More Spring Break Destination Ideas

Written By Cindy Richards Monday, February 02, 2009 10:18

Five more great spring break destination ideas from TMOM's terrific bloggers:

Amish Country

Amish Country in Pennsylvania is one of my favorite local destinations. I love the sense of stepping into another world, just hours away from my personal suburbia. We brought our three children there last spring and they were amazed to learn that people can live without all of our conveniences: phones, TV, even cars. It made them realize how much we take for granted and how hard life must have been for our ancestors. We rode an Amish buggy (twice!) with an Amish teenager on Rumspringa (the running around years before they choose to get baptized) and got the inside scoop on life as an Amish.

We all loved the hearty country fare served everywhere. Most meals are all you can eat smorgasbords with chicken fried in brown butter, heaping mounds of mashed potatoes, and sweet yet tangy pickled vegetables called chow-chow, and pastries like shoo-fly pie and moon pies. We took lots of long walks on country lanes dotted with picturesque farms to walk off all the delicious food.

Vanessa Druckman is TravelingFoodMom on the TMOM blog.
Want to know the secrets on how to train your kids for vacation eating?

Mesa, Arizona

Each year at spring break time, Daytripper family travels all the way across the country from Delaware to Mesa, Arizona, for a lazy week with Grandma and Grandpa. We play, swim, and of course do lots of fun day trips like visiting the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson and McCormick-Stillman Railway Park in Phoenix. This year we may also try to spend a few days at a family-friendly resort in Scottsdale. The highlight of the trip as far as the kids are concerned is riding a golf cart around the retirement park. Oh, and the big-screen TV.

Mara Gorman is Daytripper TravelingMom on the TMOM blog.
Needing an economical way to spend spring break?

Ibiza, Spain

Ibiza is the undisputed party capital of the world. No wonder it was my 20-year-old son's No. 1 choice for spring break. Ibiza has a hedonistic heritage stretching back more than 30 years. Top clubs, on form djs, hot bands, a cosmopolitan mix of clubbers, local residents, freaks, mature partygoers, fresh faces, a wide range of sexualities, and the full alphabet of celebrities.

But my son is not a drinker or smoker...so what would he do with his spare time? It turns out the island off the coast of Spain also has cool adventures...like Jeep safari rides, sailboat cruises for all ages, boat charters, scuba diving, scooter rentals to tour the island, go carting, mountain biking, horseback riding, golfing and tennis,

Fran Capo is TravelingAdventureMom on the TMOM blog.
If you're constantly working while vacationing, read Fran's tips on how to accomplish both feats.

Orlando, after You're Done at Disney

During a spring break trip to Orlando, we headed first to Disney, but them my husband wanted to visit the gators. We found our way to Gatorland, tagged as the “Alligator Capital of the World.” I’ve visited some homegrown gator farms on the west coast of Florida, around the Naples area. Those are neat, but don’t hold a candle to Gatorland.

What I love about Gatorland is that it gets the family up close and personal with these Florida natives, and gives kids a chance to experience the natural side of this state that’s become more known for its roller coasters than its reptiles and fauna. After several days of the adrenaline-rush caused by attraction excitement, Gatorland provides the perfect oasis to pause and slow down, walk the peaceful paths through the swamps, touch a tortoise, watch gator wrestling, or see how high an alligator will “jump” for a chicken dinner during the Gator Jumparoo Show. There’s even a small sprinkler area where the kids can cool off on an especially hot day.

Anne Witkavitch is TravelingWithSanityMom on the TMOM blog.
See what the "gator capital of the world" has to offer for your family.

Take a Staycation

Stay home and be a tourist in your own town. It’s an easy trip to plan: ask yourself what you would show someone visiting from out of town, and then go see those things yourself.

If you live in a city, check out all of the tourist attractions you haven’t been to in years. You can bet there’s a reason so many out of towners flock to see them. If you live in a small town, visit a historic homestead, or hike to a scenic outlook.

With the money you’ve save on travel and hotel you can:

· Treat yourself to lunches and dinners at the best restaurants in town.

· Leave the kids with a babysitter one afternoon and head to a local spa with your spouse for some serious pampering.

· Hire a cleaning service to come in once (or hey, live a little: twice!) during the week, so you’re not spending your staycation doing laundry or scrubbing toilets.

· Let the kids go to a double feature – while you peruse the mall.

· Buy yourself a “souvenir” in a local shop you usually only go to buy gifts for others. It’ll help you remember a staycation worth (not?) going on!

Nancy Rabinowitz-Friedman is TravelingAgelessMom on the TMOM blog.
Although a staycation is a stay at home vacation being a mom is a never ending trip.

For five more spring break ideas, click here.