Granny_Weatherwax Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 We want to take our first, non-Colorado vacation as a family. We usually travel back to CO because that is where our family is. It is never fun and more obligatory than anything. DD is graduating from high school this year and we want to take a family vacation somewhere new and exciting. We do not have passports so leaving the country is not an option. We live in the midwest so we are pretty much the same distance from just about everything. What suggestions can you come up with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 We want to take our first, non-Colorado vacation as a family. We usually travel back to CO because that is where our family is. It is never fun and more obligatory than anything. DD is graduating from high school this year and we want to take a family vacation somewhere new and exciting. We do not have passports so leaving the country is not an option. We live in the midwest so we are pretty much the same distance from just about everything. What suggestions can you come up with? Washington, DC Boston, MA Disney World Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 Washington, DC This is where I am trying to go (see my other thread) but the hotel prices are crazy expensive (averaging $1000 -1200 for 4 nights) and I don't know enough about the area to know how far out of DC we can stay and still be able to get to the museums, memorials, etc. without having to commute too far. DS and I went to Boston last March and loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Are you beach people? I really like the Outer Banks (Duck area). Why not get passports? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 oooohhhh, how fun.... (you do have time to get passports if that's what you decide you'd like to do). there are lots and lots of places north of the border that are magical. there are lots on this side of the border, too. do you camp? hotel? resort? we love washington dc just about any time of year because we like the museums and the history (washington's farm is a favourite) and the monuments and the art and and and.... we love yosemite valley in the winter and early spring and late fall. we love tuolomne meadows in the summer and fall, because we love the waterfalls, the snow the skiing and skating in the valley, the giant trees, too... and in the summer tuolomne with the hiking and ranger talks (imagine a flute on the apron of lambert dome at sunset), we love niagara falls.... lots of history (war of 1812), lots of wine (on the canadian side there are wineries, each of which has their own tasting rooms), the shaw festival (niagara-on-the-lake, again the canadian side)... well the more i type, i probably wouldn't like it nearly so well without a passport! we've never been to yellowstone in the summer because of the crowds, but we love it in the winter.... i think without people in the summer it would be amazing, but that's not an option unless you hike in... oregon has a fabulous outdoor shakespeare festival that i've never been to, but its on our list. there is an amazing bookstore in portland, too.... and a place that has tree houses you can stay in. san francisco..... for, well, just about everything. the food, the sites, the museums, the chocolate. santa cruz, the beaches, the long marine research center with a fabulous center for kids, and just a really nice atmosphere... and lots of "you pick" places up the coast and ano nuevo with the elephant seals. we live in SoCal, and los angeles and environs is nice, but just about anywhere else is just way too hot in the summer.... but lovely in the spring. what a great opportunity! ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Have you checked out Hotel Harrington? You can walk to the mall and the monuments. It is not posh. Worn, in fact. And a bit dingy. But they have huge family rooms, reasonable rates, and a great location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 oooohhhh, how fun.... (you do have time to get passports if that's what you decide you'd like to do). there are lots and lots of places north of the border that are magical. there are lots on this side of the border, too. do you camp? hotel? resort? we love washington dc just about any time of year because we like the museums and the history (washington's farm is a favourite) and the monuments and the art and and and.... we love yosemite valley in the winter and early spring and late fall. we love tuolomne meadows in the summer and fall, because we love the waterfalls, the snow the skiing and skating in the valley, the giant trees, too... and in the summer tuolomne with the hiking and ranger talks (imagine a flute on the apron of lambert dome at sunset), we love niagara falls.... lots of history (war of 1812), lots of wine (on the canadian side there are wineries, each of which has their own tasting rooms), the shaw festival (niagara-on-the-lake, again the canadian side)... well the more i type, i probably wouldn't like it nearly so well without a passport! we've never been to yellowstone in the summer because of the crowds, but we love it in the winter.... i think without people in the summer it would be amazing, but that's not an option unless you hike in... oregon has a fabulous outdoor shakespeare festival that i've never been to, but its on our list. there is an amazing bookstore in portland, too.... and a place that has tree houses you can stay in. san francisco..... for, well, just about everything. the food, the sites, the museums, the chocolate. santa cruz, the beaches, the long marine research center with a fabulous center for kids, and just a really nice atmosphere... and lots of "you pick" places up the coast and ano nuevo with the elephant seals. we live in SoCal, and los angeles and environs is nice, but just about anywhere else is just way too hot in the summer.... but lovely in the spring. what a great opportunity! ann Ann, there are wineries on the NY side, too. The same microclimate that benefits the vineyards exists on both sides of the border. :D http://www.newyorkwines.org/WineCountry/Region.ashx?id=7 NY doesn't have the Shaw Festival ( which is indeed a treasure) but Wicked will be in Bflo at the end of April. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 (edited) We have never needed passports because we never go anywhere. They say the wait to geta passport is anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months. DH's vacation is in 6 weeks - we found out the dates last week (thanks railroad). If we spend money trying to get passports now it will take away from what we have to spend on the vacation. Just checked the website - it would cost us $525 to get passports plus an extra $260 to expedite them to get them in less than 6 weeks. Edited February 4, 2011 by The Dragon Academy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 ahhh, i see. we have a "pay a bit more money and have them in a few days" option, which we usually use because i get twitchy if i don't have a passport. i often have less than a week to get ready to go somewhere with dh when the opportunity arises.... and i'd hate to miss out! we also have a "drive 1.5 hours to los angeles and stand in line for a few hours and get it today or tomorrow" option. for all of you all at once though it would take a fair bit of money away from what you can spend. six weeks from now.... florida (with the rest of the march break crowd maybe, which would put it right out for me) SoCal five weeks from now, we'll be doing a combined conference (dh), winter in yellowstone, skiing week (the rest of us).... arizona could be fun... when do the large cacti bloom? or new mexico.... oh how fun!!!! ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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