<p>I am looking for some suggestions on where to go for my son’s spring break. He is in 8th grade. D’s college does not have spring break the same week as his, so she will not be joining us.</p>
<p>I would prefer someplace we can drive to from Saint Louis. I would consider flying if airfares are reasonable, but we need to stay in the US. I would like the location to have at least a decent amusement park that is open in March. We’ve done Orlando and DC area multiple times, so those are out. I am currently considering Atlanta or Dallas/San Antonio. Does anybody have any thoughts on those two or other suggestions?</p>
<p>Well your S’s a little young for Bourbon Street, but he might enjoy many other attractions of New Orleans. Ten hours by car. If you’re up for a bit longer trip, you might consider a driving loop – St.Louis to Daytona Beach to St. Augustine to Charleston (and maybe Myrtle Beach) then back to St.Louis via Gatlinburg. Nice weather, and the beaches may be a suitable replacement for Amusement parks. You can drive on Daytona Beach you know!</p>
<p>Can you get cheap airfare to the Tampa area? Check Southwest Airlines maybe.</p>
<p>Busch Gardens is great for roller coaster lovers. A nice change from Orlando. My husband and my 9th grade son and I are going to the Tampa area for a little vacation from the cold weather when he has his spring break week. Five nights. Probably a day of fishing for the guys (hubby has a friend with a boat north of Tampa), probably two days at Busch Gardens (you get a second day free with a one-day admission), and the rest of the time resting or maybe the guys will be playing tennis at the place we are staying. And I think it has kayaks. I think it is like a time share resort that is not yet sold out so they are renting. (No we do not have to go to a time share presentation! )</p>
<p>Detail: It is a Sunday to Friday trip booked on Expedia at the “Resort and Club at Little Harbor” north of Tampa (Ruskin), purchased in conjunction with airfare on continental so you can’t tell exactly how much the airfare costs and how much the resort costs but we have a mini or junior suite (sounds like an Embassy Suites room but the “dining” table only has 2 chairs) and it was definitely as cheap as a medium hotel. I hope it is okay. I am the one who found the good deal on Expedia, so they will give me a lot of grief if the resort is bad. Sounds like the only “not good” thing is that it is a bit remote but we will have a rental car and peaceful is good. I have rented nice big rooms, like condos really, from Expedia for Florida vacations before. (I think they built too many timeshares.)</p>
<p>If the three of us will be eating breakfast at the little table, well, I have been known to borrow small chairs from hotel meeting rooms. ;)</p>
<p>The year my son was in eighth grade, we went to Williamsburg. The year my daughter was in eighth grade we went to San Antonio and Dallas (family to see also). Both were great trips. It’s a LONG drive to San Antonio.</p>
<p>Would second the Williamsburg suggestion, especially if there are history lovers in the family.
If baseball fan: H has taken each son (separately) for a baseball spring training game trip to florida. They saw 4-5 games in a couple different parks and were in heaven. These were college spring break trips, so the boys felt like they got away from the snowy NE, but it was a little saner than it would undoubtedly have been with friends! Am wondering what he will do with my baseball-hating, opera-loving daughter!</p>
<p>If the spring break is in March, consider booking it on Expedia. They have a nice deal going from now til Jan 3, if you might be taking a second trip later in 2009.
<p>I think Needles in My Eyes is a new ride opening in spring 2010! :D</p>
<p>I have very fond memories of the place. My working mom bought us season passes and let the pirates on LaSalle’s Riverboat Ride babysit us all summer. :)</p>
<p>There *was *a riverboat ride, wasn’t there? I went to Six Flags Over Mid-America a lot growing up, and I thought I remembered a river boat ride!</p>
<p>Have you “done” Chicago? I know if might be cold, but we spent one spring break in Chicago. I grew up down state and hadn’t really “done” Chicago.</p>
<p>Last year I had a meeting in Dallas (At the Gaylord Texan - now that was scary) that was over my then 8th grade son’s spring break. I brought him along and on the Saturday that was the last day of our adventure I took him to Six Flags Arlington. He love, love, loved it. It was very quiet so he was able to ride the craziest rides as many times as he wanted.</p>
<p>Have you ever read “The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World”? I think the author refers to taking your kids on a vacation so the kids can enjoy an amusement park as “throwing your body on the grenade”</p>
<p>If you’re interested in Dallas, consider staying at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine…it’s about a 15 minute drive from Six Flags and has an indoor water park. Of course, during spring break it will be $$$$. Nearby in Grapevine is Grapevine Mills Mall with a Gameworks, black light mini-golf (or whatever they call it), a multi screen movie theatre, indoor ice rink and a Rainforest Cafe (plus stores, of course.) (If you want to stay near Grapevine Mills, there are lots of nearby hotels that are less expensive than the Great Wolf Lodge or the Gaylord.)</p>
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