We have 3 kids 11, 9, 7, and my wife and I are trying to long term plan our vacations before the kids are out of the house.

We are up for pretty much anything so what are some trips you have done or would suggest.

Thanks!

We spent about 9 days in Yellowstone NP area with our daughter the summer before her senior year of high school. She considers this to be probably the best of our family vacations. (We hit the usual spots in YNP, hiked up Sepulcher Mountain, and also did horseback riding near West Yellowstone and river rafting near Gardiner MT.)

Grand Canyon, hike to Havasu Falls, Italy (Amalfi Coast, Rome, and Florence), Germany, Hawaii (Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island), Alaska, the Azores, Kennedy Space Center and Harry Potter World, NYC, Jasper and Banff Parks (Banff in summer and winter).

We had Japan and New Zealand on our list, but Covid derailed that.

My son graduates in May, and we are looking at Sicily for this summer, but I haven't booked anything, yet.

Early on with my kids I set a goal of taking them to as many countries as their age. Ended up being a little daunting but they are 15 and 17 now and have been to 17 countries (not counting territories like the US Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico).

We didn't exclusively focus on new places or it could've been more. Some places like the Bahamas (various islands) they've been to a ton (around 14 times) and Mexico a ton as well. Tried to find the balance of new places and places we liked.

Planning to hit up a few countries in Asia in 2024 but planning trips in countries there right now is a cluster.

I hit a lot of the easy beachy ones when they were younger but saved a lot of the farther more historic places since they've been in HS and appreciate it more.

We're trying to hit national parks. BSD (poster on here) has been to almost all but we're not that aggressive.

I took a 5,000 mile road trip to south Utah. It was amazing. Stops were…

Carlsbad
White Sands
Durango
Natural Bridges
Monument Valley
Zion
Bryce
Escalante
Capital Reef
Grand Canyon
Petrified Forest

14 days. It was awesome!!

Angkor Wat

billyjack2009 said:

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We're trying to hit national parks. BSD (poster on here) has been to almost all but we're not that aggressive.

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Same.....they keep adding more, but my son has 4 more in the contiguous USA to visit. Its been an incredible journey for the whole family. It's forced us to visit places we normally wouldn't have, that we ended up loving.

[and yes, BSD is smoking everyone #lifegoals]

https://texags.com/forums/54/topics/2828333/replies/63610049#63610049

I went to 25 states before I was out of high school. My
Parents wanted to do the same things as you mention

South Dakota - mt Rushmore
Colorado
Utah
Florida
Alabama
Tennessee

AgRyan04 said:

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billyjack2009 said:

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We're trying to hit national parks. BSD (poster on here) has been to almost all but we're not that aggressive.

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Same.....they keep adding more, but my son has 4 more in the contiguous USA to visit. Its been an incredible journey for the whole family. It's forced us to visit places we normally wouldn't have, that we ended up loving.

[and yes, BSD is smoking everyone #lifegoals]

https://texags.com/forums/54/topics/2828333/replies/63610049#63610049

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Hahaha. I'm just out having fun with my son. It's been awesome. We also go scuba diving a lot and hit the slopes in winter. Definitely try to swim with whale sharks off Isla Mujeres.

I don't think I could suggest just one trip if you are wanting to see the national parks. But since the kids are young, you have the luxury of spacing some out. Maybe do California one summer and then Utah over Thanksgiving break or Spring Break (cooler temps). Another summer could be Yellowstone and South Dakota. I'd love to spend more time in Custer State Park!

Hawaii trips are awesome. We go every other year. Same for Alaska. There is so much to do in each of those states (swim with Mantas off Kona or rappel into a glacial crevasse in the Wrangells).

For other trips, NYC in autumn is awesome for a long weekend.

Soon we'll be planning Machu Picchu.

I think we'll be starting to hit Europe in the next two years. Italy is on the agenda. As is Spain. Hell, throw a dart at the map and I'm there!

The Utah trip would be great. We did the "Mighty Five" in Utah on a 10 day trip.

I would add Alaska to the list. We did that trip as a graduation present for my son when he graduated from A&M

With kids, I think they need to see a couple of things before they leave home.

• Alaska
• Hawaii
• multi-day car trip across the Western United States
• six inches or greater, snowfall event
• Natural wonder such as Carlsbad Caverns or The Grand Canyon
• a steep mountain pass
• a big urban city with public transportation and homeless people
• long flight, at least 5-8 hours
• over water flight
• small aircraft flight
• wide body aircraft flight
• travel to a foreign country where they don't speak English
• travel to a country where you have to apply for a Visa before you go and let the kids know what the process is
• multiple modes of transport - air, boat/ferry, light rail, passenger train, high speed rail if possible
• not just an Uber or a hotel car but teach the kids how to take a taxi

Thinking a little more, if at all possible, your kids need to also study and experience:

• Mainland Europe - Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, etc. See as much WWII and medieval stuff as possible.
• Africa - Kenya, Egypt
• Middle East (not including Egypt) - Dubai is good enough for this
• Asia - anywhere that there are just masses of people living very densely such as Shanghai, Hong Kong might be too Western, Tokyo, Singapore

Religions

• Islam
• Eastern religions - Buddhism, Hinduism
• Catholicism

Wealth and Poverty

• Ultra Wealthy - Singapore, Dubai
• Comfortably Socialist Middle Class - Europe, Australia
• Extreme poverty - Africa, India, maybe Brazil

And another couple of things.

Make the kids deal with foreign currency. Especially ones where the value is wildly different. Last time I was in Japan, I think it was about 91 Yen per USD. I think it's close to 150 now.

And also, obvious but, don't stay at resorts. Make the kids learn how to eat in local restaurants, shop in the local grocery store, etc. Interact with the local people like regular people instead of getting waited on hand and foot by them. You'll save money that way too.

These were great suggestions.

We just crossed Yellowstone NP and Montana off the list in August. Was an amazing experience for all.

We have somewhat used the national parks as a guide. But have varied locations too. We have been to Steamboat for Spring Break 8 years in a row now. My kids are 15 and 13. I wanted them to have a ski town / experience that they knew well by the time they were adults. Then they can explore other ski towns on their own dime. Summer trips have included:

- Northern California (Yosemite NP, Kings Canyon NP, Sequoia NP, Carmel, Big Sur, San Fran)
- Hawaii (Oahu and Kauai)
- Yellowstone and Grand Teton NP (took one set of grandparents with us)
- Durango and Telluride Colorado road trip (2020 Covid trip)
- New Hampshire / Maine (Lake Winnipisaukee and Kennebunk) (took the other set of grandparents with us)
- NYC / NJ (brother was stationed there)
- Disneyland / Huntington Beach, CA

Smaller trips
- San Diego
- Cape Cod
- Galveston
- San Antonio

We have a ranch near Abilene and season tickets to A&M football, so have scattered those trips throughout the years.

We do want to take them to Europe before they graduate. Also want to start including college visits on our trips (mentioned taking kids to Auburn game next year).

I think traveling with the kids is super important. Great job planning for it.

If you are open to have your kids study abroad, a trip to Europe is a great way to introduce the idea

Our goal was for our daughter to get to all 50 states by 18. It forced us to do some looking around to find the memorable stuff in places we wouldn't go to normally.

All 50 States by age 18 seems pretty aggressive.

My goal was to hit all 50 States by the time I turned 50.
I rolled into North Dakota on my 50th Birthday back in 2020,

I'm now working on my 50 State refresh. Last time in:
Hawaii - 1983
Arkansas - 1994
Oregon - 2002
Missouri - 2004
Alaska - 2006
I've been to all other sates since 2010.

During the past 2 months, I've been to CA, AZ, NM, TX, NV, LA, MS, AL, TN, FL, CO and during the past year, I've been to KY, NE, IA and GA and changed planes in NC.

I'm way overdue to go back to Hawaii. No rush to get back to Arkansas though.

Israel
European Trip focused on WW1 and WW2
American Revolution focused trip - Northeast States
Costa Rica

Take them to Southeast Asia. I would have loved to do that with my family before I left home. Plenty to see and do to keep them interested and it won't break the bank.

Any ideas for average people with an average budget?

national parks. Drive. the experience of the drive is worth a lot.

I would also recommend historic trips. Drive the east coast and civil war battlefields etc. Not expensive.

We liked taking our kids to NP and historic trips such as:

Northern VA and DC - Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown, Jamestown, Mount Vernon, Arlington, Smithsonian, Washington Monuments

Northeast - NYC, Broadway show, WTC, Museum of Natural History, Boston, Liberty Trail, Lexington/Concord, Westpoint, Gettysburg, Philly, Constitution Hall, Valley Forge

Durango, Mesa Verde, Grand Canyon, Petrified forest, Four Corners

Mt Rushmore, Badlands (one of kids favorite), Devil's Tower, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Jackson, Rocky Mountain NP, Estes Park

Disneyworld, Universal Studios, Shuttle launch (dating myself)

We have wonderful stories and memories from all of these trips.

Of course every Texan must visit San Antonio (Alamo) and Garner State Park (dancing to a jukebox under the trees, tubing the Frio, and climbing Mt Baldy).

Good Luck and enjoy the time with your kids.

lck90 said:

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Any ideas for average people with an average budget?

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I visited 47 states, all by car, by age 12. We traveled with a pop-up camper. Never flew until I was 20 - study abroad in Normandy while at A&M.

Well, we ended up having 6 kids, so travel anywhere was way more expensive. National Parks harder to book these days, schedules harder to do for everyone...and my wife loves cities, and I love the outdoors.

But some affordable ideas.

- We flew Spirit to San Juan, PR, rented a car, got an airbnb, booked ferry tickets to Vieques, drove around in the mountains, explored Old San Juan, visited El Junque, not a bad week...

- Carnival Cruise

- Mountain destinations, get airbnb or camp. Spent a week near Cloudcroft, Taos, Leadville. Hiked our tails off - Mount Elbert, Mount Massive, Wheeler Peak, Lincoln National Forest...

- Flew budget to Las Vegas; booked a condo off the strip for next to nothing, and just drove out to see a different national park every day - Zion, Death Valley, Grand Canyon, Red Rock...sure, we had an 8 hour round trip drive to a few places, but we still got to hike 4 hours once we got there, and the kids got to see those places in person. It was a ton of fun. Did it in January - Grand Canyon was covered in snow.

- We have a beach house in Bolivar (I'll rent it to you cheap in the off-season!)

Wow. What was the 48th State you missed?

And I assume you made it to AK and HI eventually.

We have 4 kids and have tried to do a large national parks trip each summer; also a side note we try and do a 13th bday trip with mom, dad, and the bday kid that the kid chooses

Family:
Carlsbad, white sands, big bend, Guadalupe mtns,

Hot springs, smoky mtns, Kentucky horse farms, ark, mammoth cave, chimney rock

Rocky mtn, mesa verde, great sand dunes, black canyon

Next up we r doing Az, then Utah, etc

13th bday - first one was a horse packing trip outside of banff