Need suggestions for a family vacation. My husband and I will be traveling with our three daughters. They are 17,10 and 7. We are traveling from New York at the end of July. We want to stay in the US. Not in the hurricane zone. We are a very active family, so we would like to keep busy.But,we dont want to spend all our time in the car. We enjoy kayaking,tubing,sailing. We love listening to live music.The girls like amusement and water parks,we have been to alot in the northeast so we are open to new ideas,maybe white water rafting for families? Not into golf,musuems or city vacations.Short hikes ok. We want it to be special,with our daughter going off to college in August.

Hawaii comes to mind first. If too long of a flight, include stopover in LA for Disney/Universal. You didn't say how much time you had. Maybe the Ozarks? Haven't been there yet, but from what I've heard and read, the Ozarks match your interests.

See also:
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=34975137

Go to nps.gov & consider a National Parks family vacation!

I keep recommending this for families, and nobody bites. If you CAN leave the country, take them to Costa Rica. Continental flies directly from Newark and it is a short and inexpensive flight. There is so much to do. Stay in Manuel Antonio at Si Como No or Makanda by the Sea. Both have great pools and are on the beach. Plenty of activities--short rainforest hikes, horse back riding, white water rafting, zip lines, and plenty of wildlife. And very inexpensive to eat there as well. One of the best trips I have taken, if you take Italy out of the running.

I dont know if you are open to flying.
But I would suggest visiting the Western United States.

Maybe combining Colorado/Utah...visit some of the national parks...

Or travel down the California Coast. Visit the great redwoods....etc.

Unless you already all have passports (orlive near a fast-process office), out of country might be a problem. How about Colorado? Stay in a ski area, hike/bike (downhill) the mountain (ride the lift up), try an alpine slide, white-water rafting for all levels, kayaking, sailing all available. Lots of world-class festivals for ballet, classical, in various places (plus jazz, rock, country, folk); a day in Denver [water parks nearby, one combined with the amusement park Elitch Gardens (formerly Six Flags) if that's a must].

look into san diego, it has everything: beach, boating, ocean kayaking, hiking, tide pools and amusement parks. July will have perfect weather.