I'm itching to take a vacation this year, but not a real complicated lots-of-planning week-long experience or anything. I'd be happy with a 3-or-4-day weekend. Here are the requirements:

1. Within driving distance of North-Central Jersey
2. Not an overly-crowded tourist destination
3. Quaint shopping nearby

We don't really need a whole lot of things to do with the kids necessarily. They get their kicks just by sleeping in a hotel, it seems My favorite thing to do when I'm on vacation is to go shopping in the downtown areas and absorb a bit of the local flavor.

I thought about maybe hitting Hershey Park. Anybody been there recently? I went about 20 years ago and enjoyed it, but I was a teenager. I don't have a good sense for how it would be for me at this age and for my little guys. Also, Neil isn't really interested in amusement parks, so if we did that, it would have to be one day at Hershey and another day or two with things Neil would enjoy (like shopping at used book stores...)

Anybody have any suggestions?

Thanks!
Lisa

Lisa Clarke Wife to Neil (4/1/95) Mother to Aidan (2/26/00) & Eamonn (4/4/03) Owner of Polka Dot Creations Keeper of the keys to the Polka Dot Cottage

I was a counselor there one summer back in my 20's-beautiful area, Kent is very quaint and pretty.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001WTWYC/ref=pd_bbs_null_1/002-4312786-8020030?s=dvd&v=glance&n=130

How about the Catskills? I went to one resort there a couple of times, I'll have to try and find the name of it-very family oriented w/a lake, all sorts of activities, etc. Do you know the New Paltz area at all? I absolutely love
it around there.

Love the Spring Lake area, too-that's a little closer to home for you. Or how about Ocean City/Cape May/Avalon?

(but that's a good yoga dvd, if you're interested, lol.)

http://www.clubgetaway.com/family/default.asp

mostly because it's kind of a mob scene and awfully expensive. Both of those are things that would probably get Neil to nix the idea. I have to be able to sell this to him

I know the Catskills. My grandparents lived there, and we used to spend a week or so at their house every summer, and visit once a month on the weekends. I never really looked at it with an eye for vacationing before, but myabe I should. I haven't been up there since before my dad sold the property several years ago.

I haven't checked out that link yet, but I'm on my way to do it now - thanks!

Lisa

Lisa Clarke Wife to Neil (4/1/95) Mother to Aidan (2/26/00) & Eamonn (4/4/03) Owner of Polka Dot Creations Keeper of the keys to the Polka Dot Cottage

what about Woodstock? Joan mentioned it on CM & I thought of you. There's a whole artists community there & they used to have a market in the center of town on the weekends. Lots of nifty little shops & restaurants, plus music.

The Fall we <u>always</u> go up to West Point/Newburg NY area. Priceline the hotel & we have a *great* hotel (usually the Marriot) AND an indoor pool for $65/night. Please, if it has a pool the kids would be just as happy w/a hotel in Parsippany! LOL

Head out west 78 to Easton, PA (Crayola Factory) maybe stay while you're there.
Or continue into Allentown, PA for Seasame Place waterpark or Dorney Park and stay there.

If you're a camper on 78 are Round Valley & Spruce Run reserviors.


If you want to go into Poconos, rent a townhouse using cyberrental.com and stay in an all inclusive (meaning pool & lake & activities you can use on site)cheaper rates for Summer, when it's usually empty.


Really far drive I'd say Niagra Falls.

Or a beach away from it all - in Rhode Island.

after re-reading your message - We go to Hershey once a year, but still have yet to see the inside of the park. DH has a car event there & I wander over to the site w/the kids. There's enough to do & see without paying to get in. The movie is outside the park, trolly ride & continuous free ride thru the factory (an actual ride) that hands out chocolate at the end. Always Priceline.com for that too & end up in Harrisburg, a cute college-type town w/the river walk, etc.

Quaint town, try Ithaca/Finger Lake/Watkins Glen, NY, home to Cornell & Ithaca colleges. (they have a Wegmans!!) Last time there I *did* wander thru old book stores. Stayed a few B&Bs there. Check the NYstate website to see what's going on for kids. There is a state park there that has a great waterfall that you CAN swim in! W/lifeguards. Plus you have the Gorges to hike thru - kids can do it!! They can pick you up at the end or drop you off @ the end & walk back. Either way *if* kids are tired you know there's an easier way out. PS - it's about a 3hr drive tho.

Thanks so much - any number of the things you posted look really great. I'll have to spend some quality time researching a couple of those ideas.



Lisa

in Strasberg Pa, really close to Hershey Park, Amish country. All the rooms are actual cabooses. It is far from being posh & I understand there is a lot of renovating but it is great fun with the kids. They have a dining car that rocks & whistles every so often as if it is on real train tracks. They have an Amish buggy ride right there also. We went a few years ago with a Girl Scout trip. Would definitely go again. I'd also like to let you kow about an internet service called "Trip Advisor". They will e-mail you every week different weekend trip ideas from around the area.

Christine

I read you post when you first wrote it, but I haven't had a chance to respond until now. I was also hoping to get a minute to look up the hotel on the internet - I still haven't, though. It sounds really cool! I mentioned it to a friend the other night and it turns out she actually spent part of her honeymoon there, LOL!

Anyway, thanks - I'm going to check that out. And the trip advisor, too, sounds handy.

Lisa