1. Ogunquit, Maine ( 5hours 40 minutes)
This is what I call my happy place. It is the perfect beach vacation spot when you have kids. The beach stretches long and when high tide rolls in creates small pools of water for little ones to play in. Big kids (and adults) can ride floats around the inlet as the tide rolls in. You’ll find families playing, digging in the sand, and flying kites all day long. At night you can grab a delicious lobster roll at any of the many restaurants or have food delivered for a beautiful beach picnic. Day trips can include Kennebunkport for the quintessential New England town, Portland for the children’s museum or head to Freeport to find the L.L Bean Flagship store, which is really more of a whole campus. Many options on where to stay include renting houses or beautiful beach hotels. Looking for something a little fancier you can head to the Cliff House for a relaxing experience.
[hitting up LL Bean campus on a rainy day of our vacation]
2. Hershey, PA (2 hrs 40 minutes)
Hershey can be done as both a day trip or overnight. You can enjoy many options like the amusement park, waterpark, Chocolate World, and Zoo America. If you want to stay at one of their hotels there is the Hershey Hotel, Hershey Lodge, and Hershey Camping Resort. The parks are great for kids of all ages from the littlest to the big kids at heart!
3. Cape Cod ( 5hrs 15 minutes)
So many options of towns to stay in. You can take day trips to different places and check out the beaches and the quintessential New England towns. You can catch a Chatham A’s game during the summer as well. Enjoy beautiful sunsets and have a family picnic on the beach. There are beautiful golf courses and boat trips you can take during the day.
[sunsets in Cape Cod after a beach picnic can’t be beat]
4. Legoland (1 hr 20 minutes)
Another amusement park that we do as a day trip a lot is Legoland. This is a great amusement park for kids under 10. Bigger kids could be bored with the lack of thrill seeking rides. If you are looking to do an overnight you can stay at the Legoland hotel. There are also outlets on the way if you are looking to do some shopping at Woodbury Commons. We love it in the fall for the Halloween event as well.
[we love Legoland in the fall as well for the Halloween events]
5. Boston (4 hrs 40 minutes)
One of my personal favorite cities. There is plenty to do with the family. If you have younger kids there is the Boston Children’s Museum and New England Aquarium. You can walk the Freedom Trail, take a Duck Boat tour, or experience all the great historical locations around the city. Don’t forget to head to Quincy Market. It’s a great add on to a visit to Cape Cod or Maine.
[Boston is great all year round!]
6. Washington D.C ( 3hrs 50 minutes)
D.C has something for everyone. You can visit many historical monuments. You can go the Smithsonian Museums for free. Personal favorites with kids are the Air and Space and Natural History.
7. Sesame place (1 hour).
A great day trip vacation if you have little ones. In the summer you can enjoy both the rides and waterpark. Make sure to beat the heat and get some shade while enjoying one their musical character shows. Always a hit to see your favorite characters.
[Who doesn’t love Elmo]
8. Baltimore (2 hrs 50 minutes)
In Baltimore you can find the National Aquarium, Baltimore Zoo and Children’s Museum. You can also catch a baseball game and see the Oriels play.
9. Cape May (2 hrs)
Head south to Cape May and enjoy the beach. If you need a break from the beach you can go to The Cape May Zoo, the lighthouse, or Congress Hall. For some adult time you can visit the Cape May Brewery as well.
10. LBI (1 hr 20 minutes)
If you want to stay in New Jersey but feel like you are on vacation LBI is great location. There is the beach, mini-golf, and plenty of restaurants to visit.
[the beach is always good for the soul]
