Vacation Ideas

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fisher
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Re: Vacation Ideas

Post by fisher »

You don't need to travel far to have a good time with the kids. Have the kids been to COSI and the Columbus Zoo? Those are 2 great places for kids just beyond your backyard. If you throw in a Columbus Clippers game, you have pretty a good vacation, and saved a lot of gas money that you can spend on upgrades during the trip.
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TJW815
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Re: Vacation Ideas

Post by TJW815 »

fisher wrote:You don't need to travel far to have a good time with the kids. Have the kids been to COSI and the Columbus Zoo? Those are 2 great places for kids just beyond your backyard. If you throw in a Columbus Clippers game, you have pretty a good vacation, and saved a lot of gas money that you can spend on upgrades during the trip.
We have a membership to both and go regularly.
Lone Wolf
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Re: Vacation Ideas

Post by Lone Wolf »

TJW815 wrote:My wife and I neither one really had family vacations as children, so the wife is wanting to plan a family (3 kids under 7, my wife, and myself) vacation. She brought up Niagara Falls, Washington D.C., and Grand Canyon. She will not get in a plane again*, and I'm not driving to Arizona so that counts out the giant hole in the ground...

Need some ideas here.. Trying to avoid the nanny states / districts as much as I can. Needs to be at least mostly kid friendly and within 12 hours driving from southern Ohio.

Any ideas would be appreciated.


*Apparently her second time flying (return leg international trip) while I was sleeping we went through a storm and I slept through "the worst turbulence ever"
Haven't heard anyone throw out the beach. We go just about every year to a beach. The area around Charleston, South Carolina is one of my favorite places in the world. Young kids, rent a house /condo that has a pool and beach access and I think you would be good to go. Of course, if you or your family are not into that sort of thing, it's a moot point. :D

The site that we typically use to find places is http://www.vrbo.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I have I have no sort of affiliation with them, I have just used them a lot. There will be a map of the US that allows you to click on different states and search for accommodations. Each place you look at on the site should tell you what amenities there are and the kinds of things to do in the area. Keep in mind that this is not just for beach areas.

Hope that helps a little,
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Re: Vacation Ideas

Post by Pops Fun »

I second the ocean, Myrtle beach... house on beach or a road back... sandcastles etc... we used

http://www.northmyrtlebeachvacations.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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fisher
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Re: Vacation Ideas

Post by fisher »

I love Charleston also. Kiawah Island is pricey, but wall-to-wall family fun.

Sea Pines Resort at Hilton Head is a similar type of spot a little further south.

As mentioned above, you don't have to stay at a resort. There are lots of condos and houses along the entire coast for rent.
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Stryker74
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Re: Vacation Ideas

Post by Stryker74 »

Pops Fun wrote:I second the ocean, Myrtle beach... house on beach or a road back... sandcastles etc... we used

http://www.northmyrtlebeachvacations.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As I memntioned earlier, North Myrtle Beach is great for family vacations. If the kids get tired of the ocean, then there are plenty other things to do.

Lots of houses, condos, and hotels to stay in down there.

We spend a week there every year and still find new things.
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Re: Vacation Ideas

Post by Imcrazy »

We are very fortunate that my wife's side of the family has had a cabin on the lake in Lake City Michigan passed down over the years, anywhere up north in MI is nice. We've also been down to Gatlinberg / Piegon Forge once and we're going again soon. I'd not go on an all expenses paid trip to NY, IL, DC, CA or anywhere I can't bring along one or two of my trusty pistols.
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TJW815
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Re: Vacation Ideas

Post by TJW815 »

So this is an idea I have.....

Remember three kids (1,4, and 7)

- First stop Hershey, PA

- Sesame place (and some time in Philadelphia for historical attractions)

- From there to DC for a day or two

- then head home.


Now my understanding is I can carry in PA on my Ohio license now, but DC I guess has some of the most communist rules in the home of modern democracy, if I am reading correctly, it seems that I can transport it but it has to be completely unloaded, with ammo seperate, and locked in a non accessible area from passenger compartment... Am I understanding that correctly? Edit to add: also I must NOT be staying within the confines of DC
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Re: Vacation Ideas

Post by schmieg »

I would find a hotel in northern Virginia (say Fairfax), lock the gun up in the hotel safe or in a safe in your car, then take the subway into DC. Eliminates the danger of running afoul of DC's unknowable laws and the danger of losing your car to towing or damage by the idiots that drive there. Parking is always at a premium. I used to go there quite often, but I was a member of the Smithsonian and could park at a great discount in its garage (not to mention a good discount at the restaurant).
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Re: Vacation Ideas

Post by Bama.45 »

schmieg wrote:I would find a hotel in northern Virginia (say Fairfax), lock the gun up in the hotel safe or in a safe in your car, then take the subway into DC. Eliminates the danger of running afoul of DC's unknowable laws and the danger of losing your car to towing or damage by the idiots that drive there. Parking is always at a premium. I used to go there quite often, but I was a member of the Smithsonian and could park at a great discount in its garage (not to mention a good discount at the restaurant).
I would love to see the Smithsonian and other sites around DC..Don't think I could stomach all of the liberal BS though..I would like to go to Virginia and PA.
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schmieg
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Re: Vacation Ideas

Post by schmieg »

Catching the train in Fairfax is one of the best ways. There is a stop at the Mall and you can spend all day in just one or two of the museums. Seeing everything takes multiple days and that doesn't even begin to address seeing all the monuments, the Capitol Building and the White House. If you stay in the area of the Mall and the monuments and the major government buildings, you are not that close to the crime ridden areas and it's pretty safe. I used to go there a lot when my father was alive and lived in Fairfax. His house was close enough to the train station that we could walk to it, but there are a number of reasonably priced (for that area) motels just a short drive away.

Everyone should make an attempt to visit at least once in their lives. My favorites were the Natural History Museum and the Museum of Flight.
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Re: Vacation Ideas

Post by techmike »

Our family takes quite a few day trips, as we all have different schedules, pets at home etc. One of my favorite books is "One Tank Trips" by Neil Zurcher. Quite a few cool to odd ball destinations. He has a blog now. http://www.onetanktrips.com/ He was based in Cleveland, and worked for WJW TV8.
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Re: Vacation Ideas

Post by TSiWRX »

I left the gun at home for our trip to DC last year. As others here have mentioned, it's just not worth the hassle.

We (grandma/grandpa, wifey, kiddo, and the dog) really enjoyed our time at Nemacolin:

http://www.nemacolin.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We stayed in a townhouse (the grandparents in their own unit, we in the ajoining) so we could have family time with the dog (he was 6 months old, then), and you could choose to have a dog-sitter come or to drop the pet at their on-site kennel.

The townhouses aren't fancy, but it was nice being literally right in the large animals area. Walking the dog at night with the big cats and wolves stalking the fences on the other side was an interesting experience, as-was waking up to their sunrise roars. :lol: Both freaked-out the dog to no end! :lol:

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to try out their Shooting Academy. I'd have liked to try skeet/trap.
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Re: Vacation Ideas

Post by mreising »

Check out the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society Museum on the UP in Michigan. Nice drive and lots of interesting places to check out in the UP.

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Re: Vacation Ideas

Post by welshj »

Another good zoo is the Toledo zoo.
They just updated and upgraded their aquarium! Have huge exhibits now, and from what I hear- a petting tank?
creatures the kids can touch safely.

Another local curiosity is in blissfield Michigan.
Its more geared toward older generations- but it might be something cool the kids would like...
They do a dinner train. The last I knew, they had specialty nights that were mystery dinner type packages. sometimes Agatha Christie style.
But it's an old school steam engine train ride through the lower Michigan country side.
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