What was the best family vacation you went on as a kid? How old were you?

For me, it's a tie between Glacier National Park as a 10 year-old and Washington D.C. as a 12 year-old. I couldn't believe the natural, pristine beauty of Glacier, that it would snow on us in July! And WDC was the place where so much of what I had learned in school all came together for me. It made so much of our country's history more real and personal. It didn't hurt that I was there in July, 1976.

Anyone else?

Good question, Susan. As a kid, I was at Monticello on July 4, 1976. That was a great experience.

When I was twelve (mid 1960's!!) we took a family camping trip from the East Coast, south through the Smoky Mountains, west across Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, to California, and back East on a northern route. We "camped" in a station wagon with a tent thing sticking out the back, and there were 6 of us, four kids, one of whom was an 18 month old! I remember being scared bears would visit us in the night in the Smokies, of being disappointed that the Alamo didn't look like it did in the movie (of the time), how cool it was to visit Houston at the peak of the space race, a fabulous visit to Carlsbad Caverns, how boring it was to travel across desert for seemingly days without A/C, and getting sick going across the mountains to California. Oh yeah, did I mention the Grand Canyon??? And the best part for a twelve year old at the time: DISNEYLAND. We were hot, crowded, cranky, exhausted, and loved every minute -- the trip of a lifetime. They don't do 'em like that any more.

As an only child, I got taken everywhere... but the trip that really stands out in my mind as the best was to Maui, when I was about 11.. There was so much to do.. and the hotel was lovely, and I just had such a terrific time.
The WORST was when my parents went to Reno Nevada, and I got to sit outside on a bench while they gambled in a casino... granted they weren't in there that long, but when your a kid, it seems like forever... (this was many years ago, before recent tragic events)

Every summer growing up I was put on a plane to see my cousins in Fl. I loved going there because we would go to Disneyworld/Epcot. Which may not be a big deal to some but we where allowed to go off on our own. I felt so grownup. I also treasure those memories because I got to spend time with my aunt who passed away unexpectedly in 1995.

The worst trip was to Nantucket I was 6. It was really bad because the house we rented was not on the beach, had no TV and miles away from anything. It was the longest week of my life. Of the 2 families that went I was the youngest so no one wanted me tagging along. They played Gin Rummy for a week straight. I did like the ferry ride and playing with the animal life in the bay. I would love to go back as an adult I am sure its much more fun.

As a child living in LA, my family never took vacations except for some weekends in Las Vegas. Some older cousins and I would watch TV in our hotel room in Circus Circus, then we'd eat at a buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Circus Circus had arcade games we'd play - and that's all I remember. I don't even remember a swimming pool. So Las Vegas was as east as I had ever gone until I finally got away to Boston for college. And perhaps this explains why I love love love to travel these days!

Summer of '76, my family piled in a camper and left Wisconsin for a two-week trip "Out West."

We passed through/visited the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Jackson Hole, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, LA, Las Vegas, then booked like hell for home.

We fished mountain streams, went horse back riding in the Tetons and rafting on the Snake river (with a gorgeous guide!), and best of all, my brother brought along his best friend, on whom I had a secret crush!

I can't wait to rent an RV and take our kids to see the Grand Canyon -- one spot we missed 25 years ago.

Most memorable? Driving from Portland, OR, to Florida (and return) in a new 1929 Model A Ford.

Topping

Boy this brings back good memories!

The one vacation I went on as a kid (age 8 or 9 I believe) that was out of the ordinary was driving from Raleigh NC to visit Disneyworld. This was in the late 1960's (unfortunately a few years before Epcot opened). The experiences that still jump out are:

I remember driving through Georgia where I saw a gas station attendent wearing a handgun in a holster. That was truly confusing, as I didn't think we were supposed to pass through cowboy country.

I remember seeing orange trees in a field beside our little roadside motel--the oranges were brown, and I couldn't believe they were the same ones that ended up in a grocery store.

Finally, I remember seeing the ghosts dancing in the ballroom of the castle. This was way before kids were inundated with special effects. It took a lot of convincing before I believed that it was an optical illusion.

Due to a family situation, Thanksgiving dinners were more problematic than not, so we took historic vacations -- we'd go over Thanksgiving to Philadelphia, or Williamsburg, or Plymouth Mass. I thought that these trips were awesome = we had colonial-style Thanksgivings that were a lot of fun, and they really made my siblings and I interested in history.

Grew up in southern CA so a trip north was a long one. Every summer our parents would pack 5 kids in the station wagon and head to Lake Tahoe for a 2 week vacation. Every summer was better than the summer before. Initially we camped at Richardson but by the early 70s, as we got older, we rented a cabin on the west side. These were fabulous vacations so fun for a kid being outside all the time and, during those times, free from many restrictions.
We now take our kids there every summer for vacations but instead of repeating our 10 to 12 hour drive I only have to listen to "how many more minutes?" for about an hour and a half.

Several days in NYC when the World's fair was there. We got on a sleeper car at night and were sitting on a siding in New York when we woke up. (Which strikes me now as really strange, because we started in Baltimore, which is only a 3-hour trip to NYC. A sleeper?)

Anyhow, the World's Fair was a blast. And then there was all the rest: Central Park, the Staute of Liberty, Empire State Building, a Broadway show (I forget which one), FAO Schwartz, Macy's, Metropolitan Museum.

And the food! The Indonesian pavilion at the fair served the traditional "rice table" (I won't try to spell the Dutch word usually used) that was wildly exotic for a pre-teen. A fantastic little Russian place somewhere in Midtown. A Swiss fondue place in the theater district

We went every year for twelve years to Clear Lake, Calif. Clear Lake is the largest fresh water lake completely in Calif. (Tahoe is larger, but is half in Nevada). We started with a couple Aunts and Uncles and soon we had cousins, Grandfather and Grandmother and more Aunts and Uncles. We stayed at a place called Shady Point in Clear Lake Park. Multiple cabins and the big house; we stayed in the big house. Huge enclosed veranda with a long table where we all ate collectively cooked meals. We fished twice a day, about six in the morning and again late afternoon/early evening. We had our best spots for black bass, cat fish and crappie. When we would finish fishing in the morning, usually with our limit, we would head back across the lake and our boat's motor had a distinctive sound. So, recognizing that we were coming, breakfast was prepared and by the time we docked, we could go right in and eat. A lot of the same families also came every year from all over Northern California. I literally grew up for two weeks a year with their children. When we would arrive each year, I would rush to the local hang-outs to meet up with my friends. Of course, these hang-outs changed as we grew older; swimming areas when we were yonger to the local creamery (soda fountain) when we got older. When we got into high school, we occaisionally played sports against each other on away games. The area wasn't a fancy resort area. Just a working person's place to go for great summers; mostly blue collar. We had one Water Commisioner from a small town and everyone thought he was an executive. Great memories. Graet experiences.

renting a house at the jersey shore in the 60's. My favorite memory is sitting on the beach and squinting my eyes to see if I could see England. No great cross country or sea hopping jaunts for our brood of nine but my P's did give me a hunger for the great destinations to come in my life.

Susan Thanks for leaving such a great post

My family was big on vacations, which probably spurred my desire to travel, but the two that really stand out seem unusual "bests" for a kid. On my 13th birthday my parents took my to NYC for the weekend and we saw 3 shows. I was fascinated by the city, the hotel the doormen and Broadway. The other was the Expo in Montreal. It was my first taste of being somewhere where most people spoke another language, It felt so foreign. I also had an incredible meal at a restaurant high up in a skyscraper overlooking the whole city. It was very fancy and I can still remember the waiters with white gloves bringing out trays of French desserts that I had never seen before. We did our share of beach and camping vacations but it was the trips to the big cities that were most memorable for me.

Curious, your post brings back another memory from the same family trip to Glacier National Park. We also "drove" to Victoria, BC (via the ferry) and one night my parents and I ate in a very fancy restaurant called the Dingle House. I wonder if it is still there. It was in a beautiful Victorian house and I remember being awed by the beautiful china, crystal and silver on the table. I ordered tea and they brought me my own little silver teapot! It was a magical night that we reminisce about still.

I also fondly remember a very fancy meal at the Highlands Inn in Carmel where they brought us ices to "cleanse the palate" in between courses and treated this child kindly. Who says kids can appreciate the finer things in life?

That's right Susan! They brought out sherbet in between courses and my mother had to keep reminding my brother, sister and me not to finish it because we were only to take a bite or two to cleanse the palate.