Vacation ideas

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Trail End Historic site is cool as hell if your into that kid of stuff. Going back in time in that mansion. Go there so your kids know how good they have it today. Haha

 

[Hem]

Im not a fan of most things California, but a trip to the coast has merit. We took our 17 yr old to Santa Cruz, spent some time at a beach, toured a little( Redwoods), checked out the aquarium in Monteray.
Kids can play in the sand, parents can chill , teenager can ogle girls in bikinis.

 

[LCH]

If you have 2 weeks, I would do a trip west. You can always go again when the kids are older to do the stuff they're not up for yet.

If you only have 1 week, I would do something closer. A lap around Lake Michigan is fun, stopping places like Door County Wisconsin, Pictured Rocks in the U.P., Sleeping Bear Dunes in the lower peninsula.

 

[The_Jim]

We just pick 1 spot and try to minimize any driving while were on the vacation. I have a 13, 10, 8, & 4 Year old so I get totally understand the suck of long drives. Sheridan and Cody are both great, but my kids love the Black Hills. It may not be as grand as other places, but it would shave a lot of driving off for you guys.

We've never really stopped at any of the tourist things, just camping, hiking, fishing, and atv riding.

 

[Cornell Cowboy]

We just pick 1 spot and try to minimize any driving while were on the vacation. I have a 13, 10, 8, & 4 Year old so I get totally understand the suck of long drives. Sheridan and Cody are both great, but my kids love the Black Hills. It may not be as grand as other places, but it would shave a lot of driving off for you guys.

We've never really stopped at any of the tourist things, just camping, hiking, fishing, and atv riding.

Black Hills are a great idea! Tons of fun stuff to do there. We like to stay in Rapid City at one of the hotels that links to the Watiki waterpark, then day trip to: Jewel Cave, Reptile Gardens, Bear Country USA, Wind Cave, Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, mountain coasters, zip lines, etc. It was a family tradition when I was a kid and my kids have always really enjoyed it too. Good for multiple ages too.

 

[jpc01101]

I know we have gone crazy off the rails here but will post a secret’ish thing that works great for us. Cruise America rents RVs they need them moved from time to time. You can rent for like 10-20 a day if your schedule meets their needs. My family and I did SF to PhX probably 10 times. Pick up near Oakland and run as fast as you can to Pacifica for the first night to get groceries etc. then down the coast stopping at Stanton berry farm then on to see the elephant seals, Santa Cruz, down to Monterey for the aquarium, just ease your way down CA 1 as slow as you want stopping to eat and make coffee beside the ocean at any of the 1 billion pull offs. Swim at any of the beaches. See the redwoods, hike to a waterfall at Julia Pfeiffer Burns state park. Head west well before LA anywhere after Herst Castle (more elephant seals there). Can also hike out to see Mavericks (world famous surf break) along the way. We went whale watching at one of the coastal towns and it was awesome saw so many. Anyway, not at all Wyoming related but figured I’d add to the detour

 

[jpc01101]

Alternatively pick up SF head direct to Yosemite then (depending on the pass) can either go up to Tahoe and over or straight through park and down the east side of the sierras. lone pine, etc. another amazing trip.

 

[JShane]

Dolomite Mts., Lake Como. Just a thought.

 

[glass eye]

Camping in Hawaii is cheap and you won’t get any complaints from your kids, especially the 17 year old.

 

[Irrelevant]

Beach or beaches. Old canoe. Fishing gear, rope for raft building, snorkel and mask for looking underwater. 5-7 will have the time of their life just digging holes and splashing in the waves

 

[Outlaw99]

I’ve done this trip many times, though you’re another 5 or 6 hrs east of me. I like to break it up. First couple days Cheyenne for the Daddy of em all, next up to Sheridan for a few days. Then on to Cody for a day or 2. End up in …..gulp…, Jackson…… it’s expensive but the kids love it.

That being said, I have kids similar in age and they drive me nuts being in the car with them that long lol. My solution the last few years has been the Branson area in Missouri. It’s a tourist trap from hell, but it’s an easy one day drive, and there’s no shortage of crap to keep kids entertained all while having the ability to stay at the lake and relax and fish

 

[Pagosa]

I’ve done this trip many times, though you’re another 5 or 6 hrs east of me. I like to break it up. First couple days Cheyenne for the Daddy of em all, next up to Sheridan for a few days. Then on to Cody for a day or 2. End up in …..gulp…, Jackson…… it’s expensive but the kids love it.

That being said, I have kids similar in age and they drive me nuts being in the car with them that long lol. My solution the last few years has been the Branson area in Missouri. It’s a tourist trap from hell, but it’s an easy one day drive, and there’s no shortage of crap to keep kids entertained all while having the ability to stay at the lake and relax and fish

Agreed, and some really good fishing down there

 

[2rocky]

Kids won't learn to travel unless you take them. There are a few things you can do to make it more tolerable....

1) Plan one activity per day. And take as much time doing it as they want. Anything else is a spur of the moment decision
2) Make them an active part of the planning (or feel like they are an active part). Perhaps navigating, or consulting the Atlas to determine what river or mountain that is along the road. Researching where to stop for lunch etc.
3) Stop frequently. Never having to "hold it" for a bathroom stop is paramount. Finding water to play in at midday when hot is an awesome reset. We started doing that with our lab, and now we do it even without him.
4) Interactive car games. Fond memories of my 5 year old berating her 13 year old sister for spotting antelope out of "Her" window during their antelope spotting contest along Highway 80 between Evanston and Rock Springs.
5) Give them a job. My two youngest loved staking out the tent. Yeah it took longer but boy were they proud when it got set up. Meanwhile I was doing other things and they were busy with a purpose. Kids love to gather firewood when you let them build the fire. etc.
6) Let them have unstructured play time in Nature. I was so proud of my kids after a couple trips when they felt confident enough to go "down by the creek" when we camped in the Ruby Mountains on a cross country trip. They told me, and the oldest was watchful.
7) Talk to them like adults. They are your travel partners, not passengers. You can pose "questions" that get you your desired answers that feel like they are an active decision maker for something you are gonna do anyway.
8) Let them take pictures. Then let them do a slide show and tell you or family and friends about the adventure from their perspective. Sometimes the biggest things for them are things you totally overlook.
9) Don't oversell the attraction. The anticipation is hard for kids. Focus on the "next step", and enjoy the moments. It may take 9 hours to travel what you would do in 6 hours solo. But those stops along the way are more memorable and help reset the little minds and get the wiggles out of their legs.
10) Make the 17 year old a driver and navigator and lead researcher. Windshield time is awesome for deep conversations when they happen spontaneously.


Moab UT, Spent a Lot of time in the KOA pool. Did NOT do all the hikes we planned


The tent the girls set up in Ruby mountains.


Rocky Mtn. National park


Yosemite



Kids are now 28, 25, and 19. I get to hear about their adventures now and I take some credit for exposing them at an early age. It wasn't always easy, but maybe some day i might be able to help them take their kids on some cross country road trips.

 

[Nick87]

I’ve done this trip many times, though you’re another 5 or 6 hrs east of me. I like to break it up. First couple days Cheyenne for the Daddy of em all, next up to Sheridan for a few days. Then on to Cody for a day or 2. End up in …..gulp…, Jackson…… it’s expensive but the kids love it.

That being said, I have kids similar in age and they drive me nuts being in the car with them that long lol. My solution the last few years has been the Branson area in Missouri. It’s a tourist trap from hell, but it’s an easy one day drive, and there’s no shortage of crap to keep kids entertained all while having the ability to stay at the lake and relax and fish

That's what in learning is a cabin up north. One more draw I'm gonna shoot for the stars in amd then book the family trip. I think I would be asking for trouble taking them west this young and trying to make it as fun as a week at the lake up north.