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Heartburn
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Joined: 04 Oct 2001
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Location: The Titanic that is the USA
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 Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 9:46 am Post subject: Summer Vacation Ideas for Family |
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I need some help. I need some summer vacation ideas. I'm leaning toward staying in the continental US. We're a family of four - kids are 11 and 8.
By way of reference, my family and I go to Lake Tahoe often and we love it. We'll probably get there at some point over the summer but I'd like to try something new.
Here are some of the ideas I'm kicking around at the moment:
- Cape Cod
- Maine (although I don't know where in ME would be best)
- Florida (but where?)
- Outer Banks, NC (although it may be too late to book a place there)
- Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head
- Oregon (but where?)
- Washington state (but where?)
Can anyone give me some guidance? Beach is preferred over hiking/camping. |
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Omar Little
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| Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 10:03 am Post subject: Re: Summer Vacation Ideas for Family |
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| Heartburn wrote: | I need some help. I need some summer vacation ideas. I'm leaning toward staying in the continental US. We're a family of four - kids are 11 and 8.
By way of reference, my family and I go to Lake Tahoe often and we love it. We'll probably get there at some point over the summer but I'd like to try something new.
Here are some of the ideas I'm kicking around at the moment:
- Cape Cod
- Maine (although I don't know where in ME would be best)
- Florida (but where?)
- Outer Banks, NC (although it may be too late to book a place there)
- Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head
- Oregon (but where?)
- Washington state (but where?)
Can anyone give me some guidance? Beach is preferred over hiking/camping. |
I can give you some ideas in WA and OR if you give me a bit more detail about what you want to do and what kind of accommodations you like. Oregon has some nice beach country, as does Washington, and Washington has some neat islands to visit as well, and you can do so close to Seattle, which is a fun place to visit as well.
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Heartburn
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Joined: 04 Oct 2001
Posts: 6350
Location: The Titanic that is the USA
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| Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 10:25 am Post subject: |
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Beaches and Islands sound good. I don't mind spending if the accommodations (hotel or rented house) are worth it. Proximity to the action (beach for instance) would be cool. I like the idea of Seattle because there's beach/nature plus the city, which I've been to but my family hasn't.
We like being lazy at the beach but we also like to get out around town so some place with a cool village would be nice. Bike riding is cool. |
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LarryCoon
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Joined: 11 Aug 2002
Posts: 11265
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| Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 11:34 am Post subject: |
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I love Cape Cod and want to spend some more time there. As you're driving toward Provincetown there's several resorts right on the beach that look like they'd be great to spend some time in. Plus P-Town is right there for supplies & restaurants (one of the best breakfasts I ever had was in P-Town), the Pilgrim Monument is there, there are lighthouses, etc. Plus Boston is only a couple hours away.
There's also tons of great things to do in Oregon. Portland is one of my favorite downtowns, lots of great food (at every level -- there's a whole block downtown that's just food trucks) and coffee and culture. From Portland if you go west on the Columbia River you'll hit Astoria, which is a really nice, quaint, Victorian town (if you ever saw the Schwarzenegger movie Kindergarten Cop, it was set there). Go east on the Columbia river and there's a whole sections with a lot of great waterfalls, everything from developed & touristy (Multnomah) to completely undeveloped. There's also Hood River & White Salmon out there. Keep going and you'll get to a pretty interesting wine area, along with Maryhill, which has a great, quirky museum.
Directly East of Portland you have Mt Hood, which should be good for lots of mountain activities during the summer. Directly west is Seaside and Cannon Beach -- Cannon Beach is more of a beach resort area, and Seaside is more like a Carmel or Laguna Beach.
If you take the 99 SW from Portland you go through the Willamette Valley, which is a great Pinot Noir region. The 99 hits the coast around Lincoln City, another beach resort, which has great Dungenees crab fishing. We stayed in a place there that's a two minute walk from the beach; there's a guy there who has the crab catching equipment and shows you how to catch them. You then take your catch back to the hotel and the hotel has all the equipment to prepare and cook them. The whole coastal area around Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, and down to Newport is really gorgeous.
Go south from Portland and you get to Eugene. Go south from Eugene and you hit another wine region. When you get to Roseberg, go east and you will get to Crater Lake, which you shouldn't miss. The lake is in the caldera of a collapsed volcano. There's also a great place to stay halfway between Roseberg and Crater Lake called Steelhead Lodge. |
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Aussiesuede
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Joined: 27 Jul 2005
Posts: 10964
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| Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 11:44 am Post subject: |
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| Heartburn wrote: | Beaches and Islands sound good. I don't mind spending if the accommodations (hotel or rented house) are worth it. Proximity to the action (beach for instance) would be cool. I like the idea of Seattle because there's beach/nature plus the city, which I've been to but my family hasn't.
We like being lazy at the beach but we also like to get out around town so some place with a cool village would be nice. Bike riding is cool. |
10 Days PNW
Day 1:
Arrival in Seattle. Check into Air BNB in West Seattle - Alki Beach. When the suns out, Alki is the most bustling beach in the city with a miles long boardwalk and the best views across the bay of downtown. Heaps of eateries to satisfy the family.
Day 2:
Take the family on a drive up to North Bend (Exit 25) then ride through the mountains and countryside on Hwy 18, stopping at Snoqualmie Falls, then taking the kids tubing down the Snoqualmie River in Fall City. It's a serene river, so nothing dangerous & the scenery is beautiful.
Day 3:
Up early to catch the ferry over to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. Spend the day relaxing and bike riding through Friday Harbor (kewl village) and around the island.
Day 4:
Catch a ride on the Victoria Clipper and head over to Victoria on Vancouver Island. Absolutely gorgeous town with Old English architecture. Surprisingly vibrant downtown with plenty to see and do. Take the family to Buchard Gardens, then spend some time exploring the "potholes" along the river in Sooke.
Day 5:
Take a drive up island to Tofino and enjoy the Hot Springs and one of the most amazing views you'd find anywhere. You could spend days exploring Pacific Rim Park, but probably best saved for a future excursion with that being the primary destination. That would be a full days outing. Or if you prefer staying closer to town, there are kewl places to explore around nearer to town, like the old naval village, Esquimalt (pronounced Sky Malt) or up in the hills around Saanich.
Days 6 - 8: Grab the ferry in Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen and explore Vancouver. Get an AirBNB in Kitsilano or Point Grey - or if you prefer a hotel, the Pan Pacific in Downtown Van offers up amazing views and is convenient to getting to all. Spend the day exploring Vancouver downtown, Stanley Park, Granville Island (Rent a little speedboat and take the family out on English Bay for an awesome tour of the city). Take the Bridge over to North Van. Explore West Van and cross the Capilano suspension bridge. (A bit further north to Lyons Bay and you can point out: That's where Aussiesuede grew up. That's usually the highlight of the trip for kids.  )
Take a trip to Lonsdale Quay (A kewl indoor outdoor market with plenty of street vendors and artists. On the top floor of the market/hotel is a restaurant with amazing views of downtown across the bay. A great place to grab dinner with nice ambiance.) A trip to Anton's in Burnaby is a must for one of your dinners. Some of the best Italian food on the West Coast, but arrive early as the lines get up to two blocks long on the weekends - but definitely worth the wait. The servings are far too large to finish in one sitting so expect to be bringing home leftovers.
Take the Ferry out of Tsawwassen back over to Vancouver Island to grab the Black Ball Ferry to Port Angeles, WA
Day 9:
Explore Port angeles and the Olympic National Park. Take the kids up to Hurricane Ridge, and down to the Elwa River Basin. Then drive out of town down through Sequim (Don't continue out of town westward. While it's beautiful, it's a long slow slog south and the scenery gets repetitive in a big hurry. Don't want to waste an entire day in the car) and continue south and take the family to see Mount St Helens
Alternatively, you could take the Victoria Clipper express directly from Victoria to downtown Seattle if you preferenced more city time. Take the kids to a Mariners game so they can see up close all the creative ways a team can figure out how to lose a game.
Have fun!
_________________
I'm On point, On task, On message, and Off drugs. A Streetwise Smart Bomb, Out of rehab and In denial. Over the Top, On the edge, Under the Radar, and In Control. Behind the 8 ball, Ahead of the Curve and I've got a Love Child who sends me Hate mail. |
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venturalakersfan
Retired Number
Joined: 14 Apr 2001
Posts: 144474
Location: The Gold Coast
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| Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 11:53 am Post subject: |
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Santa Barbara is nice, beaches and a kid friendly zoo. The Arlington theater has some good shows and the Bowl is a great place to catch a concert. There are 3 historical missions within an hour drive.
Even with my kids at 20 and 23, family vacations are the same as they have been the past 20+ years. Every year after giving them various possibilities, the outcome was always the same, a week at Lake San Antonio and a week on the river in Laughlin.
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RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023. |
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Omar Little
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Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 90307
Location: Formerly Known As 24
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| Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 12:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Aussiesuede wrote: | | Heartburn wrote: | Beaches and Islands sound good. I don't mind spending if the accommodations (hotel or rented house) are worth it. Proximity to the action (beach for instance) would be cool. I like the idea of Seattle because there's beach/nature plus the city, which I've been to but my family hasn't.
We like being lazy at the beach but we also like to get out around town so some place with a cool village would be nice. Bike riding is cool. |
10 Days PNW
Day 1:
Arrival in Seattle. Check into Air BNB in West Seattle - Alki Beach. When the suns out, Alki is the most bustling beach in the city with a miles long boardwalk and the best views across the bay of downtown. Heaps of eateries to satisfy the family.
Day 2:
Take the family on a drive up to North Bend (Exit 25) then ride through the mountains and countryside on Hwy 18, stopping at Snoqualmie Falls, then taking the kids tubing down the Snoqualmie River in Fall City. It's a serene river, so nothing dangerous & the scenery is beautiful.
Day 3:
Up early to catch the ferry over to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. Spend the day relaxing and bike riding through Friday Harbor (kewl village) and around the island.
Day 4:
Catch a ride on the Victoria Clipper and head over to Victoria on Vancouver Island. Absolutely gorgeous town with Old English architecture. Surprisingly vibrant downtown with plenty to see and do. Take the family to Buchard Gardens, then spend some time exploring the "potholes" along the river in Sooke.
Day 5:
Take a drive up island to Tofino and enjoy the Hot Springs and one of the most amazing views you'd find anywhere. You could spend days exploring Pacific Rim Park, but probably best saved for a future excursion with that being the primary destination. That would be a full days outing. Or if you prefer staying closer to town, there are kewl places to explore around nearer to town, like the old naval village, Esquimalt (pronounced Sky Malt) or up in the hills around Saanich.
Days 6 - 8: Grab the ferry in Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen and explore Vancouver. Get an AirBNB in Kitsilano or Point Grey - or if you prefer a hotel, the Pan Pacific in Downtown Van offers up amazing views and is convenient to getting to all. Spend the day exploring Vancouver downtown, Stanley Park, Granville Island (Rent a little speedboat and take the family out on English Bay for an awesome tour of the city). Take the Bridge over to North Van. Explore West Van and cross the Capilano suspension bridge. (A bit further north to Lyons Bay and you can point out: That's where Aussiesuede grew up. That's usually the highlight of the trip for kids. )
Take a trip to Lonsdale Quay (A kewl indoor outdoor market with plenty of street vendors and artists. On the top floor of the market/hotel is a restaurant with amazing views of downtown across the bay. A great place to grab dinner with nice ambiance.) A trip to Anton's in Burnaby is a must for one of your dinners. Some of the best Italian food on the West Coast, but arrive early as the lines get up to two blocks long on the weekends - but definitely worth the wait. The servings are far too large to finish in one sitting so expect to be bringing home leftovers.
Take the Ferry out of Tsawwassen back over to Vancouver Island to grab the Black Ball Ferry to Port Angeles, WA
Day 9:
Explore Port angeles and the Olympic National Park. Take the kids up to Hurricane Ridge, and down to the Elwa River Basin. Then drive out of town down through Sequim (Don't continue out of town westward. While it's beautiful, it's a long slow slog south and the scenery gets repetitive in a big hurry. Don't want to waste an entire day in the car) and continue south and take the family to see Mount St Helens
Alternatively, you could take the Victoria Clipper express directly from Victoria to downtown Seattle if you preferenced more city time. Take the kids to a Mariners game so they can see up close all the creative ways a team can figure out how to lose a game.
Have fun! |
That's a nice list Aussie! I was going to add in WA coast which is pretty awesome, and there are some nice things on Widbey, Bainbridge, and Vashon Islands that are in close range of Seattle (day trips). I would recommend Seattle, San Juan, and the coast as three separate legs.
_________________
“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ― Elie Wiesel |
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Aussiesuede
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Joined: 27 Jul 2005
Posts: 10964
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| Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Omar Little wrote: |
That's a nice list Aussie! I was going to add in WA coast which is pretty awesome, and there are some nice things on Widbey, Bainbridge, and Vashon Islands that are in close range of Seattle (day trips). I would recommend Seattle, San Juan, and the coast as three separate legs. |
Yeah. If he wanted to keep the trip more Seattle centric, then day trips over to Vashon and Bainbridge would be a hoot. The kids would LOVE staying a night at the Hostel Ranch on Vashon sleeping in the Teepee's and Covered wagons whilst mom and dad relaxed in the lodge house. Grab the bikes during the day and just explore!
_________________
I'm On point, On task, On message, and Off drugs. A Streetwise Smart Bomb, Out of rehab and In denial. Over the Top, On the edge, Under the Radar, and In Control. Behind the 8 ball, Ahead of the Curve and I've got a Love Child who sends me Hate mail. |
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hoopschick29
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Joined: 23 Jul 2004
Posts: 12898
Location: Los Angeles
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| Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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Oceanside, CA. Great beaches in North County from San Clemente down to Solana Beach. Take the kiddos to LEGOLAND, Wild Animal Park.
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Heartburn
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Location: The Titanic that is the USA
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| Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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| You guys are the best. Keep the suggestions coming. This is really great info. |
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Mike@LG
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Location: Orange County, CA
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| Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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My trip in Seattle was short, but in 3 days
Boeing Museum
Aquarium
Pikes Place Market
Space Needle
Museum of Pop culture (Star trek stuff, sci fi stuff, horror movie stuff, so much music stuff)
A lot of this is all within the same block, so it's easy to do a lot in Seattle while minimizing travel time.
Otherwise, Aussie nailed it. I just like city feel when I go on vacations.
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Hector the Pup
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Joined: 25 Jul 2002
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Location: L.A.
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| Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 8:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Coastal California road trip is pretty good for that age group if you're in the la area. Winchester house Madonna inn Hurst castle Carmel Monterey then San Francisco. Rent a car in la then fly back from San Francisco |
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Heartburn
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Location: The Titanic that is the USA
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| Posted: Tue May 01, 2018 9:07 am Post subject: |
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Another option just came up: Traverse City, Michigan.
Has anyone ever been? Thoughts? |
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VicXLakers
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