Now be honest, parents. Isn’t there a shred of dread floating on the surface as you contemplate your next family vacation? First, there’s the whiny chorus, “Are we there yet?” This only gets worse when you “get there” and about an hour into sightseeing the kids start complaining that there is no fun and that they are very bored. Well, I have an excellent solution for this old problem. I have five destinations that guarantee the excitement of children and the joy of parents. Check out these ideas:
1) Wisconsin Dells – You may never have heard of the Dells. If not, where have you been? Hiding under a rock somewhere? Well, I must admit that the population is only around 4,000, but it is known as the water park capital of the world. You can surf or boogie board 365 days a year. You can take family raft rides down super-fast rapids, descend on a six-story thrill ride, take body slides that twist and turn from ten stories to stomach-churning slides and drops. And water sports are just the beginning. Go go-karting, snowmobiling, bungee jumping, walk through a haunted house or take off on the world’s tallest vertical accelerator. Go to a petting zoo, visit the Bartlett Exploratory with 150 interactive exhibits, visit the Wizard Quest interactive fantasy game, enjoy the Paint-it Pottery Shop. I need to say more. You won’t run out of things to do, even if you stay for two weeks. The Dells is a winner.
2) Yellowstone National Park: Everyone has heard of this place, but do you really know what it offers? In addition to the idyllic camping experience, you can go horseback riding, snowmobiling, snowcoaching, stagecoaching, cross-country skiing, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, or boating on beautiful Yellowstone Lake. The best place to see wildlife up close is probably Lamar Valley and the northeast entrance. Grizzly bears, coyotes, gray wolves, foxes, black bears, river otters, elk, bison, pronghorn and mule deer are seen here. You can watch the Old Faithful spout or go to Norris Geyser Basin and watch the geysers in some sweet privacy. The best news for you parents is the excellent Junior Ranger program that the park offers. It offers day hikes that introduce children to the natural wonders throughout the park. Too much fun. Then head back to camp just in time to grill chicken, steak, or burgers for the perfect end to a great day.
3) Black Hills/Badlands of South Dakota: This area encompasses a whopping 10,000 square miles of vast prairies, badlands landscapes, rugged mountains, and grasslands. It is also home to seven national parks and many state parks. See the impressive Mount Rushmore and the new Chief Crazy Horse monument. Explore caves or visit an archaeological dig of 50 giant mammoths. Pan for gold, hike, bike, cross-country ski, snowmobile, ride ATVs, or ride horses. Once again, the Junior Ranger program is great here as well. Kids will examine fossils, watch amazing park nature movies, and enjoy rare hands-on exhibits and dinosaur exhibits. If you ever use these activities, enjoy an Old West shootout and cowboy dinner show. Then take the family to one of the area’s six amusement and theme parks. Badlands is bad!…in a good way.
4) San Francisco: Now I can tell you that San Fran is much, much more than Fisherman’s Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge. There are two great zoos to choose from: the San Francisco Zoo and the Oakland Zoo. The San Fran Zoo is larger and has more varied wildlife. Oakland is part of the 525-acre Knowland Park. It’s a bit more relaxed and less congested with crowds. The Bay Area Discovery Museum includes 28,000 square feet of exhibits. Kids can climb all over a sunken fishing boat, learn to ride a unicycle and create claymation movies. There are mixed reviews for Children’s Fairyland. It is true that it is an old playground, but the small children seem to love it. For some of them, it will be their favorite destination. At the Zeum Museum, kids can shoot their own music video to take home, have fun in the Claymation Studio, or use the kids desktop publishing to create their own full-color artwork. At the Hershey Factory, kids watch candy being made and receive free chocolate. And, for the older kids, I haven’t even covered the huge underwater world and Steinhart or Alcatraz Aquarium, the Golden Gate Bridge, and exploring WWII submarines.
5) Kingsmill Resort: This place is spread over 3,000 acres of Virginia wilderness. For adults, there are three 18-hole golf courses, 15 tennis courts, and a health club with indoor and outdoor pools, exercise classes, personal trainers, and a pool and game room. For children, a wonderful Kids’ Camp offers children ages 5-12 the opportunity to learn tennis, golf, ping pong, arcade games, swimming and fishing. They also enjoy theme days and creating arts and crafts. Children can also play in the beach area and collect shells. The Kid’s Night Out offers parents a romantic evening alone while the kids enjoy a pizza party, games and movies. If you’re exploring all the resort has to offer, Colonial Williamsburg and Busch Gardens is nearby.
The hardest part will probably be deciding which of these fantasy family vacations you want to plan. You simply cannot go wrong choosing any of these trips. Have fun.