Where to take a 3 year old boy on vacation
 

A co-worker and her husband want to take their 3 year old son on a vacation that will be fun for everyone. They live in L.A., so Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm are out. They are thinking about NYC. I suggested St. Louis (riding in the arch, the zoo, Ted Drewes frozen custard, etc.) Any other ideas?

Las Vegas would be an easy flight for a 3 year old. The hotel pool will probably be all he needs to keep busy - (maybe stay at the flamingo for those mini-penguins at the pool?). But there's also the lion cubs at MGM, Dolphin Habitat at Mirage; Lied Discovery Children's Museum; a drive around Red Rock Canyon, a drive (2.5 hrs however) to Zion National Park...Lake Mead (40 mins) boat rentals...

Aren't 'vacation with a 3 year old' and 'fun for everyone' mutually exclusive? ;) I say this having just returned from a 'change of scenery' with my almost 3 year old!

I used to live in St. Louis and think it is very family and kid friendly - although, oddly enough, I'd never think to recommend it as a 'destination.' But we've done all the things the pp recommmended (not to mention the Magic House, which is great) with our daughter and she always has a good time. I also know of a babysitting service that my friend uses so they could actually get out at night.

I can't imagine NYC being fun for everyone. I felt bad for my kid who spent hours looking at everyone's backsides as we navigated the city with the stroller. That, and we were stuck at the hotel at night for her early bedtime.

I wish I had suggestions, but vacations for me still involve a grandparent at home with our daughter while my hubby and I take off! I'd love to hear what they decide!

Seattle area? and Spokane isn't glamorous, but you can have a lot of fun w/ a three yr old at Riverfront Park.good food, good shopping

My sons loved Yellowstone National Park at that age - the bison, the guysers, and especially the boiling mud pots - plus pine trees, waterfalls, and lots of other wildlife.

How about Lake Tahoe or Hawaii? We take our granddaughter to those places and she loves sitting in the sand, playing in the water or swimming pool. The Hyatt hotels have a Camp Hyatt for kids if Mom and Dad need some time alone.

A cottage on a lake, near a beach that is easy to get to was what worked well for us when our kids were that age.

The kid will love anything that gets him lots of relaxed attention from his parents and will hate anything that requires him to sit and be quiet. So that leaves out long plane trips, museums, etc.

San Diego. It's close but very different (I think) from LA. The zoo, seaworld, beach, seals...

If they are already planning trips around a 3 year old, they are in for years of trouble...At that age, children are easily entertained. Why not go wherever they would like... ?

Boy, my granddaughter is barely two and I've forgotten how much bigger she might be in a year. I recently heard a woman say her 3 yo hated Disneyworld and was miserable the entire week until the plane ride home. Our son was 5 before we took him for a beach vacation that involved a plane ride. Maho Bay on St John (luxury camping) is a good beach place where you can expect to find other families and kids make friends playing in the sand. There's also pretty good snorkling right off the beach but it depends on if the child is ready to get his face in the water. I saw others snorkeling with their children in fairly shallow water. In general I would recommend a nice cottage on a lake. In NH anything on Lake Winnipesaukee is also within an hour of places like Storyland in Glen NH which is geared for younger children. When I was growing up, some of the young teens got to be mother's helpers during family beach vacation. Do people still do that? Just take your own babysitter with you.

Three year olds are tough. Really a bit young to appreciate much. I disagree that Yellowstone is a good idea. I went with my then-3-year-old and was nervous as could be about him slipping off into a boiling sulphur pool, and he was bored in the car looking for animals. I think the poster who said the adults should choose is onto something. We always did Hawaii and used a lot of babysitters when our kids were really really young, or did car trips to grandparents. I was going to say someplace like Santa Fe's Bishop Lodge, where they have a kids camp in the summer. But I believe most of those camps are for ages 5 and up. It's really a tricky question. Custer State Park in SD might be good; kind of a little Yellowstone with a lake to swim in and really darling cabins, if you ask for a new one.

The best theme park for kids is in Langhorne, PA and near Trenton NJ: Sesame Place. It is clean, totally kid-friendly, and so well-designed it is a pleasure to take kids there. The food is good, many healthy options, you can take your own picnic, there are "regular" rides and water rides, shows, the whole deal. It's just so much nicer for that age group! If you think you've seen all theme parks because you've been to Disney, forget it--this one is best suited to that age group, hands down. It's a nice train ride from New York City, and would make either a great day trip or your friends could break up the NYC and stay over night in PA at one of the hotels in that area. Or they could fly into NYC and fly out of Trenton. From the train station in Trenton they have busses that shuttle to the park.

There are lots of wonderful things for a toddler to do in NYC. They will HAVE to take a stroller, however, and not worry whether it looks "odd." I've seen 6 year olds in strollers there.

The Museum of the City of New York had a fabulous toys on permanent exhibit, and there is a marionette theater in Central Park. The theater at Asphalt Green on the extreme upper east side is home to many puppet and live shows for kids.

I'm with fuzzbo - leave the kid with the grandparents.

Sorry, not very helpful, but at 3, the kid won't remember much (if anything) anyway.

Karen

hawaii - kids can never get enough of playing on a beach or in a pool. get a nice condo with a kitchen. my sisters did this a lot when their kids were young and it was perfect. if your child still naps in the afternoon, you and hubby and relax on the balcony while still being able to hear the child.

They should go to the place that interests them most as long as there is a safe place for the three-year-old to play.

A child, @ 3, will remember much more than you think...my daughter still recalls things from an even younger age (she is now 4) that are certainly travel related. Don't under estimate the little guys...

If the parents haven't been to NYC, it will be fascinating to them and their child.

St. Louis is way down on my list of "fun vacation" spots, but maybe I've had my head in the clouds too long.

LMS

What does a 3 year old need to vacation "from"? the everyday stresses of life in the saltmine?

The parents should vacation wherever they want to and include the child in their activities rather than the other way around. A 3 year old would consider an afternoon at Chuck-E-Cheese to be as much fun as a day at the Grand Canyon. Sure they remember, somewhat, but they remember times spent at home with lots of attention just as fondly.

Many of us spend too much time worrying about amusing our little darlings.

Portland is a fun city for children. A lot of Parks and a great zoo. My hubby and I found the native Northwest section interesting also. And there's a free trolley (in the downtown area). There's great surrounding areas for exploying, and day trips to the coast. My kids had fun at the Tillamook cheese factory. :-)

I would say NYC could be fun for everyone. Little boy would love Central Park I bet.

Other idea would be Florida, or basically anywhere with a beach.