Whether your travel plans include a visit to the zoo, SeaWorld, Gatorland, or a National Park, these tips will help you plan your next great family vacation.
Is there anything better than hearing the joy in a child’s laughter? Or seeing curiosity light up their precious faces? How about those special moments with your teen before they officially move to young adulthood? To me, the only thing better is building those memories during great family vacations.
Maybe a better teaser is to ask – what do Gatorland and Union Park Science City have in common? Read on!
What if you don’t have a child to take on vacation?
Maybe your idea of life’s unforgettable moments includes siblings or a sweetheart. To me, these all fall under the definition of family. Family for me is a very broad term.
I have a “family by blood” that we are born into (like it or not). And we have a family by choice. You know – those special people that make our life richer just by being there. If you have a family of choice, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
I would bet if you are still reading this there is an aspect of you in at least one of these descriptions.
This all brings us to the importance of making the most out of our time with the children, teens, and other special people in our lives. Great family vacations are an incredible way to do just that.
Add the opportunity to create lifetime memories while doing all that? It sounds like a Badda-Boom, Badda-Bing type of situation.
Vacations with extended family
I’ve written about those family vacations before. Orlando, Great Smoky Mountains, Branson, and Destin with several of our adult kids, grand-babies, my sister, and her children are perfect examples of frequent vacations with extended family.
Not only did we make incredible memories on those trips, but we also continue to talk about our experiences every time family storytime begins. The memories made during family vacations last a lifetime.
I think back to being a young child, traveling across the country in my grandparent’s RV. I didn’t think much of the memories then.
Truthfully, I have likely forgotten more memories than I remember. On the other hand, the memories I hold from those extended family vacations are beyond treasured. I can only hope our children and grandchildren consider their memories as special.
What are our favorite destinations for great family vacations?
Truthfully, that answer depends on my budget at the time, and how long we have to spend. Some of our most special (read here… expensive) family vacations have been to the theme parks.
Yes, Disney IS the happiest place on earth. But I think the Universal theme parks rank a close second, especially with the Dr. Seuss section of the park. I love it!!!
If budget is a problem, research your destination. We found a theme park in Orlando last spring with rides enjoyed by our adult and young children and seemed to be a popular hangout for the locals.
The entrance fee was around $35 per person, which is a completely different story than the $100+ entrance fee for the theme parks. Our grandson is in the photo above with the red car at this park – he had a blast! Check out Fun Spot, especially if you are on a budget.
If you like roller coasters (like Papa Joe) the cost for amusement parks is absolutely worth it. If not, look for things like the Santa Monica Pier or Orlando amusement park to get similar experiences without having the investment.
For me, I always think the budget is a problem, so I love it when I can find a discount. I like it even better when I can pass on discounts to you.
Gatorland in Orlando is a great family vacation
I thought Gatorland was going to get a D-rating.
Until we went there.
What do you like to do? Well, Gatorland probably had it. Feeding the alligators for the kids (nope, NOT feeding the kids to gators) – Gatorland had that too. Ziplining over gator pits. Entertainment wildlife shows. I think my daughter was just as turned off holding the python as I would have been holding the tarantula. She was a better woman than me and actually held it – eyes closed and arms stretched out as far as possible. I just ran. Is Gatorland sounding good to you yet? It is for me!
Best of all for parents of young children, Gatorland had a play area with a water feature. The kids were LOVING it. Entrance fees were budget-friendly, between $25-35 per person, depending on age.
Seriously. We had family visiting Orlando at the same time, and they wanted to meet at Gatorland. My first thought was how corny Gatorland was until we got there. No lie – I think Gatorland has been our best family vacation experience yet. It had opportunities for all ages to be interactive with animals (safely), plenty of room for the kiddos to run off excess energy, and lots of shade. All for a minimal price. Don’t overlook Gatorland, it is a gem.
What if theme parks aren’t your cup of tea or way out of the budget?
Some of my most memorable experiences as a child. as well as family stories the next generation has shared for years, all occurring during visits to the zoo.
The childish curiosity that started this post? I totally had zoo experiences in mind when I wrote that description. I’m not ashamed to say, that as an adult, I probably enjoy a visit to the zoo as much (or more) as I did as a child.
I have to credit my parents for this portion of the story. Once they had money to do it, they gathered my siblings and all our children for a family vacation each summer. Yeah, it was usually for a visit to a zoo. Zoos have something for almost everyone, plenty of space to spread out, and plenty of entertainment.
Visits to the zoo tend to be relatively inexpensive, usually ranging from $10-$25, depending on the size of the zoo and the age of the child. Zoo quality varies, but most medium-to-large cities will have a zoo to visit.
What if a visit to the zoo isn’t your idea of a great family vacation?
Find out if your destination has a wildlife recovery operation open to the public. Destin’s Gulfarium was not only a great example of conservation in operation, but it also allowed the kiddos to see dolphins up close and personal. The kids also got to touch smaller marine life. Like… how often can you say that?
Both the young and older children enjoyed their Gulfarium experience. The extra bonus? Our visit to the Gulfarium provided an opportunity to learn the value of wildlife preservation. For a bunch of kids from the Midwest, that was a valuable opportunity. It was like a visit to the zoo without the animals being fenced in.
Which brings me to the elephant in the room
Well, not quite. Maybe the whale in the room….
Hello SeaWorld! Ok. This is one destination that many have opinions on. Whether it is a destination for you or not, it is valuable to consider SeaWorld’s contribution to wildlife conservation and opportunities to teach the kiddos about our marine critters.
Ask Papa Joe about the SeaWorld thief who stole his seal food. MAN – that bird was big!!! #YouCantSeeJosh was obsessing about Spongebob’s Patrick at the time. Giving him the opportunity to hold a starfish (aka Patrick) was absolutely priceless.
We have visited SeaWorld in both San Diego and Orlando, and both experiences were amazing!
Don’t rule out the joys of nature when planning great family vacations.
One of my first vacations with Papa Joe was at Rocky Mountain National Park. We had a camper full of kids – and what a great time that was! Watching the kids hike, climb rocks, and just chill out by a cool mountain spring. To me, it was the equivalent of a Parent’s Candy Store – all the great stuff wrapped up in a beautiful green pine-scented bow.
Since then, Papa Joe and I have made a goal to visit every US National Park, and have made it to quite a few. You can read the full-length National Park story here.
Despite the incredibly beautiful scenery, amazement to see wild animals in their habitat, and the surreal geologic formations (which I love all of, don’t get me wrong), the most beautiful thing is watching kids ride bikes through the campground, racing each other along the hiking trail, and seeing them grill a Park Ranger with endless questions.
Entrance to the National Parks is usually priced per vehicle. Annual passes are a great way to go if you plan on visiting several parks within the year or live close to one.
While on the topic of National Parks though, I would fail at my job here, if I didn’t also mention state parks, national forests, national monuments, national recreation areas, etc. If you are interested in National Parks, check out my National Parks page for easy links to stories about many of our favorite National Parks.
National parks are a great place for family vacations – get the kiddos exposed to nature, away from the video game, and spend time with their parents. Believe me, they will appreciate it later.
Camping and other ways to get the family in touch with nature.
We have camped at some interesting locations.
Have you considered camping in a city park? We have camped at a city park in northwest Iowa that was nicer than many campgrounds. Finding a place to camp doesn’t have to be difficult, and it doesn’t require a large investment of time. Once you see how much the kids enjoy riding bicycles and skateboards around the campground, you won’t regret the decision.
Another interesting location for city park camping is in Duluth – seriously, don’t rule it out.
Anyway, I became fascinated with Lake Superior’s western shore during summer 2018. That’s how I discovered Duluth’s city campgrounds. Papa Joe and I spent several long weekends exploring the waterfalls around Lake Superior, and the hundreds of miles of shoreline and hiking trails through the area.
How else can you do a family vacation while exploring nature?
We walked across the Mighty Mississippi River, which was little more than a stream at Itasca State Park in Minnesota. The kids were having a BLAST.
Minnesota’s state parks are pretty special. Entrance fees range from free to $10 per visit, and there were families EVERYWHERE. As a matter of fact, I received some fantastic photographic advice from a young teen at Gooseberry Falls State Park in Minnesota while he was hiking with his parents and sibling. He would rather have been taking pictures, but his mom laid down the law.
Young man, if you ever read this – thank you.
The moral of the story is this. When state parks, national forests, etc. are factored in, the options for reasonably priced getaways with the kiddos become numerous – with rewards that far outweigh the costs.
Feel free to be creative when planning a great family vacation.
One last word about camping.
Maybe camping isn’t your deal. But, if you are open to new adventures, campgrounds are filled with kids on bikes, kids (and adults) playing in the swimming pool, and shooting a few hoops. And, if you’re lucky, there are trails nearby for hiking and bicycle riding, and maybe even a beach.
You don’t need to own an expensive RV to camp. Many pull-behind (travel trailers) are lightweight enough to pull with a mid-size SUV, and we see lots of families in tents.
One example is rentmycamper.com. We haven’t tried any of the rental camper sites and aren’t recommending one over another, just be aware there are options available.
In addition, many campgrounds like the KOA‘s have cabins to rent, and many campgrounds are as nice or nicer than hotels. The price for overnight camping normally ranges from $15 or more per night and depends on the campground and season. KOA is seriously stepping up its game for campground cabins, and I recommend considering them as an option.
What if your great family vacation needs to be more intellectual?
Ok, so seriously, this probably won’t be a surprise to anyone, but Papa Joe and I are nerds. Geeks. Dorks. Whatever the buzz term is at the moment.
One of our favorite places to go hang out and play at being a kid again is at the local Science Center. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Kansas City’s Union Station Science City is a really great science center and was a favorite haunt for Papa Joe and me when we first started dating (read here – didn’t have $ to go very far).
Playing with all the experiments, trying to solve the physics behind the experiment. Regretting the body-altering mirrors. Maybe the mirrors are meant for kids… It makes me think that maybe I really never grew up. All I know is we had as much fun (or more) as the kids were having.
One last suggestion for your next family vacation.
The last thing I want you to think about is just spending a day doing those “cheesy” things close to home – or great time fillers when visiting another city. No. I really mean it. There may be great things close to home that aren’t a huge investment of time or money.
And by that, I mean go-karts. Laser tag (haha – as a “first-timer” I beat Papa Joe and #YouCantSeeJosh). Minigolf. OMG – you would not BELIEVE the competition between our adult children that we got caught in. Sheesh. One-handed mini golf is even better, but that’s not a children’s tale.
You name it – look around and be adventurous.
Many tourist destinations will have tons of brochures with local attractions. Other easy places to find ideas are the welcome areas when you enter a new state, or your hotel reception area. Finding ideas is really easy. Narrowing down the ideas to a few things to do can be more difficult. Take time to check them out and keep an open mind.
Don’t overlook the obvious. If the beach is close, that would be a no-brainer for me. Consider your local hangouts. The world is literally your oyster on this subject.
Still not a believer?
This video was shot during a combo extended family/family by choice vacation, consisting of Papa Joe’s ex-wife, her husband, their adult children and grandbabies, and myself. Now, if you don’t think events like this burned memories in our brains, you should probably think again.
This was shot and edited by my stepson, owner-operator of Prog Media. If he could only work for me, I would have this quality of video too…
What does it take to have great family vacations?
More like, what do great family vacations not have to be – expensive. Distant destinations. Extravagant. They don’t have to last a long time.
What great family vacations do have to be… if you want them to be memorable.
They have to be with people you care about. They will require patience. Flexibility is highly recommended. Infuse some creativity and find interesting things to do. Visits to the zoo and Gatorland definitely fit that description.
Be open to suggestions – Seriously. Gatorland was NOT on my list of things to do but was one of my favorite places on that family vacation. Be open to experiences like visits to the zoo or Seaworld.
What else do family vacations have to be? They need to be memorialized – you HAVE to take pictures, get video clips – do something that helps you remember your great experience with loved ones.
Now, I know this is a poor quality photo – but the value isn’t in the photo quality. The value is in the fact this was taken on a family vacation many, many moons ago (like probably 40 years ago or so…). There was an event over this vacation that we still talk about today. The moral of the story – make the memories HAPPEN.
Mostly – get out there, spend time with your loved ones, and enjoy that time together!
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