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Where is the best place to go in the USA for a family vacation?

My family is looking for a place to go this summer in the United States..these are the places we have already been too.
Wyoming
California
New York
Missouri
Georgia
we have been to other states but havent actualy stayed in that state. we have been thinking about new england or florida...i hae already been to florida and disney world a kabillion times...but where should we go????
hint hint~i have been to the nc and sc and ga mountains...
oh yeh and tennessee..i have toured all of it

Public Comments

1. California has Disneyland.

2. Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts

3. Minneapolis has a ton of things to do. Mall of America is only about ten minutes away. There is something for everyone no matter what the ages are.

4. I think a fun place is the Georgia/Tennessee/North Carolina mountains are a fun place. You can rent a cabin and go white water rafting or hiking or even go to an apple orchard and pick your own apples.

Also there's some pretty neat shops there.

5. Are you into road trips? Driving up California Highway #1 by van or RV is great. On the East coast, there's the beautiful Blue Ridge Highway, too. It all depends how old your children are. I'd suggest going somewhere new and fresh! If you're into theme parks, there are other great ones, like Bush Gardens, Hershey Park (the home of Hershey's Chocolate!) or Sesame Place in the New England area (if your children are young and still worship Big Bird). Go to your nearest bookstore also and pick up a great family vacation guide in the travel section. These are great sources of information. Happy travels!

6. Consider visiting New Orleans. NOLA is one of the world's special places with an ambience unique in North America, and remains so even after Katrina devastated it in 2005.

Katrina flooded about 80% of New Orleans with salt water, and the water stayed for almost a month. Much of the city is still struggling to recover and all you have to do to see devastation is drive around. It will take years for NOLA to fully recover from Katrina.

However, the parts of the city that tourists usually visit were not flooded. It's not a coincidence - the French Quarter and other old parts of the city were built on relatively high ground and only suffered wind damage from Katrina. Almost all of the damage has been repaired and you have to look closely in the FQ and city center to see that Katrina happened at all. You should visit and see for yourself.

You can drink the water, the electricity & phones work, and services like the post office, hospitals, schools, police/fire/EMS, and stores & shopping centers are operating.

Municipal services like street cleaning & trash collection collapsed after Katrina and that is why you may see answers warning about the “smelly” or "dirty" French Quarter. However, those services were fully restored in late 2006 and it is no longer an issue.

I recommend staying in the French Quarter (Vieux Carre") if you can. There is a very wide range of selections available, from moderate guest houses to very exclusive "boutique" hotels. Search Yahoo Travel and Travelocity for ideas + check the hotel websites.

You don't need a car to get around in the French Quarter, Central Business District, or Warehouse District. Also, the parking regulations are Byzantine and there are lots of Parking Control Agents. If you drive or rent a car, leave it in a lot or garage unless you are traveling away from downtown.

The regional transit authority (www.norta.com) sells 1 and 3 day passes that offer unlimited use of buses and streetcars for the day(s) you select. There are also lots of taxicabs.

Regarding crime, use the same common sense you need in every major city in the world and there is little chance you will be a victim of anything except a need to visit the gym: Pay attention to your surroundings. Stay away from anywhere dark & deserted. Pay attention to your feelings - if anyone or anywhere gives you a bad feeling, leave the area. Don't leave something like a camera-bag or backpack unattended on a park bench while you wander off to take photos. Etc.


Things to do:

There is always music, but the bands change: Go to www.bestofneworleans.com and click on Music then Listings or to www.offbeat.com and click on Listings, then Music.

Wander around the French Quarter, enjoy the architecture, watch the street entertainers (do tip), and visit some of the historic buildings that have been turned into museums. Most of them charge admission but some are free (go to www.frenchquarter.com and click on Historic Attractions).

Assuming the weather is good, you can collect a sandwich lunch and eat in the riverfront park (watch the shipping) or in Jackson Square (a very nice park).

The Riverwalk shopping center has an air-conditioned food court with dining overlooking the river (www.riverwalkmarketplace.com).

The lobby for the Wyndham Canal Place is on the 11th floor and overlooks the French Quarter. It is a great place for an afternoon drink/snack: http://www.wyndham.com/hotels/MSYCP/main.wnt

Cafe du Monde is in the French Quarter and you shouldn't miss having cafe au lait & beignets (www.cafedumonde.com). Another great coffee shop is the Croissant d'Or (at 615 Ursulines Street), which is open from 7:00am to 2:00pm and has food other than pastry.

The Palm Court restaurant is very nice, has moderate prices, and traditional live jazz starting at 8:00pm: 1204 Decatur Street, tel 504-525-0200 (reservations are important and they are not open every day).

All of the famous restaurants (Antoine's, Arnaud's, Commander's Palace, etc.) have reopened. Reservations are a good idea, and probably essential on weekends.

Cafe Degas is a very French restaurant near City Park at 3127 Esplanade - which is not within walking distance of downtown (5 to 10 minutes by taxi). They are closed on Mondays & Tuesdays (504-945-5635).

There is a free ferry across the Mississippi at the "foot" of Canal Street. It is a short trip but like a harbor cruise w/o a guide: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_Street_Ferry

The Aquarium and Audubon Zoo are world-class attractions (www.auduboninstitute.org) and you should see them if you can. There is a shuttle boat (not free) between the Aquarium (which is next to the French Quarter) and the Zoo (which is several miles away). You can also drive to the Zoo (which has free parking) or take public transit from the French Quarter.

New Orleans is home to a number of other museums, such as the National World War II Museum (www.ddaymuseum.org) and the New Orleans Museum of Art (www.noma.org). Both can be reached by public transit: The WWII museum is in the central business district but a long walk from the French Quarter and NOMA is not within walking distance of downtown but has free parking if you choose to drive there.

New Orleans City Park has an amusement park with rides and attractions for children + free parking: http://www.neworleanscitypark.com

Hope you have a good visit, wherever you go

7. I personally like Tennessee i would live there if i could im in Florida so i love it there. I went for Christmas with my husband (hes never been there) and he loved it theres so much to do. I also took him geming (http://www.pigeon-forge-attractions.com/mine.html) and he also loved it. It was like he was a big kid again. In Pigeon Forge theres a bunch of attractions. If your not into the country life i wouldnt advise going but...personally ive been almost every where in the United States and New York and Tennessee are by far my favorite.

8. Come to New Orleans! There is plenty to see and do for families! Great food and great fun! Here are a few recommendations from a New Orleans native and tourguide: Go visit the Aquarium of the Americas, Audubon Zoo, Mardi Gras World, the Presbytere Museum, World War 2 Museum; take a ride on the streetcar, take a city tour, take a river cruise, ride the free Canal Street ferry. There are plenty of good places to eat and shopping is good, too, particularly the French Market and Flea Market downtown. The Flea Market is great for kids and finding inexpensive New Orleans souvenirs.
Also consider taking a ghost tour, cemetery tour, and visting a voodoo shop. Spend some time in Jackson Square, the heart of the French Quarter.
There is also a Children's Museum downtown not far from the Convention Center. It's a hands-on museum for children of all ages.

9. Beautiful New Orleans! There are so many things to do there and even after hurricane Katrina the city hasn't lost it's splendor. There are things to do for families including the Audubon Aquarium which is AMAZING and the Audubon Zoo which is huge! The French Quarter is amazing too! Jax Brewery is a really neat mall type place. There is the French market and Jackson Square. Of course no trip to N.O. would be complete without a visit to Cafe Du Monde for some Cafe Au Lait and some beignets!

10. How about Maryland? Check out Deep Creek Lake, Maryland's four season mountain playground, great fun for the whole family in a beautiful natural setting. Lots more info
at http://realty.railey.com

11. go ahead and go to california its got tons of theme parks and lots of game-room places for kids every-where

12. Check out Cedar Point in Ohio..They have some of the biggest rollercoasters in the world.


http://www.cedarpoint.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedar_Point

13. Go to Wisconsin Dells in Wisconsin. A zilllion water parks and tons for adults to do too.