Best Vacation Spot with Young Kids?

Best place we ever took the kids was TN!! Smokey Mtn. area. Lots of fun!! They still talk about it 5 years later! Stay warm! :)

I took a vacation a year ago to Branson. We went to Silver Dollar City. I was so dreading it but was sort of roped in by a friend.

There are several playgrounds and ride area's specifically designated for the littler kids. They loved the ball area room with the suction hoses and being able to climb in the play structures so many levels high.

I ended up having a great time too. If there's a grown up for each kiddo, to hold onto them, they can ride things like the log ride and mine shafts too. I'm sure there are more rides that parents and kids can go on too.

I found myself enjoying the whole day and expecting we'll go back sooner than later.

We also did stuff like the Duck, can't remember the whole name but you get in this odd looking vehicle and drive around then you end up on the water in it. It's pretty fun and challenges a kiddo's way of thinking that one thing does only one thing.

We stayed at a hotel with a water park and theater and game room type places. We got some free tickets to their shows. They were pretty fun. The kids loved the animal show. It was great.

They loved having more to do at the hotel than just play in the shallow end. There are 3 or more hotels with water parks and each one has their own pull or special thing. Check out their pictures and see which one looks like it has more action.

I would absolutely do a cruise! As long as your three year old is potty trained, the kids can use the pools and spend some time in the kids club. They will have movies, shows and a variety of activities throughout the day on the ship. I took my kids on a Disney cruise and they had an amazing time. The Dream does shorter cruises out of Florida. Plenty of other cruise lines will have 3-5 night cruises as well.

If you decide you don't want a cruise, consider San Diego. Between Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, the beaches and more you will easily be entertained for days.

We had a fun time in Boston over the summer; my kids were 6 and 2.5 at the time. They have fun children's museums, a science museum, the Public Gardens with swan boat rides and a Make Way for Ducklings statue and many other things. Check out Candlepin Bowling if you go to Boston - the balls are much smaller and easier for little kids to handle - the pins are skinny too.

YES to a cruise. That was the best vacation we have ever taken and our kids were 5, 7, and 9 for it. They LOVED the camps and my husband and I got some solo time, it was just perfect. I can't recommend a better vacation honestly.

If it were me, I'd vote Great Wolf Lodge. I've never been there, but it looks amazing.

San Diego - that a lot of walking/shlepping for you - LEGOLAND, Zoo, etc... not quite the fun few days for parents.

Disney - wait a few more years.

Atlantis, Bahamas - heaven. Warm, pools, beach, great resort. But that's better for when the kids are slightly older.

We love San Diego. We have been there twice with our kids. The last time they were about the same age as your kids. The beach on Coronodo Island is really nice. Downtown Coronodo is fun to walk through. The zoo is great and there are lots of other things to do in Balboa Park. There is a fun children's museum downtown. We haven't been to the museums in Balboa Park, but I've heard that they are fun too. There is Sea World. There is a wild animal park associated with the zoo, but we have been told that it isn't real great for small kids. We have never made it there, but there is also a beach where you can see the seals. Both times we have gone we were there a week and we could have easily stayed longer.

We also really liked Myrtle Beach. Our kids were a little younger than yours when we went there. There is a children's museum and a shopping area that has a splash pad and some other fun kid oriented things.

We also had a lot of fun in Washington, D. C. when my brother and his family were living there. The kids were all between 2-4. They loved the Natural History Museum and the Air and Space Museum. We didn't make it to the zoo, but I remember going as a kid and loved it. We also took the kids to the aquarium in Baltimore and they loved that. What they loved the best was just running around on the mall. We didn't go to the Museum of American History because parts of it were closed for renovations, but I know my kids would have enjoyed that too. We didn't try to go to any of the monuments, but I think the kids would have enjoyed some of them. One of the great things about DC is that a lot of things, including the zoo, are free. My brother had a lot of fun living there because there was always something to do.

While it's not our usual style of travel, we did well with an all inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic (but you could go anywhere). There were other kids, plenty of activities, pools, the beach, entertainment, and the best part was that in addition to having formal restaurants, there was a 20 hour buffet with different hot stations.

Best,
F. B.

Another vote for San Diego. We've gone there twice with our kids and I can see us going every few years. TONS of stuff to do around there, and pretty affordable. I personally prefer to stay at the Sheraton Marina right by the airport.

Hmmm. April weather is iffy, depending on where you go. We personally love Colorado. However for three and five year old I would head to California. San Diego would be nice. Not sure where Legoland is in Ca. You would have to check on that. A cruise could work. You would have to look into the children's programs. You said for a few days. Might be able to help a bit more if I knew how long and how far you are willing to travel.

San Diego and Carlsbad, CA. LEGOLAND, the Zoo, Balboa Park (including model train museum if they are into that) and depending on their interests there is Sea World, the Wild Animal Park (might have had a name change) and many things to do in the area.

I don't know if it would be warm enough, but we found Charleston, SC to be pretty family friendly, although our kids were older. There's a Charleston museum with a child play area and there is an Aquarium with interactive exhibits. We also found a couple of family-friendly restaurants and although we couldn't swim in the ocean we played on the beach (we were there in late March).

If you are into swimming, etc, Great Wolf Lodge is awesome. That's our go-to for a long weekend away. We have been about 6 times, and have really never been disappointed.
We also rented a cabin in Gatlinburg last year, and had a really good time! We did 3 days, and our cabin had video games, a hot tub on the deck, a Jacuzzi in the bedroom, lots of walking trails to explore, and downtown pigeon forge and downtown Gatlinburg are FULL of things to do and explore.
A couple years ago, we took 4 kids, ages 2 to 12, to Myrtle Beach, and had a pretty good time. Our hotel had a kids water park attached, and it went with our hotel, so no extra charge. We were right on the beach, and our room was a suite for really cheap! I wasn't super impressed with Myrtle Beach as a town, and thought it looked chinzy and cheap, BUT we were so happy with our hotel, that we really didn't need to go to the "boardwalk area" for anything. There was a superior outdoor mall area about a mile away, and it was similar to a Downtown Disney area. We all loved that, and it was great for the one rainy day we had.
We did a Disney Cruise when we had 3 kids, ages 18 mos, 4, and 6. It was amazing, but expensive. I wouldn't go on another with a child under age 3, which is the cut-off for being able to go to kids activities vs. having to pay for babysitting services aboard the ship. It was great, but you will shell out some major bucks.
Hope that helps!