Before the kids grow up: A modified bucket list

[michigansandzil]

I'm thinking I can't be the only one out there with this type of list. There are numerous places I want to take my children before they grow up. Sure, memories can be made anywhere, but I want to travel and experience America with them.

We're in our late 30s, obviously decades away from retirement. The kids are 12, 10, and 6. Excellent travel ages. They're not sassy teenagers yet and hopeful the youngest is old enough to have memories of our travels.

This August we're going to Gettysburg, DC, Baltimore, Assateague Island, Philly, and NYC.

But the biggest item on my modified bucket list is Yellowstone and South Dakota. I've never been there and I can't wait to take the kids. This is planned out for 2016.

I also want to do Utah NP and the Grand Canyon. Boston is big on my plan list as well as the Everglades. I'm hoping we get to all of these places and more.

Anyone else?

[dverstra]

michigansandzilla wrote:

Deb and Ed M wrote:
You've got 4 years. Once the oldest can drive, all bets are off, because they often have jobs and school events......

My kids liked any adventure involving water... LOL!!

If you can get as far as CA, my kids were fascinated by LA and the La Brea Tar Pits.

4 years, I was thinking the same thing too. Makes me kind of panicky, lol.

Realistically, I don't think we'll make it to CA. Too far for us. And yeah, we're big into water too.

We lived through a California trip with 2 teenage boys. 4 weeks into the trip in San Francisco, we had all had enough. It took us 3 days to get home!:B

[michigansandzil]

rolling_rhoda wrote:

Ramen wrote:
Let the kids research and pick the destination. Maybe they saw something in the movies or tv and that could have sparked an interest.

Agreed! DS wanted to see the Space Needle, which led to a really fun week in
Seattle. If the kids are excited about something, we try to capitalize on it.

I do this, but only to an extent. I never traveled anywhere with my family growing up. No joke. I went 2 hours north in the summer and once, I went 2 hours south. I graduated high school and hopped on a plane to France the very next day!

I have so much catching up to do and I want my kids to experience that with me.
So, I will let them help make some decisions, but ultimately, it's my idea. I can't really go wrong, they are enthusiastic about every place I choose and I end up centering it around them anyway.

They did just develop some veto power for our upcoming summer trip. I had planned on stopping for a day in Gettysburg. My oldest son heard that we were going to be near Jamestown and Williamsburg, and somehow we are going there now instead of Gettysburg! We went to Chickamauga this spring (another Civil War battlefield) and the kids absolutely HATED it!! I'm sure they want to avoid Gettysburg at all costs so Williamsburg sounds like a more enjoyable for everyone, lol.

[Merrykalia]

We are in a unique situation. Our oldest son was born 3 weeks before I began college (DH was a year ahead of me). We grew up with him! We travelled with him quite a bit, went to Canada, did lots of theme parks all over the eastern US, beach trips, etc.

Our first DD was born when our son was 25 and the youngest was 2 1/2 when I was able to retire. The girls are now 10 and 7 and we have done so much and seen so very many things that they, plus I wanted to see.

We did a 4500 mile, 45 day trip two summers ago. Our first stop was Luray, VA; then on to Hershey, PA (and theme park); then to Maine by way of Mass; then back south to RI where we spent 5 days at a great park that had lots of fishing, canoeing and hiking. Then to went to NYC and stayed at Liberty Harbor for the week prior to July 4th and attended several shows and did the "tourist things". Then we headed to the beach at Hunting Island, SC and met friends/family there for our niece's graduation at Parris Island (Marines).

It was a great trip, we saw lots of new and exciting things. The girls got a close-up view of my claustrophobia dealing with NYC.

We plan our trips with the girls in mind, but we also make sure there are historical, educational, but still fun things in there.

We took a trip to DC the week between Christmas and New Years since all the politics was suspended and traffic was not quite so bad. It was a great trip and there was not any lines or too many people to see the different attractions. It was in the mid 50s during the day, so with jackets, we were quite comfortable. We stayed in a hotel in Alexandria on this trip, so we used the METRO to get around and the price of the hotel was $59/night.

[Lantley]

Matt_Colie wrote:
I have wanted to get to Yellowstone for ever, but as a boat kid on the east coast, this was just a dream. I wanted to take the kids, but never had enough vacation time.

Without kids, we got there this September. If you are going while the kids are out of school, it will be crowded. If you work SA for it, you will find out that it is a 5 plus day trip just to get there. It is worth it. In Spades - It is worth it. We took 9 days, but we also did a lot of museums along the way.

A lot will depend on how good you are a Wallydocking (Cabel's has dumps and there are three on the way). You really need to research this trip - Starting Now. If you have two drivers and can push, that will help, but there is still too much to see on the way there.

I wish you many boring miles of drive and hours of pure awe at the stops.

Matt

Mount Rushmore is on my bucket list however I have not convinced myself that it is worth it if I have to drive there and back non stop due to time constraints. I'd rather pick a destination that allows me to smell the roses a bit more vs. being on a super tight schedule with excessive drive times to reach destination.
Is Mount Rushmore worthy of 2 nights at Wal Mart vs. 2 nights at a real destination?
Don't get me wrong I've done my share of Wal Mart /Cracker Barrel over nights.
Nevertheless I still debate drive time vs. quality destination time.

[PUCampin]

Wadcutter wrote:
When I was a kid we traveled all over the US camping in the summer. Saw almost every state, Canada, and Mexico. When my wife and I got married she had only been outside of IL as far as St Louis and that was to the Cardinals games. So we started traveling so she could see the US. Then we had kids.
When my kids were 8 and 6 we started traveling with them. My goal was to get them into all the states, Mexico, and Canada before the oldest graduated high school. We didn't make it to Alaska but we made it to the other places.
At the time the kids didn't appreciate what they'd seen. They just assumed all kids traveled and seen things like they did. Other kids in their classes if they traveled at all usually did the 'summer at the lake' or visiting relatives somewhere. Same thing every year not seeing anything different. When my youngest was in about the 6th grade at a parent-teacher conference the teacher said she didn't have any trouble with our daughter except she had a vivid imagination. I asked her to explain. The teacher said when they talk about various things in class like the Liberty Bell, NYC, the Grand Canyon, etc that my daughter would tell the class 'I've been there.' I explained to the teacher that wasn't her imagination, she had been to those places. The teacher was shocked. She said she was in her 30s and had barely been outside IL.
Now my daughter is a teacher. A couple of years ago she admitted all the traveling and site-seeing really was a benefit to her now that she's older. The world is a smaller place. She has seen the various cultures in the US and how people live.
For the OP - Do it. Your kids won't understand it now but later in life they'll eventually understand the advantage they had that other kids didn't.

This was me and my brother growing up. My parents took us cross country several times in the old VW westfalia. I somewhere have a denim jacket with patches from all the places I have visited. It was completely covered. My DW and I will talk about some place, and chances are I have been there. I can only hope to take my kids to some of these places. The recession and loss of means has made this very difficult for us, and I will probably not equal what my parents were able to do, but I will expose them to as much as I can!

[Matt_Colie]

I have wanted to get to Yellowstone for ever, but as a boat kid on the east coast, this was just a dream. I wanted to take the kids, but never had enough vacation time.

Without kids, we got there this September. If you are going while the kids are out of school, it will be crowded. If you work SA for it, you will find out that it is a 5 plus day trip just to get there. It is worth it. In Spades - It is worth it. We took 9 days, but we also did a lot of museums along the way.

A lot will depend on how good you are a Wallydocking (Cabel's has dumps and there are three on the way). You really need to research this trip - Starting Now. If you have two drivers and can push, that will help, but there is still too much to see on the way there.

I wish you many boring miles of drive and hours of pure awe at the stops.

Matt

[rolling_rhoda]

Ramen wrote:
Let the kids research and pick the destination. Maybe they saw something in the movies or tv and that could have sparked an interest.

Agreed! DS wanted to see the Space Needle, which led to a really fun week in
Seattle. If the kids are excited about something, we try to capitalize on it.

[Ramen]

Let the kids research and pick the destination. Maybe they saw something in the movies or tv and that could have sparked an interest.

[rolling_rhoda]

I had a bucket list for our family. We took a trip or two every year (some in the RV). As the kids grew older, their summers were even busier than the school year due to their activities. It was a wrench to let go of some of my travel dreams, but they were learning, having fun, and staying out of trouble. Those summer interests have led them to their future careers, which is great.

So my two 20-ish kids haven't had many family trips in the last three years, but since age 5 they've been to several major cities, Disney, a cruise, Jamaica, professional sporting events, snowmobiling in the Bighorns and yes, the Black Hills, Badlands NP, Teddy Roosevelt NP, and Yellowstone. We've toured factories and museums, been spellbound by wild horses and bears, and found their great-great-great grandparents' graves. We've spent sunsets chest-deep in a gentle sea with an ice cream cone in each hand. Spending time together around home is great, too, but having a little adventure together --even if it doesn't go completely smoothly -- really teaches them about the world, home, people, gratefulness.

My new bucket list is things the DH and I want to see/do.

[NYCgrrl]

When my kiddies were young, our travels in the US gravitated around the NE, which is where we lived. We never made it to Gettysburg but I think that's about it in terms of places I felt were important.

Due to work, family ties, and cheap airfares, we spent a lot more time traveling overseas. Occasionally, one of my kids will lose his mind and comment in a negative manner about our limited travels in the US. I just ask him if he enjoyed the other places he saw and of course he says yes. So I tell him he should thank me for leaving the less expensive locales to see on his own; children can be so silly at times.

Now my DGD comes into a different period of our lives, travel wise. She will see more of western North America with us and I look forward to experiencing it for the first time with her by our side. The TT will only be big enough for the 3 of us; anyone else who wants to join in can bring a tent and be reminded of the "old days";).

[FunnyCamper]

yes we have a few trips planned for the kid. places I want her to see.
mostly we are beach people. we are water babies to the ultimate so we gravitate toward the ocean.

I want her to see 'out west', different from our southeast area.
I want her to see florida keys. got to upper florida, just have to plan the keys now 🙂

it is about money and time when planning trips sadly. mostly time restraints with working.

thing is, many can't travel like we do. among her friends, she is the only one that doesn't take 1 week vaca at the beach in summer and it is done. we do so many trips squeezed into a short summer time, so I feel she is also ahead of the game in seeing/learning/understanding alot more than just our area.

[ericsmith32]

Too many to list. This is a great country with alot to see. Went to Galveston this year and the beach and even my 3 year old talks about the beach. Next year we're planning Niagara Falls, Mount Rushmore and a few sites in Colorado. Eventually want to take them to Disney World, redwoods in California, Grand Canyon again this time camping on the ridge, Burning Man, Pike's Peak, Yellowstone, .. sure there's many more.

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

Our 30 and 23 year old treasure and often speak of the memories of our RVing travels when they were younger. Our picking them up from school in the big bus heading straight out on the road to make the most of every minute spare we had to travel Canada and the USA.

We did it all at high speed to reach target destinations back then but the memories are precious and worth every ounce of gas and miles we traveled.

Yellowstone - Grand Canyon - LA - San Diego - Oregon & California Coasts - Hell Canyon - Dune Buggy's - Kicking Horse and many other rafting trips - Skiing vacations by RV - Florida - Colorado rafting, riding vacations, Dude Ranches and all points in between geared around fishing and water sports. The list is endless the memories last a lifetime.

Do what you can and do it your way, these little angels are only ours for such a short time to enjoy and share things with.

[Wadcutter]

When I was a kid we traveled all over the US camping in the summer. Saw almost every state, Canada, and Mexico. When my wife and I got married she had only been outside of IL as far as St Louis and that was to the Cardinals games. So we started traveling so she could see the US. Then we had kids.
When my kids were 8 and 6 we started traveling with them. My goal was to get them into all the states, Mexico, and Canada before the oldest graduated high school. We didn't make it to Alaska but we made it to the other places.
At the time the kids didn't appreciate what they'd seen. They just assumed all kids traveled and seen things like they did. Other kids in their classes if they traveled at all usually did the 'summer at the lake' or visiting relatives somewhere. Same thing every year not seeing anything different. When my youngest was in about the 6th grade at a parent-teacher conference the teacher said she didn't have any trouble with our daughter except she had a vivid imagination. I asked her to explain. The teacher said when they talk about various things in class like the Liberty Bell, NYC, the Grand Canyon, etc that my daughter would tell the class 'I've been there.' I explained to the teacher that wasn't her imagination, she had been to those places. The teacher was shocked. She said she was in her 30s and had barely been outside IL.
Now my daughter is a teacher. A couple of years ago she admitted all the traveling and site-seeing really was a benefit to her now that she's older. The world is a smaller place. She has seen the various cultures in the US and how people live.
For the OP - Do it. Your kids won't understand it now but later in life they'll eventually understand the advantage they had that other kids didn't.

[Lantley]

I have been to special places and local places. Been camping with kids for about 10 years.
While I still strive to make it to special places, I also try to reduce my driving time.
For instance Boston is a special place but NYC is a bit closer to me. I have started to gravitate to the closer location in order to maximize my time at the destination and reduce my time behind the wheel.
It is a balancing act between:schedules,budget,vacation time available and distance.
Nothing wrong with bucket list destinations, however if you take a closer look at the map there are lots of alternative destinations that are less known than the more famous bucket list places but are a little closer to home.

Early on I would drive 10-12 hour days / 500-600 miles to reach my bucket list place. Now I try to limit my drives to 300-400 miles per day and choose places that are easier to get to vs.a more premier bucket list place.
In the end I have found that bucket list places are great, off the beaten path places are also great. The memories made are the same. Time spent together is really more important than the destination. You don't need to drive 1000 miles to make memories. There are lots of great memories 500 miles away.