Family travelers who plan ahead and remain flexible can design a fun and economical summer vacation. The trick is to decide with your children what your family would like to do, and then find a place to do it where business travelers don’t go.
Families’ favorite vacation destinations tend to offer a combination of some of the culture found in cities, a few ways to explore history, the thrill of theme parks, the relaxation of beaches and the pleasure of outdoor adventures. With that in mind, here are several great getaways that are easily accessible from the tri-state area to explore this summer.
Washington, D.C.
If going to museums, seeing live theater, shopping and gourmet dining appeal to your clan, visit Washington, D.C., an easy train or plane ride to where room rates plummet in August. World-class museums are free and terrific. The quaint neighborhood of funky thrift shops and cafes along U Street features President Obama’s favorite eatery, Ben’s Chili Bowl. Eastern Market on Capitol Hill is packed with craft vendors and bakers.
Whatever tourist attractions you visit, you’ll be happy to know that most hotels have a pool for relaxing at the day’s end. When booking, keep in mind that free summer-long festivals reach their peak around the August 28 opening of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the first monument on the nation’s Mall dedicated to a non-president.
New England
Ready for a drive? A New England road trip offers midway thrills in unusual settings. A palace of commerce, L.L. Bean’s flagship store in Freeport, Maine, is open around the clock every day of the week. Your kids can sleep in a tent, climb a rock wall, practice their kayaking strokes or just try out gear before a big purchase. Maine’s great outdoors has so much to offer, you can even enroll the whole family in one of the almost daily, bargain-priced L.L. Bean clinics teaching every imaginable sport. Base your stay in the quaint town of Portland or search online for child-welcoming B&Bs in every price range.
Heading north to Vermont, plan a half-day tour of the Ben & Jerry’s Factory, a delightful facility where multimedia displays explain how ice cream is made. You can’t watch the cows being milked, but you can see them in the fields. Visit the Flavor Graveyard where unsuccessful products have been honorably laid to rest. Take advantage of the Green Mountains’ cool breezes and plan a night in the quirky town of Stowe. About an hour away, the hip college town of Burlington has the Burton Snowboards flagship store. No matter your pleasure, spend a morning or afternoon at the Shelburne Museum. Its carousel, miniature toys and priceless collection of New England silver fascinate all ages. From here, families can catch the car ferry across Lake Champlain and drive south through the six million-acre Adirondack Park, an incredible destination for another week of camping, hiking, biking and exploring.
Cooperstown
Closer to the New York metropolitan area, Cooperstown is home to the Farmers’ Museum, one of the country’s most notable collections of authentic 19th-century buildings. Guides in period dress describe the farmer lifestyle while farm hands tend to specially bred “heritage animals.” Tykes are delighted by the tiny horses, little black pigs (today’s pigs are bred to be pink) and other critters.
If the Baseball Hall of Fame doesn’t interest you (and watch out for the Hall of Famer’s weekend in late July when hotel rates soar), then take advantage of Cooperstown’s Fenimore Art Museum and its teepee play area. Also check out Lake Otesaga for boating and swimming, as well as nearby Howe Caverns for cave touring. The beautiful upstate terrain hides many charming small towns worth a stop.
Virginia
Is your brood dreaming for a beach trip? Virginia packs beaches, theme parks and history into an ideal family vacation destination. School-age kids love the living history town of Colonial Williamsburg. Join costumed interpreters for a day in the life of a 19th-century merchant, and perhaps follow iPhone tours, learn handcrafts, meet American Girl dolls and argue Federalist politics with the locals. Busch Gardens Williamsburg rewards kids for their patience with exciting coasters and a water park. Just one to two hours from the tri-state area by car, Virginia Beach has one of the Atlantic’s prettiest boardwalks.
A bit farther
If your family prefers to fly to a farther location, some of the best wallet-friendly city destinations served by New York area airlines include Columbus, Ohio (amazing state fair in July); Phoenix, Arizona (land of the water slides); and New Orleans, Louisiana (awesome food, music and alligator tours).
Succulent steak marinated in a blend of onion, jalapeno, garlic, and spices, grilled to perfection in minutes.
What better way to reconnect with your family than by packing up and taking a collective vacation several times a year?
