amwosu

Going to Phoenix/Scottsdale/Sedona with DH as soon as school is out in May. Hopefully we'll buy property while we're there.

Headed to Manhattan Beach, CA with DH to visit friends and watch a beach volleyball tourney in August (just before school starts again).

I was a lucky girl growing up. Despite my parents being a teacher and barber (read poor people) I traveled to all 48 states we could drive to by the time I was in 6th grade.

I didn't stay the night in a motel until my sophomore year in h.s. and only then because our motorhome broke down in Georgia. We started with a tent, then moved to a truck camper and graduated to a motorhome but my dad had such bad luck with it that it didn't last long.

I think I've been to all the "important" president's birthplaces and graves and a few I've seen twice or three times.

I remember my mom trying to get me out of the camper to see the Badlands while I was engrossed in a book. I was in about 8th grade and said, "If you've seen the Badlands once, you really don't need to see them again."

My children are spoiled by lavish trips but haven't been to nearly as many places as I'd been by their ages.

ellen_griswold

Hi Scarlett! Thanks for starting such a great thread! So fun to hear others' plans and heartening to see many college (and older) kids traveling with parents! BTW Scarlett, i don't see Charleston on your list!? You gotta go, girl!

My childhood summers were similar to ours now, many many long road trips - in the same Griswold station wagon. We'd do and see all we possibly could each day, then schlepp in and out of motels each night, most without reservations! I too, had been to 48 states before i was 15 seeing most of the nat'l parks, historic sites etc. Only difference on our trips now is a new mini-van every couple years (w/massive miles, it's imperative) and we also visit presidential libraries (read MUSEUMS) and see major league baseball games all over america

After son Rusty returns from backpacking across europe with college buds, we're taking our ninth (9th!) out west griswold style family vacation! We asked the kids if they wanted another trip to the UK (and beyond) hawaii or out west again, and they chose the west. Yippie, three more rockin weeks in the wild wonderful west with clark, russ and audrey!!

Meesthare

My childhood summers were variable; they ranged from lengthy (and to me unbelieveably tedious) car trips with my parents to, in later years, summer camp holidays that left me pining for home and for a tedious car trip with my parents. This year, though, is going to be different from anything I've ever done before. We are flying out to Victoria, BC from Toronto to find ourselves a new home, and then we will come back, tie up a few loose ends here, and make the Big Permanent Move. There is so much to do between now and then that I can't imagine why I'm sitting here enjoying the lovely spring morning and dawdling at my computer when I should be going through closets!

GoTravel

How could I forget summer camp? Those freezing ice cold showers in the early mornings in the mountains of Virginia nearly froze me to death!

Ah yes, those car trips with the family were most tedious Meetshare!

Fodorite018

What a great idea for a thread Scarlett!

My childhood summers were always spent doing the same thing...but no complaints...we had a great time. We would ride to the club and hang out at the pool all day. Sometimes played tennis, but only if the older people were not there since we were rather obnoxious, lol! We would also go pick strawberries and marionberries. On the weekends our family and my cousins family would go camping together.

When we moved last year we chose a town that offerred that same Mayberry feel to it so that our kids would enjoy their childhood in much the same way. Many things are similar, so they are lucky.

Our plans so far are a girls weekend for me and my WA girlfriends here in downtown Portland at the 5th Avenue Suites. The general manager was wonderful and took care of our requests. That is at the end of this month.

Then in May our family and my brothers are renting cabins in central Oregon sort of out in the middle of nowhere, but on a nice lake.

In July we have our annual extended family gathering at SunRiver. A week of hiking, mountain biking, hanging out at the pool and then lounging in the hottub...oh and with lots of drinks

The rest of the summer weekends will consist of backpacking in the mountains. Hoping to get our nephew to try it!

Tandoori_Girl

Florida families flock to the beach in the summer Rates are real low at all the hotels and the water in June and July is a perfect temperature. This year, we lost our 2-year tenant from our beach house (moved to Miami) so now we get to use it 8-) Our only dilemma is our 15-y.o. whom we worry will throw a wild party at our Tampa house (he prefers the Tampa scene with his local poss&eacute. I don't see my work slacking right now so we will likely be beaching it this summer with maybe a trip to New Mexico to see mom ( I am the dutiful daughter, dragging my son with me kicking and screaming).

BUT (big but...) I'd love to get away in August to Cashiers NC to a rental on Lake Glenville or at the Big Ridge with its gorgeous Cold Mountain view (looks just like the book) and mid-70s temperatures. And a little apartment for a month on the Rue St. Denis in Montreal would be heaven! >-

cd

I was raised by a single Mom who worked in a factory (also, read poor) so as we had no car the only vacations we had were taking the Greyhound bus to Kentucky where my Moms sister lived. I loved gathering eggs from the hen house and slopping the hogs! The rides in the back end of a truck to the gas station/mom and pop store for a bottle of Grape pop were, believe it or not, adventurous.

emd

Yes, our summer plans resemble those hazy lazy days when I was a kid. As a kid, we used to pile in the car and drive from Houston to Colorado, to a lake (Grand or Granby?) where my parent's friends from their days in NY were building a lakehouse, as in building it themselves. It took them several years to finish it. We started going there when it was framed and had a roof on it, and we camped out "inside" the house, but it was really more like outside w/a slab under us and a roof. The next summer there were walls and windows and doors, and I guess the plumbing worked but I don't recall electricity. The next time it was pretty much done, but still very rustic. And then we kept going there for a wk to relax and fish and gab each summer. I loved it (except the drive when my Dad wouldn't stop for me to use the bathroom or eat as frequently as I wanted ("just one more mile", he'd say, over and over- what is it about fathers and wanting to keep driving?)
Now we have lazy days fishing but on the Outer Banks. This yr. a week right on the sound at Currituck Club up towards Corolla (haven't stayed there before), and the following week a condo on the ocean in Nags Head. And just do whatever the heck we want on a moment to moment basis. Very different from the rest of our lives.

Marilyn

Meesthare, we will be happy to welcome you to the Left Coast!

Meesthare

Why, thank you, Marilyn! My oldest daughter and son-in-law live in Pasadena, so one of the benefits of moving out there will be that weekend visits are more feasible.

Scarlett

Meesthare! I wanna move out there too!!
LOL, I need to find someone who longs for Florida heat and trade with them, anyone??
ellen, Charleston is still on our agenda, we just have to get a new pupsitter, sigh.

shaz60

Camping, camping and more camping. We always camped when I was a kid. That and visiting relatives were our only vacations. We still take our kids camping. This year will be one week on Lake Ossippee in NH and another week that will be a ten campsite 50 person reunion with my parents (60s), kids (20s and teens) and grandkids (single digits). I think we will have a wonderful time. We also go to other places with kids or friends but not in the summer. Summer and fall are the only reasons to live in New England so why leave then?

Meesthare

Hey, Scarlett - I think everybody is going to move there eventually, and the entire continent will tip sideways as a result. In the meantime, you could certainly come and visit.

GoTravel

Scarlett, why not take pup? I would bet some of the better Charleston hotels take dogs. He would love Charleston as it would love him. Always see doggies dining with their people outside at Poogans

LoveItaly

Hi Scarlett, I had the same thought as GoTravel did. I think that Charleston would be a great place to take pup. I saw people walking dogs all over Charleston. I don't know which hotels accept pets but you could check into that. I think pup would really enjoy himself!