Fun Family Vacations You Can Drive to (From Boston)
Even when stay-at-home orders have ended it is going to take the travel industry a little while to bounce back.
And I’m sure you have been stuck in your home for months that you want to go somewhere… anywhere.
I have put together some ideas for some fun vacations within driving distance of Boston.
These drives are a little longer than the weekend trips I wrote about in this post.
And am currently working on a post that will feature some longer drives where getting there is part of the fun!
Stowe, Vermont
Drive time: 3 hrs., 26 mins.
You may think Stowe is just for skiers but I actually prefer to visit in the summer. There are so many outdoor activities aimed at families.
Smugglers Notch and the Trapp Family Lodge are both resorts which are destinations in and of themselves.
With activities like horseback riding, kayaking, and hiking you never have to leave the resort.
If you want a little time to check out the spa Smuggler Notch offers Summer Fun University which is a series of camps which range from age related traditional kids club to camps specializing in things like tennis, mountain biking, survival and high adventure.
So go enjoy the spa or local brewery and give your children a bit of adventure and independence.
One of my favorite things to do is stop in Waterbury, Vermont on the way to and from Stowe.
There, you’ll find the Cold Hollow Cider Mill, where you can see cider being made, tour the Ben and Jerry’s Factory, or sample some cheese at the Cabot factory store.
Where to Stay: Smuggler’s Notch
Lake George, NY
Drive time: 3 hrs., 43 mins.
I love the New Hampshire lakes but sometimes you just need to go a little further away.
Consider Lake George it has a luxurious feeling while being completely family friendly. It has so much more to offer than just lakeside fun.
You can enlist the kids in the King’s army at the Fort William Henry Museum, ride a wooden roller coaster at Great Escape, or check out one of the many adventure parks.
There is also a tour for just about everybody with historic tours, moonlight tours, fireworks cruises, and the famous Minne-Ha-Ha, an authentic sternwheel steamboat.
Where to Stay: The Lodges at Cresthaven
Lake Placid, NY
Drive time: 5 hrs., 14 mins.
I recently attended a wedding in a small town so far upstate in New York we were almost in Canada.
On the way there we figured we might as well stop in Lake Placid for a few hours just to say we had been there…
Well… I can NOT wait to go back.
It is an extremely small town that I was astounded at how they could have possibly hosted not one but two Olympics.
We got to see the arena where the Miracle on Ice occurred and I have never seen my Dad so excited.
Of course I started pulling pamphlets of the nearby attractions from the display in front of the restaurant.
I cannot wait to bring my kids to experience the Olympic Museum, trek the High Falls gorge, swim in Mirror Lake and fly down the track in a bobsled!!
Where to Stay: Whiteface Lodge
New York City
Drive time: 4 hrs., 10 mins.
I can’t talk about all these great upstate locations without mentioning the tourism capital of the world.
The Big Apple may not be the first place you think of for a family destination but the number of family-friendly happenings in New York City on any given day is overwhelming.
The city plays host to top-notch museums most of which have interactive children’s programs, creative play spaces (check out this list from Mommy Poppins,) amazing parks and playgrounds, and even a child friendly amusement park in the middle of Central Park.
Even NYC restaurants are pandering to families by offering play spaces, events, and cool DIY opportunities like ice cream and chocolate making.
Acadia National Park, Maine
Drive time: 4 hrs., 38 mins.
Voted one of America’s Best National Park Vacations with Kids, Acadia is set on the rugged coast of Maine.
The park is home to myriad plants and animals, as well as the tallest mountain on the U.S. Atlantic coast.
It also boasts manageable hikes, super swimming spots, family-friendly dining, and spectacular sights.
Where to Stay: The Harborside Hotel Bar Harbor
RESORT STAYS
If you are looking for something a little more relaxing these resorts are a destination in and of themselves.
Mohonk Mountain House: New Paltz, NY
Drive time: 3 hrs., 26 min.
The 251-room Mohonk Mountain House overlooks sprawling grounds containing a pristine lake, 85 miles of hiking trails, a nine-hole golf course, tennis courts, stables, and a grand lawn where families can watch movies in the open air.
Kids ages 4 to 12 can participate in their award-winning children’s program that includes guided nature walks, animal tracking, and fossil hunts.
Rocking Horse Ranch: Highland, NY
Drive time: 3 hrs., 25 mins.
Rocking Horse Ranch is a popular, extremely kid-centric dude ranch in the hinterland of the Hudson Valley.
Besides the usual ranch activities such as horseback riding (kids must be at least 7 years old) and hay rides, there’s an enormous wagonload of other fun things to do, such as rock climbing, archery, swimming, tennis, and more.
Need a vacation but the idea of planning-it-all is overwhelming?
If you are ready to have the family vacation you’ve been dreaming of, without spending time researching, planning and making it happen, schedule a call today. I’m here to help busy working Moms plan, organize and book the perfect family vacation. With me, all you have to worry about is enjoying your well-earned time away with your family. If you are ready to stop trying to do everything on your own and see how I can help you schedule a complimentary trip planning session now.
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