Summer vacation ideas

It’s finally summertime and if you’ve got kids, you know they’ve been bouncing off the walls with excitement over the approaching freedom they’re about to have. However, if your kids happen not to have any summer school, summer camps or extracurricular groups/activities they participate in, believe us when we say they will get bored fast. Being at home all day can really have them wasting long hours watching tv, scrolling through social media or possibly getting into trouble. Take advantage and plan a summer vacation for the family. It will be a great way to keep them occupied, it will expose them to new, interesting places and keep them stimulated and learning, and of course, it will help your family strengthen the bonds while making memories you’ll look back on for years to come.

Here are a few summer vacation ideas for families:

Go to a coastal city

If you live somewhere where there is no nearby ocean, taking your kids for a stay in a coastal city can be a really fun summer activity. There’s so many to choose from - here’s a few of the most well known and top rated coastal cities with great beaches to visit:

• Manele Bay, Hawaii
• Kauna’oa Bay, Hawaii
• Myrtle Beach, SC
• Nantucket, MA
• Clearwater Beach, FL
• Miami Beach, FL
• Sanibel Island, FL
• Key West, FL
• Coronado, CA

Martha’s Vineyard, MA

If your kids like to swim and are not used to seeing shorelines, this will be the highlight of their summer. They’ll frolick and play in the sand and into the waves, soaking in the summer sun.

Go on a Roadtrip to a National Park

If you and your kids are nature lovers, hit the road and take in some scenery. Making a national park your point of destination will give your journey a goal and once you’re there, will give your kids a new experience and a place to learn about. Find ways to have fun along the way - long car rides can get tedious - and if you don’t own or don’t rent an R.V. or camper, you’ll really need some fun things to keep the kids occupied, so come up with games. Getting a family outfit or some matching pieces, like mommy and daughter leggings and daddy and son tees, or custom printed tees for the family will look great in photos once you’ve reached the park! Here are some great national parks to head to this summer:

• Yosemite National Park
• Yellowstone National Park
• Grand Canyon National Park
• Glacier national Park
• Grand Teton National Park
• Zion National Park
• Arches National Park
• Acadia National Park
• Mount Rainier National Park
• Joshua Tree National Park

Go on a Haunted America Tour

Are you and/or your kids into ghost stories? A less traditional but oh-so-adventurous idea is to go ghost hunting. There are so many cities in America that are famous for being haunted. Pick a few cities and map out a route. Then stop in the cities along the way and do a ghost tour in each city. If you’re up for it, these cities even have haunted hotels you can stay in! Here are some of America’s most haunted cities that are hosts to ghost tours:

• Savannah, GA
• New Orleans, LA
• Salem, MA
• Baltimore, MD
• Chicago, IL
• Boston, MA
• Portland, OR
• Charleston, SC
• St. Augustine, FL
• Gettysburg, PA
• San Francisco, CA
• San Antonio, TX

Other Great Summer Vacation Destinations in the U.S.A:

Niagara Falls: a popular bucket list destination, these spectacular falls are amazing to behold and have plenty of attractions for your family to enjoy.

Wisconsin Dells: This place is known as the waterpark capital of the world. If your family is into splashy outings, this is the place to go. They have numerous water parks  full of slides, wave pools and fun rides.

Florida: Florida is a very popular summer vacation destination. There is so much to do! Everything from theme parks like Disney, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens and Adventure Island to world class beaches throughout the entire state; it has the ghostly fun we mentioned earlier in St. Augustine - as well as plenty of historical value; it has the Everglades National Park, it has the Florida Keys and is just a quick ferry ride away from the Bahamas. It has plenty of ports that will take you into the caribbean and south america. You will find plenty of natural springs and rivers where you can swim with otter and manatees, go kayaking, paddle boarding, biking and so much more. If you’re coming to Florida be sure to pack plenty of sun block, sunglasses, bug spray and a summer friendly wardrobe like flowy sundresses, comfy leggings and more.

There is tons to do this summer - round up your family and get to exploring!