Tell me about your EASY spring break trip

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drove to Williamsburg and stayed at one of the "resorts" around that area that offer a few amenities. Got the springtime pass for Colonial Williamsburg / Busch Gardens for ~$125 per person that allows unlimited visits to either place for a week. Bounced back and forth between attractions, swam in a pool, played mini golf. Very cheap and really low key. We could do as much or as little as we wanted and had a short trip home.

We do almost the exact same thing at least once a year, sometimes for winter break and sometimes in the spring, and it’s just such an easy place to do as little or as much as you want. You can rent a timeshare condo through the hotel booking sites at a good rate and that gets you amenities like pools and miniature golf on site. As my kids get older, I keep expecting them to outgrow it, but if anything they find more to enjoy.

Can you and the other poster say more about what your family enjoys doing in Williamsburg? People keep suggesting it for an easy trip, but I don’t see the appeal yet. I don’t have fantastic memories of Colonial Williamsburg as a kid (as in, I didn’t love it), which is probably coloring my view.

I'm not one of those PPs, but there's the historic triangle stuff: Colonial Williamsburg, the national park sites for Jamestowne and Yorktown (kids can earn a junior range badge if they'd like), Jamestown Settlement (recreation of the town, ships, etc.), and the American Revolution Museum. There's also Busch Gardens, though we've never been. You can take the ferry from Jamestown (with your car, free, operates 24 hours a day) across the Chippokes State Park. If you are willing to drive up to an hour further, you can visit the sites in Newport News/Hampton/Norfolk area, like the Virginia Living Museum, the Virginia Air and Space Center, the Nauticus Museum/USS Wisconsin battleship, the Chrysler Art Museum (free), and of course the beach. As mentioned above, a lot of the places to stay in Williamsburg have indoor pools and/or mini golf, and family-friendly restaurants abound.

A couple of tips: every year, Colonial Williamsburg offers a deal to Virginia residents wherein if you buy a 3-day pass online during March and April, you can visit CW as many days as you want for the rest of the calendar year without paying anything else.
Also, a membership to the Maryland Science Center gives you free reciprocal admission to many places all over the country (and beyond), including several of the places I mentioned above. There is usually a Groupon deal with the membership 50% sometime in the winter, but even at full price, it will quickly save a family money if you visit a couple of other sites (you can buy it online).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drove to Williamsburg and stayed at one of the "resorts" around that area that offer a few amenities. Got the springtime pass for Colonial Williamsburg / Busch Gardens for ~$125 per person that allows unlimited visits to either place for a week. Bounced back and forth between attractions, swam in a pool, played mini golf. Very cheap and really low key. We could do as much or as little as we wanted and had a short trip home.

We do almost the exact same thing at least once a year, sometimes for winter break and sometimes in the spring, and it’s just such an easy place to do as little or as much as you want. You can rent a timeshare condo through the hotel booking sites at a good rate and that gets you amenities like pools and miniature golf on site. As my kids get older, I keep expecting them to outgrow it, but if anything they find more to enjoy.

Can you and the other poster say more about what your family enjoys doing in Williamsburg? People keep suggesting it for an easy trip, but I don’t see the appeal yet. I don’t have fantastic memories of Colonial Williamsburg as a kid (as in, I didn’t love it), which is probably coloring my view.

Like the other PP, we stayed at one of those timeshare resort condos that we booked for cheap on Airbnb. The resort had a pool, arcade room, mini golf, and planned activities (e.g. the kids went off and did tie dye while we were in the bar). We did two partial days at Colonial Williamsburg. We just did a little each day and then spent the rest of the day visiting shops in Williamsburg or hanging at the resort. We did two days at Busch Gardens and stayed 5-6 hours each day. Went on a ghost tour one night.

Maybe my kids are easily impressed, but it’s what they want to do for every vacation (they’re 7 & 9). Makes me wonder why we spend so much to go to fancy places instead of an easy local spot.

I'm the other Williamsburg poster and we do these things as well. My kids especially love Busch Gardens, it's their favorite theme park because they are thrill ride kids and it delivers there big time for them (even as littler kids they were able to ride a lot, not just the "baby" rides). When we go later in spring or the summer we also do Water Country USA, which they love even more. We've reached the age where I can just float around the lazy river or find a lounge chair and they can stick together and do the whole place on their own (as long as they check in at designated intervals).

We usually spend one day going to places a little further away like the Virginia Living Museum or doing a sailing trip in Yorktown. When they were younger they liked Jamestown but now that feels boring to therm. They still love Colonial Williamsburg and we usually do one paid activity, like a carriage ride, even though we otherwise stick to the free experiences. And we graduated from the tame ghost tour to the more epic one, which I swear scared my husband more than the kids last time we went.

For us it's also about the things that have become tradition. We are on an endless quest to find the best pancake house and we've yet to run out of new contenders. We measure the kids by a specific fence in Colonial Williamsburg once a year and those goofy photos are some of my favorites. And we have been keeping track of who wins mini golf every time we play to see who the supreme champion is. That's the beauty of an easy and affordable trip, you can go often enough to create these kinds of things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drove to Williamsburg and stayed at one of the "resorts" around that area that offer a few amenities. Got the springtime pass for Colonial Williamsburg / Busch Gardens for ~$125 per person that allows unlimited visits to either place for a week. Bounced back and forth between attractions, swam in a pool, played mini golf. Very cheap and really low key. We could do as much or as little as we wanted and had a short trip home.

We do almost the exact same thing at least once a year, sometimes for winter break and sometimes in the spring, and it’s just such an easy place to do as little or as much as you want. You can rent a timeshare condo through the hotel booking sites at a good rate and that gets you amenities like pools and miniature golf on site. As my kids get older, I keep expecting them to outgrow it, but if anything they find more to enjoy.

Can you and the other poster say more about what your family enjoys doing in Williamsburg? People keep suggesting it for an easy trip, but I don’t see the appeal yet. I don’t have fantastic memories of Colonial Williamsburg as a kid (as in, I didn’t love it), which is probably coloring my view.

Like the other PP, we stayed at one of those timeshare resort condos that we booked for cheap on Airbnb. The resort had a pool, arcade room, mini golf, and planned activities (e.g. the kids went off and did tie dye while we were in the bar). We did two partial days at Colonial Williamsburg. We just did a little each day and then spent the rest of the day visiting shops in Williamsburg or hanging at the resort. We did two days at Busch Gardens and stayed 5-6 hours each day. Went on a ghost tour one night.

Maybe my kids are easily impressed, but it’s what they want to do for every vacation (they’re 7 & 9). Makes me wonder why we spend so much to go to fancy places instead of an easy local spot.

I'm the other Williamsburg poster and we do these things as well. My kids especially love Busch Gardens, it's their favorite theme park because they are thrill ride kids and it delivers there big time for them (even as littler kids they were able to ride a lot, not just the "baby" rides). When we go later in spring or the summer we also do Water Country USA, which they love even more. We've reached the age where I can just float around the lazy river or find a lounge chair and they can stick together and do the whole place on their own (as long as they check in at designated intervals).

We usually spend one day going to places a little further away like the Virginia Living Museum or doing a sailing trip in Yorktown. When they were younger they liked Jamestown but now that feels boring to therm. They still love Colonial Williamsburg and we usually do one paid activity, like a carriage ride, even though we otherwise stick to the free experiences. And we graduated from the tame ghost tour to the more epic one, which I swear scared my husband more than the kids last time we went.

For us it's also about the things that have become tradition. We are on an endless quest to find the best pancake house and we've yet to run out of new contenders. We measure the kids by a specific fence in Colonial Williamsburg once a year and those goofy photos are some of my favorites. And we have been keeping track of who wins mini golf every time we play to see who the supreme champion is. That's the beauty of an easy and affordable trip, you can go often enough to create these kinds of things.

The little traditions thing is so lovely. Your family sounds very sweet, hope you have many more years of great memories!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that Grand Cayman is easy.

Cruises are the easiest. You literally don’t need to worry about dinner reservations, activities, etc.

But they are also super trashy.

Sigh.

No, cruises are not super trashy.

Go price out a spring break cruise on Disney, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, etc. leaving from Florida and you’ll see how expensive it is. Hint: not cheap to fly to FL, stay in a local hotel, then cruise for a week…plus excursions.

I was a reluctant cruiser who quickly discovered how relaxing a cruise is. Sitting on a lounge chair in a quiet area while the kids go do other activities is bliss. Not having to worry about getting dinner reservations in touristy cities or islands is Heaven. Hitting 3 or 4 Caribbean islands and taking a cab to a quiet beach is awesome.

There’s nothing trashy about it.

Plus: I love the live music. Royal Caribbean has different kinds of live music all over their ships day and night. It’s fun.

I see the loads of obese people those ships disgorge. It’s disgusting. Plan your own trips and make your own experiences. Cruising is the Applebee’s of travel, and a true race to the bottom (not to mention an environmental nightmare).

There are overweight people everywhere…including first class seats on planes and fancy hotels.

When I cruise, I see people running on the track and exercising in the gym. I see lots of fit families.

Go on a Virgin cruise and it’s all hardbodies and frou frou vegan health food.

Honestly, the one sweeping generalization that aptly describes cruisers is this: they are people who like to have fun and don’t judge others. There’s a real friendliness among cruisers.

You will not convince me that vacationing with thousands of other people, having the same experiences, and feeding from the same trough is anything other than the epitome of low class trash.

This is nuts. Cruises come at all sorts of price points and will all different levels of service, including some with truly fabulous restaurants. Is it really different to stay at the Ritz and eat at the hotel restaurant just because it's on land? There are cruises at the same price point and with the same level of service.

Vacationing most places is done with thousands of people who all end up doing the same things and eating at restaurants near their vacation destination. Welcome to the travel industry.

Not if you go to off the beaten path places. And have you ever been to a destination on both cruise ship and non cruise ship days? It is a world of difference. Peaceful bucolic places are literally hell on earth for the hours the ships are in port. If you are on one of the ships, that’s all you ever get to experience, at any price point. Cruisers are lame losers who deceive themselves that they are traveling and visiting places when in fact they only get the absolute worst version. It’s shameful.

This is the truth. Same as the people who keep going back to Disney pretending they’re travelers when really they just consume prepackaged American garbage on repeat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that Grand Cayman is easy.

Cruises are the easiest. You literally don’t need to worry about dinner reservations, activities, etc.

But they are also super trashy.

Sigh.

No, cruises are not super trashy.

Go price out a spring break cruise on Disney, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, etc. leaving from Florida and you’ll see how expensive it is. Hint: not cheap to fly to FL, stay in a local hotel, then cruise for a week…plus excursions.

I was a reluctant cruiser who quickly discovered how relaxing a cruise is. Sitting on a lounge chair in a quiet area while the kids go do other activities is bliss. Not having to worry about getting dinner reservations in touristy cities or islands is Heaven. Hitting 3 or 4 Caribbean islands and taking a cab to a quiet beach is awesome.

There’s nothing trashy about it.

Plus: I love the live music. Royal Caribbean has different kinds of live music all over their ships day and night. It’s fun.

I see the loads of obese people those ships disgorge. It’s disgusting. Plan your own trips and make your own experiences. Cruising is the Applebee’s of travel, and a true race to the bottom (not to mention an environmental nightmare).

There are overweight people everywhere…including first class seats on planes and fancy hotels.

When I cruise, I see people running on the track and exercising in the gym. I see lots of fit families.

Go on a Virgin cruise and it’s all hardbodies and frou frou vegan health food.

Honestly, the one sweeping generalization that aptly describes cruisers is this: they are people who like to have fun and don’t judge others. There’s a real friendliness among cruisers.

You will not convince me that vacationing with thousands of other people, having the same experiences, and feeding from the same trough is anything other than the epitome of low class trash.

This is nuts. Cruises come at all sorts of price points and will all different levels of service, including some with truly fabulous restaurants. Is it really different to stay at the Ritz and eat at the hotel restaurant just because it's on land? There are cruises at the same price point and with the same level of service.

Vacationing most places is done with thousands of people who all end up doing the same things and eating at restaurants near their vacation destination. Welcome to the travel industry.

Not if you go to off the beaten path places. And have you ever been to a destination on both cruise ship and non cruise ship days? It is a world of difference. Peaceful bucolic places are literally hell on earth for the hours the ships are in port. If you are on one of the ships, that’s all you ever get to experience, at any price point. Cruisers are lame losers who deceive themselves that they are traveling and visiting places when in fact they only get the absolute worst version. It’s shameful.

This is the truth. Same as the people who keep going back to Disney pretending they’re travelers when really they just consume prepackaged American garbage on repeat.

Sometimes people don't want to be a traveler and only want a vacation. That's why all inclusives, resorts and cruises exist. People just want to chill in the sunshine with a cold beverage and not think about their email.

[Anonymous]

Cruise out of Baltimore. Drive up, park and hop on the ship. So easy and stress free. Loved it!

[Anonymous]

I think mostly anything is easy depending on your attitude. Time change always makes things a little harder and I try not to do flights with layovers but otherwise go with the flow & let your kids pick things to do on the trip that they are interested too and really fight the urge to cram in too much. Kids can do less than a trip with all adults. have low expectations and take time to smell the roses at the kids’ pace, and I find often you end up doing things that you wouldn’t have thought to necessarily do, but that were fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Drove to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg. 7-ish hour drive, zero traffic. We rented an air bnb for the week and split the days between mini golf, dinner shows, and hiking. It was very simple, nothing had to be planned more than a few hours in advance.

Same here except we stayed in one of the Dollywood resorts. Our experience was the same. There are so many kid friendly activities (Dollywood, hiking, Anakeesta, cheesy museums) you won't run out of things to do. Our break was very easy, the kids had a good time, and we didn't have to do to much advance planning. The resort had an outdoor heated pool so the kids even got some pool time. We won't go back (there's too many things in the world to see for a repeat trip), but it definitely served it's purpose of an easy Spring Break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drove to Williamsburg and stayed at one of the "resorts" around that area that offer a few amenities. Got the springtime pass for Colonial Williamsburg / Busch Gardens for ~$125 per person that allows unlimited visits to either place for a week. Bounced back and forth between attractions, swam in a pool, played mini golf. Very cheap and really low key. We could do as much or as little as we wanted and had a short trip home.

We do almost the exact same thing at least once a year, sometimes for winter break and sometimes in the spring, and it’s just such an easy place to do as little or as much as you want. You can rent a timeshare condo through the hotel booking sites at a good rate and that gets you amenities like pools and miniature golf on site. As my kids get older, I keep expecting them to outgrow it, but if anything they find more to enjoy.

Can you and the other poster say more about what your family enjoys doing in Williamsburg? People keep suggesting it for an easy trip, but I don’t see the appeal yet. I don’t have fantastic memories of Colonial Williamsburg as a kid (as in, I didn’t love it), which is probably coloring my view.

We just went to Williamsburg for our VA spring break and I wasn’t that into it. The colonial town with people dressed up and touristy brought back bad memories of Disney. Not my scene.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Drove to Williamsburg and stayed at one of the "resorts" around that area that offer a few amenities. Got the springtime pass for Colonial Williamsburg / Busch Gardens for ~$125 per person that allows unlimited visits to either place for a week. Bounced back and forth between attractions, swam in a pool, played mini golf. Very cheap and really low key. We could do as much or as little as we wanted and had a short trip home.

I second a trip to Williamsburg. Close and affordable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you had a good time and would categorize your trip as "easy," please tell me about it. Other descriptors I'm looking for: "laid back," "fun," "enjoyable." I especially want to hear about elementary-kid-friendly trips. TIA!

Fly into JAX. Rent a car. Drive to this hotel:
https://www.hilton.com/en/locations/usa/florida/st-augustine/embassy-suites/?WT.mc_id=zlada0ww1es2psh3ggl4advbpp5dkt6multibr7_153663312_1003528&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs-utrKGkhQMVfSCtBh0pSgwoEAAYASAAEgKdSfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

If you can afford it, get this suite;
https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/rooms/?ctyhocn=USTBOES&arrivalDate=2024-04-15&departureDate=2024-04-16&room1NumAdults=1
It's a king bed, bunk beds for the kids, and a full living/mini kitchen area.

Manager's reception (free frood and drinks ) from 5-6:30.
Historic St. Augustine has something for everybody. Dayton is an hour away. The Aligator Farm is a must see b/c of them but also b/c of the Rookery (tropial birds nesting at eyelevel)

Eat early or make reservations or bring take out to room. That's the only downside.

[Anonymous]

^^ pool, chair-side food and bev service tooo and stuff to do for the kids every two hours.

[Anonymous]

I mean - easy means - direct flights or no jet lag/not too long right?

Means - you get there - no fuss. There's food you can buy, don't have to make. Lots of choices, all types - not too $$$ but not just fast food either, right?

Means - you have somethings to do you like whether lay out in the sun or adventure or whatever - but without needing to plan anything ahead of time ie car rental, private excursions that have to line up with scheduling, everything has to be time lined, right?

Means - you have no worries nor stress - relax, sleep, eat, drink whenever till you have to get home

I would say anywhere you can go that meets these quals is easy. You can take it from there.

[Anonymous]

We just got back from Naples FL for spring break with our 4 yo and 7yo. It was so relaxing and easy. When I planned it all we wanted was to be somewhere with beautiful warm weather, beach and pool, and a direct domestic flight (no passport required). We didn’t care about lots of activities or excursions so didn’t plan much other than an Everglades boat tour one morning. We stayed in a 2 bedroom condo overlooking the gulf with a private beach and pool on the water. We went to a few casual restaurants (no reservations required as I didn’t want to deal with that) but also just ate simply at the condo a lot so we could enjoy cocktails and meals on the balcony while watching the sun set. Lots of just swimming, beach and family time playing games and puzzles. Highly recommend.

[Anonymous]

We went to Aruba. Easy, beautiful, very safe, and not boring. No need to stay at an all inclusive in Aruba because it’s so safe to walk around and there’s a lot to do around the island, and also fantastic dining. Direct flight from IAD.