Options for April trip
 

Hello everyone. I am struggling to find a spot for spring break this year. Our "baby" is a senior in high school and I'm assuming this will probably be our last spring break trip with him so I would like to come up with a great idea. Unfortunately, our dates are April 4-13. It seems that the cold places are no longer cold and the warm places aren't warm yet. He loves just about anything, other than shopping of course. We have been to most major cities including NYC, which he loves, DC, Boston, Phili, etc. We have been to Sedona/Grand Canyon area, one trip to Hawaii, he was born in Tx and has seen most of that state. He would love Alaska, but, from what I have found, April is out. I'm not a Mexico fan even though it is someplace that he hasn't been. Can anyone help with what they might have done in the past in April? Thanks for all your help.

Caribbean Cruise would be an option. Or just pick an island to go to.

IF you want a US City, how about San Diego or Seattle?

Do you ski? Mt. Bachelor in Oregon still has great snow in April (their usual closing date is Memorial Day). Yet the lower elevations, around the town of Bend or the Sunriver area, are turning to spring, so you can go mountain biking, rock climbing (at Smith Rock), and visit some of the volcanic attractions around the area.

If you prefer cities, what about San Francisco and Monterey?

French Quarter Fest is in New Orleans April 11-13th. The weather is usually quite tolerable during that period and there is music and food to fit almost every taste (except classical). In addition, New Orleans is a fun place for people of all ages. I have visited with kids from age 3 and 5 up to late teens and there is always something to fascinate every age group.

If you're not familiar with it, French Quarter Fest is a 3-day jamboree of all kinds of music and the food New Orleans is famous for. The weather is usually very good, better than for Jazz Fest a few weeks later and the crowds are much more orderly and well behaved than during Mardi Gras.

I go almost every year and this year will be no exception.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will look at the Oregon. I didn't realize you could still ski. He does enjoy that.

Florida Keys, Dry Tortuga, Everglades. or Death Valley and Sequoia National Park. or any of Utah's National Parks would probably be ok weather wise for April. Bryce might be a little iffy.

How about nature around Utah? What about Florida? Another option could be Montreal/Quebec. Another Savannah, Charleston, etc. New Orleans suggested above is a great idea, though he may want to go there with friends his age instead.

Don't know what his post-HS plans are, but first make sure you will not be using that time for one last look at colleges to which he has been accepted.

Obviously, does he have any ideas. We thought we had great ideas for a spring vacation trip with our teens 7 years ago and when we talked to them, ended up in Egypt (I know that is probably more of a trip than you had planned).

Montreal, Quebec City. (Check current passport situation if he does not have one - it keeps changing - same for Mexico or cruise)

Miami and south to Keys

Mexico to see Mayan ruins and then lounge on beach.

While we have done cruises with our teens, it would be lower on my list. Older teens find themselves too old for teen programs and not interested in adult activities on board. If he is either very outgoing or happy to sit and relax for at-sea days it would be fine and certainly plenty to do in ports.

Thanks everyone. I didn't think Sequoia weather would be very good so I will look into that one. gail, I agree with the cruise, even though I have not been on one, my mother took our daughter for her 18th birthday and I don't think my son would care for it. Is there anything to do in the Keys other than the beach? We have really only done Disney and Daytona area beaches in FL. He's going to Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh next fall so I'm thinking someplace sunny or someplace with lots of outdoor activities. Thanks again for the ideas.

This might be way off your radar, but have you thought about Costa Rica at all? A combo of Arenal and Manuel Antonio would give you time at the beach and at the volcano, ziplines, waterfalls, hiking, loads of amazing wildlife like monkeys. We've been twice already and would love to go back.

Actually I have considered CR. Can you give me where you stayed? I just checked my passport and it expires this summer, July, so would have to have it renewed before we left. Does anyone know how long that is taking now?

Sure, we've gone to a few different spots. You just fly to San Jose and then take off from there. You can drive, hire private drivers, or fly in-country with Sansa or NatureAir. We did a combo of Arenal/La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio for our first trip. There's a lot to do there. You can take the Cano Negro tour - a boat ride that goes down the river, and you'll see howler monkeys, capuchins, sloths, etc. Really fun day and includes a nice lunch. You can also zipline at SkyTrek. You can hike at the Hanging Bridges. But really our favorite things was watching the active volcano flow from our balcony. We stayed at the Lost Iguana and really liked it. Also, the town has natural hot springs fed - check out Tabacon; it's gorgeous.

Manuel Antonio has a park full of wildlife and beautiful beaches, also mangrove tours, and horseback riding.

The Peace Lodge is fun for a night or two, and the Osa is great if you love real adventure. Check out Bosque del Cabo. Let me know if you have more questions.

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The Peace Lodge is an over the top property - pretty extravagant for Costa Rica - rooms have fireplaces, jacuzzis, hammocks, and waterfall showers. The grounds have a gorgeous hike you can do that includes 5 incredible waterfalls. Also on the property, you can hand feed hummingbirds, which is pretty neat. They also have a nocturnal frog tour, where you can hold the cute little frogs. Kind of freaked me out a little, but I was glad we did it. I'd only stay here a night or two though because there's so much to see and do in CR.

Bosque del Cabo is very undeveloped - cabins that overlook a beautiful ocean. This is a great spot if you love nature and seeing wildlife. We saw howlers, capuchins, wild scarlet macaws, and spider monkeys all from the front porch of our cabin. They also have activities off the property that you can do, like waterfall repelling, surfing, swimming with dolphins - pretty neat stuff. If you go over to the Latin America board, you will find a lot of really useful information. Let me know if I can be of any more help. I know a lot of people who have gone to CR, and all of them plan to go back, so I think that really says something. Good luck!

You could have snow there in April. They have a great snowplay area. This is a huge small bumpy hill that tons of people slide down. I would guess there is plenty of room for 300 people with plenty of parking. I think a lot of people from Fresno come up on the weekend to sled. Of course, there is several options for walks and snowshoe walks. We were there over Christmas break. It is a great place in winter conditions to spend 2-3 days. Wuksachi Lodge or Montecieto Lodge are your options for lodging and dining. Snowshoe rentals are fun and easy to try.

Thanks volcanogirl. I will start researching it and get back with you if I have more questions.

Costa Rica sounds a whole lot more exciting than Oregon skiing. Great idea!