Help with Family Get-Together - easy destination from NYC and LA
 

I'm trying to organize a get-together in August 2012, not realizing how quickly places book up.

The players: 3 couples, two children (3yo and 1yo), coming from LA, NYC, and SC.

Budget for lodging: would like to keep it under $3000 for a week's rental. We need a 4- bedroom, which is another sticking poin

Dream vacation would allow for easy access to hiking, nature, maybe even a pool. Would love to be less than 2 hours from a major airport. Ideally midway for all of us, but we could consider the coasts as well.

Looked at: Estes Park (pretty much booked for our timeframe, was too late for YMCA of the Rockies, alas), Maine (might be too hard for LA to get too). Considering flying to Las Vegas and driving to Zion (though that does go over the 2 hour driving limit). Sequoia National Park?

In any case, I thought I'd toss it over to the experts here to see if there was any other place I'm not considering. Clearly I should start planning for 2013 now!

Thanks all.

Long flights should only be a real difficulty for the folks with kids, so look for a site closer to them if possible, even LA area or NY area and let the others do the longer haul.

You asked for ideas. I'm sure there are other similar places, but here's one I know. Rent a house on a mountain lake - crystal clear water, gorgeous scenery, places to hike, eat and shop, within 2 hours of Atlanta and Asheville, the SC folks could drive, bugs are rare in the summer and it really is Paradise. Jennifer Aniston spent 6 weeks on the lake while filming a movie and fell in love with the area and lifestyle. Here's a link to houses on Lake Burton but also look at Lake Rabun - http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals...ns/lake-burton

Which city do the kids live in? And mid-way is more expensive for air - for example, we can fly Boston-California for far less than to fly to most places between. Perhaps make the non-kid people do a coast-to-coast flight.

Advantage of being near home of someone is that it can sometimes reduce lodging costs - one person is driving and can then haul stuff others might need or have to buy and they may also have more information on more local lodging or maybe even check it out.

Thanks for all your ideas - problem is - I live in NYC and have a preschooler, my sister lives in LA and has an infant! So someone is going to suffer no matter what! We agreed that if someone has to fly cross country this summer, the other person would do it next summer.

I will look up Lake Burton. Having my parents drive from SC would be great - they love to haul things, especially food! (not kidding)

coolbluewater, someone recently posted who did a family get-together on Lake Burton. Can't remember who, but maybe they will see this thread. I'm sure there are other similar lake ideas in other states. I can attest that the lake is gorgeous, the water is crystal clear (unusual in southern lakes), the area is upscale, many restaurants to choose from, a winery with a tasting room down the road and lots of hiking options AND short (but scenic) strolls on level land that would be good for grandparents and little ones. Within 2 hours of Atlanta and Asheville and lots of things to see and do in the mountains. It is my favorite corner of the world. The houses often come with a boat to use, but if it doesn't you can rent one from a nearby marina. Oh, and a great (tiny) drive in in Tiger GA. Dress the kids in PJs and go back in time to see a first run movie. http://www.tigerdrivein.com/

Consider the Lake Tahoe area-flying to Sacramento.
You could do a very long day trip to Yosemite from there.
Your sister could drive from LA if she did not want to fly with the infant.

Have you looked into Summit County Colorado, like Dillon, Breckenridge, or even around Vail? Unlike Estes Park which is a gateway to a National Park, Summit County is more of a ski destination so August is not necessarily prime time. It's about exactly 2 hours drive from DIA.

Salida Colorado could be another place to consider. Just found this:
http://www.salidachamber.org/bizdire...D=25&TopicID=9

Good luck!

How about the Lake of the Ozarks area, about two hours from St. Louis, it's a pretty area and I'm sure more reasonable than many of the other areas in the middle of the country. I'm from NY too, been there, a weekend there I could handle :)

Have you tried Snow Mountain Ranch/YMCA of the Rockies, near Winter Park, Colorado? It gets filled up quickly, too, but has some nice larger cabins for families.

Durango CO gets my vote. Fly into Albuquerque [via Southwest if that works for you] and then it's a 3 hour drive.

It is very family friendly town with lots to see and do for all ages. I have lots of threads on here about restaurants etc, easily searched.

http://www.durango.org/ Will give you some insight.

Durango is a beautiful mountain area with near perfect summer weather [not too hot, no humidity] with water activities, biking, hiking, national park [Mesa Verde] and much more. And prices are very reasonable [compared to other pricier areas in CO like Aspen etc]

Salt Lake City comes to mind, does Delta have nonstops from SC to SLC?

I just did some looking around on VRBO and found a number of 4-BR properties with August openings on Vashon and Whidbey Islands, in Puget Sound, well under 2 hours from Seattle airport. Most are on salt waterfront with a beach, or a couple on freshwater lakes, and all I saw were under your price point, some way under.

Vashon Island is a lovely rural island served by a car ferry from Seattle on the north, and from Tacoma from the south. There are beaches, orchards, walking trails, etc., but also if you want to head into either city (museums, festivals, shopping, etc.) it's a short drive and ferry ride. Despite the closeness of the cities, Vashon feels like you're a million miles away.

Whidbey Island is reached by a (20 min.) ferry from Mukilteo, around 30 min. north of Seattle, or by car (no ferry) if one drives an hour north of Seattle to Mount Vernon, WA, then drives over the short bridge that connects the mainland and Fidalgo Island, then another (spectacular) bridge over Deception Pass onto Whidbey itself.

Whidbey is a very big island, with several very attractive towns (Langley and Coupeville being very cute waterfront towns) but also with beaches, lakes, trails, etc. You can also take a different (20 min.) ferry from Whidbey over to Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula, from which day trips to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, or even out to Forks and vampire country, are dead easy. Again, although you're very close to a big metropolitan area, it doesn't feel like it at all.

Seatac airport has nonstop service from JFK, Newark, all of California's main airports, and Charlotte.

August is our warmest and sunniest month around here, but no bugs, and low humidity.

With kids, I'd fly TO the place with no added driving. Aspen could do that as could Steamboat Springs and Vail.
Why don't you get an oceanfront place at the SC beach!! Let the parents bring all the food. The beach is so good for kids--get a place with a pool also.

Wow, just checked back and saw all these amazing responses. Thanks so much!