Finding the Perfect Vacation Spot for Our Family of 5

[crystalscookingnow]

I'm needing some help trying to decide on a vacation spot for us this year. We'll need to stay within a 6-hour driving distance, no $$ for flying.

We are located in central Illinois, our town is Carlinville. Anyone have a program that will make Carlinville the bull's eye & tell me the different places within that driving distance to go for vacation?

Oh, we have 3 kids who love water & pizza (that's always the best part of vaca).

Any suggestions?

 

[Gina M]

Ever been to the Wisconsin Dells? My kids have a blast when we have gone there - we've stayed at the Wilderness Resort with indoor and outdoor waterparks so that if the weather is lousy - your whole day isn't ruined.

Our family is actually heading to St. Louis this year - my kids love to swim as well and we always get a hotel with an indoor pool. They have a lot of free things for families to do within the town - plus we are going to a St. Louis Cardinals game (although we are Chicago Cubs fan - way cheaper down there!), St. Louis Zoo, Children's Museum, etc.

How old are your kids? I love planning vacations - hope you find somewhere fun to go!

 

[crystalscookingnow]

I've been to the dells, long ago. Sounds fun, I'll have to look into that!

We live about an hour from St. Louis. We don't go very often though. Make sure to go to the Science Center, too. It's a lot of fun. The new stadium is quite the site, I've heard. Take your kids to the Arch if you haven't done that before. It's pretty neat. I'm not sure if they are still letting people go up on the trams or not.

My kids are 6 1/2 (girl, very girly), 3 (will be almost 4, girl, but is more tomboy than her sister) and 2 1/2 (boy, very boy!).

 

[lacychef]

How far away are you from Branson, MO? We went there last year with my sis' family too; kids ranged in age from 3 1/2 to 16 & they all had fun. In fact, my 4 year old has been asking ever since if we can go back again this year!

 

[Gina M]

Thanks for the tips Crystal! My kids are older and would love that - I have a 13 1/2 year old son, almost 11 yr old son and 7 yr old daughter - last year we took a long trek to South Dakota and my kids had a blast - lots to see and do - so this year we're staying closer to home - not quite as much driving which will be nice.

 

[Kodeysmom]

Ever been to the Wisconsin Dells? My kids have a blast when we have gone there - we've stayed at the Wilderness Resort with indoor and outdoor waterparks so that if the weather is lousy - your whole day isn't ruined.

We are actually going to the Dells last weekend of February/first of March. Will be the last week of skiing. We are staying at Christmas Mountain Village.
We just got back this past weekend from a cruise to Mexico, so we are going to go for the snow next year. Granted we have never skied before but we are going to give it a shot. My DS will be 4 1/2. Excited about the indoor water park as well.

 

[KateD]

Ohh, we went to St. Louis and Memphis last year on vacation. We went to the zoo, but could have spent all day at that park. We drove a bit further west to go to Meramec Caverns - my first caverns trip. We passed an amusement park, but I was pregnant and it wasn't on the itinerary. Not much water for splashing, though. We didn't make it to Grants Farm, but I've heard wonderful things. And there was a Boston Market. This was a big deal for us We had a great time in Memphis, too... Graceland, riding the Ducks, sitting in WC Handy park listening to the blues, Mud Island...My husband found a neat site, Roadside America, that had all sorts of neat, off the wall stops we interspersed through the trip.

 

[krzymomof4]

Holiday World in Jasper (Dale), IN is really fun!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

If you go to the Wisconsin Dells, be sure to take the Duck Ride and see the natural beauty that is the Dells. It's hard to remember that it's there with the water parks, miniature golf courses and other stuff there. Useless Information Alert! The city was founded in the 19th Century when a railroad was built that ran from Milwaukee to La Crosse. The tracks crossed the Wisconsin River at this location. The railroad was built by Byron Kilbourn, who named the community Kilbournville. He was one of the founders of Milwaukee, and luckily, Kilbournville was renamed Wisconsin Dells.

 

[janetupnorth]

At least there is still Kilbourn Avenue in Milwaukee. I know that street well and so should your family KG... Technically I thinking it is East Kilbourn...

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

To be historically accurate, Kilbourn Avenue should only be on the west side of the river, just as Juneau should be on the east side of the river.These two city fathers hated each other, Juneau owned and developed the peninsula between the river and the lake, Kilbourn everything to the west of the river. Kilbourn did not play well with others, and he laid out his street grid so it didn't line up with Juneau's. He figured no one would ever build a bridge, leaving Juneau isolated. But the bridges were built, and I have to tell the story every time a visitor asks why all the bridges across the Milwaukee River are on such strange angles.

 

[JAE]

Hey, Holland MI, has a lot of water and pizza! According to Mapquest Carlinville is 6 hours and 19 minutes away. You could camp or rent a cottage. Bike paths and playgrounds are everywhere.