Next place to travel?

[krustyballer16]

Over the past 2 years my girlfriend and I have drove from central indiana to Vegas, California, florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota.

Both while she was pregnant and then after our son was born. Most recently to Pennsylvania while he was 10 months old.

 

We enjoyed driving all the distance and time together but this time we wanna FLY!

 

So were asking for some suggestions on places to fly to and have fun for a week with a 2 year old (by the time next year were ready to fly)

 

Kaleigh has suggested Colorado, Hawaii, California again, Massachusetts, nebraska and Canada.

 

I'm open for anywhere.

And the cheaper the better so any tips on saving money or finding deals?

 

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[Jeep Driver]

Two year olds don't care where they go nor will they remember where they went. 

 

There are only three places I want to go to or go back too and I've been there plenty. 

 

St Augustine

Key West

Washington DC

And, well, I do like Ocracoke Island. 

 

And of course Jerusalem.......someday. 

 

 

I have been to Holland, E Germany, Denmark, and Sweden..........eh........it didn't make me much of world traveler. Oh, and I forgot, Mexico, what a S-hole. And I probably will get to Canada before I die, just because. 

I like it right here in the SE. 

 

 

[87MJTIM]

It depends on what interest you.  Site seeing or history?  I love Civil War history.  I've been to a number of CW sites, but these are all mostly east of the Mississippi. I've been to both CO and HI.  I want to go back to CO - western CO.  I checked HI off my bucket list.  When your son is older - 5 to 10 - amusements parks are great fun.  Cedar Point in OH is great for roller coasters.  Orlando FL has a park or two - $$.

 

Get out a map and look for points of interest.  Check the internet for things to see/do in those areas.

[Dzimm]

39 minutes ago, Jeep Driver said:

Two year olds don't care where they go nor will they remember where they went. 

 

There are only three places I want to go to or go back too and I've been there plenty. 

 

St Augustine

Key West

Washington DC

And, well, I do like Ocracoke Island. 

 

And of course Jerusalem.......someday. 

 

 

I have been to Holland, E Germany, Denmark, and Sweden..........eh........it didn't make me much of world traveler. Oh, and I forgot, Mexico, what a S-hole. And I probably will get to Canada before I die, just because. 

I like it right here in the SE. 

 

 

I'll second St Augustine.  Very nice there.  

[kansashogan]

Don't go to Hawaii if you aren't wanting to spend a fortune.  We went in May and it was by far the most expensive vacation I've ever been on. Omaha has a very nice zoo. It will take a couple days to see it all if you really take it all in. Tennessee is one of our favorite spots to go to. Memphis and Nashville have some nice spots. Eastern  part of state is beautiful.  

[krustyballer16]

I hate zoos and aquariums.

Weve been to TN a few times. Just went to Chattanooga.

I'd be into museums or history

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[87MJTIM]

Museums and colonial history - Philadelphia or Boston.  Williamsburg, VA is nice also.  Jamestown and Norfolk are close.  Richmond is close by, also.

 

DC for museums, but I live close to DC and grew up just outside of DC.  Don't like going there.

[Jeep Driver]

7 minutes ago, krustyballer16 said:

I'd be into museums or history

 

1 minute ago, 87MJTIM said:

 

DC for museums, but I live close to DC and grew up just outside of DC.  Don't like going there.

 

 

Smithsonian for sure. 

 

I know far toooooooo many people who have never been to DC, every American should go at least once. 

 

White House tour is a must.........assuming there are still tours. 

 

Other points of interest also such as Mount Vernon. Arlington National Cemetery, changing of the guard. 

[Ωhm]

If your looking for natural wonders, Bay of Fundy in Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia). I must say its a sight to see so much water move in and out of the bay daily.

[kansashogan]

D.C. is cool. The subway system is good. Lots of history in the area. South Carolina is nice and lots of historical things there. Boston's traffic is a nightmare. Lake Tahoe is amazing. Grand Canyon is worth the trip. 

[JustEmptyEveryPocket]

My votes would be for Sedona Arizona, Boston Mass (use public transit there for sure, do not drive), and Portland Oregon.  Those are some of the best places I have been that were also fairly cheap. Sedona is for site seeing and the scenery. Boston for the history and architecture. Portland for food trucks and the forests and gardens (and the pot).

[schardein]

I will second Lake Tahoe.  I just got back from Lake Tahoe and running the Rubicon Trail.  It was an epic trip.  It really is beautiful there.  The trip was made better because my brother joined me there, and he lived and worked in Tahoe when he first graduated from Culinary School.

[DesertRat1991]

If you like the outdoors: Hit up the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and Moab.  While in Utah, swing by Canyonlands, Arches and Bryce Nat'l Parks. A lot of people fly-in and rent an RV to see all the sites.

 

Plenty of ancient history out here to explore and experience first hand. Cliff dwellings, cave painti gs, petroglyphs, etc in their natural settings.

[eaglescout526]

If you come to AZ there is plenty to do. I’d take on hiking if you are here. I see the Grand Canyon has been mentioned. I just recently went.....it’s a giant hole in the ground. It’s neat to go look at and see if you want to just see it, but the pictures from magazines and the internet do justice. But I’d love to go hike it and do a trek down into the canyon. 

Sedona is a must.

Petrified forest should be neat. It’s hot there, but have never been there. 

Or go to tombstone. Supposedly pretty neat and haunted. 

Also there is Route 66. There’s an old decommissioned rail tunnel somewhere off the 66 around flagstaff that my troop and I hiked to and stayed in. It was really neat. Also supposedly haunted. 

[Smokeyyank]

Will really depend on what you want to go do and your budget. Also your tolerance of people. I hate people and crowds. So when I want to get away I want to get away. Check out travelzoo you can find some decent vacation packages there. Obviously going certain places during off season is better. VRBO's are also a nice option to save some cash.   

 

Obviously I'm impartial to CO, I love it here and with the exception of Denver becoming a nightmare to get a round. It's  ton of fun and there's a bunch of options around. Children's museum, Zoo(s) [Cheyenne mountain zoo, Keensburg animal sanctuary and the Denver Zoo], Denver Aquarium, Elitches, obviously gobs to do up in the hills. I can keep going.....

 

Hawaii is going to cost a small fortune, seriously it's stupid expensive, and unless you can go to a smaller less tourist place it's not really that pleasant for the amount of cash you have to drop to just be there. 

 

Nebraska is FN boring IMHO. My wife is dragging me to Omaha for labor day weekend to go see friends and we can do everything there in a weekend. They have a Zoo........and I guess trees, a week is a long time there. 

 

Best trip I've ever went on was an Alaskan cruise. We stopped in Victoria and I'd love to go back to BC. Alaska was amazing I'd do that trip a 100 times and not get bored. 

 

[gogmorgo]

Canada's cool, although I might be a little biased. It's also a pretty seriously massive destination with a huge amount of variety in culture, climate, and topography, much like your own country. If you don't care for crowds, pretty well any destination other than big tourist locations on long weekends will offer you waaaay fewer people compared to what I've experienced at any place I've been in the USA.

I've been through quite a bit of this continent, and haven't found a place yet there wasn't a bunch of cool stuff to check out. Some of it is definitely being able to appreciate the finer details and not expecting everything to be "truly epic". The sorts of places most people dismiss as "boring" just gives you more opportunity to slow down and appreciate what's around you. 

Something else people seem to take for granted is what's around them in the vicinity of home. Just taking the time to explore all those little places you've intended to get to but never had the opportunity. I'm constantly surprised by all the stuff to see and do around here... of course it helps when you live in a place like this:

Not to brag or anything. 

[MJXJjeepguy]

How about West "by God" Virginia? Yes we do have vacation spot... 

[johnj92131]

Brandon, 

 

First the little guy is adorable, but you knew that.  Next you said you want to fly.  I suggest you look at the Caribbean.  The Dominican Republic has some nice all inclusive vacation places for what I am told are reasonable prices. Never done it myself, but lots of people tell me it is great for a week, if that is all the time you have.

 

Second, consider leaving the little guy with grandma and grandpa.  They will love it!  You two will have a nice time by yourselves.  Won't happen much after he is 3 or 4.  As,Jeep Driver said, he will not remember a thing about the vacation, so leave him with Grandma.

 

Third, and it may be a budget breaker:  Take about 3 or 4 week in Italy, Greece and Turkey!  History there is simply astonishing.  I got yelled at in the Vatican because I had not removed my cap by a docent.  BTW, the Vatican should contract with Disney to improve their admission process.

 

Loved the Italian high speed electric trains.!  Smooth thrust near 175 mph.  One of the things that sold me on an electric car.

 

Well that is my suggestion if you two want to fly.  Lots of good suggestions in the thread if you want to drive also. but most will require several weeks of vacation time.

 

Most important Brandon, do it now!

 

JJ

 

 

 

 

[Eagle]

For museums and history, I can't argue against Boston. Downtown Boston is compact compared to New York City, for example, and there's a walking route marked on the sidewalks for a self-guided experience. I've been there a few times and I've done the walking tour, but I have never bothered to check what museums are there.

 

Personally, I'm not that big on museums, and I can't imagine a 2-year old getting much enjoyment out of that.

 

Somebody mentioned Nova Scotia. That's a great suggestion, IMHO, and it could be combined with my favorite place on the planet, Acadia National Park in Maine. I was going to suggest that there's a ferry between Bar Harbor (adjacent to Acadia National Park) and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. But ... I just looked, and the ferry isn't running because the terminal in Bar Harbor is being rebuilt. You can certainly drive around, but it's a long drive that's scenic in a rustic, coastal way, but very long. Also, you need passports to go to Nova Scotia. If you (and the kiddo) don't already have your passports, I don't know how long that takes these days. Depending on when you want to make this trip, that could be a factor.

 

Somebody else mentioned the Grand Canyon. That's spectacular but, IMHO, not enough to spend a week there. I've been there three times and, each time, one full day was enough. If you want to take the mule ride down to the bottom, that adds a day.

 

For history, I like the suggestion of Colonial Williamstown. There's a lot of early American history in and around Williamstown, so that could be a good place to spend a week.

 

You said you've been to Pennsylvania, but what part? In Philadelphia, there's Independence Hall, Liberty Bell park (or monument, whatever it is), the Society Hill section, and then from Philly you're within easy range of Lancaster and Pennsylvania Dutch country.

[89 MJ]

1 hour ago, Eagle said:

If you (and the kiddo) don't already have your passports, I don't know how long that takes these days. Depending on when you want to make this trip, that could be a factor.

About 10 days as of 2 years ago. 

[kryptronic]

The carribean idea is a really good one. Look at vacation packages to places like Montego Bay, Jamaica.  You can get airfare, lodging and all your food and drinks at a resort for a single fairly low price.  Not much to do but eat, drink and relax, but that's my idea of a vacation.

[dasbulliwagen]

I agree with West Virginia. Lots of stuff around Fayetteville. There is a nice little lodge/hotel there at Hawks Nest we've stayed at a few times. Lots of hiking, natural scenery, white water rafting, jet boat rides. And every fall for one weekend, they let people jump off the bridge at New River Gorge (look up Bridge day). 

 

And New England.... We once went to a wedding up there... I think In Portsmouth, but we went driving around sightseeing in some of the smaller towns south of Kittery, Maine, very nice, very old historic areas and downtowns. great to just wander around sightseeing. 

[87Chief]

We don't travel much, but my favorite, that we went to, was Estes Park, Colorado. It was beautiful.

 

 

[johnj92131]

4 hours ago, 87Chief said:

We don't travel much, but my favorite, that we went to, was Estes Park, Colorado. It was beautiful.

 

 

 

Estes Park is wonderful. Been there at least 4 times.  So is the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park.  See the Steven King book/movie:  The Shining.

Rocky Mountain National Park  is almost as good as Yosemite National Park.  Link to Yosemite National Park below.

 

https://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm

Edited August 24, 2019 by johnj92131
added link

[Smokeyyank]

40 minutes ago, johnj92131 said:

 

Estes Park is wonderful. Been there at least 4 times.  So is the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park.  See the Steven King book/movie:  The Shining.

Rocky Mountain National Park  is almost as good as Yosemite National Park.  Link to Yosemite National Park below.

 

https://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm

 

IMHO best part is dumb and dumber being filmed there. When ever we go to Estes it's a must to stop at the Stanley and grab a beer at the bar.