# Looking for Family Vacation Ideas **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 14, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-family-vacation-ideas/671253 "2013-10-14T20:52:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-family-vacation-ideas/671253/1 "2013-10-14T20:52:17Z")
My wife and I took our adult vacation over the summer and now its time to plan our Spring with the family. Would prefer something that is not super typical like Disney World and instead do something unique that would still be fun for the entire family. Family - Wife and I plus 2 adult children (21 and 19) plus our 3 year old. Do not want to fly, so we are planning some type of road trip type vacation where we can stop places and do things along the way. Starting location, Kansas City MO area Time - 2 weeks Season - Spring 2014 Distance is not a huge deal since we will have plenty of time. But I would like the journey to be part of the vacation so sites and stops along the way would be important. Any mid-west types have any ideas? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-family-vacation-ideas/671253/2 "2013-10-14T21:22:58Z")
Gotta tell us more. Do you like national parks and/or national forests? Camping or motels? Big cities? Museums? ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-family-vacation-ideas/671253/3 "2013-10-14T22:01:34Z")
I did the national parks in southern Utah a few years ago and thought it was great. That included Canyonlands, Arches, Capitol Reef (or was it Escalante?), Bryce Canyon, and Zion. You could maybe loop around for the Grand Canyon. There would be opportunities for some stops in Colorado and/or New Mexico also. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-family-vacation-ideas/671253/4 "2013-10-14T22:32:03Z")
Skiing in Colorado in the Spring is perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-family-vacation-ideas/671253/5 "2013-10-14T23:20:24Z")
> [@mcgato](#): > > I did the national parks in southern Utah a few years ago and thought it was great. That included Canyonlands, Arches, Capitol Reef (or was it Escalante?), Bryce Canyon, and Zion. You could maybe loop around for the Grand Canyon. There would be opportunities for some stops in Colorado and/or New Mexico also. I second this. Try also Carlsbad Caverns and a stop over in Taos. eta: Skiing in Colorado is also great though can be expensive. What dates? Camping/Hotel/VRBO? I know some great and relatively inexpensive places to stay in southern/central CO. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-family-vacation-ideas/671253/6 "2013-10-14T23:31:51Z")
We did a houseboat in Voyageur National Park this summer. It was incredibly beautiful. The houseboat had a slide off the back, and each evening you’d park the boat for the night in a secluded spot, have dinner, start a campfire and eat smores. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-family-vacation-ideas/671253/7 "2013-10-15T02:19:19Z")
How about a road trip along [Route 66](http://www.roadtripusa.com/routes/route66/route66.html)? Head south from Kansas City to Carthage, then follow Route 66 as far west as you want to go- but try to make it at least as far as Albuquerque/Santa Fe. Click on the state names for detailed maps and descriptions of sights to see & places to eat and stay. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-family-vacation-ideas/671253/8 "2013-10-15T02:34:37Z")
You’re in the middle of cave country. You could hit a bunch of caves with easy walk-throughs the 3 years old could handle. Lots of them have other quirky attractions nearby. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-family-vacation-ideas/671253/9 "2013-10-15T02:54:57Z")
I will second the Route 66 suggestion; depending on which way you go, there are some great caves along the way too! I particularly enjoyed both Meramec and Fantastic Caverns. The key thing is, what are your older children up for? I could imagine them loving a string of roadside attractions…but on the other hand, some people consider that kind of stuff incredibly boring.