I had no idea so many know and appreciate Cape Cod here! Could there be so many New Englanders? I'm shocked and glad!

If I have to listen to MIL drone on about OBX again this year I will throw up.

Pp here, sorry for typos. *middle, *loves

We vacation with cousins and go where there is no cable, internet or phone service. I have high school and middles school kids and they love it. Lot's of swimming, poker, scrabble, campfires, etc. Everyone still love it and we've been going to the same place for 8 years.

We went camping at the same lake in Yosemite every year from before I was a year old. We went fly fishing and hiking and floated in air mattresses. Then to help protect the lake water quality, they closed down the campground - forever. Still great memories though, and a beautiful place, like an Ansel Adams photo. Now we go to Lake Tahoe or stay outside Yosemite whenever we go back out west. Still no crappy boardwalks. Your teenagers may surprise you.
Hilton Head actually seems like it might be a good place to retire, OP. My only issue is I am afraid of alligators...
I wonder where there is a town that would be fun for both retirees AND young people looking for other young people to ogle, surf and dance around a bonfire with. Santa Cruz, Calif? The water is cold there too!

I think people sometimes think of "making memories" in terms of some idealized notion of what makes a good summer. People look back on a happy childhood as their ideal, whatever it was -- a new location on a trip we helped plan! a trip to see relatives! two weeks at our vacation home! staycation with pajama day and individual packs of cereal!

Don't do something that doesn't appeal to you (there's nothing fun about resentful parents) but do accommodate your children's preferences a little (maybe one day spent on a cheesy boardwalk).

OP, we go each year to a place on the beach (it's in the midwest), and our children love it. They are cranky teenagers, but they still look forward to going, and they love being there. There are a number of traditions we do each year, and they tick those off on a list to make sure we've hit each one in the time we're there. there's no cheesy boardwalk, but there is a beach and a town to go visit and a number of things to do, all low-key. So far, so good, so we're planning to go back next year. The place we go, there are TONS of people from all over the US who went there as children and keep coming back as adults, and bringing their children. Summer is magic to children. You are creating memories and a special place for your children to return if they want in the future. If you don't like your current summer place, don't worry, you can change it. It will take about three summers, and then your kids will say "We always go to XXXX." Best of luck, OP.