Family vacation on the East Coast?

[Bernadine]

Preferrably driveable from MD.

We were all set for Myrtle Beach at the end of July, but DSS is going with his mother earlier in July, so we don't want to repeat the same vacation. 

Ugh.  I'm annoyed by this.

[jerseygrl]

Cape May
Ocean City, NJ (if you do this, order the ride tickets ahead of time for half the cost.  You can do it online)


Williamsburg and you can do Busch Gardens and Water Country?

[papie]

Maine! Ogunquit is awesome for families. We stayed at the "dunes on the waterfront" which has tiny little cabins, huge lawns, a pool, etc.

I also really liked Ocean City, New Jersey, we went a couple of years ago, although it is a dry town.

[Bernadine]

Feb 19, 2015 9:29:54 GMT -5 superduper said:

I actually love Ocean City, MD.

But if you want to get out of the state, Ocean City, NJ is nice too.

Are you specifically looking for beach destinations?

Kind of, but we're open to other suggestions too.

We were just in Capy May last year, although I wouldn't mind going again, and his grandmother takes him to Williamsburg all the time.

Is there enough for kids to do in Maine?

[compassrose]

Cape May! Day trips to Wildwood or the outlets. Take the ferry across to Delaware. Water is freezing, but on a hot day it feels good.

For a longer drive, Narragansett Bay/Newport, RI. Even my teenage SSs liked the old mansion tours, the cliff walk, the amazing ice cream, seafood, etc.

[CurlyQ284]

We did VA Beach and spent a day at Williamsburg, a day at Busch Gardens and time at the beach. I prefer the beaches south of the city, actual VA Beach was crowded and kinda dirty.

We have this family thing where we spend every July 4th somewhere new and Williamsburg is our favorite for fireworks so far. We rock paper scissors to choose between there and the beach so I'm not sure if the beach would have been better. So if you're there over the 4th they do a good job!

[jerseygrl]

Hershey Park
Poconos (Great Wolf Lodge, nature trails, zip lines)

[papie]

Feb 19, 2015 9:31:18 GMT -5 Bernadine said:

Feb 19, 2015 9:29:54 GMT -5 superduper said:

I actually love Ocean City, MD.

But if you want to get out of the state, Ocean City, NJ is nice too.

Are you specifically looking for beach destinations?

Kind of, but we're open to other suggestions too.

We were just in Capy May last year, although I wouldn't mind going again, and his grandmother takes him to Williamsburg all the time.

Is there enough for kids to do in Maine?

It all depends what you want, but definitely.  We are low key vacation people, so mostly hanging out on the beach, going into town, etc.  But you can definitely find activities.  I can't remember distances, but there are rides in Old Orchard, there is a zoo somewhere not too far from Ogunquit, there is a children's museum in Portland if it rains.  But I might be mixing up two different main trips from different areas. 

[pbandj]

Beach Options:
Virginia Beach
Outer Banks

Other non-beach options:
Smoky Mountains/Asheville
Shenandoah Valley - Virginia
New River Gorge Area - West Virginia
Vermont

[jerseygrl]

Feb 19, 2015 9:33:14 GMT -5 compassrose said:

Cape May! Day trips to Wildwood or the outlets. Take the ferry across to Delaware. Water is freezing, but on a hot day it feels good.

For a longer drive, Narragansett Bay/Newport, RI. Even my teenage SSs liked the old mansion tours, the cliff walk, the amazing ice cream, seafood, etc.

LOVED the cliff walk! 

[jerseygrl]

I'm going to butcher the spelling but my sister and BIL take their kids to Chincoteague, Va.  They have beaches and they camp there

[shamrockshake]

we used to camp in Maine every year, Sebago lake state park. We loved it. it got to be too much with 4 small kids though- 8 hours in a car and a week of tents

Now we do Sea Isle City every August since my grandparents have a place there we can use. We stock up on tickets Easter weekend, when they're half off, for the rides in OC and the last few years we've done a pirate cruise in Wildwood, they've had groupons so it's very reasonable and the kids LOVE it.

[ECB]

We did Maine this summer. It's a LONG drive, though. 11 hours. but we were with a large group of people and many kids - and everyone had a great time. Stayed in a wonderful house on the coast that was in easy driving distance of a couple different towns. One day, the dads took the kids fishing out on a boat, which was a rainy adventure.

Many other closer options that people have suggested. We do OBX as often as we can.

[YahYahs]

We do OBX every year (changed it up with Myrtle last year, but going back to OBX this summer). We live in Maryland and drive with 2 kiddos.

[revolution]

NYC
Great Wolf Lodge - Pocono's
Pittsburgh - we love going there - hit up a few baseball games, food, boat ride, children's museum
Hershey Lodge/Hershey Park/Gettysburg/Amish Country
Point Pleasant , NJ

[Bernadine]

I think my top picks are OBX, Cape Cod, or Maine.

[ECB]

Oh, there is also Deep Creek in Western MD.

[spankswife]

Not a beach trip, but plenty of stuff for the whole family, we LOVED Asheville, NC. If you wanted beach you could do the Outer Banks.

In Asheville we rented a cabin (reasonable and amazing), went rafting, hiking, Biltmore, swimming in Lake Lure (where Dirty Dancing was filmed <3), there was a small zoo, and Arboretum that was really nice. Great food. Let em know if you want more info.

[VeryViolet]

Feb 19, 2015 9:43:52 GMT -5 Bernadine said:

I think my top picks are OBX, Cape Cod, or Maine.

Have you ever been to the beach up north? I am not trying to dissuade you but it is a very different beach trip than Myrtle or OBX. We go to Martha's Vineyard every year and love it and I am trying to convince DH to do Maine soon. The beaches are rockier and the water is cold. I was surprised by how different it was the first time I went after growing up going to Bethany and Nags Head. 

[themysteriouswife]

If you want to head south, Savannah is fun. There are several smaller beaches within driving distance to Savannah. Lots to do amd good food.

[ECB]

Feb 19, 2015 9:52:06 GMT -5 VeryViolet said:

 The beaches are rockier and the water is cold.

Oh, yeah, this.  Our Maine trip - in JULY - was not a beach trip.  At all.  Waiting for a ferry one day, we did walk down to the beachy area - and it was very rocky and the water was SOOOOOOOO cold. 

Still an absolutely lovely vacation, but not a "beach" vacation.

[rex]

i love maine and the cape but our water is not warm lol

[Bernadine]

Feb 19, 2015 9:52:06 GMT -5 VeryViolet said:

Feb 19, 2015 9:43:52 GMT -5 Bernadine said:

I think my top picks are OBX, Cape Cod, or Maine.

Have you ever been to the beach up north? I am not trying to dissuade you but it is a very different beach trip than Myrtle or OBX. We go to Martha's Vineyard every year and love it and I am trying to convince DH to do Maine soon. The beaches are rockier and the water is cold. I was surprised by how different it was the first time I went after growing up going to Bethany and Nags Head. 

I went to a beach in Maine in August when I was a teenager.  I do remember how rocky and cold it was.  I still think I'd enjoy it, but you make a good point- I'm not sure h or dss would enjoy it as much.

[foodiemom]

Hilton Head & Savannah

[papie]

Feb 19, 2015 9:54:11 GMT -5 ECB said:

Feb 19, 2015 9:52:06 GMT -5 VeryViolet said:

 The beaches are rockier and the water is cold.

Oh, yeah, this.  Our Maine trip - in JULY - was not a beach trip.  At all.  Waiting for a ferry one day, we did walk down to the beachy area - and it was very rocky and the water was SOOOOOOOO cold. 

Still an absolutely lovely vacation, but not a "beach" vacation.

lol Must be the swimming in canadian lakes thing, but I didn't find the water THAT cold in Maine.  It is swimmable.  And the weather gets hot enough to want to swim.  It is better in late july than early july obviously, but I've been there over the first week twice and it was pretty good. 

Also the southern coast of maine has sandy beaches. 

[hi725]

Hershey, PA?

Philly? There is so much for kids there, zoo, aquarium, please touch museum.

Also tons of stuff for kids in NYC

Or, if you are game for it, camping in the Catskill mountains or along the Delaware river. Tent or rent an RV

[Jalapeñomel]

Feb 19, 2015 9:30:33 GMT -5 papie said:

Maine! Ogunquit is awesome for families. We stayed at the "dunes on the waterfront" which has tiny little cabins, huge lawns, a pool, etc.

I also really liked Ocean City, New Jersey, we went a couple of years ago, although it is a dry town.

we are going to Maine, Bar Harbor, for the first time this summer. I'm excited! I have heard nothing but amazing things about it.

[underwaterrhymes]

Feb 19, 2015 10:04:47 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Feb 19, 2015 9:30:33 GMT -5 papie said:

Maine! Ogunquit is awesome for families. We stayed at the "dunes on the waterfront" which has tiny little cabins, huge lawns, a pool, etc.

I also really liked Ocean City, New Jersey, we went a couple of years ago, although it is a dry town.

we are going to Maine, Bar Harbor, for the first time this summer. I'm excited! I have heard nothing but amazing things about it.

It's one of my most favorite places. Acadia is incredibly beautiful.

[Jalapeñomel]

Feb 19, 2015 10:06:11 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

Feb 19, 2015 10:04:47 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

we are going to Maine, Bar Harbor, for the first time this summer. I'm excited! I have heard nothing but amazing things about it.

It's one of my most favorite places. Acadia is incredibly beautiful.

i can't wait to eat and drink beer!

[candreco]

The Shenandoah area is great. Nature centers and hiking in the national park, Luray Caverns, there's a lake with a beach area, tons to do. We've usually rented a cabin pretty inexpensively on VRBO or HomeAway and had room to spread out. Easy drive from MD too.