You’ve been waiting all year for a vacation, and your family (and gut)
have been telling you the same thing: BOOK IT! But rather than spending a week
at the same beach you always head out to, think about what kind of vacation
you’re really craving. Then check out
our guide for whatever type of paradise you fancy. But whatever the adventure,
don’t forget a camera! —
If you’re
craving a beach vacation (but not in the Hamptons) and can fly, board the next plane to Playa
Mujeres in Mexico to
swim with the big fish– the really big fish. Great for families with young
kids, the Whale Shark Adventure Package at Villa del Palmar Cancun
($1598) includes free lodging and meals for two children under 12. You can
splash around in the water with whale sharks, enjoy two 50-minute massages (and
take 10% off any additional massages if your muscles just can’t get enough),
and hop on the shuttles to Downtown and Hotel Zone Shopping Centers up to six
times. The package includes all your meals, snacks, drinks and premium brand
alcoholic beverages, as well as taxes and gratuities, so you don’t have to
worry about anything except shady breaks so you don’t burn in the hot Mexican
sun. Fair enough!
If you’re
looking to Euro-trek but want to avoid the college kids on mid-afternoon pub
crawls, Italy’s Ascoli
Piceno is the place to go. On the first Sunday in
August, the entire town rewinds with a daylong medieval jousting festival. The
day marches forward when about 1,500 citizens dressed in 15th Century
garb parade down the main street. Don’t miss the jousting competition, an
intense battle among six different competitors cheered on by enthusiastic
spectators donning the colors of their favorite jousters. But it’s all in good
fun as families gather in Piazza Arringo for food, music and of course,
authentic Italian gelato. And don’t worry about walking into an overpriced,
kitschy tourist trap, as the festival is filled almost entirely with locals.
Plus, the town is just 22 miles from the Adriatic coast, so you can spend the
days after the excitement of the festival on the sandy shore.
If you’re
sick of the South and want to pay a visit to our Northern neighbors, grab
your passport and prepare to play on Prince
Edward Island. The smallest and greenest of Canada’s
provinces, visit the beautiful island of Anne of Green Gables fame
and enjoy a classic summer family vacation. Get your thrills in at one of the
Island’s many kid-friendly theme parks – Sandspit, Shining Waters Family Fun
Park and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not are just a few of your options. Get active
by taking in the countryside (by bike!), or renting a canoe or kayak and keeping
cool while you explore the northern terrain from the water. Scale the top of
the West Point Lighthouse, sample some fudge in Avonlea Village, enjoy
the life-like historical murals in Summerside, and soak in the beach walks and
cultural campfires in PEI National
Park. And don’t miss out on the
chance to stroll along the Charlottetown
waterfront before taking in a performance of Anne of Green Gables – The Musical, a
beloved Canadian classic suitable for all ages.
If Will
Smith inspired you to get in touch with the Wild Wild West, trot
on over to Colorado’s
Sundance Trail Guest Ranch. It’s a smooth escape from the gritty city heat,
offering plenty of sunshine and open air to fish, swim, bike, hike, play disc
golf, go horseback riding, or to doze off in a hammock. The atmosphere is a
relaxed, move-at-your-own pace departure from the hustle and bustle of
NYC—boasting a Jacuzzi, rec room with pool table and games, and a television
with movies for post-ranch relaxation. Speaking of families, Sundance makes
bringing the whole gang practically too easy – children’s programs, designed
for kids 5 and older, feature picnics, campfires, and treasure hunts. Horse
wranglers offer lessons and coaching for all skill levels, so by the end of the
week you can feel at home riding off into the sunset.
If you are
stuck out East and looking to save a little cash…don’t
curse your limited summer mobility just yet. Gurney’s Inn Resort and Spa offers
a serene retreat for New Yorkers that need a little time out. The resort is
located right on the beach, so you can sprawl out in the sun with a book and
chill while the youngins’ unwind with kids’ yoga. Or the family can release
that pent-up tension by playing beach volleyball or building fake snowmen—we’ll
call them fauxmen—with fake snow in the sand. A selection of restaurants and
cafes promises to keep you well-fed and, of course, the spa will make sure
you’re feeling every type of good: relaxed, refreshed and rejuvenated. A
variety of spa packages are available so you can customize your experience,
from massages and facials to mother/daughter packages. It’s a great girls’
weekend getaway or a family beach vacay.
If an
off-season resort is calling your name…head into the Pocono
Mountains to pay an affordable visit to the Skytop Lodge.
Indulge in the usual sporty summer fun, including golf, kayaking, archery,
swimming, tennis, biking and lawn bowling. Adventurers can climb to the top of
the 30-foot rock wall or hike West Mountain to
check out the view. Paddle around the 75-acre lake on a canoe and refuel with a
milkshake and freshly baked chocolate chip cookie. Kiddies anxious to make new friends
and spend their limitless energy can sign up for Camp in the Clouds, a program
filled with face painting, swim lessons, scavenger hunts and more. And you
won’t even have to wince as you open your next bank statement – through August
31, families that stay at least two nights will get the third night free, as
well as half-off the price of children’s rooms.
If you’re
anxious to leave Wikipedia behind and want to see history in action…take a
real-life ride down the Oregon Trail. Join
the Oregon Trail Wagon Train for a journey that will hopefully be less dramatic
(but no less awesome) than the digital trip back to 1850. The family can hop
aboard a covered wagon tour for a 3-hour spin down the terrain our pioneering
ancestors traveled or a 24-hour trek through the prairies of Chimney Rock, Nebraska. After
you get off the trail, enjoy a hearty meal of ribeye steak and delicious sides
cooked over the grill. To cap off the vacation to yesteryear, pitch a tent or
roll out the RV for a snooze under the stars, and rest up for canoeing on the North
Platte River.
If long city nights make
you crave sleeping under the stars…the North-South Lake Campground
at the Catskill Forest Preserve has you covered. As the biggest and one of the
most popular family campgrounds in the Preserve, the area offers simplistic, scenic
beauty to help families connect with the natural world. But not, like, with an outhouse or anything. There are flush
toilets, hot showers, picnic areas with fireplaces and charcoal grills, two
lakes, and two beaches. Nature lovers, or even nature likers, can participate
in hikes, crafts, games and live entertainment of the Nature Recreation
Program. Hunter Mountain (just 10
miles down the road) runs ethnic festivals throughout the summer with diverse
food and entertainment, and the likes of tubing, go-carting, miniature golfing
and horseback riding are all short drives away. Just don’t stay out too late,
as no camping trip is complete without gooey s’mores around a nighttime
campfire!
If you’re mighty with BBQ
tongs and long for wading in shallow water…splash on over to Lake
George. The calm, refreshing water in the spring-fed lake
is great for kids (and adults) who shy away from the intensity of ocean tides.
Besides the typical lake staples of swimming, sandcastle building, boating and
fishing, Lake George also
offers a quaint village for families to shop, eat, and walk around lapping up drippy
ice cream cones. That’s a nice family vacation vision for two or three days.
But once the family is ready for some action, there’s plenty to do— including
lazy river tubing, rafting, hot air ballooning, parasailing, mini golfing and a
short drive to Six Flags Great Escape. Make sure to take a one-of-a-kind
steamboat ride of whichever variety sounds most exciting—the historic tour,
moonlight tour, or the firework cruise. If your kids are older or if you’re
looking for an adults-only night on the town, head out to the Lake George
Dinner Theater while the youngsters play in the village.
If you’ve
already been to Yellowstone and the kids are still calling you Yogi Bear…think
outside the box—and the Continental US—and head to Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park. Dive into lava land and
explore two of the world’s most active volcanoes, the results of 70 million
years of volcanism, migration and evolution. Get the scoop on Polynesian
history and culture, and bike or hike through the volcanoes for a true up-close-and-personal
experience. Depending on the cycle, you may even get to see active lava flows.
Much better than a science fair project! Camping is free on within the grounds,
or you can head out of the park and get acquainted with the rest of the Hawaiian
Islands.
