Anonymous
Post 07/03/2024 13:16     Subject: Must
Anonymous wrote:New Orleans
Santa Fe
A working dude ranch
A dark sky glamping vacation
Alaska cruise
National parks as PPs have mentioned
Las Vegas can actually work for families nowadays
Philadelphia
Harper's Ferry
Any of the mountain towns in Colorado -- summer or ski

Paris
London and English countryside including Stonehenge
Greek Islands
Safari in Africa
Costa Rica
Caribbean Island with snorkeling


Agree with New Orleans as the in-US trip. It is excellent fun with ES kids- beignets, trolley rides, aquarium, river, alligators, etc.
Philly is a great weekend getaway with kids- please touch museum, lots of festivals.

For international, agree about London and Paris. Not so much Greek islands for that age.

Anonymous
Post 07/03/2024 13:09     Subject: Must
New Orleans
Santa Fe
A working dude ranch
A dark sky glamping vacation
Alaska cruise
National parks as PPs have mentioned
Las Vegas can actually work for families nowadays
Philadelphia
Harper's Ferry
Any of the mountain towns in Colorado -- summer or ski

Paris
London and English countryside including Stonehenge
Greek Islands
Safari in Africa
Costa Rica
Caribbean Island with snorkeling
Anonymous
Post 07/03/2024 12:01     Subject: Must
Anonymous wrote:We plan 1 week international flight trip, 1 week within USA flight trip, and 1 long weekend driving trip from dmv to destination trip every year. Any other places are worth visit in lifetime with 2 ES kids other than places below that we have been there? Asia is currently not considered because kids cannot stand the long flight and we need at least 2-3 weeks. We have no budget because we don't travel much.

Places that we family have been:
- boston
- san diego
- disney in FL
- toronto/montreal/quebec city
- seattle/vancouver
- lancester, PA
- ocean city, MD



-Disney cruise
-Caribbean
-Alaska
-NYC
-Any beach in Florida
-Gatlinburg/Smoky mtns
-London
-Hawaii
Anonymous
Post 07/03/2024 11:59     Subject: Must
I travel a fair amount with my child (now a hs senior), but tbh I don't think there are any "must" travel places for families or kids. Travel where your heart wants to go. Your kids will enjoy the time with you, and your whole family will have memories for a lifetime no matter where you vacation.

I would actually encourage you to travel with extended family or to see them as often as you feasibly can, bc it gets much tougher as the kids get older. Those bonds between cousins and with grandparents/aunts/uncles are established the best during the early childhood years, and to me that trumps trying to chase popular tourist destinations. Those people won't be around forever.
Anonymous
Post 07/03/2024 11:52     Subject: Must
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Do you enjoy the outdoors and are an active family? If so, our National Parks are awesome. We took our kids to many when they were ES ages. Great trips.


Op here. I don't mind some outdoors but I cannot say that for DH & kids. I have taken kids to max 2 hours guided hiking trips with tons of snacks, and DH never joins us. If there is waterfall or lakes that kids can jump in to play at national park, maybe that will excite them. We may need guided hiking or exploring national park because we don't know where to go/what to do. Before I was married, I have joined a few camping /hiking adult singles only trips with a big group, and they help me to set up tents and cook for us with bathroom access. It was really fun for me.

I hear about the free national park pass for rising 4th grader something that. How does it work?


If your family is new to hiking I’d try a park that a little smaller with a lot to see and do besides hiking. Acadia is great and the area has a lot of activities around it. Doing the southwest parks (Zion, Bryce, Arches) is also fun. Both Acadia and Southwest allow you to stay in towns with accommodations so you don’t have to camp.

National parks also have ranger led courses and junior ranger activities if your kids like.

I don’t know about the 4th grader pass. Usually you have two options: a one year pass for all parks for your entire family ($80) or buying entrance to each park a-la-carte.
Anonymous
Post 07/03/2024 11:34     Subject: Re:Must
We like national parks and conversely cities with great science/history museums.

I don’t think one week is enough for international trips. Maybe do them every other year so you can go 10-14 days - and forego the national trip those years.
Anonymous
Post 07/03/2024 11:21     Subject: Must
Anonymous wrote:Do you enjoy the outdoors and are an active family? If so, our National Parks are awesome. We took our kids to many when they were ES ages. Great trips.


Op here. I don't mind some outdoors but I cannot say that for DH & kids. I have taken kids to max 2 hours guided hiking trips with tons of snacks, and DH never joins us. If there is waterfall or lakes that kids can jump in to play at national park, maybe that will excite them. We may need guided hiking or exploring national park because we don't know where to go/what to do. Before I was married, I have joined a few camping /hiking adult singles only trips with a big group, and they help me to set up tents and cook for us with bathroom access. It was really fun for me.

I hear about the free national park pass for rising 4th grader something that. How does it work?
Anonymous
Post 07/03/2024 11:17     Subject: Must
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Grand Canyon


Op here. I have been to grand canyon before I was married. I think it looks better and more red in video than in person. What can kids do there at grand canyon other than just spending like a few hours max over there?


You can hike it or ride donkeys into the canyon. Great family trip!
Anonymous
Post 07/03/2024 11:16     Subject: Must
London
Paris
Italy
Ireland
Anonymous
Post 07/03/2024 11:14     Subject: Must
Anonymous wrote:Grand Canyon


Op here. I have been to grand canyon before I was married. I think it looks better and more red in video than in person. What can kids do there at grand canyon other than just spending like a few hours max over there?
Anonymous
Post 07/03/2024 11:00     Subject: Must
Grand Canyon
Anonymous
Post 07/03/2024 10:57     Subject: Must
Do you enjoy the outdoors and are an active family? If so, our National Parks are awesome. We took our kids to many when they were ES ages. Great trips.
Anonymous
Post 07/03/2024 10:54     Subject: Must
New York City making sure to figure out budget meal options, free museum nights, etc.

Check prices for Hotel Indigo NYC at 50 Trinity Place. Super clean, nice and new, in-room fridge for eating breakfast in the room each day.

Take Amtrak there.
Anonymous
Post 07/03/2024 10:50     Subject: Must
Op here, click too fast. The title is " must visit or worth visit places with ES kids as a family"
Anonymous
Post 07/03/2024 10:49     Subject: Must
We plan 1 week international flight trip, 1 week within USA flight trip, and 1 long weekend driving trip from dmv to destination trip every year. Any other places are worth visit in lifetime with 2 ES kids other than places below that we have been there? Asia is currently not considered because kids cannot stand the long flight and we need at least 2-3 weeks. We have no budget because we don't travel much.

Places that we family have been:
- boston
- san diego
- disney in FL
- toronto/montreal/quebec city
- seattle/vancouver
- lancester, PA
- ocean city, MD