trippinkpj

I think one might take over achievers to different places. I didn't take offense to the statement at all.

Saraho

I loved my first trip to NYC as a young teenager with my aunt- so many firsts- first French restaurant, first trip to China town, Greenwich Village, museums, ferry boat, all the famous sites and especially the Broadway musicals.

To me, that was much more memorable than a state park and certainly would qualify as active!

AuntAnnie

My daughters (no slackers in school! ha) would say our best vacations have been Yellowstone, Colorado (RMNP, Gunnison & Mesa Verde), Glacier Natl. Park, Canoeing the Upper Missouri River (Lewis & Clark) and canoeing in Minnesota's BWCA.

karens

Oh dear. As I was reading the replies, I was starting to get sorry for my quick, smart-alec-y reply until I got to the one that confirmed that you SHOULD take over-achievers to different places. I guess it proves my point. Sigh.

I am currently involved in education in my school district, where the current system says you have to a label to be "gifted" or in "special ed" and there are specific qualifiers for each. It drives me crazy how we label kids nowadays. I've seen kids confined to self-contained classrooms where the expectations are zero and they become worse b/c they have horrible "role models" in those classes. I've seen children whose parents brag about how "gifted" they are, who cannot carry on "normal" conversations. I witnessed one mom be surprised that an autistic child returned her greeting. My [normal] [gifted] kid won't even do that! she said. Now, which child has social skills deficiencies?

MikeB - I understand what you meant and I'm sorry my comments have turned your thread into a different direction. It would be more helpful to know what exactly the girls are interested in: do they love museums (art/nature/what?), would they like to see a Shakespeare play? do they hate long hikes? do they like to shop? Answers to these questions can point you to more meaningful recommendations.

And I also think it's great you are taking your nieces for a week - they are very lucky to have an uncle like you.

P.S. I know many kids, regardless of how they acheive in school, who would enjoy the vacations that AuntAnnie recommends.

trippinkpj

Speaking of Shakespeare, Ashland Oregon could be incorporated into a Portland trip. The Grants Pass/ Rogue river area is near there and great for water sports. Also Oregon Caves at Cave Juntion would be fun. I'm thinking a combo Outdoor/ Indoor fun vacation.

MikeBuckley

To answer some of the basic questions that have been asked by all of you ...

We and the nieces live near Washington DC. (That means we or their parents can take them to Williamsburg for a weekend any time, so we we won't be going there for a major summer vacation.)

My wife and the nieces are distant relatives of Clark, of Lewis and Clark fame. My wife is one of his great-great-great-great granddaughters. We mentioned that connection in the past when one of the girls was studying Lewis and Clark, but it didn't seem to resonate. So, we probably won't be travelling the Lewis and Clark trail.

As for the nieces' tastes, one is into singing. One is into dancing. And both are into gymnastics and reading. They've gone on short hikes with us and enjoyed it. Their travel history includes Dubai (other side of their family lives there), Florida (where their grandparents have a winter home), and annual visits to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Their parents wouldn't be pleased if we introduced them to shopping while on vacation.

Question #1: We have thought of asking the kids where they would want to go, but have hesitated because their choice might be based on such limited information that they might not make as good a choice as the places you folks are recommending. Is that generally an appropriate or inappropriate approach?

Question #2: Do kids that age (10 and 13) appreciate national parks simply for their beauty, or do they (especially a 10-year old) need unusual things such as geysers, glaciers, or animals to have lasting memories?

I realize that no generalities apply to every child, but we gotta start somewhere. Yikes!

trippinkpj

I'm thinking of vacation's my kids liked at that age:
Austin, TX
Montana (and bored a little with Yellowstone on same trip)
Portland & Seattle
Hope this helps. Smart kids both!

trippinkpj

One more idea: How about San Francisco Bay Area? You have the City and outdoor activities right there. Carmel and Monterey in the general region though coastal, also have fun things to do non-beach. Let me know if you are more interested and I can give suggestions.

mom2boys

"Yellowstone" My 11 yr old didn't hesitated when I possed your question to him. We were in Yellowstone for 4 days last summer. We too are from the greater DC area. We actually drove across country last summer and did follow part of the Lewis & Clark Trail - by accident. My kids now have a great interest in Lewis & Clark. Major stops along our trip included St Loius Arch & the Jefferson Expansion Museuem - got us hooked on the Lewis & Clark Journey.
Other stops along the way included Black Hills/Badlands of SD; Devil's Tower; Cody & Yellowstone; Oregon Coast - including Fort Clatsop; Craters of the Moon and Dinosaur National Monumnet. Our boys are 11 & 12 and love to travel. This summer we are headed to the SW states - Grand Canyon; Arches; Canyonlands; Petrified Forest/Painted Desert; Mesa Verde; Great Sand Dunes; Sante Fe & Albuquerque. I'd be happy to answer any specific questions about any of those areas.

seetheworld

NYC.

If they love singing and dancing, they will love the theater or Lincoln Center.

I would also suggest visiting the wonderful museums the city has to offer. The Museum of Natural History and Planetarium are outstanding.

Take them to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

I also recommend visiting Central Park. You can spend a little time at their zoo or rent a row boat and row around the lake. Grab an ice cream and an adult drink and relax for a bit at the conservatory water where you can rent model boats and sail them for an hour -- lots of fun.

Take them for a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge -- amazing views of the city or ride the ferry around the island.

I could go on and on...

Have fun deciding!

aileen679

One's into singing and the other likes dancing? I can remember being that age and just worshiping the line dancers at the Radio City Music Hall.

Try for a couple of musicals at least in NYC. Then head a little north to Niagra Falls. That's something everyone gets a bang out of. If you go to the Canadian side of the falls, you might need passports.

Also, be sure to take along a permission letter to allow you to get them any emergency medical treatment that they might need.

txmom95

Stay in a cabin at the YMCA @ Estes Park, Colorado. There is hiking, rock climbing, archery, horseback riding, minature golf, crafts, art instruction and much more! Wake up to mule deer outside your cabin eating the grass. You must book early but it is the most affordable place to stay in the area. Buy groceries in Boulder and bring them with you OR buy a meal plan. See RMNP at your leisure while you stay at the "Y". It is FANTASTIC! www.ymcarockies.org

johnthedorf

My kids and I love the outdoors and the outdoors but....I think your nieces would get more out of San Francisco where little Cable cars climb halfway to the stars or New York City. I would also think of yourselves too.

kswl

If your nieces are "into" singing and dancing, they probably won't jump up and down for joy at the thought of traipsing around a national park for a week. I'm not trying to be contrary, just putting my former 13-year-old self into that situation.

Why don't you take them to New York City? Theater tickets, Ellis Island, The Metropolitan Museum, St. John's Cathedral, Central Park--there is so much to do there.

If your idea is that this will be a vacation mainly remembered for the time you spent together, and I certainly understand that motivation, then one of these rugged vacations might be better.

And you don't probably don't need to "introduce" shopping to 10 and 13-year-old girls.

japw82

How about Chicago? The list of things to do is endless. Theaters, museums, the Art Institute, Shedd Aquarium, baseball, architecture tours, shopping, zoos, great restaurants, and even a great Six Flags, which is about an hour or so North in Gurnee.

capxxx

How about you narrow it down to a few choices: 2 national parks, 2 cities, and let the girls pick? They will enjoy it more if they are invested in some of the decision-makeing.

bjboothman

But capxxx, what if one sis has her heart set on one location and the other has her sis on a different location. Uncle Mike will be stuck looking like he is playing favorites when he must agree with one girl or the other.

I agree with getting them involved in the planning - after the aunt and uncle have chosen a location. Maybe Mike should settle on maybe two choices and privately run it by the parents to see which they think the girls would prefer.

Agreeing with everyone that you are a super couple to be taking this interest in your nieces.

Thinking of my own kids at that age, I would have been more inclined to choose something more like a city than an NP. Kids get bored too easily.

karens

I have 11 & 13 y.o. boys and they are totally underwhelmed by scenery. We could be looking at the most amazing landscape, and they will yawn. Not all kids are like this, but most travel books on traveling with kids will confirm that kids aren't totally thrilled with looking at scenery.

We love Colorado for the variety - I get my amazing scenery and some hiking, and they get hot springs pools, alpine slides and the kids summer activities at the ski resorts (rock climbing, mountain scooters, etc.) Mesa Verde is a fascinating national park - the kids can climb down a ladder into a kiva and explore the ruins.

My kids weren't thrilled with several days in Yellowstone. After a few hikes, they were ready to leave. Yes, they liked Old Faithful; I thought the thermal features were fascinating, but after a while, they were ready to move on. They enjoyed Cody (rodeo), Jackson (alpine slide) and Thermopolis (water park) much more.

I agree with those recommending NYC.

I and think you're wise not to ask them where they would like to go, b/c, at least around here, the typical family vacation is either to the beach, Disney, or an all-inclusive resort in the Carribean. It sounds like Mike is more adventurous than that!

oregonmom

Two years ago, we took our 2 1/2 and 10 year old girls on a road trip from our home in Oregon to Yellowstone and the Tetons. They both loved it. We stayed in two different places inside the park as well as a night in Jackson, WY and one in Montana. We went on a chuck wagon dinner inside the park and they loved the wagon ride right near the horses. We walked a lot, went to a ranger talk, saw lots of wildlife, swam, ate out, shopped. It was a great trip. Last year, we went to Kona on the Big Island. We stayed in a condo with a nice pool and a partial view of the ocean. We did the beach, the volcano, a nice free zoo in Hilo, beautiful botanical gardens, waterfalls and short hikes. There is horseback riding and snorkeling catamaran trips. We did a luau. Our girls loved it. Although that may be a bit more money than you were thinking of.

bennnie

Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Me is where we are taking our overachieving, music and gymnastics loving 10 and 13 daughters this summer. A little kayaking, hiking, whale watching, eating lobster, playing wiffle ball will do us all good.