Family Winter Vacation Ideas: Nearby and Affordable!

[ChefJWarren]

I want to take a winter vacation this year with my family instead of buying Xmas presents. My DH and I are teachers so we have 2 weeks off (only want to be gone about 1 week, preferably after Xmas). Here are some stipulations:

--two kids, 1 and 4
--live in DFW area, need to drive
--no more than 8 hour drive
--don't mind cold, snow
--not expensive (ie. skiing)
--lots of stuff to do (shopping, attractions, etc)

Any suggestions?????

 

[chefsteph07]

Do you have an indoor water park nearby? that would make for a fun couple of days...

 

[pampcheflisa]

I live in DFW too and the hardest part of the stipulations is the 8 hour drive part. It's really hard to get somewhere fun in less than 8hours from us. Especially the cold part, it would take you just about 8 hours to get out of the state heading in the cold direction. Maybe Hot Springs, Ark??
Memphis is about 9 hours.
Branson, MO (but might be more than 8 hours).
Let me keep thinking!!

BTW, we took our 2yo and 4yo DS's to Gulf Shores, AL last month and it took us about 12+ hours and they did really well with DVD players. Much better than I thought they'd be.

 

[pampcheflisa]

Do you have an indoor water park nearby? that would make for a fun couple of days...

Oh yeah......they opened one in Grapevine....The Great Wolf.

 

[ChefJWarren]

OOh we went to Gulf Shores too!! July 26-Aug 2. It as soo much fun. They did fine with the drive! I just didn't want to drive that far again. I need another year to recover!

Yeah, The Great Wolf Lodge. That's a good idea!

I saw a place in Ark called Mount Magazine. Its soo pretty, but we were worried about the kids getting bored.

 

[KellyTheChef]

We did 12 hours with Evan (he turned 3 in April, just did the driving in August) and it was WAY TOO MUCH for him! 8 hours I think was the breaking point! lol

Sorry I don't have any other ideas for you, the indoor water park or amusement park is a good idea if you have any around you.

Are there any sights you have always wanted to see? Special attractions? Heck, just getting away to a hotel with a swimming pool would be fun for your kids. (I would get a hotel with a mini kitchen (microwave, tiny frig) for snacks and whatnot...makes it much easier!)

 

[KellyTheChef]

OOh we went to Gulf Shores too!! July 26-Aug 2. It as soo much fun. They did fine with the drive! I just didn't want to drive that far again. I need another year to recover!

Yeah, The Great Wolf Lodge. That's a good idea!

I saw a place in Ark called Mount Magazine. Its soo pretty, but we were worried about the kids getting bored.

Call them and see if they offer activities for children!

 

[Teresa Lynn]

We spend one night during Christmas break at the Gaylord Texan we enjoy the ice display and dinner at the steak house there. Breakfast at the "Riverwalk" is cool too.

 

[pampcheflisa]

OOh we went to Gulf Shores too!! July 26-Aug 2. It as soo much fun. They did fine with the drive! I just didn't want to drive that far again. I need another year to recover!

Yeah, The Great Wolf Lodge. That's a good idea!

I saw a place in Ark called Mount Magazine. Its soo pretty, but we were worried about the kids getting bored.

That is so funny.....we were there from Aug 2-8!!! I agree about needing to recuperate though!!

You could make a mini in-town vacation and do the Great Wolf lodge for a day or two, maybe drive to Glen Rose and take the kids to Fossil Rim for a day. Just take several different day trips. Hmm, that actually sounds like a good idea for my own family!!!

 

[jrstephens]

It's so funny to hear people talk about Gulf Shores. We live about 3 hours from there. My brother lives about 20 minutes from there. It is fun to see people talk about vacation spots that are just not the "out of the norm" for us. We go to the mtns instead to go the opposite direction. Luke has been asking to go back to the beach though, so, we will have to take him soon. And the rates are so much cheaper during the winter months.

 

[pampcheflisa]

It's so funny to hear people talk about Gulf Shores. We live about 3 hours from there. My brother lives about 20 minutes from there. It is fun to see people talk about vacation spots that are just not the "out of the norm" for us. We go to the mtns instead to go the opposite direction. Luke has been asking to go back to the beach though, so, we will have to take him soon. And the rates are so much cheaper during the winter months.

I know exactly what you mean.
Where we live though, there are no mountains, no beach close. Only Six Flags!! We're about 5 hours from Galveston and that beach is not the greatest. The reason we went though, is we met family there who live in TN.

 

[jrstephens]

The reason we went though, is we met family there who live in TN.

We usually go to TN on vacation. We love it up there!

 

[Teresa Lynn]

Granbury has lots of neat things too
I think Fossil Rim is where we stayed in a lodge it was an upstairs bed and bath (huge bathroom with awesome tub) and the package came with a steak dinner at the restaraunt. We sat and watched 50-75 hummingbirds at feeders all at once.