We're looking for a good place to take at least a week long vacation that's driveable. Considering Destin or renting a cabin in the Smokies? Kids are 12, 16, and 18.

Appreciate any ideas or good driveable vaca's anyone has had.

Grand Canyon?
Rent a condo in South Padre for a week?

New Orleans, whitewater rafting in Colorado, camping in Big Bend, or the beaches in Alabama or Destin or South Padre to name a few.

Smoky Mountains/blue Ridge Parkway .

Road tripped there as a family when I was a kid and it was one of my favorites. I've been back to Colorado, NM, Louisiana, Mississippi, redneck riviera multiple times in my life since family vacations there as a kid, but I haven't been back to the smokies. I feel like it's a forgotten destination. Can't wait to get back. Just beautiful, and tons of creative and fun side trips once you're up there.

Check this place out:

http://www.parkwaycabins.com

We know some folks who are friends with the owners of those. Never stayed there but have been trying to go see them for a couple years now. They're near a lot of great areas.

We are taking the family to Destin for 6 day vacation in June.never been there before, but have heard great things about it from everyone i have talked to.long drive, but looks like great beaches, lots to do for kids and teens, and great food, especially if you like fresh seafood. we booked a house on homeaway.com one block off the beach. I'm so done with hotel rooms. book a house!

Define drivable. I drove to San Francisco one year and north Carolina one year for vacation.

i personally would define driveable for a one week vacay to be 12 hours max one way.

You can have a great time by staying in Durango for a week and working the Rockies from there. What you have is...

jeep trips in many directions from mild drive to life threatening.

Rent a boat and Fishing in the Vallecito Reservoir, Animas River, make other lakes and rivers.

Go over to Mesa Verde for a day if anyone interested in history of the SW.

Ride the narrow gauge railroad up to Silverton though the mountains.

Camping and hiking in many locations

White water rafting down the Animas River

Rent a cabin for the week.

Drive the million dollar highway to Ouray up to Ridgeway and then around to Telluride...through snowballs in the middle of August! Bake to Ouray over the mountains to Durango.

Hit Red River, Taos and Santa Fe on the way there or back.

You could make two weeks with just that.



Lots of shops, art gallaries in Durango and many other towns in the area.

If you have never been to Yellowstone, you should do that. The drive is long, but you can hit other national parks along the way.... but I'd spend at least 2-3 days seeing Yellowstone.

We took a driving vacation to Niagara falls. Used the AAA Trip books. Had a general idea when we wanted to end up there, but made no plans for along the way. Took 3-4 days to get there.

Searched out roadside attractions, hotels, local restaurants, etc. stopped at a Six Flags, a cave, the Corvette museum, Hot Springs, etc.

Never drove more than 5 hours in a day and never spent more than two hours in the car between stops going. Drove a little more direct coming back.


Had a great time.

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We took a driving vacation to Niagara falls. Used the AAA Trip books. Had a general idea when we wanted to end up there, but made no plans for along the way. Took 3-4 days to get there.

Searched out roadside attractions, hotels, local restaurants, etc. stopped at a Six Flags, a cave, the Corvette museum, Hot Springs, etc.

Never drove more than 5 hours in a day and never spent more than two hours in the car between stops going. Drove a little more direct coming back.


Had a great time.

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And made it there and back in a week?

Just a short drive outside of Austin you will find some of the most amazing and relaxing times in Texas. We love Krause Springs, Hamilton Pool and other fun swimming holes around there. If you have never been there, it is nearly like you were transported to a tropical location with just a very short time to get there. The falls and swimming holes are inexpensive and fun to see and explore. We spent a week there a couple of summers there. We rented a tiny house on the river close to Lake Travis. It was one of the most relaxing vacations we have had and everyone had plenty things to enjoy and keep them entertained.

Gulf Shores/ Orange Beach. Couple hours shorter drive than Destin

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We took a driving vacation to Niagara falls. Used the AAA Trip books. Had a general idea when we wanted to end up there, but made no plans for along the way. Took 3-4 days to get there.

Searched out roadside attractions, hotels, local restaurants, etc. stopped at a Six Flags, a cave, the Corvette museum, Hot Springs, etc.

Never drove more than 5 hours in a day and never spent more than two hours in the car between stops going. Drove a little more direct coming back.


Had a great time.

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And made it there and back in a week?

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I think it was longer than a week, point was that the vacation was more than going somewhere to hang out, we made it about the trip itself.

Wow. Thanks everyone for the ideas and feedback! Thinking of a secluded cabin on a lake or river somewhere - but that's not narrowed down very much! Checking out homeaway. The smokies at 14-16 hours might be stretchin it for us, Destin's in range at 11-12 hours if we decide to do beach.

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We took a driving vacation to Niagara falls. Used the AAA Trip books. Had a general idea when we wanted to end up there, but made no plans for along the way. Took 3-4 days to get there.

Searched out roadside attractions, hotels, local restaurants, etc. stopped at a Six Flags, a cave, the Corvette museum, Hot Springs, etc.

Never drove more than 5 hours in a day and never spent more than two hours in the car between stops going. Drove a little more direct coming back.


Had a great time.

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And made it there and back in a week?

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OP did state "at least a week", so they might be on the road two weeks or more?


You can make that Niagara Falls run in two days, but it's a hard and long two days.

Destin is great. We thought the drive was very easy. We found our place on vrbo.com. Traffic can be horrendous in Destin certain times of the day though. If you want to be in the main Destin area, I recommend staying there. If you want to be away from that and mainly just do the beach, look at the Sandestin area. Thats where we were and 11 and 14yo were more than happy.

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Thinking of a secluded cabin on a lake or river somewhere

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I'd definitely rent a house or cabin on the Frio River. (if you want something closer and you've never done it). It's probably around 2.5 hours from B/CS, or take your time and go through Fredericksburg and down the wine trail, then south from Fredericksburg. Crystal clear, cool to cold water... great in the summer, just watch water levels (too low and floating it is tough). Also holiday weekends it will be pretty busy. My favorite time would be mid May when the kids are dealing with finals and graduation (as long as water levels are good), but I think June is their peak month for rain.

AirBnB has some rentals as do the other usual suspects for rentals.

Anywhere in Colorado or Gulf Shores/Orange Beach.