Vacation Help: Where to take active 6 year old and a baby? Southeast USA

March 29, 2018 6:53 AM

Our 6 year old has never been on a "vacation" and has been asking about one for over a year now. Now we also have a 7 month old daughter. We can't agree on a vacation to save our lives. HALP.

Husband and I are in early 30's. Both not in good shape, and we don't have a lot of cash. We are getting a tax return this year, and decided to take a vacation since our son has NEVER been on one and has been asking for about 2 years now.

We have a 6 year old and a 7 month old daughter. We cannot agree on a vacation to save our lives.

Things we have considered:
A cruise from Florida to the Bahamas or Mexico. (We live in FL) (my choice)
Visiting Disney for a few days and staying in a Disney resort. (his choice)

Key things to consider:
1. Babies and cruises does not sound like fun at all. I am afraid this will severely limit any activities we can do together with my son.
2. I hate Disney. I can't stand amusement parks, and I am really overweight so walking a lot kills my feet and back like you can't believe. (Truth hurts).
3. Husband wants to do something different besides a cruise, which is why he is pushing for Disney so hard.
4. We want to go just the 4 of us, no relatives.
5. I love to lounge around and enjoy a great pool and drinks, my husband does not.

I'm trying to think outside the box and I'm stuck. Any family oriented vacations you'd suggest for my small family?

posted by Sara_NOT_Sarah to Travel & Transportation (31 answers total)

What if you stay in your region and go to a hotel-attached kiddie water park, like a Great Wolf Lodge? Much less expensive and logistically easy.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 6:57 AM on March 29, 2018 [15 favorites]

Is this being a full-family-togetherness vacation the most important feature? Because in similar circumstances my instinct would be to divide and conquer. If the 6-year-old and your husband want to go to Disney, maybe they could just go together? I just sent my husband and our 5-year-old to Great Wolf Lodge for 2 days while I stayed home and had a staycation. At some later point this spring/summer, I'll probably take the kid (we only have the one, so slightly different circumstance) off and do something that is fun for him and me and leave husband home to keep the home fires burning (and enjoy the quiet).
posted by soren_lorensen at 6:58 AM on March 29, 2018 [4 favorites]

Response by poster: @pseudostrabismus This is actually something I have been considering as well! We have one about 6 hours away that just opened.
posted by Sara_NOT_Sarah at 7:06 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]

Depending on where in Florida you live, this may or may not sound appealing, but as a native Georgian, some of our best vacations were to the Florida Panhandle. Get a beachfront condo/house (something where there's a bedroom door you can close), chill on the beach, you and husband can take turns taking the 6yo to do some sort of activity a couple of days. We've done this a couple of times with our kids and we had fun.

Wherever you go, it will be far less stressful if you get someplace homelike with a kitchenette and at least one bedroom door. Then you don't have to go to a restaurant for every meal (HAVING to go out for breakfast with kids gets old), and you can put the kids to bed, close the door, and sit on the balcony with cocktails you brought the supplies for. (IME, hotel room with 2 little kids can be nightmare fuel.)

If you can't find a place with enough beds, you can get one of these kid air mattresses and a little bitty pump for the older kid. We have traveled with them before and they work fine. Any sort of official vacation rental should be able to set you up with a pack and play for the baby, and a spare set of twin sheets for the inflatable bed.
posted by telepanda at 7:07 AM on March 29, 2018 [10 favorites]

Go to Disney, stay at Caribbean Beach Resort (just remodeled - find one of the WDW fan sites to see which "village" is closest to the food court). Rent a scooter for yourself at the parks -- you won't be the only one. You get your pool and drinks, your husband gets Disney, and your son gets both, which is a bangin' vacation for a six year old.
posted by kimberussell at 7:10 AM on March 29, 2018 [3 favorites]

If you aren't flush with cash, I would do a low key vacation that doesn't blow all your cash - especially is you don't have THE dream vacation you can all agree on. (Save for a second long weekend vacation)

One thing- I have gone to Disney about 6 times. Only one time stayed in the resort and was pretty disappointed. Actually very disappointed. Cheap restaurants (and better) are SO far away. Hotel rooms SO small. Service, meh. Food very disappointing and terrible. Nothing felt more convenient since the hotels are still so far from the park.
We have chosen to come back to this place over and over.

The pool is great, the rooms are huge with full kitchen, and you can get the room for about 100 bucks a night sometimes. The pool has a snack bar and bar with giant pirate ship, water slide and many hot tubs.

Why don't you choose a weekend, spend one day at Disney (instead of multiple days at Disney where you feet might really start to get to you) , then go to Disney on Friday and really push it knowing that you have the next two days lounging by the pool. You could do a couple half day things or evening things like downtown Disney (free) and Ripley's believe it or not.

Even though you hate amusement parks I am sure your 6 year old will love it.
posted by beccaj at 7:12 AM on March 29, 2018 [2 favorites]

Seconding the "go to Disney". The beauty of resorts is that they kind of take you by the hand and walk you through everything, so the planning is low-impact - which can be good when you have kids.

Also - yeah, you may hate Disney, but seeing your kid flipping his shit over how awesome it is will be cute. My parents may have rather spit tacks than go to Disney with me and my brother, but one of my father's favorite pictures of me is of six-year-old me hugging Tigger and visibly insane with glee.

And yeah, there is a lot of opportunity to lay around by pools and drink at Disney World. Disney knows that adults come and may want more chill stuff to do. ...I had a roommate whose cousin paid for the entire family to go to Disney World; my roommate was not a "Disney theme park" person, and went grudgingly, but came back with a huge grin saying that he was indeed able to chill by pools and go to restaurants and basically stay away from the mayhem except for a couple of "family" appearances, and it was great.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:15 AM on March 29, 2018 [5 favorites]

Florida residents get discounts on Disney stuff, like cheap park and annual passes, so check out those options. Also Google “crowd calendar” to plan less crowded days. Summer is generally awful in the parks though.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 7:30 AM on March 29, 2018 [2 favorites]

If you do the Disney resort option, you can go with one of the Value All Star resorts which, of you catch them at the right moment, can cost the equivalent of your average Sleep Inn room and the like. The pools are awesome and they always have activities going on. The food is... well, not awesome, just okay.

If you're willing to spend a bit more, go for the Port Orleans French Quarter, which has a totally different vibe and layout compared to all the other resorts. It's the smallest one, so things aren't quite as spread out, and is just more relaxed. There's also boat service to Disney Springs from there, though the motor sounds like it was ripped out of a WWII Spitfire.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 7:33 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]

Also, if you search online there is a vast treasure trove of accessibility information online about Disney, including actual measurements for rides so you can tell ahead of time if you could fit them (in the event that you are at all interested and/or might want to go on it with a kid). From what I understand, it's one of the most accessible theme parks, so you may be able to split the difference.

Resort might also provide some amount of babysitting option if the parents want to do like a nice dinner out one time.
posted by oblique red at 7:33 AM on March 29, 2018

Babies and cruises does not sound like fun at all. I am afraid this will severely limit any activities we can do together with my son.

I'm here to tell you, taking a baby on a cruise SUUUCCCKKKSSS. They can't go to the kids club (so you are stuck with the baby 24/7), they get cabin fever quickly, drunken passengers are not looking out for small children so you are constantly worried about their safety, in short, there is no relaxation to be had. We are purposely waiting for our youngest to turn 4 before we attempt our next cruise (which will in fact be a Disney cruise, so that it will be kid-friendly).

I think a Disney vacation is pretty expensive if you are just going to hang out at the pool. Great Wolf lodge is expensive too but may end up being a better compromise.

I've said in previous threads, for the last few years we just go to a hotel with a great pool and spend the day lounging, but something like Great Wolf might hit the sweet spot with your hubby's need to have something to do. But don't rule out other things like a place with a great nature reserve, or a coastal vacation where your hubby and 6yo can go out on a fishing boat for a day, etc.
posted by vignettist at 7:34 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]

I was a lucky kid and got to go to Disney a lot and on several cruises, but my favorite vacation ever was when my mom took me to Hawks Cay on Duck Key. I have no idea how expensive it is now, but I know she got a great deal 20 years ago as a Florida resident traveling during the off season. It's a resort where you can lay back on the beach or at the pool, but they also have tons of activities, fishing, snorkeling, and DOLPHINS.
posted by galvanized unicorn at 7:42 AM on March 29, 2018 [2 favorites]

Also, I just took my kids to Disney World with my mom in a scooter and I would definitely avoid it during peak times. Even with elaborately planned fast pass schedules, it seemed more crowded and required more time standing in lines than I can remember. They recently changed the rules on guests with scooters, so it involved a lot of times where my mom either had to stand in line or transfer to a wheelchair and sit in line forever.
posted by galvanized unicorn at 7:54 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]

Honestly I'd say go way smaller than either of those, especially with a young baby and generally inexperienced travelers. Is there a city within a few hours' drive or short flight that has an inexpensive hotel with a pool, a children's museum, a cool playground nearby, and some unusual form of transportation that the 6 year old hasn't been on before (boat/train/city bus)? Do that for a long weekend. A waterpark is also a cool idea. My kid's near that age, is also always advocating for vacations, and his favorite part of trips is always something incidental, like a pool at the hotel or a giant ice cream he could have had at home. He likes the novelty of a new place to sleep and seems to enjoy the cheap trips as much as the pricey ones. (I'd tentatively recommend Charlotte; we had a long layover there and had a fun whirlwind of a time within 40 minutes' drive of the airport hub.).
posted by tchemgrrl at 7:57 AM on March 29, 2018 [6 favorites]

Depending on where you work, check to see if your employer(s) have any sort of work-life balance program that offers discounts. Great Wolf definitely offers these at my company, and Disney may in states where it has a park. I think something less than Disney might be good - to your 6 year old, a hotel and a pool will be great! Throw in some fun attraction(s) as suggested above and he will be a happy camper I think. Save Disney until your baby is older and can enjoy it, and the same for the cruise. Spring training? You and baby could lounge by the pool, your husband and son could see a game or two.
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 8:05 AM on March 29, 2018

Disney is very good at providing a vacation experience. It's possible to make some of it a bit affordable, but it's not inexpensive. I took my son at about that age (thanks, Nana) and it was fun for him and me for a day, but also kind of overwhelming. The 2nd day, given the option, he chose the hotel pool. Personally, I find Disney enjoyable, but I am always aware that my fun is manufactured. I would not incur debt to go there.

You have Biscayne National Park, Everglades NP, Canaveral Natl. Seashore, Dry Tortugas NP, Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve, Big Cypress National Preserve, and more in Fla. Congaree NP in S. Carolina, Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia. You could go to a few of them, stay in hotels, with pools, your son and husband could explore. My grown son talks far more about our trip to Yellowstone, than the one to Disney. Or make it your mission to see Florida. For all the flack it takes, it has a lot of beauty. Have you been to Key West? Go see the Space Center. One thing about National and State Parks and exploring your state is that you'll get ideas for the next vacation. There will usually be a nice hotel in or near the park, good food, and the ability to hang out by a pool with a refreshing beverage. At both Disney and Natl. Parks, there will be other kids for your son to run around with. Wherever you go, have fun.
posted by theora55 at 8:05 AM on March 29, 2018

I know this is probably a bit off base and I have no idea how you live, but my kids love a pool and a hottub, so if you aren't flush with cash I'd recommend just taking a drive up the Florida coast and staying in a La Quinta or whatever that has a pool and a hottub. My kids 4 & 7 year old love the pools on the drive in BFE New Mexico and Arizona way more than the beaches or Disney in southern California. Of course that will change when they get older, but when they are kids, don't think too hard about it. Simply staying in a hotel means 'vacation' to a small kid.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:17 AM on March 29, 2018 [3 favorites]

I'm a huge Disney booster so I'm biased, but if your husband is up for it and you can afford it, staying on site at a Disney resort is kind of the ideal choice, with caveats. Your son is at an ideal age to go and have an awesomely magical time. Is there any way you can leave the baby with relatives for a few days if you decide to do this? Babies at Disney World has never looked like a lot of fun to me.

One thing I'll say is that while Disney World is pretty much always crowded and often surface-of-the-sun levels of hot, super overweight people go there all the time, every day, and have a great time. You would NOT feel out of place on a scooter there.
posted by cakelite at 8:34 AM on March 29, 2018 [2 favorites]

Would a Disney cruise be a compromise your husband would settle for? This article talks about the accommodations they have for babies.
posted by telophase at 8:40 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]

Since you live in Florida, have you ever explored the Big Bend area below Tallahassee?

This time of year, the area along Carrabelle, Alligator Point, and Panacea, should be pretty good for a vacation rental.

Just a thought.
posted by sandpine at 8:44 AM on March 29, 2018

Another vote for a simple beach vacation in Florida or elsewhere on the Gulf Coast. Get an airbnb or something. Kids have endless fun on the beach, babies are easily amused, and adults can lounge.
posted by adiabatic at 8:49 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]

(and your husband can go for a hike or something since he's not excited about relaxing)
posted by adiabatic at 8:50 AM on March 29, 2018

One more vote for a simple beach vacation. I'm reminded of the time we broke our necks taking our small children to Disney, and when asked on the way home what their favorite things were, one said the ice machine in the hotel, and the other said chasing birds on the lawn.
posted by MelissaSimon at 9:08 AM on March 29, 2018 [17 favorites]

If you're in FL, I wonder if you already have easy access to beaches etc.

I'd suggest Atlanta as a dark horse? I went on a trip there at about your son's age and really enjoyed the Coke museum and the zoo. There's also a world-class aquarium I am lusting to go to, and a puppetry museum/center. There's a Six Flags park too.

I'd get a nice hotel you can lounge at and maybe take turns most days with one of you taking your son out and one staying in with the baby, so you don't have to pack everything up every time.

*If you can tell us specific things your son is interested in or thinks of as 'vacation', we might have more ideas!
posted by nakedmolerats at 9:10 AM on March 29, 2018 [2 favorites]

Seconding what tchemgrrl says above. You're in Jacksonville, right? Drive up to Savannah, just 2 hours away, stay at a nice hotel with a pool, take the kid to the children's museum, visit various touristy things, eat out. You won't have to spend much to do that for a few days and won't arrive home exhausted. Or go to Charleston, it has a great water park and a fantastic aquarium, as well as lots of other stuff. Or do both, very doable.
posted by mareli at 9:39 AM on March 29, 2018 [2 favorites]

In the vein of tchemgrrl's recommendation, two great low key vacations we've taken have been:
1) chicago-st. louis loop. We did a day/night in Springfield seeing Lincoln stuff, went to STL for the Japanese festival, and on the way back we came through Peoria and stayed in a state park where you can SLEEP IN A CABOOSE, FOR REAL, OMG. Did kids' museum and state park stuff there.

2) Rockford, IL; 3 day weekend. Stayed in a shitty motel, went to natural history museum one day and children's museum the next, and happened upon the most beautiful rose garden you have ever seen in your entire life. Rose garden also happened to be a Pokemon paradise and our kid nearly died of joy.

There's a lot to be said for "identify mildly interesting city within a reasonable radius that you haven't been to; spend 1-2 nights and do mildly interesting things there."
posted by telepanda at 9:47 AM on March 29, 2018 [3 favorites]

If you have kids who are 6 and 0 and you don't get to take family vacations very often, don't you think it would be better to save Disney for when it's an experience for both kids? 10 and 4? 11 and 5? I honestly think a less expensive water park resort where you and your daughter can sit by the pool or hang on your patio or whatever while your husband does all the water park activities with your son seems like a great bet. Honestly, with 30% off the opening dates for the Atlanta Great Wolf with admission passes included, this seems like a no-brainer to me?
posted by DarlingBri at 10:14 AM on March 29, 2018 [4 favorites]

Six isn't necessarily the "ideal age" for Disney, some kids are overwhelmed by the experience. (A parent I used to know had a hilarious—in retrospect only—story about her 5/6 year old child's meltdown in "It's a Small World".) My kids were 4 and 7 when we made the trip. All went well, i.e., no meltdowns, the kids had a good time, but iirc, the jacuzzi in the bathroom was the real highlight of their trip.

We spent one long day at the park and I wouldn't have returned for another day on a bet. Also, there was much less walking and considerably more standing/waiting than I expected.

Seconding those who have said that "vacation" to a 6 year old likely means "doing something different in a new place". You live near the beach, so maybe a weekend in the Smokey Mountains? Considering the baby, I would definitely go as low-key as possible. Save your money and take a bigger/more significant vacation when he's old enough to truly enjoy the destination/experience (rather than, for example, the hotel amenities) and actually remember it.
posted by she's not there at 10:29 AM on March 29, 2018

Have you asked your 6 year old what he means by vacation? What is he dreaming of?

For most kids I know, "vacation" means these things:
- hotel
- hotel pool
- beach
- family all together all day
- campfire s'mores

I think you're overthinking it a little. Find an inexpensive place that is interesting, get a decent hotel with a pool and things to do within walking distance. Have pillow fights in the hotel room. Treat yourself to something crazy like a historic carriage ride or a sunset sailboat cruise. Eat in some crazy theme restaurant. Maybe see some historic sites.

But don't sweat it. Making memories is much more about the making than the actual memories.
posted by anastasiav at 10:42 AM on March 29, 2018 [5 favorites]

Last year for a long weekend we ended up going to a small town that had a decent number of attractions. Unfortunately it was raining the whole weekend. Our hotel had an indoor pool and we were able to see a kids movie at a drive-in one night and that was enough for our kids (then 5 and 2) to have a great time.

The previous year we went to Niagara Falls and didn't really do that much but our daughter loved it. We might end up going there again this year.

I think more than anything else, the fact that you're staying in a hotel and took a trip to go somewhere is enough for kids. I don't think my kids are particularly easy to please, they've been on "real" trips as well with 14 hour flights and amusement parks, so as long as they're away from home and perhaps having a bit more ice cream than usual they'll be happy.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 1:00 PM on March 29, 2018

Nthing that six years old is actually pretty young for Disney. It's a lot, and the days are long and will be hard on the patience of child that small, plus you'll have the baby, and you and your husband will be itchy to get your money's worth because it's expensive. Plus, you don't like amusement parks. That's a super valid reason. If you and your husband were both Disney enthusiasts who were looking forward to Disneying anyway, that'd be different, but this isn't the case. While there are all kinds deals that can make it cheaper, it can turn into a bit of a project to line them up. My friends who enjoy going to Disney also kind of love the thrill of hunting down all the discount hacks for getting a lot of bang for their buck.

There's a lot to be said for "identify mildly interesting city within a reasonable radius that you haven't been to; spend 1-2 nights and do mildly interesting things there."

This. Every other suggestion in this thread sounds more reasonable and fun than Disney for your situation.
posted by desuetude at 1:09 PM on March 29, 2018