I have twins who are juniors and it just hit me that we have only 2 summers left. I’d love some suggestions for unforgettable vacations. I want to do something special the summer before they leave. Knowing that those tuition bills will be coming soon after, I realized we need to start setting aside some money now.
Any suggestions for vacations? Our favorite trip so far was to Costa Rica. The kids like more active vacations. We went to Hawaii when they were young and could go back there since they barely remember it. Last spring break we did a Caribbean cruise. We haven’t done Europe. However, I don’t think they’d enjoy sight seeing historical sights and museums all day as much.
Any suggestions? Ideally, would love to go somewhere that doesn’t require a 12+ hour flight to get there since it will only be a week long trip.
We’re considering a return to Costa Rica since it was incredible and I can’t think of anything else that compares.
If your kids enjoy adventurous travel, I highly recommend Iceland. Such a beautiful country with many outdoor activities. Glacier hikes/climbs, snowmobiling, hiking trails to beautiful waterfalls, ice caves, glacier lagoon zodiac boat tour, Blue Lagoon, geysers, scuba between tectonic plates, hikes to a geothermal river, puffin watching, whale watching, etc. Plus, the flight isn’t as far as mainland Europe.
I second Iceland. One of the best family vacations we ever took.
But if you family prefers warm, we did a cruise to Bermuda with our D between hs and college which was great. Snorkeling, cliff jumping, swimming in caves, hiking, in addition to all the water sports.
We love the Exumas. Assuming you are in North Carolina, it is a two and a half hour direct flight from Charlotte to Georgetown. It has a lot more to offer than just swimming pigs. Honestly the pigs are probably my least favorite thing there. We loved snorkeling the Thunderball Grotto ( where the James Bond movie was filmed in the 60s), swimming with nurse sharks and sea turtles, feeding endangered rock iguanas, floating down a natural lazy river and exploring the sand bars and beaches. It has some of the bluest water and friendliest people on the planet.
Another suggestion is Galapagos. My father in law took my son on one of the Celebrity cruises several years ago. Apparently it was the trip of a lifetime. Sadly, my husband and I were not invited.
Keep in mind that just because they are going off to college, it does NOT mean it’s going to be your last vacation together. Our kids now have kids of their own and we still do family vacations!
If you do return to Costa Rica, we had an unforgettable stay at Tortuga Lodge in Tortuguero Nat’l Park.
It’s an eco-adventure lodge in the park that is all canal-based, we went on amazing kayaking tours - saw pythons, caymans, Jesus lizards, spider monkeys, got to see turtles laying their eggs at midnight - among other activities. Unique Caribbean culture with a very cool little town and special history in CR’s environmental movement.
We did a 2 week trip around CR the summer before our oldest left for college, and Tortuga was by far the most memorable stay.
I was about to suggest this, not sure where OP is but it’s definitely easier from the east coast/southeast. We did a land based tour rather than a boat-based one and loved it (you did need some boat travel intra island). It was cheaper than doing it all by boat but we think it also just worked out better for us…loved going for long beach walks at sunset with the iguanas etc! We spent some days on the mainland in Ecuador too. It was an amazing trip and definitely one of our best. I can dm you the agency we used to plan everything if you’re interested. Their guides were awesome.
The most special thing my twins did the summer before they left for college was go to Europe on their own. It was great for their self-sufficiency in college…
We did Oahu, the Island of Hawai’i, and Kauai in August before DS left for college. We all love hiking and adventures too but enjoy history as well.
On Oahu, we hiked the Koko crater trail - straight up an old tramway, the Diamond Head Crater trail, and Ka’ena Point trail (from the west side). We also stopped at Laniakea beach to see the giant sea turtles and visited the Punch Bowl cemetery and Pearl Harbor National memorial.
On the Island of Hawai’i (the Big Island), we visited Napo’opo’o Beach Park (monument to Captain Cook), Punalu’u Black Sand Beach Park (black sand and sea turtles), Issac Hale Beach (black sand and recent lava flows when we visited) and Honaunau and Hapuna Bays for snorkeling. We also walked the short trail ‘at Akaka Falls Lookout. Our very favorite part of the whole trip was Volcanoes National Park. The hiking is amazing in the surreal landscape.
On Kauai, we hiked Sleeping Giant trail, the Kalalau trail to Hanakai’Ai beach, the Maha’ulepu Heritage trail, and drove to Opaeka’a Falls, Wailua Falls, and Waimea Canyon State Park. At Waimea, we hiked part of the Pihea trail looking out over the Na Pali coast. Our favorite part of Kauai was a half day boat trip out of Hanalei Bay which included snorkeling.
Europe is a big continent and there are many, many ways to plan a vacation which is not just museums and cathedrals.
Take a look at some of the river cruises, bike trips, etc. to get an idea of the range of options. Not suggesting one of those- but you will quickly see that you can do adventure/athletic/wondrous nature type stuff in every country in Europe.
I have not been to Iceland but everyone I know who has gone says it’s amazing-- you can see four different ecosystems/climates in one day. Same with Portugal- beaches, mountains, verdant meadows and valleys, hiking and climbing- etc. Also Gibraltar, Madeira, Azores?
The Netherlands is amazing as well- flat, great biking terrain, the North Sea beaches are gorgeous.
If you decide to return to Costa Rica - highly recommend the Osa Peninsula. Bosque del Cabo was amazing for a family adventure - also love the Hawaii itinerary posted here too.
Not in the same adventurous league, but summer before my oldest left for college we did a driving trip to Niagara Falls, Toronto and Cedar Point amusement park which he’d always wanted to go to. He and his brothers (twins two years younger) spent 12 hours riding roller coasters. That was 6 years ago and we’ve only done three smaller whole family trips since then. They all now live far away from each other and us. So I say go for it and enjoy every minute!
