Need Vacation ideas with 5 year old
 

My husband and I would like to take our 5 year old daughter on a "vacation" next spring. She has two year old twin sisters that we could all use a break from. I need ideas please! Here are our parameters:
1) Obviously, a place that a kid would enjoy, but one who does not enjoy rides. So theme parks are out.
2) My husband will have been an amputee for a little over a year by that point and is limited in his walking. He can walk, but definitely not a lot.
3) We want good food.
4) If we do plane tickets, I'd like to keep them to less than $1000 for the three of us (flying out of PHL or EWR, or even Atlantic city).
5) If we drive, I'd like to keep it to less than six hours.

One day, I'd love to do a Disney cruise for her and her sisters, but I don't think this year. I was thinking Montreal, but is there something for kids to do? Any other ideas are welcome!

Would Williamsburg be an idea.I dont know if they have wheelchairs for rent .

DC/Smithsonians amazing Williamsburg

Front Royal to Skyline Drive to

blueridgeparkway.org tonnes of fun.

Would she like the beach? Maybe Sanibel, Ft. Myers Beach, Venice, Anna Maria, etc. in Florida.

How about Boston, Children's Museum, Museum of Science, Swan Boats (If they're open), boat ride out in the harbor, hotel with a pool. Museums might have a wheelchair for DH.

There was a TR here about a trip to NY city with a 5yo girl that might give you some ideas.

Mostly I would guess she would like some undivided attention without the distraction of 2yo twins!

If you are considering a beach/water vacation, how about Chincoteague?

Before you go, read the classic book -
http://www.amazon.com/Misty-Chincote...3349276&sr=1-1

And a new one about the ponies -
http://www.amazon.com/My-Chincoteagu.../dp/1423100239

I'll top november_moon's trip report.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...m#last-comment

november_moon's report - combining Chincoteague and Washington DC

I was also thinking Williamsburg.

There could be lots of walking of course, but he could walk some and you could hire a wheel chair for some. Staying on-site means you could return to your lodging for rest or just regrouping w/o missing any "Williamsburg time".

Lots w/ tremendous interest for both kids and adults.

http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/...lity/index.cfm

5 year olds remember very little of the details of trips at that age... pick a place for your husband and yourself and then add a playground or kid attraction...

we took our kids at that age and they remembered things like carriage rides in the park(Horsies) and swimming in pools... wait a bit on Disney...7 or 8 through 12...

We spent thousands on disney when they were 4 and 6 and they mostly remember meeting their uncle for dinner and that he drank a giant beer at dinner... good times...

I have to agree with gary. My daughter's memory of NYC was that she got to feed the horse who pulled the carraige through Central Park, and she and her grandpa got hot dogs from a street vendor. She was 8. :) Most cities have a children's museum, and many hotels have swimming pools~always a big hit with the kids! One thing you might do is check inexpensive airfare, and check on kid friendly activities in those cities. My guess will be that the thing she will enjoy most is the undivided attention of her parents.

I definitely agree with gary, too. I know she's not going to remember much... Last time we went to NY, we went to the Children's Museum. When we went to Philadelphia, we took her to the zoo. I would definitely not do Disney yet, not for a long time. I want to try something new and more of an adventure than NYC and Philly (because they're relatively short car trips). We haven't been to Chicago, nor have we been to Montreal. Chincoteague sounds very intriguing. I read the trip report, and that sounds like a great idea. I'll have to research more into that. I'm still looking for advice on Canada. Anyone?

Thanks so much, everyone, so far!

Remembering much depends as much on the kid and the experience as much as the age. I was taken to Europe at 3 1/2 and have just hazy impressions of it, and again at 8 (1975) and remember most of it. My sister, who was 5, has more than a hazy impression of that trip but doesn't remember nearly as much as we do. We both tend to have fairly good recall, but we're in our forties.

Now that said, Montreal is a nice city for children. We went last summer with my nephew (4) and my mildly disabled DS (15). We stayed at the Fairmount Queen Elizabeth, since it was on my father's bucket list, but both children enjoyed it. They do have a pool, but it is smallish. We had wanted to go out to Ile St. Helene, but were stymied by a heavy metal festival and a strike at the Biodome.

It is an easy walking city, though, and one that's comfortable at night. We went to the Science museum, which both kids liked, and the archaelogical one, which was also a hit, but more with my son than my nephew. We also ended up at the architectural museum, which was interesting, but not something I'd normally recommend for children.

The old city can be a bit of an issue for someone with mobility problems, too, since it's hilly and the pavement is uneven. My father uses a cane, and was okay, but we needed to take it slow. My sister, the vegetarian, found that menus were not all that easy for her either. BTW, you can certainly manage completely in English, but even rudimentary French is handy.

We also went to Quebec City, and it was wonderful, and both children loved it, but the terrain was very difficult for my father, not to mention my nephew's stroller (DS and I just picked it up and carried him, stroller and all, in a few places).

I agree with Gary and that is the first thing I thought of. Find a nice hotel with a really nice pool And slide, etc., maybe some kids museum near by, or a cool park?

A spring vacation in canada can be very shaky in terms of weather... It can be icy and there has been snow into April and even May...

You might have more fun close to home... and save the money for the big trip in 3 years...

Again, agree with gary. My only trip to Quebec City was in early April. It was bitterly cold and it snowed on one day. The sun came out the day we left, of course...... The beauty of the winter snow was long gone and spring hadn't quite arrived, but it was beautiful nonetheless.

I recommend the beach. There's nothing more fun for five year old than digging in the sand and hauling pails of water. We took our daughter to Maui when she was four and Kauai when she was six, and she had a blast. She just needed a shovel and bucket and unlimited sand to keep her happy.

What kureiff said~what about Florida?

Airfare for 3 from Philadelphia to Orland mid-April is as low as $217 each. One option would be to spend a day at Animal Kingdom~you said she doesn't like rides, but it is more focused on animals than rollercoasters, and you can't beat Disney for entertainment! Rent a car and drive to Daytona Beach or Cocoa beach (each a little over an hour from Orlando), and spend a few days digging in the sand........

All your ideas sound good. I just never understand this obsession with only taking kids to stuff when they will remember it. Everything they do develops them as a person whether they remember it or not and the point is will they enjoy it, not will they remember it!

Yes, I agree. Who cares if she remembers the trip or not.I think Florida is a good idea and something your daughter will enjoy. There is much to do beside going on rides, I think someone mentioned Animal Kingdom which is a great idea. Would your daughter enjoy Cinderella's castle? You could allow her to dress like a princess herself for her visit to the castle.Someone already said "you can not beat the entertainment of Disney". Split your time up with sometime at the park and then the rest you could spend at the beach.