First we will be traveling from OH to Richmond Virginia with 5 kids ages 5-10 yo. Any good stops, sites to see, zoo's, amusement parks etc???? How do i even go about researching that on my own. do I have to go to AAA and ask them for suggestions??
Second, end destination is a cousins house, very small, most relatives will be staying in a hotel with a pool, but my family and my BIL's family will be sharing 2 rooms at the cousins house. I assumed we would have a big meal there, and maybe a bonfire but i'm hearing that it would be to HOT to do either of those things outside and that we would be on top of each other if we tried to do it inside. So I guess it seems kind of silly to ask, but what the heck are we supposed to do? There will be up to 6 familys plus kids, so decending on a resturant for every meal, won't work very well as far as eating family style. we can split up i guess, .. any ohter alternatives? Maybe if i new what else was around Richmond it would help. my hubby suggested and sort of put all of this together as far as getting pieople to commit to showing up, and his cousin is teh one we are staying with but he and his wife aren't planners,
I don't much mind just sitting around the pool, but i'm not sure if that will keep the kids happy for 4 days.
thanks for any help.
I haven't been down there before, Is the heat and humidity at the end of july enough to kill you walking ot the car from the house.???? That's the impressin i'm getting.
ok so Willimasburg-- i think i'll check family fun and seei f they have tips on that. great idea. I didn't realize it was so close.
Might want to pick up a little Coleman camping grill with some propane at their local Target or Walmart if cooking is a problem :) And a little pop up SPF 50 tent for around the pool. If the house is crowded, the older kids might really enjoy sleeping outside in a small tent.
Depends on how you feel about 90-105 degree weather and 98% humidity. For most people... They stay indoors in aircon or in the water as much as possible. It's like moving through a solid wall. And yes, people do die every year of heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and dehydration. These are locals who are acclimated. It's FAR worse for tourists. People do actually drop walking short distances. (Myself, I can handle the heat, but the humidity kills me. I can't breathe.)
I've yet to meet a kid who isn't happy in a pool for 4 days straight in that kind of heat!!!
1. Bring a cooler. A big one. For the trip, instead of stopping for fast food, etc., pack cheese, veggies, fruit, and fried chicken (from the deli).
2. Same deal for meals there. Go to the grocery. Get lots of milk and cereal for breakfast. Sandwich makings for lunch. Easy dinners that can be popped into the oven (Stouffer's Lasagna). Even if one or two have to venture to the store each day, it's still easier than running EVERYONE out to restaurants. And cheaper.
3. I think your being at the cousins with spouse and 5 kids, PLUS the others is going to put a tremendous strain upon your cousins! I would get a hotel room, but that's just me. If you're not going to...please consider helping them offset the cost of hosting with a card containing a financial "thank-you." Just the WATER needed to shower all of you is going to run up their bills.
4. It IS hot. Plan on spending a lot of time by the pool. And be sure you have plenty of sunscreen.
5. Movies. Find a cheap theater.
Sorry I'm a week late to answer this...was on a trip of my own!
I went to school in Richmond and worked in Williamsburg. Still have friends there that I keep in touch with. It IS going to be hot and humid, and if you are doing stuff outside, especially at dusk, be prepared for bugs.
Kings Dominion is just north of Richmond up I-95. In Richmond itself, I would suggest taking the kids to Maymont Park, which is a huge FREE park with an aviary, a Japanese garden, and lots of space. Here's the link:
http://www.maymont.org/Page.aspx?pid=308
Maymont was my favorite place to go in Richmond!
There is the Richmond Motor Speedway if you're into racing and there's a race while you're there. And there is a Children's Museum in Richmond. Here's that link:
http://c-mor.org/
Williamsburg is an hour east on I-64. Keep in mind that historic Williamsburg is a big summer tourist attraction and you will have to deal with the crowds (just like at the amusement parks). Williamsburg also has Busch Gardens as well as Water Country USA water park.
I would do a Google search for things to do in Richmond, VA (same for Williamsburg) or Google the Richmond, VA board of tourism. You asked about things to do along the way. I would go to www.mapquest.com and get an idea of what route your family is going to take and then do a Google search for things to do in any of the major cities you will pass through.
As for the heat and humidity, yes, it will be humid there in July. Maymont park has lots of shady areas. Of course the theme parks will have cool down misting stations and lots of air conditioned places to go inside as well as cold treats. I'm not sure about colonial Williamsburg since it's been a lot of years since I visited.
Good luck and I hope you have a fabulous time!
Be prepared to survive on your own just in case.
Oh my goodness... I couldn't be that close to Williamsburg without going! It will certainly keep the kids (and you) busy.
Why not plan a big sandwich bar one night, pizza night another, and get bbq delivered a third? Way easier than coordinating all those people in a restaurant too. Eat outside picnic style with paper plates, lounge on a blanket and watch the fireflies come out.
Just have fun!
I've used AAA's Trip Tiks. They're wonderful. They will outline a route and in the same flip page booklet tell you what's to see along the route. They will give you booklets for each state so that you can read up on those sites in more detail.
From what I remember of the weather in the area, I suggest that you won't want to picnic or sit out in the yard unless you are by a pool. Won't the relatives who live there be able to tell you about the weather and how they live with it?
Google map your route. Then google for activities for kids in ... West Virginia, etc.
As far as when you're at your cousin's house, maybe plan on doing your own thing as far as dinner rather than trying to all eat together.
I cannot imagine that you can't eat outside. Skip the bonfire, but why not barbecue?
I suggest you google the states you will be traveling through and get their states travel guide. You can usually see them sections of the state and decide if there is anything worthwhile for your family.
I went on vacation to Montana a few years ago and got each states travel guide. I was able to plan out nearly every minute of the trip with museum, rock climbing wall places, monuments, etc...I had never been North before so it was all new to me. But I got those free travel guides and found each and every little place anyone could possibly want to see.
Depending on the route you take you could possibly see parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and of course Virginia. I would probably take at least a day or two and do D.C. too.
I think visiting the Smithsonian and surrounding area would be the most exciting things for the kids. In preparation for it you could have lots of discussions on some of the things they'll see, maybe even catch some old shows.
Those are the states I would get the travel guides for.
Richmond, VA ... End of July .... If you're not used to it, the heat and humidity can be OPPRESSIVE. and this year, we had no winter, so they are expecting it to be worse than usual.
You've heard of the "dog days of summer", right? They were describing VA fromlAte July through late August ...
That said ...
Busch Gardens and King's Dominion are great options. Both have water parks too. One is a little north of Richmond, the other is in Williamsburg.
Fredericksburg (about 50 miles north) has some nice colonial and civil war historical things to see and do, as does Richmond.
You'll be in a kind of historical area from Williamsburg north to DC (which is only 100 miles north).
Have fun! This is a beautiful, historical part of our country and there's a lot to see and do.
my fam is from florida and i don't get the "too hot to be outside" thing...unless there's no shade maybe. if you've got some shade and a pool, you'll be fine. we always did big get togethers with the fam outside down there. maybe a park with lots of shade trees, you could do a picnic. sounds like this trip wasn't very well thought out....good luck and hang in there!
