Need family vacation input/ideas (long)...

valeivegas · February 2014

I thought this board might be a good place to get input on vacation ideas for mid-May with two LOs (DS is 3 and DD will be 11 months when we go). After this horrible winter we really are craving some warm weather, but we also have to work within a moderate budget. Here's what we're considering so far:

1) Stay local & just go to a nearby waterpark resort for 2 nights (this would be in July then). This is obviously the cheapest option - no flights, but July is way far off & we will probably go to a waterpark for 1 night no matter if we go somewhere else or not. This is also the easiest option as we just pack up our van & drive a few hours - no car rental, renting/bringing car seats, etc etc. We do have some house repairs we need to do so this would help us in being the most cost effective option.

2) Visit family in Las Vegas. Also a cheaper option as we have a place to stay - but as you know, visiting family is not really a "vacation". Our family does have a nice swimming pool which will be fun for us & the kids, but I don't know how much there is to do in Vegas with two very small children (I've been there many times pre-kids but I don't know about dragging them around to the strip...) This is the cheapest option to 'get away', but again not really that much of a vacation.

3) Go to the beach somewhere. We were thinking FL or Mexico. We have a bunch of hotel points we could use so this could help w/ the budget, but in FL we wouldn't have a kitchen at the hotel so we'd be eating out a lot - that would be inconvenient & a pain at times... Mexico - I love love love it (Dh & I have been to Tulum & Cancun), but I'm wary of taking the LOs there yet - I'm worried about the possibility of them getting sick from the food or water. We would probably go to an all-inclusive which isn't usually my thing, but now with kids it sounds amazing not to have to cook & clean for a week. Any input on taking little kids there?

Sorry this is long, but any input on any of these options - or if you have any other ideas for us - would be much appreciated! We're really on the fence about just saving $$ & staying local, or just going for it & having a good time. Thanks!

mae0111 · February 2014

If you're thinking about FL, rather than a hotel, what about renting a condo? There are lots of sites out there (vrbo.com for example), that would allow you to rent something near a beach (or at least a pool) for (possibly) not much money.

We do a family beach vacation every summer, but it's driving distance for us. It's wonderful to have a house with a kitchen. We go out when we want to, but we can pack lunches for the beach, and eat simple or complicated dinners in most nights. With young kids, it's nice to be able to head back to the house in the middle of the day for a nap. But the biggest thing is having a kitchen. I really dislike going out to eat every night, with or without young kids.

valeivegas · February 2014

mae0111 said:

If you're thinking about FL, rather than a hotel, what about renting a condo? There are lots of sites out there (vrbo.com for example), that would allow you to rent something near a beach (or at least a pool) for (possibly) not much money.

We do a family beach vacation every summer, but it's driving distance for us. It's wonderful to have a house with a kitchen. We go out when we want to, but we can pack lunches for the beach, and eat simple or complicated dinners in most nights. With young kids, it's nice to be able to head back to the house in the middle of the day for a nap. But the biggest thing is having a kitchen. I really dislike going out to eat every night, with or without young kids.

I completely agree with you; even before kids we usually preferred to have a place with a kitchen but now it is even more so a necessity. We have booked with vrbo before & have thought of this option...

QueSrah · February 2014

We're going to an AI near Cancun at the end of the month. It never occurred to me that DD would get sick from the water - we're sure to be drinking bottled water if we have any, and we still supervise toothbrushing, so we'd just show her how to use bottled water for that. I've never run into a resort with sketchy food that made me ill... and DD seems to be developing my stomach of steel anyway :P I'm so excited to get a beach vacation with the option to send DD to their "camp" to get some quiet time I'm so sick of this winter that I would pretty much pay anything to get away at this point.

I keep hearing that Las Vegas is very family-friendly. I'm skeptical, but it would be worth considering if you have family to stay with, esp. with a pool

jlaOK · February 2014

Do you have friends/family that you could go with? We are renting a condo on the gulf this summer and splitting it with my mom and sister. This way we get the perks of a condo (full kitchen, less money spent on food out) but a little less cost.

You should also check out some of the JW Marriott resort locations. We went to the one in San Antonio and loved it. It is very family friendly - water slides, splash pads, and a dedicated "kids" pool and not very expensive. Food is a little bit more because it's all in the hotel but rooms have a fridge so you could bring some of your own food. We've stayed there and really liked it and think it's a great place to go with kids but is nicer than some of the other family friendly water parks.

jc&cat · February 2014

Not sure where you live but we have done VRBO in the florida keys and on the gulf coast and have been very very happy.

jf198400 · February 2014

Where do you live? Are there no beaches in driving distance? We take a family vacation to the Jersey shore every summer and rent a house. I don't like staying in hotels with kids for more than 2 nights, there's no where to hang out after they go to sleep and I l don't want to eat out with kids every night. Personally the idea of flying with kids and dealing with carseats etc. just does not sound like a vacation. I also would not want to take little kids to Mexico.

valeivegas · February 2014

jf198400 said:

Where do you live? Are there no beaches in driving distance? .... Personally the idea of flying with kids and dealing with carseats etc. just does not sound like a vacation. I also would not want to take little kids to Mexico.

We are in WI so no white sandy beaches in sight (Lake Michigan doesn't count lol)! I know flying, dragging car seats, etc is a pain but there's no where nice to drive from here (at least for what we're looking for). DS would have his own seat & sit & watch a movie, DD is a very calm baby so I'm not worried about her - as long as it's a one shot flight, no connections, we'd be ok..

jf198400 · February 2014

In that case I'd choose Florida. It seems to be the most family friendly option.

jlaOK · February 2014

What about a condo near North or South Carolina? I'm always a fan of driving vs flying especially when factoring cost and small kiddos. We are driving 14+ hours and taking 2 days each way to drive. We are taking our own car and it'll be around $500 including 2 travel nights in a hotel. That is way less than airfare would be and worth it to us.

Avion22 · February 2014

My family wanted to do a reunion (for my grandfather's 90th b-day) at an AI in Mexico, and it was vetoed by everyone with young kids. No kitchens would be a deal-breaker, and I don't even want to think about how you would go about making sure you had enough diapers for your stay. I guess you could diapers.com some and send them ahead of time, if they shipped internationally (not sure if they do, or how expensive that might be). I mean, the resorts maybe sell diapers but I bet it's expensive....and it's not like it would be easy to just run to a store to buy some if you're staying at an AI resort. I'm sure parents figure out a way to do this, and I'm all ears if anyone has any solutions. Also....do your kids have passports? Or passport cards?

brachysira · February 2014

If you're not sure you can afford it, don't go for the most expensive option. If you go to Vegas, do you have access to a car? If so, you can visit Hoover Dam and some of the other natural areas. Perhaps the Grand Canyon on a multi day trip. Vegas is a large city so has a children's museum, water park, etc. It is the desert, so your kids might be better off doing it when they have more heat tolerance. I personally would stay in WI. Do the local water park, spend another weekend on Lake MI, go to the Dells or spend a weekend in Chicago seeing the museums. My LO thinks its the most exciting thing in the world if we go to the library--save up and take a bigger trip when they will appreciate it. If the waterpark is close enough, go sooner--perhaps the balmy atmosphere will help with your longing for warm weather. We've been considering that from the Michigan side of the lake but my m/s is so bad that I really don't think I could enjoy it.

valeivegas · February 2014

Thanks for all the input. We do have passports, except for DD, but that wouldn't be a problem. We went to Europe 2 summers ago when DS was 16 mos old so we've been thru all that.. and packing loads of diapers too

We would have access to a car in Vegas or at least rent one we could all fit in.. We would only go for about 4 days there so we would stay in the local area. Good point about the heat though - it's already been warm there, by May it will prob. be quite toasty already. It would definitely be warm enough to swim..

mexicolombiana · February 2014

I'm from Chicago and we just took an AWESOME family trip to the Phoenix area (as you can see from my pictures). We found some incredible air fare at $80 per PERSON round trip. We have a 2 and 3 yr old so we have to pay for their seats. We flew Spirit at ridiculous times in the middle of the night but it was fine. My husband and I just suck it up and take both car seats and the double stroller and get everything checked in. Then we're "free" without all the luggage and stuff until we get off the plane.

We had a good time in warm Phoenix then we drove to Sedona and had a great time there too, then drove up to the Grand Canyon. Our trip was relatively cheap except for car rentals and hotels.

I'm a big fan of taking family vacations to somewhere hot and/or tropical if you can swing it. It's definitely hard to travel with kids but we do a good job together.

And as far as Mexico goes, well my entire dad's side of the family is from Mexico and I would strictly stick to a resort town and not go too far from the hotels. Certain parts of Mexico are very dangerous and unless you know where you're going it's not recommended you travel outside of very touristy areas.

I don't worry at all about food/drinks in Mexico. Just don't drink the water, don't have ice cream or shaved ice drinks on the street and stay away from some street food. I would travel to the Cancun area like Playa del Carmen with kids.

Also I despise all inclusive resorts because I hate eating at hotels. I love to explore and eat local foods but I get that Mexico is shady in some areas so that's a concern. It would be very easy to get off an all inclusive hotel and just drive to a Walmart or some big shopping center and buy supplies for the week though.

But if you want an even safer trip go to Puerto Rico! We have been there twice with our 2 girls and we have a blast. But DH's dad lives there and we stay with him most of the time so we save $. We always rent a mini van though and drive ALL around the island and stop at all the beaches.

KayteeGee · February 2014

I live in Vegas.
We have a new children's museum (less than a year old) that is awesome, a new waterpark (in the burbs) that opened last summer (I haven't been but hear it's cool) and (supposedly) a second waterpark opening this year. My 3yo loves the Las Vegas Springs Preserve (a museum and nature preserve, a couple of years old, really well done) There's also Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, The Secret Garden at Mirage - both on the strip. You could also splurge mid-week and stay at Mandalay one or two nights so the kids could play in the pool. In addition to the Dam and Grand Canyon (great choices!) It's also a quick couple hour drive to Zion which is AMAZING.

Anyway, there are some good options here.

That said, I'd go to Mexico!

justjinny · February 2014

So you live in WI? Me too! MH & I have done a lot of traveling around the state, so if you're looking to save $ and stay local I could give you some ideas.

Have you looked into the Minocqua area? I rented a cabin there with my sisters a few years ago and would recommend checking the area out. Some of the lakes there are great for swimming, some places even have nice sandy beaches. There's the Northern Highlands American Legion National Forest right nearby with great hiking & biking. Minocqua also has a little touristy downtown if you want to poke through some shops.

I know you said the beaches on the Great Lakes "don't count" but the waters do get warm enough in August to swim in. Peninsula State Park is one of my favorites - you could look into cabin/cottage rentals nearby and make a point of trying out the beach at the park (it's on a shallower bay that warms up more than the lakes). There's a ton to do all over in Door County too.

This time of year gets really old here. I can understand your desire to go somewhere warm!

EDIT: I thought I'd mention that most of the state parks have great beach/swim areas if you're up for just a day trip. Devil's Lake, Kettle Moraine Ottowa Lake, Willow River and Copper Falls are some of my favorites. Check out the DNR's website to find something nearby you!

laurakaz13 · February 2014

valeivegas said:

mae0111 said:

If you're thinking about FL, rather than a hotel, what about renting a condo? There are lots of sites out there (vrbo.com for example), that would allow you to rent something near a beach (or at least a pool) for (possibly) not much money.

We do a family beach vacation every summer, but it's driving distance for us. It's wonderful to have a house with a kitchen. We go out when we want to, but we can pack lunches for the beach, and eat simple or complicated dinners in most nights. With young kids, it's nice to be able to head back to the house in the middle of the day for a nap. But the biggest thing is having a kitchen. I really dislike going out to eat every night, with or without young kids.
I completely agree with you; even before kids we usually preferred to have a place with a kitchen but now it is even more so a necessity. We have booked with vrbo before & have thought of this option...

This. We use VRBO all the time and always get a condo with several rooms and a kitchen. Check it out. It is awesome. I'm not a fan of Mexico. It is not a safe place and I would never take my child there. If we were going to fly somewhere tropical, it would be the Caribbean or Bahamas or Hawaii. Much nicer in my opinion.

I would pick Florida beach vacation if I were you. Our first vacations with LO were to San Diego, Sedona, the Outer Banks and to a lake house in Western NC.

Edit: I see you are in Michigan. I still say go South to the beach somewhere, rent a condo and enjoy!

mittensonkittens · February 2014

I would do a couple weekend trips to water parks or state parks with the kids, and then leave the kids with grandma and take off to a resort with just DH.

valeivegas · February 2014

KayteeGee said:

I live in Vegas.
We have a new children's museum (less than a year old) that is awesome, a new waterpark (in the burbs) that opened last summer (I haven't been but hear it's cool) and (supposedly) a second waterpark opening this year. My 3yo loves the Las Vegas Springs Preserve (a museum and nature preserve, a couple of years old, really well done) There's also Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, The Secret Garden at Mirage - both on the strip. You could also splurge mid-week and stay at Mandalay one or two nights so the kids could play in the pool. In addition to the Dam and Grand Canyon (great choices!) It's also a quick couple hour drive to Zion which is AMAZING.

Anyway, there are some good options here.

That said, I'd go to Mexico!

Thanks for all the input! What is the waterpark in Vegas in the suburbs? I totally forgot about the shark reef - my 3 yr old would love this! After talking last night we're leaning more towards the Vegas trip now, since it would be the cheapest option for us to get out of here. Our family has a nice pool at their house so we'll be able to enjoy that with the kids.

Thanks also for the tips about Minocqua. I think we might pass on doing a true 'up north' trip this summer though - possibly next summer though.

rubber_chicken · February 2014

https://www.kayak.com/explore/ - put in your origin airport and it will give you a map with ticket prices. This can help narrow down your options. Note that a lot of the cheaper airlines, like Southwest, do not advertise fares on sites like this, so once you've narrowed down your destination you need to do more airfare research.

I would either do Vegas with family, or Florida. The Miami area is cheap to fly into, and I would look for a condo or hotel with kitchenette (Residence Inn type thing).

mexicolombiana · February 2014

rubber_chicken said:

https://www.kayak.com/explore/ - put in your origin airport and it will give you a map with ticket prices. This can help narrow down your options. Note that a lot of the cheaper airlines, like Southwest, do not advertise fares on sites like this, so once you've narrowed down your destination you need to do more airfare research.

I would either do Vegas with family, or Florida. The Miami area is cheap to fly into, and I would look for a condo or hotel with kitchenette (Residence Inn type thing).

We use google flights which does the same thing. We totally pick our vacations based on airline price and then go from there. That's how we found those amazing tickets for $80 round trip from Chicago to Phoenix!

KayteeGee · February 2014

valeivegas said:

KayteeGee said:

I live in Vegas.
We have a new children's museum (less than a year old) that is awesome, a new waterpark (in the burbs) that opened last summer (I haven't been but hear it's cool) and (supposedly) a second waterpark opening this year. My 3yo loves the Las Vegas Springs Preserve (a museum and nature preserve, a couple of years old, really well done) There's also Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, The Secret Garden at Mirage - both on the strip. You could also splurge mid-week and stay at Mandalay one or two nights so the kids could play in the pool. In addition to the Dam and Grand Canyon (great choices!) It's also a quick couple hour drive to Zion which is AMAZING.

Anyway, there are some good options here.

That said, I'd go to Mexico!

Thanks for all the input! What is the waterpark in Vegas in the suburbs? I totally forgot about the shark reef - my 3 yr old would love this! After talking last night we're leaning more towards the Vegas trip now, since it would be the cheapest option for us to get out of here. Our family has a nice pool at their house so we'll be able to enjoy that with the kids.

Thanks also for the tips about Minocqua. I think we might pass on doing a true 'up north' trip this summer though - possibly next summer though.

Wet N Wild opened last year https://wetnwildlasvegas.com/index.htm It's out in the Southwest
Cowabunga Bay opens this year https://www.cowabungabay.com/LasVegas/ out in Henderson (I think).

Yeah, my 3 yo LOVES LOVES LOVES shark reef. He also totally dug Tournament of Kings at Excalibur (you can get discount tickets. Personally I thought it was kind of ick, but he LOVED it)

Also take a look at SpringsPreserve.org - tons of activities for kids

and our new Children's Museum https://www.discoverykidslv.org/

There are also some cool bounce house places that have open play sometimes (https://jumpnjunglelv.com/)

Between those and the pool, you'll have a blast.

groovygrl · February 2014

Mid may is good timing because you will possibly beat some of the summer price hikes and be after spring break...if I were you I would find out which airports on the fl coasts are cheapest from where you live and then explore some condo or house rentals in the area, either via Vrbo or look at resort type places that also do condo style rentals...I don't love AIs either and wouldn't be psyched about Mexico with really little kids, personally. Also can't hurt to look at flights to the Bahamas, it tends to have better prices than some of the other islands....GL!

mrslucid · February 2014

The Wyndham Ocean Walk Hotel in Daytona Beach has small kitchens in the rooms. It is right on the beach and they have four pools. One was a lazy river ride and one was a kid pool/splash pad area. It was priced good and there are restaurants right next door as well. We went last year for a weekend and had a blast.

SunAndRain · February 2014

DD is 19 months and we've taken her to Ireland, Hawaii and California coast...along with a few weekends away here and there.

I can't second enough finding a condo or small house through vrbo.com. Every stay we've done in a hotel has been unpleasant. Having space and a kitchen was so much more comfortable, convenience and, I think, cost effective considering the price of eating out. The trip to HI was nice...but expensive! The week we spent in La Jolla, CA was amazing! We rented a small 2 bedroom house, easy walking distance to the beach for $1700 for the week. It wasn't fancy but it was comfortable and gave us room and a large desk to hang out on while DD was sleeping. We took day trips to the zoo, aquarium, a large navy ship.. More enjoyable and far less expensive than our week in Maui.

thedash · March 2014

I would do the Vegas trip. Would your family watch the kids one evening so you and DH could go have some fun on the strip? I'm all about holding off on expensive vacations until my kids are a little older and we can all enjoy ourselves more.

CarrieB. · March 2014

I've heard that the dunes in Michigan are fantastic for a family summer vacation. We did check out one of the beaches last summer for a very quick trip and it was beautiful.

We are doing a week vacation to Door County this summer and renting a condo through vrbo. Our kids will be 3 and 8 months and I only wanted to go somewhere that had a kitchen and that we could split with my parents so we had built in child care. Being able to go out w my DH a couple nights on our trip is important!

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