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Last Minute Vacations
Following are some good last minute vacation ideas:
Historic Fourth of July
Colonial Williamsburg is the place for a fun and educational outing.
Kids under 17 stay free at all Colonial Williamsburg Hotels, and
when kids are guests at these hotels, they receive free admission
to different attractions and activities in Williamsburg. For the
holiday weekend, there are 18th-century children's games and activities,
theatrical performances and art exhibits. The festivities culminate
on the 4th with a dinner picnic and firework show on Governor's
Palace.
Authentic Western Fourth of July
In Jackson Hole, Wyo., visitors can ride horseback, attend storytelling
at Old Town, and watch a gunfight re-enactment. There is a huge
music festival with games and activities for the kids, as well as
a fireworks display accompanied by an orchestra. If that's not enough,
Grand Teton National Park is only minutes away.
Orlando Fun
At Sea World, there are 200 acres of world-class shows, thrill rides,
animal encounters and a nighttime show called "Mistify."
For the Fourth, there are even more fireworks and surprises.
Outdoor Enthusiasts
The Travel Mom loves to take her family to Mammoth Mountain, in
central California. Near record snowfalls this past winter have
made skiing possible all the way into the summer. Mountain biking,
hiking and fishing are also popular. For golfers, this is a great
place to enjoy the links. There are fireworks shows scheduled throughout
the weekend and accommodations at the Village at Mammoth.
Steamboat Cruise
Take one of the Delta Queen Steamboat's authentic riverboats down
the Mississippi River for a slice of classic Americana. Kids under
18 cruise free on Family Riverventure vacations, where families
can explore plantations on shore excursions, create family trees
and enjoy visits to Mark Twain's America.
Last Minute Summer Vacation Ideas
Massachusetts: Lenox, Eastover Resort.
Families looking for a carefree vacation experience that allows
everyone time to unwind, have fun and rejuvenate; Eastover Resort
has the answer. All-inclusive and family friendly, the seasoned
staff pays attention to the details making it easy for guests to
relax. The accommodations have a home spun comfortable feeling that
enhances the stress free atmosphere. There are no televisions or
air conditioners in rooms and only a limited number of rooms have
telephones. Most of the indoor activities are conducted at the mansion
or in the adjacent annex. Many meals are served in the oversized
dinning room within the mansion while others are buffet style by
the pool or in the shaded pine grove picnic area. Activities include
bingo, volleyball, wiffleball, tennis, archery, golf, shuffleboard,
skeet, softball, hayrides, horseshoes, and group dancing. Each day
for two hours in the morning, two hours in the afternoon and one
hour each evening there are staff-supervised children’s programs.
Value Added: Pizza and cookies for a snack each night, what could
be better? The all inclusive rate also includes unlimited non-alcoholic
beverages throughout your stay (sodas, juices, coffee, tea). Bonus
points: On the resort property, 70 acres of land has been reserved
for grazing by a small heard of bison. Guests interested in visiting
the bison may wish to check out Eastover’s Safari Ride on
scheduled days. On site is a small museum, The American Heritage
Room, which houses one of the largest private collections of Civil
War memorabilia.
Location: Located in the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts.
California: Montecito-Sequoia Resort.
This is the place where everyone in the family is on a holiday.
They have an enthusiastic, talented friendly staff who enjoy making
certain that family gatherings are pleasant. They wrote the book
on carefree family vacations. Located at 7,500 feet in the Sequoia
National Forest, about approximately one hour from Fresno, it is
almost heaven for moms. The vacation atmosphere is the result of
combining the best of resort and camp time. They produce casino
nights, host country square dancing, set camp fires, provide coffee
house time, direct sing-a-longs, organize win lose or draw, bingo,
and show slides of the area’s national parks. They create
an environment where families can enjoy doing one-of-a-kind activities
like fort-building and the climbing-wall family challenge. Bonus
Points: The hospitality and snack bar provides guests with snacks,
fruit, and beverages 24/7. It is possible to enjoy a cup of coffee,
tea, or hot chocolate; make a sandwich or have a bowl of cereal
at anytime. Family vacation packages include lodging, meals, and
activities for 2 to 17+ years of age. In addition to handling family
gatherings they also have special weeks reserved for Family Adventure
& Vacation Camp.
Location: Near Kings Canyon National Park.
Tennessee: Pigeon Forge, Family Fun Smokies Style.
Cool mountain air only improves as August matures. Before school
schedules unfold for yet another academic run, think about creating
your own family getaway from the Pigeon Forge activity-rich menu.
Select from more than 10 family friendly sleeping places and combine
it with an assortment of activities and entertainment, including
Dixie Stampede and Dollywood. The result is a one-of-a-kind family
vacation creation. All packages include free gifts and money saving
coupons to make shopping part of the fun. Bonus points: All month
long enjoy “Breakfast with the Bears” at Boyds Bear
Country. Meet Digby, Molly or Sebastian – the costumed characters
from Boyds and have fun with the kids. Also in August, Boyds Bear
Country kicks-off the 6th Annual "Celebrate Freedom" festivities
with a 5K Run for the bears, silent auction, Young Patriot's Country
Fair, scavenger hunt, parade, live entertainment and door prizes.
Location: The Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism, Pigeon Forge,
TN 37868.
Arkansas: Scott Valley Resort and Guest Ranch.
This family vacation find is located in the Ozarks. Off the beaten
path families are truly welcome all over the 625 acres. The place
has natural beauty that may go unnoticed by the kids but for adults
the misty meadows, woodland, rocky cliffs and spring-fed streams
are a bonus. At Scott Valley Resort and Guest Ranch, families can
be active or just do nothing entire stay. One of the draws for families
is the horseback riding. Kids of all ages are encouraged to mount
up. Wranglers lead trail rides into the forest making all skill
levels feel at ease. Better than horses there is a petting zoo with
no age limit. Bonus Points: Onsite there is full playground complete
with slide, swings, rocking horse and sandbox. For those of you
interested in fishing, the White River is nearby and the resort
furnishes a complimentary boat for guests. Fly-casting or bank fishing
on the White and North Fork Rivers is another option. For those
families who relate to canoes, the resort provides them with compliments.
Guests are encouraged to try a trip down the White River, where
they will see blue heron nesting and plenty of evidence of wild
kingdom.
Hawaii: Oahu, Outrigger Reef Resort Cowabunga Kids Program.
For those who are looking to travel to Hawaii, the Outrigger Reef
Resort on Waikiki Beach has a special children’s program.
This “Cowabunga Kids Program” features daily activities
and excursions that are supervised by professional staff. Island
activities include boogie-boarding, ocean kayaking, fishing, and
canoe rides. And, for those activities that are on dry land, ceramic
painting and Hawaiian flower lei making are also part of the program.
Bonus points: Guided children’s excursions are offered such
as a trip to the Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park where kids can play
in fresh water for hours as well as a trip to the Honolulu Zoo in
which kids visit an “African Savannah” and meet animals
close up! Other excursions take children to the Kualoa Ranch, a
4,000-acre ranch on the shore, which housed the movie sets of Jurassic
Park and Godzilla. And, for kids who like the sea and its animals,
visits to the Sea Life Park and Waikiki Aquarium teach children
about sharks, dolphins, seals, penguins, and other South Pacific
sea life.
Location: Honolulu Waikiki Beach
Montana: Yellowstone, Geysers, Lakes and Canyons.
The season is in full swing at Wilderness Inquiry, a Minneapolis
based company with an excellent reputation for providing the best
possible vacation escapes in North America. Theses guys are fun
to be around and vacation with. They have the ability to provide
families exceptional wilderness vacations. One of the most dramatic
trips has a base camp in the heart of Yellowstone. Families have
the opportunity to paddle Lake Yellowstone in a 24-foot Voyageur
canoe. Evenings are spent by the campfire sharing stories and eating
s'mores. No matter the age Yellowstone is a trip that involves all
of the senses. Kids generally love being with other kids and the
mountains, likes, geysers and food are part of the fringe benefits.
Days include hiking within the park to the postcard locations like
Norris Geyser Basin and Old Faithful. Family members get the chance
to paddle Yellowstone Lake, looking for wildlife. Those wanting
to try their luck at fishing may do so at Lewis Lake. One of the
most dramatic hikes passes through Dunraven Pass. The trip is best
described as wild and wonderful. Parents need to make very little
effort because the guides are prepared with games and activities
for all ages. All of their trips are earth friendly and inspirational.
Bonus points: No camping or outdoor experience is necessary to participate
in these trips. You don't even have to plan meals. All you have
to do is come prepared for fun in the outdoors, we'll take care
of the restOn all Family trips, the fee for youth 16 and younger
is half off the regular fee.
Location: Wilderness Inquiry 808 14th AVE SE Minneapolis
Virginia: Virginia Beach, Family Fun at the Beach.
From sandcastles and dolphin encounters to a harbor seal splash
and music under the stars, fun at the beach is the order of the
day. The resort city of Virginia Beach has a variety of different
types of accommodation packages to suit any size family. While staying
on or near the beach, your family can watch for dolphins, kayak
the waterways, visit the Virginia Science Museum or nearby Williamsburg.
Concerts along the boardwalk are always happening in the summer.
Coastal Virginia's top family attractions including Busch Gardens
Williamsburg, Water Country USA, the Virginia Marine Science Museum,
the Virginia Air Space Center, Nauticus-the National Maritime Center
and the new Battleship Wisconsin. Discovery: Starting June 18th,
visitors to Virginia Beach and Williamsburg can enjoy a comfortable,
free ride back and forth between these two popular tourist destinations
by taking The Boomerang, a free summertime shuttle service being
offered by VDOT. Departures leave the 24th Street and Atlantic Avenue
kiosk in Virginia Beach each morning with one bus traveling to Busch
Gardens and one traveling to the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor’s
Center. The same bus will return with visitors traveling from the
Colonial Williamsburg Visitor’s Center to Virginia Beach.
For departure schedules and a complete list of frequently asked
questions, visit www.164info.com. Bonus points: One of the best
events in the Southeast, the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival in
September is a local tradition that celebrates Virginia Beach's
sea faring heritage and the acts as the grand finale of summer.
The festival features the North American Sand Sculpting Championship,
a magnificent oceanfront Arts and Craft show right on the boardwalk
in front of our Hotel and meandering on for blocks, great musical
acts, fireworks, awesome seafood and much, much more. Location:
Virginia Beach Visitors Bureau.
Wyoming: Cody, Digging for Dinos. |
The Wyoming Dinosaur Center near the town of Thermopolis is one
of the world's largest fossil quarries. The 12,000 –square
foot of exhibition area contains 20 full-size mounted skeletons,
including 10 dinosaurs. Fossils and life-forms from earliest geologic
time periods are displayed in a time-perspective. There are more
than 200 displays throughout the museum. Bonus points: The good
news is that they allow visitors to participate at one of the dig
sites. Families have the chance to meet and assist scientists in
actual filed work. The opportunity to unearth the remains of Jurassic-era
reptiles such as a Diplodocus or a Camarasaurus makes even kids
with a mild interest in dinosaurs bubble with anticipation. The
dig site overlooks the red hills on the northern end of the Wind
River Canyon. Digs, held daily in the summer months, are best suited
for mature, responsible kids ages six or older. The adventure includes
materials, lunch and transport to the site. There is a nominal charge
for an additional child. For those adding days a 20% discount applies
to the second day and 25% to the third day. Location: The Wyoming
Dinosaur Center 110 Carter Ranch Road
Last Minute Vacation Links / Last Minute Vacation Resources
Travelocity - Last Minute Travel Specials Find last minute travel
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Choose a travel destination to see last minute airfares specials.
site: travelocity.lmdeals.com
Travelocity - Last Minute Travel Specials Find last minute travel
deals at Travelocity.
Choose a travel destination to see last minute airfares specials.
site: http://travelocity.lmdeals.com
Holiday Discount Centre Lists holiday packages and last-minute deals
for vacations departing from the United Kingdom to destinations
worldwide.
Search through hundreds of packaged holidays.
site: http://www.holidaydiscountcentre.co.uk/
Cruise Vacations Free information, resources & links to cruise
vacations.
site: http://www.globalwebsvcs.com
Holiday Discount Centre Lists holiday packages and last-minute deals
for vacations departing from the United Kingdom to destinations
worldwide.
Search through hundreds of packaged holidays.
site: www.holidaydiscountcentre.co.uk
Looking for Last Minute Cruise Vacation?
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Last Minute Vacation Tips and Last Minute Vacation Ideas
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