U.S. Travel

* Washington, DC -- did you know admission to all the monuments and the Smithosonian museums is free?
* Chincoteague & Assateague Islands off Virginia (read "Misty of Chincoteague" on the ride there)
* Boston, MA (with side trips to Salem, Cape Cod, Plimoth Plantation, Old Sturbridge Village and more)

Have a blast!

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I don't know if you're thinking "big" like Disney, but it doesn't take much to find something to see or do in the U.S.. We drove across the country with our four kids to visit family in California, and we scheduled stops at approximately 3-4 hour intervals. I made a point before the trip of looking up things to do/see at each place. Some of them were pretty low key, like small local museums (but my husband and oldest son LOVE museums). Others were just breathtaking (Grand Canyon--not fun with small kids, but still amazing; and Arches National Park). It was really eye-opening to us to see the variety from state to state. Colorado was beautiful, and there were lakes on the California/Nevada line I'd love to spend more time exploring. I'm thinking one of these days we'll take a long slow trip and just see whatever we can see on the way.

If you want more specific ideas, try the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Mammoth Cave in Bowling Green, KY, Washington D.C. (we spent two days there last year; I wish it had been two weeks!), Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge TN are also fun, and Gulf Shores AL (beautiful beaches, not usually too crowded). Have fun!

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If you love the get away from it all, back to nature type trip. Vermont. A few years ago we went to Waterbury, went to the Green Mountain coffee place, Ben & Jerry's, statyed at a beautiful clean state park, kayaking, a design your own t-shirt place, took a ride to Burlington, a ride on Lake Champlain, the Shelbourne museum. We had a great time.

Cape Cod - great beaches - play in the tidal pools, splash in the large waves on the National Sea Shore, light houses, bike trails, whale watching, seal watching, unique shops, glass museum, historical sites. (one downside - very crowded July and August)

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Hershey, PA
NY City

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Take them to Yellowstone! One of my very best memories is a trip my parents took me on where we flew into Jackson Hole and rented a car then went to Yellowstone, the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore and back into Cheyenne, WY for Frontier Days. It was AWESOME!

I also highly endorse Yosemite, the Grand Canyon (if you wait until they're a bit older you can do the rafting trip through it), and Washington DC. DC is so awesome because of all the Smithsonians and monuments and historical things that area all pretty awe inspiring at any age. You can also hit colonial Williamsburg (another love of mine as a girl) and visit Mt. Vernon.

We also love just going to the beach. We're much closer than you to Florida and SC, but we love both the Gulf beaches and the Atlantic side. The SC Low Country and nearby islands like Hilton Head and Kiawah are fantastic! You can hit Charleston and Savannah too.

One trip that would be fairly close to you that I can't wait to do with my boys is Pennsylvania. Hershey and the amusement park, Gettysburg, Amish Country and Philadelphia! I would go to Philadelphia for the Mummer's Museum alone!

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Park City, Utah all the WAY!! There randomly is a lot to do here. Dinosaur meuseums, Tracy Aviary, any of the Olympic venues.
I loved going to San Antonio TX with my family when I was 12 and loved it. Seattle was a lot of fun too.

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I ditto Victoria's answer regarding the TN mountains. My boys, 8 and 6 at the time, had a BLAST doing simple, outdoor things. Our favorite day, they still talk about, is the one spent by the stream letting the water rush up the sides of your legs, stacking rocks, splashing, building forts nearby and using their sling shots to try and hit something on the other side of the river. We took a picnic and our dogs that day and no kidding, spent 6 hours without a care in the world! Now THAT was a great vacation! Have a wonderful time!

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Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA. I used to love going there when I was a little girl, and look forward to taking our kids when they get a little older. (They are all under 4 right now.)

Also loved Six Flags, Great Adventure in New Jersey.

There is a Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, VA, as well. Haven't been there yet, but am intrigued by the idea of an indoor water park.

Of course, there's Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA, which is fun for the whole family. (They are owned by the same people who own Sesame Place, so they have the Sesame Street Characters there as well.)

Kings Dominion, right off of I-95 in Virgina, is also a popular amusement park. Not so big on theme, but some of the best thrill rides and they have the Nickelodeon contract, so characters like Spongebob for the wee ones. (Not my favorite at all.)

My family is planning a Non-Disney trip to Orlando this fall. It will be difficult to not go visit the Mouse, but I want to go to Universal and see what Butterbeer tastes like. We'll also be going to Sea World since my son loved it so much when we went when he was 2.

In case you can't tell, we do a lot of amusement parks. There are also beaches in the summer, and mountains for skiing in the winter. Your kids are a great age to start downhill skiing! Oh, and there's the "new" Hard Rock Amusement Park at Myrtle Beach, SC. (Built right around the time my first was born, so we haven't been yet.) Myrtle Beach is a nice, family-friendly destination with a lot of options for the whole family. Boardwalk at the Beach has a lot!

Just a few ideas of places we've been or plan to go. I hope you have some wonderful adventures with your girls.

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Drowsy Water Ranch in Granby Colorado. The best vacation we ever had.
It is a small family ranch with great people and something different. It is a
kids delight. If I remember correctly the most people that they have at any
one time is 35.. There are campfires, cookout, swimming, lots of horseback riding (for all ages) hikes, family style meals, great breakfasts,.
If you are open to new ideas this would be the place. My husband thought
I was crazy when I suggested this. He spent more time on the horse (he
had never been on a horse) than me. He talking about this vacation forever.

Updated

Dude ranch. Sorry I think I answered already.

NYC sights. Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Empire State Building, Subway.
Amish country, Erie Canal, Niagra Falls, Gettysburg. Vermont, New Hampshire, maple sugar and syrup. Main for lobster, Jaws movie site.

Boston, USS Constitution, Old north Church, White house, Lincoln Memorial, Congress, Smithsonian (sp?).

One of the things I do now that I didn't used to do, is to look up the restaurants recommended by the TV show, Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. They are always interesting and always excellent.

Good luck to you and yours.

Family oriented?

I loved Wyoming, South Dakota and Colorado....LOTS of wilderness and lots of fun....The Devils Tower in Wyoming, Mt Rushmore in South Dakota, Rockies/Coors field in Denver....

Washington DC is a great place too if your kids are history buffs....

Kings Island - I think that's the name of the park in North Ohio...
Six Flags America - if you can afford to fly to each one in Texas, VA and MD....

New York - American Girl and the fashion district....

San Diego
DC
Nashville
Philly
Atlanta
Grand Canyon
Niagara Falls

you can try rocking horse ranch!! my friends tell me it's awesome!! it's in ny!

Great Smoky Mountains in TN.
Tons of great hiking trails. Some are short (under an hour) and others are longer. MANY of them have waterfalls. There is also a cheesy strip with all sorts of carnival type places in Pigeon Forge(go cart tracks, mini-golf, lazer tag, etc) that our kids always enjoy for one day out of the trip. Plus Dollywood is there (amusement park and a water park). You can rent horses and go on trail rides...
Gatlinburg is 20 minutes south of Pigeon Forge and is very quaint with lots of shops to browse. Art galleries. Gem mining. etc... And the scenery is beautiful. There are also several historic places to visit close by in Cades Cove (less than an hour drive). Right outside Gatlinburg there is a loop road that has old homesteads you can walk in... very neat.

Wisconsin Dells
Mall of America (Minnesota)
Train trip to Chicago
Camping
San Diego (Sea World, Lego Land, the ocean, snorkeling, bike rides)

Here are my ideas:

1: Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, TX. It's an enormous indoor water park that is an absolute blast from tiny babies through adults, truly a family place!

2: Mall of America, Bloomington, MN. The indoor theme park and the Underwater Adventures is once again, a true family experience!

3: Park City, Utah. From the Alpine Slide to the hikes up the mountain, this place is awesome in the summer! Take a drive down the canyon to the small town of Heber and enjoy the local joints. There is a place called the Dairy Keen that has awesome burgers and another called Grandma's that by far, best shakes you'll ever have!!

4: Sea World and Lego Land in the San Diego area are fun family places. But going to Sea Port Village on the water front in San Diego is so relaxing! Get your kids a couple of kites as kite flying is a huge pass time on the grassy areas.

Love San Francisco, the Grand Canyon, San Diego, Disneyland and Sonoma. Loved Orlando about eight years ago to swim with the dolphins at Discovery Cove. So many places in the US a well as International that we love. Have fun!

We have gone to Lake George in NY and it's a fantastic place. You can ride the ferry boat for an hour and you will see the spectacular scenery in the lake and the mansions surrounding it. Beautiful!