USA not Disney

[lifetimetrip]

Hello

After a rough year so far, we want to take our two DC (7 and 11) to USA in the summer.

We're not interested in Disney but would love a holiday that appeals to children with activities, culture, fun and history.

We've never been abroad before with our DC and are really keen to have a lovely time together.

However, the USA is vast and we're overwhelmed by choice!

Any suggestions would be gratefully received. We're happy to drive between a few places but don't know where to start!

Thanks in advance.

Can recommend New York.

We did California but the driving was not fun.

We did a city break to Washington DC a couple of years ago - and there was so much to see and do.

Hawaii

would love a holiday that appeals to children with activities, culture, fun and history

Why the USA? Canada would be much better for this. Either Vancouver and the Rockies, or East coast - Montreal to Toronto and then Niagara Falls. Could nip over the border to the USA from there if you really want to say you've been to the states.

Chicago!

Lots of dining choices. Lots of cool museums the children would like (Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Art Institute, Willis Tower Skydeck, baseball game at Wrigley Field, Lincoln Park Zoo, Riverwalk, Milennium Park), a Six Flags amusement park day (you'd need a car to drive there), boat tours, skyline tours, city beaches, and if you drive east along the Lake via northern Indiana to Michigan you could enjoy the Indiana Dunes beach, fabulous sandy beaches of Michigan, many lovely lake shore towns, with hayrides, orchards, and little ice cream shops, and the magnificent Sleeping Bear Dunes further north.

Some more ideas:
360chicago.com/things-to-do/chicago-with-kids

Washington DC is a good bet; loads of museums and very easy to walk around. Could easily be combined with Philadelphia, NYC and Boston. Also can be done via train if driving or flying does not appeal.

Canada would be a better choice

We had considered Canada to be honest as well. But hadn't heard good things about Niagara Falls so was put off a bit.

I'd totally recommend Canada, and you don't need to go near Niagra falls - it's a big place !
We went when DS was 9 and did a great trip flying into Vancouver, then Tofino on Vancouver Island, then a few nights in Whistler ( great accommodation at pretty low prices as its more a ski resort but zip wiring, mountain biking and a generally cool place), then a long - possibly too long - drive to the Rockies with a few bases there.

We were away for 3 weeks, if it's two I'd pick one end - feel that Vancouver Island you could spend more time there, or the Rockies- but although beautiful they are very busy tourist wise and possibly more for adults.

Can you try to narrow down if you prefer beaches, lakes, mountain, cities? Or maybe you would like a combination?

Do you want to stay in the same place or visit multiple locations? If you are happy to drive between places then are you wanting a road trip?

You could do something like:
San Francisco
Santa Crus
Monterey
Pismo Beach
LA
San Diego

or

NYC
Philadelphia
Washington DC
and get trains in between

or

Orlando (but not the parks) and head to Clearwater or Kennedy Space or Miami

or

Boston
Cape Cod
Marthas Vineyard

There are loads of options in the USA. It’s a fabulous place to travel. Sure Canada is great too. But if you want to go to the USA it’s odd that people say it’s not up to much

I’d be inclined to do one of the coastal routes as a first trip. California, or Northeast (some of NY/Boston/cape cod/maine) or southeast (DC and drive south through Carolinas to savannah). We’ve done many fantastic road trips with the kids

Niagara Falls (the town) is a shit hole. But you don’t have to stay there. You can see the falls as a day trip.

But if you’re after history I would do the Washington, Philadelphia and New York combo. Easy to get between cities on the train and all have great museums, culture and food.

If you’re travelling in the summer, I’d rule out the major cities - way too hot. Head north - Vermont or New Hampshire or over the border to Nova Scotia/PEI.

We flew into NYC, had a few days there, then got a train out of the city to Providence RI. After that we picked up a car and drove to Cape Cod, and then home via Boston. Would totally recommend. DC were exactly the same ages as yours are and they really enjoyed it - elder one preferred NYC, younger one liked the beaches on the Cape. We went in August so it was great beach weather, and everywhere in NYC is air conditioned to within an inch of its life so it's much easier being there in 29 degree heat than in the UK at those temperatures.

Two centre - Washington and NY but Washington is much better- lots of open space and loads of museums, the zoo and all are free. We also went to Philadelphia - went to the Mint and liberty bell, but only stayed a day there.

We did California last year, Yosemite, San Francisco, Monteray, Santa Monica, Lake Tahoe and loads more - would highly recommend (we took our children)

I used to live there and visit a lot as we have family in Massachusetts. My DC are 9 and 6.

Last year we flew to Boston and had a week in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. This is one of my favourite places in the world, beautiful forest covered mountains, rivers and streams to paddle or swim in, hikes, waterfalls. There are also a range of other attractions eg theme park, summer activities at the ski resorts etc. North Conway area is a good place to stay.

This year we are flying to Boston and driving up to Acadia National Park. The mountains here are not as dramatic but it is a beautiful rocky coastline, lots of trees, seals swimming around the coastline. You can go kayaking, hike in the park (lots of kid friendly hikes) and bike on the bike paths. It is around 5 hours drive from Boston.

Of course there is also Cape Cod which is pretty laid back and plenty of leisure activities to do - beach, waterpark, whale watching, bike path.

Other favourite places that I have previously visited are Washington DC, Yellowstone, Glacier national park and Grand Canyon. A bit further down my list would be NYC and Yosemite. Personally I'm going to wait until my youngest is a bit older before we take them to these as I don't think they have the stamina for extended sightseeing.

Almost anywhere in Europe is much nicer than the US, - and safer.

We went to Tennessee a few years ago, a cabin in the mountains near pigeon forge.

Spent a day at Dollywood, cause, well, it’s Dollywood 😂 and did some other touristy things like that, but also went and explored some of the smoky mountain park walking, driving and a trail ride on horses.

Then went to Nashville for a few days.

We're going to Florida but not Disney - Miami, Kennedy Space Centre, Everglades and Keys. Lots of art deco & culture, watching basketball, museums, water parks and snorkelling, road trip and nature.

I also want to do a road trip that takes in Memphis, Atlanta, Nashville and Dollywood. Music (soul, hip hop, rocknroll, country), food, Martin Luther King, mountains and Dolly - all the culture you'll ever need.

I LOVED Boston. If you're going for long enough it's also great to tie in Salem and the witch trials museums, and depending on the time of year taking a drive along the coast to Providence and then Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. I'm a bit of a cinephile so I loved seeing where Jaws was filmed!

If you want culture and fun for dc I would consider Mexico rather than the USA. I've lived in both countries and rate Mexico higher for culture and being family friendly. Mexico would also be easier on your wallet.
Costa Rica is great for wildlife for something different.

Although I do love Dollywood 🤣. The culture of Pigeon Forge itself is the same as Niagara Falls.

Last autumn I went to Boston, then North Conway in the White Mountains, back down to Newport, Rhode Island then Cape Cod and Nantucket. It was lovely and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

It was an odd town, a bear sanctuary in a shop... shops selling things like gun purses advertising having real sharks on display that turned out to be dogfish 😐😂...we did go there to have a wander, but, we were staying closer to the National park, literally in the middle of the woods - that was lovely.

And there’s a lot of much less odd places nearby - We went over into North Carolina to go to Asheville for example.

It was a nice mix of countryside, weird tourist stuff and more normal historic things all fairly nearby to each other.

We really enjoyed it.