Where should we go in U.S. this summer?
 

My wife, 3 year-old and I are looking to a take a 7-10 trip in the U.S. (maybe Canada) this summer. We live in NJ and would consider a car or plane vacation and would like to stay at no more than 2 or 3 places during the course of the trip. We get a bit antsy after a few days in one spot and after a day or two by the beach, lake, pool so we wouldn't want to go someplace where there are beaches and nothing else. Also, my wife doesn't do well above 5-thousand feet or so. She struggled mightily in Vail, Colorado a couple of years ago. Plus, we aren't hikers or bikers.

We like siteseeing, pretty spots, swimming, hanging out in cafes. On previous summer trips, we have gone to Colorado and Newport, Rhode Island. I was thinking about North Carolina. My wife wanted to go to LA but I'm not interested in going there this summer. We are not interested in going to Alaska and have also been to Seattle and Portland areas.

Any thoughts?

Definitely northern Michigan. You could fly into Chicago, spend a few days, rent a car and drive up the coast. You could spend a few days in Traverse City (stopping by Sleeping Bear Dunes) and then a few in the Petoskey, Mackinaw area with a stop on Mackinac Island.

Traverse City has amazing wineries, Petoskey and Harbor Springs are your quaint harbor towns, and Mackinac Island with its horses and fudge and no cars for the 3 year old.

The scenery is gorgeous and it won't be too crowded. Don't go too early in the summer if you want to swim in Lake Michigan.

Charleston and Savannah fit your criteria.

From NJ, I recommend you go to Montreal and Quebec city. For exploring countryside, head for the Laurentians. And for a bit of France in Canada, there's no better place than Quebec City.

Maine was my first response, however, if you ahve an interest in NC you could do the Mts., Coast & wineries in between. I don't believe any of the elevations are much above 4000', if that.