Seeking a Fun Place to Go for Vacation...

How about The Crayola Factory. I've always wanted to take my kids there, but haven't gotten up there yet. It's not too far from Hershey / Lancaster area. It's in Easton, PA.

http://www.crayola.com/factory/

Hi L.,
We love the water parks - there is one in Erie (Splash Lagoon) and several up by Sandusky (Kalahari, Great Wolf Lodge, etc). Look online for specials or mid-week deals. You can have a great time at the water park and lots of other things to do too! Great for kids!

J.

Not sure exactly what you are looking for....have you ever been to a tour of the Herr's Potato Chip factory? It's free and educatoinal. You get to try some hot chips right of the line. They talk all the way from the history of the company to where the potatos and corn come from to the end product. I've seen it many times and always learn something different each time I go. There is a cafe where you could get lunch and a gift shop if you want suveniers. There is also Nottingham Park right around the corner with a lake and a pond,nice picnic area and play grounds. It's a great day trip. Call ahead for reservations though,###-###-####, they get really busy at certain times. If you just show up, you could end up having to wait, or be included in a tour with lots of other people. If you ask for a slow time you might get more out of the tour. Nottingham park also does nature tours. Maybe could be coordinated on the same day. Good luck!

Idlewild park is awesome for your kids. I took my son last year (he was 2 then) and plan on going this year. It is totally geared for kids. My son had a blast. they have story book forest (which was kind of lame) but they have a water park area and tons of rides. It is like a big Kennywood just for kids. Very clean and friendly. Check out their website I think it is www.idlewood.com

I've been looking at Lake Tobias up around Elizabethville. Tobias has a drive through safari, reptile house, and some other up close experiences with animals. There is Knobles Grove up in Elysburg. It's like Hershey and Dutch Wonderland but it's pay as you go with free parking (and more laid back too). There is also the Crayola factory somewhere by Allentown. All three places have websites. Good luck and have fun!

If you are just looking for some day trips I would recommend Storybook Land in Egg Harbor Township, Please Touch Museum in Philly, Camden Aquarium, Philadelphia Zoo.

How about Knoebels (near Shamokin, PA) or Baltimore Aquarium, Lake Tobias (Pa)or there's also the Land of the little Ponies in Gettysburg. Have fun!

A good family place is Knobels. I am pretty sure they have a web site and nearby lodging.

Baltimore's Inner Harbor has a lot of things to see. The tours on the ships, the science museum with the hands-on section, the aquarium and Port Discovery(which is also a hand-on museum.

Lancaster PA - farms, amish, railroad, buggy rides. I love Lancaster and go every year plus you can hop up to Hershey (my kids love the free ride at Chocolate World).

I would not recommend the 45 minute Gettysburg tour for children your age. After all, all they are doing is sitting in the car. They will not understand the monuments and other sites. If you get out and walk (or ride in the case of your 1 year old.

The Inner Harbor at Baltimore is nice but you should be told that strollers are not allowed in the aquarium. You have to either walk or carry your child or you can rent a back-carrier from the aquarium.

Pittsburgh has a lot for kids in addition to the other post there also is Idlewild Park and Sandcastle. It is a great family-friendly town. (I live near Pittsburgh.)

Just make sure you fully check out your destination on the web and think about it from your children's perspective. Make sure it is something they will enjoy. (Will your 1 year old get a lot out of a walking tour of a factory?)Make sure there are no hidden rules you need to know about. I had a trip scheduled for Baltimore when my kids were 1 and 3. Two days before, I read about the aquarium policy and I knew there was no way I would be able to lug two kids through the aquarium without our trusty wagon or stroller so I had to cancel. (My one year old was not walking steadily enough to make it through on his own.)

Have fun!

I have to put in a plug for Lake Erie, and Presque Isle. In addition to beautiful beaches, we have a zoo, children's museum, great library for rainy days, a mall, a whole range of resturants, local celebrations etc. Almost forgot about Waldameer the awesome amusement park near the beach, or if you don't like sand there is an indoor water park called Splash Lagoon. Dang, I have an awesome city!

Pittsburgh has lots of fun, educational stuff too.

How far are you looking to go? Near Philly?

Try www.visitPa or what ever the link is and check around for the types of activites you are looking for.

HAve you been to the Sesame St place? Your kids might be the perfect age for it. I wanted to go but it never happened and now i think we are beyond it.

HAve an awesome time where ever you go even if its in your own backyard, Just being with the people you love can make any trip fun.

We just took our boys (5 and 7 years old) to Adventure Aquarium (formerly Camden Aquarium) and they loved it. If you want to center your vacation around Philly, Sesame Place, the Franklin Institute and Please Touch Museum are also favorites of my boys. Philly zoo is cool and there is a Natural History Museum about 3 block away from Franklin Institutes that has dinosaur skeletons that is on my list for this summer. As for your 11 month old, I would bring a back pack. Many museums do not allow strollers and the children sitting in them can't see much anyway. We used a back pack when our children were babies and it gave them a great view and kept our hands free to take care of big brother. Have fun!

Have you considered Pittsburgh? Most of these attractions are within in the Pittsburgh city limits, but all are within Allegheny County.

Carnegie Science Center - hands-on science

Carnegie Museums of Art and History

Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium

Phipps Conservatory - beautiful plant and floral exhibits

National Aviary - new penguin program

Gateway Clipper - tour the city via riverboat (check out the Goodship Lollipop schedule)

Just Ducky Tours - tour the city via boat and street on a vehicle made for the road and the water

Fort Pitt Museum - history museum at Point State Park

Monongehela and Duquesnce inclines - ride them from the south side up to Mt. Washington for a gorgeous view of the city

Pirate baseball - take in a game at PNC park

Kennywood park - our local amusement park with a kiddie land

Sandcastle - a local water park

Allegheny County parks - picnic grounds, mini-golf, petting zoos, children's theatre, historic landmark tours, wave pools, walking trails, playgrounds

If you would come to Pittsburgh check out Idlewild Park/Storybook Forest about a hour east of Pittsburgh.

Have fun planning your trip!

ADDED: I almost forgot the Heinz History Center with Pittsburgh regional history including sports history. Right now they have an exhibit of people, inventions, ideas that originated from Pittsburgh.

I second the Baltimore Inner Harbour suggestion. We did a long weekend there last year (3 kids, 1 3 and 5) and they loved it. We stayed right at the Inner Harbour and were able to walk to everything. There is a science musuem, a great children's musuem, the aquarium, water taxi's, sightseeing boat trips, a park/fort, ESPNZone, plus lots of neat neighborhoods and restaurants. We also went to the B&O Train Musuem, which is about a 10 minute drive away.

My kids ask when we can go back again.

Sesame Place in Langhorne PA or The Please touch museum in Philly. Actually, there are many museums to choose from. The Phila. zoo is a fun place.

Washington DC.THe smithsonian is educational anf fun!!!

Fun places - Trexer Game Preserve - Trexlertown PA
Elmwood zoo in Norristown.
There is a great book which I loaned out and did not get back - it is about one day trips in the Philadelphia area. Valley Forge park is a great place for a picnic - bike riding and they have programs for children - baking for the troops..
Aubudon's home in -where else - Audubon PA - great walking and a bird santuary.
Check out the front of the phone book for local places, the newspapers have Events Sections that list upcoming local events. June 6th in Skippack - there will be a naturalist with hawks and eagles - FREE! This area if filled with weekend fairs and historical reenactments.
Hellerstown had a small cavern to explore and there are wonderful places to hike in Peace Valley Park.
Don't forget the Farmer's Markets!!

Knoebles is a good place for an over night trip and not too far away. I also heard Storybook Land was good for little ones, it is in Egg Harbor Township.

The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia has interactive displays. It is also known as the "please touch me" museum. Also consider the Philadelphia Zoo. Or Lake Tobias near Harrisburg. In Lancaster, Sight and Sound does wonderful plays based on the Bible such as "The Beginning" complete with live animals that children and adults adore.

How about camping? You can use a tent or some camp sites have rustic cabins or even full electricity cabins. You could go over by Pittsburgh area and go to their zoo and aquarium. Camp sites are cheaper than hotel rooms and you could find one with a stream or lake or swimming pool, in the woods. Some have events daily or weekly to get the family involved in like music, dances, crafts, dinners, etc.

We're renting a cabin an hour from Pittsburgh in the Laurel Mountains? We're not from here, lol. We're renting a cabin (huge house) for cheap because they're mainly for the ski season so it's cheaper in the summer than in the winter. We're paying just $450 for a Friday to Friday, fully furnished with dishes and all, linens, a fire pit with wood included. Two state parks with swimming near by. There's a revolutionary fort 30 minutes away. It's located 3 hours from Harrisburg and an hour from Pittsburgh. We'll spend a day at the zoo/aquarium and a day at the fort.

Check out http://www.vrbo.com/ in the area of interest for you. Many places are giving discounts due to the poor economy. You'll find some areas are more expensive and some areas are less. Stick to the cheaper areas.

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HarrisburgPAChat
chat and events within 2 hour radius

It isn't more than a day trip but the Baltimore National Aquarium is pretty amazing and high on the educational scale. While you're there you can also check out the children's hands on museum right down the road and then there are old war ships too! We always take a couple of days and head there each year :)

I love Idlewild and Soakzone in Ligonier. I have 4 year old triplets and they love this park.

hi mommy ,
'PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ME GO TO DISNEY'!
I travel all the time . in and out of the country . with and without grandkids.
#1= please DO NOT TAKE YOUR CHILDREN TO 'CRAZY" places like DISNEY, DORNEY , Seasame place WAY TOOOO BIG OVERLOAD FOR PARENTS /CHILDREN !!!! TRUST ME !
Disney is graet for those whiny pre teens and teen agers ! chuckle.[ trust me .. they smile]
as parents ; you decide on price $$$, do you want to haul stuff?, fly, drive, etc ...
you have a baby/ toddler [ need a stroller /back pack] and a fun love'n 4 year old .. so ; the 1 year old will not remember anything [ she requires just stuff] , your 4 yr. old wants to play on vaca and mom and dad want rest .
#1= Gettysburgh [ great $35.00 personal driver tours, in your car, with a history teacher]PHIL was great !
#2- GHOST walks !!!!!! COOL for 4 yr old & mom& dad
#3= educational
#4= Cycleroma [sp]is fantastic did re-open .. you will cry and love it .
now, look for a ____@____.com with an INDOOR /OUTDOOR pool ...take floation devices along ....
rain/ shine .. you got to rest , education , and play !!!!
Boyds Bear is located [approx] 2 miles down the road ... fun to walk through the barn[ 4 stories] the clearance floor is #3...tons of stuff ... daddy can 'nap' on ground floor w/ the giant bears and comfy chairs .....
YOU NEVER WANT TO OVERLOAD THE SMALL CHILDREN.
2 day stay is long enough .
* other choices= [ for their ages]
= Thomas the train and stay @ area hotel w/ pool
= 3 hour boat tours than stay @ a hotel w/ a pool
=Boston has the ' duck tours' and stay @ area hotel w/ parking
= Aguirium [sp]state of Conn. than stay in a hotel
= EVERYTHING is educational for KIDS !!!! EVERYTHING ... and KIDS love the 'pool' part of the va -ca !!!!!! and parents can rest !
= if drive'n - stop @ road side stands [all are educational, farmers,etc.; let kids pick a peach] , stop at potty stops , start a magnet collection for the children @ every stop along the way !!!!!!!!!trust me ; they will love it !
ps= take your journal along , date it . and write about the ' family' fun to read to them in years to come !!!!
a grammy