaint little restaurants” lol 😂
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by sailaway »

Letting them help plan will often make a big difference in their enjoyment once you get there.
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by willthrill81 »

ThankYouJack wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 12:21 pm What have been some of your favorite family vacations (ideally in the States) and what age do you think is ideal for kids to do that sort of trip?
It depends entirely on your family. We love to see nature, especially mountains, but have friends who love to go to beaches. Some love amusement parks, others love big cities.
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by KeepGrowing »

Steelersfan wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 6:41 pm A trip through the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Devils Tower, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, with stops in several towns along the way to visit museums and places of interest.
+1

We did this tour with family friends to celebrate our mothers' 75th and 80th birthdays. The bus may not be the way to go with kids, but the itinerary was fabulous: https://www.caravan.com/tour/usa-mount-rushmore
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Joey Jo Jo Jr »

For kids, unusual modes of travel (for them) like a train, boat, or an RV can be memorable. I also remember really liking anything about colonial times, pirates, forts, battles and whatnot. Hence, the trip we took by train to Colonial Williamsburg as a kid remains very memorable.
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by sambb »

NYC trip - plaza hotel ans sightseeing.

intl - four seasons jet
Da5id
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Da5id »

Katmai National Park in Alaska (and other things in Alaska, like Denali and Kenai Fjords).

Current live camera showing the falls, see the bears... https://explore.org/livecams/brown-bear ... ooks-falls
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Random Musings »

Steelersfan wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 6:41 pm A trip through the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Devils Tower, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, with stops in several towns along the way to visit museums and places of interest.
+2

Just returned from this general route, but also included Custer State Park, Wind Cave, Craters of the Moon, Salt Lake City, Des Moines (their Capitol Building is excellent, including the library), Pierre and other odds & ends. At our time in Yellowstone, only the bottom loop was open and vehicles were on the alternating license plate system (unless you stayed in the park, which we did). The eastern side of the bottom loop was extremely quiet, all larger lots were not even half full during the peak visitation hours (many 1/4 or less). We were in a bison "jam" with about 10 cars. Old Faithful and Norris areas were quiet as well, only Grand Prismatic parking was busy. Hiking was peaceful and the boardwalks were pretty quiet too. It was surreal, far less crowded even compared to the 1970's when I visited twice as a kid. It would be interesting to hear how it is now with the the northern loop open and no plate restrictions.

RM
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ThankYouJack
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by ThankYouJack »

Sounds like some great trips :)

We travel a lot and love our typical trips (beach trips, sometimes mountains, camping, almost always visiting family and/or friends) but I was just looking for ideas if we want to mix it up a bit. I realize all kids are different and will definitely run it by my family before doing a deep dive but this helps with brainstorming many ideas that we may not have thought of.

Random Musings wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 10:48 pm
Steelersfan wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 6:41 pm A trip through the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Devils Tower, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, with stops in several towns along the way to visit museums and places of interest.
+2

Just returned from this general route, but also included Custer State Park, Wind Cave, Craters of the Moon, Salt Lake City, Des Moines (their Capitol Building is excellent, including the library), Pierre and other odds & ends. At our time in Yellowstone, only the bottom loop was open and vehicles were on the alternating license plate system (unless you stayed in the park, which we did). The eastern side of the bottom loop was extremely quiet, all larger lots were not even half full during the peak visitation hours (many 1/4 or less). We were in a bison "jam" with about 10 cars. Old Faithful and Norris areas were quiet as well, only Grand Prismatic parking was busy. Hiking was peaceful and the boardwalks were pretty quiet too. It was surreal, far less crowded even compared to the 1970's when I visited twice as a kid. It would be interesting to hear how it is now with the the northern loop open and no plate restrictions.

RM
Interesting how this came up multiple times. I've had this sort of trip on my bucket list for a while (at least Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, parts of Utah). I'm not sure if I should make it an adventure trip with some guy friends or bring the whole family. My kids travel well but I may wait until they're a bit older (at least preteens) because they may then appreciate it even more.
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Wannaretireearly »

willthrill81 wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 9:41 pm
ThankYouJack wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 12:21 pm What have been some of your favorite family vacations (ideally in the States) and what age do you think is ideal for kids to do that sort of trip?
It depends entirely on your family. We love to see nature, especially mountains, but have friends who love to go to beaches. Some love amusement parks, others love big cities.
We’ve tried almost everything. Variety is good for the kids too.
Done organized trips, outdoors, guides etc. unstructured, plan days as we go, theme parks, lots of beaches. Some city trips (NY was fun with kids) but more opportunity to come. We think kids will truly love places like Tokyo - we did many years ago.

Dragging them thru Europe is next on the list. Now ages 11 & 14 so no excuses left ;) One thing I would highly recommend are trips with other families with kids. So much fun for parents and kids imo.
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Wannaretireearly »

Joey Jo Jo Jr wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 10:06 pm For kids, unusual modes of travel (for them) like a train, boat, or an RV can be memorable. I also remember really liking anything about colonial times, pirates, forts, battles and whatnot. Hence, the trip we took by train to Colonial Williamsburg as a kid remains very memorable.
I like this. 👍
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Wannaretireearly »

Most memorable is usually related to events that happen on the journey. Us or our kids will never forget the time our private tour vehicle and guide got ‘stuck’ for hours on our way back from Chichen Itza. I should say we had an amazing tour at the historical site, partly cos we had the *same* tour guide as Karl Pilkington, by chance! Not planned. (watch Idiot abroad - too funny). Swimming in Cenotes was amazing too.

More on getting stuck: I forgot my hat at the last stop - tequila factory. A mile or two down the road our guide said it would be easy to go back. Lo and behold we got stuck on the interstate median. For hours. Getting dark. Scary. Nice people stopped and tried to help. Sketchy cell service, trying to push van out of ditch and getting Stuck again, finally getting a cab to come pick us up and take us back to our hotel. Priceless memories either kid (then aged 9 & 6?) will never forget!

Travel stories are just the best life memories.
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
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ClevrChico
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by ClevrChico »

Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, during the summer was amazing. They had some outdoor exhibits that one would miss out on during the winter. It's really world class in my opinion. There's other great museums there too.

We followed that up with Maggie Daley Park, the largest outdoor playground I've ever seen.

This might be on the more simple side, but the kids still talk about it.
Last edited by ClevrChico on Thu Jul 07, 2022 6:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Random Musings
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Random Musings »

ThankYouJack wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 11:26 am Sounds like some great trips :)

We travel a lot and love our typical trips (beach trips, sometimes mountains, camping, almost always visiting family and/or friends) but I was just looking for ideas if we want to mix it up a bit. I realize all kids are different and will definitely run it by my family before doing a deep dive but this helps with brainstorming many ideas that we may not have thought of.

Random Musings wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 10:48 pm
Steelersfan wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 6:41 pm A trip through the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Devils Tower, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, with stops in several towns along the way to visit museums and places of interest.
+2

Just returned from this general route, but also included Custer State Park, Wind Cave, Craters of the Moon, Salt Lake City, Des Moines (their Capitol Building is excellent, including the library), Pierre and other odds & ends. At our time in Yellowstone, only the bottom loop was open and vehicles were on the alternating license plate system (unless you stayed in the park, which we did). The eastern side of the bottom loop was extremely quiet, all larger lots were not even half full during the peak visitation hours (many 1/4 or less). We were in a bison "jam" with about 10 cars. Old Faithful and Norris areas were quiet as well, only Grand Prismatic parking was busy. Hiking was peaceful and the boardwalks were pretty quiet too. It was surreal, far less crowded even compared to the 1970's when I visited twice as a kid. It would be interesting to hear how it is now with the the northern loop open and no plate restrictions.

RM
Interesting how this came up multiple times. I've had this sort of trip on my bucket list for a while (at least Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, parts of Utah). I'm not sure if I should make it an adventure trip with some guy friends or bring the whole family. My kids travel well but I may wait until they're a bit older (at least preteens) because they may then appreciate it even more.
This time, the kids were 17 and 13. Also did a similar trip (without Tetons and Salt Lake) six years ago. Did the Utah big five and North Rim Grand Canyon four years ago. Hiked quite a bit all of those trips, the youngest can remember stuff she saw at age 7. Age 7-8 and up will work on these trips, unless you have someone adverse to hiking.

The Black Hills/Badlands area is a great area to visit with kids, lots of different things to do. Remember to bring carrots for the burros at Custer State Park!

RM
I figure the odds be fifty-fifty I just might have something to say. FZ
longview
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by longview »

(thread needs a price range when you say "Epic" ;))

But something different we did was took the family (grandparents included) on a zero-G trip. Went to host city and saw some sights, but the main event was doing the 15 parabolas of weightlessness on the "vomit comet." Everyone, kids included, loved it. They take pictures, you see water float in weightlessness and try to catch it in your mouth, pick each other up and toss them around, superman pose, etc.
(To color my comments: my situation is ER trying to make a large portfolio that is 99% taxable last 45 years)
Wannaretireearly
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Wannaretireearly »

“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
ralph124cf
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by ralph124cf »

Guided canoe trips to the Quetico Superior region (wilderness camping). Inn to inn guided canoe trips down Vermont rivers (somewhat lux).

Seal and Orca watching on a sea kayak guided inn to inn tour.

Ralph
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alpenglow
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by alpenglow »

ralph124cf wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 6:25 pm Inn to inn guided canoe trips down Vermont rivers (somewhat lux).
Tell me more.

EDIT: Please (Bogleheads are polite).
Itogliano
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Itogliano »

Canada is basically the states. Road trip through Banff and Jasper national parks. Twice. Once in summer, once in winter
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AnnetteLouisan
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by AnnetteLouisan »

Has anyone mentioned a dude ranch yet? Nature / wildlife preserves?
ralph124cf
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by ralph124cf »

alpenglow wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 6:42 pm
ralph124cf wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 6:25 pm Inn to inn guided canoe trips down Vermont rivers (somewhat lux).
Tell me more.

EDIT: Please (Bogleheads are polite).

Hi Alpenglow.

The company that we used is out of business, and the only one I can now find that does inn to inn canoe tours is Green Rivers Canoes LTD. They also run tours in France, Belgium, and England.

Crystal Seas Kayaking does sea kayaking tours among the San Juan Islands for dolphin and orca watching. Also many birds and seals, spectacular scenery.

In both cases the guides are responsible for moving the boats in and out of the water, as well as all dining.

Best wishes.

Ralph
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Watty
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Watty »

ThankYouJack wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 12:21 pm What have been some of your favorite family vacations (ideally in the States) and what age do you think is ideal for kids to do that sort of trip?

Years ago when I was planning a trip to Disneyland with my preschooler kid and I remember one guide book mentioned that they had done a focus group with young kids(preschoo/grade school?) who had been to Disneyland about six months before.

By far the number one thing they remembered and mentioned that they liked about the trip was ......

(drumroll)

The pool at the hotel. :oops:

I don't know where the cutoff would be for younger vs older kids but up to the age of maybe 9 or 10 kids will have a different perspective and your "epic" trip might be mostly lost on them if they even have a good time.

I really think that up until then the best family trips are more things like going to a beach or lake or camping or getting a cabin in the woods. That will not be so fast paced and you can focus on spending time with each other which may be harder to do when they get older. You can have some more sightseeing and tourist activities to mix things up some but there is a lot to be said for just being together at that age. A seven year old might love to spend a week in the woods with parents but a teenager might be bored silly after the first day.
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alpenglow
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by alpenglow »

ralph124cf wrote: Sat Jul 09, 2022 6:37 pm
alpenglow wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 6:42 pm
ralph124cf wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 6:25 pm Inn to inn guided canoe trips down Vermont rivers (somewhat lux).
Tell me more.

EDIT: Please (Bogleheads are polite).

Hi Alpenglow.

The company that we used is out of business, and the only one I can now find that does inn to inn canoe tours is Green Rivers Canoes LTD. They also run tours in France, Belgium, and England.

Crystal Seas Kayaking does sea kayaking tours among the San Juan Islands for dolphin and orca watching. Also many birds and seals, spectacular scenery.

In both cases the guides are responsible for moving the boats in and out of the water, as well as all dining.

Best wishes.

Ralph
Interesting. Thank you. Sea kayaking in the San Juan Islands sounds great too!
Jags4186
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by Jags4186 »

As another poster said, usually something happening on the trip will make it memorable. I remember, around age 10-12, we went to California and my dad’s rental car lost all brakes while on Highway 1. I remember him stopping the car with him dragging his foot out the open door Fred Flinstone style.
LuckyGuy
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by LuckyGuy »

We did lots of cool stuff with our kids. But many of our best trips included snorkeling. Yes, we snorkeled in Hawaii (black rock and Hanauma bay) and Caribbean islands. But our two favorites were with manatees in crystal river Florida and with trout and crayfish in Little Pigeon river in Gatlinburg. Man that was cold! But unexpectedly awesome.

The kids (when teenagers) also fondly remember Yellowstone and Turks and Caicos (yep, snorkeled a lot there too).
egri
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Re: "Epic" and Memorable Family Vacation Ideas

Post by egri »

The Cape and Islands are great this time of year, if your kids like the beach. The 4th of July crowd will have abated but all the touristy stuff is still open. Abroad, I had a good time in India, though I would have enjoyed it more if I had known I could get food served mild (I don't do spices). Apparently it's a status symbol over there to have your picture taken with an American, so I was mobbed wherever I went.
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