The Family Vacation

[Em_in_FL]

We love to travel… we’ve had some fun adventures…

When I was pregnant with my first we went up to South Dakota for my college roommate’s wedding… drove all over Minnesota, SD, ND, hooked into Montana and Wyoming… AWESOME trip. Saw Mount Rushmore too!

We’ve taken a few GREAT trips to California (visiting family and friends as well)… touring the major cities and big sites. This past summer we went to Yosemite also… THAT was INCREDIBLE!

Last year we took a trip to the southwest… toured New Mexico and Arizona… saw the GRAND CANYON and 4-Corners USA! GORGEOUS out there! I think Arizona is now my favorite state outside Florida!

Two years ago we took a huge trip up to New York. Got on the train in Orlando and got off in Manhattan (my boys LOVED the train ride!). Toured Manhattan and then drove through Upstate New York… gorgeous country up there! Then went to Niagra Falls and crossed into Canada (my first time out of the country!) and spent a night up in Toronto! So exciting!.. then flew home from Buffalo.

Those are some of my favorite trips… the big major landmarks of the USA… Grand Canyon… Niagra Falls… Mt. Rushmore… Yosemite… CLASSIC family vacations!

 

[jrabs]

car trip around Lake Ontario, Niagara Falls, Gananoque, all the islands, and points in between the upstate NY, Finger Lakes and back to Cleveland. The only prerequisite was “daddy, find a motel with a pool and a slide in the water.” stayed in no-name motels that filled the bill, only expensive room was in Toronto during the CNE exposition (which we did not know about) in a hotel that was also a place of employment for several, um, ladies who worked the night shift. Lots of scenery, history, and fun all day, plus evenings splashing in the pool. kids still talk about that trip. don’t think we could afford the gas to do it today.

Hey! Wish I’d have known. You passed by my house.

 

[jrabs]

I took the boys to Williamsburg VA, then back through Washington DC. IT took us 12 hours to get to Williamsburg.

Man - I was not prepared for that long of a drive. I like to stop off at cool looking places and shops.

We got the best lunch deal of the year at a stop in PA. $2 for hotdog, coke and small ice cream cone.

 

[kage_ar]

Thank you so much for your (name removed by moderator)ut! Have you been there in January? People keep telling me we’ll freeze. I just emailed about the Scavi tour; I never heard of it before. I had already inquired about an audience with Pope Benedict. How blessed you were to have a private audience with Pope John Paul II! We were in Rome I guess about 4 years or 5 years ago in November. I don’t remember it being cold, but I do remember we had no luck with food. Particularly, pepper on my daughter’s spaghetti and being told there was no meat in my meal, only pork (I don’t eat meat). Everyone talks about the wonderful food, but we just couldn’t find it.

I’ve been there in January! It was jacket weather - not freezing by and means. Since it is during the Christmas Season, everything is still decorated. There are no crowds - it was great

For finding places to eat, I suggest checking out Rick Steve’s website/books.

 

[ThyKingdomCome]

We go to Myrtle Beach in the spring of most years. We pack up the car, and drive for 2 days (it’s a 14 hour trip). We do stay in a hotel the first night of the travel. And when we get there, we rent a house or a condo for a week. So it’s not super-rustic. We have camped for the week there, but since we can afford a little more, we go for the house. It’s so much easier with the littles, and more comfortable for us bigs. It’s not like we’re paying plane fare or admission fees, so we feel pretty good about our travel budget. Mostly, we play on the beach. There’s nothing like a simple beach vacation. We do go camping for shorter trips occasionally, but haven’t in a while. I really have gotten used to having an actual bed and bathroom at my disposal, so tenting it is a little less attractive than it used to be.

 

[Newzie52]

I’ve been there in January! It was jacket weather - not freezing by and means. Since it is during the Christmas Season, everything is still decorated. There are no crowds - it was great

For finding places to eat, I suggest checking out Rick Steve’s website/books.

Rick Steves is the best; love his shows, books and website. He always has great, practical advice.

 

[mc366]

Our family took a vacation to Florida in July. There were 26 of us and we stayed in one very large house. With us were our 10 children, (ages 13 to 31) 5 spouses, 9 grandchildren (plus one in-utero), and one girlfriend. We traveled in 5 vehicles, driving through the night.
We went and bought groceries and each couple took one night of fixing dinner ( and cleaning up afterward) for everyone.
We could walk to the beach, so spent lots of time there. The house had a pool so the kids loved that!
We had together time and times when we each did our own thing.
It was a wonderful trip and a gift from one of our sons. After a motorcycle accident left him in the hospital for 2 weeks last year, family members stayed with him around the clock. He wanted to thank us, and show his gratitude to God for sparing his life, so he gave us this trip.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Nice story, sounds wonderful- and what a good job you’ve done with your family!!!