They call it “summer vacation” for a reason. When the kids
are out of school and the city is steamy, it’s time to get out of town. Whether
you’re a beach buff or a mountain maniac, we’ve found some of America’s
most family-friendly vacation spots. So hit the road or hop on a plane, and
don’t forget to send us a postcard!
A Shore Thing: Mystic, CT to Misquamicut,
RI
Just three hours from New York, the strip of seashore from
Mystic, Connecticut to Misquamicut, Rhode Island is short (less than 10 miles
from top to bottom) but long on fun-filled adventures. Start your trip in
Mystic, a former shipbuilding hub founded in 1654. To recapture the days of whalers and tall
ships check out Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Sea. For a
different type of water encounter take the fam to the world-famous Mystic
Aquarium, home to New England’s only beluga whales. And
while you may be tempted to try Mystic’s pizza, don’t miss the Sea Swirl—a
quintessential roadside clam shack. Five minutes up the coast from Mystic is
the picture-perfect town of Stonington,
Connecticut, a quiet, upscale
village ideal for an afternoon stroll and dinner overlooking the water.
Finally, hit the beach at Misquamicut, Rhode
Island. It’s a kiddie paradise with wide, sandy
shores, ice cream galore, and a vintage carousel.
Parks and Explorations: Rocky Mountain National Park and
Grand Lake, CO
A mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, Colorado’s majestic Rocky
Mountain National Park offers over 350 miles of hiking trails, five drive-in
campgrounds, and over 200 backcountry campsites; plus biking, fishing, and horseback
riding. Kids 12 and under can pick up a park activity booklet at one of the
visitor centers with wildlife checklists and nature hike scavenger hunts. For
families looking for a little civilization amidst the great outdoors, the town
of Grand Lake
ranks as the perfect home base. The streets are lined with hitching posts and
other Old West architecture, and the Grand
Lake itself offers swimming and
kayaking. Tired of all that nature stuff? Speed demons can rent go-karts at the
Rocky Hi Speedway and serial shoppers can check out the more than 60 stores on
the Grand Lake
“boardwalk”. Plus, we hear that 4th of July boasts the best
fireworks in the state.
American Idyll: Annapolis,
MD
Pop quiz: which U.S.
capital is located about four hours south of New York?
If you guessed Washington D.C.
(and hopefully you did), you’re right. But if you guessed Annapolis,
Maryland you’d be correct too. While its
time as a national capital was brief (1783-84), Annapolis
has never given up its place as a hotspot of American maritime culture. This
municipal water-worship is everywhere, from the grandeur of the U.S. Naval
Academy to “Ego Alley” where sailors dock their boats (Captain Jack
Sparrow-style) for a night on the town. Get the family’s feet moving with a
walking tour of the imposing U.S. Naval Academy, established in 1845. Continue
your blast to the past just outside the academy’s walls in downtown Annapolis.
The picturesque streets are teeming with colonial-era houses, some of which are
museums. Others bear plaques noting the names and professions of their 18th
century residents. After your history lesson, learn to sail on the placid Chesapeake
Bay, and, finally, pull up to Cantler’s for a waterfront feast of Maryland
crabs. Diners eat on picnic tables covered in butcher paper and crack the crabs
themselves. If by the end of the trip the kids are begging for more history,
remember you’re less than 45 minutes from Washington
D.C.!
Wild Things: Catalina Island,
CA
Real life scenario: your kids are loony for wildlife but
you’d rather go to the beach. Plus, hubby won’t consider a vacation that
doesn’t include golf. No problem! Catalina Island
awaits. Twenty-two miles off the coast of Los Angeles,
Catalina Island was a luxury getaway for movie stars
during Hollywood’s golden age. Now
it’s the perfect West Coast vacation spot. Animal lovers can scout for fish on
semi-submersibles, seek out sea lions, snorkel with dolphins, and even take
night tours (via glass-bottom boats) to spot eels. When the family needs a
break from all things wild, check out the island’s beach, arcades, cafés,
shops, water sports, and yes—golf.
Pie-Infused Paradise:
Upper Peninsula, MI
Picture this: the catch of the day, hiking through cool,
green forests, savoring slices of homemade fruit pie with berry-stained fingers
… nary a GameBoy or iPod in sight. Hello, Upper Peninsula
of Michigan. The U.P. is home to 150 waterfalls, over
4,000 lakes and 7 million acres of forest. Getting there is half the adventure!
The Mackinac Bridge,
one of the world’s longest suspension bridges, measures five miles from shore
to shore. Once you’ve made it, kids can discover all the gory details of
old-time shipwrecks at the Great Lakes Shipwreck
Museum. And no visit would be complete
without a ferry ride to Mackinac Island, a historic
Victorian-era summer getaway. No cars are allowed on this small island, so
travel by bike, foot, in-line skate, or horse-drawn carriage. And it won’t take
long to scout out regional delicacies like pasties (meat pies eaten out-of-hand
and popularized by Cornish immigrants) and fruit pies made with the region’s
justly famous summer bounty.
Jenna
Helwig is a Brooklyn-based writer and culinary professional who loves to travel
and taste local delicacies with her husband and five-year-old daughter. Find
her at rosaberry.com.
