Sick of going to filthy places

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP- I was you. Hang in there. Kids love tacky places. They just do. Chuck E Cheese, disney, those trampoline places, those indoor game places.

I promise you they will grow out of it and you can go back to standards.

What age do they outgrow this? I just want to take them to Nantucket or London but it feels like it’s a long time off that they’d enjoy that.

Nantucket is very kid/family friendly. So is London. Plus there is a Harry Potter studio and a Legoland in London so you can mix it with amusement parks. If those are places you want to go then book it. My kids went to both places at a young age.

We went to London with young kids, but they weren’t very impressed. They enjoyed some of it, but the things they liked most could have been done anywhere (playground, boat ride). I would stick with kid-friendly places until they are 10+.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP- I was you. Hang in there. Kids love tacky places. They just do. Chuck E Cheese, disney, those trampoline places, those indoor game places.

I promise you they will grow out of it and you can go back to standards.

What age do they outgrow this? I just want to take them to Nantucket or London but it feels like it’s a long time off that they’d enjoy that.

Nantucket is very kid/family friendly. So is London. Plus there is a Harry Potter studio and a Legoland in London so you can mix it with amusement parks. If those are places you want to go then book it. My kids went to both places at a young age.

We went to London with young kids, but they weren’t very impressed. They enjoyed some of it, but the things they liked most could have been done anywhere (playground, boat ride). I would stick with kid-friendly places until they are 10+.

To each their own I guess. I like travelling abroad with my young kids even though their favourite things are naturally playgrounds and boat rides. I think it’s fun to do the things we normally do but in a foreign city, we all get to try new food and languages, and I get to do some location specific museums or historical sites whether they like them or not. Although of course for OP it depends on her tolerance for the cleanliness of foreign playgrounds I guess; not all of their are sparkling clean, but then neither are playgrounds here.

[Anonymous]

Can Colorado person provide details on these trips? What towns and what lodging? I’ll take the itinerary and book it today.

[Anonymous]

One of our best memories from many years ago was going to the Grand Canyon and spending one night in a true dump. Concrete block bedroom walls, terrible bathrooms and everything surrounding the motel was just asphalt. Truly awful! But for years afterwards when our kids were complaining about something on vacation we’d threaten to take them back there and that would shut them up. I think it was called the Mokee Lodge and I’m sure it is long gone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure what forum this belongs in. Putting it here because family is involved somewhat.

My husband and I have two kids 4 and 8. We make a good income. But every time there’s outing, a vacation, a stay at a hotel, it’s always just really gross. He always wants to take the kids to places that tend to be run down and filled with germs and I can’t take it anymore. I work so hard and want to enjoy my time and money on places that aren’t decaying, litter ridden, etc. He thinks it’s time because the kids love it. But it’s becoming a mental health issue for me. I work all week in a high stress job then am asked to go to run down amusement parks with vomit, hair, trash everywhere. I literally can’t do it anymore. I don’t even consider myself a germ aphobe. I don’t want to miss out on time with the kids but husband isn’t really interested in other things that aren’t arcades and amusement parks for the kids. Please help and feel free to flame away if it suits you.

The bolded is the key part. Try to get in with a psychiatrist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Proactively suggest some different things like:

Massanutten (nice rental houses, easy day trip to Luray Caverns)

Oglebay Resort in West Virginia; it's clean/nice/decent food, it has a big pool and lots for kids to do, even in winter (when they have a trolley ride through holiday light show)

A beach house in Fenwick with one day trip down to the OC Boardwalk

A beach house in Sandbridge

National parks, Busch Gardens, Hershey PA, just get creative, think of things you DO want to do and provide a big list.

We have a second house on the Shenandoah River about 30 mins from Massanutten Resort. For the life of me, I don't understand why on earth people go there. There is nothing to do but golf and the water park (which is going to disgust OP beyond measure).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ocean City is gross. Find a place with no fried dough for sale.
Sounds like a price point problem. Or a cheapskate planner.
Find a place that kids will enjoy and that also has a nice hotel and spa nearby. Does it have to have rides?

A place with no fried dough sounds terrible. The very suggestion is depressing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of our best memories from many years ago was going to the Grand Canyon and spending one night in a true dump. Concrete block bedroom walls, terrible bathrooms and everything surrounding the motel was just asphalt. Truly awful! But for years afterwards when our kids were complaining about something on vacation we’d threaten to take them back there and that would shut them up. I think it was called the Mokee Lodge and I’m sure it is long gone.

Update, it was the Moqui Lodge and it closed in 2001 and demolished.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP- I was you. Hang in there. Kids love tacky places. They just do. Chuck E Cheese, disney, those trampoline places, those indoor game places.

I promise you they will grow out of it and you can go back to standards.

What age do they outgrow this? I just want to take them to Nantucket or London but it feels like it’s a long time off that they’d enjoy that.

Nantucket is very kid/family friendly. So is London. Plus there is a Harry Potter studio and a Legoland in London so you can mix it with amusement parks. If those are places you want to go then book it. My kids went to both places at a young age.

We went to London with young kids, but they weren’t very impressed. They enjoyed some of it, but the things they liked most could have been done anywhere (playground, boat ride). I would stick with kid-friendly places until they are 10+.

To each their own I guess. I like travelling abroad with my young kids even though their favourite things are naturally playgrounds and boat rides. I think it’s fun to do the things we normally do but in a foreign city, we all get to try new food and languages, and I get to do some location specific museums or historical sites whether they like them or not. Although of course for OP it depends on her tolerance for the cleanliness of foreign playgrounds I guess; not all of their are sparkling clean, but then neither are playgrounds here.

Agree! My kids love playgrounds and boat rides and even the double decker bus rides. I just love that they are on playgrounds in London (or anywhere in Europe) and the kids all have this universal language of play and they all just play together. To me that is not just like being at home. They also like the pub food which is a plus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go to Hershey and stay in the Hershey Hotel. Do the park early, usually short or fast moving lines for kiddie rides. Long lines later in the afternoon and evening for rollercoasters fr older kids. The extra money to stay in the hotel vs lodge is so worth it. Kids always loved the Sunday brunch. Tennis, outdoor pool with water slide and poolside service, spa is nice.

Go to Colorado and stay in the Broadmoor. Great resort, lots to do for active kids.

Go to Yosemite and stay in the Ahwahnee!

Go to Lake Tahoe Incline Village stay in the Hyatt.

Go to Santa Cruz, Monterey, Big Sur and Carmel.

Go to Disneyland spend a few days in the Grand Calafornian and then go to Newport or Huntington Beach.

Go to Sedona , Jackson Hole WY or Montana. Lots of resorts and things to do.

San Diego Hotel Coronnado , near Legoland, San Diego zoo, etc

+1 to this. I always try to find a place with a resort like feel and a spa.

We did Hotel Hershey and Hershey Park. The hotel has a spa and a nice pool.

We did Sedona and stayed at a spa/resort. I think it was a Hilton.

Stayed at Waldorf Astoria when we went to Disney. I had a discount through my company.

We did Monterey/Big Sur/Carmel and stayed at a nice hotel on the beach in Cambria.

We did LA and stayed at the Beverly Hills Hilton with a work discount. There are ton of things to do in LA. DD loved Santa Monica.

All of these were kid-friendly trips with lots to do (aquariums, castles, amusement parks, beaches, zoos, museums).

[Anonymous]

why does you husband get to dictate where you spend your vacation? That should be a join my decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go to Hershey and stay in the Hershey Hotel. Do the park early, usually short or fast moving lines for kiddie rides. Long lines later in the afternoon and evening for rollercoasters fr older kids. The extra money to stay in the hotel vs lodge is so worth it. Kids always loved the Sunday brunch. Tennis, outdoor pool with water slide and poolside service, spa is nice.

Go to Colorado and stay in the Broadmoor. Great resort, lots to do for active kids.

Go to Yosemite and stay in the Ahwahnee!

Go to Lake Tahoe Incline Village stay in the Hyatt.

Go to Santa Cruz, Monterey, Big Sur and Carmel.

Go to Disneyland spend a few days in the Grand Calafornian and then go to Newport or Huntington Beach.

Go to Sedona , Jackson Hole WY or Montana. Lots of resorts and things to do.

San Diego Hotel Coronnado , near Legoland, San Diego zoo, etc

+1 to this. I always try to find a place with a resort like feel and a spa.

We did Hotel Hershey and Hershey Park. The hotel has a spa and a nice pool.

We did Sedona and stayed at a spa/resort. I think it was a Hilton.

Stayed at Waldorf Astoria when we went to Disney. I had a discount through my company.

We did Monterey/Big Sur/Carmel and stayed at a nice hotel on the beach in Cambria.

We did LA and stayed at the Beverly Hills Hilton with a work discount. There are ton of things to do in LA. DD loved Santa Monica.

All of these were kid-friendly trips with lots to do (aquariums, castles, amusement parks, beaches, zoos, museums).

Forgot Montreal and Quebec City, very kid-friendly. We stayed at this place called Les Lofts in a beautiful apartment and a Spring Hill Suites. There were children’s museums, an aquarium, Montmorency Falls, we did an escape room, boat rides, and there was good shopping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of our best memories from many years ago was going to the Grand Canyon and spending one night in a true dump. Concrete block bedroom walls, terrible bathrooms and everything surrounding the motel was just asphalt. Truly awful! But for years afterwards when our kids were complaining about something on vacation we’d threaten to take them back there and that would shut them up. I think it was called the Mokee Lodge and I’m sure it is long gone.

Update, it was the Moqui Lodge and it closed in 2001 and demolished.

That place really did leave an impression for you to carry the name all these years. I'm a pp who agreed with OP about discomfort, but there was a place we stayed at in a National Park that was old and dusty with lots of heavy wood, low lighting, and a roll in squeaky cot for DC. Don't know why, but it was charming and not triggering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Proactively suggest some different things like:

Massanutten (nice rental houses, easy day trip to Luray Caverns)

Oglebay Resort in West Virginia; it's clean/nice/decent food, it has a big pool and lots for kids to do, even in winter (when they have a trolley ride through holiday light show)

A beach house in Fenwick with one day trip down to the OC Boardwalk

A beach house in Sandbridge

National parks, Busch Gardens, Hershey PA, just get creative, think of things you DO want to do and provide a big list.

We have a second house on the Shenandoah River about 30 mins from Massanutten Resort. For the life of me, I don't understand why on earth people go there. There is nothing to do but golf and the water park (which is going to disgust OP beyond measure).

We liked it. There are nice rental houses, good walking trails, a pool, mini golf, water park, nearby horseback riding, Luray is a good day trip, etc. It’s OK if you don’t understand things that other people like. “For the life of you,” are you OK?

[Anonymous]

It sounds more like you want a vacation for you and the way you want it. What do your kids want? Like others said, I’ve rarely stumbled on dirty places (especially post pandemic). Vacations with kids don’t need to be luxurious or fashionable. Whether the kids are having any fun is what matters most. Focus on the quality time you’re spending with your family. Life is too short to miss out on that because the venues aren’t your style.