Looking for a Budget-friendly & Kid-friendly Vacation with a 4 Year Old

I don't think it would fly for 1,500 plus air fair. But I just spent some time looking for a great three day get-a-way for us. I was just suprised by how many places were so kid unfriendly. We feel great about settling on this stay near San Diego;
http://www.lacosta.com/Stay.aspx?src=ppc_google_brand_229...

It will be $1500 for a three-day-weekend with food and all. But we got the suite because we have a baby and a three-year-old. We are driving. It has great kid stuff. And if you get sick of pools and slides, make your way to the beach.

If florida is a cheaper fly for you, google "kid friendly resorts" and find something with a kids program and kid pools and attractions. We are really looking to relax and go now where, have some couple time, family time, and spa time. So a resort sounded perfect. If you have not gone somewhere in 7 years though, a resort may bore you.

Missouri really has a lot to offer... plus it's easily within driving distance. We visit the Ozarks every year for the past 6 years (we have a 3-year-old daughter) and find it very relaxing and we never run out of things to do.

St. Louis -- The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (a.k.a., the Arch) and Courthouse, Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site, Grant's Farm, The Budweiser Brewery, Six Flags, The Magic House, a zoo, baseball, and Meramac Caverns.
http://www.explorestlouis.com/
http://www.magichouse.org/
www.nps.gov/jeff
www.nps.gov/ulsg
http://www.grantsfarm.com/
http://www.americascave.com/

Kansas City -- Great Wolf Lodge, The Country Club Plaza, Harry S Truman National Historic Site (Independence, MO), American Jazz Museum, National World War I Museum, Boulevard Brewery, The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Science City, Hallmark, Worlds of Fun, Oceans of Fun, Schlitterbahn, T-Rex Cafe, American Doll store/salon/restaurant, and of course BBQ.
http://www.visitkc.com/index.aspx

Branson -- shows, shows, shows; Lambert's Cafe (Ozark, MO), Wilson's Creek National Battlefield (Repbulic, MO), Silver Dollar City (fun for the kids & parents), lakes, a zipline, caving tours, ride the ducks, Table Rock Dam, the fish hatchery, Indian Point, Dewey Short Visitors Center, Table Rock Dam tours.
http://www.branson.com/
www.nps.gov/wicr
http://www.silverdollarcity.com/
http://www.throwedrolls.com/
http://www.bransonzipline.com/
http://www.missouricaves.com/
http://mdc.mo.gov/regions/southwest/shepherd-hills-fish-h...
http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/parks/tablerock/recreation.htm
http://www.tablerockdamtours.com/press-release-group-tour...

For more National Park Service information and the America the Beautiful Park Pass (good at Corps of Engineers, National Park Service, and US Forest Service locations) see www.nps.gov

We took our son to the beach in Florida (Sanibel Island) when he was 5ish. Our twins stayed with my parents. It was so awesome! I just wanted to relax. I didn't want to have every minute of every day planned. We took a boat ride one day but other than that, we spent most of our time playing on the beach and looking for shells. I'm not sure if you could get to a beach with $1500, though. We had air miles. We saved money by getting a suite with a kitchenette so we could keep breakfast and lunch stuff in the room. Then we ate out for dinner each night.

Go to Sesame Place in PA. We went when our girls were 2 and 4. They loved it and still talk about it all the time. Check out their website, they have a package deal that includes hotel and airfare.

We went to Branson last year with our kids and they LOVED it! there was SO much to do! We went to Silver Dollar City and they have quite a few rides for little ones and my kids had a BLAST! We also went to a butterfly museum which they also loved. We did lots more but those were my kids favorites!
Good Luck, I hope ya'll have fun wherever you go!

We love Branson. Our 4 year old keeps asking when we're going to go back to Branson's house. ;-)

I have to second Branson.

What about Washington DC? They have a lot of free museums and the like you can visit and some nice beaches. We went to Sandy Point (small entrance fee as it's a national park) by the Bay Bridge. The bath house/dressing rooms were nice and the beach was wonderful. Our children (ages 6, 4, & 2 at the time) had a blast. I've been told the Air & Space Museum is a lot of fun for the kids as they have hands on stuff the kids gets to do and buttons to push. We'll be checking that out this summer when we go.
Otherwise, just look into things here in the Midwest! I think that's going to be our vacation plans for next year.

How about Chicago? It would probably be within driving distance for you. We found a nice hotel near the airport for $70 a night. There are so many fun things to do. Zoos, the science museum, planaterium, aquarium, natural history museum, Navy Pier, Millinium Park, children's museums, neighborhoods to explore, children's theatres, fun restaurants, and beaches along the lake. If you purchase a City Pass you can save on admission to many of the museums. Parking in the downtown area can be expensive, but public transportation is fairly easy to use.

We also loved Myrtle Beach, SC. But that might be harder to do with your budget if you can't find good airfare prices. The Black Hills in Sourh Dakota would also be a really fun trip. No beaches, but a lot of things that your daughter would enjoy. Minneapolis/St. Paul also has a lot of fun things to do. They have many of the same things Chicago has, but The Cities are a little easier to navigate and a little less expensive.

Check out camping possibilities at some national and state parks! You could rent an RV and kids LOVE it! Super cheap and tons of different options!

St paul, Minnesota has a huge zoo, parks, and museums. Isn't adventureland near you in Iowa? You could take her to Sullivan's Island or Myrtle Beach SC, pretty beaches and warm water she could splash in the waves in. My favorite beach is Isle of palms or sullivan's island... same beach but sullivan's island is more remote (they are in SC by mount pleasant). Air fare is expensive so good luck :)

Honestly I would go to DisneyWorld. We got tickets through Spirit Airlines and they were super cheap!!!! We paid under $500 for 3 tickets one way (both ways to and from) and this included the luggage cost. I believe we ended up spending around like $1,800 for the condo, airfare, food, and park cost. But we also have a timeshare and only paid $350 for a 2 bedroom condo. I was pregnant with our 3rd and went on this trip and had a blast!!!! I don't know how hot Florida will be though. We went in April and it was 90 degrees every single day except 3 and it wasn't humid at all. The kids had a blast too. If the park doesn't sound good, there are always zoos and other things to do in Florida, or wherever you go.

Good luck and hope you all have fun!!!