Anonymous wrote:Don't do Canada -many Pps suggested it, but I wouldn't want to be bothered with the hassle of international travel (passports, customs, etc.). There are sooooo many other great places that are closer and just plain easier.

We really liked Charleston. Depending on what you feel like - drive or fly, both doable with baby in tow. Friendly and great place.

Rochester, NY, as a great liliac festival each year (might be too late for that now though if my memory serves me correctly). Also a fun place to visit.

I grew up in Rochester, and it (and the surrounding area) really IS a fun place to visit. And, it's pretty cheap! The Park Ave Festival is the first weekend in August this year, and that's always a lot of fun. Lots of other things to do and see too that would be easy with a baby... the Public Market (Tues, Thurs, Sat - go in the morning), free concerts on Thurs evenings during summer, visiting the George Eastman House, Memorial Art Gallery, cheap AAA baseball (Redwings at Frontier Field, and parking is actually easy!!), walking and shopping along the canal in Pittsford, lots of great parks. Eat some good Italian food, and have frozen custard at Abbott's (I do both every time I visit). There are also some great day trips from Rochester... Stony Brook State Park (my favorite place when I was a kid), Letchworth State Park, the Finger Lakes region for wine tasting, Skaneateles, etc.

With just one small infant, go pretty much wherever you want. Now is the easiest time for that for a few years. Have fun!

Hotel all the way. Room service and maid service. Try to get either a suite or a room with a balcony so that you have somewhere to hang out in the evening while the baby is sleeping.

I would go anywhere that you can convince a babysitter, nanny, grandparent to join you.

We went to Captiva, Fl., rented a car, and stayed in a rental house near the beach. The neighborhood is called Captiva Sunset and you can walk with a stroller to Andy Rosse Lane for a nice outdoor lunch or dinner/beach shopping/drinks/guitar guy playing Jimmy Buffet, nice atmosphere. Grandma came as well. A baby supply company delivered some items we needed (crib, high chair, bin of toys) and the rental agency made sure they were already set up in the house when we arrived. We stopped at a big grocery store and stocked up on baby supplies and food before we went over the bridge to Sanibel (smaller stores and higher prices on the island.)
I was actually able to do some bathing suit shopping and go on a hike at the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge with DH. Spent a couple of mornings walking with the stroller exploring the area, small historic Conch houses, Sunset Captiva Resort, and on the beach. Baby was about 11 months so spent quite a bit of time with her under an umbrella or "finger walking" with her up and down the tiny dune rise, which was good exercise for her. The water there is that Caribbean blue color and the shelling is fun. A condo on Sanibel with a balcony and ocean view would have also worked fine.

Nice easy drive from DC is Deep Creek Lake. Beautiful, family-friendly area. You can rent a house while your there which is easier than staying in a hotel with an infant. Take a look at the cabin we just bought...www.districtcreek.com We are happy to give discounts to fellow DC parents!

Best,

Liz lis.kraemer@gmail.com

Don't do Canada -many Pps suggested it, but I wouldn't want to be bothered with the hassle of international travel (passports, customs, etc.). There are sooooo many other great places that are closer and just plain easier.

We really liked Charleston. Depending on what you feel like - drive or fly, both doable with baby in tow. Friendly and great place.

Rochester, NY, as a great liliac festival each year (might be too late for that now though if my memory serves me correctly). Also a fun place to visit.

Cape May, NJ. Stay at congress hall and take the ferry from lewes de

Somewhere north is good: Montreal, or Acadia. I really recommend Nova Scotia: Halifax is easy to get around, and the little seaside towns are picturesque; the seafood is amazing. People are very friendly, & there are very few American tourists, for whatever reason.

Bermuda. 2 hour nonstop flight. Stay at Fairmont Southampton. Won't need to leave the resort for anything but they also have a free ferry to the sister hotel in Hamilton if you want to shop or go to other restaurants. Safe, clean, beautiful.

I'd go to the beach (DE/MD) and I'd invite grandparents. Rent a house so you have a kitchen and separate rooms.

I would suggest a shorter drive or fly. Not all babies like the car (my 2 kids both hated it and would cry A LOT). Even if the baby does ok in the car, stopping for breastfeeding and diaper changes adds a lot of time. Maybe only go as far as a 4 hr drive? But really, flying would be my choice. At that age, they're fairly easy on a plane and once they're mobile, flying isn't fun.

We're more outdoorsy and would head to Maine or elsewhere in New England. I've done many hikes with a baby strapped to me.

Agree with PP - Boston is super walker-friendly and there are a ton of great historical things to see and do. Easy-peesy with a baby who isn't mobile or need to be "entertained". Flights readily available and would fit your 8 hr car ride requirement.

Consider Memphis too. Had a blast there when we took a family trip (kids were 6 mo, 2, and 3.5).

First, DO IT. We now have 2 kids, ages 1 and 3, and there are many more factors to consider when choosing a vacation spot. We wish that we had done more when there was only one small baby.

I would go to Boston, Montreal, or Reykjavik.

First, you don't want to go anywhere too hot, so I would think north. Second, I think it is fun to go to a city with a baby - especially when they are as young as 4 months. Cities are less fun with toddlers and preschoolers - beach or mountains are better.

My spouse and I would like to take a vacation this summer with our baby who will be about 4 months. We are thinking of going anywhere from 3 days to a week. If you could go anywhere within a 3 hour flight or 8 hour (or so) drive, where would you go? The more specific the suggestion the better. Thank you!