Best Vacation Youve Been on in the Us?

[thecougchef]

we are trying to plan a vacation for this summer. we are big lake/fishing/outdoors type people. we were thinking about going to shasta & towing our boat down. or maybe montana (i went to seely lake once & thought it was gorgeous). but we also wouldnt mind just flying somewhere & relaxing on a beach or by a pool. i want it to be a little adventurous nearby...rafting, hiking, etc.

we are looking to go after my brother gets home from iraq in august (so i have someone to watch our puppies!). & not hawaii - we are going dec '10 for my parents 25th anniversary.

where has your favorite US vacation been?

 

[jrstephens]

We go to the same place every year almost - Pigeon Forge, TN.

We went to Branson several years ago and loved it but that's too long of a drive for us to want to do with 2 small children any time soon.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

No doubt about it - driving from New York City to San Francisco on the Lincoln Highway. It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip but that said, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. (No, not I-80.)2nd place - fishing in the Superior National Forest and Quetico Provincial Park on the Boundary Waters between Minnesota and Ontario. When we went, you could take boats in, now you can only go by canoe.

 

[Gina M]

One of my more recent trips (2 summers ago) - we drove through South Dakota into the Black Hills - saw Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse,etc. Took our 3 kids and my mom and dad in our van - had a wonderful time. The scenery is gorgeous and so different from what we get here in Illinois. It was a lot of driving but I planned for us to stay in many different hotels over the course of 8 days. The kids did great in the van as well (they were 6, 10 and 12 1/2 at the time. Our kids talk about this trip a lot (and they went to Disney World the year before).

Another fun trip for us - we went to Michigan - saw the Henry Ford Museum, Kellogg's Plant in Battlecreek, Binder Park Zoo (one of the coolest zoos I've ever seen) and spent 2 days at Lake Michigan at the beach. I love planning trips and seeing unusual places. This year we are off to Washington D.C. Good luck planning your trip!

 

[DebbieJ]

Yellowstone National Park, hands down.

 

[vwpamperedchef]

Well, I am from the Jersey Shore and it is nice here! However, that being said, there are many other adventurous places I'd go. For me, I do not really care for NYC --- def. not a city girl...to me it a lot of hype. But UPSTATE NYC is beautiful. My husband went to West Point and that area is lovely!

Pennsylvannia is great in the summer, lot of outdoorsy things to do (camping, hiking, lakes, boating, etc)

But at the Jersey Shore, you've got boardwalks, the Home of Bon Jovi & Bruce Springsteen, great restaurants, nightlife, the Atlantic Ocean, pools, Victorian B&Bs, casinos, and more!

Good luck choosing! Its fun to dream "where to go".

 

[pcsharon1]

I love, love, love San Antonio and Galveston, Texas. Of course, sadly, a lot of Galveston was destroyed during the hurricane this year but I'm sure there is still a lot of nice things there to do and they would truely appreciate the boost in their economy to help get them back on their feet. We lived in Texas for several years and made the trip down to San Antonio at least twice a year and tried to hit Galveston at least once a year.

 

[chefsteph07]

The Poconos on my honeymoon. There's tons to do there that's outdoorsy.

 

[thecougchef]

One of my more recent trips (2 summers ago) - we drove through South Dakota into the Black Hills - saw Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse,etc.

This year we are off to Washington D.C. Good luck planning your trip!

went to SD about 3 years ago over thanksgiving. we tried three times before we could get up to rushmore - you couldnt even see it because of the snow falling! it was definitely gorgeous country there! then we drove over to the other side of SD and it was just flat & boring. haha.

DC is still my absolute favorite vacation i have ever ever ever been on.

No doubt about it - driving from New York City to San Francisco on the Lincoln Highway. It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip but that said, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. (No, not I-80.)

im a huge road trip person. i think getting there is half the fun.

Yellowstone National Park, hands down.

ive got this one on my list to look into a little more. i think itd be about a days drive from where we live. i know missoula, mt is only about 6-7 hours.

 

[gailz2]

We went to the Delaware Water Gap in the Poconos, PA a couple years ago -- very out doorsy and a lot of fun.

 

[thecougchef]

steph & gail - where did you stay on your trips?? i am loving it just by doing some research online...

 

[pamperedbybarbara]

One of my favorite places to go to is The Florida Keys. My MIL lives in Marathon (about 1hr. north of Key West) and we go visit her almost every Easter/Spring break. The water is awesome there, fishing, boating, snorkeling,etc.....heaven:love:,the sunsets are amazing too. I know this is about the furthest you can get from Washington State, but sooooo worth it....I can't wait to go again this Easter (my children have about 12days off!!).Another awesome sounding vacation would be to go to the Grand Canyon and ride on donkeys down to the bottom and then stay overnight there in a hotel down below.(Hopefully one day soon that is where we will be headed)Wherever you decide to go, have fun!

 

[JAE]

I really enjoyed Colorado - We stayed in Fort Collins and took a day trip to Estes Park which was nice. We mostly just hiked around near Ft. Collins. July was a perfect time.

 

[mrssyvo]

Sedona, Arizona , Smoky Mountains, Table Rock Lake, in Missouri , Charleston, SC

 

[cewcooks]

My favorite vacation was a couple of years ago when my family and I rented a lodge for a week in Bar Harbor Maine and before we left we drove to bangor Maine and drove by Stephen King's house we have a lot of good times there!!

 

[coriatc]

We go every summer to Lake of the Ozarks (Osage Beach area) and we spend the entire week on and in the lake!

My hubby would tell you that Alaska is the best place to vacation, however ... especially in the summer.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

My favorite park is Grand Teton National Park! Beautiful!!

It was 1977 when I went there so I'm sure things have changed a lot, but it was my favoirte of all the parks out West - we never made it as far as Calif. and Yosemite which is now my Dad's favorite.

 

[Ann F]

My co-workers say that every time I come home from a trip I say it was the best I've ever had!My then teen-aged kids and I stayed in, oh, shoot, what's that town right next to Colo. Spgs? Starts with an "m". We had a great activity planned for each day. 1) biked down Pike's Peak, 2) rode horse-back through that rock-formation park, 3) went to a baseball game in Denver, and 4) the one I think you'll really like--rafted down a river.I'll put my thinking cap on (actually I'll Google) &/or ask the kids to figure out 'zactly where we were and get back to you if you're interested.***I'm back. Filling in the blanks in order: Manitou Springs, Garden of the Gods, and the Arkansas River at Canon Springs, CO.

 

[Gina M]

I just remembered another great one - the Grand Canyon - went there in 1992 with my then boyfriend (now husband) - it was a wonderful trip - we stayed a few days in Phoenix, went to Cubs spring training - then drove up through Sedona onto the Grand Canyon. We stayed in a lodge right on the grounds. The first night we were there - right at sunset on the rim of the Canyon - my husband John proposed to me! It was very romantic and just beautiful. It was a wonderful relaxing vacation as well. I highlyrecommend it I would love to take my kids back someday.

 

[Evelynt]

Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Winter and summer. Lots of adventure and beautiful mountains.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

One of my more recent trips (2 summers ago) - we drove through South Dakota into the Black Hills - saw Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse,etc. Took our 3 kids and my mom and dad in our van - had a wonderful time. The scenery is gorgeous and so different from what we get here in Illinois. It was a lot of driving but I planned for us to stay in many different hotels over the course of 8 days. The kids did great in the van as well (they were 6, 10 and 12 1/2 at the time. Our kids talk about this trip a lot (and they went to Disney World the year before).

Another fun trip for us - we went to Michigan - saw the Henry Ford Museum, Kellogg's Plant in Battlecreek, Binder Park Zoo (one of the coolest zoos I've ever seen) and spent 2 days at Lake Michigan at the beach. I love planning trips and seeing unusual places. This year we are off to Washington D.C. Good luck planning your trip!

And there is also the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, too!


However, I'm from West MI - and so those are all great but not on my list of greatest vacations.

My very favorite vacation was when we went to Durango, CO for a week...there was so much to do we didn't get to do it all! We went to Mesa Verde, and climbed through the mountainside cave dwellings there, and we took the Durango-Silverton train through the mountains, and spent a day in the old goldmining town of Silverton. We hiked, and went 2 tracking in the mountains, and went to a Rodeo, and went to an outdoor dinner theatre where they did a Cowboy show, and served us an authentic Chuckwagon Dinner (on tin plates, with tin mugs!) It was the most beautiful country - and we had the best time! It was a family vacation, with DH's whole family (My SIL & BIL were living out there at the time) and we all still talk about how much fun that week was! DS wasn't born yet, and we often talk about taking him back out there.

 

[erinb]

#1 Family Vacation area is the Clearwater Beach area of Florida. Perfect weather and very calm,clear and warm water.

#1 spot for DH and I is actually Red Rock Canyon just outside of Las Vegas.

 

[gingertannery]

I love, love, love San Antonio and Galveston, Texas. Of course, sadly, a lot of Galveston was destroyed during the hurricane this year but I'm sure there is still a lot of nice things there to do and they would truely appreciate the boost in their economy to help get them back on their feet. We lived in Texas for several years and made the trip down to San Antonio at least twice a year and tried to hit Galveston at least once a year.

It is going to take years to get Galveston back to some sort of normal. Many of the stores are not really open yet and there is still a ton of trash everywhere. I know it will eventually get back to normal.. but it is taking a long time.. Just FYI... many houses still destroyed , roof damage.. it is still a mess. beaches are eroded and no longer look the same. we lost a lot of beach.. all the buildings were under water from a few feet of water to 15 feet of water. The first floor of everything was flooded. UTMB the large hospital has closed because they do not have the $$ to re-build. The schools in Galveston have already said they will downsize next year because so many students are gone.
I am about 30 miles inland from Galveston and we are still hit very hard here. There are still many missing off of Bolivar Peninsula.. they say 20 killed.. that is how many they have found.. they are not counting the missing and probably washed out to sea or buried in the sand. Hundreds still missing. But it will get back to normal at some point.

 

[ughubug]

we are trying to plan a vacation for this summer. we are big lake/fishing/outdoors type people. we were thinking about going to shasta & towing our boat down. or maybe montana (i went to seely lake once & thought it was gorgeous). but we also wouldnt mind just flying somewhere & relaxing on a beach or by a pool. i want it to be a little adventurous nearby...rafting, hiking, etc.

we are looking to go after my brother gets home from iraq in august (so i have someone to watch our puppies!). & not hawaii - we are going dec '10 for my parents 25th anniversary.

where has your favorite US vacation been?

My place of serenity is flathead lake just outside of Missoula Montana...there is something magical about that place!!!:love:

 

[lauradahl]

Seeing what your interests are, try going up to Kalispell MT. You have Flathead lake, Glacier Nat'l Park and some great shopping all around. You can boat/fish/camp on the lake, hike/camp and raft in the park and it's just beautiful in the summer. They also have some of the best skiing now just a skip away at Big Mountain just up from Whitefish, a quaint little one-of-a-kind town you find in Montana! If you prefer not to camp, I suggest staying at the Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish!

 

[caraighan]

Every year we go camping in Bryson City, NC in the Smoky Mountains. It is 10 miles past Cherokee, NC. We love it there! We camp at Deep Creek Campgrounds. We like to get a campsite close to the creek.
It's great!

 

[Sheila]

I haven't done much camping/hiking outside the state of TX. Sorry!

But my favorite US vacation thus far was Washington DC for 4th of July. They had historic figures from the past doing a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independance on the steps of the National Archives ... then a parade right after on the street in front of the National Archives. They also did an excellent fireworks display that night!!! It was well worth the crowd to experience it.

 

[legacypc46]

Two of our favorite spots aren't too difficult for you to get to. (We were stationed at Fort Lewis a few years ago.):

Northwestern Idaho is drop dead gorgeous. If all our family weren't on the East Coast, we would probably retired in that area. You can white water, hike, all the outdoorsy stuff...plus great food.

Take a cruise from Seattle to Alaska. It's worth every penny to get balcony cabins. We did this for our honeymoon a few years ago. There are all kinds of exersions you can do...we went hiking in the Yukon. None of the exersions are cheap, but you can save big bucks on your cruise fare if you're military-affiliated.
Go to vacationstogo.com and register (they don't sell your email address and you can opt not to receive their newsletter). Quite a few of the cruiselines offer substantial discounts to military (it's a great 'feel good' tax write-off for them); just look for the military category on the left (they also feature discounts for firefighters, police, etc). The site also has a great 90-day ticker that features dropping prices on upcoming cruises.

 

[Shawnna]

We go as a family to Branson every year and we love it. I liked Key West when we stopped there on our cruise last summer. It was very beautiful and we loved the historical tour. The water was pretty. It was very muggy...we went in July.

My kids went to Galivston and loved it...until we took them to Cocoa Beach Florida. They absolutely loved the water in Florida 100 times better. The water at Cocoa Beach is not as clear as some of the pictures I've seen of other areas. We took them to Universal Studios for a day first and then on to the ocean and they said "We should have just come straight here. This is much better than Universal Studios". My kids love the water.

If you love the water and can leave the country my best suggestion would be the Bahamas or Cozumel. The water is beautiful and warm there.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

The Outer Banks, hands down. We rented a house on Hatteras in the off season, relatively cheap for 6 single women .... got to walk along the ocean beach, climb a lighthouse, take a ferry to another island and learn about pirate history, see Kitty Hawk and more ... could have boated if we'd had a boat, I guess ....

 

[wadesgirl]

My favorite trip would be to the Boundary Waters in Northern Minnesota. We went 5 years ago for a canoe trip with my family (dad, sister and her DH and 3 of her kids and both my brothers). It was a blast. Then DH and I rented a cabin up there for our honeymoon. We are going back again as a family for a canoe trip this summer. Cannot wait to go back. Just an area to relax, get away but still have fun.

When I was younger my dad took us to Philmont (boyscout camp) in New Mexico twice. One time we did what we called the Tour of Holes in the Ground trip on the way home. We went to Carlsbad Cavern, Grand Canyon and some meteor crater. It was one of the most memorable trips I took as a teenager. We drove my dad's S-10 pickup with the three of us in the front and the back loaded up. We took two weeks, one week was spent at Philmont the last week was driving back home visiting different areas and camping.