Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our family sounds similar to yours and we are not campers. We did a family tour through the Canadian Rockies and it is by far one of the our favorite trips. The kids talk about it and reference it all the time. It has become a vacation by which others are compared!

Tell us more about this trip! I want to visit the Canadian Rockies.

This was an amazing trip! It was with Tauck and was for my parents for their 50th anniversary. But I'm certain there are other companies to look into. We started in Calgary and went to Lake Louise, Jasper, a glacier and then Banff. It was a bucket list trip for me for sure. There were so many activities to do but the mountains and surroundings were absolutely breathtaking. Our family was really able to just relax, have fun and enjoy everything around us. I personally really liked the tour aspect of it because I felt like we learned so much about where we were. There was also free time to explore. It was the perfect balance.

Galapagos

Do not waste your time or money. Do something you enjoy. Toss in ferry rides, parks, botanical gardens.

I have 7th and 3rd graders who are animal lovers and enjoy some exploring, but the 3rd grader has little tolerance for scrapes or too hot / cold, being sandy etc.

We live in CA (near San Francisco) and love going to San Diego. You could have city / museum experiences with doses of nature like going tide pooling in La Jolla and seeing the seals there or going out to the desert or visiting the botanical gardens but still be in a city.

On your *hikes

Another recommendation for the Alps - we did northern Italy and it’s very civilized - like you come across huts on your bikes that sell amazing hot meals and you can have a glass of wine. Also what about small town European vacation? Like a road trip - you can do the lakes in Italy and the Dolomites, or pair London with Cotswolds and Bath, etc.

You sound like our family. Another vote for Sedona and Phoenix. Also Puerto Rico.

Anonymous wrote:Our family sounds similar to yours and we are not campers. We did a family tour through the Canadian Rockies and it is by far one of the our favorite trips. The kids talk about it and reference it all the time. It has become a vacation by which others are compared!

Tell us more about this trip! I want to visit the Canadian Rockies.

Anonymous wrote:Our family sounds similar to yours and we are not campers. We did a family tour through the Canadian Rockies and it is by far one of the our favorite trips. The kids talk about it and reference it all the time. It has become a vacation by which others are compared!

Please tell me more!

It sounds like you like activities, not just looking at scenery. Galapagos, if you can afford it, is AMAZING. We did 5 days on a boat, and snorkeled or did short hikes every day. Seeing the animals and just being in such a remote spot was really cool. You have to like swimming and ocean animals though.

Day trip to Brookside gardens and see the butterflies. How can you not like butterflies. Also you can go when it’s cold outside because it’s really warm there

Anonymous wrote:We loved staying at Rush Creek just outside of Yosemite. In Yosemite, we rented bikes and zipped around quickly from one site to another. Rush Creek has evening activities (crafts, scavenger hunts, trivia, etc), a game room, smores every night, pool, etc.

Bar Harbor is a great place - you can stay at a kid-friendly resort, hike in Acadia National Park (super easy to access), rent e-bikes in the park, do a whale watch or puffin watch cruise, go out on a lobster boat...there's a lot to do. Bonus is that it's super easy to get to. Fly into Bangor and it's an hour drive to Bar Habor.

We.ve always avoided Bar Harbor because whenever people describe the "lots to do" its always boring nature stuff, Not really a wide range of activities to appeal to all types.

If money isn't an object, go to Switzerland, Bernese Oberland. If you get bored with the nature, hop on a train for a day and go to Bern or Lucerne.

Re: Yellowstone/Grand Teton/Jackson, Hotel Yellowstone is beautiful and historical, but not a great spot for kids. The hotel by Old Faithful has a little more going on.

For Jackson/Grand Teton, check out Rustic Inn or the other resorts that are close to Jackson. If hiking gets old, you can walk into town, the kids can do activities at the resort, rent bikes, etc.

We loved staying at Rush Creek just outside of Yosemite. In Yosemite, we rented bikes and zipped around quickly from one site to another. Rush Creek has evening activities (crafts, scavenger hunts, trivia, etc), a game room, smores every night, pool, etc.

Bar Harbor is a great place - you can stay at a kid-friendly resort, hike in Acadia National Park (super easy to access), rent e-bikes in the park, do a whale watch or puffin watch cruise, go out on a lobster boat...there's a lot to do. Bonus is that it's super easy to get to. Fly into Bangor and it's an hour drive to Bar Habor.