Summer vacation. UPDATED.

in Random Crap

This isn’t today’s post.  Today’s post is here.  It’s about cats.  As usual.  This is just something I need advice on that I can’t fit on twitter.

Hailey’s off for the summer and we want to take a family vacation but we have no idea where to go.  We want someplace exciting, but not super stressful or  crowded.  Someplace where you can sign up for tours/activities, ideally.  Our favorite vacations were Alaska (glacier-watching, crab-fishing, hiking, whale-watching, panning for gold, hanging with bear) and South America (cave diving, exploring ruins, hanging with monkeys) but it would be awesome to find something new that’s easy and fun and can be done in 4-5 days.  I was thinking Yellowstone but Victor thinks it might be boring.  He was thinking New York but crowds freak me out.  Hailey was thinking Jupiter because she’s nine and doesn’t understand the concept of limits.

I need advice.  What’s the best place you’ve ever been and what did you do there that made it awesome?

UPDATE:  You guys are the best and holy shit, do you love traveling.  After going through all the comments we winnowed it down to 5 spots less than 3 hours away and then my friend Karen called and was like, “Why don’t you just go to Hell?”  It seemed a bit abrasive for Karen, but turns out she was referring to Hell, Grand Cayman, which was on our short list because apparently the island has pirates, rum and a sea turtle farm.  This works well because I like pirates, Victor likes rum and Hailey likes turtles.  We just bought our plane tickets but I haven’t booked a hotel or anything else.  Since crowd-sourcing worked so well this morning I’m trying it again…those of you who pushed (or who’ve visited) Grand Cayman:  Where’s a good place to stay?  What should we do and/or avoid?  Why am I paying money to go to Hell when I’ll probably end up there for free eventually?  Pick a question.

721 thoughts on “Summer vacation. UPDATED.”

Read comments below or add one.

  1. Driving Rte 1 up the California coast is breathtakingly beautiful, and there’s a ton of stuff to do along the way … see the Redwoods up north, elephant seals in droves, towns to explore, swimming … and it’s really not too crowded.

  2. I’m a big of fan of my home area in Northern New York. You get a little bit of history, some tours and a whole lot of relaxing scenery. Check out the Thousand Islands.

  4. Come to Colorado – the mountains are great – not to crowded – the weather is beautiful and pot is now legal. You would have months worth of columns by just sitting outside the pot shops and watching the people…..

  5. Disney World, but it was October, so there were less crowds. You could always do Saratoga, New York. I bet Hailey would love the race track. Plus, there’s beautiful gardens, and battlefields, and lots of stuff that you guys would be into.

  7. What about Savannah? Low stress, cool history/tours, I’m sure good antiquing, Atlantic beaches, close to Charleston…. or New Orleans, that sounds right up your alley if it is not crazy Mardi Gras time…

  8. Yellowstone was pretty cool, but Ol’ Faithful can be the definition of crowded… Also maybe not the most exciting for more than a day trip.

  9. Aruba is fantastic. Beautiful beaches. Fantastic landscapes on the north side of the island. Snorkeling, submarines and semi-subs to World War II shipwrecks, and the Jolly Pirate sunset cruise. It’s awesome.

  10. I like southern Maine, especially Ogunquit. Great beach and you can sign up for whale watching either there or nearby. Great restaurants.

  11. I really love where I live (Santa Fe, NM), but I don’t know if it’s the best place ever…It’s really old and in the surrounding areas you can hike and fish and camp and the weather’s been really weird here but it has been everywhere. I’m not making a very good case, but I like it here. You might too.

    Oh, and there’s not a lot of crowds and stuff…it’s pretty small.
    http://gosw.about.com/od/santafenewmexico/tp/santafebest.htm

  12. Yellowstone is AMAZING! We went a few years ago. We only planned 2-3 days but easily could have been there for weeks. There is a ton to do both in the park and outside of it. We didn’t get to go to Bear World, but evidently it’s awesome. We stayed on the Idaho side and didn’t even make it halfway through the park in the time we were there.

  13. Hilton Head, SC. Lots of boring beach for quiet family hangouts, but you can book excursions and go to Savannah if you are so inclined.

  14. Some things to do: Hearst castle; the Winchester mystery house, explore Monterrey, San Francisco for a day, things like that … it is a driving vacation, though, so you have to enjoy that for it to work.

  15. Glacier Park. Yellowstone is interesting, but it stinks like sulfur and is crowded. Glacier has some of the most beautiful scenery in America, great hiking, a free shuttle system, and huckleberries.

  16. Yellowstone is NOT boring. The weirdness and beauty of the land is majestic. You would fit right in!

  17. I just got married in Yellowstone (middle of May) and it was one of the most amazing trips of my entire life. It is everything advertised and more. My husband and I are already planning our next trip there. If you want to see some picks, you can check out my Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/awriteword/sets/72157644976228876/
    Other than that, my second favorite trip was exploring Italy. I especially enjoyed walking through the ruins of Pompeii. They are remarkably preserved. You feel like you stepped back in time. It’s amazing, and may not be around forever.

  18. Sedona, AZ. Mostly we just went and looked at awesome things. The weather was great and the surroundings gorgeous. Thousands of years old rock art made me happy, the “vortex” sites pleased my 13yo mystic, just browsing the shops was fun. We went horseback riding at Dead Horse Ranch, and wanted to take a balloon ride to see the rocks up close, but that didn’t happen. The Jeep tours look awesome too.

  19. I second the recommendations to see the redwood trees. You can also try Colonial Williamsburg (I recommend the Kings Mill resort). And what about South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore?

  21. Come to Sedona, AZ! It’s absolutely gorgeous, best Mexican food in all the world (even better then Mexico I bet), great hiking, canoeing, kayaking, wine tours, horsies, guys with long beards, you get the drift. No but really it’s freakin the best.

  23. I recently took a trip to Roatan, which is an island off the coast of Honduras. There are quite a few resorts that are family friendly (we stayed at Media Luna, which was really nice and remote, but if that’s not for you there’s it’s sister resort, Henry Morgan, which is less remote but is more family friendly). I can only speak for the HM resorts, but I know they have a lot of tours, like zip-lining and snorkelling and swimming with dolphins and island tours, and as a 16 year old I found them a tonne of fun. The food and drinks are all inclusive, as well. It was just a really great trip and I’d totally recommend it as a destination.

  24. I personally loved Puerto Rico when I was there for a few days. There’s a cool rain forest (with no spiders!), really nice beaches, and everyone there is just so nice. Plus you don’t need passports.

  25. New Orleans was outstanding, if you’ve never been. The food is to die for. The Voodoo Museum, Absinthe Museum and Pharmacy Museum are freaky / offbeat / fascinating. The cemeteries and houses are beautiful. There are more tours than you can shake a stick at. Definitely take a ghost walk or three. Plantations, Garden District, Street cars, Magazine Street, endless boutiques. And beignets. Oh god, the beignets.

  26. Best place, by far, Croatia. Do a google image search on plitvice lakes! You are very isolated! We did a tour with about 20 other people and you get to go at your own pace. Also, everyone speaks English (so that’s a plus) and Croatia looks like an effing post card! Seriously, I can’t hype up Croatia enough!

  27. I went to Yellowstone when I was Hailey’s age and absolutely adored it. Added bonus – the Mammoth Falls part of the park looks like Jupiter, so had I requested to go off-planet at age nine my parents probably would have just waited for me to fall asleep, driven to that part of the park, and then told me they were the best parents ever and that everything I had heard about not being able to breathe in space was a lie.

    You probably try to trick your daughter less than my parents did, but I still recommend Yellowstone. With or without faux-Jupiter.

  28. Best place—Bolongo Bay—USVI—Totally the SHIT. All inclusive. Kids can swim, you can drink your ass off.

    Worst Place: New York City- Hot as the face of the Sun, smelly, full of people almost as bored as you will be.

  29. The Outer Banks in North Carolina. Great beaches, lots of things to do and if you want to do nothing, it’s perfect for that too.

  30. Jamaica! Specifically, a resort called Franklin D Resort (FDR). Their gimmick is that they provide a nanny along with your room reservation; she can hang with your kid and do kid activities without you, or come along if you do family stuff, or whatever. The resort provides lots of activities for kids, tweens, and adults. And, I mean, Jamaica. We did a couple of excursions; there was a zip-line tour through the forest that was amazing, and then we climbed the famous waterfall. They also have a swim with the dolphins thing and a ride horses along the ocean shore thing, which we didn’t have time for. Probably because we “wasted” so much time just sitting on the beach. Anyway, it was awesome.

  31. Sedona AZ is pretty nice. Pink Jeep tours, easy hikes, great scenery and restaurants. They have a company that shows you the night sky through a telescope. Wine tours, Lots of art and shopping.

  33. Come to Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. We have the same weather as Alaska, but you can legally enjoy Kinder Surprise here. (They are chocolate eggs with a toy inside!)

  34. Acadia National Park in Maine. You can hike, go on cruises to see puffins and seals, eat lobster til it’s coming out your pores, whale watch, bike, kayak, star gaze, and potentially see moose.

  35. If you like Alaska, you’d also love Haida Gwaii off the west coast of BC. My husband and I spent our honeymoon there in a gorgeous off-grid cabin on North Beach, hiked, beachcombed, fished. There’s a world heritage site there where you can visit ancient First Nations villages, totem poles, etc. check out the cabin we rented: http://www.allthebeachyoucaneat.com/raven_shoe.html

  37. Oregon is lovely this time of year. Mountains, beaches, rivers, rain/sun/rain/sun, Powell’s, quick drive to Seattle and Vancouver BC, etc.

  38. San Diego? Zoo early in the morning before the crowds arrive. Old Town historic park. Beach. Sea lions. Carousel in Seaport Village. Or Olympic National Park. Or Bar Harbor, Maine.

  40. The Rockies are cool. Pikes peak. Or the beach is ALWAYS good. :)Hawaii.

  41. Hi, Jenny! I have a couple of thoughts. I’ve been on a 4 day cruise and really enjoyed it – I know it’s not for everyone, but a cruise would give you many options, and there are activities all the time, so you shouldn’t get bored, VICTOR. I love Chicago, because it isn’t as crazy as NYC, and I also love, of all places, Pittsburgh, which I know sounds strange, but they have sports and ziplining and a science museum. My dream vacation, though, which I might take next summer, is to Glacier National Park in Montana. Hopefully these ideas help you! Hugs.

  42. I am going to stay at The Lodge at Moosehead Lake in Maine. You can go on a moose seeing trip where they “guarantee” you see a moose. (I hope the moose are given overtime pay for this shit)

  43. Do NOT drive the Big Sur coast highway. It twists and winds and it held up by wood bolted into cliff faces. And there is no where to run to. My anxiety was so bad I was hyperventilating.

  44. We’ve taken our kids (in two separate groups) to NYC and it’s so fun! You’ll survive the crowds. In fact the crowds are part of the fun. The shows, A baseball game. A day-long tour of all the sights (easy on a bus/tour). Times Square way past the kiddos’ bedtime. The museums. 9/11 memorial. Really, you might want to consider that you’re only going to get more paranoid about crowds as you age, and you’re not getting any younger. :-). Good luck!

  45. Agree highly with California/Oregon coast. Yellowstone is pretty boring. Just went to both last summer.

  46. We’re up in Maine visiting Southport, was cool petting a shark at the tiny aquarium. seems to be quite a bit to do up here though we only have 1 day before we head back to Canada

  47. I read about a family summer camp in Maryland (I think?) But yummy meals, activities included, and only a set number of families per session.

  48. We just took our 9-year-old to Colorado, and it was magnificent. It was her first time there, and it is everything you could need for a family vacation. We stayed in Colorado Springs, and there is so much to do and so many great places to stay and eat. Not too crowded and everyone in Colorado is so nice and relaxed. Plus, I saw a guy in a wookie costume wearing a Bob Marley hat hocking pot outside a pot shop. You can’t beat that.

  49. I would recommend either of the two places I call home – Vermont and Colorado. Both are beautiful with good people. My parents even have a gorgeous place on a lake that they rent out in central Vermont (right down the road from the Ben and Jerry’s factory). If you are interested in more information, email me. 🙂

  50. I love Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. I don’t know if there’s much else in Carlsbad, but you could drive on to Roswell to see the aliens.

  53. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in California… they have the beach, boardwalk, and lots of cool beachtown places to check out, like the Mystery Spot! We used to go every year when I was little, I love it.

  54. I went to Aruba and it was beautiful. Also there were no spiders. Just iguanas. They have scuba diving too!!

  55. The Route 101 in CA is a great idea. You can get tickets (in advance! because they sell out) for Hearst Castle or just sit on the beach and watch pelicans being pelicans.

  56. Strathcona Provincial Park in BC or Vancouver BC just on it’s own! Also Prince Albert National Park in SK! Montreal QC is also wonderful! Come to Canada! I also love NYC but yeah you will be in crowds for sure..

  57. Costa Rica is amazing and there are monkeys everywhere! Great hikes, super nice people. We also had two fun trips to Lake Placid although their monkey population is questionable.

  58. I second the Colorado suggestion. Plenty of stuff to do – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, plenty of stuff to do in Denver (such as the previously suggested pothead watching), and from Denver to Grand Junction along I-70 you can hit the Glenwood Springs hot spring pool, take a Mine tour, take a detour to Aspen, visit Grand Junction and the Colorado National Monument. Fruit picking and wine tasting in the Palisades. Train rides all over the place. I could go on and on (obviously) 🙂

  60. Come join me and my family in Vegas for my 25th Wedding Anniversary Vow Renewal! Elvis will be there and everything! Well, maybe not everything but it’ll be fun…

  61. Outer Banks of NC. It’s beautiful and can be as isolated or crowd filled as you want. There’s plenty to do in terms of tours–wild horses, dolphins, hang gliding, parasailing, kayaking –or you can sit on the beach and read and not talk to anyone!

  62. San Diego! We’ve got beaches, Zoo & Safari Park, Legoland, water parks, downtown, Seaport Village, Old Town, … plus, bring a passport, you can run across the border to Tijuana and get all your prescriptions filled real cheap!

  64. We’re a low-key, low-budget family. We love New York State, and thoroughly enjoyed Saratoga/Cooperstown/Fort Ticonderoga/Lake George. And coastal Maine is heavenly. But I leave a little piece of my heart in California when I visit. Coastal CA is so beautiful.

  65. My favorite trip? Iceland. It’s a freakin’ GORGEOUS country, and the people are really nice (plus tasty waffles). But there are certain things I’ve done in the US that were fun. Boston was great – Science Museum, Aquarium, Quincy Market, all the historical stuff, and whale watching.

  67. Our best family vacation ever was to the Grand Canyon and Lake Powell. We rented a pontoon boat and went out on Lake Powell for a day, and it was just fantastic–it’s like the Grand Canyon filled up with water.

  68. My husband and I drove from Napa to Los Angeles on the Pacific Coast Highway and did all the touristy stuff on the way. Muir Woods, Monterey Aquarium, elephant seals in San Simeon, sea lions and Ghiradelli sundaes in San Francisco… it was so lovely.

  70. Cruises make a great, and affordable, family vacation and there are tons of options ranging from 4-7 days. You can do different shore excursions at each port and if you find a ship with fun kid activities, you and Victor can enjoy some adult time while she hangs out with a bunch of kids. Plus all food is included. You only have to pay for booze (but they have packages for that to make it cheaper too). Other than that, I would say one of my most memorable family trips was to the Yucatan peninsula so we could explore all the Mayan ruins…we were older though, high school & college age at the time.

  71. I really enjoyed Yellowstone, I was 10 when we went. We also hit Mt. Rushmore and the blackhills of South Dakota while we were up thattaway. Hawaii was lovely, the island we were on (Kauai) is not touristy, there’s no crazy amusement parks or anything like that so not crowded. Plus beach, SCUBA/snorkeling, boat tours, luaus, mai tais (plenty of them), sunsets that will make you cry, pineapple plantations, coffee plantations, the red dirtness, the Hana trail… Lots to do, but not so scary that you will hide in your hotel the whole time. Also, i was 13 when we went and still loved it, despite my hormonal teenage angst.

  73. We had such a great time in South Dakota. It was one of those family vacations that we will talk about for years. Our ac went out on the drive in to SD. We went through caves, hiked in the Badlands (where I threatened to toss my 3 year old off a cliff jokingly of course and she flipped her hair at me and said I couldn’t because she was too ‘flabulous’), drove through the Black Hills, saw a beautiful ceremony at Crazy Horse Memorial, we saw the poor person’s Disney World at Storybook Island, saw Mt. Rushmore, and much to my son’s delight–made it entirely through the alphabet sighting game without cheating during our car-ride. (No joke–there was a sign for an x-treme pyrotechnic shop). Also, a guy argued with me at the Dinosaur Park when I said it reminded me of a scene from a PeeWee Herman movie. But then again, he might have been arguing with himself. It was really hard to tell.

  74. I agree with Route 101 – it was amazing! We went to the Winchester Mystery House, Hearst Castle, kayaked, visited elephant seals, went to baseball games in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Also the National Parks in Northern Arizona – Southern Utah. Bryce Canyon and Zion were amazing! We did a lot of hiking and horseback riding.

  75. I’ve never been on one personally, but what about a cruise? Plenty to do, but also a place nearby to rest and get away from crowds.

  76. Ostia antica Italy, not too crowded, close enough to Rome to get in a few sites but not feel trapped but the ruins will have you feeling like a kid again as you explore them

  78. If, and I repeat IF, you can deal with massive heat and humidity, then I suggest Key West. Summer is the offseason, everything is cheaper & way less crowded. There are lots of activities on the water & on land, museums (visit Robert the Doll if you dare), history, architecture and world class dining. And a desserts only restaurant called Better than Sex 🙂 (hope it is still there, it is fantastic).

  79. Rent a place in Carlsbad CA for a week (I had great luck with a landlord i found on VRBO, great cottages within 2 blocks of the beach). Not too expensive, quiet little town with a beautiful beach, but within a short drive or train ride to Los Angeles, and a quick drive down towards San Diego with the zoo, coronado island, and really great family friendly surf lessons through Surf Divas in La Jolla.

  80. Seattle WA and then Victoria BC. Seattle has all the typical tourist trappings (Pike Place Market, Space Needle, the Aquarium, etc.). And the Victoria Clipper is a high-speed foot ferry that blasts up the sound to Victoria BC. Everything in Victoria is in the downtown core – the Royal Museum (a gigantic masterpiece of total awesomeness) is there on the bay and within walking distance to everything. LOTS of organized tours in BC to places like the Butchart Gardens and whatnot. A taste of two different places (and the money comes in different colors!).

  81. Riviera Maya. Any of the resorts near Tulum and there are 3 tour parks nearby: Xel Ha (snorkeling and such), Xplor (ziplines, cave tubing, etc), and Xtapa, a Mayan cultural park. We stayed at the Aventura Spa Palace, but I believe it’s a Hard Rock now. So much fun.

  82. Don’t come to NYC in the summer… the crowds + the heat = the worst.
    The Florida Keys? So many nature preserves for hiking & bird watching, kayak excursions, boat/catamaran trips, dolphin watching, snorkeling, etc. If you go to Key West you can take a ferry way out to the Dry Tortugas & explore the old fort on the island. Flying into Miami & then driving through the islands to Key West (with stops along the way) is really fun.

  83. New Orleans in a heartbeat. Most wonderful blend of cultures there. You can find crowded spots, and you can find quiet areas, too. A little hot at times, but our family didn’t mind so much. Yes, FAMILY in New Orleans. It’s definitely a fam-friendly vacation spot despite what you may have heard. Such warm, welcoming people there. The best music. And the FOOD OMG! I blogged about our trip on neworleans.com, but they’ve since removed their blog section. I’d be happy to send you my articles via email if you’d like.

  84. The Outer Banks off NC coast. Golfing, swimming, deep sea fishing, snorkeling, sightseeing, ferries, bicycling, lighthouses, Mustang Island…. Or Savannah Ga and Charleston SC. Shopping, music, oceans, ghost tours, great food, lots to do.

  86. Because it’s summer and Texas is HOT, go to Banff Canada. Hiking, friendly Canadians, gorgeous mountains, etc.

    Another option could be the Columbia Gorge at the Oregon/Washington border. About an hour’s drive from the Portland airport. A couple hours drive to Mount Saint Helens (including sites like the Trail of Two Forests, the Lahar Fields, etc – you can drive to many of the cool sites), lots of nearby hiking, gorgeous waterfalls, sailboarding, kiteboarding, or kayaking on the Columbia River. Loads of wineries and breweries nearby. Really cool lodge on Mount Hood.

  87. Also, “Hailey’s off for the summer”? Does she usually have a summer job?

  88. Come to Portland, Oregon. Enjoy the food carts. Go wander around the gorge. Trek down to the Oregon Vortex. Good times!

  89. Yellowstone isn’t boring – there is hiking and geysers and bison and hot springs. But I love the Canadian Rockies – hiking, mountains, glaciers (if you go north on the icefields parkway), bears, moose, elk, lakes (Lake Louise, Emerald Lake) and towns (Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise, Calgary (gateway to the Rockies). We have been there with the kids many times, even when the kids were 4, 8 and 10. It is really nice.

    Enjoy the planning!

  90. Hawaii. You can never go wrong with Hawaii. Tours of the other islands, climbing Diamond Head, lying on the beach. LOVE Hawaii. Or Jupiter. Jupiter’s nice too.

  91. Aruba! If only for a 4×4 rental and a trek out to the Natural Pool! I drove this with a friend and we had a blast, plus it was one of the most beautiful natural places I’ve been to. It also has beautiful beaches, a donkey sanctuary, an working aloe factory, a brewery, horseback riding, sunset cruises, great local restaurants, a mountain with a staircase that you can go up, a lighthouse, a preserve on one side of the island with a bunch of wind turbines…just a lot of random stuff in addition to the gorgeous coastline!

  92. May I recommend Calgary/Drumheller/Banff, AB? Drumheller’s got the Tyrell Dinosaur museum (which is just plain amazing) and lots of amazing hiking routes in the Badlands.

    Calgary, while larger, has an awesome zoo, which happens to be next door to the Spark Science Centre. Plus the incredible attractions of downtown, Glenbow Museum, Calgary Philharmonic, a theatre company whose name I cannot remember.

    Crowds being an issue, do NOT come during Stampede week (Mid-July) it gets batfuck crazy here.

    Banff is about an hour or so west of Calgary, and is located in the mountains, theres hot springs and hiking trails… and so much goddamn nature you can shake a stick at it.

    As a Texan, now living in Alberta, its amazing living here, and I DO highly recommend it for vacations.

  93. Yellowstone is ANYTHING but boring! But there’s also Glacier National Park which is my fave of all the national parks.

  95. I don’t think Yellowstone is boring. It is breathtaking. There are so many things to see there. Old Faithful is crowded, but there’s a lot more in the park than Old Faithful.

  96. Costa Rica. Parts are crowded, but the Monte Verde region is up in the mountains and it’s pretty mellow. You can take horseback tours, hike, explore the rainforest, see buttterfly sanctuaries, animal sanctuaries, tour coffee plantations, etc. Best of all, you’ll get some of the best coffee I’ve ever tasted.

  97. I’ve been to New Orleans twice, both times before I was old enough to drink, and I still found plenty to do. We (friend, badass grandma and I) stayed in the French Quarter, and it was so beautiful and so fantastic. Fun stuff for everyone–New Orleans museum (complete with ginormous costumes from Mardi Gras parades past), aquarium, fantastic dinners, and tons of spooky stuff and potential new quirky items for your collection (I took home a jewel-studded pillbox shaped like an alligator that opens by pulling the alligator’s jaw off). Just avoid Bourbon street, the rest of the area’s pretty quiet and tourist-friendly. I went in June both times, and it was balls-meltingly hot, but I’m from Maryland, so your tolerance is probably higher.

  98. Glacier National Park is way better than Yellowstone! Gorgeous sights, very few crowds, and lots to do!

  99. Eastern Tennessee/Western North Carolina has some really great stuff available up in the mountains. Zip lines, rafting, hiking, plus the usual assortment of tourist entertainment in the Pigeon Forge, TN area (giant tourist trap). You can rent a house up in the mountains fairly cheaply and enjoy the solitude and just emerge when you want to actually go do stuff 🙂

  100. One day you should choose a vacation to Sicamous BC Canada and go for a houseboat vacation on Shuswap Lake. I am from Salmon Arm BC ( about 20 minutes from Sicamous). (Yes that is the real name of the town) It is the greatest vacation ever!!! 🙂 Let me know if you are coming so I can say Hi.
    Shan

  101. I live in Silver Spring, MD. Washington DC can be fun and manageable as there are many museums and things to do inside so you’re not melting. I can even throw in a tour of Voice of America, courtesy of the hubster. Also, we could totally go find Wolf Blitzer and get more autographs.

  102. Chicago isn’t as exotic as Alaska or South America, but there are a ton of museums and other activities to do. Museum of Science and Industry, Field Museum, Art Institute of Chicago, Adler Planetarium, Millennium Park, Shedd Aquarium, American Girl store, Navy Pier, Lincoln Park Zoo, Willis Tower (former Sears Tower), the beach on Lake Michigan… I could go on and on. And probably have. If you stay near downtown or Grant Park you can also use public transportation to get to most of these.

    I should probably be on their board of tourism…

  103. If you like hiking, the high peaks in NY Adorandak area are BEAUTIFUL. Lots of trails up mountians or around them, and for calmer days there are wine tours, shopping at local stores and markets, microbrew tours, canoeing in Saranac Lake, and it’s a quick jaunt to 1000 Islands or spelunking.

    Let us know what you pick!

  104. St Augustine Fl is beautiful. Or the Wisconsin Dell’s. Love it there.

  105. Well, my favorite place to go will likely be a no-go for you: Disney World. It’s amazing and magical, but it also has crowds and can be overwhelming with so much to see/do in a short period of time.

    I’d second Saratoga because it’s near me. It might be a bit crowded since it is racing season, but it won’t be Disney World or New York City level crowds. There’s a nice lake near there. My wife’s aunt has a house on the lake and we love going there to boat or relax. While there, you could also go to Howe Caverns (about an hour away) or Lake George (about 45 minutes away).

    If you do plan on come to this area, feel free to let me know if you need a tour guide. (Not me as I’m horrible with directions and stuff… I’d be volunteering my wife who is much better at that sort of thing. 😉 )

  106. Hawaii.. you can always day trip to one of the smaller islands too. Luau’s, hiking, snorkeling, surfing. Maui has the Dole Pineapple factory and the Polynesian Cultural center. Big Island has a volcano national park. Lots of fun things to do!

  107. Acadia National Park in Maine, you can do things in Bar Harbor, go on a lobster boat, check out the park, eat lots of amazing food and if you go now it isn’t too busy. Not sure if the whales are there yet (you could go whale watching) and I think there is a puffin excursion as well.

  108. Maine. You can take a ferry out to the Calendar Islands, you can go blueberry picking, hiking, or shopping. You might even see a moose.

  110. We’ll also be going to Yellowstone, Mt Rushmore, and the Crazy Horse memorial (kind of in between Yellowstone and SDakota is Devil’s Tower – Richard Dreyfus might show up with his potato mountain, you never know)

  111. The Lodge at Whitefish Lake or Coeur D’Alene!! Beautiful and relaxing. Both have great websites

  112. Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. It’s gorgeous, laid back, you can pick fruit, go fishing, or maybe rent a boat and go look for the Ogopogo. Also WINE TOURS.

  113. Hawaii is also awesome, but Michelle is wrong about the Dole Plantation and Polynesian Cultural Center, those are here on Oahu.

  115. Estes Park, CO has a lot to offer, but is REALLY crowded on weekends.We have enjoyed Chattanooga (TN Aquarium, Ruby Falls, Rock City) and Savannah/Tybee Island are also favorites!

  116. Ok, I posted NYC above. But I was wrong. 9 years old is too young. Amtrak to New Orleans. BEST VACATION EVER…and perfect for a 9 year old.

  117. What about a dude ranch in Montana/Idaho/Wyoming? I’ve heard wonderful things and it sounds like it’s desolate, beautiful, with plenty of activities- horses, rafting, hanging with bears, sporting clays (if that’s your thing) etc…Many also have spas, which is where I’d head;)

  118. Or you can come back to Alaska and explore the interior, since you’ve already seen the coastal region. It’s way different and Fairbanks is not crowded at all. Plus you can go to Denali and hike and see bears and stuff. Also, I will personally volunteer to be your interior tour guide…. unless that sounds stalkerish and creepy…. In which case, let’s just pretend I never said that…

  119. North Carolina for the Smokey Mountains or Colorado for the Rockies! I personally love the Smokey Mountains: beautiful hiking, panning for gemstones, waterfalls, delicious food, small towns, driving mountain roads with the windows down and breathing in the crisp, fresh air, etc.

  120. Also, New Orleans… You could go there 100 times and still not see everything. I’ve done some amazing (and some crappy) swamp excursions as well as cemetery and ghost tours… garden district, Audobon Park & Zoo, French Quarter, the food, the music… it’s more than just a 24/7 party down there.

  121. We really enjoy going to Jamaica. Lots to do (or not do) there. Hilton Rose Hall Resort has been our vacation destination 3 times and we haven’t been disappointed. It’s large enough to have great restaurants, water sports, spa, water park, etc… but small enough that you can let your kids have some independence without being worried about them. And it’s all inclusive so you can tell your kids “Sure you can have your 3rd frozen drink of the day” without mentally wondering if you have to mortgage your house. As a mom that usually says “no”, it’s so nice to be able to tell them “yes”. Our kids had the unusual blessing to visit Disney World and the Caribbean in the same year and would go back to Jamaica 30 times before returning to Disney. And Jamaica doesn’t break the bank. It’s easy to do some excursions there as well – especially Dunns River Falls which is a must for first time visitors. Ocho Rios has some nice, safe shopping. There are also other attractions such as swimming with the dolphins, zip-lining, the bobsled training facility, and and and and……..

    No, I’m not a spokesperson for Jamaica or Rose Hall Resort – I just know that we had some of our BEST, most memorable, most enjoyable, and most relaxing vacations there.

  122. I hear that people watching in the Appalachians is rather interesting. And there’s Mountain Dew.

    In all seriousness, we took the kids to DW last year and then went to Clearwater Beach in FL. Disney was crowded and stressful and stupid expensive, but the beach was nice. Lots of stuff for kids.

  123. The Maritimes in Canada! Touring around PEI is wonderful and while Green Gables can get a little bit crowded, it’s the only place that does. Tons of beaches for adventuring, too. Then you can go over to Great Breton Island on Nova Scotia, then down to Halifax. Lots of buskers and wildlife and seashore.

  124. Washington DC! So much to see and do there. Look for not-touristy places, like the Spy Museum!

  125. Koolina on Oahu. We just did it over spring break and it was perfect! I don’t do crowds and was a bit worried, but it was perfect! There are lagoons to hang out at and we never saw more than 8 families at the lagoon we were at the entire time we were there! We stayed here:http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p963786#calendar The catch is you have to rent for a month (it’s a policy of the complex – which is good, no bachelor parties going on, etc.) but you don’t have to stay the whole time and the month is roughly the same as it costs to do a week at the Disney Aulani.

  126. We went to Eureka Springs, AR last year and loved it. There are several underground caves you can tour, a drive through animal park (with a petting zoo). There was a lot of other stuff but we ran out of time. Also, our motel had mini golf, skeeball and other games. We also went to the diamond mine a couple of hours south of there. I thought it was boring but my husband liked it. I’ll email you the link to my pictures from there.

  128. Definitely do NOT come to NYC in the summer. It smells, it’s hot and way too crowded. Fall is the best time of year to see Manhattan in my opinion, US tourists have gone home and the city is left to the locals. Also the trash doesn’t smell so bad when it’s not a million degrees with 2000% humidity! 😉

    In keeping with the Yellowstone idea, what about the Grand Canyon? I’ll bet there are rafting tours and all kinds of group things. I’ve always wanted to ride a burro down to the river & camp; I know they do that at least. Although at Yellowstone I bet they have like ATV tours and things like that.

    As far as the best place I’ve ever been, well that changes as I travel more 😉 I LOVE LOVE LOVE Hawaii though and we try to go every 5 years. Been to a few islands now and there is so much to do on each, kayaking, hiking, swimming/snorkeling/diving, tours or on your own, you name it they have it. Want to see a volcano erupting, you can do that! Want to see some sea turtles, they’re around too! Feel like eating your way from Hilo to Kona, totally doable! Or you can sit on the beach and do nothing. It’s that kind of place that you can do as much or as little as you like. Which sounds like your family might enjoy. Good luck!

  129. If you want mildly touristy, with beautiful weather, activities, and a wonderful setting with not much in the way of people, our favorite hangout when I was a kid was Grand Marais, Minnesota. It’s very out of the way, out on Lake Superior, and the little town only has two stoplights. But there’s plenty of hiking, you can catch a day trip to Isle Royal from Duluth (which also has an aquarium), there’s the Gunflint Trail which has beautiful smaller lakes, and Ely nearby has a wolf center. The weather is usually about 70 degrees and sunny. you can’t really swim in Lake Superior, but you can take a sailboat ride out of the Folk School in Grand Marais (where you can also take crafting classes) or sign up to go kayaking. Plus there’s wolves, moose, bear, otters, and all kinds of other animal friends. http://www.visitcookcounty.com/
    If that’s too out of the way for you, another awesome family spot my family always loved was Tybee Island, Georgia. It’s 20 minutes from Savannah, so you get all the benefits of a historic city, but it’s it’s own little island with a really relaxed vibe. People actually live there year-round, so it’s not as touristy as some places, and it’s not usually that crowded. You can rent a condo or a beach house and spread out. There’s also a library with free books they give to the tourists. There’s plenty of dolphin boat tours on the island and all kinds of things to do in Savannah, plus the benefits of the beach. http://tybeeisland.com/

  130. Maine is good, but I may be biased. Pretty, low stress, great food, shopping in outlets and the quirky sole prop shops, and kick ass beaches. You might have to bleach your eyes post-Ogunquit beaches though. The swim garb there is…brief. If you head to the downeast corridor end of the state you could even visit Perry’s Nuthouse. Because what goes better with a nut museum than taxidermy and fudge?

  131. May I be so bold to suggest visiting Newfoundland, Canada. I live here. I love it here! Lots to see and do! We’re an island (if you aren’t familiar.. think less tropical, more ice) so you could fly into our capital city and drive across the island and end up at our other airport on the other side and leave from there taking in lots of touristy things along the way and be gone again before the end of the week! It only takes about 8-10 hours to drive from one end of the province to the other so if you really hated it here you could be gone again the same day no problem! haha 🙂
    No big crowds, but the city is still exciting enough (in my opinion) to get Victors fix of New York!! There are some pretty interesting places and people here as well so Hailey might think she’s on Jupiter! 🙂 something to think about! 🙂

  132. I think my favorite family vacation was when I was about 10 years old and we went to New Mexico. We went to Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Taos and made a couple of other small stops. It was so interesting to see a different culture.

  133. I like the drive up Rte 1 along the CA coastline, but can be crowded esp if you start in LA or OC. THE BEST place I’ve ever been was Teton Nat’l Park in WY. It was October and for 3 days we drove around the park trying to find a bear named 399. Now, we never found him, go figure, but we came across elk, moose, hawks, eagles, etc. It was the best trip I’ve ever taken, hands down. I had read that summer is the best time to go, so your trip would be even better! There’s even a Four Seasons Jackson Hole if you’re up for some luxury, otherwise there are some great places to stay, or camp. Whatever you decide, have a great trip!

  134. St. Maartin is great if you get a hotel away from the cruise ship port. Most hotels have someone who knows all the local activities (and often the people who run them). Half of the island is French and half is Dutch. Beaches, sailing, snorkeling, shopping, great food, live music outside, and great ways to enjoy it all while relaxing. It was one of my favorite vacations of all time.

  135. Trip through the Wisconsin Dells to the Home of Kitch, House on the Rock. They have a nice hotel with a submarine in the pool. Your Beatles reenactment miles may vary. Near the House on The Rock is Cave of the Mounds, which will give you an excuse to snicker in appropriately every time you go over your plans. There’s Circus World and some kind of bizzare scultpure garden of old road side stuff featuring a flashing cow. (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/1812) Also, um…cheese.

  136. I was going to recommend New Orleans, but it can be pretty crowded (it’s a city, after all) and it’s hot and humid in the summer beyond what you can imagine. (No, really. I thought, “Hey, I’m from Kentucky. We have humidity. How bad could it be?” Then we went there in August. It really IS if you were trying to breathe through a wet blanket.) Most of my favorite vacations would freak you out (London, England; Manhattan-NY; Chicago, IL; cruise to Mexico), but my daughter recently went to Costa Rica and absolutely LOVED IT. There is a butterfly observatory at the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, which also features a hotel that is made up of tree houses. (I desperately want to go there!) Volcanoes, rainforest, butterflies, beaches, museums.

  137. Come to Canada! Specifically, go to Vancouver! Absolutely breathtaking scenery among the Rockies. Suspension bridge, hikes up genuine mountains, beautiful Stanley Park for a stroll, amazing aquarium, I don’t know what time of year is good for whale-watching but the ONE TIME I took a ferry from Vancouver to the island I saw a pod of orcas (!!!). Great beaches and generally just a beautiful city so if you want to take an afternoon off you can still just head out and catch a movie and enjoy the shadow of mountains in your everyday hang outs 🙂

  138. I almost forgot one other attraction: Thatcher State Park. You can look out over the fantastic views as you walk on the Indian Ladder Trail around the mountain. And by “around”, I mean that part of the trail puts you with about three feet between the mountain and a steep drop off. So that might be a bit stressful. My boys and I handled it pretty well, though, a few years back: http://www.techydad.com/2012/10/hiking-the-indian-ladder-trail/

  139. Yellowstone is awesome! My grandma lives on the outskirts of the Grand Teton National Park, and we went every couple of years. I loved it as a kid and still do.

    Puerto Rico (where we currently live) is pretty awesome too. I’m biased to Vieques, which might be better for wanting to do outdoor activities (great snorkeling, the bio bay, lagoon tours, hiking, sugar mill ruins, etc).

  140. Maine!! Coastal Maine is where I vacationed as a kid and I still dream about it. Do NOT do NYC in summer…the smell could be weaponized. I wish I didn’t have to be here for it! 😉
    Yellowstone/grand Tetons is a hood combo, too.

  141. Colorado Springs. Loved it in November (which is saying something because I hate winter) and imagine I’d go totally ape shit over the place in summer. Can see all the top spots in 4-5 days. Not sure about crowds at this time of year, though.

  142. Australia. When I was 18 I hung out at Sidney harbor (on the Rocks) while my mom worked for a few days, then took a couple of day trips to the surrounding areas like the Blue Mountains. So many things to do, it’s like, an entirely different country 🙂

  143. San Fran Bay Area. Travel up the coast. Down to Montery Bay. Lots to do, see and eat.

  144. Garner State Park in TX. Swim or tube on the Frio. Hike. Every1 goes to the concession bldg at night to dance outdoors. Beautiful.

  145. Eureka springs, Arkansas. Adorable Victorian town known for ghost tours, healing springs,caves under the town, right on lake, zip lining, shopping, tons of flea markets, and turpentine creek big cat refuge. Look it up, please, and please, please come see me.

  146. My wife and I drove up to Canada for no reason and then hung out at a mall that is one of the largest malls in the world to go ice skating inside the mall. We also wanted to see the northern lights but someone forgot to turn the lights on for us. so we missed them.

  147. Have you ever been to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan? We have a giant moose statue and TWO Tim Hortons.

  148. We loved Yellowstone! There is SOOOO much to see! The park is huge and beautiful. We went about this time of year in 2006 when our kids were 3, 7, and 10. Yes, Old Faithful can be crowded. But there are tons of other geysers, rivers, pools, wildlife. We were up close & personal with bison and antelope, we saw bears from a safe distance, and we even got up early one morning to see wolves. We laughed – you knew there was some sort of animal activity when traffic started to slow down. We heard a ranger on his radio refer to an “animal jam” on the road. The junior ranger activities are really great for kids, too! Not too far from there is Mount Rushmore, which is totally worth it, and Custer State Park in South Dakota. It’s a state park, but its wildlife rivals many national parks. I was blown away. Other great national parks: Yosemite and Grand Tetons. Both beautiful and amazing. I’m not a “nature girl” at all, but I loved these places!!

  149. Favorite childhood vacation memories – Arkansas; digging for “diamonds” in what were basically quartz fields, hiking, playing in streams and seeing the hot springs in, well, Hot Springs. Hey, we weren’t money-rich. And pretty much anything involving zoos and natural history museums. In addition to being money-challenged, we were also rather nerdy.

  150. What about Mackinaw Island in Michigan with some side trips? Ride a ferry over. No motorized traffic. All bikes and horses.

  151. Maine has been my favorite place to live so far…moose watching and lighthouse touring can definitely be done in the summer. My very favorite nature activity has been swimming with manatees in Crystal River Florida, but that is better done in the winter time when they are crowded in the springs.

  152. I did some very minor hiking in Colorado Springs and it wasn’t very crowded, but I went in early fall, not summer. It was amazing and I would absolutely go again if I could.

  153. Internationally: Samoa (Western, not American). It’s BEAUTIFUL, it’s cheap, and people are super duper friendly. Closer international: Vancouver. Lovely, historic, good camping but also very civilized civilization.

    US: Hrm. New Orleans and Key West have been on my bucket list for a long time. (Check out the Key Deer Refuge).

    Anywhere you go, you three are going to have a great time together, even if it’s a disaster, because that’s just how y’all roll.

  156. Hawaii – specifically the Big Island. It has surfing, snorkeling, black sand beaches, jungles, rolling hills, plains like out west, mountains, coffee and macadamia nut plantations, luaus, warm weather, an astronomical observatory, and an ACTIVE VOLCANO!!!!

  157. Glacier National Park in northwest Montana. Amazing. The little town of Whitefish is delightful in the summer, and the park is so gorgeous. Boat rides, hikes, lakes to lounge next to, nature.

  158. You like Alaska? Camp Denali and Northface Lodge is the most incredible, gorgeous, and soul-soothing vacation we’ve ever taken. We stayed at Camp Denali (individual cabins, hot showers, plumbing, gourmet meals, but smack in the middle of Denali National Park). They also have a Lodge, which is more like a rustic but beautiful hotel. You can basically plan your stay however you want. We did “moderate” hikes most days, my husband did a “strenuous” hike while I lay around looking at the mountain and reading on the cabin porch, and we did a “leisurely” tour and saw tons of wildlife. We also planned a day where we took bikes on the road to get to the lake, then kayaked together for a few hours and had a picnic lunch. I can’t imagine a more relaxing, breathtaking, or detail-and-guest-oriented place to stay. Guests ranged from 20-somethings, retirees, middle-aged couples, families with young to teenage kids, and also the entire cast and crew of of Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me (that was awesome!). All our other vacations will be held to the Camp Denali standard, and if we can, we’ll make it back there someday…

    Link is here: http://campdenali.com/

  159. Hawaii. The flight is tough, sorry to say, but once you get there, in 4-5 days you can do quite a lot, or very little (lay on a beach). Oahu is beautiful but extremely crowded (until you get away from Honolulu, then it’s just lovely). The Big Island is very different and very “mixed” in its scenery – lava deserts, pastures, tropical rain forests… lots to do and see (from beaching and sightseeing to snorkel and scuba, to walking thru a volcano crater) but everything pretty spaced out and none too terribly crowded, as a rule. [The Hawaii Revealed guidebooks are awesome and will help you identify what best to see, how best to see it, and with whom.] The Big Island has enough to do and see to fill weeks if you have them, but you can always pace to see a few “high priority” items and just know you’re going back again. 😀 Good luck and have a wonderful family vacation, whatever you decide.

  161. If you like quaint little villages you can do Maine or New England in general. My parents live in Savannah and we are going to Hilton Head, but I’m not sure there is 4-5 days of stuff there besides going to the beach most days, but that’s nice too. The California coast is nice and you can get a mix of bigger places for Victor and quieter places for you. I myself like the beach, so anywhere beachy works for me, and the islands are nice (though as the season goes on there are more likely to be hurricanes). My vote would be New England – VT or Maine. I did have a nice trip to Prince Edwards Island (of Anne of Green Gables fame) in Canada one vacation.

  162. We loved the barrier islands off of North Carolina. Kitty Hawk has cool museum about the Wright brothers, light houses, wild mustangs, ocean, and lots of historical day trips.

  163. I also would suggest Sedona! I loved waking up and seeing the red rocks! It was beautiful! Plus, you can drive and spend a day or two at the Grand Canyon, and there are lots of tours, helicopter rides, etc. that you could do there! I LOVED seeing the sunset on the west end of the Grand Canyon! And you can stop in Flagstaff on your way up or back down to Sedona and see Route 66!

  167. (1) Yosemite is amazing and ruined the rest of nature for me. Lots to do and explore there. Hiking, waterfalls, even swimming and horseback riding. Also the rangers do a good job with programs and tours for the whole family.

    (2) My sister and her family went to Aulani – the Disney resort in Hawaii. Everyone – even the adults – came back happy. Something for everyone.

  168. http://youtu.be/GJqoky8gyhE

    This place was highly recommended to me and it looks like a lot of fun. Plus, I heard it used to be an old Navy base and they tried to build a bridge to the larger island but then something happened and they just stopped so there’s this half finished bridge just sitting there. I also heard that there are still NO TRESPASSING signs up which leads me to believe that great adventures could take place here.
    The video also shows horseback riding that looks nice. I was told you can rent a Jeep and go exploring and take in the sights.

  169. I’m not sure how far you are looking to travel, but here are my ideas. A dude ranch in Colorado. We did that when we were kids ( 9 – 10 ish) and it was awesome. Hawaii (Maui or Kauai). Lots of excursion options or just chill at the beach. Puerto Rico is fabulous and beautiful as well. I would say the Grand Canyon, but that might be too much crowds/edge of cliffs if you are not into that sort of thing.

  170. Palisade, CO. It’s a neat, arty town within range of some beautiful day trips. You can tour the vineyards and the orchards, head up to Euray and take a Jeep tour, or go over to Durango and take a train ride through the mountians. It’s beautiful.

  171. I loved Vermont. I stayed in Burlington but was able to see a lot of the state. There are a lot of small towns with cute General stores, nice antique shops and many local artists. I did the Ben & Jerry’s factory tour and got samples. I took a boat ride on Lake Champlain and saw the inn the VonTrapp family ran when the moved to America. The weather was great, low humidity and cool at night.

  172. Hawaii. Zip lining and surfing and snorkeling and horseback riding and luaus and hiking… All the fun!

    Glacier National Park is also one of the prettiest places in North America.

    Minneapolis is a fun city, but not crowded the way New York or other large cities are. Lots of theater, museums, sports, outdoor activities, and restaurants. Just avoid the Mall of America.

  173. I LOVE the central California coast. Cambria is amazing – I could spend hours on Moonstone Beach just sitting sorting through rocks. Plus just a few minutes drive from Hearst Castle which is pretty cool. Tons of wineries close by. Lots of places to walk, hike. If you go north to San Jose you can go to the Winchester Mystery Mansion and that is pretty cool (that was one freaked out lady). Plus if you make your way through San Francisco, you get to the Redwoods and the Napa and Sonoma Valleys . Hot air balloon rides there are pretty awesome and bike tours too(although biking and drinking tours seem like a bad idea to me). They also have kayak tours I saw advertised and I think they have some kind of African Safari park up there somewhere. Of course, there is also the wine train, just like on Big Bang Theory.

  174. Mesa Verde Colorado for in the USA. The cliff dwelling tours are amazing, but you need to be physically active or Jasper State park in Canada, kayaks, scenery Lake Louise, camping or lodges. Or nothing beats Kauai HI

  175. Sanibel Island, Florida was one our best vacations ever (with kids ages 11 and 8 at the time). You can rent a condo which always gives everyone plenty of space and there are lots of casual things to do there. You can: go kayaking in the nature preserve, wander the beach for shells any time of day (and during low tide the pools are filled with nature), shop in the cute shops, take a boat tour, etc. It was a great “chill” vacation for all four of us.

  176. Jasper National Park, Alberta. The summer is a little less touristy than in ski season, but there’s still lots to do and see within a short drive. I like staying at the Patricia Lake Bungalows.

  177. Sunriver in Oregon. It’s sunny and warm but not crazy-Texas hot…there’s white water rafting, hiking, swimming, and a fun day camp thing kids can go to. The town is big enough to have stuff but not too big where it’s stressful. And everyone there is super-chilled out and relaxed. HIGHLY recommend it. http://www.sunriver-resort.com/

  178. Colonial Williamsburg. There is that site, Busch Gardens (if that’s your thing. It isn’t mine), Jamestown, Yorktown, hiiking, the beach is less then an hour away. I love it there. If you go make sure to get some hot chocolate and see George Washington speak. He was excellent.

  181. I think if you liked Alaska, you’ll like Yellowstone and Grand Teton for the animal encounters. And you can always pop into Jackson, WY for horseback riding and other western amusements if the bison, wolves, bears, coyotes, elk, and hot springs fail to amuse. It’s one of my favorite national parks, and the wildlife sightings are second only to Denali, I think.

  183. Hands down… Outer Banks, NC. Beaches, Museums, Ghost Tours – stay mid to south where it’s less populated. Kitty Hawk/Nags Head area. It is Heaven. Absolute Heaven and my favorite place on earth.

  184. Caribbean Cruise would be my first suggestion. Also, Washington DC lots to do and see and they have a great zoo, museums, and botanical gardens. Smoky Mountains are beautiful and there’s Dollywood theme park, the Biltmore Mansion just into NC and Sieverville has quite a bit to offer. I would say come out to Vegas but it’s too hot to really enjoy the scenery like Valley of Fire, etc.

  185. How about New Orleans? There’s lots to do besides the French Quarter – take a swamp tour, have lunch on a riverboat cruise on the Steamboat Natchez, do a cemetery tour (or an Anne Rice tour; or a jazz tour…there are lots of types of tours), catch some live music, visit the Saint Louis Cathedral, and eat lots of good food!

  186. Oregon coastline. Lots of things to see, do and the most beautiful scenery ever! You can fly into Portland and then just wind your way up and down. There are the beaches, of course, but also the Astoria Column, Maritime Museum,the Tillamook Cheese Factory (c’mon! You tour a CHEESE factory), Air Museum, there is a dinosaur park somewhere along their, too, seal caves, aquariums, and on and on. About every 12ft there is something to do. PLUS you could eat at one of four Pig & Pancake restaurant locations.

  187. It’s a toss up for me between Edinburgh, because it feels like home to my soul and Newfoundland because it’s empty and awesome and beautiful. I guess if I could throw my crap in a bag and run for the airport, I’d be heading to Edinburgh, but Newfoundland would be a close second.

  188. Maine – base in Portland or Bar Harbor, take the harbor tour for Portland and visit the lighthouse, Cadillac Mountain/Acadia National Park, Popham Beach, Thunder Hole (it’s PG, I promise), and so much more! You can just roam up and down the coast and do what strikes your fancy with a little planning – Mail boat tours, there’s a nice little aquarium in Boothbay Harbor and oh man, the seafood. If you like that kind of thing.

    Oops, just noticed that I’m posting after someone else with great vacation taste!

  189. My hands-down favorite vacation spot (thus far anyway) is the Red River Gorge in Kentucky. My fiance and I are climbers, though, and that’s the area’s biggest draw. World-class climbing up in there! But they also have lots of gorgeous hiking trails, and since there’s a river I would presume you could do some sort of canoeing/fishing. Probably other touristy things as well, though we don’t waste precious climbing time on those. If you go, make sure to grab a pizza from Miguel’s–it’s phenomenal. But maybe send your hubby in to place the order, it gets packed around mealtime.

  190. Michigan. Seriously. Northern Michigan is amazing.
    Lake Michigan is like the ocean without sharks, jellyfish and salt.
    Mackinac Island is like time traveling.
    No poisonous snakes or spiders.
    Traverse City is amazing, Torch Lake is completely out of place with tropical waters.
    Michigan is super underrated.
    If you live in Michigan, it’s where you vacation!
    Pure Michigan.

  191. Edinburgh and the Scottish highlands. The games. The accents. The castles. I took a river tour and it was great fun.

  192. Crested Butte, CO.

    A quirky weird little town with lots to do. Not so many crowds either.

  193. I skimmed comments and I agree with those that mentioned Acadia National Park in Maine. If you like hiking at all, it is awesome!!
    Might I also suggest (in case it hasn’t been mentioned) a trip to Kanab, Utah to visit Best Friends Animal Society? You guys are animal lovers and it is well worth a visit to tour the ginormous facilities and also to volunteer. I went once as a side trip while visiting Vegas. But I am saving up to go back and stay and volunteer for a few days so that I can volunteer with different kinds of animals (just did dog walking last time). They even have “sleep overs”…Hailey would love to have an animal sleep over! It’s also near some beautiful parks like Bryce.

  194. How do you sort through all these replies?!? In case you’re still reading, I second the Savannah, GA suggestion. But above that, I suggest the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Beautiful beaches, tons of history, AND you can rent jeeps to drive on the beach which is so much fun. You can also book a wild horse adventure. A guide will take you out on the beach in a jeep where wild horses live. There’s also water activities like paddle boarding, parasailing, kite surfing, kayaking, deep sea fishing, etc, etc. My family and I have taken this vacation several times and it’s never gotten boring and we’ve made some fantastic memories.

  195. I second whoever said Savannah, GA – lots of history there, great tours, and its more kid-friendly than New Orleans. I also love the San Juan Islands between Washington and British Columbia, Canada. It’s a slower pace, but you can go whale-watching, hiking, sailing and shopping and eating at the cute little port town on Orcas Island. Plus, you can either go into Washington or up into Canada for a day – they have ferries that go to and from either place.

    Man, now I want to go back…sigh

  196. We went to Washington a couple of years ago. Many museums – the spy museum and the newseum were particularly interesting. Lots of outdoor spaces to explore and a lovely zoo – we didn’t make it there but I hear its great. Happy Vacationing!

  197. St. Croix. Quick airline trip and the island is beautiful, relaxing and has terrific snorkeling.

  198. Vancouver is where I will be vacationing: Vancouver British Columbia in the West coast of Canada. Don’t worry, we really are overly polite here, and those in Vancouver are super chill compared to the stressed out southern ontarians I’m surrounded by each day. Right. Vancouver: Bike trails in Stanley Park, markets and shopping in the city core for those who like it, various markets-notably Granville Island–, THE aquarium (which also hosts a kids free evening, haha!), science centre for youth, Capilano suspension bridge and park, lots of little breweries (sorry, maybe that’s just my shtick :P), tours I’m sure are plenty, nice view of the mountains and of course the sea with various beaches (including a nudie one!) to visit depending on the weather. I’ve never found it particularly crowd filled there when I’ve visited. It’s the best balance of people, food, and open space IMO; my husband is trying to get a job there so we can move!

    Not sure how far you want to go, but Europe is lovely too. I had an excellent time on organized trips (ie lots of tours, museums, sight seeing) in London, UK and the surrounding area. We did Stone Henge, the city of Bath, Oxford, and Windsor Castle along with sight seeing in London itself, including some great alternative theatre. Loved pretty much every museum I visited too. Food was kind of meh though. The rest of my times in Europe have been in Paris which is always crawling with people so probably really not your style, despite the most delicious foods ever!!

  199. I loved Grand Cayman Island. Not known for it’s food, though. It was amazing to be sitting on the beach, then put on your own snorkel mask, snorkel tube and fins and snorkel just a few feet off the shore, no tour boat needed. We saw thousands and thousands of gorgeous fish. That was February, though, I’d research the weather first. We went on a horseback ride along the beach and chartered a tiny boat to go see Stingray City. The big boats are super crowded, though. Would love to go back. There are wonderful and expensive hotels on 7 Mile Beach, but also timeshares you can rent. Don’t stay anywhere but 7 Mile Beach. And be sure to go to the champagne brunch at the Ritz Carlton on Sunday. Reservations needed.

  200. normally, I don’t have really great things to say about my adopted state, but I have to say the Oregon coast is lovely. Not crowded, cool tide pools, woods, lakes and beaches to explore. EXCELLENT coastal aquarium, awesome clam chowder and more microbreweries and local wineries than you can throw a stick at. Plus, there always seems to be some esoteric festival going on

  201. Niagara Falls. Both the Canadian side and the USA side. Incredibly beautiful.

  203. I live in the Turks and Caicos Islands (Providenciales, 1 1/2 hour flight from Miami). US dollar currency, Everyone speaks English, very very quiet in that you may have less than 20 people on the beach at a given time with crystal clear water. Most hotels are condo style, so you don’t have to eat out every meal (just pick up things at the grocery store) and everything is less than 10 minutes away. You can Kayak, paddleboard, snorkel, salt water fly fish, spend a day going to one of the other islands, either going to the caves or old plantations from 1700’s. We have a whole cay (pronounced key) that has endangered small rock iguanas that come up to you. Most people love to visit and come back. A good intro to the island is the free ipad app magazine, “Island Life and Times” that will give you all the back issues photo and video to see what to do and some cool stuff and people. In the entire country (30 islands) we only have 25,000 residents. It’s relaxing and modern (amazing hospital/doctors and modern grocery stores, a little bit of shopping and a fabulous Ice cream/coffee and champagne bar) but very quiet. You can do as much or as little as possible. From Texas, you would fly AA or Delta to Providenciales (PLS). After you arrive at the airport it’s 15 minutes max to the hotels… no soliciting on the beach, great food and beautiful water. My husband is a photographer here and we’ve lived here for 20 years if you have any questions

  204. The Maritimes in Eastern Canada (on the top of my bucket list) or the Rockies in Western Canada. Plus, it’s out of country so you can say you took an exotic vacation.

  205. My husband & I did a 5 day trip to Yellowstone in Winter and loved it. We did a wildlife viewing tour with Brushbruck. Loved Yellowstone and they were an excellent outfit. We enjoyed it so much and are going back this fall. Plan to hike (read A Rangers Guide toYellowstone Day Hikes), so a scenic tour down the Snake River (not whitewater) and 1/2 day horseback ride.

    For the beach, I love Playa del Carmen, but if you don’t like crowds you may find 5th Ave too much. Cabo is nice too, but unholy hot in summer.

  206. There is so much to explore on Vancouver Island, like the capital city of Victoria (Royal BC Museum! Fisherman’s Wharf! More British than Britain!), Tofino (surfing & beaches!), Qualicum (caves!), Parksville (more beaches!), Englishman River Falls, Strathcona Provincial Park, Campbell River (fishing!), and so much more. If I didn’t live here, I’d want to visit.

  207. Key west. It’ll be hot, but who cares. It’s laid back, they celebrate every sunset, the food is good. There’s stuff to do if you want too…perfect snorkeling, fishing, water sports, 6 toed cats, beaches, catamaran day trip to the haunted jail/military base, etc

  208. How about the moon – it’s much closer than Jupiter. It used to be really popular but not so much anymore. I think there’s a free hostel there too. Bring your sandals!

  210. Beat family vacations were the road trips. We would go from Dallas to the space center in Alabama (Huntsville? ) then to the Biltmore mansion in North Carolina, then to Mammoth caves in Kentucky. Explore the US! I’d recommend historic Williamsburg or Jamestown.

  212. Come to Cape Cod!! Biking, whale watching, Kennedys, lobsters, surfing, parasailing, Provincetown, tons of shopping, tons of eating, tons of fun! Then close by Plimoth Plantation, Boston, Lexington & Concord, Salem. It pretty much blows all others out of the water.

  213. Add my recommendation to Sedona. Beautiful, lots to do. Although we spend most of our vacation time in Vermont (also beautiful), we have been to Sedona a few times and look forward to going back again, balloon rides, close to grand canyon also. great eclectic shops along with the usual touristy stuff, lots of art and spiritual things if you are into that.

  215. I’ve never been anywhere in Colorado that I didn’t absolutely love. Durango, Winter Park, Colorado Springs, Granby, Grand Lake, Estes Park (although that one is usually a bit more crowded)…. Seriously, the whole state is just awesome.

  216. Well, my idea of a good vacation is sitting on the beach for a week with several dozen good books. But I have some better ideas, if you want them.

    We always spend a week at a cottage at Presque Isle in Erie, PA. It’s better than it sounds. Erie has an amusement park, a casino, and a zoo, plus there’s an outlet mall in Grove City, PA and Cleveland is close by. The State Park has 13 beaches with different events going on all the time, biking, hiking, boating and a wild life sanctuary. We get a cottage from kelsobeachrentals.com.

    There’s also Niagara Falls, which if you’ve never been has so many interesting things to do. Cave of the Winds, Maid of the Mist, casinos, parks, butterfly sanctuary, rides and attractions galore. I’d suggest a tour, so you can see everything, try Over the Falls Tours.

    Niagara Falls is also close to Toronto, so you could do a day trip. So much to do there. If you like jazz music, you have to visit the Rex Hotel. Last time we were there, we sat at the band table and they invited me to sing with them!

    If money is no object, we just went to the UK in January and London was amazing. Although if you don’t like people that could be a problem cause I’d say it’s more crowded that NYC. I’m not much of a people person myself, but I loved it! We also went to Cardiff, Wales for a day and I got to tour the Doctor Who Experience. It was a total life highlight, but then I’ve loved DW since the 70’s. If you’re interested, there are pics from the DWE on my blog.

    Where ever you go, hope you have a blast!

  218. New Orleans is great. And quieter in the summer, so if you can stand the heat I’d highly recommend it.
    I also love NM. Santa Fe, the city in the sky and Taos and bandalier (sp?)state park and many other touring places. Gorgeous, educational and grand. The jewelry at the square in sante Fe is tops and affordable, and you get to talk to the artists and bargain and learn and just soak it all in. And the food…. Now I’m hungry.

    Lastly, I saw someone recommend Maine. And I love it there. Cape cod mass is my fav New England destination but it’s busy in the summer. Maine is more relaxing. My hubby and mys first vacation together when we lived in Boston was to Maine.

    Which reminds me, now that we live in the south we’ve vacationed twice to pidgeon forge, TN. So new lastly…. It’s Very peaceful and affordable. There is Dollywood, which we havnt done but people speak highly of I’m sure Haylie would love it. We mostly go to gaitlenberg and rent a cabin in the woods and hike about. There are tours and fun stuff about there too.

    Wherever you go, enjoy! And tell us all about it.

  219. Wisconsin. Fly into Madison. Eat at Ella’s Deli. Stop at the Dells. Then go to the House on the Rock in Spring Green. I read on a blog once that the House on the Rock is like the T.A.R.D.I.S., but you get to see the other rooms. Throw in fishing and kayaking or canoeing and a Friday fish fry, and you have met Wisconsin.

  220. Pennsylvania could be good. Laurel Caverns and other caves to explore, Amish country, Hershey (the town that smells like chocolate). If you can stand Philly, Liberty Bell and get your photo taken with the Rocky statue, plus the Mutter Museum http://muttermuseum.org (weird medical stuff; you will love it – don’t know about Hailey).

  221. Come to Traverse City MI
    Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Park
    Lots of lovely beaches on Lake Michigan nearby to visit.
    Lots of lakes for fishing
    Mackinac Island is very close.
    Lighthouses all over the place.

    just not during the Cherry Festival (July 4th) if you don’t like crowds.

  222. Pacific Northwest is great. It has lots of beauty and not many crowds but requires lots of car time. But, really, I’d say go to Big Island on Hawaii. You can stay at a resort with tons of stuff for Hailey, or you can just rent a house with a pool and relax privately. There are glass bottom boats, fishing, seeing the volcano, going to a Luau, and amazing scenery that looks like another planet.

  224. Big Island, Hawai’i was one of my best. Volcanoes, historic archeological sites, night snorkelling with manta rays, day snorkelling with dolphins, turtles everywhere, a trip up to the Mauna Kea observatory and guided stargazing with experts. We stayed at the Mauna Lani resort where turtles come up on the beach to rest, and when we got there (from the UK, so after a long, long trip) it was so beautiful I literally cried. If you stay there, you’ll need a car to get around, though. I think you guys would love Iceland too, but a bit of a trek from the States if you’re only going for a few days.

  225. Why not come to Canada? We’re friendly, polite, the landscape is beautiful, and the exchange rate works in your favour. There are lots of things to do!

  226. Since it is summer, you might want to avoid certain locales that are beautiful, but deadly hot in the summer — including most of the south and east coast. Have you been to any of the Islands off Seattle or Vancouver, like the San Juan Islands? This type of trip can combine city life (Vancouver), outdoor activities, and beautiful scenery. And the weather is pretty good.

    Then again, have you ever been to San Jose, CA? There is a good Applebee’s there.

  228. Yeah, Jupiter’s a bit of a commute. Closest you can get concept-wise would be the Kennedy Space Center or maybe the Wright Brothers National Memorial. There really isn’t much to do at the Wright Memorial but it really meant a lot to me to go there. The place is so steeped in history, you can almost smell it. Or that could’ve been the Dairy Queen across the street.

  229. Renting a boat and sailing around the keys. It’s amazing, sun, sand, snorkeling, all the marine life. The whole family living on a boat for a couple of days.

  230. Kauai. But it does involve a long flight. However, the scenery is gorgeous, the beaches are not crowded and you can kick back and just relax.

  231. Well, you’re in central Texas, what about a cave tour? You can drive to several within an hour, and if you’re feeling adventurous enough to make your way out West to see the one in Sonora you could go drive up the road a bit and hit Carlsbad, it’s the Mac-Daddy of them all. From there it’s just a hop-n-skip to lunch and a day on Jupiter (or as we call it here on Earth, Roswell.) http://www.goodearthgraphics.com/showcave/tx.html

  232. Savannah and Charleston are awesome destinations. Just not in the summer. You will die. This is from a GA/SC girl. Love Niagara/Toronto if you have passports. And Montreal feels like going to Europe, only a shorter plane ride. I love anywhere I can go on a boat ride!

  234. Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. It’d be an educational trip. I went as a teenager with my family but I didn’t appreciate the awesomeness of it and would love to go back again. This would be a really cool road trip, I think.

    More info: http://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm

    Let me know what you think 🙂

  235. We liked Boston ( the freedom trail is great), Washington DC (get on a tour of the Capital and the Washington Monument is open again too), we live in New York so we are partial to this area. LAke Placide is a fun resort area in the summer too. Lake George in NY has a really nice resort and is supposed to be quite idyllic. People like to go to Montauk out on the Island. I heard North Carolina has great resorts. I think the only places you can go with fewer crowds would be south during the summer. Florida is nice especially the west coast, but its not fun for a 9 year old. Atlantis resort could be fun, they have a water park, dolphin excursions and all kinds of water sports. It may get a little crowded though with all the specials at this time of year. I know people really like Bermuda. What about a Beaches resort? What about those indoor water parks and hotel like Great Wolf Lodges. Montreal is supposed to be lovely. Honestly we haven’t gone away for over ten years. We have opted to stay home. Staycations have actually become a way of life for us. Its easier for us that way too. 🙂 Hope you have fun once you decide where to go.

  236. I loved Portland and the areas around it even more so. Lots of waterfalls, farms, quirky stops/finds and no crowds anywhere. If you want something a bit more historic, you can try Ireland. Don’t spend more than a day in Dublin and you won’t have to worry about crowds, and there is plenty to see/do.

  237. Why not rent a house in the Outer Banks? Let Hailey bring a few friends. You can go deep sea fishing, learn to surf – there are all kinds of things to do but best of all is getting to see and hear the ocean all day and night!

  238. DON’T GO TO YELLOWSTONE!!! (I mean I really, truly LOVE Yellowstone…but a work friend just got back yesterday and said it’s so crowded you have to wait in line to take a picture of a buffalo (and then, I guess, the buffalo will ask you for money…or something…I didn’t quite get that part.) However, on the plus side, if you want to go somewhere non-English speaking, Yellowstone would be your best bet.)

  239. Grand Canyon river rafting. Not the kind where you have to do all the work, though. We went with Western River Expeditions (westernriver.com). It’s a large, motorized raft (4mph) holding at most 14 people IIRC, with 3 distinct areas depending on your level of adventure – up front, where you get VERY wet and you have to hold on tight; on raised seats (containing the food and gear) that’s still facing forward, where you get splashed on the big rapids, and along the sides, the “chicken coop” where you rarely get splashed. We did the 6-day, which starts right below Lake Powell and is very cold water, and then helicoptered out. The 4-day starts there, being helicoptered in, and then you go downriver to Lake Mead. (They also do a 10-day which is these two trips back-to-back.) All food is provided, plus lemonade and water (bring your own Coke, Pepsi and/or alcohol), there are side hikes, and you can sleep right under the stars which was amazing (they do provide tents and cots).

    As fun as this is, this may not be an option if your anxiety requires you to have an “emergency exit”, because there is none. You will have to continue to the end. And I’m just now thinking they have a minimum age but I don’t know what it is because I can’t get to their website. But it was really awesome and I would go again in a minute.

  240. Head to New England. Have lobster on the Maine coast and take a boat ride to see lighthouses and whales. Drive to New Hampshire and check out the White Mountains (Mt. Washington Cog Railway, Clark’s Trading Post, Lost River). Then go to Vermont for some Ben and Jerry’s.

  241. Does the thought of a cruise freak you out? There are lots of people but it’s really easy to get away from them if you want. Cruising is by far the most relaxing vacation ever or you can be active the entire time.

  242. Ouray, Colorado. Best place ever. It’s best to avoid it during the 4th of July though, and maybe approach it from the north unless you like to be terrified while driving. There’s hot spring pools, lots of squirrels and chipmunks, touristy things to do nearby, big enough that Victor won’t feel completely isolated but small enough that you won’t feel like you’re in the middle of a metropolis. And it’s cooler in temp than Texas, so that’s a massive thing going for it. There’s even a train going from Durango to Silver Springs if you need something “exciting” to do for a day.

  243. Boston? Urban enough for Victor, but crowds aren’t too bad. Beach nearby. Salem not too far away. Lots to do and tons of history? We go to
    Nantucket but that’s just beach all day every day. You could do a day trip there though…..

  244. I’d say Scotland or NZ, but both are a bit far for 4-5 days. What about Vancouver, BC? There is everything from beaches to mountains. Kayaking, hiking, stand-up paddle-boarding. It’s not too crowded (especially by NYC standards) and Whistler/Squamish are an easy & beautiful drive away. There’s also festivals, food carts, outdoor movies in the park, and it’s never too hot.

  245. Winnipeg! Or at least our nearby beaches 🙂

    Though if you want to stay in the states, Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills are pretty cool. And Yellowstone is awesome (we’ll be driving through in August). Other than Old Faithful, there are hot springs, (and super hot springs that change colour as it gets deeper!), lots of hiking, and there are the teutons nearby if you are getting bored. And for Hailey, Craters of the Moon are only a few hours away. 🙂

  246. Long Island, NY. Tons of things to do, restful, ocean and LI Sound to swim in plus you can hop into NYC when the mood strikes. I will be your tour guide. You won’t have to pay me.

  247. Yosemite. I was just there. There are a variety of different activities and tours and exploring at your own pace, plus camping is optional. There are some hotels and lodges, too.

  248. If you can fly (to make good use of few days) grand canyon or go to Yosemite before it’s really gone.

    Also, camping or even sudo (cabin) camping is awesome and 9 year olds love camping. Have you been tubing on the in Greun? There’s cabins available and it’s not far from shlitterbahn where you can also get cabins. This is all within 3 hours of you. It will all be crowded but, hey, you chose summer dear.

  249. Come up to Acadia National Park in Maine. We’ve got hiking, biking, boating, whale and puffin watching and so much more. Plus, our summertime temperatures are very pleasant, unless you really love hot weather, then not so much. But I may be biased since I live up here.

  250. I may be biased but Newfoundland is stunning! We took our kids to Gros Mourne National Park two summers ago and they are still talking about it. There are boat tours, hiking, the Tablelands are amazing, and the way this summer is shaping up probably a lot of icebergs. Also it’s nowhere near as crowded as somewhere like New York. If you do come to Newfoundland, I live in Lewisporte, drop by my cats would love to meet you!

  251. go to the san juan islands and ride bikes and kayak…..you can also visit seattle and vancouver…..that would be AWESOME!

  252. Rte1 up the Pacific from SD and head north……also Yellowstone….still gorgeous……

  253. BC Canada is superfun:)) Fly in to Vancouver. Or Seattle, you can do baseball, waterfront, hiking and museums in the city. Also, I live near Yosemite, and there really are some spectacular views this time of year. Stay at the Lodge. Hope this helps!! Love your book!

  254. Cape Cod in Mass 🙂 Wonderful New England charm and delicious lobstahh! My husband and I just took our honeymoon there and it was fabulous. Go on a whale watch tour, play at the beach, visit lighthouses, visit weird roadside shops, there’s even a mermaid themed shop in Mashpee.

  256. Come see me in Hawaii! I live at a retreat center called Kalani. You would love it. It’s beautiful, interesting and full of weirdos. Here is a link: http://www.kalani.com

    2 of you could get a discount as my guests. Message me on FB if interested. -Robyn Furse

  257. Durango, Colorado. Really cool small town. Lots of hiking/biking trails. The Durango Mountain Resort (formerly known as Purgatory Resort) is open in the summer and they have alpine slides – you take the ski lift up the mountain, get a sled like device, and go down the mountain on a half-pipe slide. So much fun! They also have the Silverton Narrow Gauge railroad that goes up to (you guessed it) Silverton. It’s a town that makes you feel as if you’ve traveled back in time – in a good way. And as you ride the train (3 hours), you can look out and see the old, original tracks and the remains of train wrecks. It’s delightfully morbid. There’s actually so much to do – totally check it out. It’s perfect to vacation there about 4-5 days.
    I grew up going there in the summers as a kid, and I loved it! This summer I’m actually taking my kids for the first time.

  259. Come to colorado!!!!! Glenwood springs (my home town) is kinda perfect and a great location to day trip out of.

  260. San Francisco!!!! Tons of stuff to do for a 9-year-old; amazing cocktails for grown-ups. You can drive up/down the coast (down to the Monterey Bay Aquarium) down to big, big redwoods. Plus my book group LOVED your book and we’d take you for dinner.

  261. Ireland – castles, men with Irish accents, horses, kids with Irish accents, sheep, beer, green grass, music, women with Irish accents, islands, monks houses, dogs with Irish accents (well not really, but they are still cute!), mountains, boat rides, and if you stay long enough YOU might end up with an Irish accent!

  262. Chicago. Museams, Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, food, aquarium. Toms of cool stuff. Or Washington DC.

  263. Sanibel Island, Florida. Beaches littered with shells. Dolphins, cool birds, cruises for manatees. I love unwinding there.

  264. I live in Wyoming and there are so many cool places. Fort Laramie & the Oregon Trail Ruts are the neatest!

  265. Gatlinburg,TN!!
    There’s a bunch of Ripley’s Believe It or Not stuff to do (museums, big aquarium, mini golf, haunted house, etc) plus at the Aquarium you can have a “penguin experience” where you met penguins and then they walk through paint and on a canvas to make penguin feet art for you to take home.
    There’s a bunch of little shops to walk through downtown with tourist stuff and weird stuff.
    There’s a pancake restaurant on every block.
    Also, a place called Dick’s Last Resort which is a restaurant where they’re intentionally rude to you and it’s a lot of fun.
    Down the road are caverns to explore, parks, beautiful views.
    There’s also Dollywood a couple miles away in Pigeon Forge with Dixie Stampede Dinner Show,
    OR MY NEW FAVORITE:
    Lumberjack Feud Dinner Show where you eat and watch a cheesy show about lumberjack families but then they do actual lumberjack stuff on stage which was mad impressive surprisingly.
    Pigeon Forge also has a lot of other shows, shops, minigolf and a Titanic museum (why? I don’t know)
    Back in Gatlinburg there is year round ice skating and snow tubing. There are a few ski lifts and trams for cool views.
    There’s a neat minigolf place called Hillbilly Golf and it’s in the side of a mountain and you take a small lift up to the top and play golf on the way down back to the bottom.
    I highly recommend Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, it was way more exciting than I expected it to be and there’s a bunch of outdoorsy stuff to do that I can’t recall because I’m not really into that, but I hear the state parks are amazing and I can attest the views are beautiful!

  266. The Iceland recommendation was good, and Acadia National Park is pretty nice too (albeit a place where the activities overlap somewhat with the Alaska trip). I also have to recommend my home state of Michigan if you enjoy beer, although we also offer a healthy mix of interesting historical sites, incredible nature vistas, and blatant tourist traps.

  267. We took our girls to Yellowstone when they were around that age. After Yellowstone, we drove past Devil’s Tower on the way to a dude ranch where we took a mountain trail near Cody, WY. Then went to see Mt. Rushmore in SD. There are lots of caves and other touristy things in SD – our favorite was Bear Country USA, a drive-through zoo in the Black Hills in SD that is pretty cool (animals in the wild all around you) and the highlight at the end is an area where you can see the baby bears up close!

  268. I agree with Central CA. The Monterey Aquarium is fantastic, and just driving on PCH 1 is beautiful. Plus you can fly in and out of San Francisco, and there are tons of fun things to do there (visit the new Exploratorium http://www.exploratorium.edu/, go to Alcatraz, eat at yummy restaurants, etc). Added bonus — it’s much cooler there than summer in Texas!

  269. Rent a houseboat and tool around Lake Powell, which is located in Arizona/Utah.

  270. St Croix, Us Virgin Islands. It’s the red-headed step child of the virgin islands. Very few cruise ships. Low key but awesome diving/snorkeling, beaches, rainforest, crab races, and beer drinking pigs.

  271. Go camping at Lake Superior Provincial Park! You can borrow our camper! Or PEI is beautiful and LOTS to do.

  272. I get that you don’t like crowds. I don’t either. By far, hands down, the best vacation with kid was to lego land in San Diego. I mean, we did other stuff, too, and those were fun. But lego land has rides specifically geared towards kids who usually can’t ride rides at amusement parks, so they aren’t too scary. I strongly recommend taking some time off during the school year and go during the week, though, because that’s when the crowds are sparse. Literally zero wait at the rides. We would get off, run around and get right back on. AND they have a water park inside, too. I can’t remember if it costs additional, but it was a pretty good water park. And in San Diego, you can go to the ocean, natural parks, their zoo, the zoo’s safari park, which is better than he zoo, and requires going around in a golf car caravan, because it’s so spread out. It’s also better for people who are crowd averse, because you go in golf carts rather than wander freely.

  274. Northern Michigan. Seriously. White sand beaches (google Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore). World class restaurants at all price points. Hiking. Wineries. Breweries. Cideries. Paddleboarding. Kayaking. Lighthouses. Ferries to Manitou Island, where there is even more hiking. And best of all, while it’s a tourist area, the crowds are extremely minimal, especially in the small towns outside Traverse City.

  275. I lived in Western Colorado for 8 years, and I highly recommend a visit. Colorado National Monument, Grand Mesa, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, the narrow-gauge railroad between Silverton and Durango. Duluth, Minn. is also nice, then swing east and visit Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Lots of gorgeous waterfalls, and you can tour a former copper mine in Hancock, Mich. There is an amazing mineral museum on the Michigan Tech campus.

  276. I think Nova Scotia is gorgeous. I also love Beaufort/Charleston/Hilton Head area. So historic and killer food. I wouldn’t do New Orleans with a 9 year old though.

  277. Easy answer, The Great Smokey Mountains/Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg.

    More tricky trip…Turkey!

  278. Catalina Island, just off the coast of California. So much to do! They drive golf carts around the island, you can go snorkeling, take a million different tours…my favorite vacation of all time.

  279. National Parks — any National Park — as long as you don’t have to sleep in a tent and/or fight off bears. Dry Tortuga has absolutely nothing to do except sleep in a tent and go swimming, snorkeling and eating. I think you may have to go out on the mailboat from Key West. Caneel Bay (a national park) US Virgin Islands and you don’t have to have a passport. Course if I had my druthers, Italy and time. If you are downright crazy Okefenoke Park in south Georgia. It is too hot too mosquito-ey but really exciting.

  280. We just got back from a trip to the Adirondacks in upstate New York, near Vermont. It is beautiful and not too crowded. There is plenty to do up there, and you can also take the ferry across Lake Champlain to Vermont and do things there, too.

  282. Try San Diego; good climate, plenty of things to do, and a generally laid-back atmosphere.

  283. If not Toronto, where I am, then I would vote for upstate New York for sure – Lake Placid or Finger Lakes area. So many things to do and beautiful countryside. If you opt for Finger Lakes DO NOT MISS the Women’s Rights Museum – a National Historical Park in Seneca Falls. Completely amazing and Hailey will love it too! http://www.nps.gov/wori/index.htm

  285. Fly fishing on the Yellowstone River. Stay near Livingston, MT so you are near Yellowstone Park. Try the Yellow Stone River Lodge. Went there last year and had a great time.

  287. Come to the Maritimes! 😀 Definitely! You can visit three different Provinces in 4-5 days, but going to Prince Edward Island for 4-5 days would be perfection! Beautiful Beaches! Gorgeous scenery. Delicious food. Lots to see and do – and never crowded. There’s a reason it’s known as “The Gentle Island”.

  291. We go to Branson every year. We get a condo at the Village at Indian Point and either hang there or go to Silver Dollar City. Branson also has a Ripley’s Believe it or Not museum and a Butterfly Palace where you get to hang out with butterflies. The strip is crazy for traffic, but otherwise we love it there. There are lakes, places you can go horseback riding, and tons more.

  292. If Haley really wants to go to Jupiter take her to the Hayden Planetarium in New York City. You can do that on the way to Arcadia National Park in Maine. Then you can take the ferry from Bar Harbor to Nova Scotia.

  293. May I recommend Williamsburg, Virginia? If you like history, it’s a great place to visit.
    Also, you can put your children in the stocks in the town square ( and who wouldn’t like to do that?)

    Do it!!!

  294. Our family adores both cruising and Disney World, but they’re not for everyone. We’ve been to Bermuda a bunch of times and it is wonderful (clean beaches, aquarium/zoo, caves, helmet diving, glass bottom boats). The public transportation there is also quite easy. Myrtle Beach, SC is great fun. We went to a big aquarium, a water park, Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede (pig races!), played mini golf at about 900 different places, and did some lovely lazing about. If you like even more kitsch than that, try Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. Besides the falls-related stuff like Cave of the Winds and Maid of the Mist, there are haunted houses (yes, plural), mirror mazes, oddity museums, mini golf, a Ferris wheel, street performers, magic shows, etc. Toronto is close enough to do as a day trip, too. This summer we are going to Lancaster, PA. We plan to hit Hershey Park and the Chocolate World, ride a steam train and go to the train museum, go to some Amish craft markets, and generally eat our way through Pennsylvania Dutch country.

  296. Northern California, esp. the Bay Area. Nice mix of nature, history, San Francisco. and the Ce trial Coast with Santa Cruz/ Monterey is nearby. And I second taking Hwy 1 down the coast

  297. Williamsburg, VA (also close by is Yorktown and Jamestown) it has a ton of historical stuff and if you get bored with that then you can go to Busch Gardens!! Or you can venture a little north and do Washington DC, the Smithsonian museums are so much fun and Kings Dominion isn’t too far from there. OR Shenandoah valley has the Luray caverns and Natural bridge which are also fun. The fudge at Luray Caverns can not be beat. Virginia Beach is also close if you are into that sort of thing. Personally I don’t like sand in my cracks, but I guess some people do? All of this is a few hours drive if you wanted to come to the east coast.

  299. Yellowstone is a gong show in summer. My husband lost his mind on the highway just driving past it…so maybe no. But Manitoba is lovely at this time of year – we’d love to have you back 🙂

  300. I had a similar dilemma. The hubs and I decided on a road trip to Nashville. Big city feel without the craziness of New York. It’s a cool town, great music, and they have a ton of museums/tourist stuff to keep us occupied.

  301. Inverness on Loch Ness in Scotland. Less crowded, I understand, than the Fort Augustus end of the lake, but a cute little town. Beautiful to walk around with lots of little gems to entertain. You can catch bus tours of the highlands from the town center. We took a daylong bus tour to the Isle of Skye, which is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. You can even take the overnight train to Edinburgh, if you want. Plus they have fluffy little cows and the LOCH NESS MONSTER.

    I love New York City and have lived here for 14 years, but it is super-stressful and crowded. And stinky in the summer.

  302. Sedona is nice. And Jerome is nearby. It’s a “ghost town”. Mostly it’s a lot of walking up strap hills for good food. You can do jeep tours, or vortex tours, or balloon rides, and you can go up to the Grand Canyon. There’s a meator crater nearby as well. And some Indian ruins. And sedonas not hot like in Phoenix. Though you do have to drive up two hours from the Phoenix airport. Let me know if you come by! I’ll show you around! Hehe.

  304. Newfoundland Canada. A lot like Alaska, but with much friendlier people. There are many local customs to explore and gorgeous landscape. I can’t wait to go back

  305. MT girl here – we try to make it to Yellowstone as often as possible, but avoid it during peak summer. Number one, it’s hot as hell. Number two, there are lots of humans. Number three, you’ve already missed the best time for wildlife watching.

    If you want to hit Yellowstone I highly recommend waiting until next year and hit it up in late May/early June. All the animals are having their babies (adorbs) and it’s a relatively slow time for tourists. You can stay at any of the lodges in Yellowstone, but some are definitely better than others. Bring your own cooler with sandwich fixings and snacks because the lodge cafeterias suck. (They will make you feel like you’re back in your junior high cafeteria.) You can venture out of the park into Gardiner (north entrance) or Cooke City (east entrance) for real life human food, but keep in mind you’ll have to pay to get back into the park. Both are AWESOME small towns full of charm, character, gift shops and decent food.

    What I love about Yellowstone is it can be as tame or as wild as you want to make it. If you choose the latter, bring a good pair of binoculars, bear protection (bear spray and noise makers), and quality boots. Don’t need much else.

  306. If you want to go to Yellowstone you need to plan in advance, like years. Yosemite not as bad a wait, plus there are all the activities in N. California like the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Napa(for the parents) SF Exploratorium and Natural Science Museum(for everybody, Muir Woods etc.

    You can watch Hitchcock’s Vertigo and try and locate all the shots in SF as a game.

    For a day trip – Schlitterbahn

  307. I saw someone mentioned Roatan, Honduras. I have to put a vote in for that. Particularly Anthony’s Key Resort http://www.anthonyskey.com/ My Husband and I spent some time there on a cruise last year and it’s one of my favorite places on earth.
    Hawaii is also a good option. You might want to avoid Honolulu if crowds are an issue. Maui is lovely though.
    Vancouver Canada is also a good call. LOTS to do and the weather is great if you come during the summer. It’s my hometown though, so I’m a little biased.

  308. My votes are always for the British Virgin Islands (BVI), specifically Jost Van Dyke, Anegada, and Tortola, in that order. The best vacation EVER was renting a crewed catamaran and island hopping around the BVI. http://www.moorings.com

    Or, we are getting ready to go to an All-Inclusive in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. I also like the idea of Hawaii (The Big Island) or Roatan, Honduras like someone else mentioned.

  310. I’m too lazy to see if it has already been suggested, but http://www.assateagueisland.com/ is nice for kids. Tours, nature, wild ponies, and mosquitoes large enough to stand flat-footed and f*ck a turkey. Plus, Chincoteague Island (where you stay), Ocean City, and crabs. Let me know if you find my mom’s watch she lost in 1978.

  311. Sedona is nice. And Jerome is nearby as well. So Is the Grand Canyon. There’s a meteor crater nearby and lots of old ruins. You can do jeep yours, balloon rides, out of Africa wildlife park, vortex tours. It’s not as hot as Phoenix, and the sights are amazing. Let me know if you come out bill show you around! Hehe.

  312. Montego Bay, Jamaica
    You can climb up a waterfall (guided tour), swim up to the bar in the pool and order Mai Tais or Shirley Temples and sit on the bar stools beneath the water, go into the local village nearby to chat with the locals and purchase beautiful art at the market, get your hair braided into cornrows (and c’mon, you know your whole family would look cute with matching corn rows), and there are activities at the resort there that are for both kids and adults and separate.
    Also, it’s just gorgeous.

  313. Merida, Mexico (colonial capitol of Yucatan). Laid back, not crowded, beautiful city, public art, close to Yucutan tourist attractions without being inundated by tourists.

    San Francisco. Because San Francisco. And wine country.

  314. Monterey Bay area is absolutely fabulous. You can walk the boardwalk, walk to the aquarium at Pacific Grove. Have lunch in Carmel and go to the beach. Go see the red woods. Shop the vintage stores. Really fun family vacation

  317. My favorite place to travel is Zion National Park. I prefer to go there in spring or fall, because it’s VERY sunny and hot this time of year, but being from Texas, I’m guessing heat doesn’t destroy you the way it does me. 🙂 It might be more of a quiet nature-spot than you’re looking for; not much in the way of action, but I’m sure there are tours and activities. It’s just stunningly beautiful, really like nothing else. There’s a free shuttle bus that runs every few minutes and goes all through town and the park. Lots of short, fun hikes (and longer ones with glorious views). It’s hard to take a bad photo there– whatever you point your camera at will be beautiful. The town that feeds into it (Springdale, UT) is sort of an artsy community, with fun little shops and galleries, AND– this is what makes me think of you– you can stay at a cabin-style motel that has its own elk herd. 🙂

  318. I went to Yellowstone when I was almost 8, my brother was 13. We drove, and I drank all the Kool-aid bursts, then when we got there I threw up all night. The rangers came to check on us, since we were camping, to warn us about the bears. We also went to a really awesome melodrama in Jackson Hole, and rafting down the Colorado River. It was awesome.

    If that’s not what you’re looking for, my family also did a trip down the coast of Oregon. We camped there, too. We saw ships stuck in water, went to Lewis and Clark’s camp, saw the redwoods, and had a blast.

  319. If you do decide to do New York City, try just coming to Brooklyn…with maybe one jaunt into Manhattan to go to Obscura Antiques to see the weird stuff they have. Brooklyn actually has normal nice hotels now, and there are always events at the Barclays center if you want something mainstream to entertain you. We also have amazing food, a great flea market on weekends, an incredible art museum, botanical gardens, a zoo, several great park spaces, Coney Island, and the morbid anatomy museum. But when I take a vacation from Brooklyn, I like to go to the North Woods of Michigan on the banks of the AuSable river. Fly fishing, beautiful wilderness, and the nearby small town of grayling for provisions and mild entertainment. I truly love that place…and it’s dirt cheap too! Gates Au Sable Lodge has comfortable river side rooms for well under $100 a night.

  320. I LOVED Seattle. It’s not as crowded as most big cities, but has tons to do. Hiking at Mt Rainier, tours, Pikes Market, the Space Needle, zoo, science center, aquarium, whale watching tours, Ride the Ducks…..so, yeah, I loved it.

    I would move there if I could.

  321. Branson, MO is a good vacation spot. Shows, shopping, Silver Dollar City, go-carts, mini-golf, Butterfly House, Bird show, the lakes are nearby for cruising/fishing, Mansfield MO (Laura Kngalls Wilder) isn’t too far away. Lots to do.

  322. We never go anywhere, so I can’t help you. Best solo trip I ever took was to visit friends in Australia. Australia Zoo, the Opera House, whale watching…if you have the time, definitely visit.

  323. OOH, and the person who mentioned the islands off the coast of Washington had a great point– my OTHER favorite place is Victoria, (Vancouver island) British Columbia! Just the ferry trip from Seattle is awesome in itself– we saw a humpback whale and sea otters when we went. There would be lots of family-oriented activities there– whale-watching tours (we saw pods of orcas!) and Butchart Gardens, for example.

  324. Nova Scotia is lovely. Lots of nature, whale watching, moose, historical stuff, wineries. We usually go at the end of their tourist season but I’ve heard that they also have a lot of musical festivals in the summer.

    Northern Michigan/Traverse City area is pretty similar on paper. Fewer moose.

  325. Route 1 in California is amazing. The redwood are gorgeous and you cans top off by the giant sequoias and the road opens up into the ocean from miles of wooded mountains. It’s breathtaking, and there are a bunch of gold towns and caves to visit.

  326. Someone earlier in the comments recommended Santa Fe…I live in Albuquerque, and I would suggest New Mexico too. Here in ABQ, you can hike, bike, ride the world’s longest aerial tram, go see the locations for Breaking Bad around town, there’s the Rattlesnake Museum, a nice zoo, Explora museum (a hands-on science museum aimed at kids), and we have the most live theatre of any city this size in the country. There’s great food too! And it’s about an hour’s drive north to Santa Fe, another couple hours north to Taos…there are volcanos and mineral springs and the Georgia O’Keefe museum and horse riding and lots of great local beer…really there’s a lot! It’s a great place to visit, truly.

  327. My favorite family vacation is always my most recent family vacation.

    Last summer we rented a house boat for a week. We all had a blast. There was a hot tub on the top deck that was horribly romantic. There was a slide on the back that the kids had a blast with. Every day we would drive to a different part of the lake and explore. There were hiking trails and parks and other fun stuff. The guys did a lot of fishing. They didn’t catch anything but that didn’t seem to matter. The awesome thing is that you can pull the house boat up anywhere you want, tie it to some trees, and go exploring.

  328. We did Park City, Utah last summer, and I LOVED it. It’s most known as a ski resort town and host to the Sundance Film Festival, but in the summer it’s the off season. We rented a condo and didn’t have a car. It’s an hour from Salt Lake City by bus, and the Park City public transit is great and free. We did lots of hiking — some of the ski hills run their lifts, and you can ride up the hill and hike/mountain bike down — and one rafting trip, some lazing around getting a massage (me) and going to the movies, and LOTS of really good eating. All the good restaurants are running amazing specials because it’s off-season. Highly recommend.

  329. I had a really good time in Chicago last year. Fabulous food. Tons of museums of all kinds. The lake right there. Theater. And it’s easy to get around on the trains.

  330. Philadelphia.
    The Mutter Museum- medical oddities, antique medical equipment. It’s nothing short of amazing.
    Penn Museum
    Franklin Square
    An aquarium that has hippos!
    You can run the Rocky steps.
    All sorts of historical type stuff too, if that’s what you’re interested in. Valley Forge, The Liberty Bell, Ben Franklin stuff.
    Cheesesteaks

  331. I went to Iceland last year. Freakin’ awesome. Or go to Yosemite and Mono Lake in California. My faves. Yellowstone is kinda crowded in the summertime.

  332. Yellowstone is not boring, and Montana is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I don’t think you need to plan years in advance to go to Yellowstone, unless maybe you are trying to stay at hotels inside the park. I lived in Bozeman for many years, and we would just wake up and decided to go to Yellowstone, and go. You can definitely skip Old Faithful–it is one of the only really crowded places in the park, and is no longer very “faithful,” meaning you can wait a long time and nothing actually happens. If you decide to do Yellowstone, you should try to plan to be in Bozeman for the Sweet Pea Festival, the first weekend in August: http://sweetpeafestival.org/. There are lots of people there, but it is outside and easy to get in and out of the park if the crowds start to feel like too much. As far as festivals go, it is pretty small. But tons of awesome crafts, great music, and Montana Shakespeare in the Parks which I miss SO much.

  333. We’re going to Yellowstone / Montana this year. Looks awesome. Btw, we LOVE LOVE LOVED Alaska AND Brazil.

  334. Ooh. Another fun trip was Branson MO. It can be a bit busy this time of year but there’s tons to do including Silver Dollar City, Ripleys Believe It or Not museum (one of my family’s faves!!), and lots of shows. We went in the fall and the crowds were considerably smaller though SDC was closed by then.

  335. Cardiff, UK! You can see Doctor Who being filmed, visit the big exhibit there & geek out. Plus, it’s this beautiful little seaside city, with a relatively calm yet bustling area on the water (Mermaid Quay), a castle with parts that date back the Romans, water taxis, tours, train rides, etc, plus everyone is British & lovely. We went twice.

  336. Love Costa Rica Arenal volcano area. Lots of activities, beautiful landscapes, not a long flight for you either.

  337. You could camp at Yosemite. It was amazing when I went (not boring at all!) and you could always check San Francisco later if he wants a city. Lots of history and fun 🙂

  338. Victoria, BC. We went to Seattle a few years back and up to Victoria on the clipper (a boat– http://www.clippervacations.com/victoria-packages/seattle-victoria-overnight/?gclid=CMGfn_axhL8CFdFafgodv3AAHA) and it was a great time. No car, walked or bused everywhere…. at least 4-5 days worth of stuff to do with a 12 year old.

    Also, I get super seasick and they sell magic pills for $0.25 on the clipper that keep you from getting sick (by making you sleep). So if that’s an issue, don’t let it be because they got you covered. We had smooth sailing on the way home, so my husband and I just enjoyed wine, cheese, and snacks while the stepdaughter caught up on all the important texts she missed while out of the country. Great trip.

  340. Well I think you should all sit around as a family and read these comments – that will probably take all summer. But seriously – if you want to head out west what about some actual ghost towns? Kind of spooky and in not very crowded locals – also near-ish to major parks like Yellowstone and you can swing out towards Bay area and do lots of exploring on the outskirts – Monterey, Carmel and Mendocino are all pretty and have lots of activities (and more ghost tours OR Winchester Mystery House in San Jose – very cool.)

  342. Visit Australia again, this time tour the Top End. It’s the dry season and the best time of year for visitors. If you come soon, you’ll be able to do some good barramundi fishing too.

  343. Branson Missouri. It is the family friendly Vegas, with tons of shows, zip lines, shopping malls, mini golf, restaraunts, the Titanic Museum AND it has fireflys. It may have more people than you like (I’m not sure if they have a tourist season), but my kids loved it and you can drink the water:)

  344. Not the best place I have ever been but a place I would like to go. Utah. Breathtakingly beautiful and I want to visit the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. You might like it too. They have cats.

  345. Iceland or Norway. I have been to both and would go back in a heartbeat. And I would be your trip planner so I could live vicariously through your travel adventures.

  346. Northwest Arkansas! We have Crystal Bridges Museum and hiking and bike trails and a Walmart museum. Yep, Walmart has a museum. Plus, (I know! All that and a plus), we’re not far from Devil’s Den and caves AND you can look for diamonds somewhere around here (there’s always someone on the news that’s found a diamond worth 10s of dollars). Plus (more plus), Eureka Springs is close by (like Goldie suggested) – it’s a quirky little town that’s awesome with a big haunted hotel and a giant neon sign that looks like a penis. AND the Buffalo River is close – it’s beautiful – Whitaker’s Point is amazing. OH and there are a lot of lakes. We live on one and you’re welcome to play on it and kayak and paddle boat. Wow. I should be on the tourism board or something.

  347. Also, if you’re not into crowds, might I suggest North Dakota? I know, I know – but hear me out! Medora is actually really cool in the summer; Teddy Roosevelt National Park has some great hiking/biking trails, and there’s guided trail rides, some interesting shopping & museums, and of course the Medora Musical! It might not be everyone’s dream vacation, but it’s a pretty special place.

  348. We are going to Yellowstone in July. This will probably be my 4th or 5th trip there…and I don’t think it’s not boring. There are tons of animals there that you can see from a car. (They generally don’t beat up your car like in the State Farm commercial.) Then again…it’s not exactly fending off vultures with a machete. (It’s all perspective, as you know.) Then there is Southern Utah with all the parks. (It’s not as hot as Texas or as crowded as some places.) Glacier National Park in Montana sounds like a good place to beat the heat as well.

  349. Montreal, Canada is really cool. They have an amazing botanical garden, inset museum and biodome. I am also a huge fan of key west fl. Water sports, art and amazing blue water. Have fun!

  350. I live in south Louisiana. You can come here and hang with gators, fish, go on swamp tours. The culture is fun and our food is amazing. I suggest it.

  351. Seattle is great. Space Needle, Underground City Tour, Experience Music Project, Waterfront Ferris Wheel, Pike Place Market, Amazing Woodland Park Zoo, lots of green space and open water, great food and genuinely quirky places like Archie McPhee, Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co., and the Fremont Troll (who lives under a bridge, really).

  352. Hall of Fame Tour (Hockey in Toronto; stop in Niagra; Baseball in Cooperstown, NY; stop in Hershey, PA; Football in Canton, OH; and finally, Rock and Roll in Cleveland.) Driving fun in two countries.

  353. Vancouver, BC. Tons of food/drink/art/history/walking/exploring in the city, and lots of nature/wildlife/adventure opportunities just outside. Plus it’s perfect weather in comparison to the sweltering heat and humidity prevalent across most of the US during the summer.

  354. I recommend the US Virgin Islands. No passport needed and it’s beautiful! There are all kinds of activities, historical places, and many different beaches. The resort we stayed at was all inclusive and that was wonderful.

  355. Long Beach Island, New Jersey! It’s old time so the beaches aren’t crowded and there are no major food chains or grocery stores. The beach is super clean. They have rides and stuff on one end and on the other is a light house, which you can climb and get an amazing view! It’s my favorite place in the whole world. Well, in the US anyway lol. There’s a private beach just past the light house where the water is sand bar low and always warm. You can wade pretty far out and still stay only knee deep.There’s a jetty near the light house where I’ve found tons of crabs and once a bright blue an red starfish! I got to hold it and transfer it down to a place where it could get washed back to safety. You can also get hermit crabs if you get up early enough to beach comb (dawn, ugh I know lol). If you want to go to the private beach you’ll have to ask for the directions cuz it’s a secret and I don’t give it up to just anyone! The have the best breakfast place (Chicken or the Egg) as well.. You can google LBI, NJ and get a beach cam view. I just love it.

  357. Rockford, IL..we have the only handicap accesible house built by Frank Lloyd Wright..Anderson Japanese Gardens..Discovery Center for kids..and about an hour and some from Chicago, Madison, and Milwaukee..

  358. I have two recommendations, and one might be on the creepy side. Okay, it really IS on the creepy side.

    First, here’s the non-creep suggestion – Savannah, Georgia. My husband and I got married there on Leap Day 2012. It’s a really fun city! There’s tons of tours, including Ghost Tours where a little paranormal is mixed with history. There’s trolley tours, walking tours, boat tours and whatnot. You can also visit where Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil was filmed (Mercer House), but that was kinda boring because you want them to talk about Jim Williams killing Danny Hansford, but they don’t mention that AT.ALL! Sad, really. There’s also the Bonaventure Cemetery that people visit as a tourist attraction. You’d think all of that makes this the creepy suggestion, but just wait! After our wedding, several people started asking for suggestions on what to do and where to eat in Savannah, so I just created a page to answer a lot of those questions. Here it is!

    And now for the creepy suggestion – Nashville, Tennessee! It’s creepy because I am offering for you, Victor and Hailey to stay with us or dine with us, whichever sounds your flavor of creep. We have references! We have friends and relatives staying with us all the time that we have coined our home The Overstreet Bed and Breakfast or Chateau Alamo (I will explain the Alamo reference if you visit). We have two spare rooms, so there’s plenty of space for you. AND we are getting a new incredibly efficient HVAC system installed TODAY, so the house will be super comfortable by the time you visited. We’ll give you a secret code to the door, so you could come and go as you please. I have also blogged about what to see and do in Nashville that doesn’t involve Country Music here, but don’t judge me for never finishing all 31 Days of Nashville posts. It’s still a great place to visit even if I have less than 31 suggestions.

    I am totally serious. We’re probably your kind of crazy. Probably. Email me if you are interested or have any questions about either suggestion.

  359. We did San Diego last summer and had a blast. We rented a house on Mission Beach, so it was enjoyable just to wake up and go to sleep to the sights, sounds and smells of the ocean. The rental included a couple cruisers, so we were able to bike around the area — including the amusement park nearby. The zoo is awesome, SeaWorld is worth a visit, the museum campus includes great architecture, you’re surrounded by natural beauty and there are multitudes of freaky people lurking about. It’s all pretty affordable, too.

  360. Go to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Lots to do (Kitty Hawk, plenty of historical sights and forts, Blackbeards old house in Beaufort NC, and great aquariums) and great beaches for relaxing. Plus you can take a mini day trip and drive to Williamsburg VA.

  361. Amalah seemed to really like bluefields (I think that’s the name). I’d go if I could!

  362. Yellowstone, all the way! It’s like visiting another planet, what with all of the geysers and hot springs, so Hailey will be happy. Or go to the Badlands, which have the added benefit of you being able to say you went to the Badlands (but be aware that Wall Drug’s ice water is a sore disappointment. It isn’t icy AT ALL.)

  363. I agree with some of the other comments about the Pacific Northwest. It is a great break from the summer heat of Texas. The temperatures are still pretty good though – typically in the 70s. Seattle; Mt. Rainier or the Olympic rain forest if you want outdoors; Portland. The Oregon Coast is also great.

    If you’re feeling international, hop across the border to Canada. Both Victoria and Vancouver have fun stuff to do. Crossing the border can be a wait though, so it’s something to consider.

  364. My two cents-Portland, Oregon really is fun. It is a pretty city, lots of hiking opportunity, some fun tours (I suggest the underground tour for sure), a few hours from the beach if you want to go for the day, an hour from the mountain for camping…also the biggest book store you will ever see.

    I can also recommend northern Virginia. It is gorgeous, although hot and humid…but you can check out part of the Appalachian Trail, hike through caverns, play on the Shenandoah, visit Washington DC. And wineries, lots and lots of those here. Also, you can come visit me in MY bookstore. Just a thought… 🙂

  365. Prince Edward Island, Canada. That’s where the Anne of Green Gables museum is along with tons of other fun things to do.

  366. Back in 2005 we took a tour of Texas. We picked cities/towns to go to/drive through and looked up cool things to do in those places. Why not pick a state and explore it?

  367. Sanibel Island, off the coast of Fort Meyer FL. Dolphins swam right up to us every day while playing in the surf. We took a kayak out on a nature preserve and saw several Manatees and Dolphins, and Crabs up close. TONS of shells to find on the beaches. Bike ride around the island. We also took an evening sightseeing cruise around the nature preserve and saw countless marine birds, manatees, dolphins and one alligator! Most spectacular thing is there were no crowds and it was a quiet relaxing, but fun time.

  368. I went on a cruise once to the virgin islands. Saw Antigua, St. Thomas, and Tortola. Didn’t go on very many excursions but still did a lot! Pretty beaches and lots of interesting island tours. Went snorkeling and there were a lot of markets for shopping. There was also tons to do on the ship.

  369. I took my son to Pigeon Forge (and Dollywood) when he was about nine – he claims that was the best vacation EVER; particularly the family-friendly comedy show (“Mom, I’m laughing so hard I think I’m gonna throw up!!).

    Unfortunately, it’s pretty crowded.

  370. Galapagos was my favorite place ever. We got to snorkel with penguins and iguanas and everything you looked at was beautiful.

  371. Best family vacation in the US was D.C. We drove up from Atlanta and stopped at Williamsburg and also the Maritime Museum in Norfolk. We also hit Asheville North Carolina, all great fun for families with kids. Chicago is a blast also if you want city, museums, the lake, beach, etc. We also had a great time on Amelia Island. My kids did not like Savannah, but I loved it! Have FUN!

  372. I would also tell you Colorado for all of the previously listed reasons, but mainly because I’d love to see you blog about a trip to the place where I live. I’m sure nobody else wrote their suggestion that way, though, so it should be fine! You could also be Teaching Mom and choose something significant to Hailey’s curriculum next year – visiting Washington, D.C. or Jamestown or Boston. You could piggy-back a cruise to the Bahamas on one of those East Coast things if you can stand to be on a ship.

  373. Colonial Williamsburg/Jamestown, and you can hit Busch Gardens while you’re there. Fun AND educational. And ladies in old fashioned clothes.

  374. Asheville, NC. Zipline at Navitat, raft on the Nantahala, slide down Sliding Rock, take spectacular hikes around Mount Mitchell, eat lots of delicious food, drink lots of craft beer, shop at the Antiques Tobacco Barn, frolick downtown, it’s all there. The Obamas love it. Why wouldn’t you?

  375. New Zealand! Can’t beat it, it’s spendy to get there, but it’s SO COOL. And 5 days is PERFECT.

  376. The Bravo Coast in Spain. I spent 10 days in Lloret de Mar during spring of 1988 and it was awesome. I don’t know how crowded it would be in the summer though.

  377. Las Vegas, Baby. Avoid the casinos of course, but take in some great shows, see the Hoover Damn, the Valley of Fire, Oatman, AZ (an old mining town that has some great tourist things to do) Drive down to Laughlin and take a river taxi on the Colorado River, see Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden and all kinds of nifty things.

  378. I think you should come visit the Shoals in Alabama. The end of July is a week long music festival (W.C.Handy Music Festival, if you wanna look it up) all over town. Yes, there are some crowds, but it’s easy to hang at the edge without missing anything. And most of the events are free. Our if you don’t like music festivals, there’s all sort of water activities alk the time, Helen Keller’s birthplace and museum, and lots of local restaurants that are awesome!

  379. Savannah is a fun destination, lots of history there and carriage and trolly rides around town.
    Yellowstone is fun if you’re up for hiking and stopping every time you see anything move in the woods to get a picture of ALL THE ANIMALS!! It’s a thing there. We did Yellowstone over 4 days by visiting a different section of the park each day, the altitude means you get winded easier being a below-sea-level-Texas (as am I). This means you do the park in the am and then visit the town you’re staying in that evening. BOOK NOW because it fills up. You can also drive to Jackson Hole, WY which is just as pretty and fun to hang out in. Antlers EVERYWHERE. There are places to fish and swim in Yellowstone and there are prettier and less crowded erupting geysers than Old Faithful. Also there is a viewing deck to watch Old do her thing and it’s less crowded. They also have guided tours in antique buses, steaming mud pots, the prettiest vats of death you’ll ever see, and some of the smelliest places on earth.

  380. you can rent a house on Cape Cod, walk to the beach (that would be a private beach so it’s not too crowded), rent bikes, etc…. then zip up to Boston for a couple days, there is a hotel right next to the aquarium where we stayed so that a LOT of things are in walking distance and we did not use our car at all. A good mix of hanging out and city stuff.

  381. Maybe Hailey meant Jupiter, Florida, which used to be the winter home of carnies and circus folk. Which sounds like your kind of town. 😉 If I had to pick for you, I’d say a dude ranch. Not too many people, lots of animals and wide open spaces.

  382. Hawaii, stay at one of the out of the way resorts and book the adventure tours to the site.

  384. Update I FB-ed you links to my Yellowstone and Jackson Hole trip so you can see some of what there is to do around there.

  385. Yellowstone is not boring there are lots of hikes and walking trails, plus it looks like it could be on a different planet with the geysers. There is also Grand Teton National Park near there too which is has breath taking mountain views. Plus buffalo are cool. Another beautiful place is Yosemite.

  386. Iceland. It is light all the time, but your hotel has dark shades if you want them. You can take a day trip to see geysers and hot springs, they have a giant greenhouse because they don’t have much of a growing season. They have this place called the Blue lagoon that is a thermal cooling pond and it is simply amazing. There is a fantastic history museum. Trips to see the mid Atlantic ridge on the land. Less than 400,000 people live there. Great place for someone with depression (all the light) in the summer. It was simply the most amazing place. And Stockholm in Sweden is beautiful as well.

  387. Most of the above suggestions really need longer than 4-5 days, but I’ll second San Diego, the Big Sur/San Francisco area, the Mount Desert Island area of Maine, or the Virginia/North Carolina shore. Oceans help to moderate summer temperatures.

    Yellowstone wouldn’t be boring, but in a week or so it will become incredibly crowded: traffic jams, swarms around the geysers etc. Sadly, the same is true of many of the major national parks during summer vacation. We love the National Parks system and have been to dozens, but either choose someplace more off the beaten track for summer (e.g. Lassen) or go in the off-season.

  388. Yosmite will be busy and there is a forever wait list to get a camp ground. I suggest Colorado and Utah. National Arches or the Rocky Mountains . Tons of hiking and it’s not crazy hot.

  389. Go to Pacerville Calif and shop for antiques, then go to San Francisco to the Castro, it is amazing and will give you things to write about for years to come. I live in Utah, and its really boring here so I don’t recomend a trip here

  390. If you go to yellowstone make sure and get Missing 411-Western United States & Canada: Unexplained Disappearances of North Americans that have never been solved Paperback
    by David Paulides. A lot have happened in major parks. That way you could (besides grizzly bears) add that edgy feel to the trip. 🙂

  393. I just got back from Portland OR and fell absolutely IN LOVE – tons of great places to eat, neat shops to check out, the most beautiful rose gardens and the most Authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan. (I saw that Powell’s books was mentioned as well and that place is a book lovers DREAM!) – spend a couple days there and then drive the 3.5 hours to Vancouver BC. The weather is great and the city is extremely walkable. SUPER COOL science centre that you can access via a TINY FERRY BOAT and lots of other great things to do (including a beautiful aquarium). I believe there is also an air rope course you can check out on your way between the two! We Canadians are a friendly bunch and would welcome you with open arms 🙂

  394. This isn’t exactly what you’re asking for, but something tells me you’d love Roadside America (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/) for short day trips. Full of odd and unusual… well, roadside attractions all over the country. I recently tracked down the Bike-Eating Tree on Vashon Island, Washington (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/1412).

    Otherwise, I’ll nth the suggestion to visit the Pacific Northwest (I live in Seattle); the Oregon coast is extraordinary, and the Olympic Peninsula rainforest is amazing,

    I’ll also join Julie You Jest in suggesting west/northwest Arkansas (I grew up in Mena). Beautiful country, lots to see and do, college town of Fayetteville, plus going further south to Hot Springs or east to Eureka Springs.

  395. Niagara Falls and Toronto. It’s laid back, but not boring. And all hu-mons should see Niagara Falls – it is awesomesauce!

  396. North Shore – Lake Superior – Minnesota. Beautiful. Lots to do. You can camp by a water fall or stay in a gorgeous resort or a intimate cabin in the woods. History, museums, great good, tours, trails and happiness.

  397. Yellowstone is beautiful and far from boring. The number of wild animals in your path is amazing plus beauty of the natural hot springs. Jackson Hole is a tourist trappy but worth a stop and then you drive by the Grand Tetons (boobs). It takes a surprisingly long time to get from one end of the park to the other. On the way to Wyoming, stop in Colorado Springs and check out the Garden of the Gods.

  399. Iceland – and looks like I’m not the first person to suggest it…

  400. Yellowstone is one of my favorite places in the country. There are so many activities and day hikes, not to mention it is just gorgeous through and through. I highly recommend it. We easily filled 3 days at Yellowstone for our honeymoon.

  401. Since this is about your kiddo, and she wants to go to Jupiter, why not head down to NASA in Houston, TX. After a day walking around rockets and space suits you can head down to Big Bend National Park to play with snakes and gators, or head northeast to the Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs, AR. They also have an IQ Zoo and a ton of things to see up and down Central Avenue.

  403. When I was a kid we went to a dude ranch. (Do they still exist?) Housing was a motel-like room for me, my parents and siblings, with a pool. Activities included horseback riding, which was awesome. I’m biased ‘cus I won the talent competition one night by singing Somewhere Over The Rainbow but humble because I remember being the only entrant.

  404. I’d suggest Colonial Williamsburg. There’s lots of fun tours and stuff there, plus Busch Gardens & the water park whose name I can’t remember. Yorktown & Jamestown are in the same area & are excellent. You might also check out the “Lost Colony” in Roanoke (thelostcolony.org) and see if you can catch a showing. It’s a bit of a drive from Colonial Williamsburg, but I’ve heard it’s an excellent program.

  405. Yosemite is without a doubt the most impressive place I’ve ever been. Mind, I was there in October, between the summer crown and the snow, but, still.

    There’s a place you can stand and look down like a mile, too.

    I also enjoyed Niagara Falls far more than I thought I would.

    And, hey, Boston (looks around) is pretty good too — walkable, target-rich, and different from where you are.

    Have a great trip, wherever you decide.

  408. Washington DC. Smithsonian, other great museums. Fun place to visit for a few days.

  409. What about San Francisco? I realize that sound almost immediately the same as CROWDS and PEOPLE, but I remember a visit from when I was in elementary school and we stayed in Petaluma outside the city. Quiet, relaxing town, but with easy access to do things like visit Alcatraz. On the opposite of that spectrum, I fully enjoyed Williamsburg and could see that as a good spot for your family as well.

  410. Come to western South Dakota. We’ve got several national park units, plus an awesome state park and several other touristy things in the Black Hills. And you have to come to Badlands National Park to see the buttes and fossils (but I’m biased because I live there-and planned the new exhibits on one of the trails).

  411. Jasper, Alberta, Canada! Bears, elk, no big crowds, easy hikes, whitewater rafting, lots of other great activities too!

  412. Seattle? EMP, SciFi Museum, coffee, Chihuly…also there are ferries and if you drive a little further north, gorgeous coastline and little towns to explore. Plus, the weather is nice there.

  413. I would avoid the whole cruise thing. There is nothing more anxiety inducing than the fact that you are on a boat with thousands of people and you have NO CONTROL.
    I’d avoid Yellowstone in summer. Mackinac Island has always sounded delightful to me, but I have no idea what crowds are like in the summer. Door County, WI is fun. But, I’d really recommend you go to The House on the Rock in Wisconsin—which is nowhere near Door County. Not crowded, you’d love it, it is the collections of all collections of oddities and not so oddities. You could also visit the Circus Museum in Baraboo, WI. There are good campgrounds, hiking, biking, fishing and boating in that general vicinity.

    I’d avoid Florida theme parks in the summer. Cape Canaveral/Cocoa beach can provide a variety of outdoor activities and tours.
    If you like the Little House books, you could always do The Little House on the Prairie pilgrimage.

  414. Last Summer we went to Lake Tahoe, and that was our best vacation ever. Best of both worlds: beach activities + mountain stuff. Hiking, boating, amazing hot air balloon ride over the lake, trout fishing, just a great place to take the kids. We stayed in the non-casino part ( North Shore, I think). My kids, ages 9, 11 keep asking to go back. Everything is just so beautiful out there ( I live in Dallas, so the natural beauty of Tahoe was such a lovely change to our normal life of cement & heat.

  415. Hwy 101 down the Oregon Coast, it is amazing!! Lots to do for kids and adults(Hiking to waterfalls, Astoria – where they shot ‘The Goonies’, WWII forts, sea lion caves, bookstores, riding ATV’s in sand dunes) awesome beaches(not all long sand beaches, there is beautiful rocky beaches and coves) Great food in each little town. I did this trip for my honeymoon 10 years ago and now am going to take our son back this fall, can’t wait!

  416. My sister and I will be going on a road trip this summer from SoCal to the Grand Canyon and then to the Four Corners Monument.
    I know it will be hot as hell, but we love road trips!

  418. Yukon Territory, Canada. You can hike mountains, swim lakes, visit glaciers. See bears, moose, and other assorted wildlife. Go our tours, ride the train to Skagway. Trust me, nobody you know has vacationed here! And I will even have you over for a non-weird BBQ. You can pet my cat.

  419. Driving up the PCH from San Diego to Seattle is a blast! Tons of cool places to stop along the way and both end cities are super rad!

  420. Go to Sunriver in Bend Oregon. They have two really great pools (SHARC and Mavericks) and an underground lava tube you can hike, and white water rafting (which sounds more dangerous than it really is) and tubing and you can go up Mt. Bachelor and all the houses have bikes and you can ride around the neighborhood and the area has really great beer! You can get a house for a week and take family/friends. Ours had a hot tub too. And the deer there are really fuzzy.

  422. I love Beaufort, NC. Cute little town with beaches, fun stores, and boat rides/tours. You can go kayaking or even horseback riding on the beach! Plus awesome little ma & pa seafood places (try mullet, it’s amazing (They have an annual Mullet Festival, and I was super bummed to hear it’s not for the hairstyle))

    It’s also just a few miles from the Outer Banks, so there are plenty of things to do there if you tire of small town beach life. Hope you have a great vacation, wherever you end up!

  423. Newfoundland – because I think you’d like the natural landscape plus newbies should give you enough material for 2 more books. Prince Edward Island is gorgeous. You could see Green Gables!

  424. Have you considered Charleston SC? It is different from the rest of our uber-conservative state in that you have history, the ocean, shopping, architecture, culture, art, and food!! Beautiful city, friendly people, and lots to do.

  425. Park City, Utah! Hiking, biking, horseback riding, zip lining, beautiful scenery, great shopping and restaurants, no crowds – it’s perfect! And you actually can get a drink in Utah! And maybe even another wife. . . just kidding. They frown on that.

  426. Come to San Diego! We have a kick ass zoo, and an aquarium. There are several theme parks with in an hour-ish drive. During the week there are less crowds. There are gorgeous beaches! Some have nifty cliffs, and tide pools, and one is even full of sea lions. You can drive up the coast. There are the prettiest sun sets I have ever in my life witnessed, and I’m sure I’m missing some things, but we have only been here 6 months, and I am in love with this beautiful city! And if your feeling nervous you can come hide in my bathroom! I have booze! 🙂

  427. definitely western Colorado. There is Glenwood Springs with its pools, caverns, etc. Come on over more west and explore mining towns, ride horses, hike, sample the wines at the local vineyards, pop in to the Montrose Library and see some of your biggest fans……

  428. I have to second (third/fourth/whatever) New Orleans. As long as you don’t go to the French Quarter at night, no problem with crowds. There are tons of great museums, restaurants, bookstores, and just nice places to walk around. And I think you would really love to take some of the ghost tours they have. The one downside is that it is going to be hot.

  429. Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Devil’s Tower, and the Mammoth Site. Oh! And Dinosaur Park.

  430. Jenny!! If you have a passport, consider going to Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico – it is amazing. And before you decide that it’s too much hassle because it’s probably ages away – it’s totally not. You’re looking at a couple of hours from Texas, and it is SO WORTH IT. I spent several months studying there and the atmosphere is incredibly laid back and accepting, there are always crafts to do or tours to go on, and it doesn’t feel touristy.

    You could go hiking (and please be aware that I am among the laziest of the lazy, so this is not an intense hike, it’s more of an uphill stroll) in the cloud forest in Ixtlan, go swimming at Hierve el Agua, or visit the coast of Huatulco and spend some time at a sea turtle sanctuary before watching wild horses run around.

    I sound like an advertisement, but I’m really not – I just desperately love Oaxaca and want awesome people like you to experience how amazing it is. I have major issues with my anxiety and depression, and I’ve never felt more accepted and supported than when I lived in Oaxaca.

    Also I’m available as a tour guide. My verbal Spanish is mediocre, but I smile and giggle a lot and, frankly, I feel like being friendly counts for a lot. 😉

  432. Yellowstone is awesome (emphasis on the “awe”)! I was there last year and it was definitely NOT boring! The bison look as big as dinosaurs when they walk by!

  433. Yellowstone is AWESOME! I don’t know what’s “kid friendly” as we went before we had kids, but there’s lots of walking involved. Gear up!

  434. Take Hailey to Lake Powell! You can rent a small boat, jet skies, or even a house boat for a few days to travel from Arizona to Utah. Visit the Rainbow Bridge. My kids still talk about it.

  435. St Louis! You will have so much fun and it’s economical and doesn’t require advanced reservations for activities. There’s the City Museum – everything inside is reused or recycled from the airplane playground on the roof to the mosaic tiles on the floors. It has a bar in it too. It’s a whole day activity, and so totally worth it. While you’re in the heart of the city, you can visit the Arch and go to the top for a panoramic view of the city and the Mississippi River. There are fun and historical riverboat cruises available om the Mississippi. Forest Park isn’t far from downtown and holds most of the museums in the city (history, art, science, and the world famous zoo) and admission is free (except for special exhibits). The Hill has great restaurants, and so does Dogtown. There’s shopping at Union Station, a renovated train station, on Market Street, and the flashy and fun Lumiere Place for entertainment, dining, and gambling. Plus, there’s Busch Stadium and the much loved city favorite St Louis Cardinals baseball. There’s so much to do and see there, and it’s one of the nation’s family-friendliest cities.

  436. Okay, NOT NEW YORK. I live there (here) and it’s hot and smells like a lovely combo of spoiled milk, vomit and urine all summer long. And it’s crowded and New Yorkers are EXTRA cranky in the heat. Just….no.
    I STRONGLY recommend the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado. You can rent a cabin (ask for a recently renovated one) for a ridiculously low price. 2 hours from the Denver airport, INCREDIBLY beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park literally out the back door. This place is huuuuuge because it’s sprawled out on the side of a mountain. Not only does the place have its own post office, it has its own zip code. TONS of activities to do (even a large crafts building, you can do just about any crafty crap you might like), indoor pool, hikes and horseback rides (and good ones at that, the horses are fit and healthy and the trails are amazing!), night activities, their own library, movie nights, family stuff out the ying/yang…but not crowded, not busy, never overwhelming. And the town of Estes Park is just fantastic. Wildlife everywhere; elk, deer, coyotes etc. etc.
    Website here: http://www.ymcarockies.org.

  437. I highly HIGHLY recommend going to http://www.roadsideamerica.com and looking up weird stuff that’s near wherever you’re going. I hesitate to post, because you’re BOUND to already know about it, coz that’s where all the cool stuff is. Hot Springs Arkansas doesn’t sound like a hot deal, but they have a Big Tesla Coil and Tiny Town . Austin TX has so much cool stuff, you should go look it up. Enjoy!

  438. Yellowstone, Hawaii (Kauai), Vancouver BC. But I read all the above, and Croatia sounds fabulous! Look it up on pinterest! Also check out Dude ranches around Yellowstone, and If you go to yellowstone, Jackson Hole WY is great.

  439. I lived there for a year rather than vacationed, but Tucson, Arizona is a great place to go. Things to see and do include the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (probably my favorite natural history museum ever), Saguaro National Park (a forest of cacti!), Mt. Lemmon/Summerhaven/Sabino Canyon, the Tohono O’odham reservation, Old Tucson Studios, Biosphere 2, and (about an hour away) Tombstone. Also try to go see THE THING? on I-10 if you can. And that’s just for starters!

    All that said, Tucson in high summer is not the best place to be, alas.

  440. The Bay Area in CA is a perfect 4 or 5 day trip. Two-Three days in San Francisco, drive route 1 to the ocean and Half Moon Bay, go up the coast to see the Redwoods, and spend a day or so in Yosemite. Gorgeous and very relaxed.

  441. the florida keys. charter a deep sea fishing trip. thank me later.

  443. One of our favorite vacations when my son was Hailey’s age was a trip to Denver and around the Rockies. We stayed in little cabins and B&Bs around Boulder and Estes Park. We did a very easy rafting trip and little train ride through the Royal Gorge in Canyon City. We spent a night at Breckenridge, where we found plenty of warm-weather family fun.

  444. I love to go to Central Oregon (Bend, Sunriver, etc.) You can go to Crater Lake and to Lava Caves and ancient beds of obsidian and raft down the river and there don’t seem to be big crowds.

    I don’t know whether you’ll find any animals to hang with except deer.

  445. Puerto Rico! The easiest way to do the Caribbean – all the food and drinking water meets US federal guidelines.

    Activities: hiking to waterfalls then swimming in the pools underneath; rainforest hikes; surfing (west coast); night-time kayaking in bioluminescent waters (on Vieques, an island off the east coast); exploring the old forts in San Juan.

  446. Sarasota fl . nightlife for mom and dad, great restaraunts and hotels .siesta key is the #1 beach in the usa . gwiz is cool for the kids, mote marine, not too far from Disney and universal and all that. Google it.

  447. I love, love, love St Augustine FL. Beautiful oldest city. So much history. It is on the haunted side. Many, many things to do. Ghost tours, a beautiful lighthouse, Flagler College with the gorgeous Tiffany windows in the dining hall. So much to do there. Plus the Pirates! I just love that city!

  449. Maui, Hawaii. Lots of excursions (snorkeling, great aquarium, sunset cruise, shopping, the volcano, the road to Hana, lurking around the condo that is supposed to be owned by Oprah – yes, that Oprah) to sign up for, not crowded, you can send Hailey and Victor off to do stuff if you feel like just sitting on the beach. I rented a condo, we ate breakfast and either lunch or dinner at the condo and ate out once a day. Rent a Mustang convertible to drive. You will be in heaven.

  451. MInnesota!! We have the world’s largest ball of twine! Maybe you could invite Nathan Fillion? lol

  452. Kauai! It’s the prettiest of the Hawaiian Islands but it isn’t crowded at all and there are tons of things to do. We went whale watching and zip lining and snorkeling and we went to a luau. But there are also atv rides and underwater cave exploring and surf lessons and great places to hike. Plus laying on the beach is always fun.

  453. The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan: An endless museum of a gazillion things and a city set in yesteryear: http://www.thehenryford.org/

    Then, nearby is Detroit. What? Detroit you say? If you want something unique, try the Urban Exploration “Ruin Tours” https://roadtrippers.com/blog/urban-exploration-tours-bringing-droves-of-tourists-to-detroit-ruins & https://www.facebook.com/ParkerCreativePhotography

    Also, Detroit is home of the original Coney Dog (a must have!) for close to 100 years: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-01/detroit-s-coney-island-hot-dog-is-edible-solace-for-bruised-city.html

    How about lots of kitties? Well, okay, you can catch a fantastic Detroit Tigers game, too! It’s beautiful there! http://ih0.redbubble.net/image.6324828.6913/flat,550×550,075,f.jpg & http://static.squarespace.com/static/511992e4e4b084d1d0b0e149/t/5254bddbe4b07386c544c6fb/1381285358961/Tiger%20outside%20of%20stadium.JPG

    The famous Greektown is walking distance (fantastic food), smoke-filled casinos within walking distance, and the forever gorgeous Fox Theatre across the street from Tiger Stadium: http://www.olympiaentertainment.com/fox-theatre …. and much, much more. The people are great!

    I heart Detroit!

  454. Holy shit woman do NOT go to Yellowstone if crowds freak you out. We were there last summer and there was literally 10 billion people there (incorrect use of literally, but really just barely.) That is not the place to go if you want to be away from people. Also, I cannot believe the number of people telling you to go to Yellowstone in these comments. It makes me feel like I imagined the 20’x20′ campsite, huge crowd of people pushing me and the kids into a fence to see the Old Faithful, and ridiculously crowded bathrooms, hiking trails, and roads. Of course, I live in a rural town with a population of like 20 so maybe my definition of a crowd is different than most others. Speaking of which…. the East Coast has some incredible places to visit. The beaches can get crowded but there’s deep sea fishing, lobster boat tours and clam bakes that are so much fun. Massachusettes is probably my favorite state in the country… even though I live like 2000 miles away from there.

  455. Come to Oregon! You can have a city feel without huge crowds in Portland. Also, the mountains and the ocean are just a short drive away! We have a little bit of everything…and we’re weird, too. 😉

  456. Only 3 hours from Albuquerque, high in the Rocky Mountains of New Mexico is Chama. It is central to elk habitats and clear rivers. Wildlife roams through town while the Milky Way is visible above. Chama is surrounded by a national forest making it an outdoor enthusiasts dream! River Rafting, hiking, and camping are all available and ride on the historic Cumbres & Toltec Scenic [Steam] Railroad. Be sure to check out Corkins lodge (www.corkinslodge.com) which boasts a perfect view of the Brazos Cliffs.
    Two hours east of Albuquerque on I-40 is Santa Rosa, a town along Historic Route 66 that offers a range of excellent period dining options (try the Silver Moon Cafe or the Sun & Sand Restaurant), beautiful historic architecture (churches, Wild West era stone buildings, unique cemeteries, and amazing gardens / landscapes featuring abundant Desert Bird of Paradise trees, Juniper, and Pinon). The Town is particularly famous for the “Blue Hole”, an artesian, bell-shaped lake with crystal-clear blue water. The “Blue Hole” is popular for fishing, boating, scuba diving, jet skiing, and wind surfing

  458. Yellowstone is the coolest place in this country. There are plenty of non-tourist trails where you might be able to sneak up on a moose or get eaten by a bear. If you like that kind of thing, which I do. My husband was walking a quiet trail one morning to go get coffee at a lodge and a a bison wandered out in front of him. WTH is that going to happen? And I took an early morning walk down a road in the woods and a wolf turned the corner and nearly ran into me. Best. Vacation. Ever. Plus, there are scary hot springs – have Victor read “Death in Yellowstone”. That place is so not boring.

  459. There is a wolf sanctuary in Colorado that my friend and I hope to visit soon. It sounds amazing and Hailey is old enough to take part. Check out this link: http://www.wolfeducation.org/

    After that, you could go see other beautiful places in Colorado and maybe visit Bad Astronomer.

  461. I came on here because I thought “Holy shit, Jenny is actually asking her readers for suggestions, this is going to be pee my pants funny” … but everyone is being serious!

    I would second New Zealand, but then I’ve just moved here so I think it’s magical.

    You do live in one of the most picturesque countries in the world though – how about a road trip taking in some of these?

    http://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/north-america/The-2013-Adventure-Bucket-List.html

  462. Edinburgh! Seriously. Spending a week there changed our lives. (Obviously.) There are castles, hiking, haunted graveyards and ghost tours. You read that, right? Ghost. Tours. Oh, and men in kilts.

  463. My wife and I spent last summer travelling all over these United States, and we’d like to add our vote for Hawaii. We only soent two days on Oahu, but it was magical! we rented a Jeep, drove around the island, visited the Dole Plantation (Dole Whips FTW!) hiked in the rain forrst, went up into Diamondhead, visited Pearl Harbor, and had dinner at Disney Aulani. We statyed at the Hilton Waikiki, and had an amazing view from the Rainbow Tower. Got a great package on travelocity. I know that whatever y’all decide to do, will be an amazing adventure!

  464. In Southern Alberta, Canada there is this museum http://gopherholemuseum.ca/ it’s all stuffed gophers dressed in different dioramas, like playing hockey and building a snow man. No crowds there! There’s also the badlands, hoodoos, Royal Tyrrell Museum (yay dinosaurs!), mountains and such in that area too.

  465. Iceland- gorgeous vistas, glaciers hikes, boat rides to see puffins, no crowds, blue lagoon, ice on a beach! Coolest ever. I’ve been to Alaska too and Iceland is similar yet completely different!

  466. We just took an amazing trip to Arizona/Southern Utah: Lake Havasu –> Grand Canyon –> Page, AZ (rafting on the Colorado River and Antelope Canyon) –> Bryce Canyon –> Zion. Probably the best family vacation we’ve ever done. Wish we had a little more time. I would have loved to add in Arches as well.

    Next up for us is Yellowstone, but I second the person that mentioned you have to plan WELL in advance for this one. Every hotel room within the park is sold out and nearly everything in outlying areas is booked as well.

  467. I agree with the drive up the Pacific Coast Highway. Lots to do and see and it’s just beautiful.

  468. I’m going to add my votes for: Hawaii (I loved Kauai, it’s the “Garden Island” and has fewer tourists, on average, than the others, and if you stay on the north shore by Hanalei you can be where the tour buses can’t go. 🙂 )
    Alberta/BC Banff/Jasper areas. Lots of beautiful scenery, things that you can find to do along the way and tours out ONTO glaciers.
    Also, while I love the Seattle area, I would recommend it only if you want to do things like Leavenworth (Faux Bavarian village in the Cascades), Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, or go to the Olympic Rainforest. I wouldn’t recommend hitting Seattle then Victoria, because I suspect that you would feel overwhelmed with the people. (I know that my anxiety gets bad when I spend too much time in Seattle proper). So I would recommend making sure you’ve got things booked outside of town too.
    The California Coastal highway is awesome, and if you drive along it, make sure to wander over to St Juan Batiste (Or something close to that) for a really cool little mission town that almost no one tells you to see. Thanks to the Air BnB host that I had, I stopped in there, and it was awesome). Also, if you do this, you could spend a day in San Fran doing all sorts of tours/touristy stuff, then hit wine country on your way north for some tastings, maybe manage to hit Windsor in time for one of their Thursday farmer’s markets that also includes live music (Crowds of about 100-200), and the petrified forest for fun and flavor.

    Basically, I love exploring areas that aren’t too crowded overall, with maybe a hint of urban or tours along the way, so I think that any of those should suit your needs as well. 🙂 Good luck!!

  469. Well, if being chased and killed by wild animals and exploding things from the ground is boring, then yeah, Yellowstone might be boring. Not to mention the cat fights amongst the tourists…I recommend Seattle. You can to Pike Place every day, and see the science fiction museum and the space needle, and Victor could go see a baseball game if he’s into that sort of thing, and there are boating tours and whale watching, and you can go to the little islands and see where the lepers lived.

  470. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan, along the shore of Lake Superior from Copper Harbor (at the tip of the Keewenaw Peninsula) to the tip of Whitefish Point. It’s wild and beautiful and quiet and exciting and has a culture all its own. Oh, and several really great microbreweries along the way!

  471. Oh!! Seriously, didn’t think of it, but if Scotland is in the picture, definitely do Edinburgh and Stirling at least. If you can manage it get up by Loch Ness/Inverness. It is worth it!

  472. Rydin hy ranch in Warrensburg. Still can’t figure out why I enjoy it but I think its active and relaxing. Also Maine,New Hampshire/Vermont. Beautiful and plenty to do.

  473. Sanibel Island, Florida! My favorite place ever. It’s a wonderful little island that even during peak season isn’t crowded. You can rent cottages right on the beach and they’re rather affordable! Last time I went I went kayaking at Tarpon Bay and then on a different day went to Cayo Costa island on a boat with only one other family and we had run of an entire undeveloped island for half the day! Lots of great places to eat, wildlife sanctuary, tons of beaches. It’s fantastic! Stay on the gulf coast side!

  474. Costa Rica. Rain forests. Beaches. Poisonous frogs (warning: don’t touch the frogs). Monkeys. Volcano. Horse back riding in rain forests or on beaches. Butterflies. Costa Rica has everything. Plus 2 for 1 Tequila Sunsets.

  475. I have done a lot of foreign travel, but if I had my way I’d spend every summer vacation up around Traverse City, Michigan. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is breathtaking, you can go for a sail on the tall ship Manitou (they have an afternoon ice cream cruise!), the national cherry festival in July, more quaint bed and breakfast places than you’ve ever seen, great food, and it’s wine country. Heaven.

  476. We are spending a month just south of Rosarito Mx. It cracks me up that so many people are scared to come across the border when there are many fun and exotic things to do that are unusual and relatively inexpensive. Think about it!

  477. I’d recommend Milwaukee or even Madison, up here in Wisconsin. Not as large cities, but still plenty to do. Both cities have amazing children’s museums, outdoor activities if you like them, and are within driving distance of interesting things such as The House on the Rock, Cave of the Mounds, and lots of other things. There’s also Wisconsin Dells, which is also awesome. Waterparks, the Ducks, ski shows, you name it.

  479. Ignore all others. (Unless they suggested what I’m about to). New Hampshire. Also, Maine. Cool, not cold, blueberries, lobster, refreshing, beautiful, cheap and awesome. Email me if you want the specifics – but I don’t want it to get ruined by too many people. Also, Moose taxidermy.

  480. ARIZONA! We have the Grand Canyon, Sedona, deserts, lakes, mountains, big cities, whatever you want! (Not to mention the amazing food!) :o)

  481. Yellowstone is awesome but there will probably be a gazillion people there. My husband and I just got back from Charleston, NC and it was fantastic. Great food, plantations, African-American history, great people. We also spent time in Asheville, NC and went to the Biltmore Estate which was incredible.

  482. Iceland. Gorgeous natural scenery, Icelandic ponies, everyone speaks English, super easy to get around. Can charge everything so no changing money issues. Lots of daylight in the summer! I don’t even like the outdoor and LOVED Iceland.

  483. Glenwood Springs, Colorado. There’s a cute amusement park on top of the mountain, which includes caves, you can play in the Colorado River, visit the historic town, take a day trip to Fruita and Colorado National Monument, which is amazing, and even go on to Arches National Park in Utah if you’re crazy and adventurous, and you can still come back to civilization and air conditioning, feeling impressed by nature.

  484. Go to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. It’s a hidden Victorian mountain town that has cave tours, awesome food, hot springs, a wildlife refuge, and musical jamborees. You can stay in either tree houses or hobbit caves. You can go fishing/swimming in Beaver Lake. It’s the best place on earth.

  485. Keep in mind that its rainy/humid/hot/hurricane season in Florida, Central America and the Carribean in the summer. Ever been to the Virgin Islands in June and have it rain all week? I have. Pass on that adventure.

    I’ve been to Sedona a lot because we have family there and frankly, after one day, its boring. Plus the prettiest parts (off of 89 between Sedona and Flagstaff) had horrible wildfires in May and I’m not sure how pretty they are right now.

    You cannot go wrong with Central or Northern California. We just got back. Stayed in Pacific Grove between Monterrey and Carmel. See Big Sur…it’s magnificent. You could fly into LA and fly home from San Jose or vice versa. That would be a good 4-5 day trip.

    The island of Kauai in Hawaii is one of my top four favorite places on this earth. Trust me. I worked for the airlines for 23 years.

  486. Also, there is a legit haunted motel ( that my Grandma worked at when she was a teenager ). Check out the Crescent Hotel on T.A.P.S.

  487. Canadian Rockies are amazing. Stunning mountains, glaciers, wildlife, beautiful glacial lakes, hiking, Banff/Lake Louise. and you can tack on visits to Calgary/Edmonton. Not crowded or stressful.

  488. I join the 2,428,785 people who suggested Maine — Acadia and Bar Harbor to be precise. I just hope to hell they aren’t there when I am.

  489. Not helpful but disney disney and more disney! It’s my favorite place on earth. No better vacation in my humble opinion 🙂

  490. I took a solo vacation to New Mexico a couple of years ago and it was the best thing I’ve ever done. There’s a little train that goes between the cities that is super cheap (I went from Albuquerque to Santa Fe for $9, and there were hardly any other passengers). I hiked in canyons with petroglyphs, I went up the Sandia Peak Tramway, I shopped in the square in Santa Fe and visited a ton of amazing old chapels/missions, I took a little tour with a handful of nice elderly people, I just did everything I could find to do (including hiding in my hotel room when I got overwhelmed). It was also very affordable. I went to the zoo in Albuquerqua and discovered I could see the zoo, botanic gardens, and aquarium all for $9 (half price with my Seattle zoo membership). There’s an adorable little train that goes between the sites, too, that is just relaxing and delightful. Nothing I did there was crowded at all. The zoo had a ton of random ducks, and I saw a road runner out in the wild on one my hikes. PS, the land is totally flat so the hiking is easy. The botanic gardens were huge and beautiful and I found a farm with horses there. Basically: BEST TRIP.

  491. The best 4-5 day vacation I’ve had in the United States was the Florida Keys, including the Everglades National Park, South Beach (building art!). I love the western and northeastern coastlines, but for a very low stress, enjoyable long weekend, with plenty to see…I’d vote for the Keys.

  492. I will probably be the only one to suggest Cleveland Ohio and the Lake Erie Islands. Cleveland has lots to do near the Lakefront area. The Rock n Roll hall of fame, the USS Cod, Cleveland Zoo, Cleveland Metropolitan Art Museum. Lots of good restaurants and shops. Then drive over to where ferries take you over to Kelly’s Island or South/Middle Bass Islands. Rent bikes and see the glacial groves, go fishing, more shopping. There are vinyards on the islands. And folks who will welcome you and be grateful for your visit.

  493. So many awesome suggestions—I hope I can remember to come back when I need to remember the recommendations!!

    I’ll echo the suggestions for Chicago (although I’m a lifelong suburbanite, so yeah….BIASED) —huge variety of things to do: museums, shopping, Lake Michigan beaches, baseball (the Cubs aren’t doing well so it might be easy to get a ticket and visit Wrigley Field, celebrating it’s 100th birthday).

    I too love the Bay Area—stay up north in Marin County (Sausalito is cool), nip into the city for culture, you’ve got Muir Woods, and uncrowded, unspoiled beaches farther up the coast (remember the Hitchcock movie, “The Birds”? Filmed in Bodega Bay)

    Whatever you do—hope you all have a great time!!

  494. Keuka Lake (or any of the Finger Lakes in New York State). It is the prettiest place on earth. You can use our cottage. Last summer I went to British Columbia. Beautiful (and lots to do too).

  495. Great Huts, Jamaica! In the perfect spot to experience the culture and enjoy the environment. Cliff diving, surfing, waterfalls, beaches, great food, hiking, playing with the animals, fantastic views, friendly people. http://Www.greathuts.com

  496. New England/Canada cruise! Lots of stuff to do on a cruise ship, plus fun excursions. We took a jet boat ride through the reversing rapids in St. John, NB, and found a really cool old used book store while walking through Portland, Maine.

  497. Northern California, or any part of Oregon. There’s lots of quirky little towns and fun stuff to do. Plus the redwoods, Crater Lake, the high desert, the gorgeous Oregon Coast, loads of rivers, and it stays green and cool all summer long.

  498. Quebec/Montreal was lovely, as was Victoria on Vancouver Island in Canada. I think Mount Rushmore would be great as Crazy Horse monument is also right there. You could also take a tour of ‘weird America’ like the giant frying pan and the giant ball of twine, etc.

  499. We took our then 14 yr. old to Yellowstone 2 yrs ago and all of us had a great time. Custer State Park was awesome – and you can feed the wild, but tame, burros there. Saw lots of buffalo, moose, bears, and the scenery was gorgeous. Even the 14 yr old still says what fun she had on that trip, so that’s a great testimonial, because 14 yr old girls pretty much hate anything to do with trips with the parents.

  500. If you don’t like crowds, go to Canada. Lots of space, low density. I’m biased, being Canadian, but I know I’m right, because I’m me. I love Prince Edward Island, and miss it so much it’s… well, I don’t know why I’m not there right now. It’s very beautiful– gorgeous beaches, rolling hills, the famous red roads. There’s Anne of Green Gable’s house in Cavendish. There’s music. There are lots of animals– go visit Cows for ice cream and for, well, cows. And you can go out in boats and fish and there are good harbours with great sea food and it’s really, really fun and lovely. Also, they know alcohol there, because it’s rural. Also, people are really super nice there and are very good at baking. Basically, it’s beautiful, green, quiet, but has fun things to do with kids.

    Just trust me. Go to P. E. I.

  501. Costa Rica is great if y’all like adventures. I spent a week and a half there and did everything from horseback riding to whitewater rafting to surfing to zip lines and rainforest tours. Their big business is eco-tourism so they are great with foreigners, and it’s a fantastic place to introduce someone to another culture.

  502. Our favorite famiy trip was Spain, but if you want to keep it not too crowded, domestic and weird go to Portland, OR (and Cannon Beach).

  503. Of all the places I’ve been to, I’d say Puerto Rico sounds like the best I can recommend. They are part of America, so no passports needed. Flights aren’t bad. San Juan is big city like New York but with older buildings. Then go south to the better beaches. They have a sunken ship you can swim to in Aguadilla. The island of Culebra was rated one of the top 3 beaches in the world and requires a fairy boat to get to. Isabela has a lazy river that’s all natural looking. Rent a car and you can see the whole island, just make sure your insurance covers you there and learn enough Spanish to read road signs.

  504. We finally took our kids to Boston last summer. You can do fun touristy things there or do day trips to Maine to shop (The Beaner’s Flagship store is there). We love the beaches there. You can drive to the Cape, though that’s gotten busier in recent years. Provincetown is fun, and you can either catch a whale-watching boat from there or closer to the mainland. Ferries run to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. Tons of history in Boston, and tacky touristy Duck Boat tours that we wanted to do but didn’t want to spend the $. We stayed outside the city at a cool hotel to avoid the crazy Boston driving. It rivals NYC’s drivers.

  507. Williamsburg, VA – my favorite family vacation, hands down. My parents took me, 17; my sister, 14; and my brother, 10 and we all had a great time.

  508. One of the most unique and delightfully cheesy places I’ve visited is Rock City, Tennessee. We walked through rock formations full of garden gnomes, pretty lights and shiny sparkly things, then drove/walked up Lookout Mountain, where there is a breathtaking view of 7 states. Supposedly during the Summer there is also a birds of prey show. The whole place is just over-the-top gaudy and wonderful.

  509. The Catskills in NY. We specifically stayed at this lovely place called Hotel Mountainbrook (lots of taxidermied anters, so plus for you). It was nice an quiet, but stuff nearby like caverns, two-tiered waterfall, and zip lining at Hunter Mountain. Plus, the town is home to the legend of Rip Van Wrinkle and they have fun statues made by the artists all around town with punny personas of him. My husband and I loved going around and trying to find new ones.
    Highly recommend it, plus not too very far from NYC if Victor wants a day trip ;-)T

  510. My favorite place is Cape Cod. There are beautiful beaches, pottery shops, seafood, Provincetown, art, and lots of cute shops and small restaurants.

  511. Michigan, beautiful state. Or Florida for the gators and manatees. Hillsborough River, King’s Bay and Three Sisters Springs are all amazing places.

  513. I love that you have a grey Rolly; I do too and yes, he too would say holy butthole. (He is a pirate in his mind)

  514. New Orleans would be a good place for you to go…it’s pretty close and interesting. The one suggestion of Colonial Williamsburg is good but you do have to pay to get into some of the colonial homes that were restored. But there’s Busch Gardens close by and it is always fun for the kids there.

  515. Favorite places — San Diego. Zoo, wildlife park, beaches…Colorado — you might try the YMCA Camp of the Rockies outside Estes Park (about 1 hour from Denver). Cabins with lots of family type activities, and Estes is a cute town. I used to work there (I live in Denver). Oregon Coast — I personally love the little tourist town of Seaside. North is Astoria (where they filmed Goonies) and the camp where Lewis and Clark ended up. South is Cannon Beach and Tillamok — it’s a great area! All three places have nice weather and reasonable humidity — unlike NY…

  516. If you go to San Diego, I have an $8 off coupon for the SUPER AWESOME San Diego Zoo (or their Safari Park, pick your favorite)
    All you need to do is swing by my house in NE Austin to get it. 8D (or a nearby public place, if you’re paranoid)

    That said, I grew up in CA, and I can vouch that pretty much ANY part of HWY 1 is going to be beautiful. The only part I haven’t been to is the LA portion. But the redwood forests up north (just south of Oregon) are stunning, there’s elk and ziplines and caverns and little wide spots in the road with 50 people or less that all have the best seafood and wood carvings and weird interesting things. You can drive through a tree, park on a tree, see a house made from only one log, see an actual treehouse made in the roots of a tree, etc. Avenue of the Giants is beautiful and scenic, and there’s camping or nice cottages, as well as the Eel River (no eels, just gray colored, but very pretty!).

    If you go for the Bay Area/San Francisco, I can tell you EXACTLY where to get GREAT BBQ pork buns in SF Chinatown, and as a tourist destination, SF is great. I grew up in the Bay Area though, so I’d recommend the coast more than SF-Half Moon Bay has Moss Beach, a perfect little tide pool beach, and a little south in Pescadero is Pebble Beach (Bean Hollow), and then an hour inland is Memorial Park, where you may run into my sweet mom and step dad going camping or doing a day trip. You can also find guided tours on some of the beaches. (the elephant seals may be around a little north of Pescadero, but I think the biggest males are maybe only there in September)

    If you go further south, there’s the 17 mile drive, extremely scenic, and FAT ground squirrels you can feed from your hand. You can find a charming cottage in quiet Carmel, then find another cute cottage in Big Sur amongst the redwoods.

    Skip a lot and show up in San Diego, check out their exemplary zoo, get AMAZING mexican food, enjoy beaches that aren’t cold like the Bay Area ones, and use that $8 coupon I’ll give you.

    If you decide to go further inland, google Strawberry, CA, then have strawberry pancakes (or eggs benedict) at the inn there. So quiet, so beautiful, and literally the best strawberry pancakes EVER. There’s also a huge nearby lake and it’s warm and SO much fun!

    Most of these suggestions are camping ideas, I just realized. But a lot of them have little cottages or cabins you can rent, so you don’t need to cringe at the idea of sleeping on the hard ground!

    The best part is, after all the comments on this post, you’ve got travel destinations to last you possibly the rest of your life! Pick your favorite!

  517. Try the Cayman Islands. If you are okay with being surrounded by water, the snorkelling is incredible. There is a 5 mile long white sand beach, which is not loaded with people, and the best parts are the snorkelling with the stingrays, who only want to hug you and be fed, and the turtle farm where the baby turtles look like old men, and they smack at your hands with their flippers (the turtles, not the old men). There are tons of restaurants where you can sit up on a balcony, and stare down at people (no real crowds, but who doesn’t enjoy being above people, staring down at them with a fantastic drink in your hand). The cruise ship schedule is posted online, which means you can tell when the main part of town is going to get crowded, and then you don’t have to be there. The whole area is inundated with pirates, and rum, and rum cake, and if you randomly yell out “Arrrrrgh,” no one will judge…

  518. How about Costa Rica? That can give you a good balance of active vs. relaxing. With only 4-5 days, I wouldn’t waste time venturing out of this hemisphere. I’m assuming you may already have a travel agent, but if you don’t I’d be happy to help! thetravelsmith.net

  519. CANADA! Victoria or the Okanagan (wine!) in BC….or Calgary/Banff/Jasper in Alberta….Waterton is another National Park that’s right on the border….you can see whales (and often polar bears) in Churchill, Manitoba. Ottawa, Ontario is a great family city with lots to do (the children’s museum in the Museum of Civilization was great). Montreal is awesome too. Anywhere on the east coast would make a great vacation….no shortage of great spots here! Have heard really good things about the Black Hills in USA too….

  520. How about Costa Rica? You can get a good balance of active/not-active. I wouldn’t leave this hemisphere with only 4-5 days, you’d just be getting used to the new time zone and then you’d have to come right back.

    I’m assuming you may already have a travel agent, but if not I’d be happy to help! thetravelsmith.net

  521. Follow Hailey’s suggestion and go to Jupiter, Fl! Small beach town on the East Coast. 🙂

  522. Melanie is right – St Louis is an awesome Family-friendly spot. In addition to things Melanie mentioned, add the Wild Bird Sanctuary, the wolf sanctuary, a lovely botanical garden, Purina Farms, The Anheuser-Busch brewery (clydesdales), Grant’s Farm, great historic cemeteries, the Magic House, Laumeier sculpture park…..

    Many of the attractions here are free admission.

  523. We took our 7 and 4 year old to Yellowstone last summer. It was amazing!! Lots of fun, Animals to watch, geysers everywhere, ever changing scenery, . We also booked a camp cook out excursion that the kids loved!!

  524. As a born and bred California, have to agree on Northern CA. You would love Muir Woods (easy hikes), Point Reyes where you can gather and BBQ oysters, fish, look at Grand Vistas. Then SF (crowds usu not too bad but you need to know it is COLD in summer, and that’s when fog is terrible – remember Twain, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” If you are ok w long flights, second Iceland or Scottish highlands

  525. Northern California is great, but based on your best vacations, I’d recommend New Zealand, mostly the South Island. Only a million people, spread out on a big island (NZ overall has one of the lowest population densities in the world.) NZ has glaciers, glow-worm caves, sheep, great animals that aren’t all trying to kill you like Australia, gorgeous scenery, more sheep, train rides, cruises around fjords, hot springs, whale watching, dolphin watching, kiwi, crazy parrots that steal shiny things, sheep farms….

    That said, Yellowstone is lovely. Lots of great animal watching, the geysers are fun, and it is huge, so there are lots of different walks or drives to do. Then again, I could watch bison, elk and bighorns all day, and I know that isn’t true for everyone.

  526. I’m from Utah, and southern utah has incredible scenery. It is warm and medium crowded. Mainly Germans visit there, who knows? There is plenty of light hiking and red rock. I like arches, Bryce Canyon, and Zion’s. And Slc had nice mountains.

  527. Biloxi, Mississippi. Not real crowded. Stay at the South Beach Hotel. Several things to tour and sand to sink your toes in.

  528. I love Asheville, North Carolina and the surrounds. I’ve traveled to almost all the 48 contiguous states and 14 countries, and it’s my favorite place I’ve ever been. Absolutely amazing food, great outdoor activities, and you’d have to go searching in order to find a crowd (maybe at a concert or baseball game you’ll find a crowd). Very relaxed pace of life with a local airport and minimal traffic. You can do everything from zip lining to white water rafting to sliding down natural rock slides, or you can just spend a couple days driving the Blue Ridge Parkway with stops for food, photos, or a hike. Lots of great lodging options. Asheville boasts some amazing food, much of it catering to special diets or using local ingredients.

    Though I’ve also been to Yellowstone and it’s amazing and I can’t imagine getting bored there unless you hate the outdoors or natural wonders. Everyone should go to Yellowstone sometime in their lifetime, though you might be surprised at how crowded it is in certain spots during the summer.

  529. Edinburgh! The zoo is amazing. They let the penguins walk around and you can sign up in advance to feed them. There are also pygmy hippos which are rad. Edinburgh Castle is excellent for storming or pretending to storm. If you are up for a longer flight it’s incredible and the people are amazing.

  530. Sequoia national park is lovely! Good camping, hiking and bears there. Might not be a ton of organized activities, though when I went last year we still managed to find a couple Park Ranger-led talks & walks.

  531. Dude ranch in Colorado. We took the kids when they were younger (one was nine). They still talk about it, and the nine year old is now 22.

  532. Adirondacks of New York! Crowded in our most crowded places still isn’t all that crowded. You can hit Olympic sites – go to the top of the ski jumps, Whiteface Memorial highway/gondola, ride the bobsled (yup, even in summer) – in Lake Placid. Hiking and boating and such all over the place. Check out The Wild Center and see the otters in Tupper Lake. Great high ropes at Adirondack Extreme a couple of hours away. All sorts of stuff in Lake George. We’re just cool that way 🙂 (but its a driving kind of area, so it does depend what you are looking for)

  533. Baltimore/Washington DC! I can offer you a personal tour of the National Electronics Museum which is right by BWI Airport. There are a ton of fun, quirky museums and historic sites out here. The weather is kinda nasty – unless you like humidity – but the crowds are a good deal less crazy than in NYC.

  534. Lake Powell, Utah. Get a houseboat for a week. You can find solitude and explore what feels like a different world on the hills, mountains and a lot canyons.

  535. Acadia National Park off the coast of Maine. Whale watching, fudge eating, hiking, puffing and seal tours, a restaurant filled wig license plates… it has it all! Inexpensive and accessible, and June/July are the best months to visit. Come to Maine!!

  538. I like the Grand Tetons even better than Yellowstone. The Grand Canyon is pretty damn grand, too. If you haven’t been there, it’s one of the things that is even more amazing than it’s supposed to be. Pictures do not capture it.

  539. New York is not as crowded as people think it is depending on when and where you go. The city is not much of an “activity” place though. It’s mostly passive viewing. Also, the weather is unpredictable. Today it is super hot. Tomorrow there’s apparently going to be a thunderstorm.

  540. Williamsburg, VA – tons to do! My kids said they like Williamsburg better than Disney World. You have all the historical sites, Busch Gardens, Water Country, outlet malls and tons of other local places that are awesome.

  541. The San Juan Islands in Washington State. Its beautiful, you can take Ferries and head to Victoria Island

  542. Costa Rica…volcanoes, river boats, white water rafting, zip lines, hot springs, jungle tours,….Selva Verde Lodge. Best trip ever!

  543. Cape Town, South Africa: I went there for an internship when I was in college. You can go see penguins at Boulders Beach, watch penguin & other seabird rescue operations at SANCCOB, hike or take the gondola up to the top of Table Mountain, go on a Great White Shark boat tour (not sure if they still offer chances to cage-dive with the sharks), check out world-class wineries in Stellenbosch, see where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned at Robben Island, swim in 2 different oceans in the same day, etc., etc.

  544. It seems like with your anxiety you’d want to do something by car so you have the freedom to stop and walk around if you need to. I also don’t know where you live, but just remember with any vacation you lose 1.5 days to travel, at the minimum.

  545. For a summer vacation Yellowstone is the best. Warm days, cool nights and lots to see. Only the mud pots smell like sulfur. I grew up 90 miles north of there and we went nearly every summer for 19 years. Never gets old. Old Faithful is a must. Tour the inn, then head for Jackson, WY. Beautiful drive and much to see and learn in the Jackson Hole. Have a great summer no matter what you decide to do.
    .

  546. I’m going to St. Louis, MO this summer and I’m gonna see the Budweiser Clydesdales. There is a shit ton of cool things to do in St. Louis for both kids and adults.

  548. Tybee Island Georgia. I came here, and I stayed here. There’s miles of beach, lots of tasty foodstuffs, you can rent a house and read on the porch, rent bicycles and putter the island, go fishing, and also look for the artsy turtle scattered around, and the random velociraptors that have popped up here and there. Plus we have The Tybee Bomb, which means all of this paradise could vaporize at the drop of a hat. Totally worth it.

  549. If you like nature, any of the national parks are awesome. My kids loved those when they were younger (still do) they have Junior Ranger programs that make them feel like part of the park. Yellowstone is awesome and there are a lot of cool things to do in that area. Great Smoky mountains and the blue ridge parkway is really neat too. Have fun whatever you do.

  550. Zion National Park in Utah! You can walk up the Virgin River! Very beautiful and does not feel crowded!

  551. After wading through all responses, here is one that no one mentioned. Westport, MA!!!! Horseneck Beack is on the Rhode Island Sound and is the nicest beach in the Northeast. You are close to Newburyport in RI as well as the small towns and wineries. You can even drive to Mystic, CT and go to Mystic Seaport. Mystic is an awesome town although I do not know how crowded it is in the summer, we usually go in the fall when they have a garlic festival there. Westport is not far from Boston if you want to take a day trip. We have friends who live in the area and it’s beautiful.

    Another suggestion is Portland, OR. It’s a great place as well and good for kids. Lots to do from hiking to museums (there is a great children’s museum there). One of the largest waterfalls in the country is about an hour drive north of the city.

    Lastly, the Northern Catskills are great to go also. You could visit Woodstock and see all the old hippehs!!! There is a lot to do there as well.

  552. Tulum, Mexico. It’s easy to get to from Texas. It’s far enough off the beaten path that you can easily avoid crowds, but there are several tour (snokeling, cenotes, floating through Mayan canals, tours through the jungle, Tulum ruins) options that are fun and interesting. The water is perfectly clear and blue and for the most part the sand is soft and white. It’s an easy place to mix up activity and pure relaxation. And if you’re feeling anxious you can completely just hide away in a hammock on the beach and not feel like you’re not doing what you’re supposed to on vacation.

  553. London, England. Tons of museums, parks, you can tour castles and learn about royalty and see the Crown Jewels. Stonehenge is nearby. And quite frankly I would have been content to ride the tube for 10 days straight. But the food is shit.

  555. I would recommend central California coast. You can do all sorts of hiking and whale watching in Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur. Great restaurants and wineries abound. Beaches and tide pools are easily explored on foot without any guide. You can go to the world renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium. If you have enough time you can head over to Yosemite National Park which is only ~ 3 hour drive away. The best part will be that the coastal weather is nice but not hot. The central coast is a micro-climate so you will still need a sweater or a light jacket at night. Hope you find a good adventure!

  556. As a kid, most vacations were to visit family or on Prince William Sound, but this year my Mom and I just went to the Big Island of Hawaii. We drove up a volcano, went swimming and saw sea turtles, visited a coffee farm, saw where Captain Cook was killed, and lounged on a lanai, reading.

  557. #1. We went up Pikes Peak highest mountain in Colorado in August and it was awesome! You start at the bottom in summer and spiral to the top driving thru hail and snow! What a view and you can stop and do some exploring. There is a restaurant at the top with the most amazing food donuts and Bison burgers! Funniest part is watching the thin air elevation affect random people who act weird and then pass out! We also took a horseback trail ride thru “Garden of Gods” amazing gift and antique shops too.
    #2 Palo Duro Canyon, TX is NOT crowded and looks like you have been transported back to old west! Huge gift shop at entrance. We were there and met author of “Palo Duro Gold” book series. His Grandpa was one of first cattlemen in area.
    #3 Tallahsee, FL has a Zoo/Museum ask for Behind the scenes tour. Lots of Florida history and only Fl native animals. Taxidermy on display!
    #4 If you do go to DC I highly recommend the SPY Museum! Across the street is a Museum that the security is so tight my daughters made a came out of “How fast security appears out of no where to tell them not to TOUCH!” LOL!
    #5 Monticello,(Jefferson’s Plantation) in Charlottesville, VA but NOT in winter, best in spring to see gardens

  558. YELLOWSTONEYELLOWSTONEYELLOWSTONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yellowstone is AWESOME. And Grand Teton National Park is right next door! Grand Teton means big boob in French in case you didn’t know that. The french named our world’s most gorgeous mountains after boobs. Because French. Anyways, this is a GORGEOUS part of the world. Wildlife, geysers, hot springs, the grand canyon of the yellowstone… It’s all amazing. And yes, I live here too, but I PROMISE not to stalk you because I’m too anxious for straight up stalking. I might Twitter stalk you while you’re here, but I’ll be doing it in my safe little bedroom. Come enjoy Wyoming!

  559. This may not help for a summer vacation (I was there in winter, and I’d guess summer could be hot and humid) but I really enjoyed Charleston, SC. There weren’t a lot of crowds, and there was plenty to do. We had great food and a great time.

  560. Our best, easy 4-5 days with tours place was Black Rock Lodge in Belize. I do not work there/own it/stand to profit in anyway. It’s just the most beautiful place I’ve ever been and so easy. They’ll pick you up from the airport and drive you there, then schedule any tours you want, which will pick you up at the lodge. Dinner is served family style every night with just two options (no decision fatigue!) all fresh locally grown food. On the property, you can hike, tube, horseback ride, bird-watch, and (my favorite) swing in the hammock outside your cabin. Seriously: http://www.blackrocklodge.com

  561. Dyersville Iowa. Home of the Field of Dreams. And the best German Gothic basilica in the US. And the farm toy museum. And the best woman in the world. Tell her you know the Fennessy family and she will invite you to stay and make you her famous jello shots….any flavor you want. And from Dyersville you can go see the Mississippi River and gamble on the river boats. Or go see the Wisconsin Dells. Or the House on the Rocks. Or the Amana Colonies. or a million other things.

  562. No national parks, too crowded. Hawaii is the only escape oriented, un-crowded, can do cool stuff ,
    place left in America you can get to with one stop via air.. Yes, it is a long flight from Texas. (You might want to go when you have more time). It helps if you love aqua clear blue water and fish.
    Otherwise Santa Fe, Taos, Chiminaya, New Mexico. Cool places within driving distance of each other.
    Lots of bones and skulls.
    Roatan, Honduras-you can do all the stuff you like plus again, the aqua colored water.
    andros, Bahamas – learn to scuba or just snorkel-and again all the other stuff you like. Stay at Small Hope Bay Lodge.

  564. Portland is my go to vacation spot. Powell’s books, OMSI (THeir kids area is the funnest part, even for grownups!) the Rose Gardens, and all the pretty trees! There’s a great kitchy hotel called the mark spencer that used to be apartments for actors when the pearl district used to be lots of arts stuff, and they serve free afternoon tea and cookies and stuff 🙂

  565. Hard to narrow down. Victoria, BC, where we went on our honeymoon. We went whale watching (orcas!) and spent a whole day at the Butchart Gardens. It’s just very, very cool. I also had a great business trip (believe it or not) in Albuquerque, NM. There’s a Rattlesnake Museum, Petroglyph National Forest, the Roswell Museum and Sandia National Park. Not to mention the nearby pueblos (we visited Acoma– really cool!). Finally, my favorite vacation spot is the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Pirates (home of Blackbeard), beaches, wild horses, graveyard of the Atlantic, an aquarium with interactive kid stuff– love it! Although parts of it have been taken over by ridiculous McMansions, you can still find real beach houses, on the beach. It’s pretty much perfect.

  566. Two summers ago, we went for a week at Cleveland’s House in Ontario (the Muskokas). I was immediately transported to Dirty Dancing, with less dancing (like A LOT less to set expectations), but it was that kind of set up. Staff versus Guests games, water fun (we actually got our 9-year-old daughter up on water skis – although it took some doing and I probably laughed and pointed more than I should), shared dining room, private cabins, good kids club, lots of reading time, pools and lake. It was very relaxing and some exploring of that area of Ontario is great. For excitement on the way up or down, hit up Canada’s Wonderland (one day of insanity and rides).
    Alternately, touring Cape Cod and Boston and going on an east coast whale watch changed my life when I was 13.

  568. New Orleans. Lots of voodoo, great food, fun people watching, a good zoo. Very cool cemetery tours and swamp tours. Yo would love it. There can be crows here and there, though.

  569. take an all inclusive cruise on a Moorings Yacht. just the 3 of you. has a capt and a cook, just tell them where you want to go. Went to the Grenadines. pick your beach or snorkel.

  570. Saint Augustine, Florida is the second most haunted place in the South. That means there are haunted tours (a haunted pub crawl) and since it’s Florida, plenty of beaches. The Castilo de San Marcos and the Old Jail tours are not to be missed. I went to college in St. Augustine and spent some of my best years there. It’s a beautiful place and I highly recommend it.

  571. I saw a few mentions of the Grand Canyon, but they seemed to be centered around the South Rim area. The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is quieter, less desert-y, still lots of things to do (mule rides, hiking, other outdoorsy stuff), and far fewer people. Also more trees. Lots of trees. And if you fly into Las Vegas and drive, you can cut through Zion National Park (or at least we did) on the journey there (and isn’t spending many hours in the car as a family part of a vacation, anyway? How else will the kids end up with terrible horror stories to tell later on in life?!).

  572. When I asked my twelve year old where she wanted to go she said, Niagara Falls (the Canadian side)…again. It is tacky with all kinds of oddities (see Ripley’s) which you guys would appreciate and beautiful, the falls (especially at night), the butterfly conservatory. And you can stand on the bridge between two lines, one says Canada, one says U.S. and for a moment in time be in No Man’s Land. Cool.

  574. Grand Canyon or Portland, OR. Have a great trip wherever you decide to go!

  575. The Outerbanks of North Carolina are wonderful. You can relax on the beach, go parasailing, see two different light houses, one of which is the tallest in the US, take a tour of The Wright Brothers museum and memorial, go wild horse watching or just relax, rest and recharge. There are lots of rental houses and great hotels. It is our favorite place in NC. In fact my sister and her family just came out here from CA and we are heading there tomorrow for 4 days. I highly recommend it.

  577. The Oregon Coast. You can stay in one city and drive to others and back in pretty much a day. There are fun things to do in almost every city. My hubby and I loved visiting Astoria this last trip and seeing the Goonies house as well as other filming locations from that movie and Kindergarten Cop among others. There are beautiful beaches to walk along, crabbing can be done from most piers and you can even go clamming. The seafood is wonderful too. We usually rent a house/condo for a week and go from there though as a kid we camped in state parks for a week. It’s also such a relaxing place. Let the kiddo play in the sand on the beach while you relax with a good book, HEAVEN!

  578. The turtle farm is one of the coolest places ever!! I wish we had been able to stay there longer, we went on a cruise excursion when we went.

  579. I just went to Grand Cayman in April. It was beautiful! We stayed at Tamarind Bay condos. Look on VRBO for privately owned condos that are for rent. Do not stay at the Marriott. It was super crowded and not very peaceful. A must see is Sting Ray City. We also took a catamaran across the bay for dinner one night. I cannot remember the name of the restaurant we went to, but it was a great ride on the catamaran and very fun.

  580. You’re gonna have a great time on the island and make sure you send your family postcards from Hell!!! They have a little post office just for that! I’d make a recommendation about where to stay, but I can’t remember where we stayed. Look out for the chickens…especially around the KFC restaurant. They just walk right in the door. LOL!

  581. Yellowstone isn’t boring at all! And Wil Weaton’s mom lives in nearby Bozeman! I’d call that a two-fer.

  582. I’m with those who suggested Jupiter, Florida. It was good enough for Burt Reynolds and Charles Nelson Reilly. Also Tori Amos. Many pro golfers and one wannabe, Michael Jordan, live in the immediate vicinity. There’s a cool red lighthouse, Loggerhead Marinelife Center right down the road in Juno Beach, a nice beach and the crowds are gone, as it is the off-season in South Florida.

  583. I don’t remember much about Hell because I went there as a stop on a cruise when I was a kid but I do recall there being a post office and the manager dresses up as the devil and was super nice. Get the obligatory “wish you were here: Hell” postcard while you’re there 🙂

  584. No idea on where to stay but if Hailey is a strong swimmer, you CANNOT MISS swimming with the stingrays. You get to feed them. It’s like being surrounded by a bunch of alien dogs begging for food.

  585. We have been to Grand Cayman two times. Stay anywhere on 7 mile beach; Treasure Island is okay. Be sure to snorkle Cemetery Reef. There are coral formations that you can swim out to, no boat necessary. Also, stingray City is fabulous, but I just couldn’t get in the water with those huge stingrays. But, there were two other stops and lunch.
    Have a great time, love your blog, Linda (aptosbeach.etsy.com)

  587. The Turtle Farm is awesome. We did it on the Disney Cruise. You can swim with dolphins right across the street.

  588. Stay at the Marriott. Beautify property and within walking distance to restaurants, etc. Hailey will love the beach and you MUST take the early morning stingray swim! It’s amazing!!!!!!

  589. 7 mile beach … .that’s all you need to know! oh yeah-and if you visit a “private beach/pool”–don’t freak out because you’re the only white people there and everyone is staring at you and you kick your diet Coke into the pool. DON’T DO THAT! Especially if you’re 18 and a dumbass.

  590. I live there! (not in Hell, but in the Cayman Islands). But with my luck, I will probably be in the USA while you are here. Anyway, don’t miss the stingrays, rum point, starfish point, and snorkeling at cemetery beach (yes, it is a beach right next to a cemetery – right up your alley?).

    For where to stay, East End (Morrit’s) is more low-key and less crowded, Anywhere along 7 mile beach is convenient and close to town and the main tourist areas. Hell is in West Bay, and it is actually free to go to Hell, but you have to go right past The Lord’s Church AND the Church of God to get there. I always thought that was more than a little ironic.

    Also, they are not taxidermied, but there are a plethora of statues of iguanas sprinkled throughout the island, so it might be a fun scavenger hunt to try to find as many iguanas as you can.

  591. I took a trip up and down the east coast the summer before I went to 8th grade. NYC is definitely a sight to behold, but I only recall the Statue of Liberty being crowded. Everything else we was much less hectic. Williamsburg was a BLAST, but I am a history nerd at heart. I adored Gettysburg too. It was super foggy when we got there, which made it even more spooky. Glacier Park is amazing. Whitewater rafted through it about 10 years ago. Would do just about anything to go again. I go to NOLA at least twice a year, and always find something new to do or see. And I think someone’s already mentioned the beignets. It’s like little tastes of Heaven.

  592. I’ve never been but Volker wants to go somewhere beachy this year so I look forward to your posts about how awesome it is. Though, I can’t imagine it being better than my suggestion of a haunted hotel and a giant neon penis sign.

  593. This has been fun to browse through, but I’m surprised that so many of the recommendations have been repeated. I guess I expected more variation and off-the-beaten track stuff. When I recommended Newfoundland, I didn’t think anyone else would, but I was actually pleased to find that there are other folks who enjoyed it as much as I did.

    As to Iceland, I have a different perspective. We stopped there on a cruise and had arranged for a car and driver to take us around outside of Reykjavik. Just our luck, we were given a driver who must have been the only person on the island who didn’t speak much English (everyone else we met was perfectly fluent) and it was his first day on the job. We wanted to see a glacier. He ended up driving us to see the outside of a power plant – ooohh hot water — and then to a geyser. We were like, no, not geyser, glacier. By this time it was too late to go anywhere else and we barreled our way back to town (easily a 2 hour drive, whereby he took a “shortcut” which consisted of washboard roads across landscape that looked like the surface of the moon). We were desperate to use a restroom, and still hoped to get in a little shopping before reboarding the ship. It was horrible. Easily the worst vacation ever. I had hoped to see the Northern Lights that evening, but that didn’t happen either.

    (P.S. Just after the ship left Iceland and started the Pacific Ocean crossing, we came upon high seas and every one got seasick (well, mostly me and a bunch of other passengers). My first time getting sick on a boat. When we finished the crossing, we landed at St. John’s, Newfoundland. No wonder we thought is was refreshing. But really, we had the BEST driver – it was amazing!)

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  595. I’m kind of partial to Nashville myself. The zoo is small but quite nice, there’s an interactive art museum and science center here, there’s a place where you can do a water park and/or zip line kind of stuff. Jack Daniels distillery is just down the road a fair piece, the parks are amazing, and you can visit the Ryman and do your own record of one of the old country standards (not a country music fan but I think that’s a hoot anyway). There are lots of places to visit right outside the city if you want hiking. There was this great kitsch wax museum of all the old country singers like Conway twitty and Tammy Wynette, but it’s closed now. You would have loved it!

  596. If you get a chance to do anything with sting rays or snorkeling, DO IT. I got to swim with rays once off Grand Cayman, and it was amazing. I also snorkeled there, and I finally got to see water that looked like clear, blue jello. It was so cool!

  597. You are going to hell now because you don’t live there yet, so you can party and trash up the joint and don’t have to clean up the mess the next day! haha 🙂

  598. Stingray City is AMAZING. It is a must-do, cause you know, how often do you get to swim with stingrays in Texas? Oh and chickens, everywhere. Even the Burger King parking lot. Very strange.

  599. I love Grand Cayman. Couple things, they drive on the opposite (left) side of the road, so be careful if you plan to drive yourself. They also use ‘dollars’ but Cayman dollars are considerably more valuable than US, so you might want to check the exchange rate.
    Things to do: I love the Stingray snorkeling. There’s a sandbar where all the stingrays gather, and after years of people feeding them they’re like fat lazy sea-squirrels that let you touch them and go right up to you.
    Really, ANY snorkeling is a good idea in the Caymans. Pretty fish, warm water. (Did I mention I LOVE it down there?)
    They also have this awesome Tourist friendly submarine that’ll take you under the water without having to get wet. They go right through the reefs, and offer night dives.
    To avoid crowds, try not to go downtown at midday when the Cruise Ships are docked. If you wait until late afternoon they all get back on their boats and go away.
    Finally… Hell is a fun day trip, but it is a long drive. The rock formations are pretty and the cheesy touristy stuff is hilarious. Personally I’d rather spend the day with the turles or on the beach, but if you don’t mind driving down the island it’s pretty interesting.
    🙂 Have fun!
    Liz
    PS Tell me if you can find any ‘Come Soon’ Condom merchandise. I’ve been unable to find any proof of their existence online, but they’re only sold in Caymans, and I saw them all over the tourist shops. Their logo is two sea-turtles f*cking. Very off-color and amusing.
    PPS Try the ‘Conch Chowder’. It’s like clam chowder, but with conch (the critters from inside conch shells) instead of clams. I loved the New England Style.

  600. We are going to Grand Cayman next week. Will be looking for you around every corner!

  601. For future vacations, tell Victor he is very wrong about Yellowstone. I thought the same thing and refused to go, until one time my husband got smart and work me at 5 in the morning and said, “I found a great cabin still available for rent near Yellowstone, but if I don’t take it soon, it’ll be gone.” I will agree to anything at 5 am if it means you go away and leave me alone. Fast forward, and we are getting ready to go to Yellowstone for the 4th year in a row. It is now, truly, my very favorite place on Earth.

  602. Love Grand Cayman. Stingray City is a must-do: I thought I’d be creeped out by large flat marine life with big stingers, but they are super-tame and friendly. Seven Mile Beach is fabulous. Also, there are random chickens everywhere, so how bad could it be?

  603. Visit Hell and the turtle farm and the car museum and the place that is the source of all rum cakes. This is one day.
    Then, fly to Cayman Brac and spend the rest of your vacation there. Good diving, great island companions, less people, less shopping people, caves, history, parrot preserve, and if you go to the end of the airstrip, the nightly 767 flight screams in about three inches over your head like an airborne freight train. Oh, and there’s chickens. Lots of them.

  604. You will not regret Grand Cayman! I have been there 3 times, and every time I wished I could stay. Try the Comfort Suites for a hotel, it is geared for the business people, but it includes a free deluxe continental breakfast. Go to Hell on your own. Nice drive, and talk to the locals, or just smile at them if you are feeling a little meh-y about talking to humans. Watch for the Blue iguanas, you can find them at the botanical gardens, as well as lots of birds, and then you talk to them…though when I tried, the blue iguanas don’t really have much to say…though they are wearing some pretty cool beads (it’s for I.D.-ing them, but they look pretty sweet). The turtle farm has a lagoon that you can snorkel in, next to a big glass wall that separates you from the sharks. Go to the Pirate caves ( i hope they are still open!), we used Tour Cayman for the stingray city…which we always do more than once, cause stingray hugs are awesome! And kiss one for luck…try the banana rum, or at least bring some back from the airport…at 7 bucks a bottle this stuff is great on pancakes, ice cream, in coffee…the rest of the time, just hang out in the water…5 feet from shore you can see tons of beautiful fish. If you are feeling really adventurous check Ambassador divers and get them to take you snorkelling on the Kittiwake, or try the intro to diving (I did, and if you ever wonder if the voices in your head ever shut up…they do when you are under water), Kayak the mangroves, and see if you can get onto one of the night tours to see the bioluminescence thingys…and have fun. Time stops when you are there, it’s like the islands exudes contentment. Oh, and definitely go to Cemetery Beach for a picnic and snorkel (FYI, the “Cemetery” part of it means just that, but it is beautiful, and I should know…I work at a cemetery)…anyhooo…sorry about the book I just wrote…I hope you love it there as much as I do 🙂

  605. I cannot wait to see what shows up in your shop after this trip! I’m thinking something like “I went to Hell, got the t-shirt” or something even better. I hope the sea turtles are better than the bears in Yellowstone are…because they are assholes. Also Pirates are cool though stabby if you steal their rum (word to Victor)

  606. I agree with The Liz – the snorkeling is great in Grand Cayman, the weather was great and the people are just wonderful! We stopped there in February on the JoCo Cruise.

  607. You’ve already decided on Grand Cayman, but I was late to say Iceland so will say it anyway ;p

    Not 3 hours away tho >.> fun, but maybe not easy – maybe one day? Seems like you’d like in general though, as your holidays have seemed somewhat adventurous and there’s lots of interesting geography (waterfalls, volcanos, geysers, glaciers, lagoons) and history (vikings!) it’s pretty unpopulated so a lot of the time seems like you’re getting it (and the roads) to yourself (apart from the more famous landmarks).

    Really want to go back one day and do a road trip around the whole country. Didn’t feel like I saw enough. Didn’t see the Northern Lights either ;(

  609. Ok, come one. Has anyone even MENTIONED Canada?! Banff and Jasper, mountains…..

    It’s just like Jupiter but with more bears.

  610. I was on Grand Cayman in college. Out scuba club went down there to establish an underwater park on the East end of the island. (I know right! We even could get science credit for scuba diving in the best place in the world). Anyway when we were there we stayed in a townhouse owned by someone local. It was awesome because it was our own place. The East end is better than the side with Georgetown on it because it’s closer to the turtles, is where the locals live and the reefs are cooler. But honestly it’s a tiny island so even if you stay in a mega hotel/resort/casino/money laundering establishment you can still get someplace cool quick.

    Oh…and if someone tells you about the local “rabbits” they’re lying. They are just rodents of unusual size.

  611. I went Hell once, but the other Hell, no that other Hell, the other, other Hell in Norway. Well, I passed by it in a bus once. Situated near an airport it looked like Hell, only frozen over. and people thougt it never could.

  612. You will never ever read this comment number 608. In case you do, consider Little Cayman. I’ve been there and there is no crowd at all, but very few beautiful people live there. Southern Cross Club. Check this out. I took a scuba basic clinic and that was amazing. Beautiful bicycle riding, great food.

  613. If you hate crowds and hotels, the far side of the Caymans has condos for rent. It’s about an hour to drive but totally worth it! Private beaches, not a lot of tourists, a little shack of a bar right next door. Fabulous! But, might not be so great if you’re going to want to be doing tourist type things every day. Perfect for beach bumming and snorkeling though.

  614. Grand Cayman is amazing. AH-MAZ-ING. Great choice.. you will love it!

    Stuff to do:
    Stingray City (DO IT). It’s amazing. We went with Captain Marvin and they were very safety-oriented. http://www.captainmarvins.com. They also have a shipwreck snorkel tour (www.captainmarvins.com/shipwreck-snorkel-tour) that looks pretty cool (I didn’t get a chance to do it).
    -Cayman Motor Museum: http://www.caymanmotormuseum.com/
    -Jolly Roger Pirate Cruise (kind of cheesy but hey, it’s pirates): http://www.jollyrogercayman.com/
    -Cemetery Beach (just what it sounds like). It’s not an attraction per say – it’s just a public beach, but it is beautiful and peaceful and quiet. You can walk or drive there, but there are no facilities (no bathrooms, food, or lounge chairs, etc) so be prepared. I found it quite lovely.
    -For the cheese factor: http://tikibeachcayman.net/
    -Mastic Trail (if you like that sort of thing) http://www.nationaltrust.org.ky/index.php/info-sheets/mastic-reserve-trail
    -Rum Point (http://www.caymanislands.ky/activities/beaches/rumpoint.aspx) – another beach. Honestly, didn’t find it worth the drive but it’s a thing you do. Best mudslides I’ve ever had, though!
    -Tortuga Rum tour (and cakes) – didnt get to go, but you said Victor likes rum…
    -Caymana Bay (www.camanabay.com/) – it’s a lovely spot, has shopping that isn’t so tourist-oriented, some unique stuff.
    -You can find more at http://www.caymanactivityguide.com/

    For places to stay, it depends on whether you want to be in the middle of the action (ie. Seven Mile beach (SMB)) or somewhere else. If you don’t mind driving across the island, one of the few all-inclusives is The Reef (http://thereef.com/) on the other side of the island (the island is small). Isolated, but gets rave reviews, and might be up your alley. You will need a car (you will probably want one anyway).

    (Speaking of, you need a Cayman driver’s license. There’s no test – you just go to the DMV, give them money (and show your US license) and you get one. They drive on the LEFT so remember to look RIGHT-LEFT-RIGHT when crossing the street)

    If you want to stay on SMB, you have options for either hotels or condos. I am not an expert in this area (I stay with friends) but I have seen a few. The Westin is lovely (but $$$) – try their Sunday brunch regardless. Sunshine Suites and Comfort Suites are good choices. If you want a condo (which most people recommend) check out VRBO.com. My friends had family stay at Villas of the Galleon (http://www.villasofthegalleon.com) and these were really nice. Very central, and you could walk to everything. If you get a condo, check out Fosters (the local grocery chain) – you’ll find most things you have at home.

    If you want to avoid crowds, as someone mentioned, stay away from Georgetown on cruise ship days. That’s the best time to get a deal in any of the shops, though.

    The island is very sort of… it’s not tropical, exactly. Native language is English, transit is easy to use, people are friendly and helpful. There is something about the island that makes it feel like… home. You’ll love it.

  616. Now I want to go to Hell. (But, only the one in the Grand Caymans.) Also, I’m thinking this would be an amazing place for a honeymoon.

    Someone once said, when you’re trying to decide what to do, always pick the thing that will give you the best stories afterwards. I think this qualifies. Also, your friend Karen rocks. (Must go find out who Karen is now.)

  617. I think if you PAY to go to Hell they give you better weather. The other Hell is always way too hot, right up until it freezes over.

  619. Because if I know anything about demographics… is there’s two groups that intersect like crazy it’s Bloggess readers and Megadeth fans.

  621. I can offer you no advice on visiting Hell on Earth (however, like you, I know where I’m going in the end; I hope you will sign my copy book of your book upon my arrival – or your arrival – whoever gets there second). With that being said, you are clearly feeling better from your surgery, so I am glad to hear (read?) that. Best!

  622. Now i want to go to Hell because pirates, and rum, and sea turtles. I suspect that is the reason most people go there. Because pirates and rum and sea turtles. Also, Jack Sparrow is totally awesome. (Pirates of the Caribbean fan)

  623. Grand Cayman is AWESOME. We ended up getting marooned their unexpectedly for 24 hours during our honeymoon (long story) and we adored it. I wish I remembered the hotel we were in. Just make sure you’re in one with beach access, of course.

  624. Yellowstone is not boring. I’ve been twice and would love to go back (I live in Europe) as I haven’t seen the wolves yet. Give Old Faithful a glance, walk to the other geysers in the same area (a lot less crowded when you get more than 20 meters away from Old Faithful) and then explore the rest of the park. So much to see and you will find wildlife all over the place.

  626. Hell wasn’t as fire and brimstone-y as I expected. You overlook a few little rocks and that’s that. I was hoping to be able to walk around in a ginormous maze of hell rocks, get comfortable with my possible future, but .. no. Not so much. Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer – Grand Cayman is great – but I was just a little disappointed in my trip to hell.

  627. I HIGHLY recommend swimming with the Stingrays. I did it there on our last cruise and it was incredible. Unlike most places, when you swim with them in Grand Cayman, they are wild Stingrays, not in a pen. They are so friendly, though. Highlight of our trip. We used a company called Stingray Sailing, but there are lots of great tour operators that do this there. I think one is Called Captain Marvin’s and another one is Cayman Eco Tours.

  628. Grand Cayman is like the mecca for snorkeling and diving!! I was blown away by the amount of wildlife we saw snorkeling. The place was called Cemetery Beach 🙂

  629. Cape Cod is fantastic. It s a great family option. It’s beachy, there is Whale watching and tours. So much to do in the area so many great spots to visit. Makes for a breath taking road trip.

  631. Unfortunately when I was on Grand Cayman it was part of a cruise so I can’t recommend any hotels (because the ship took us away before sunset), but the turtle farm IS AWESOME!!!!!!! You will love it! (And so will Haley — there’s a place where you can carefully pick up and pet tiny turtles. It’s my Facebook pic!) And the rum is pretty darned good, too (rum punch is free on most of the islands when you do these tours). I didn’t actually see any pirates, but there’s lots of places I couldn’t go since I wasn’t there long enough… have fun!

  632. I recommend my hometown Niagara Falls, even though it’s busy AT the actual falls (though my concept of busy might be different seeing as I live in Canada and crowds generally are smaller here). If you were interested you could easily go and (with a few hints) see the falls without the crowd. That said, there are a ton of fun activities in the Niagara REGION that aren’t super busy.

    In the area directly around Niagara Falls:
    – Bird Kingdom (bird sanctuary) – in my opinion the best overall value/experience besides the falls which is of course free so it kinda automatically wins on that front. Beautiful indoor atrium with tropical theme, large waterfall, authentic tiki hut, bat feedings, tortoises, lots of things for kids and adults to see. I have a 26$ year-long membership, including parking which is good.
    – Niagara Parks – tons of lovely park areas to explore and enjoy, picnics, fireworks over the falls on weekends.. the whole area is terrific for walking.
    – Skylon Tower for a great 360 degree view of the area including the falls
    – Journey Behind the Falls
    – Butterfly conservatory, etc.
    – Hershey’s Store (fresh-dipped chocolate strawberries, best milkshakes, 5 lb. Hershey’s bar…..)
    – Rainforest Cafe, Margaritaville (also great for kids, not boozy unless you want it to be haha) 🙂

    In the region near Niagara Falls:
    – Niagara-On-The-Lake for quaint town feel, lots of B&Bs, wine tours, horse carriage rides, drive along Niagara Parkway/River Road for a fantastic view
    – Bruce Trail – very long trail around the escarpment area with mini-falls, tons of nature stuff
    – Port Colborne marina, Welland Canal, Sherkston beach, Queenston Heights, I could go on and on 🙂
    Let me know if you (or anyone else for that matter) are interested. I’ve never worked in the tourism industry, so I’m just very proud of the area where I grew up 😉

  634. I agree with Janna…don’t miss the stingrays. There are a couple of tours that do it so make sure you go to the one that takes you by boat out to the sandbar. It’s amazing. They are like cats. But not. We were there on a cruise as well, and the stingrays were the highlight of the week.

  635. I love places that have fun names like this! So I’m going to make a list starting with Hell. And then maybe visit all these places and sound unreasonably adventurous and witty while my friends bat their jealous eyelids at me.

  636. On Grand Cayman, go snorkeling with sting rays! We’re going to be there, doing this, in a few days!

  637. So when you get back from Hell and you’re already planning your next trip b/c you realize you really don’t get out enough (at least that’s what I do) . . . Costa Rica is phenom. A true adventure trip. But you can also bask by the pool or ocean and just soak it in. It’s no Hell but hey–what is? 🙂

  638. Did GC last year. Stay at Sunshine Suites. It is across the street from the beach and about half the price of a beach resort. Definitely snorkels the barrier reef (accessible by sail boat). And visit stingray city (accessible by same boat). The Indian restaurant near the hotel is awesome. The turtle place is cool, but keep in mind the turtles are being raised as food. They downplay that part, but it is sad.

  639. Cancun! We visited Xel Ha and the ruins, swam with dolphins. spent time on the beach and painted ceramic lizards. our son was 10 and loved it!

  640. My favourite part of the Cayman Islands was swimming with the the sting rays. It feels intimidating at first because some of them are huge and they’re called Sting Rays and all. But, they are incredibly gentle. (People have been hand feeding them for so many generations they think its normal.) When they get surrounded they know their tails are potentially a threat so you can actually see them working to point their tails away from people.

  641. Sorry to not be posting anything useful, but your sentence “she doesn’t understand the concept of limits” made me laugh and I felt compelled to tell you.

    I’m jealous you’re going to hell. I’ll be joining you, unless I really decide to turn over a new leaf (not likely).

  643. When I was in Hell, they had one of those plywood body signs with the head cut out so you can look like you are the devil. It was awesome!

    When we went to Cemetery Beach, they sold fish food. Talk about getting up close and personal with swarms of fish…so thick I couldn’t see. And the schools of fish track that food like dogs track tennis balls…you know, in case you want to send an entire school of fish Victor’s way.

  644. For future vacation needs: Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab Utah. There are 700 cats there. (plus dogs, parrots, donkeys, pigs, rabbits, etc.) It is a magical, wonderful place. Go, volunteer. It’s near Grand Canyon & Bryce Canyon and Zion national park so there are other things to do/see in the area. But mostly: cats. They let you take animals on sleepovers (if you are volunteers). http://bestfriends.org/the-sanctuary/visiting/

  645. Dunno if it’s been said already, but just in case: DO NOT miss Stingray City; it’s AWESOME! Like enormous, underwater alien cats that you can play with …

  646. Loved Cayman — great walk out snorkeling, terrific food. We stayed at the Cotton Tree. It was a little outside of the main “cruise ship” destination, which is what we preferred. It’s very small … only a handful of individual cottages. VERY private, very quiet — never saw another person at the resort. Staff was amazing, rooms were impeccable. Highly recommend it!http://www.caymancottontree.com/

  647. You HAVE TO go to Seymour’s Jerk Centre in Georgetown. So good. Also there are tons of iguanas and random chickens everywhere for you to hang with.

  648. Stingray City! Without a doubt. It was fabulous. Just remember to shuffle your feet through the sand and don’t put the squid treats in your pockets!

  649. Definitely go swimming with the stingrays. We stopped by there on our honeymoon cruise and went swimming with the stingrays. It was AWESOME! It was about a 45 minute boat ride to the spot.

    Also, get rum cake from the little store across from the turtle farm. And don’t eat the turtle chow in the turtle tanks.

  650. Just so you know, my phone auto corrected this to “Catman Islands.”

  651. Squeeee!!! I almost suggested Grand Cayman yesterday because it is one of my alltime favorite vacations, but got immersed in reading the travel recommendations of other people and my own bucket list of places to see.
    So Grand Cayman is lovely and Victor will get to drive on the wrong side of the road – he will love it. The traffic is very light, the locals know to look out for tourists; I never saw any problems. My husband did NOT get a license; he just got a rental car. Well, I should clarify; he does have a license from Georgia. Maybe we are thought to be such aggressive drivers, we can handle anything.
    We stayed at the Marriott time share on the “bay” side across from 7 mile beach. The beach is beautiful, but it was a nice $$ saving to stay on the other side. It would be too far for you to walk to 7MB, though, so you might want to stay on the beach side if that (beach swimming) is what you are going to do most of the time.
    1) Definitely go to Hell. Go to the thing that looks like a biker bar/tourist trap and walk through the bar to the deck on the back. Amazing! Buy some postcards. I wouldn’t plan on spending the full day there. Just a quick pop in for a beer and a coke. And a wacked out crazy view. And many photos!
    2) Go to dinner at the Wharf when they are feeding the tarpon (evening). Crazy. You don’t get to feed them yourself. You won’t want to after you see it.
    3) book a tour with Joe Tourist. He will take you to see the blowholes, a walk in the jungle where you might see parrots (we did), fun lunch at a beach restaurant, let you hold his giant iguana on your head, and to see a beautiful sunset after you hike up the cliffs.
    4) scuba? it is great there! snorkel if you don’t scuba. A lot to see. At 7MB, the current is not very strong. At least, it wasn’t when I was there. I wouldn’t hesitate to swim there with a child Hailey’s age.
    5) stingray city. Yes!! You gotta!! Try to find the boat that goes out first thing in the morning. It gets there earlier than the others and the rays are fresher and more excited. Our boat had life jacket for my friend who didn’t swim, even though she could stand in the water easily. Take snorkel gear and snorkel (same boat but different stop) afterward. Look for Lionfish but don’t touch them. Oh! Try to get someone from Cayman to kill the Lionfish. They like to do that, because the Lionfish are invasive and bad. Then they hand feed them to lobsters. Cayman lobster are spoiled.
    6) 7 mile beach. You know those beautiful photos of beaches in advertisements? They are 7 mile beach. No photoshop required. Find a hotel restaurant for lunch (Westin works well) and hang out by the pool and go from the beach to the pool to the bar to the beach to the bar to the pool…ahhh….beautiful snorkeling here. Westin let diners/lunchers use the beach and pool.
    7) The Edge for lunch. Yummy and great views
    8) Hemingways for sunset. Also yummy and great views
    9) Cimboco (Cayman Island Motor Boat Company) for lunch. Very tasty!
    Packing: If you have snorkel gear, I’d pack it. Just one less thing you gotta buy/rent when you get there and worry about the fit. But if you don’t, you will find it everywhere. I always take a light jacket for the plane and one will be plenty. We never had a cold night (November) and places weren’t over air-conditioned. Shoes for walking in the jungle. I took some Athletha swim skirts and long sleeved UPF shirts and wore than pretty much all the time. It looks nice enough to wear to lunch, but can go in the water or walk through the jungle. Beachbag and light backpack. I wear a ball cap for a beach hat (I’m kind of a redneck) and giant sunglasses. I’d grab some extra sunglasses from the drugstore and take them in case you lose your good pair.

  652. One more….shopping at Pure Art. Even my non-shopper husband liked this place. It is not large, but almost everything they have is interesting. A lot of things for your home, but also a lot of jewelry. Most of it is pretty and affordable. A nice thing to get Hailey a stingray necklace as a souvenir from the trip. Maybe something to do toward the end so that she can select something that really triggers a nice memory for her.

  653. Stingray City – awesome. The turtle farm is good and you do get to hold the smaller turtles and when they freak out and flip their flippers all over the place, all you have to do is give them a little scritch under their chin and they calm right down. 7 mile beach is glorious. I miss it.

  654. We did “Yellowstone for Families” tour (pg. 4). It was just 2 other families and us on a small bus with our own personal biologist, Shauna Baron. Her name is in there. It was AMAZING. We learned so much and were never in the crowds. The animal count list was huge. Later we went the southern half of the park by ourselves. My youngest wanted to know where his Shauna was because it was boring without her. If you want, I can send a pic of the grizzly that decided the tree near where we were picnicking was the perfect butt-scratching tree. https://www.yellowstoneassociation.org/sites/all/files/downloads/Summer2014_Catalog.06FINAL_Web.pdf

  655. Ooo! Avoid Old Faithful like the plague! NIGHTMARE! The Mammoth Springs/Grant Village side is quieter.

  656. Damn. Wishing I had seen this earlier to suggest a visit to NW Arkansas. I know that sounds incredibly boring, but stay with me. We have Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. It is a world class art museum. Rosie the Riveter by Norman Rockwell. End of story. There’s lots of history and hiking and outdoorsy stuff to do and we’re having a super mild summer here right now. Seriously, we haven’t hit 90 yet and summer starts Saturday. Winter is going to suck again. Ugh. Anyway, I’ve never been to Hell, but it sounds flippin’ awesome! I hope ya’ll have a fabulous vacation!!! 😀

  658. Leavenworth, WA (Little Bavariaa) is our favorite place to go. It is our home away from home. But it depends on what you like to do.

    Hiking? Check
    Hunting? Check (can never have enough stuffed little animals)
    Rock climbing? Check
    Eating lots of food (not just German)? Check
    Tasting rooms? Check
    Festivals? Check
    Seeing wildlife? Check
    Skiing? Check
    Practically Bavaria? Check
    Live music? Check
    Beer gardens? Check
    Mountains all around? Check
    Great summer weather? Check
    Bakeries? Check
    North Cascades loop trip through great mountains? Check
    Wineries tour? Check
    Sauerkraut? Check

    For anything else going on in Leavenworth, see our tourist-to-tourist website with all our recommendations and what’s happening in town.
    http://www.AccidentalBavarian.com

  660. I like the Marriott Grand Cayman Beach resort. They’re also pretty good about getting you cars or excursions to the great places like Stingray City, the turtles and stuff like that. Also at the end of the natural pool bay with Stingray City is “the Wall,” an excellent dive/snorkel. Try Tortuga rum cake (safe for kids, too).

  661. I sent to Hell myself – you can send a postcard from the post office there and it will get stamped with a postmark from Hell… pretty fun. Send one to yourself and friends.
    Otherwise, the rum factory was sweet and you get to do a lot of tasting… makes for a very ‘happy’ visit. Also the turtle farm was rad, beware the poop though… I didn’t know turtles poop as big as some humans.
    Stingray city was awesome! I got to ‘hold’ and kiss a stingray. It was amazing and the pictures were worth it.

    The place I would’ve suggested going was Sedona, Arizona. They have this fun park called “Sliding Rock” that has natural made rock waterslide in a creek and it’s one of the most amazing places to go star gazing. It’s more low key and hippie style, if you’re at all into that.

    Have a Hell of a good time in the Caymans. (btw everything is crazy expensive in the Caymans because it’s shipped in, so be prepared to spend extra)

  662. The Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman. Expensive, but worth every penny!

  663. The Sea Turtle Farm on Cayman island is under fire for inhumane practices. It does do some turtle conservation and turtle releases yearly, however, the majority of its income is based on the turtles they SELL. For human consumption. Turtle stew is a Cayman delicacy… so the turtles they let you hold will probably be cooked up in a few months. You may want to reconsider your visit. In fact, when I visited several years ago you could actually buy turtle stew at the little restaurant on site.
    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-31/cayman-sea-turtles-endure-disease-tourists-commentary.html

  664. Never been to the Grand Caymans, but curiosity made me look it up — looks great! You might check airbnb.com for a place to stay — I looked, and there are some nice looking apartments etc. that are available, and a lot cheaper than a hotel. Just a thought. I’ve used them before for NYC and was very pleased. Have a great time!

  666. I’ve been to Grand Cayman many times and LOVE staying at the Turtle Nest Inn in Boddentown. It’s about 10 miles from the wild and crazy Seven Mile Beach in George Town which is TOO busy and tourist filled. Turtle Nest Inn is small, privately owned, is on the beach and has a great pool. The units include a sep. bedroom and kitchen/living room.

  667. So in Grand Cayman, DEFINITELY snorkel. It’s amazing snorkeling, better than Hawaii for sure. Also, rent one of those wet jet thingies, get a long one all 3 of you can sit on, and tool around on the ocean in it. We were zipping along and a flying fish leapt out of the water and flew along with us for like 10 seconds. It was awesome. Have fun!

  668. There are lots of nice condos on Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman. Much better than the big hotels for avoiding crowds, and you’re right on a seven mile long, unbelievably gorgeous sandy beach. And yes, you definitely must go snorkeling.

  669. What’s really funny about this post, is that there are currently 662 comments….and this one will make 663…three more and it will just be freaky….

  670. Another vote for the Marriott. It’s not fancy-schmancy but it’s good for families. There are a couple of pools OR you can snorkel right off the beach.Also, the grounds are really nice. If FS is more your thing, there is a Ritz within walking distance – went for dinner one night – and it’s phenomenal. You MUST go snorkeling with Captain Marvin. https://www.captainmarvins.com/. They were awesome and the food is delish. Rent a car one day and just drive around the island and explore. Be warned that food is ridiculously expensive there. Stay away from Georgetown for the most part as it’s where the cruise ships dock and all the hoi polloi come off the ships and clutter up the streets. Cayman is my favorite island in the Caribbean – you will love it.

  671. GRand Cayman is beautiful. Go snorkeling. They take you to an old shipwreck thats just at the ledge where the ocean floor drops from 50 ft to 500 ft. I’m afraid of the water, but I did it and it was amazing. Also theres a turtle farm. Do that. And good bars. I dont know about where to stay since I was on a cruise.

  673. My husband loved Stingray City where you can swim with the sting rays. I mostly wanted to be comment 666 though on your post about hell 🙂

  674. I had to comment just so this post would have 666 entries. Can’t leave it hanging like that.

  676. we stayed past rum point in a rental by owner. we loved it for the ease of doing laundry, eating late, drinking on the deck… you would like that area as it not crowded, Victor will like it… rum… your daughter will like it as there were just random starfish in the water and amazing right off the beach snorkeling. we rented a small car and it wasnt so bad to drive on the wrong side… worth it to be away from the 7 mile crowds.

  677. Howdy,
    My wife and her sisters were somewhat surprised by the sea turtle farm. Specifically that it was a farm, and not a zoo. I thought the soup was delicious.

  678. I don’t know about where to stay b/c we went there on a cruise, but that turtle farm is awesome! Plus there’s a dolphin encounter place right across the street and iguanas everywhere.

  679. You’ve already selected this year’s vacation, but I’m going to add my voice to the folks to recommended Colorado. There is a long and honored tradition of Texans invading Colorado during summer vacation season (Lake City has an old motel called “The Texan” because of this). I think that Durango is a great base of operations. You can ride the steam locomotive up to Silverton and do touristy things (and discover how it feels to have alcohol at 10,000 feet). You can also drive up to Silverton, do the Old Hundred mine tour, take your rented 4WD out on the Alpine Loop. We’re also near some awesome Ancestral Puebloan ruins (not the least of which is Mesa Verde where you can climb up into 1000 year old cliff palaces and down into giant kivas). There are publicly accessible hot springs just north of Durango, in downtown Ouray, and in Ridgway (where the original True Grit was filmed, and they also still have some of the film set). There’s white water rafting, zip lines, etc., in the area. And downtown Durango has amazing food. And it is nice to just go and sit along the Animas River at one of the many parks or walk along the greenway. I’d recommend staying in either the Strater or the Leland.

    And what I’ve said also largely holds true for several other Colorado mountain towns. Tourist favs are Telluride, Creede, Lake City, Gunnison. So come see what many generations of Texans thought is so great about vacationing in Colorado. 🙂

  681. Grand Cayman is wonderful. I second staying on 7 mile beach in one of the hotels. Also the one place you must eat at is Calypso Grill. Melt in your mouth wonderfulness!!!

  682. We went to the turtle farm and it was ok. You have to go snorkeling with the sting rays. One of my favorite memories. Someone got bit by a baracuda. Serves them right for messing with it when we were told to stay away from it. Also, don’t forget to sent all sorts of mail. Whoever you sent it to (i recommend to yourself as well) it is postmarked from Hell.

  683. There is also a Hell, Michigan. I grew up very near there, and I used to love to go when I was a kid. There’s a really nice campsite there (at least it was really nice 20 years ago…), and it’s in the pretty, foresty, lakey, non-stabby part of MI.

  684. Ooh, now you guys are making me want to visit America… and Canada (which I already did after growing up with Anne of Green Gables) and Croatia (it’s been on the list for a while as it’s reasonably local and looks cool).

  685. For Grand Cayman, you definitely need to swim with the stingrays!!! It’s incredible!!! The pirate ship dinner cruise is cheesy pirate fun (we “fired” canons upon the Dutch navy – they B.A’d us back! And hey, rum punch!!!) There’s a restaurant up near Hell that serves conch fritters you will dream about all your life though I can’t remember the name!! And Tortuga rums and rum cake are the bomb so stock up at the duty free before you leave! Word of advice, don’t stick your fingers out to the turtles at the turtle farm or they will EAT IT! My husband almost lost a finger. But it’s definitely worth going to. Seven Mile Beach is usually a zoo so if you can stay anywhere else, do it and rent a car. It’s a small island and you’ll discover lots of new things driving around. East side is beautiful and quiet. But almost more importantly than the stingrays and the rum, snorkel as much as you can, and in a variety of places. Their shores are like aquariums. So jealous, I love that place! Have fun!

  686. Is it sad that I clicked on the picture of the cats butt hole hoping to get a better view ….and now i want to go to Hell

  687. I stayed at the Grand Cayman Beach Suites and LOVED it. It a great location on 7 mile beach and all the suites looked out onto the water. I really enjoyed having a kitchen, too, even just for Diet Coke and coffee. I traveled alone (my “I am a strong independent woman and can take a vacation by myself” trip) and felt totally comfortable.

  688. I like Scotland. Edinburgh has haunted places, cool walks, a Castle, and one of the best gelato places ever. (Mary’s Milk Bar) and then you can come to Fife and have rocking fish and chips in Anstruther, walk to Old Course of St. Andrews, visit Adam’s Smith’s birthplace in Kirkcaldy,(that’s for Victor).
    Just a thought. But I’m biased as I am living in Scotland for the year…

  689. We just went to turtle farm last week. You get to catch turtles with your hands and go snorkeling with them. It was fun for our group which included little ones and a teenager.

  690. Stayed at the Radisson, went to Hell and the turtle farm and drank with the locals. By far, the best vacation ever. Got a hickey from a stingray and it’s not nearly as sexy as it sounds. But all in all, great time.

  691. Glacier park is awesome. Beautiful scenery. Bears. Going to the Sun road. A lake that is so clear you can see hundreds of feet down to the bottom. Mountain goats everywhere. Driving distance from larger cities for a little civilization if you feel the need. Come to Montana. You won’t regret it.

  692. You should definitely stay right on 7-mile beach. I STRONGLY recommend swimming with stingrays. It’s incredible! We did a 3-hour thing where we swam with stingrays and then snorkeled in the middle of the ocean. My husband and I went to the turtle farm and really enjoyed it. It’s fine to pick the turtles up and if you pet them under their chins they like it and will be really calm.

  693. To Hell and back. Awesome choice. Safe, happy travels and of course we hope you will tell us ALL about it. Enjoy!

  694. I know you won’t get down this far in the comments, but Jekyll Island, GA, where there is a sea turtle rehabilitation center, seven miles of beach, 4 golf courses, and it’s where the Federal Reserve Bank was dreamed up over a game of billiards is one of my two favorite places on earth. The other is St Augustine, FL, with its 17th century fort, the big tabby ball marking the beginning of the Santa Fe Trail (now known as I-10), and the wonderfully lazy tides in the marshes. I hope you have a wonderful vacation.

  696. Lake Tahoe is beautiful! Relatively crowd-free other than maybe some parking areas. Plenty of hiking and biking. You can rent a boat for a day on the lake. There is golf nearby and plenty of stuff to do in the vicinity.

  698. I’ve been to Hell, Grand Cayman and it was amazing! Just to share something I learned the hard way, the turtle farm is an actual farm where the turtles are being harvested for…well, meat. For some reason I thought it was a sanctuary so I was a little sad about that. (I eat meat, but I don’t care to meet my meals before I eat them…I’m a hypocrite that way I guess.) Definitely go to the post office there and send some of your favorite (and not so favorite) folks a postcard from Hell!

  699. stingrays…go after all the cruise tourists are done though.
    and bring back the rum cake….delicious!

  700. One of our favorite spots is Sunriver, Oregon. Rent a house or stay in the lodge (we rent a house, lots of deals at sunriver realty website). There are so many things to do…hike, mountain bike, swim, golf, tennis, horseback ride, kayak, fish, star gaze at the observatory, kids activities daily at the lodge…so many activities for whatever your interests and very family friendly! 🙂

  701. I am planning my 50th birthday trip, and Cayman Islands are one of the options. My research thus far has suggested three good options:

    Cotton Tree Hotel, Grand Cayman. 5*, TA.com, 100% approval rating.
    for Almond Cottage, Sleeps 6. Garden View. Cocoplum $700/night, sleeps 4, Ocean
    View. Babysitting and child care available. Kid friendly.

    **The Reef Resort, Grand Cayman. 4.5, TA.com, 86% approval rating. 88 suites,
    beachfront. Kids’ pool & activities, croquet court, Dive facility on-site. Hot tub, liquor & store
    on site. Kids pay reduced daily rate. 2 bedroom suite, sleeps 6, $500/night, not AI. With AI,
    $811 per day.

    *** Cobalt Coast Resort & Suites. 95% approval rating, 4.5* on TA.com. Great shore
    diving. Onsite dive shop. Has meal plan as add-on. Rooms have fridge. Quiet location, have to
    travel to downtown. Good soundproofing in rooms, comfy beds, clean rooms.

    I hope you have a great trip – and I look forward to the pics!

  703. For Grand Cayman: Stay in a hotel on Seven Mile Beach if you can. You must go to Tortuga rum shops for the free samples of the rum cakes! The original is my favorite, but the chocolate one and the bananna one is also pretty darn good. For interesting things to do, when I went there was a black coral sculpture artist named Richard Barille. He had a parrot that screamed RICHARD! Kirk’s leather had gorgeous purses. We took the pirate boat ride and went to stingray city. Both were awesome. Have a lot of fun!!!

  704. My husband and I just got back from our honeymoon in Grand Cayman, and Sting Ray City is AMAZING (amazing enough to warrant all caps). You take a boat to a sand bar that’s about 45 minutes out from the island, and then you frolic majestically (or, choke on salt water while you try to figure out your damned under water camera) and with giant rays. It’s only about 4 feet deep, so you don’t even have to swim. Snorkeling there was also particularly fabulous. Make sure you try the conch fritters and/or spring rolls.

  705. We stayed at a small guesthouse in GC, Sea Spray Cottage. Lovely hosts, private infinity pool, delightful and quiet. http://www.turtlenestinn.com/seaspray_cottage_main.htm
    You’ll need a car to get around and to better beaches. Atlantis Submarine trip was very cool, if you don’t suffer from claustrophobia. Also Queen Elizabeth Botanic Park, & a lot of the recommendations already mentioned.

  706. PS, I would avoid staying on 7 Mile Beach, very built up, touristy, think Miami Beach. Unless you like that sort of thing…

  707. Consider staying on the East End. A bit of a drive but very peaceful. Certainly not the hussle and glitz of Seven Mile Beach. Maybe rent a house in the Cayman Kai area. We love the low key Morritt’s resorts. They are timeshare and more self-serve. Super close to Rum Point and Starfish Point. Rent a car for exploring. The Jolly Roger is a blast but the Pirate Caves are a bad tourist trap. If you can, take the submarine tour down the Cayman Wall. It is breathtaking.

  708. The Turtle Nest Inn is a great little hotel (I got married there). There are also some house rentals up closer to Hell.

  709. Stingray city in grand Carmen! They take you out on a boat to swim with all these sting rays and they’re huge and surround you and you can kiss them. So funny to kiss and they don’t even kill you like the bastards did to the late great Steve Irwin. They’re like the fun uncle of those murderous pricks.

  711. Went to Hell in early May. Get your passport stamped at the General Store while your are there.

  712. I’m way late, but I’ll still add in Breckenridge. You can’t go wrong up there. It’s one of my favorites.

  713. I know you’re only looking to do a 4-5 day trip, but for a future vacation idea, Scotland. Edinburgh is a great mix of ancient, old and new with cool history, a great arts scene and some amazing restaurants. But the best thing about Scotland is the beautiful stark scenery and the amazing (and spooky) castle ruins!

  714. My husband and I have gone to Grand Cayman almost every year for the past 15 years–no easy trip since we live in California. We stay on the East End do the island, which is on the opposite side of the touristy stuff on Seven Mile Beach. It’s quieter on the East End and very relaxing. We stay at a timeshare–Morritt’s–which is about 20 yards off the water. It’s not fancy but it’s lovely. You can swim, dive, get drunk in the pool bar, and they have lots of activities just for kids. The resort will also arrange for trips to other parts of the island if you want to see sightsee. We’re actually leaving in a week for a two-week stay! You have to go! You’ll love it!

  715. The Hyatt Regency in Grand Cayman is where I have stayed several times. Love it! The turtle farm is amazing & you MUST do Stingray City.

  716. Stingray city tour with Red Sail ( they have an awesome catamaran)
    Papagallo restaurant-off the beaten path, on a bird sanctuary
    Snorkel at Cemetary Reef-park at the Cemetary and walk to the beach

  717. I’ve been to Hell, but I didn’t realize you could go to Hell and stay there.

  718. We just returned from Grand Cayman a week ago. We had an awesome vacation staying in a 3 bedroom condo in Old Man Bay. We Had a beautiful view of the ocean on the third floor balcony. There is a pool, lovely beach, lots of privacy. Its fully furnished including the kitchen. The ocean is right in front of you and here’s the best part. There is a little miniature reef right close to the shore. Your daughter can practice her snorkeling skills under your watchful eye and she will see many small fish of different types. The bigger ones can’t get in – they won’t fit. We stayed at “On the Bay” (#311) for seven heavenly days. You can look into it through Cayman Villas on the web. My mother lived in Grand Cayman for 15 years so I wouldn’t steer you wrong. The price is cheap, three bedrooms for around $300. a night in the off season. It’s not a hotel with room service, but we rarely saw another guest. Oh, and people visit “Hell” to sent postcards with the postage stamped fron Hell.

    Bon voyage, Amy

  719. I would definitely vote for chartering yacht in Croatia , specifically sailing in Dalmatia. The best sailing holiday was when we chartered sailboat from Split and we visited islands Hvar, Vis, Korcula and Brac. It was amassing. We chartered yacht trough:
    http://www.croatia-yacht-rent.com/

    Next year we are planning to go charter a catamaran and go sailing in north Dalmatia.
    Probably gonna go to National park Kornati, Dugi otok and back. Cant wait 🙂

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