The Best US Cities for a Family Vacation
Summer is officially here with school letting out and pools opening, so you are probably starting to think about planning that family vacation. If you want to stay in the US for your summer vaca this year, check out this list of great suggestions. Whether you are looking for a lively beach destination, a quiet beach town, something with a lot of outdoor activities, or a vibrant city to explore – we’ve got you covered!
Are you looking for a family vacation destination that includes the beach with many other family activities?
Consider a trip to San Diego, Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, or the St. Pete’s/Clearwater area in Florida.
San Diego has 70 miles of coastline, studded with several stunning beaches, plus 300 days of sunshine per year. Beyond the beach, they have the top-rated San Diego Zoo & the safari park in nearby Escondido to explore. You’ll also find tons of fun kid-friendly museums (such as the Maritime Museum of San Diego, pictured above), and a SeaWorld theme park.
Myrtle Beach has many family activities including theater, shopping, golf, tons of museums, parks, and 60 miles of coastline.
In St. Petersburg/Clearwater, you’ll find a very diverse beach city with tons of activities and different areas to explore, including Treasure Island for beachfront restaurants, the abandoned Pirate Ship at John’s Pass, and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Are you looking for more of a quiet beach destination for your next family vacation?
Consider a trip to Sanibel Island (located near Fort Myers), or Kiawah Island in South Carolina.
Sanibel Island is Fort Myers’ more laid-back, quaint neighbor. It is one of the best places in the world to collect seashells. In addition to seashell collecting, it has many hiking trails to explore.
Kiawah Island is most famous for its world-renowned golf courses, but it also offers some of Carolina’s best white sand beaches, bike trails, and coastal hike spots. Don’t miss Beachwalker County Park & Night Heron Park
Does your family enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, horseback riding, and camping?
Consider a trip to Yellowstone, Yosemite, or the Grand Canyon.
Yellowstone offers much to explore including mountains, canyons, geysers, and waterfalls. Don’t miss Yellowstone Lake and Mammoth Hot Springs.
Yosemite is another great option for outdoorsy families. Here you will find 1200 square miles of waterfalls, giant Sequoia trees, and steep cliffs and rock formations.
The Grand Canyon in northern AZ is driveable from Mesa or Scottsdale. Here your family can camp, hike, and even take a donkey ride to the bottom of the canyon.
Are you looking for a city that offers tons of shopping, dining, activities, and kid-friendly museums?
Consider Kansas City, Chicago, San Antonio, or Scottsdale:
Kansas City is famous for some of the best BBQ in the world, plus shopping and more fountains than any other city in the world besides Rome.
Chicago is one of the most diverse (and the 3rd largest) cities in America, and is also the 3rd largest! Here you’ll find a large arts scene, several shopping districts, and thousands of restaurants.
San Antonio has tons of family activities including SeaWorld, Six Flags, the San Antonio Zoo, the San Antonio Riverwalk, Brackenridge Park, and more.
Scottsdale offers many activities including safari wildlife tours to see coyotes and snakes, or a hot air balloon over the Sonoran Desert. You’ll also find tons of shopping, and resorts tailored specifically to families.
This list should give you a good start on planning your next family vacation. Let us help you with the rest! Call us today at 402-281-3022 to talk to one of our travel specialists.
2023 Walt Disney World Resort room and ticket packages are now available. This means guests can start booking vacations throughout next year. Call Enchanted today at 402-390-9291 to speak to one of our Disney travel agents in Omaha, NE. Disney 2023, here we come!
There are tons of great new rides, restaurants, entertainment, and more coming to Walt Disney World theme parks and resort hotels in 2022 and 2023, and even more to look forward to in 2024!
Let’s take a look park by park at everything new and coming soon to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
Walt Disney World 2023: Everything New & Upcoming
Magic Kingdom
The next big project opening soon at Magic Kingdom is the TRON Lightcycle Run Roller Coaster. The TRON Lightcycle Run Roller Coaster will be located in Tomorrowland behind Space Mountain. This project will debut in Fall 2022 at the earliest. The TRON attraction is set to be a “semi-enclosed launching steel motorbike roller coaster“. The coaster is based on the Tron films. Much of the ride is in a darkened show building, much like Space Mountain’s Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.
Disney also announced that Splash Mountain will be re-themed to Princess and the Frog – Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Walt Disney World as well as at Disneyland in California. As the name suggests, the new theme is inspired by the animated Disney film, The Princess and the Frog. According to the Disney Parks Blog, the redesigned ride will pick up the story starting from the final kiss in the movie. Riders will join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure as they prepare for a Mardi Gras performance.
Epcot
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure opened on October 1 of last year at Epcot’s World Showcase. The Disney attraction is a trackless 3D dark ride and can be found inside the new France Pavilion expansion. This is a great ride for younger children visiting Epcot.
Space 220 at Epcot also opened last year. The restaurant experience allows guests to board an elevator and transport 220 miles above Earth to dine on the Centauri Space Station.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind opened on May 27, 2022. This Marvel-themed roller coaster is the biggest addition in honor of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary celebration.
Epcot also has some updates coming in early 2023 and beyond. Updates at Epcot will include World Celebration, World Discovery, World Showcase, Moana: Journey of Water, and new festival additions.
Hollywood Studios
If you visited Hollywood Studios a few years back, you would have noticed that it was one big construction zone. Disney has invested billions of dollars in Hollywood Studios over the last few years including some of the best new Disney rides.
Toy Story Land is now open. Here, guests step into Andy’s backyard and can enjoy three new attractions. Attractions at Toy Story Land are suitable for younger children and families. The two newest rides in Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios are Alien Swirling Saucers and Slinky Dog Dash. Alien Swirling Saucers is a classic spinner ride and Slinky Dog Dash is a rollercoaster. Soon, Disney will be adding a new table service restaurant in Toy Story Land called Roundup Rodeo BBQ.
If you haven’t visited Hollywood Studios in a while, you have to make time for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. This part of Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida has been open for a couple of years now and fans of the film absolutely love it.
Animal Kingdom
There isn’t much on the horizon as far as new attractions planned or opening at Animal Kingdom in 2023. However, if you haven’t been to this park since before 2017, you’ll want to go check out Pandora: The World of Avatar. This $400 million dollar project boasts breathtaking views, incredible scenery, and two great new rides: Avatar Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey.
Enchanted Honeymoons | Disney Travel Agents in Omaha, NE | Destination Travel | Walt Disney World
Call us today to speak to one of our Disney travel agents in Omaha, NE about planning your next Walt Disney World trip. You can reach us at 402-390-9291. In addition, you can get started here.