Trip Ideas w/ kids

[HaloMilliVanilli]

Wifey is thinking of Hawaii.  Gonna be expensive.  By summer, we'll have a 7, 9 and 18 year old.  Any thoughs on a vacation that would appeal to the entire family that would be more cost effective than a Hawaiian vacation?  We plan to do SoCal next year (2018) so we can go to Disney when Star Wars land opens.

[NJHalo]

Rent Chuck's place in Florida

[HaloMilliVanilli]

Not a bad idea.  What is the cost on that place again, Chuck?

 

[gotbeer]

Leave the 7 and 9 year olds at Grandparents.  Give the 18 year old a few bucks.  Then spend the vacation you want with the wife or with the girlfriend, in Hawaii. 

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

No idea what flight costs are from your area vs. SoCal but if you want the beach/snorkeling/pool vacation you can look at all inclusive trips to Mexico which may save you some money as opposed to taking the family to Hawaii.  We went a few years ago during the travel off season and stayed in an all inclusive resort in Cabo.  We went when we did to avoid all the kids being out of school but you could see that it would work well for a family because the kids can swim, entertain themselves playing games, order whatever they want to eat and so on while the parents can hang out and drink poolside.  The hotel of course has tours you can do through them which include snorkeling but if you just cab it down to the marina you can spend less going with one of the guys down there offering to take people out to the snorkel areas.  

[NJHalo]

5 hours ago, HaloJustinBieber said:

Not a bad idea.  What is the cost on that place again, Chuck?

 

Chuck usually lets most of us use it for free. 

[Docwaukee]

Check out sunriver in oregon.  We've gone there a couple times now.  Ranch resort with a village that has mini golf, bounce houses, rock wall, bumper cars.  A few good restaurants including a brewery.  

40 miles of bikes trails with rentals.  2 golf courses.  Easy access to river rafting.  The have a marina on the deschutes river with floats and canoes.  Lots of opportunities for fly and bait fishing.  Stable with horse back riding.  

One of the cooler things is an aquatic center with a lazy river, several pools and a couple of water slides.  Several other pools on the huge property with tons and tons of condo or house rentals.  

The main resort has a good restaurant as well as a nice spa for massages etc.  Lots of the rental include bikes and passes to the aquatic center. 

Adjacent city is Bend, Oregon.  Hipster town with a ton of nice hotels, good restaurants and live music.  

The air is clean.  The weather during the summer is great because it's eastern oregon which is high desert so no rain.  

Couple hundred a night gets you into a two bedroom condo.  

Bend is also a huge brewery town.  There are 22 in bend a few others nearby.  There is also a distillery.  They have a brewfest during the summer.  

We drove, but bend has an Airport.  Flights are a little pricey.   It's 12hrs worth of driving.  Did it in two days with a stop in klammath falls on the way up and sac town on the way back.  

[Rico]

13 hours ago, Catwhoshatinthehat said:

you can look at all inclusive trips to Mexico .  

I would not recommend Mexico right now.

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

Why not?  Honest question.  I know people have been "not recommending" going to Mexico for years but in my experience if you aren't going to bad cities/areas or out at midnight the likelihood of anything happening seems about the same as it is here.  I've been to Mexico multiple times in the last so many years flying directly into Cabo and PV, getting a ride directly to where we're staying and have had no issues.  Last time around we took the public bus to and from the Marina in Cabo during the day and walked around downtown.  There were plenty of people out and about including families with kids and other tourists.  If you want an all inclusive beach option it's pretty reasonable but if that's not you're thing then Doc had some good recommendations.

[NJHalo]

Have you ever been to Universal Orlando Resort? 

There is something for everyone there. Your kids will love it, and so will you. Great resort hotels, new water park, great restaurants and clubs, Universal Citywalk entertainment district, 2 fantastic theme parks, and a central location if you want to hit the beaches on either coast. Kennedy Space Center, Walt Disney World, Busch Gardens, etc.

 

[Junkballer]

Colonial Williamsburg.  Tell the kids this is the ideal that the family will be working towards in the upcoming years.  You'll never have to buy another electronic gadget for them ever again and they'll work like hell to be ready to leave the house when they're 18.

[AngelsLongBall]

If you're taking the kids, it's a trip.  If you go with your wife, then it's a vacation.

[mrwicked]

6 hours ago, Catwhoshatinthehat said:

Why not?  Honest question.  I know people have been "not recommending" going to Mexico for years but in my experience if you aren't going to bad cities/areas or out at midnight the likelihood of anything happening seems about the same as it is here.  I've been to Mexico multiple times in the last so many years flying directly into Cabo and PV, getting a ride directly to where we're staying and have had no issues.  Last time around we took the public bus to and from the Marina in Cabo during the day and walked around downtown.  There were plenty of people out and about including families with kids and other tourists.  If you want an all inclusive beach option it's pretty reasonable but if that's not you're thing then Doc had some good recommendations.

i did cabo twice last year. mexico is amazing, and totally safe.

dont recommend all inclusive though. they are cute but the service level is never as good. its a key example of difference between jobs where you get tips, and those were you dont.

all inclusive is little bit cheaper though. but not worth the savings imo. 

[Tank]

7 hours ago, Catwhoshatinthehat said:

Why not?  Honest question.  I know people have been "not recommending" going to Mexico for years but in my experience if you aren't going to bad cities/areas or out at midnight the likelihood of anything happening seems about the same as it is here.  I've been to Mexico multiple times in the last so many years flying directly into Cabo and PV, getting a ride directly to where we're staying and have had no issues.  Last time around we took the public bus to and from the Marina in Cabo during the day and walked around downtown.  There were plenty of people out and about including families with kids and other tourists.  If you want an all inclusive beach option it's pretty reasonable but if that's not you're thing then Doc had some good recommendations.

maybe he was referring to the recent shootings at cabo.

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

2 minutes ago, Tank said:

maybe he was referring to the recent shootings at cabo.

You mean the shooting that happened at an "electronic dance festival" (aka rave) at 2:30 in the morning in Playa Del Carmen?  Playa Del Carmen is about 1,500 miles away from Cabo.  To be fair it's a well known tourist spot but I don't imagine the OP plans on taking his kids to a rave.  Now if he and his wife want to go that's another story. 

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

2 hours ago, mrwicked said:

i did cabo twice last year. mexico is amazing, and totally safe.

dont recommend all inclusive though. they are cute but the service level is never as good. its a key example of difference between jobs where you get tips, and those were you dont.

all inclusive is little bit cheaper though. but not worth the savings imo. 

When you have a family and/or are trying to stick to a budget it makes more sense.  There's less planning involved because you can let your kids run wild and order whatever they want without having a sticker shock response when you get your bill at checkout.  The OP didn't want to spend Hawaii vacation money so that's why I recommended Mexico as a beach trip alternative.  To me certain spots in Hawaii and Mexico feel a lot different than the SoCal beaches.  We live in HB and find it funny that we still take beach vacations but it comes down to the laid back feeling in other places vs. SoCal.

[Adam]

Go spend the weekend with your in-laws. 

[mrwicked]

17 minutes ago, Catwhoshatinthehat said:

When you have a family and/or are trying to stick to a budget it makes more sense.  There's less planning involved because you can let your kids run wild and order whatever they want without having a sticker shock response when you get your bill at checkout.  The OP didn't want to spend Hawaii vacation money so that's why I recommended Mexico as a beach trip alternative.  To me certain spots in Hawaii and Mexico feel a lot different than the SoCal beaches.  We live in HB and find it funny that we still take beach vacations but it comes down to the laid back feeling in other places vs. SoCal.

yeah, i can see the value when you have kids. its like a cruise - ALWAYS do the unlimited cocktail package. nothing worse than getting off a cruise and seeing a 4 figure drink tab. and getting a $70 double blue label for $6 is the best!

i love mexico too, arguably more than hawaii. cabo is amazing. hawaii is too though.

[Blarg]

A couple of kids under 10 and an 18 year old? Where ever you go take movies, this should be interesting like a National Lampoon movie on a budget. Okay, kids pick up dead armadillos on the highway while broken down in Texas while oldest son tries to get high on cactus leaves, take one!

[gotbeer]

4 minutes ago, Blarg said:

A couple of kids under 10 and an 18 year old?

Yeah, my thoughts too.  Maybe the 18 year old is a rock star older brother.  But what the kids under 10 and what the 18 year old will be interested in, will be the biggest dillema on the trip. 

Regarding Mexico.  Isn't the drinking age in Mexico 18?  This might be one of those philosophical quandries that HJB and his wife may want to talk about. 

[Tank]

4 hours ago, Catwhoshatinthehat said:

You mean the shooting that happened at an "electronic dance festival" (aka rave) at 2:30 in the morning in Playa Del Carmen?  Playa Del Carmen is about 1,500 miles away from Cabo.  To be fair it's a well known tourist spot but I don't imagine the OP plans on taking his kids to a rave.  Now if he and his wife want to go that's another story. 

Sorry. Thought the news said it was in Cabo.

[Tank]

21 hours ago, Dochalo said:

Check out sunriver in oregon.  We've gone there a couple times now.  Ranch resort with a village that has mini golf, bounce houses, rock wall, bumper cars.  A few good restaurants including a brewery.  

40 miles of bikes trails with rentals.  2 golf courses.  Easy access to river rafting.  The have a marina on the deschutes river with floats and canoes.  Lots of opportunities for fly and bait fishing.  Stable with horse back riding.  

One of the cooler things is an aquatic center with a lazy river, several pools and a couple of water slides.  Several other pools on the huge property with tons and tons of condo or house rentals.  

The main resort has a good restaurant as well as a nice spa for massages etc.  Lots of the rental include bikes and passes to the aquatic center. 

Adjacent city is Bend, Oregon.  Hipster town with a ton of nice hotels, good restaurants and live music.  

The air is clean.  The weather during the summer is great because it's eastern oregon which is high desert so no rain.  

Couple hundred a night gets you into a two bedroom condo.  

Bend is also a huge brewery town.  There are 22 in bend a few others nearby.  There is also a distillery.  They have a brewfest during the summer.  

We drove, but bend has an Airport.  Flights are a little pricey.   It's 12hrs worth of driving.  Did it in two days with a stop in klammath falls on the way up and sac town on the way back.  

Hey @Chuckster70, this sounds like a great place for our next aw.com summerfest.

[HaloNArizona]

My kids are 15 and 21...

This year, we went to Seattle, had a great time, everybody loved the trip.  Last year, took just my oldest boy to San Francisco (the youngest was marching in the London New Years parade)

We have also taken the family to DC and Universal Florida....Family loved all of those trips.

[HaloMilliVanilli]

Great suggestions everyone.  All are now in the queue and I'll be discussing with the wife directly.  Sun River is about 2-2.5 hours from here (just north of Portland) so may have to think of that one sooner than later.  Did Seattle last year and enjoyed the trip, will make another trip up soon.  Keep em' coming.

[Keener]

Sunriver is great.  We have done a 10-15 person family and friends thing for several years.  Rent a condo, plenty to do even for non boarders, as doc said. 

Son and i have missed the last few years because he is so involved in sports.  Basketball overlaps with baseball now, so we have missed the dates.  Now i'm bummed.