Fabulous Family Adventures That Will Not Disappoint
Now be honest, parents.
Isn't there the slightest bit of dread floating to the surface as you contemplate your next family vacation? First, there's the whining chorus, "Are we there yet?" This only grows worse when you "get there" and, about an hour into the sightseeing, the kids begin to moan that there's no fun and they're bored stiff.
Well, I've got a prime solution to this age-old problem.
I've got five destinations that are guaranteed to keep the kids excited and the parents rejoicing.
Check out these ideas: 1) Wisconsin Dells: You may have never even heard of the Dells.
If not, where have you been? Hiding out under a rock somewhere? Well, I must admit, the population is only about 4,000 but it's known as the water park capitol of the world.
You can surf or boogie board 365 days a year.
You can do family raft rides down super fast rapids, tube down a six-story-high thrill ride, do body slides that twist and turn from ten stories up into flumes and stomach-turning drops.
And the water sports are just the beginning.
Ride a go-cart, go snowmobiling, bungee jump, creep 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 Wizard Quest's interactive game of fantasy, enjoy the self Paint-it Pottery Shop.
Need I say more.
You will not run out of things to do, even if you stay for two weeks.
The Dells is a winner.
2) Yellowstone National Park: Everyone's heard of this place, but do you really know what it offers? Besides the idyllic camping experience, you can go horseback riding, snowmobiling, snowcoach or stagecoach riding, cross-country skiing, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, or cruising around gorgeous Yellowstone Lake.
The best place to view wildlife up close is probably in Lamar Valley and the Northeast Entrance.
Here you see grizzly, coyote, gray wolf, fox, black bear, river otters, elk, bison, and pronghorn and mule deer.
You can watch Old Faithful spout off or go to the Norris Geyser Basin and watch the geysers in a little sweet privacy.
The best news for you parents is the excellent Junior Ranger program offered by the park.
It offers day hikes introducing kids to the natural wonders throughout the park.
A lot of fun.
Then come back to the campsite 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 takes in a whopping 10,000 square miles of vast prairies, badland landscapes, rugged mountains, and grasslands.
It's also home to seven National Parks and many State Parks.
View the breathtaking Mt.
Rushmore and the new monument of Chief Crazy Horse.
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, Again, the Junior Ranger program is excellent here also.
Kids will examine fossils, watch amazing nature movies of the park, and enjoy rare hands-on displays and dinosaur exhibits.
If you ever weary of these activities, take in an Old West shootout and a cowboy dinner show.
Then take the family to one of the six theme and amusement parks in the area.
The Badlands is bad!...
in a good way.
4) San Francisco: I can tell you now, San Fran is far, far 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.
San Fran Zoo is larger and has more varied wildlife.
Oakland is part of 525-acre Knowland Park.
It's a bit more laid back and less congested with crowds.
The Bay Area Discovery Museum includes 28,000 square feet of exhibits.
Kids can climb all over a wrecked fishing boat, learn to ride a unicycle, and create clay animation movies.
There are mixed reviews about the Children's Fairyland.
Admittedly, it's an ancient playground, but young kids seem to adore it.
For some of them, it will be their favorite destination.
At the Zeum Museum kids can record their own music video to take home, they can have fun in the Claymation Studio, or they can use kids' desktop publishing to create their own piece of full-color art.
At the Hershey Factory kids see how candies are made and get some free chocolate.
And, for the older kids, I haven't even covered the massive Underwater World and Steinhart Aquarium or Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and exploring World War II submarines.
5) Kingsmill Resort: This place stretches out over 3,000 acres of Virginia wilderness.
For the adults, there are three 18-hole golf courses, 15 tennis courts, and a sports club featuring indoor and outdoor pools, exercise classes, personal trainers, and a billiards and game room.
For the kids, a wonderful Kids' Camp offers 5-12-year-olds a chance to learn tennis, golf, ping pong, arcade games, swimming, and fishing.
They also enjoy theme days and the creation of arts and crafts.
Kids can also play at the beach area and collect shells, The Kid's Night Out offers parents a romantic evening alone as the kids enjoy a pizza, game, and movie party.
If you explore everything the resort has to offer, Colonial Williamsburg and Busch Gardens is close by.
The hardest part will probably be deciding which of these fantasy family vacations you want to plan.
You simply cannot go wrong choosing any one of these trips.
Have fun.
Isn't there the slightest bit of dread floating to the surface as you contemplate your next family vacation? First, there's the whining chorus, "Are we there yet?" This only grows worse when you "get there" and, about an hour into the sightseeing, the kids begin to moan that there's no fun and they're bored stiff.
Well, I've got a prime solution to this age-old problem.
I've got five destinations that are guaranteed to keep the kids excited and the parents rejoicing.
Check out these ideas: 1) Wisconsin Dells: You may have never even heard of the Dells.
If not, where have you been? Hiding out under a rock somewhere? Well, I must admit, the population is only about 4,000 but it's known as the water park capitol of the world.
You can surf or boogie board 365 days a year.
You can do family raft rides down super fast rapids, tube down a six-story-high thrill ride, do body slides that twist and turn from ten stories up into flumes and stomach-turning drops.
And the water sports are just the beginning.
Ride a go-cart, go snowmobiling, bungee jump, creep 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 Wizard Quest's interactive game of fantasy, enjoy the self Paint-it Pottery Shop.
Need I say more.
You will not run out of things to do, even if you stay for two weeks.
The Dells is a winner.
2) Yellowstone National Park: Everyone's heard of this place, but do you really know what it offers? Besides the idyllic camping experience, you can go horseback riding, snowmobiling, snowcoach or stagecoach riding, cross-country skiing, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, or cruising around gorgeous Yellowstone Lake.
The best place to view wildlife up close is probably in Lamar Valley and the Northeast Entrance.
Here you see grizzly, coyote, gray wolf, fox, black bear, river otters, elk, bison, and pronghorn and mule deer.
You can watch Old Faithful spout off or go to the Norris Geyser Basin and watch the geysers in a little sweet privacy.
The best news for you parents is the excellent Junior Ranger program offered by the park.
It offers day hikes introducing kids to the natural wonders throughout the park.
A lot of fun.
Then come back to the campsite 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 takes in a whopping 10,000 square miles of vast prairies, badland landscapes, rugged mountains, and grasslands.
It's also home to seven National Parks and many State Parks.
View the breathtaking Mt.
Rushmore and the new monument of Chief Crazy Horse.
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, Again, the Junior Ranger program is excellent here also.
Kids will examine fossils, watch amazing nature movies of the park, and enjoy rare hands-on displays and dinosaur exhibits.
If you ever weary of these activities, take in an Old West shootout and a cowboy dinner show.
Then take the family to one of the six theme and amusement parks in the area.
The Badlands is bad!...
in a good way.
4) San Francisco: I can tell you now, San Fran is far, far 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.
San Fran Zoo is larger and has more varied wildlife.
Oakland is part of 525-acre Knowland Park.
It's a bit more laid back and less congested with crowds.
The Bay Area Discovery Museum includes 28,000 square feet of exhibits.
Kids can climb all over a wrecked fishing boat, learn to ride a unicycle, and create clay animation movies.
There are mixed reviews about the Children's Fairyland.
Admittedly, it's an ancient playground, but young kids seem to adore it.
For some of them, it will be their favorite destination.
At the Zeum Museum kids can record their own music video to take home, they can have fun in the Claymation Studio, or they can use kids' desktop publishing to create their own piece of full-color art.
At the Hershey Factory kids see how candies are made and get some free chocolate.
And, for the older kids, I haven't even covered the massive Underwater World and Steinhart Aquarium or Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and exploring World War II submarines.
5) Kingsmill Resort: This place stretches out over 3,000 acres of Virginia wilderness.
For the adults, there are three 18-hole golf courses, 15 tennis courts, and a sports club featuring indoor and outdoor pools, exercise classes, personal trainers, and a billiards and game room.
For the kids, a wonderful Kids' Camp offers 5-12-year-olds a chance to learn tennis, golf, ping pong, arcade games, swimming, and fishing.
They also enjoy theme days and the creation of arts and crafts.
Kids can also play at the beach area and collect shells, The Kid's Night Out offers parents a romantic evening alone as the kids enjoy a pizza, game, and movie party.
If you explore everything the resort has to offer, Colonial Williamsburg and Busch Gardens is close by.
The hardest part will probably be deciding which of these fantasy family vacations you want to plan.
You simply cannot go wrong choosing any one of these trips.
Have fun.
