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Can anyone give me ideas on places in the U.S. to travel to and things to do while there on a family vacation.

I've been to Texas, Florida, Louisianna, Missouri, Mississippi, all the Southern states. My family wants to go on a trip around Thanksgiving for a few days that isnt going to cost us a fortune yet offers several things to do to keep up busy. Doesnt matter if it's cold or warm states either. We've though about California, but would like more options. What I really want to know is what states offer what as far as sight seeing, attractions, or resorts.

Public Comments

1. Go to Phoenix and watch a Suns game.

2. Niagra Falls is a good family take in.Or Plymouth Rock, being around Thanksgiving,it would be apropos!

3. I would recommend Idaho or Montana. Lots of resorts around Sun Valley, ID and there's a new one in Cascade, ID called Tamarack

4. My family and I went to NC this summer and had a wonderful time. We stayed in Maggie Valley. Just a short drive to many wonderful activities, yet away from the hustle and bustle that we normally encounter on vacations. It was a wonderful relaxing vacation. We avoided the crowds that you get on the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge side of the Great Smokey's, but saw just as much if not more natural splendor. Listed below are a few activities;

Ghost town in the sky; (theme park on top of mountian, very cool)
Cataloochee Ski area (should be open during Thanksgiving)
Blue Ridge Parkway (Breathtaking)
Horseback riding
Golfing
Dinner Shows
Gem Mining
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (A must see; go to cataloochee valley, hard to find, but worth it!)
Fishing
Whitewater rafting
The Biltmore estate (also a must see)
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
Unto These Hills (outdoor performance about the cherokee indians)
Cherokee Indian Village (Not like it used to be, becoming more and more commercial)


Just a suggestion.

5. Consider Washington DC, or Williamsburg/Jamestown Virginia.

Washington, DC has a ton of things to do - it's got not only the many monuments and memorials and government buildings for the US, but it also has fantastic museums (the Smithsonian's 16 museums, the National Gallery of Art, National Holocaust Memorial) and many wonderful cultural institutions (the Kennedy Center, the Service Bands, etc.) What is better is all these things are free! Lodging in DC can be pricey, but Thanksgiving is one time when a lot of folks will be out of town. Look to the Hotel Harrington for basic family lodgings on a budget. There are a lot of lower priced ethnic eateries in DC, too.

Williamsburg/Jamestown are a good idea for other reasons. The first English speaking settlers in the new world setteled at Jamestown, 15 years before Plymouth, and the first Thanksgiving feast here predated the famous one that the Pilgrims held. Williamsburg and Jamestown can be a little pricey to get into, but there are a LOT of inexpensive motels in the area - so you can save t he money there. If you go, get the historic triangle pass, which, for one price, gets you into both sites at Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and both sites at nearby Yorktown for one price. Not a low price to be sure. And it's good for five consecutive days.