Something fun for kids & teens
 

Help! Does anyone have a suggestion for a non-beach vacation for a family of 5? We are a couple with 3 kids ages 6, 9 &13. We live in CT and to keep costs down are willing to drive. We drove to Outer Banks last year (12-14 hours each way). I'm just having trouble finding something that's fun for all my kids since they vary so much in age. I have priced out a couple of dude ranches but they are either very poorly rated or too expensive. I'm trying to stay under $3000 for 5 days. Camping is not our thing however we don't need luxury accomadations. I'd like to hear about any suggestions you may have From Florida to Cananda. Thanks.

Why not beach? Myrtle Beach would be perfect for your family and you could easily find a two bedroom condo across the street from the beach for $1200 or less.

Orlando and the theme parks would also be fun for your family. Your kids are at the perfect age for it.

Drive to Niagara Falls, Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown and then either find some lake or other place near there or head to Toronto for a couple of days. Problem with Toronto is that cost of passports for everyone adds to cost unless everyone already has one, though.

What time of year are you looking for? If its over the summer, you would be better off looking towards Canada (Nova Scotia, Toronto, etc) if you don't want a beach

You don't need a passport to come and go from Canada, unless you are flying. You can bring birth certificates.

What about renting a cottage in Maine?

Or how about a history trip - Washington DC, Gettysburg, etc?

Adirondacks? (Tough to find accommodations though, I know that.)

I like the idea of Nova Scotia - take the ferry from Maine, the kids will like that.

Don't you also need passports now if you are driving in or has that not gone into effect?

Postponed again.

They have changed/delayed passport requirements so many times that everyone is confused, including me. Check Dept of State website - hopefully they know.

NIagra Falls and Toronto. Lots to do and not too long in the car.

This site is awesome! Thanks so much for the replies. I'm new to Fodor's and can't believe how quick it is to get an answer. Keep the suggestions coming! In the meantime, I will start looking into some of the suggestions. PS. I priced out Disney...too pricey. We're looking to get away late June.

How about Wash DC or Williamsburg?

Williamsburg is great for a family with kids. We went when my kids were going into 8th and 9th grades - so they were like 13 and 14. In addition to the things to see/do in Williamsburg, Jamestown has a lot of hands on activities (might be "iffy" for the 13 year old - but the other 2 should enjoy it). Yorktown does not have much hands-on stuff - but has a great cannon fire demonstration!

Then, if you haven't been to DC - there is so much there! We go every couple of years. You have all the Smithsonian museums - which are great with lots of hands-on stuff and my kids LOVED the International Spy Museum.


Then there is WaterTown USA (I think that's the name) which my boys loved.

Not to push Disney if that's not what you really want, but it probably can be done for that money if you are willing to drive (reasonable two day drive from CT) and are VERY canny about it. There are all kinds of strategies for not leaving your mortgage payment in Orlando.
That said, Toronto and Niagara Falls are a fabulous trip, and the last time we did it we included Kingston, Ontario as well, which is one of my all-time favorite small cities. Another good Canadian option, and a little more exotic, would be Montreal, which is a very easy drive, and a really lovely city. Excellent restaurants, cosmopolitan, and family-friendly.
Philadelphia is in even easier distance, and full of things for children to see and do. And if you decided you did want a day at the beach, it's very easy to pop over to the Jersey Shore.

The State Dept. website does say the current rule requires only a government issued photo i.d. AND proof of citizenship. The problem is, other than a passport, what kind of government-issues photo i.d. would the kids have?

Kids don't need a photo ID.

Here are the current requirements for land routes in and out of Canada:

"Beginning January 31, 2008, the United States will end the practice of accepting oral declarations of citizenship at the border.

* U.S. citizens ages 19 and older must present documentation that proves both identity and citizenship. Identification documents must include a photo, name and date of birth. View the complete list of acceptable documents at CBP.gov.
* Children ages 18 and under will only be required to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate."

This is from the Homeland Security site.

Sorry to hijack the thread.

Last April my husband and I and our 13 and 14 year old sons drove from MA to Cooperstown which they loved. We stayed over one night in NY and then went to Cleveland and visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Science Museum which was excellent for adults and kids the age of yours. We also went to the Football Hall of Fame in Canton but I would trade that for a day at the huge amusement park about an hour from Cleveland (name escapes me). We have also gone with them to Niagara Falls and you could easily add a day or two there to this drive. If you go to Niagara, I suggest that you drive up to Old Fort Niagara on the American side. They have tours and historical reenactments geared toward kids. There is also a huge park with picnic areas, playgrounds, plenty of running room, various courts, and maybe a pool.
By the way, I really liked Cleveland much more than I was expecting. Nice, compact downtown. Not much traffic. Good restaurants. Clean. I also liked that the baseball, football, and basketball stadiums are all right there. Just a cool little city.

The amusement park is Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH.

I also recommend Williamsburg and D.C. Your kids are at a good age to appreciate the history of these places AND to enjoy the fun attractions they offer. Check the websites got Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown and see what special tours and activities for kids are available during your visit. (You might also want to rent "Pocohantas" for your kids to watch before they come. While historically inaccurate in many places, it will familiarize them with Jamestown and its place in history. That movie came out when my daughter was about 7 and she loved it!)
In addition to the historical sights in this area, you've got Busch Gardens and Water Country USA in Williamsburg which should appeal to your kids. I also believe that special packages are available for the Williamsburg area, so check online for those.
A visit to D.C. is fun and relatively inexpensive since so many of the attractions are free. If you want to visit the White House, contact your Representative's office now to see if any tickets are available for tours during your visit. These are limited and get snapped up quickly. You might also want to go online to book tickets for the ride to the top of the Washington Monument. These can be available for free on the day of your visit, but would likely require a lengthy wait in line. Kids love the Air and Space Musuem and the Natural History Musuem. (Unfortunately, the American History Musuem is closed for renovation until later in the year.) A new butterfly house just opened at the Natural History Museum. While admission to the musuem is free, there is a charge for the butterfly house. However, admission to the butterfly house is free on Tuesdays, but numbers are limited so as not to stress the butterflies. There are also great IMAX films at the Air and Space Museum and at the Natural History Museum. Of course, I'd recommend a visit to the National Zoo which is also free.
You might want to look for more affordable accomodations outside of D.C. Check for hotels near a Metro station since you will want to use public transportation to get around--driving in D.C. is not recommended. Areas to consider could be Rosslyn, Courthouse, Ballston and Crystal City, all of which are located in Arlington, VA.

We just returned from Mont Tremblant, Canada. This is an all year around resort with a charming little village feel to it. The older kids can roam on their own a little too. Lakes, golf, restaurants and shops are there along with lots of activities. We haven't been there in the summer, but plan to go again soon.