Summer vacation ideas needed?

scottmel

<font color=darkorchid>Does my logic in my origina
Joined
Jul 28, 2002
We always take a BIG summer trip - Hawaii, West, Adventures By Disney, etc. this summer I planned to be low key due to DD summer internships. Well COVID hit and things shifted. She has some free time at the end of July now. We are DVC members and I thought of a resort only stay (we were just in the parks in March and not sure I can get behind a mask in July in Florida). So I am left looking for a place to go for a week. Thoughts I had:
1. I am currently booked on ADventures By Disney Boston but have strong feeling this August trip will be cancelled by them. And again, Boston in mask not that appealing.

2. Charleston? Never been. Hot I can imagine. I have visited WDW many times in July for point of reference.
3. Other thoughts you might have? I am open. We are NOT real into hiking or camping or anything along that line. We enjoy the beach in small doses but couldn't spend a week just sitting on a beach. Love beach with lots of activity to do during day or night. History? Spa?

I am open! We are in PA/Ohio so I don't mind a 10 hour drive or a flight.
Thank you!!!!!! I literally can't wait to see your suggestions. :)
 
I’ve canceled everything, but I would love a short getaway! I’d love to go back to Nemacolin in the summer (last time it was winter). I would also like to visit the finger lakes in New York.
 
We were planning to go to Michigan but have put it off until next summer. So much to do! Mackinac Island looks wonderful...
I used to live in Michigan. Such an awesome place. Mackinac is fantastic....good suggestion!
I’ve canceled everything, but I would love a short getaway! I’d love to go back to Nemacolin in the summer (last time it was winter). I would also like to visit the finger lakes in New York.

I love Nemacolin too! We grew up going there. It has been a few years...I will look back into it. I am afraid a little slow for DD21....Finger lakes a good thought..thanks!
 


I agree on the Michigan suggestion. My parents are snowbirds and live in Petoskey, but between Petoskey, Traverse City, Harbor Springs, Mackinac Island, etc. there are plenty of places to visit and the weather is typically refreshing. We celelbrated my parents 50th anniversary at the Grand Hotel in 2012 and every other year or so we take the ferry over to Mackinack to bike around the island and eat ice cream.
 
Charleston is an amazing city. My mom lives right outside of it and I’m hoping to visit in the next month or so. It has a little bit of everything, tons of history, beautiful architecture, shopping, awesome bars and restaurants. The beach is easily driven to. Highly recommend a Carriage tour during the day and some sort of ghost/history walk at night. But yes, it is hot!!

I currently live in the Finger Lakes in upstate NY and we are also a great little summer trip, especially if breweries and/or wineries are your thing. But we are still honestly pretty closed up and I’m not sure where we’ll be in July. We just entered Phase 2 of reopening, which included some outdoor dining, so I’m hopeful, but hesitant!
 
How old are your kids? We did Williamsburg/Jamestown one July. It was hot but lots to do. We broke up the history with Busch Gardens, and Va Beach is nearby too. There is also a water park.
 


Charleston is an amazing city. My mom lives right outside of it and I’m hoping to visit in the next month or so. It has a little bit of everything, tons of history, beautiful architecture, shopping, awesome bars and restaurants. The beach is easily driven to. Highly recommend a Carriage tour during the day and some sort of ghost/history walk at night. But yes, it is hot!!

I currently live in the Finger Lakes in upstate NY and we are also a great little summer trip, especially if breweries and/or wineries are your thing. But we are still honestly pretty closed up and I’m not sure where we’ll be in July. We just entered Phase 2 of reopening, which included some outdoor dining, so I’m hopeful, but hesitant!

thanks! Any thoughts on thinking Charleston might be back to normal in July so to speak? I was thinking of staying at the Charleston beach club harbor which is on marina with several pools. I can be swayed though! I just picked it b/c picture of beach in photo and pools and had good reviews. I normally would fall for a cute historic hotel in town within walking distance of everything but in July how much walking am I going to want to be doing? :)
 
How old are your kids? We did Williamsburg/Jamestown one July. It was hot but lots to do. We broke up the history with Busch Gardens, and Va Beach is nearby too. There is also a water park.
That is my husband's idea of history and he would love it. My and DD21 not so much...:) But thank you for the suggestion! If would certainly check off some boxes!
 
Charleston is an amazing city. My mom lives right outside of it and I’m hoping to visit in the next month or so. It has a little bit of everything, tons of history, beautiful architecture, shopping, awesome bars and restaurants. The beach is easily driven to. Highly recommend a Carriage tour during the day and some sort of ghost/history walk at night. But yes, it is hot!!

I currently live in the Finger Lakes in upstate NY and we are also a great little summer trip, especially if breweries and/or wineries are your thing. But we are still honestly pretty closed up and I’m not sure where we’ll be in July. We just entered Phase 2 of reopening, which included some outdoor dining, so I’m hopeful, but hesitant!

Oh and if you had any ideas on which beach or where to stay that would be great. I would be open to part city stay and then part beach stay. I don't mind spending for nice accomodations. That is super important to me.
 
A friend just posted pictures of herself at Folly Beach, so that's definitely open.

We are from Pa as well, and are planning on going to Gettysburg for a 3 day trip. Lots of history, shops, and good places to eat. I think enough will be open to allow us to enjoy our trip.
 
A tour of Grand Tetons and Yellowstone national parks? On the way out you could stop at Mount Rushmore and the badlands, wall drug store, etc. . We have done that drive from chicago a few times. Not hard and lots of interesting things for kids to see.
 
We love Hilton Head, SC. There is a Disney Resort there, but we prefer the Marriott Vacation Clubs there and we rent weeks on redweek similar to people renting DVC. Sea Pines is a great area in Hilton Head and the Marriott Monarch is right on the beach. Lots to do and see, or just relax. Yummy food, beach, nature. It will be hot though. Also, most everything is open there. It's also not very touristy. If you love bike riding casually, you really can't beat it. You can probably bike the whole island on trails.
 
We love Hilton Head, SC. There is a Disney Resort there, but we prefer the Marriott Vacation Clubs there and we rent weeks on redweek similar to people renting DVC. Sea Pines is a great area in Hilton Head and the Marriott Monarch is right on the beach. Lots to do and see, or just relax. Yummy food, beach, nature. It will be hot though. Also, most everything is open there. It's also not very touristy. If you love bike riding casually, you really can't beat it. You can probably bike the whole island on trails.
It has been a LONG time since I was at HH. We were there for inaugural opening of the DVC . We certainly enjoyed it but the heat in September was tough, let alone July. Great suggestion though and one I will file away for another time in cooler weather. Thanks!
 
thanks! Any thoughts on thinking Charleston might be back to normal in July so to speak? I was thinking of staying at the Charleston beach club harbor which is on marina with several pools. I can be swayed though! I just picked it b/c picture of beach in photo and pools and had good reviews. I normally would fall for a cute historic hotel in town within walking distance of everything but in July how much walking am I going to want to be doing? :)


Most of South Carolina is back to normal. There are still limits and a few things closed but attractions were allowed to open may 22. I think movie theaters and bowling are closed but the zoos and amusement parks and stuff like that are back open.
 
As of now, guidelines at Disney require masks whenever you are in a public space, ie out of your room.
 
I would head out west. Fly into Vegas or Salt Lake City and go to Zion, Bryce and Arches. Or fly into Denver and see Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak, the hot springs at Pagosa Springs, Durango to Silverton train, Mesa Verde, Ouray, Telluride, Aspen, Glenwood Springs.

Or fly into Albuquerque and spend time in Santa Fe. Go to the opera, shop, see the amazing museums in town, drive to Taos and Los Alamos to see the Bradbury Museum. You can drive to the Pagosa hot springs from Santa Fe. The steam train from Chama is awesome.

If you head south from Santa Fe, you can see White Sands natl park, Carlsbad Caverns, Ruidoso. Hit Albuquerque during the balloon festival if they have it this year.

This country is beautiful. It may be too early to tell what will be open in mid to late summer.
 
OP here. Well I think we came to a decision. My DD21 had a good idea to do several small trips to break up the internships commitments she has this summer. DH and I like Bedford Springs Resort (horseback riding, history, meditation, spa, for those unfamiliar.). Still no word on when Spa is opening so I booked 2 trips there to hedge my bets on when it opens then I can cancel the other one! 3 nights here.

Then the following month 2 nights in Nemicolin Resort
Then and this is where it gets REAL exciting, lol, there is a old mental institution in WV that gets rave reviews on Trip Advisor for ghost tour, etc. DD is Psych major and loved the idea of staying there and doing mini tours.

So this is a far cry from Hawaii or Italy or any other big trip but it seems to make sense for this summer!

Thanks for the help!!!
 
OP here. Well I think we came to a decision. My DD21 had a good idea to do several small trips to break up the internships commitments she has this summer. DH and I like Bedford Springs Resort (horseback riding, history, meditation, spa, for those unfamiliar.). Still no word on when Spa is opening so I booked 2 trips there to hedge my bets on when it opens then I can cancel the other one! 3 nights here.

Then the following month 2 nights in Nemicolin Resort
Then and this is where it gets REAL exciting, lol, there is a old mental institution in WV that gets rave reviews on Trip Advisor for ghost tour, etc. DD is Psych major and loved the idea of staying there and doing mini tours.

So this is a far cry from Hawaii or Italy or any other big trip but it seems to make sense for this summer!

Thanks for the help!!!

OP I feel your pain. We were originally scheduled to do a trip to Paris and Belfast June 10th that we had been planning for two years, obviously canceled due to COVID 19.

All DH and I have planned so far this year now is a little three night stay in St. Genevieve, MO in October, just an hour an 20 minutes away by car near a nice state park and nature area, that has cute little restaurants, historic homes, and little museums. It's the oldest French colonial settlement in the US. lol - not exactly Paris.

My son, 24, has some time off work from when we were going to do the Paris/Belfast trip (was able to renege on some, but not all of his vacation), so he's going to be visiting his favorite cousin in Idaho who will be a new school teacher (just finished grad school and has a job lined up in the fall) so has the time off. For DS it's a five night stay -- direct flight to Salt Lake City and renting a car for the three hour drive from there to Idaho Falls. It's pretty country out there and I know he'll have a great time. My brother lives out there too.
 

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