plansrme Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 I am looking for a new place or region to vacation this summer, probably in late July. We are not beach people, as it is hot (we live in Atlanta--none of us needs more heat) and full of sharks. And sand. And if we go to the beach for a week, don't I just end up doing exactly what I do at home--cleaning, cooking, wrangling, but with sunscreen and sand? And sharks. Did I mention my totally rational fear of sharks? In the past, we have done WDW multiple times. Like 12. We always love it, and it is perfect, so I do not want another (obviously inferior) amusement park experience, but WDW in July--no way. Last year, we took 10 days to do Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, and we LOVED that. Loved loved loved, and my husband and I talk daily about retiring there. We took the kids on ridiculously long hikes, kayaked, hiked some more. Everything was good. Soooo, this year, where should we go other than back to Yellowstone, which I would love, but there's more of the world to see. We like active vacations, not lie by the pool and relax vacations (our unofficial family motto, "If it is worth doing, it is worth doing to excess"). Here are the most important criteria: 1. Cooler than Atlanta in July, so DC is out. 2. It would be nice not to have to fly from Atlanta, as air fare x 5 = a lot, but I would not completely rule it out. 3. Stuff to do, not just to admire. Skiing would be good if it weren't July (not that any of us has ever skiied), but something like that, even if we have to learn it as a family, could certainly work. I would not rule out leaving the country if we could get good deals on air fare, and we have considered Costa Rica or elsewhere in Central America, but a 4 or 5 hour flight is about the longest I am willing to do because of our time constraints. I welcome all suggestions! Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 How about an Alaskan cruise? Our family is taking one in June. Airfare will be painful, but the cruise itself might not cost more than you'd otherwise pay for accomodations & meals. What about Colorado? We took a fun vacation to Denver and Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park a few years ago. July weather should be really nice. Also, many of the Colorado ski resorts have a summer season for mountain biking, etc. Those are some ideas I'd consider if I lived in Hotlanta! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 Hmmm, Colorado might be good. We have considered Alaska also, but yowza on air fare! My 9 yo actually suggested Colorado as well. I will tell him there is a vote for his pick. Thanks! Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 What about Lake George, NY or a tour of the NE? That is driving distance for you. Or just to throw it out- A dude ranch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Montana? Beautiful mountains, you could all learn to fly-fish, lots of rafting, kayaking, hiking, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Drive up here to Chicagoland. Do the big city. You can also grab a couple nights at the Dells, up in Wisconsin about 2 - 3 hours north of Chicago. See Milwaukee, too - they have lakefront fests weekly, it seems. Or drive back to Yellowstone - via Cody (great museum!) and maybe a rodeo - more horseback riding - walk around Devil's Postpile, etc. etc.Or fly to California - check VRBO for rentals in or near Yosemite! Then drive to San Francisco and poke around there. Lots to do...and very different from Atlanta! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 We took the kids to the mountain/waterfalls area of NC last summer, late July. It was not that hot- much cooler than ATL (used to live there) because of the higher altitude. There was a lot to do, it's relatively inexpensive, and close to ATL. We hiked in the mountains to the waterfalls, there was one waterfall we could swim in which was awesome, there are plenty of bike riding trails if that's your thing, tubing, white water rafting, and sliding rock. There was also a nice little history museum/park and if you want a day trip you could make it up to the Cherokee reservation and some other places. My DH was skeptical because we have always done the beach and WDW but the kids said it was the best vacation. I'd also love to go to Iceland. You couldn't ski in July, but it's definitely not going to be hot. I hate the cold and snow and I still want to go. I think the flight would be about as long as it is to Costa Rica. I've been looking at Costa Rica too for this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 What about Lake George, NY or a tour of the NE? That is driving distance for you. Or just to throw it out- A dude ranch? Piggybacking off of itsheresomewhere... Lake Placid Finger Lakes Adirondacks Allegheny ( Grand Canyon of the east) Chautauqua Niagara Falls All in New York , mostly north, west and central Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 Drive up here to Chicagoland. Do the big city. You can also grab a couple nights at the Dells, up in Wisconsin about 2 - 3 hours north of Chicago. See Milwaukee, too - they have lakefront fests weekly, it seems. Or drive back to Yellowstone - via Cody (great museum!) and maybe a rodeo - more horseback riding - walk around Devil's Postpile, etc. etc.Or fly to California - check VRBO for rentals in or near Yosemite! Then drive to San Francisco and poke around there. Lots to do...and very different from Atlanta! I am going to Chicago soon. In February. What?? Not the best time to visit??? Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 We took the kids to the mountain/waterfalls area of NC last summer, late July. It was not that hot- much cooler than ATL (used to live there) because of the higher altitude. There was a lot to do, it's relatively inexpensive, and close to ATL. We hiked in the mountains to the waterfalls, there was one waterfall we could swim in which was awesome, there are plenty of bike riding trails if that's your thing, tubing, white water rafting, and sliding rock. There was also a nice little history museum/park and if you want a day trip you could make it up to the Cherokee reservation and some other places. My DH was skeptical because we have always done the beach and WDW but the kids said it was the best vacation. I'd also love to go to Iceland. You couldn't ski in July, but it's definitely not going to be hot. I hate the cold and snow and I still want to go. I think the flight would be about as long as it is to Costa Rica. I've been looking at Costa Rica too for this summer. We do the Asheville/Cherokee trip a couple of years ago, and it was great. I might look at doing that again though now that everyone is older. But ICELAND, now that I could get into! I will put that into my fare watcher. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Australia! Sharks and salt water crocodiles! From Atlanta, maybe a little cooler and no air fare, would take you up to the Smokey Mountains, Pidgeon Forge, Asheville, Nashville, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Another vote for Colorado. We were there 2 summers ago and my kids loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 If you like camping the Smokies in the fall is nice. But then you might not be able to do white water rafting or tubing. Not sure what the season is for those activities. We rented a cabin in Gatlinburg last fall--off season so the price was reasonable. We also had a great time on our Grand Canyon/Colorado tour. We went in late May/early Jun and it was a bit chilly at night at Grand Canyon. Besides GC we saw Mesa Verde and took the train from Durango to Silverton. It was a "big" vacation for us. We usually just spend a few days in the Smokies or at the beach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkwynn Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Poconos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 I was going to definitely say Colorado Rockies or maybe Utah (We just back from Moab which must be absolutely fabulous in the summer if you love hiking). Stay in the mountains for milder weather. Grand Canyon is fabulous but I would not chose to go there in July if you like to do long hikes. Smokies are great too (did those last year), but that area was insane in October. I can't imagine what July would be like. For an off the wall suggestion, check out Voyagers National Park, superior national trail, Duluth, Ely in Northern Minnesota. Especially if you like canoeing/kayaking. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teamturner Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 We live in Texas which is also very hot in July. We absolutely love going to Western Michigan along Lake Michigan. We usually spend a week, rent a house, near Grand Haven, MI. Although anywhere up and down Lake Michigan is beautiful. You say you don't like the beach, but what about a beach w/o sharks, heat, or salt water. The only downside is the mosquitos at night, but not usually a huge problem unless you find yourself in the middle of the woods, which we avoid at night. The house we rent is along a small interior lake and it has its own fire pit, canoes, fishing equipment, bikes, and kayaks. We can hike through the state park nearby, see plenty of beautiful sand dunes (go to Silver Lake to ride the dune buggies or go up to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. There is just so much to see and do all around there. While there is a fair amount of cooking and cleaning to do if you rent a house or condo, we don't mind as it saves us some money on eating out. If you don't want to cook and don't mind eating out all the time, then that's an option too. I like having laundry facilities so we don't have to pack as much and we get our clothes pretty dirty hiking and beaching. The best thing is the temps. We've had trips where it got down into the 50's at night and only up to lower 70's for the high. The house we rent doesn't even have central air and it's never been an issue. Even if they are having a heat wave, the high might be in the lower 90's. July highs in Texas are around 100. I love needing a blanket at the beach because it is cool. The kids get in the water, but it is too cold for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Zion National Park Lake Powel (no sharks) San Diego (tons of other stuff to do besides the beach) That's all I can think of. July= beach to me ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 Thank for the suggestions everyone. You have mentioned some regions that have never been on my radar (Lake Michigan? What is a Pocono? There is scenery in the northeast?), which I will be checking out, and affirmed the Rockies as a possibility. I have a lot of options to explore. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 National Geographic has a great guide to National Parks. I was just reading it, and it makes me want to see everything! BTW, the Poconos are mountains in PA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Canada...Fort Louisburg Quebec city Montreal Jacques Cartier provincial park Zion National Park Mammoth Cave National Park Western NC mountains (Boone/Blowing Rock or Asheville) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Another vote for Colorado. You can stay somewhere along I-70 between Denver and the resorts (Vail, Breck, etc.) and then do day trips from your base camp. Lots of gorgeous hikes, white water rafting, mountain biking (as someone else mentioned, the ski resorts open up for biking in the summer - rent the bikes there), old gold mines to explore (the Argo gold mine in Idaho Springs is our favorite - great for kids), quirky and fun little mountain towns to visit, etc. No shortage of fun, active things to do and the summer weather is great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 How about an Alaskan cruise? Our family is taking one in June. Airfare will be painful, but the cruise itself might not cost more than you'd otherwise pay for accomodations & meals. What about Colorado? We took a fun vacation to Denver and Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park a few years ago. July weather should be really nice. Also, many of the Colorado ski resorts have a summer season for mountain biking, etc. Those are some ideas I'd consider if I lived in Hotlanta! :D We did a nice Colorado trip. Mesa Verde, Durango, train up to Silverton.....very nice trip. We did Grand Canyon too but it made for fast trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Hot springs AR is gorgeous. You can rent a houseboat and enjoy the water and local sites. No sharks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 The St Lawrence River (between NY and Ont, Canada) is probably the prettiest river in the US if not the world. It's a gorgeous blue (because it's so deep and drains the Great Lakes rather than consisting totally of run off water). You could start at Niagara Falls (NY & Ont), then follow Lake Ontario along (US or Canadian side) and then along the St Lawrence River. Honestly, Canada has the better views if you have passports and don't just take the 401. Alexandria Bay (US side) and the Thousand Islands (misnamed - there are actually in excess of 2000 islands) are absolutely stunning. There are state and provincial parks with plenty of hiking available and fresh water swimming (no sharks). There are shipwreck dives, but that's only if you're scuba certified. After doing this you can continue along the St Lawrence River to Montreal (or further) or head inland in NY to the largest park in the 48 states (Adirondack State Park). There are oodles of hiking trails, Lake Placid for Olympic scenes, and gorgeous lakes, nice towns, etc. If flying in, Syracuse's airport would suffice. You could tour the Finger Lakes on the way to Niagara... Oh, and while the temps can get higher when heat waves come through, the general summer temps are in the upper 70s or lower 80s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Thank for the suggestions everyone. You have mentioned some regions that have never been on my radar (Lake Michigan? What is a Pocono? There is scenery in the northeast?), which I will be checking out, and affirmed the Rockies as a possibility. I have a lot of options to explore. Terri There is lovely scenery in the NE. Google image any of my suggestions with state park (ie allegheny state park) and you'll see how gorgeous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Have you thought of coming to see me way up here in northern Maine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Here's the google search of the 1000 Islands: https://www.google.com/search?q=st+lawrence+river&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=oGH&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=1-X1UNCvEtCw0AHhrIGwDA&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAA&biw=1280&bih=605&sei=4OX1UNnQKe-D0QHc_YCIBA#hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Wwb&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=thousand+islands+new+york&oq=Thousand+Islands&gs_l=img.1.7.0l10.23889.28043.0.32645.16.7.0.9.9.0.452.1936.0j2j2j2j1.7.0...0.0...1c.1.NnQA-Q3VxI4&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&bvm=bv.41018144,d.dmQ&fp=62a79dc09b1a3fd&biw=1280&bih=605 The blue water is the true color on a sunny day. It looks more grayish on an overcast day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckabell Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 My vote for would be Glacier National Park, although you'd have to fly to get there. It's the prettiest place I've ever been, and I've been to a lot of the mountain ranges out west. In that area there are a lot of lakes up high in the mountains and it is just gorgeous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Have you thought of coming to see me way up here in northern Maine. But don't you have bigger mosquitoes than Atlanta??? Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 But don't you have bigger mosquitoes than Atlanta??? Terri No, but we do have blackflies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Upper peninsula Michigan--gorgeous hiking and perfect summer temps Lake Superior shoreline--again, gorgeous hiking and perfect summer temps Boundary Waters Canoe Area if you like REAL backpacking but with a canoe Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan--again, gorgeous hiking and perfect summer temps. Also cherry orchards and cute little towns and local history museums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 I want to genuinely thank everyone who has taken a minute to respond to my post. Atlantans are mostly beach people, it seems, and I have had a hard time coming up with new vacation ideas. When we went to Yellowstone last year, we could only find one local family who had made the trip as adults. Everyone had, like me, gone when they were kids, but not since. Anyway, the point is that you have all suggested some spots I will investigate further. Assuming my entire vacation budget does not go into my 9 year old's mouth (she says as she signs off to call the oral surgeon)... Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Have you been on The Adventures By Disney website? Even if you choose not to do one of their adventures, you will get a ton of good vacation ideas. We have done 2 of their adventures, and we are going to Alaska this summer with Disney. By the way, my DH and I felt the same way about the Grand Tetons. We are planning on retiring in Jackson Hole for the summers and Florida for the winters. ( it is OK to dream, right?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenNotOfTroy Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I hear hiking in the woods in Vermont is nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbb Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Good Afternoon! We flew to Alaska with 3 teenage boys a few years ago in June. We stayed with the locals in bed and breakfasts throughout the interior. Kayaked...hiked...cycled. I would do it all over again. We had a most excellent time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.