Need Ideas for Summer Vacation !!
 

Well, I am just stuck! I am the vacation planner for the family and I am just not feeling it this year. We love traveling but I can't seem to figure where to go this year. We could go to California again because we do have relatives there but I am just not feeling excited about it. I want to make it special because my kids are getting older and this will probably be one of the last family vacations. I thought about overseas but I haven't gotten my daughters passport renewed. So I am stuck on where to go. Please help!

Who we are: : family of 4 living in Iowa, my son is junior in college, my daughter starts college in the fall. We are looking at the first couple of weeks in August.

What we like to do: enjoy hiking (most of us), zoos, historical places, museums, scenery, fun things to do, experiencing new places and new foods. Mainly we are people who like to do stuff and not just sit around.

Where we have been: ok, so this just a brief list of where the family has gone before
California - Los Angeles, San Fran, Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Kings Canyon, Catalina Island, San Diego
Portland , Washington DC, Seattle, Chicago, Twin Cities, Nashville, Denver, Boston, Salem, New York City (last year), Philadelphia, Maine, Quebec, Gettysburg, Alaska, Hawaii, Cinncinatti, Michigan, Mackinaw Island, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, and St Louis.
Also we have been to the Southwest but it is really too hot in the summer - same thing for Florida.
We did a national park tour a few years ago including Yellowstone, Mesa Verde, Arches, Bryce, and Zion so my daughter has requested that we not go there. She is one who only likes to hike a little.
My husband and I are going to Colorado in October so not there.

So I am open for ideas!! Anyone???
Thanks so much for any help!

First of all, you have plenty of time to get your passports renewed if you want to go out of the country. I think you've done a great job of seeing the United States and since you have a couple of weeks, I'd go to Africa. How's that for an out of the box suggestion?

How about Vancouver and/or Vancouver Island? So much to see and do there- not too late to get passport renewed.

Niagra Falls? August is difficult, because it can be hot a lot of places.

I also thought about Glacier National Park and heading into Canada--Banff and Jasper

Mount Rushmore and Black Hills area

You could do Memphis, Nashville, Gatlinburg, Smoky Mountains, Biltmore, Natchez, New Orleans. Smokys would be the only place that might be comfortable though

Raft the Grand Canyon

Have you done much in Oregon and Washington State? I really like San Juan Islands, Mount Rainier, Olympic, North Cascades. In Oregon, there is coast, Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, Crater Lake, and more.

You've certainly seen a lot of places already.

spirobulldog has some excellent suggestions.

Was that Portland, Oregon or Portland, Maine on your already visited list?

Have you been to Acadia National Park? It was my favorite part of our trip to Maine. Plenty of easy hikes in the park, and beautiful scenery.

I haven't been to Cape Cod, but I know it's a popular destination.

Ask the kids - you might be surprised what they come up with (that is how we ended up in Egypt for 10 days).

Northern Italy - there are so many cities with airports and excellent trains between that you can still shop around for airfare. (My 21 year old daughter and I did Venice, Florence, Milan last June on very short notice)

Eastern Canada - Niagara Falls, Toronto, Montreal - maybe Quebec City.

Your daughter should have a passport for college anyway - things seem to evolve for overseas adventures these days.

We did a week-long trip to Glacier NP when our kids were exactly the same ages as yours. It was a GREAT trip, but it was pretty "hike-heavy", so that might not be a good choice for your non-hiker.

We are going to the Black Hills for 9 days again this summer. Even though our kids will not be accompanying us this time, I think it would be a FANTASTIC destination for a family like yours. There's hiking available if you want it, but so much more--history, wildlife, amazing scenery and fun stuff like alpine slides. Our itinerary is going to include an overnight stay at the Badlands and a visit to Devil's Tower in Wyoming as well. For the Black Hills portion of our trip, we have rented a vacation home through VRBO. We did the same thing when we went to Glacier NP and it worked out so well for us. The extra space was a godsend with two adult children!

Hello let's go, I think your name is perfect for the Amount of places you have visited. Hopefully My kids will have amassed such a diverse list by the time they are off to college. I was like you this year, couldn't get excited about anything, having been lucky enough to have visited many domestic places so far, and not wanting to try anything international with the kids yet. We (I ) finally decided on Colorado, and have found the more I plan and research the more excited I'm becoming . I do suggest that you decide quickly as I have found that many of my first choices for lodging have all ready been booked.
Regarding your question, I second both the Vancouver, suggestion. You can drive up to whistler and try some rafting on the way. You can rent bikes to drive around Stanley park and ferry to Granville island. It is gorgeous.
I also second the Acadia trip. You mentioned having gone to Maine, but didn't say if it included Acadia. We enjoyed our numerous hikes there and the carriage rides and especially the popovers. Best of luck, let us know what you decide.

Another vote for Banff and Jasper National Parks in Canada!

Charleston? Savannah?

If beaches are a possibility, South Padre Island in Texas might be something different. It will be hot, but it's the beach. There's a Schlitterbaun water park there and quite a few other things to do. Maybe get a condo or beach house on the gulf side (not the bay)and enjoy the waves. This has always been a favorite of my kids since they were very young, and they are all adults now.

Wow, thanks for all the great replies! I think that I will try to get my daughters passport renewed since that will open up a few of the options mentioned.
Vancouver sounds like a wonderful idea and I will put it on the list of possibles. Also I liked the Smokey Mountains area idea. We have been to Niagara Falls (twice) and to the Black Hills (4 times)and we hiked around the Devils Tower. I love the Black Hills and would go again but really wanted something new for this trip. Also we have been to Quebec City and Montreal.

Actually we have been to both Portlands but Portland, Oregon was a number of years ago. We have been to Acadia National Park and loved it. Actually we liked Maine so much that I have it on my list of possibles even though we have been there.

I thought about New Orleans(one of few place that I have not been myself) but really thought that it would be too hot in the summer. I am thinking that Savannah, South Padre Island and Charleston would be really hot too.

I will look into the Banff area. I was there a couple times when I was a kid. I need to make sure that there are planty of things to do besides hiking.

My husband did say that if we can get the passport then we can consider a overseas trip.

Thanks so for the wonderful ideas!! I traveled alot with my family growing up. I have instilled that love of travel with my kids. We try not spend money on other things so we can go somewhere every year!

Would you consider a fabulous ranch in the Colorado mountains? DevilsThumbRanch.com

What about Cape Cod, or the coast of Maine, Acadia NP etc. Or what about Alaska.

3 year old thread, guys