Favorite US Family Vacation Destinations
Not looking to travel out of the country? There are plenty of destinations right here in the US to visit! Flight prices have you intimidated? Road trips can be a lot of fun, too. Read on to see some of my favorite family vacation destinations!
San Diego
One of my favorite places on the planet. I think I would move here in a heartbeat if I won the lottery. The good news is you don’t have to win the lottery to visit! My personal favorite place to stay is near Pacific Beach and it is especially nice if you can stay at a place steps away from the sand and water. Don’t miss the sunsets here, either!
There are plenty of restaurants (don’t miss Breakfast Republic!) right within walking distance, both on and off the boardwalk area.
It is an easy drive from the airport and also an easy city to get around in whether you choose to drive, rideshare, or scooter (I don’t recommend scootering too far, but it is really fun).
San Francisco
I love this city so much. It is walkable (even though it is hilly) and there are some fun things to see and do. I love the Fisherman’s Wharf area and that is my preferred place to stay when I visit.
Riding in a trolley car and touring Alcatraz are lifetime highlights for me.
I also love visiting the sea lions at Pier 39!
Colorado
For us Midwesterners that live amongst the cornfields, seeing mountains out the window while on vacation is such a treat. It is a one day (although a long day) drive for us and a place I will always want to visit again and again.
Highlights for me have been doing all the touristy things in Estes Park, driving and hiking through Rocky Mountain National Park, and visiting the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
Estes Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Hiking
As a teenager, we did some white water rafting and I would love to take my girls to experience this now that they are a little older. Visiting in the summer is a different experience than visiting in the winter, but if you love skiing, a winter visit should definitely be on your list!
St. Pete’s Beach/Clearwater, Florida
I can pretty much never be sad about a vacation that is near water, and I thought the St. Pete’s Beach area was great for our family. The Gulf side of Florida usually has warmer water and this area was very convenient for restaurants and our resort (Tradewinds) had plenty for everyone to do for a few days.
We ventured to the Clearwater Aquarium, too, and all really enjoyed learning about how they rescue and rehabilitate sea life.
Las Vegas
While Vegas is much different (and food prices are way more expensive) than it was when I first started visiting years ago, most people don’t think of it as a family vacation. We took our girls for a short trip and they enjoyed it. We saw some great shows, took more steps than a Disney day walking to and through many of the hotels (and that is saying a lot for us!) and ate some good food.
The nice thing is you can walk everywhere and don’t need a car. If you don’t want to walk, you can take the bus or use rideshare very easily. We didn’t go out much at night and stuck close to our resort at that time. We had fun at the Hunger Games: The Exhibition and the New York New York roller coaster and arcade, too.
What is your favorite US vacation destination? Use the comment section and let me know!
