looking for ideas for non disney family vacation

[WendyLovesPeter]

We love Disney but not this time. We are from ohio and will have 5 nights. Youngest child is 7. Willing to road trip a good chunk of hours or even fly if practical.
We are not sun seekers so to speak...we like to walk the beach or spend a couple hours exploring but we don't lay out. Swimming is fun but not all day or everyday.
We've done cabin in the smokeys a couple times. They enjoyed looking for wildlife as well as the active things like zip lining and rafting. And they like their mini golf.
I am trying to think of something that is a "site" to see but with plenty of family activity available. Not looking for theme parks. We hike only in small increments.... prob not beyond a 3 hour adventure.
Considering places like Cape Cod and Nags Head but wonder about attractions besides the beach. Also considered journey to Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Considered the area around LV to see hoover dam and grand canyon. We have visited grand canyon so would want other attractions as well. Considered a 5 day cruise but dates are not syncing with our time. Also considered Niagara Falls.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

I would agree with Niagara Falls. You could stay at the Great Wolf Lodge there and enjoy that as well. I don't think 5 nights is enough to go out west to the National Parks. At least I wouldn't do that. Maybe 2 nights at Niagara Falls, then drive up past Toronto to Bruce Peninsula National Park for a few nights. Google some pictures of that area - I have been wanting to take a trip there for awhile. This gives you a variety and isn't an extreme amount of driving.

 

[nkereina]

I live in Niagara Falls, American side. It's a good option for an outdoorsy family in the summer. You will all need passports to go to the Canadian side, but it really does have the most to offer in terms of things to do and places to see.

Cave of the Winds, Whirpool Jet Boat Tours, and Maid of the Mist are three of my favorite attractions which are offered on both the Canadian side and American side. If you opt to stay on the Canadian side at Great Wolf Lodge, there is an outdoor adventure park nearby as well. Otherwise, the Clifton Hill area of the Canadian side is a great place to stay and a ton of fun. Go-karts, ferris wheel, Ripley's Believe It or Not, haunted houses, wax museums. Rainforest Cafe and Hard Rock Cafe on both sides of the border. Lots of things to do around for sure.

When I was first reading your post, a cruise came to mind. We did that for our "non Disney" trip last year. We did a 7 day cruise but there are tons of 4 and 5 day ones around as well. Contrary to what many think, we find a cruise to be less about pool and beach and more about doing activities and sightseeing. There's always activities and things going on while on-board the ship, and we always opt for an excursion that is an activity or hiking or sightseeing. Its nice to have the option to hop in the pool or ocean while doing other things too.

 

[WendyLovesPeter]

I live in Niagara Falls, American side. It's a good option for an outdoorsy family in the summer. You will all need passports to go to the Canadian side, but it really does have the most to offer in terms of things to do and places to see.

Cave of the Winds, Whirpool Jet Boat Tours, and Maid of the Mist are three of my favorite attractions which are offered on both the Canadian side and American side. If you opt to stay on the Canadian side at Great Wolf Lodge, there is an outdoor adventure park nearby as well. Otherwise, the Clifton Hill area of the Canadian side is a great place to stay and a ton of fun. Go-karts, ferris wheel, Ripley's Believe It or Not, haunted houses, wax museums. Rainforest Cafe and Hard Rock Cafe on both sides of the border. Lots of things to do around for sure.

When I was first reading your post, a cruise came to mind. We did that for our "non Disney" trip last year. We did a 7 day cruise but there are tons of 4 and 5 day ones around as well. Contrary to what many think, we find a cruise to be less about pool and beach and more about doing activities and sightseeing. There's always activities and things going on while on-board the ship, and we always opt for an excursion that is an activity or hiking or sightseeing. Its nice to have the option to hop in the pool or ocean while doing other things too.

for Canada travel....we would need passport not passcard....that was my understanding right?

Also....as far as cruise. To hit the days we are available I am finding Bahama cruise or cruise that goes to Cozumel. I am assuming if you stay within the said areas of port, safety should not be a problem. I have beautiful young girls...I know I worry overly. I was looking at RC which does not look like it will work for our days. Any info on Carnival?

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Yellowstone is awesome, but with just 5 days, you’re going to want to fly.

You could also fly into Denver & check out the Rockies, or somewhere like Reno to explore Tahoe & Northern CA (redwoods).

Branson doesn’t have the same “wow” factor when it comes to scenery, but lots to do.

 

[neverlandsky]

We wanted the exact same thing OP and we settled on South Lake Tahoe since it’s within driving distance and we’ve never been. The kids loved the YC at WDW and was looking for something similar without the huge price tag and theme parks.

If you do decide Vegas. 5 nights is enough for Hoover Dam, yet skip the Grand Canyon. If you had 7 nights the Grand Canyon could be squeezed in. The Grand Canyon will take up an entire day and you’ll be exhausted afterwards. In Vegas there’s The Springs Preserve, KISS indoor mini golf, Pinball Hall of Fame, Mob Museum, Cowabunga Bay Water Park or Wet n Wild, Town Square that has a free splash pad and park, awesome food experiences, Bonnie Springs Ranch, Red Rock Canyon, etc. There’s plenty to do. Do all outdoor activities before 11 am and after 5 pm if you’re going during the summer heat. After August 13 the local kids will be back in school.

 

[nkereina]

for Canada travel....we would need passport not passcard....that was my understanding right?

Someone else may be able to confirm, but its my understanding you CAN use the passport card to drive into Canada. I THINK it's the passport book that is needed for flying. I have the passport book as well as the enhanced driver's license for driving into Canada, so I haven't used the card myself.

Also....as far as cruise. To hit the days we are available I am finding Bahama cruise or cruise that goes to Cozumel. I am assuming if you stay within the said areas of port, safety should not be a problem. I have beautiful young girls...I know I worry overly. I was looking at RC which does not look like it will work for our days. Any info on Carnival?

If you book an organized tour with the cruise line on your ports of call, I don't think safety is a main concern. We don't care for Mexican ports so tend to avoid those, but have been to the Bahamas several times. As a 32 year old woman, I've never felt unsafe in the Bahamas. The areas where the cruise will dock are full of tourists and we saw security/police often. I wouldn't let that worry deter you. Just like any other place, stick together and be aware of your surroundings.

We have cruised with Carnival many years ago and enjoyed it a lot. Wouldn't hesitate to do it again if the price and itinerary beat out Royal Caribbean. Norwegian is another contender for me as well.

 

[stsomewhere]

A cruise! The ships are destinations themselves. I have done solo cruise and felt very safe. My kids enjoyed NCL the most. We are sailing on Carnival Horizon in a fw months. If you feel unsfae going into ports, stay on the ship. The pools will be almost empty.

 

[dotfurio]

We did Washington DC last summer when my youngest was 8, along with a side trip to Gettysburg. Most things are free. We all had a lot of fun, though it was really hot and humid a couple days we were there (went in June).

 

[Lynn CC]

I would choose Cape Cod, I lived there for 50 years. My son was born there 31 years ago and he loved growing up there. It's mini golf haven for families. We used to do a mini golf marathon every fall. Beaches are plentiful. You could also take an hour and a half drive to Boston, and Plymouth is along the way. All great for families. If you decide to go there and need help deciding anything message me!

 

[pweyl36]

Lancaster , pa

 

[chiisai]

San Francisco is fun for kids.

Just a few things:

You can see the redwoods at a spectacular park - Muir Woods National Monument - drive down to Saucalito after and eat at a restaurant on the water - amazing views (we ate at Spinnaker).

They'll enjoy the touristy Pier 39. Sea Lions, carousel, crepes, etc.

Bay Area Discovery Museum

Ghiradelli!

The Golden Gate - you can park near the entrance and walk up to it, beautiful.​

There are a ton of awesome parks, kid-friendly museums, kids theater, some nice beach areas, great food, city tours...

 

[Hikergirl]

We really enjoyed SF when we went, but it was part of a CA coast road trip vacation. I wouldn't stay a whole 5 days there, but that is just me, I'm not a city person I need more nature LOL. which Muir Woods provided. We did 3 days there and drove down the coast to Santa Cruz, Monterey and Big Sur. It was one of the best family vacations we've done.
I will add that if you do decide to do SF look in to the Alcatraz tour- we did the night one, my kids loved it.

I love the Cape but summer traffic is horrendous. If I wasn't in to the beach I would not put that on my list.

 

[amberpi]

We really enjoyed SF when we went, but it was part of a CA coast road trip vacation. I wouldn't stay a whole 5 days there, but that is just me, I'm not a city person I need more nature LOL. which Muir Woods provided. We did 3 days there and drove down the coast to Santa Cruz, Monterey and Big Sur. It was one of the best family vacations we've done.
I will add that if you do decide to do SF look in to the Alcatraz tour- we did the night one, my kids loved it.

I love the Cape but summer traffic is horrendous. If I wasn't in to the beach I would not put that on my list.

Totally agree, and the Monterey Aquarium is just amazing.

 

[verleniahall]

Branson, MO!!

 

[Klayfish]

My answer is to really think hard about what you and your family find entertaining and then build around that. You mentioned some of in your post, but expand on it. I don't mean expand on it here in this thread. Expand on it in discussions with your family. What do you REALLY enjoy doing?

We were just talking about this very subject a few days ago. We're not renewing our WDW APs that expire in 12 days. So what do we want to do next summer? For us, so many of the suggestions listed here would be torture. They're not "wrong" by any stretch, just totally wrong for us.

Staying at a beach all day? No thanks. We can do it for a day or two, but we'd be done by day 3.

Cape Cod? Boring with a capital B. Snooooooze (yes, I've been there)

Lancaster PA, Niagra Falls, National Monuments and Parks, Washington DC...boring, boring, boring and boring. Would I do a day trip to those? Sure, why not. But a week vacaction...no way.

That stuff just isn't our style. WDW is, Atlantis (Paradise Island, Bahamas) is, Myrtle Beach, perhaps Branson (never been there), Las Vegas (even though we neither drink nor gamble), etc... That's what we like. We like active things to see and do, theme park type stuff, or even "tourist trap" type stuff. So after weighing the options, we actually decided we'll return to Kissimmee next summer. We won't buy WDW theme park tickets, but we'll buy water park APs. We'll spend about 10 days here...we'll do each water park a few times, do Daytona Beach twice, plus so many things around here to do such as airboat rides, and all the things we can do on property without going into the theme parks themselves. It's the perfect mix of fun and relaxing that will suit our style. Honestly, our first choice is Atlantis, but it's stupid expensive...so Kissimmee becomes the budget option for us.

 

[QueenIsabella]

We take a yearly family visit to Rocking Horse Ranch in Highland, NY. This will be our 22nd year! Obviously, riding is a big draw, but you can have a ton of fun and never get on a horse, if you choose. For the kids, there's rock climbing, bungee jumping, and DD15 is already planning her week around the banana boat schedule. They have indoor and outdoor pools with slides, plus a kiddie pool (outside) and splash pad (inside). Meals are included, there are shows at night, there are organized activities throughout the day, and they have an optional day camp for ages 4-12. DS21 brings his baseball glove, DH brings his fishing gear. This year, my oldest will be driving out from Boston to join us for a few days, picking up her 21yo cousin on the way. For our family, it's as comfortable as an old pair of jeans--if I ever suggested we skip a year, there would be a mutiny.

BTW, my kids are: DD23 (next week), DS21, DD15, and DS12.

 

[Bren's Mom]

Cruising sounds like a great fit. But you'd need to be super careful if you were flying in the day your cruise departs. I'd strongly suggest flying in the night before if possible. It's really the best of all worlds in terms of kid-centric and family enjoyment. We loved Cozumel on our last cruise. We didn't book through Carnival, but instead took a cab to Paradise Beach, paid the small fee for chairs and their floating water park, and ate and drank, swam, and played for hours. It was GREAT! Water shoes a must. And they have a gorgeous pool that was empty save for 3 or 4 other people. Great clean bathrooms, showers and changing areas. Then we walked around the port area after taking a cab back, purchased a few trinkets, got back on the ship. If safety is a concern, you can go with a cruise line excursion which is more but there will be a bus or van full of people with you. We have cruised RCCL and Carnival and loved both. Some of the newer and refurbished Carnival ships have amazing stuff for kids; zip lines and water parks etc. Fun kid parties, crafts, free time for parents! We signed our son in and out of kids club several times a day based on what he wanted to do. He loved playing ping pong, mini golf and basketball and met lots of other kids. We did a private tour of Roatan, including a visit to an elementary school (and brought some supplies with us) and we all loved Sting Ray City in Grand Cayman. Lots of great options.

 

[katie01]

We take a yearly family visit to Rocking Horse Ranch in Highland, NY. This will be our 22nd year! Obviously, riding is a big draw, but you can have a ton of fun and never get on a horse, if you choose. For the kids, there's rock climbing, bungee jumping, and DD15 is already planning her week around the banana boat schedule. They have indoor and outdoor pools with slides, plus a kiddie pool (outside) and splash pad (inside). Meals are included, there are shows at night, there are organized activities throughout the day, and they have an optional day camp for ages 4-12. DS21 brings his baseball glove, DH brings his fishing gear. This year, my oldest will be driving out from Boston to join us for a few days, picking up her 21yo cousin on the way. For our family, it's as comfortable as an old pair of jeans--if I ever suggested we skip a year, there would be a mutiny.

BTW, my kids are: DD23 (next week), DS21, DD15, and DS12.

Wow, that place looks amazing! Our family would totally love something like that. Looks like it's about $600 a night though for 4 people, we have a family of five, did you have to buy two rooms with a larger family? I can see why it's expensive with all the meals and activities included though, but it would probably end up being close to Disney prices I'm guessing

 

[QueenIsabella]

Wow, that place looks amazing! Our family would totally love something like that. Looks like it's about $600 a night though for 4 people, we have a family of five, did you have to buy two rooms with a larger family? I can see why it's expensive with all the meals and activities included though, but it would probably end up being close to Disney prices I'm guessing

Each room sleeps 6--2 queen beds and a bunkbed. There may be smaller options available. For years we went with BIL/SIL and got adjoining rooms. This year, we'll have 2 rooms, because with our niece, it makes 7. Plus, DD/DNiece are coming in a few days later, and they really appreciate having their own room. We'll still see plenty of them.

We got an early-booking discount, but I think for 5 people for a week, then 2 people for 4 nights in a separate room, we're paying, ~$7500.