Need suggestions for vacation destination...

[pinkmomagain]

I'd like to take my family on vacation with us. We are a family of 5 ranging from 5 mo old to 9 yrs old. My sister is also a family of 5 with kids in the same age range. And finally my parents.

The criteria would be someplace that we could drive to from NY. Very nice accommodations (not snooty, but very high quality and family oriented) with great ammenities (pool, beach perhaps, maybe spa, kids activities), great food. A nice town to explore or nearby attractions would be good too.

Any suggestions? We'd like to go at the end of June.

TIA,

Gina

[holliam]

I know absolutely nothing about this place except that I read about it in a recent magazine and looked it up!

http://www.east-hill-farm.com/

Holli

[BillK]

How about Cape Cod and the Islands area?

[Alys the Cat]

This is in NY, so it might not be enough of a getaway for you, but I stayed here with my dad and stepmom a few times when I was younger. It is beautiful, with loads of amenities. Probably pricey, tho. I always dreamed of getting married here. :)

http://www.mohonk.com/index_flash.cfm

[pinkmomagain]

Thank you...this is exactly along the lines of what I was thinking. I've heard mixed things about the food though...

Gina

[pinkmomagain]

Yes, I was considering Chatham Barrs Inn....but it sounds like there is some construction going on and, for the price, all that banging and disarray might be annoying. Do you know of any other resorts in that area that fit the bill?

Gina

[BillK]

http://www.danlwebsterinn.com/ I've only ever eaten here - but it looked very nice and the food was good (we stayed at the Seth Pope House but that's too small for your needs).

If you're feeling adventurous - Martha's Vineyard (Edgartown mostly) has some beautiful inns.

If money is no object and you really want the best of the best - and don't mind the ferry ride to Nantucket - http://www.wauwinet.com/ is beautiful.

[kimbe]

It sounds like you are talking about Lake George, NY! There is lots to do there -- bike trails, beach, lake, awesome little town with shops etc, arcades, amusment park, miniture golf, hiking, boat rides and tons of great food. There are lots of places to stay. (Most offer weekly rates.) One of the nicest is the Sagamore.

http://www.thesagamore.com/

http://www.lakegeorge.com/

DH and his family used to go every year when he was a kid and I have been there several times with him. (He loves that place just as much as he loves Disney.)

[ctmom]

I stayed here years ago, it was beautiful and the food was good. The Culinary Institute isn't too far so you can always go there for a meal or two depending on how long you are staying.

There is also the Water's Edge Resort in Westbrook Connecticut. I've never stayed there, but I did go there for a wedding and it was great...

http://www.watersedge-resort.com/index.html

HTH!

Mary
dd#1 2/01
dd#2 12/03

[crl]

Thanks for posting this link--I've bookmarked it for future reference!

[jayali]

I am sad to hear about the Chatham Bars Inn. We go every August and stay for a week or so. I will be really upset if the construction takes away from our stay. I definitely will ask before I book our reservations. The property is pretty spread out, so if they are doing construction in one part of the resort then it may not effect the other areas.

How about Vermont. We go to the Equinox every Fall. I have to say that I am not sure if it is very kid friendly. But they just put in a pool with the new spa and there is golf and some great hiking trails.

We are going to try the Woodstock Inn this year as we are getting a little tired of the Manchester thing. It is beautiful and so is the town, but again not sure how kid friendly.

[jayali]

I am sad to hear about the Chatham Bars Inn. We go every August and stay for a week or so. I will be really upset if the construction takes away from our stay. I definitely will ask before I book our reservations. The property is pretty spread out, so if they are doing construction in one part of the resort then it may not effect the other areas.

How about Vermont. We go to the Equinox every Fall. I have to say that I am not sure if it is very kid friendly. But they just put in a pool with the new spa and there is golf and some great hiking trails.

We are going to try the Woodstock Inn this year as we are getting a little tired of the Manchester thing. It is beautiful and so is the town, but again not sure how kid friendly.

[cmo]

Ocean Edge resort is in Brewster, one town away from Chatham. They have both hotel rooms and condo-like villas, which might be more family friendly. Might be worth a look!
www.oceanedge.com

[R2sweetboys]

Well, I'm not sure how far you want to drive but have you considered Maine? It's a beautiful place to visit in the summer. I've lived here my entire life and I'll admit that I take it for granted. As I've gotten older, I've come to realize that this really is a nice place to vacation with your family. Summers here are very nice and there's a fair amount to do. One spot that wouldn't require driving hours up the coast(we have a looong coastline!) is the Kennebunkport/Wells/Ogunquit area in southern Maines. There are nice beaches, great restaurants, and plenty of kids' activities in the vacinity. The downtown areas of Kennebunkport and Ogunquit especially are very quaint and nice to walk around. There are lots of little shops to explore. You would also be close to Kittery where there are LOTS of great outlets.(Hanna Andersson,Tumi,etc...) If you like seafood you'll be in heaven. :) I did a search, and it looks like there are plenty of spa services in the area too. I know this might be too much of a hike for you but I figured I'd throw it out there. Have fun wherever you go. :)
~Leslie

SAHM to...
Ryan 8/14/00
Matthew 2/14/03

[KBecks]

If you have a lot of people, I think renting a house is a nice way to go. It makes it easier for people to congregate in the living area and you also have a kitchen for casual meals and snacks.

[jennifer_r]

We've been to the Wildflower Inn in VT. Very child/family oriented. The first night we got there we took a drive (don't remember, maybe 45 minutes) to the hardest corn maze - we spent about 2 hours there and had to ask someone for help to get out. The Inn is really nice - nothing fancy but clean, has great amenities, absolutely beautiful view. Has lots of special programs for kids of all ages. We might do this again in a couple of years. There's a new spa down the road, lots of hiking (it's on some big trail system), close to Lake Willoughby. I'd recommend the inn and the area to anyone.
http://www.wildflowerinn.com

We've also looked into doing Mohonk - we might go there this summer for a long weekend.

One place that is entirely family oriented but books up well in advance is the Tyler Family Resort in VT. It's an all inclusive resort, lots of programs for kids, babysitting at night time so the parents can have dinner by themselves. It's right on Lake Champlain. We are going this year - there were only 3 weeks available when we called so it won't work out for you next year but maybe in the future. Maybe I'll post a review when we come back.

http://www.tylerplace.com/

HTH

Jennifer

Mom to:
Christopher 12/29/89
Adelaide 8/23/04
Bronwyn 11/9/05

[m448]

I have a friend that does smuggler's notch in vermont every summer:

http://www.smuggs.com/pages/summer/

Marielle


Ian - born 10/03
&
Ryan - born 01/06