Need help planning a July trip for 6 days

[Anonymous]

Due to some scheduling issues, we can leave early on a Tuesday and be back Sunday in mid-late July. I know a most vacation spots are already booked. I would love to do a drive up the CA coast, but this time period seems too short.

Do you all have any other ideas, for which we haven’t missed the boat because we are so late in planning?

We have 2 adults, 2 teens. We like the outdoors but not to rough it too much. Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

OP here - I meant to add, we would want to stay in the US. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

You could do LA-San Diego. Time change works in your favor

[Anonymous]

- Fly to Bangor (easy flight from DC), rent a car, stay in a vrbo on MDI
- Fly to Grand Rapids MI, stay in a condo on Lake Michigan
- Drive to WV and stay in New River Gorge area
- Fly to Chicago and do a city vacation

[Anonymous]

I like your CA plan, and I’d stick with just the San Francisco - Big Sur leg so that can can actually spend time enjoying the places. I’d spend 3 days in SF (and environ), then rent a car to drive to Monterey/Carmel for a few nights.

When you drive from SF to Carmel, add stops for Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz into the gps so it takes you the coastal driving route (plus those are cute places to stop for a meal, coffee, leg stretch). This is only a 2.5 hr drive without stops. (When you drive back to SF for flight home, just go the most direct route which will be inland.)

When you are based in Monterey/Carmel, you can explore those towns plus it is less than an hour drive to Big Sur, which is spectacular scenic driving and great hiking. (If you were doing a full drive along the CA coast I might suggest adding a night in Big Sur, but with only 6 days I’d prioritize keeping your hotel/air bnb arrangements to 2 at most.)

You could also detour for a short hike through a redwood forest on your drive from SF to Monterey/Carmel- the extra drive plus the hike would probably tack a couple hours on, worth it imo but it depends how go go go your family likes to be.

[Anonymous]

Traverse City MI is lively that time of year and there are plenty of places to stay. There are several direct flights. Or you could fly to Portland ME and find a nice Airbnb within a few hours drive. Or Seattle and Mt Rainer.

[Anonymous]

CA might be far for only 6 days including travel time.
I’d stick with east/midwest to maximize vacation time.
Ideas:

Upper Penninusla MI (Pictured Rocks is stunning)
Maine (see if you can secure last minute lodging)
Montreal
Finger Lakes / upstate NY/ Adirondacks
New River Gorge if kids are into adventure stuff

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CA might be far for only 6 days including travel time.
I’d stick with east/midwest to maximize vacation time.
Ideas:

Upper Penninusla MI (Pictured Rocks is stunning)
Maine (see if you can secure last minute lodging)
Montreal
Finger Lakes / upstate NY/ Adirondacks
New River Gorge if kids are into adventure stuff

With teens there’s not much difference between a 2 hour flight and a 5 hour one. You can be in LA of SF by lunch and have that entire first day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CA might be far for only 6 days including travel time.
I’d stick with east/midwest to maximize vacation time.
Ideas:

Upper Penninusla MI (Pictured Rocks is stunning)
Maine (see if you can secure last minute lodging)
Montreal
Finger Lakes / upstate NY/ Adirondacks
New River Gorge if kids are into adventure stuff

Maine might have openings due to the lack of Canadians coming this year.

[Anonymous]

Las Vegas - go hiking, rafting, see the Hoover Dam, and some shows.
San Francisco - spend 1 night and a day there and then drive to Lake Tahoe for hiking, rafting, swimming.

[Anonymous]

Hubs and I just finished (today) finalizing a 10 day Southwest driving vacay with our 2 college-aged kids. Boulder-Pike’s Peak-Sante Fe-Albuquerque(Petroglyphs) to Petrified Nat’l Forest-Winslow-Durango (Mesa Verde Cliff dwellings)-Hermosa Old Growth Forest (3 mile hike loop)-Almosa (sand dunes)-Boulder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CA might be far for only 6 days including travel time.
I’d stick with east/midwest to maximize vacation time.
Ideas:

Upper Penninusla MI (Pictured Rocks is stunning)
Maine (see if you can secure last minute lodging)
Montreal
Finger Lakes / upstate NY/ Adirondacks
New River Gorge if kids are into adventure stuff

With teens there’s not much difference between a 2 hour flight and a 5 hour one. You can be in LA of SF by lunch and have that entire first day.

Sure but then you’ve lost all on Sunday flying back. You’d have to leave in the morning. Of course YMMV but personally I’d save CA for when I had more time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CA might be far for only 6 days including travel time.
I’d stick with east/midwest to maximize vacation time.
Ideas:

Upper Penninusla MI (Pictured Rocks is stunning)
Maine (see if you can secure last minute lodging)
Montreal
Finger Lakes / upstate NY/ Adirondacks
New River Gorge if kids are into adventure stuff

With teens there’s not much difference between a 2 hour flight and a 5 hour one. You can be in LA of SF by lunch and have that entire first day.

Sure but then you’ve lost all on Sunday flying back. You’d have to leave in the morning. Of course YMMV but personally I’d save CA for when I had more time.

I go the opposite way and save cities within 12 hours driving distance for road trips, especially because there’s usually a few cities you can hit at once.

[Anonymous]

Bump. I’m researching the same but we have 7 days and younger kids.

So far, Southern California and Myrtle Beach are at the top of our list, but I’m looking for other ideas too. I know Myrtle Beach gets a bad rap on this board but we went a couple of years ago to the north side and had a great time.

[Anonymous]

New Mexico (Santa Fe, ABQ, etc)
CA - Palm Springs, San Diego (fairly close to one another by car) or LA/Long Beach
Chicago is amazing in summer
Montreal -- everyone bikes there. Plan to take my 3 teens there to give them that experience.

Have fun wherever you go!