moosh in indy.

the family vacation debate. (a giveaway sponsored by Radisson)

December 10, 2012

We have a few different ideas when it comes to what makes for a good vacation in this family.

Cody: “LET’S DRIVE SOUTH AND TOUR HISTORICAL CIVIL WAR SIGHTS!”

Addie and Me: zzzzzzz…..

Addie: “LET’S GO BACK TO HO-HI-OH AND YOU CAN ALL WATCH ME ZIPLINE FOR HOURS!”

Vivi: Graaargggpppffbbththttt!

Me: “SAN FRANCISCO! PIER 39! EXPLORATORIUM! HAIGHT ASHBURY!”

Cody: “Who’s going to hold the baby on the 5 hour flight?”

Me: “Touché.”

Vivi: “BYE! BYYYEEEE!!!”

Cody: “LET’S GO BACK TO NEW YORK AND EAT PIZZA!”

Me: “PHILLY! CHEESESTEAKS!”

Addie: “UTAH! McDONALDS!”

Vivi: “CHEEEEEEESEEEEEE!”

Guess what? Deciding on family vacations around these parts is a little…tricky.

I really want to go to New Orleans, so does Cody, but for entirely different reasons than me. I still need to go back to Austin and really spend a good amount of time there. We all want to go to Philly and DC, well, the girls probably don’t but we’re the boss and we’ll make them like it whether they want to or not. San Francisco holds a very special place in my heart and I haven’t been to Seattle in YEARS. But what about all the smaller towns in North America? Had you told me “SOUTHEASTERN OHIO! BEST TRIP EVER!” I would have rolled my eyes at you when you weren’t looking. Turns out, Southeastern Ohio? BEST TRIP EVER!

We all really like Kansas City too. We’ve never done anything but drive through Omaha and St. Louis and I’ll bet even Oklahoma City could show us a good time.

We’ve romped around Cincy, had way too much fun in Chicago and even had a night to remember in Louisville. Heck, if you’ve never been to Indianapolis, you should really put it on your list. We’re super friendly and have an awful lot for you to do while your here.

Basically what I’m saying is while we may not all agree on which city is the best, we’ll make the best of any place we end up. It’s our gift as a family and it makes for awfully fun time together.

Radisson has been hosting travelers for 50 years, and to celebrate they’re giving away 50 rooms in 50 days. Guess who’s the giver-awayer today? (Me, it’s me!)

I want to know is where was the best family vacation in North America that you’ve ever had? For me it would be a toss up between my first trip to San Francisco when I was eight and our most recent trip to Ohio. Our trip to Disneyworld was pretty amazing too, then there was that time I got stuck in DC. Or the weekend in Chicago with Addie! Oy. I love to travel. I love to travel with my family, I want you to tell us where to go next!

Leave a comment below answering where the best family vacation you’ve had in North America is and you’ll be entered to win a voucher for a free night at any North American Radisson or Radisson Blu.

Fine Print: One free night voucher is valid for a standard room, double occupancy at any North American Radisson Blu or Radisson hotel of the winner’s choice. The voucher expires one year after issue date. Winner will be chosen at random from eligible entries, contacted by email and have 24 hours to confirm prize acceptance before another winner will be chosen. Giveaway ends at 9 p.m. EST on Sunday December 16, 2012. Disclosure: For participating in this giveaway we will receive three vouchers for stays at a Radisson Hotel in North America of our choice.

Comments off.

We like Myrtle Beach!

My favorite vacation so far was in San Francisco with my boyfriend (now husband). We were only there for a long weekend, but we had so much fun!

Jackson Hole WY! Seriously, cowboys, herds of elk, the mountains, etc… it was gorgeous and your girls (and Cody!) would LOVE it.

Yellowstone – somehow, getting into nature with our kids was such a memorable experience for them! Moreso than other vacations I’d probably have chosen.

We love Denver and had a great time in DC. we want to take the kids to San Antonio too!

We love Holden Beach. Probably why we go every year

Ft. Walton Beach, FL has been our favorite (& only!) family vacation. Beautiful white sand beaches and blue water. Ahh…

Burlington, VT is wonderful! I’ve been there six times in the summer months but not in the winter. Beautiful and full of things to do.

Emerald Isle, NC. Used to go every year.

I love Albuquerque. My family is there, but there is a lot to see and do in the area.

We had a wonderful time in Myrtle Beach. One Republic’s “Good Life” kept playing, so my kids call it the Myrtle Beach song!

Smith Mountain Lake. It was so peaceful and beautiful in the fall.

We had a blast camping on the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island!

Oh my gosh there are so many to choose from. My family went on a vacation every year when I was a kid, and while we haven’t been able to completely do that with our family there are some great memories. My favorite vacation experiences as a child was Yellowstone and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Then again, salmon fishing in Alaska was something that will forever remind me of family (my mom and I were the only women in a fish camp with no plumbing). The best vacation I’ve taken as an adult with my family? It has to be the Grand Canyon. My son truly appreciated the beauty and loved every minute of it! Right now we are planning a trip for his 13th birthday and the where to go question is a big one. I will definitely be reading the comments on here for ideas!

JMH Reply:
December 10th, 2012 at 12:43 pm

@Cora, We are going to Jackson Hole and Yellowstone in July. I have never been there, so I am glad to hear you enjoyed it!

Best family vacation ever was renting a beach house in Galviston, TX. Right on the beach and so much fun!

Easy! We did a whirlwind trip around California back in September. We flew into San Diego, went to the zoo, ate fresh seafood, then on to Anaheim and Disneyland, then up to Yosemite National Park, and then to SAN FRANCISCO! Then we drove back to down along the PCH (which, if that’s not on your bucket list then you need to get on that NOW, wow!) and stayed in Laguna Beach then back down to San Diego for our flight home. California stole my heart, and I’m so thankful that we got to take our family on such an amazing adventure. I love to travel, and I’m so happy that I get to share these experiences with my kids. Next up? I’m turning 30 in four months, and I’m trying to decide between NYC again and Portland or Colorado. Suggestions?

my best family trip was my mom surprising me with a trip to disney world for my 16th birthday. my older sister was living in flordia at he time and I was so excited to see her!

Hilton Head Island. It is awesome eachttime we go no matter what month. It’s very hurricane safe (they rarely make direct landfall) and all of the store are camouflaged ao you basically see the islands beauty. Love it!
Also my hubby and I are honeymooners there at the end of January!!

JMH Reply:
December 10th, 2012 at 12:44 pm

@karyn, We LOVE HHI! We go every year..sometimes twice a year. Where do you stay? We usually stay right outside of Sea Pines It is amazing. Congrats on your marriage and honeymoon!!

karyn Reply:
December 10th, 2012 at 1:14 pm

@JMH, we have stayed a few places depending on how many of us go. We”ve stayed at Bradley beach rd, night herons in sea pines in a villa, and we are trying waterside this time thru my aunts timeshare.
Love the biking and everything about it!
Thanks!!!

It’s hard to narrow down. Edisto Beach, South Carolina was a fabulous time with extended family. The 3 day road trip from Montana to Seattle to Mt. Rainier and back was a bit insane, in a good way. We’re a road trip type of family, a free hotel stay along the way would be wonderful!

Growing up we went to the Grand Canyon, twice and that was a lot of fun. But my sweet family of 3 spent a great week back in October in Panama City Beach! Nothing beats the beach in October!

Bar Harbor Maine. My husband and I had just been dating for a few months and it was our first trip together. We planned an overnight in Boston but the hotel room was horrible! There were no other rooms available on such short notice that we figured we would drive up as far as we could and then sleep over in a cute town. We visited information center after information center looking for somewhere else to stay. No rooms available. A cute old man heckled Mike for not being prepared. I thought it was funny! We finally decided to call a old friend in the backwoods of Maine. I still remember the popovers we had for breakfast.
We finally got to Maine and it was the most beautiful place ever!! So peaceful and a great place to make first trip memories. We can’t wait til the boys are old enough to make the long drive. Thanks for bringing me back to those special days!

Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Beautiful and fun things for the whole family. Onyx cave was a huge hit for our kids many years ago.

Yellowstone, it was so fun!

It is hard to decide we always try to do a family vaca once a year. We all have liked Disney World, Chicago, Michigan, Ohio and St Louis. I think I have to St Louis is one of the all time favorites. There is a wide variety of things to do and lots of it is free and very kid friendly.

The outdoorsy trips are always my favorites… Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain National park, or the Grand Canyon! There are so many places on my bucket list, I’m never sure where to go next!

The first vacation my husband and I ever took together, just the two of us, was to DC, and it was AWESOME! I drove cross country by myself several years ago, and there are so many places I want to take him, but we’re working our way through the list verrrrry slooooowly.

That’s a hard one…but I think if I had to choose a North American destination (that I’ve been to so far…) I’d have to say that I loved going to Halifax with the family. East coast hospitality. Big city fun. Small city charm. Lots of fun and laughs, adventures and OMG THE SEAFOOD!

we did a 3 week family road trip around the west and my favorite stop was Yosemite.

seattle!

We had a great time exploring California traveling from LA to San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway. It was the perfect blend of nature and city for us.

Please pick me pick me – as we haven’t been on a vacation in four years. Our favorite NA trip though was a weekend in NYC. It was amazing! xo

Anna Maria Island Florida!

As a kid it was a two week trip to Maui. With my kids, it was a trip to Northern California three years ago. We did San Francisco, Santa Cruz and Monterrey. You can’t go wrong with those three places.

Hands down our best vacation ever was to Disney World! Then Myrtle Beach, then Hershey, Pennsylvania (Hello! Chocolate!) and Sesame Place.

Tie between the time we rented an RV and drove cross-country and back, and the 2 weeks we spent traveling around Alaska!

We LOVE South Carolina..specifically Hilton Head Island and Charleston. However, Disney was pretty incredible too!

St. Petersburg! Beach, fun activities – it was great!

Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, OH. I know it’s not as glamorous as some but we had an absolute blast and there was no arguing!! LOL!

We had a great trip to Asheville, NC. Stayed at the Biltmore Estate.

Best family vacation was a cruise to Alaska. We kayaked in the Pacific to see bald eagles.

Best vacation ever was our honeymoon in Maui!

P.S. I went to school in Southeast Ohio and it is one of my very favorite parts of the whole country. LOVE IT there.

Best trip ever: going the Wisconsin Dells! Such a simple trip but oh so much fun!

This past summer, my fiancee and I took a road trip out to South Dakota. It was amazing and beautiful and we are both excited to do it again!

I love Hilton Head Island. We grew up vacationing there and I love everything about it! We would ride bikes every place we would go and spent countless hours at Harbor Town. Such a great place!

the Ozarks when I was about 8 years old!

So hard to choose. I love love love New York City, but have had fantastic vacations in Seattle, San Diego, and all over Florida. I’d love to go to Austin and San Antonio Texas!

Colorado! I grew up going to the mountains in Colorado and liked it so much that I moved here last year! Denver has lots of fun stuff (aquarium, US Mint, etc) and of course there are tons of things to do in the mountains (zip lines, hiking, skiing, white water rafting, horseback riding).

I really loved the state of Ohio. We went to several different towns so I couldn’t tell you just one.

For me, it’s a tossup between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Gatlinburg, TN and Acadia National Park in Maine.

Absolutely love the hiking, streams and mountains of GSM but Maine has great hiking and mountains too plus it’s got the ocean.

Yosemite. We used to go there as a family when we were kids. There is nowhere on Earth like it.

Oh, and Alaska is pretty darned beautiful, too.

I adored Portland, OR and think it is a great place for a couples getaway or a family trip….they have some awesome parks and yummy food.

When I was 7 (back in the mid-70s), our family of 6 piled in the station wagon and went on a three week trip from Chicago to San Fran. I hope to have that much fun, bickering and beautiful scenery with my family in the next few years.

When I was a teenager, my family drove from Pennsylvania to South Dakota and back. We had such a blast, it has to be the best!

Road trip from WI to Keystone, SD this past summer with my hubby & kids. The kids ask weekly to go back!

I have to say that Avon, Colorado is one of my favorite places to visit. From Beaver Creek Ski Lodge to the small town atmosphere, to the (relatively) short drive from Denver, it is a great place to hit the slopes and relax in the snow, all at the same time!

We had a great time in Myrtle Beach. Also, Seattle is a lot of fun!

Oh man- if I had to pick one place that I loved the most… it’d have to be Philadelphia. So much I loved there- I can’t even begin to list them all!

Our best family vacation has been to visit both sets of grandparents in central KS. Housing was free, fellowship sweet, food abundant, activities numerous!

My husband and I spent our first wedding anniversary in Savannah, GA and loved it!

I’d probably have to say it was my honeymoon–split between San Diego and Las Vegas. I hadn’t flown on a plane in years, and going to places that were so different than my blah Northeast home was so exciting. We had a blast…other than getting stuck in Chicago overnight on our way home

I’ll always remember going to Disney World with my family.

Portland, OR and go out to Seaside OR. it is a very fun city and the ocean is different on the west coast

Disney World!

So hard to choose! I think I’m going to have to go with Disney, though. We’ve been twice, and it actually got BETTER!

Our best family vacation was Disney World. Cliche, but so true!

My favorite Vacation ever has to be Missouri! We stayed at an amazing lodge and there was so much to do we loved it.

We love Duluth, MN (Honeymooned just up the north shore in Two Harbors MN!). We haven’t done a family vacation that didn’t involve going to my parents house yet, I am not that brave to do so yet, as our son is almost 3….

Best vacation was going to Disney World for the first time in 1999 and again in 2000. Never forget the memories!

Disney World, Orlando

We are a road tripping family. Our best trip would have to be our most recent – 4,000 miles, 12 days, 8 national parks and countless hours of fun!

Santa Cruz, California (THe best family friendly beach town)

Grand Mound, WA and the super super super fun Great Wolf Lodge. Also, it’s super close to Seattle which is basically my happy place.

The best North American vacations were always when we left Ohio to visit my aunt in New Jersey. The car ride seemed to take forever and it seemed no matter when or how often I asked where we were – we were always in Pennsylvania. We stopped at all the same rest stops every year until they became as important a part of the trip as the destination.

New York! So much fun!

Disneyworld HANDS Down!

We loved the Black Hills of South Dakota. This area offers history, nature, and enough touristy places to please everyone. While there, we visited Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, Jewel Cave, Custer State Park (which is amazing), and the Badlands. Highly recommend!

OOOh, Nashville! Fantastic trip when we were between houses moving from FL back home to MI!

My honeymoon to South Africa!

My favorite family vacation in North America, was a trip we took 5 years ago to Alaska in our motorhome.Took a 6 month trip (3 of which were spent in Alaska) driving from Florida, to Alaska stopping throughout the US, to see all the sights.

we love tahoe!

The best vacation was in San Francisco. What a beautiful city!

I have fond childhood memories from the 1970s driving in a rented Winnebago from Northern California to Vancouver, hitting so many points in between!

As an adult, I warmly remember truly-Hawaiian Molokai, seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time, riding the ferries in Seattle, exploring NYC, watching two space shuttle launches from NASA grounds, feeling the need for a translator in Baaahston, Mass…

Kona, HI

Our best family vacation so far has been Orlando as it had things for all ages to do from my 3 year old nephew to 80 year old grandmother.

Grand Canyon road trip in a minivan with my parents, sisters, and grandparents. Last trip I took with my grandparents.

We love Destin, FL!!

Megan Penik Reply:
December 10th, 2012 at 5:29 pm

@Megan Penik, Every vacation to Destin has been amazing!!

Our best family trip….without a doubt, it has to be our first one….the Columbus Zoo a few months ago. Our first time with the girls in a hotel room….couldn’t of had more fun….we even had the hotel pool all to ourselves…it was unforgettable. Although, our second trip to Kalahari was pretty awesome too. We are just beginners in this whole family vacation thing….so far? It’s been great!

Disney World, Orlando

Monterrey bay, California was my best family vacation spot

Hocking Hills in Ohio. No comparison! I’m originally from close by there and now live near DC, but we love to go back.

Washington DC, Gettysburg, Antietam.

I don’t really want to enter the contest….I just wanted to let you know that next time you plan on coming to Austin, it would be nice to give you a hug, go see some sights w/the kiddos & eat some tasty Tex-Mex with y’all…all while rockin some fly cowboy boots Come visit the ATX!!!

Destin, FL. It is my idea of Heaven.

Gulf Shores –love the beach!

We love Killington, VT for family ski vacations!

My mom always did traveling vacations…. Like touring the civil war sites of the southeast and that was surprisingly fun! I think my favorite vacation was traveling Route 66 from Santa Monica to New Mexico. It was a beautiful trip! And it was just me and my mom when I was in my mid twenties.

Thanksgiving in Manhattan. Stayed in the Grand Hyatt, Millennium Hilton, and Andaz 5th Avenue. Ate great food for every meal. Walked for miles and miles and miles.

Sedona, AZ. Beautiful!

Marthas vineyard!!

WE took all the kids to Orlando FL What a great time

Best vacation I’ve ever had was in Santa Fe New Mexico (outside of a cruise ship at least). It’s not very far from where we live, but we fell in love and have vacationed there at least a weekend every year.

Yosemite!

Philly is always fun

My best family vacation was to San Francisco and Napa Valley with my Mom in 1998. It’s my favorite because that was the last time I got to spend with her before she passed away the following year.

My parents took me to Vegas when I was young, it was quite an experience!

Ocean Isle Beach, NC! It is wonderful!

I fell madly, deeply and passionately in love with Townsend, TN. So peaceful and beautiful, and just what the doctor ordered.

New York City !!!

We had a great time in Missoula Montana a couple of years ago!

We never travel, big homebodies here, but I’d say our best trip is when we went to Six Flags for our honeymoon two years ago! I think we need to travel more often!

BFVE in NA would be Puamana Hawaii.

San Luis Obispo, CA!!

My best family vacation was with my sister this past summer to Seattle/Portland and Vancouver, BC. We went for 2 weeks on our sweeps win and it was free!

Big Pine Key in the Florida Keys . I love the Florida Keys and go there as often as possible. The whole of Big Pine Key is a preserve for the Key Deer . These deer are small and beautiful endangered deer. What a wonderful place to explore nature and meet friendly people! Best vacation ever!

Disney World, Orlando

My favorite vacation was definitely Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida although New York City isn’t far behind!

Little Mary’s, in northern Michigan. It’s a place for families with children that have chronic or terminal illnesses. We’d go there every summer for many years and have SO many fond memories of being there as a family – in the good old days I long for….just to have them back for even a moment.

Our best family vacation was probably our trip to Washington, DC. I was a kid, and the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum was amazing!

Colorado Springs, CO. We had a great time visiting cousins there and seeing the North Pole, Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods.

Nantucket, MA!

Ogunquit, Maine

Topsail Beach, North Carolina. We love it so much we rarely go elsewhere… But short weekend trips are great too!

Best “family” vacation … Would have to say . . . Up to the White Mountains of New Hampshire in my teens followed by a dip into southern Maine.

My best vacation had to be my first trip to LA! It was the best! We went to Disney, Universal, took a Hollywood tour and ate at In-N-Out burger. Good times!

I think St Louis is the best, but also love Indy and Des Moines (notice a theme?). I also love Philly and NYC. I lived in DC and left. On purpose. I am from Charleston, a grand city. I fell in love with OKC this summer, after driving thru many times. I guess I’ll go with….St Louis!

Love sanibel island

My favorite is Pacific Grove, CA

The best family vacation we ever had was at Daytona Beach FL. There was something for everyone there! Besides having the best beach, they have an awesome water park there, parks by the Halifax river to picnic & of course the Daytona Speedway! The shopping was great too. We even took a day trip to Orlando (an hour away)and went to DisneyWorld! Had an awesome time!!

Disney World!!

I adored my trips to MT to visit my Gma when I was a kid, but I have to say the most memorable vacation I have had was the long weekend my husband, infant son & I took to Columbus, OH… A great weekend full of no plans, wandering, & eating amazing food!

Las Vegas!

The last summer before I graduated from high school, my family and our best neighbors/family friends road tripped from Arizona to South Dakota to see 4th of July fireworks at Mt Rushmore! We took our time, stopping and staying in Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota of course, and SLC as we looped around. It wasn’t glamorous but it was so much fun and certainly one of our most memorable family vacations!

Trips to see my grandparents in California when I was a kid. Being from Alaska, it was nice to see a little sunshine after the long winters!

Taking my 2 kids to visit their aunt in Los Angeles!! Our first trip out of state (WI). We got to enjoy Universal Studios, see the ocean, roller blade on the boardwalk, go to Sea World, and even experience an earthquake!!

The best family trip we ever took was a long drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway of Virginia and into the Great Smokey Mountains of Western North Carolina and Tennessee when I was 8. We got to chat with Cherokee Indians, take long hikes through the woods looking for deer, foxes, rabbits, bears and all kinds of creepy crawlers. We dipped our toes in an icy mountain stream and washed our hands in the mist of a low-hanging cloud. And once, when we pulled off at a picnic area, we saw a mother black bear and her 2 cubs trying to get into a trash container. She saw us, too. When someone in the group got just a little too close to take a picture, she reared up on her hind legs and roared, taking a couple of steps toward the group. My little 8-year-old legs were already pumping frantically and I didn’t stop until I reached the car and had the door open. Then I turned around and saw that the bear had already gone back to ignoring us. (Yes, I know better than to get that close to a momma bear now, but heck, I was only 8!)

I’m always partial to Niagara Falls, especially on the Canadian side

Oh how I love to travel. Hard to choose just one favorite place…so I’ll choose two!

Family: Rapid City, South Dakota–so much to do! You are close to so many attractions-Bear World, Evans Plunge, Reptile Gardens, Crazy Horse Monument, and of course the very patriotic and inspiring Mt. Rushmore (make sure you see the night show/lighting.

No Kids: New Orleans. Casey, you must go! it’s probably great for families but I went only with my husband and it was amazing. Must eat beignets at cafe du monde and go on a bayou boat tour. Love.

There are so many trips to choose from because we’ve moved around so much, and the fact that we now live in the tristate area, and constantly go to Philly, NYC, and D.C…I’d have to say our favorite past family trip (before we moved up here) was in Cape Neddick, Maine.

*So grateful for the places we have explored as a family because I never traveled until I joined the church at the age of 20, and moved to Utah!

Oh man, both of our trips this year have been amazing!
We went to San Francisco for the first time and I am in LOVE and want to move there, like, yesterday! Such a cool place with so much history.
The other trip was to Alaska where after a 3mile hike I got to see a real mamma bear and her 2 cubs fish in the river and catch salmon for REAL! So cool!

We haven’t traveled much but my favorite trip with my family so far has been to Portland, OR. It was just a quick weekend trip to see the zoo but it was a perfect weekend.

New York City

Love, love, love Montreal and San Diego. Both super fun cities that we enjoyed exploring. Can’t wait to head back when our daughter is older!

What a fun idea! We absolutely loved Arches National Park last summer, but we’re like you, everywhere we go seems to be our new favorite place. And hey, if you’re ever back in Seattle – look me up.

Seattle is one of my favorite places, but the day I spent in baltimore was amazing, I’d love to go back!

San Francisco with my hubby! Hands down. We’ve been twice now. I’d LOVE to take our kids and show them The City by the Bay.

A friend and I once went to Newfoundland to explore his grandmother’s family roots. The Atlantic coast of Canada was beauuuutiful!

Our best family vacation hands down would have to be Myrtle Beach. Love the ocean!

Best family vacation was to NYC to see the Thanksgiving Day parade, we watched the huge balloons get blown up, went to FAO Schwarz and jumped around the huge piano, rode the subway, Empire State building, so many memories we will all always treasure.

As a child, it was a trip to Venice, Florida. Who knew that the beaches there were beautiful and full of shells and sharks teeth?! As an adult, we have yet to take a family vacation. 20 years and it will always be next year…

I always think my last vacation was the best one ever. We went to Myrtle Beach in the fall and the kids loved the beach, playing putt putt, and eating out at restraunts (and so did the adults)!

Boston – love it!

Vancouver, B.C. is a place of beauty

There really is no place like San Francisco.

Wow. my favorite trip was our mini’moon to cincy! we stayed at the Radisson, did newport aquarium. i’d love an opportunity for a do over since that was less than a week after I had my gall bladder out. Not so fun. hope you and that precious girl are having fun!

We had an awesome time with our baby when she was 10 months old in Philly! Such a walkable city and lots of parks and green spaces to play in!

Santa Cruz, California. It’s beautiful.

We once did a family reunion in Gatlinburg, TN. It was one part tacky, one part National! Park! Fun! We still talk about the miniature golf course with real bunnies hopping around the greens. And, I will never forget how pretty those Smokey Mountains were.

Myrtle Beach SC holds a special place in my heart because that is where we spent our family vacays almost every summer growing up. I also love the peaceful serenity of the Smokey Mountains. I’m from East TN and my friends and I often rented a cabin for the weekend and it was so nice!

Our family had an amazing vacation at FT Walton Beach, Florida in October. We had the whole beach to ourselves and spent hours body surfing together.

Top 3: Knoxville (family and Smoky Mountains), Anaheim (Disneyland), D.C.

We like New Orleans as well!!!

Rehoboth Beach, DE!

Key West…It was so relaxing! Even with the kiddo at only 8 months old!

Best family trip was to the Jade Festival in Big Sur, CA….we got LOTS of jade, it was fantastic!

We loved St. Louis.

Disneyland in ’08. My parents, my sister & husband (& 4 kids), my husband, me & son. It was the first time for 3 of the kids and it was just…magical (so cliche) to see it through their eyes.

We’re headed to the New Jersey shore this summer and I have a feeling it will be awesome, too.

Key West !!

You can’t not have a great time at Disneyworld!!!

Ashville, NC! Beautiful!

Maui! My dad and stepmom took their kids when they got married.

Also, I grew up in St. Louis and it is a great place to take kids for a long weekend. There are a lot of things that are free like the Zoo and Art Museum. I am sure Addie would love the City Museum and the Magic House. I would be happy to give you details on what to do.

Oahu, Hawaii, without a doubt, if that can count as North America. LOVEED IT.

Our best family vacation by far was when my Dad took us to Jamaica for a week when I was in elementary school.

bfve was Point Roberts, WA.

I’m a firm believer that you can have fun wherever you are. Every city in this country has SOMETHING to offer. That being said, I have a soft spot in my heart for Yellowstone. My husband’s family has gone there every year since his parents got married (and honeymooned there!), and I’ve had the pleasure of tagging along a few times. It’s heaven on earth.

Our most fabulous vacation experience was our MakeAWish trip to Florida. But on our own we have had tons of family fun at The Dells in Wisconsin, the Black Hills and Duluth, MN.

Florida was my best family trip growing up. Now as the parent we tend to stay local. I can’t wait to take my boys some where outside of Oregon.

The best family vacation was at Lake Tahoe!

Best family vacation was at Yellowstone Park!

I’m with you. Anywhere you can create memories with the fam is a great vacation. I’ll always love myself some Disneyland, though.

Yosemite is a special, special place.

Our family spent 2 weeks (this past summer) traveling from Anacortes, WA downtown to San Francisco, CA. BEST trip ever! We went on a whale watching excursion, hiked in the Redwood Forest, drove past many mountain ranges, played on several beaches and just spent 2 weeks together as a family. It took us 2 years to save the money for this trip and I wish we had time to do it all again (before our oldest son goes to college).

We spent Spring Break 2012 in St. Louis then Oklahoma City.. best trip we’ve had and so much to do!!

I loved our family vacation to San Diego!
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St. Joseph Penisula State Park in Cape San Blas, Florida during scallop season! Boating, camping, swimming and great out door fun!

my family didn’t go on vacation much, but we had fun whenever we did. it was usually something small and close by, like “camping” in a cabin at a statepark. we never went camping in a tent after the one time we got flooded out (our tent was literally floating).

I loved our trip to WA DC! Thanks for the awesome giveaway : )

We love San Diego!

I gotta say, our most favorite vacation was actually before we had kids, but we’re dying to do it again with our kids. We drove around the country – South Dakota (Mt. Rushmore, Badlands), Wyoming (Yellowstone), Colorado (Mesa Verde), Arizona (Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Painted Desert). So much fun!

Yosemite! we love that place.

Well…we’re planning on going to the Grand Canyon over 2013 spring break. Our best trip to date? Williamsburg, VA!!!

Moab, Utah! We go every year the week of Thanksgiving and I hope it’s a tradition we carry on forever

We love vacations. But all of us feel like we’re home when we’re in the mountains of Colorado.

We love Colorado!

Just recently went to Atlanta, GA for three days. Loved it more than I expected and would go back again in a heartbeat!

We had a super cool time in Baltimore last summer visiting my sister-in-law. So much history, so much to see within driving distance, and Baltimore itself is pretty cool too!

A few times a year, we went to San Francisco for family business. So much fun riding cable cars, going to the Exploratorium, walking the Golden Gate Bridge, driving down Lombard Street, going to the fortune cookie factory in the heart of Chinatown!

San Francisco hands down. My husbands family is from there and I would love to get back especially with the kids. Vacations are so much more fun with them. I wish money wasn’t an issue. Airfare for
Utah to SF is around 900.00 for 3! So hard.

Disneyland 1956

Yellowstone Park. So beautiful!

I know it may sound cheesy, but I’ve had so many unforgettable vacations at Disneyland. It really is a magical place!

My two sisters and I disliked [and still do] things in costume… so you can imagine how much fun we had at Disneyland the couple times we went back in the ’70s!

Best family vacation ever was at Indian Shores, FL with my family and my parents. The chance to spend a whole week at the beach with grandma and grandpa and create memories made it worth the very long drive!

PS- I use to live in Marietta, OH – if you ever get back to SE Ohio, stop in and check out this adorable little riverboat town. If you can go the week before Labor Day when the they have the SternWheeler Festival, you’ll have photo ops you’ve only dreamed of!

Best family vacation was Pensacola, FL for son’s wedding. Best partial family vacay was NYC with daughter. Sigh…I love the big city!!

Our best U.S. family vacay was, hands down, North Myrtle Beach!

Nantucket definitely! My family and I have been there several times, the food is awesome, the people are great. Nantucket’s vacation rental homes are the best and the activities are endless. Not to mention, you can also get that peace and quiet you’ve always wanted as well!

We loved our time on Anna Maria island in Florida a few years ago.

We went to Florida/Disneyworld/HarryPotter on our tax return in 2011. Just before I lost my job. We probably should have saved the money. But I’m so glad we went.

My most recent favorite was Orlando to go to Disney with my daughter – such a blast! I have also love tons of other places – Myrtle Beach, SC; San Diego, CA; etc etc – and tons of little towns all around Michigan. Oh and Chicago, IL – so fun! There’s just so many fun places to go!

Best family vacation site I’ve gone with my kids would be Nauvoo, Illinois. We’ve been twice – once with my husband and once with my mom. When we went with my mom, we stayed in a little log cabin. When we went with my husband, my dad (who lives in Nauvoo) took us to a couple of places that aren’t regular tourist stops. That was cool.

My first visit to the East Coast was a father-daughter trip. We were on the trolley tour learning the lay of the land, and I could NOT understand what the guide was saying. His Beantown accent was too thick for my West Coast ears! It was if he was speaking a foreign language!

We took an amazing family trip to the Burlington vt area at the end of the summer. Such a fun and beautiful place.

Tennessee! Major fan of the Pigeon Forge area.

But if I win, I am pretty certain I will go to DC in the spring. Need to experienceDC.

Wow! So many to choose from, which is a great problem to have. My favorite vacation of all time has to be our honeymoon, which was in San Diego.

New Orleans was definitely one of the best family vacations in the U.S.

Chicago, hands down!

Key West,FL.
It was the last family vacation we’ve had. We went on a cruise to the Bahamas but that day in Key West was the day when EVERYONE in the family actually let their hair down and we all enjoyed it. My family is much like yours where everybody wants to go somewhere different and do different things, but Key West was where we (for once!) were all on the same page. We just all loved it there and it was simply beautiful. I won’t say it was the best place I ever traveled to, but as far as family vacations go, it was amazing!

Virginia Beach!

Walt Disney World.

North Topsail Island, NC. Most wonderfully relaxing week on the beach. Family, food, sun, sand, surf. Paradise.

seattle was lovely.

It’s a toss up between the trip we took to Hilton Head with our kids and the California coast trip we took before we started dating (a college choir tour)!

Disney World!

Niagara Falls, NY

We love the Florida Keys! My husband’s family loves to fish and we have cousins in south Florida, so that’s a GREAT vacation for us. We took a huge family vacation there years ago, and we also spent our Honeymoon there.

Favorite vacation was to Colorado for the first time in 2008. We loved it so much, we moved there!!

Best family vacation would be a toss-up between Disney World & Disneyland! I mean, how do you even pick?!

Toss up between D.C. and NYC. I love them both for so many, many reasons.

Definitely DC. Haven’t done that with kids yet… But I know Anna would still recommend it even with the littles!

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