Today I want to talk about good old fashioned family travel. Where you take your kids to see and experience things they wouldn’t normally do at home, all while trying to keep your cool as a parent. While a family trip is never easy — it can be great. I think some people immediately think of a spot like Disneyland/World when they think family travel ,but I’m here to tell you there are a LOT more places you can go — and today I want to share some of my family’s favorites.
Of course, I’ve done PLENTY of Disneyland and Disney World Travel. I also have some articles on Universal Hollywood and Orlando — so if you are looking for ideas that revolve around the big theme parks, look no further than those articles. And yes, I always book those with Get Away Today because they make it SO easy!
If you’re looking to plan at Disney trip — grab my trip calculator right here. While this calculator works for any trip it’s got some great Disney tips already included:
Ok, onto some other vacation destinations:
Tennessee
I’m starting of strong with a trip to Tenessee
Oh goodness, this place has my heart. I found it to be:
- Friendly — people were so nice
- BEAUTIFUL — from a girl used to the Wasatch Mountains that park is AMAZING
- Affordable — a reminder that Disney prices stay at Disney — there are other options!
We actually started in Charlotte, and then wound our way through the smokies into Pigeon Forge (hello Dollywood, you’re my favorite) and then into Nashville.
That trip could easily be broken-up into smaller parts. I plan to do this trip again soon because we had to miss The Biltmore due to the hurricane. Just so great — relaxing and beautiful. I’m a fan.
We mostly fly on Southwest to these destinations, I find their points system to be the most flexible to use — and I WISH I had gotten their credit card YEARS ago. Don’t be like me — sign up for it ASAP if you have flight planned. The points never expire! Learn more here.
Washington DC
This city can feel REALLY overwhelming. With SO many museums — which ones do you choose and how do you get to them all. This article breaks it all down:
I had been to Washington DC a LOT as a kid (my dad teaches history at a local college) — but seeing it with my own kids really brought me full circle.
This trip is:
- Easy to navigate — their subway and transportation system is top-notch
- Cheap — because the vast majority of museums are free that really saves on ticket cost (but hotels aren’t cheap and food is fairly average for a coastal town)
- Informative — yes, we were museum’d out by the end, but it was SO amazing
The other thing I love is that it’s a melting pot of SO many different facets of the US. Huge fan of a DC trip! Be sure to read that full article for more tips!
While we’re here — being that I’m also The Pregnancy Nurse® — I gotta make sure that if you’re pregnant, you’re traveling safely. 🙂 << that article is great ESPECIALLY for later in pregnancy!
San Diego
Just south of the Disneyland area is one of my favorite spots in the US — San Diego.
With a much more relaxed vibe and great attractions, it’s a great option.
This is a great option if:
- You want to do some different theme parks — Legoland, Sea World and the Zoo’s are so fun (and very different from the Disney experience)
- You love the coast — San Diego has beautiful bays and beaches
- Add a little history — we love to tour all the maritime options around the warf!
That article has more on what we loved while we were there. I will say that trip isn’t cheap. It’s more Disney prices, which is something to keep in mind.
I gotta say the RIGHT BAG is SO important for family travel. As the mom I am the keeper of saving the trip with my bag of plenty. While this post is on Disney bags — A lot of it holds true for all family travel!
Boston
Oh man, just writing this I’m re-living all the sights, sound and FOODS that we LOVED in Boston!
This option is great for:
- Older kids — this one has a fair amount of walking along the freedom trail, so pack the right shoes
- Food lovers — Boston has SO much great food (and pastries) << YUM!
- Affordable — as you can just walk the freedom trail and get lots of info at state-funded sights you don’t have to spend a lot in this city. There are a lot of nice add-ons though too!
That article has more on what we added onto the trip including the science museum, aquarium and more.
That city is also VERY walkable. While their subways system isn’t as “up-to-date” it is still GREAT to get you around, and we very much enjoyed it!
While we’re talking walking — some of these require a LOT of it — while this post talks about Disney feet the information in there can make any trip better because you’re taking care of your FEET.
San Francisco
We lived in the Bay Area for 10 years and I can’t even tell you how great it was to be so close to this city with SO much to do with little kids:
Yes, this city can be wildly expensive — but there are a lot of hidden gems that you can enjoy as well.
I will say that the California Academy of Sciences is pricey, but SO great. My kids still remember that museum even though we went years ago.
This trip is great for:
- If you have a little bit more to splurge — the town can be pricey
- You love the water, but not necessarily getting in it (this water is cold!!!)
- You want to see LOTS of different kinds of things in a small area
We’ve used their local transit as well, and found it mostly friendly.
Note: San Francisco can be a lot to take in. While we didn’t see a ton of homeless people the last time we were there, we’ve definitely seen them before, and every now and then you may see a streaker — so I’m always on guard a bit when I have small kids.
We actually did a cruise that did the whole western coast — started in LA and then went up to San Fran and then back down to San Diego — I give some of my favorite cruising tips here.
Salt Lake
The Salt Lake area has a lot of VERY family-friendly things to do in the city.
It is a VERY beautiful city, I think the public transportation is pretty user-friendly, and there are a lot of FREE activities as well.
Pricing for lodging and food aren’t going to blow your budget either.
Plus, if you like to ski it is definitely a winter destination with Park City not far away.
Lots of information about the pioneer journey west that your family can glean at many of the free museums in the area.
Hollywood
Sure, I said I was going to keep this Disney-free, but if you’ve ever driven from Disneyland up to the Hollywood area, you know that it is a whole world away!
ALSO, there are a lot of really cool & free attractions in the Hollywood area. We were even able to see a real-life space shuttle!
Yes, hotels are pricey, yes — you can add Universal Studios Hollywood onto your trip pretty easily, but our family has had a great time there.
We’ve also found a gem of a hotel that has poolside white glove popcicle service, free ice cream and snacks 24/7 — we’re fans. It’s all in that article.
Southern Utah
Southern Utah is a bounty of national parks. The Kanab area puts you smack-dab in the middle of three of the most beautiful areas on earth:
This trip is great for:
- Drivers. While you could fly into Saint George and rent a car this trip requires a good amount of driving
- Picnic-ers. Food isn’t a-plenty in this more remote area. My family has had plenty of poor meals in this area, so just be aware. We often wish we had just packed or own.
- Lovers of nature — SO beautiful — can’t say that enough!
From there you can also head on down to the Grand Canyon as well if you’d like. We’ve done that a few times and it’s a great trip — as long as your kids stay far from the edge!
Yellowstone
I grew-up going to Yellowstone almost every year of my life.
And yes, I hated it after a while — but I also love it with my own kids.
This trip is great for:
- Drivers — once again, this will require a rental car, and Yellowstone itself can get very traffic-y during peak times
- Younger kids — my kids LOVE to follow the boardwalks and see all the cool water features. Gyesers are just magical for smaller kids.
- Splurge — hotels in this area are just insane price-wise. I want you to know that going in. However, remember your days can easily be filled with picnics and enjoying the parks, so money spent on entertainment will be low.
So, what’s YOUR favorite place to visit with your kids? I’d love to know — tell me in the comments!
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