BellaBoo

When my kids were that age they were too young to appreciate any educational trips. All they wanted was to swim at the hotel or go to a theme park. One museum is about all they could be interested in. We didn't start the places to see vacations until they were much older. There is a very small window of having nice family vacations with kids. Teens are moody and young kids are a pain.

moedersaar

it is ashame that the kids now aday's cant see the beauty around them, I would suggest to replace the gadgits with a camara, to record the good and the bad of there trip. they will be happy when they get older and look back at the pictures.

Sierra

Mythreesuns wrote "I was the grandchild that took many trips with my grandparents when younger. Ours was mostly by vehicle. Most of the ride was beautiful or things to look at.. except.. The Dakota's.. the most boring states to ride in."

I have to tell you that South Dakota is now a tremendous place to visit, w/ or w/o kids. We went through in a hurry a couple of years ago for a 50th wedding anniversary and took our time returning to California. We made a 7 mile loop from exit to exit when we saw a "1880's Town" and had a blast. For $5 kids could get outfitted in period clothing, including shoes (for most) and we had a picture taking blast (at schools, church, bank, hotel, in buggys, etc.). And then there is Devil's Tower, Mount Rushmore... and don't miss the Crazy Horse mountain monument and museum. We camped, got caught TWICE in huge thunder storms and one "radio alert" which told us that if we were in this county or that we should stop at an underpass and stay there until the storm passed because of baseball size hail... like we had any idea what county we were in and, as it was the mid part of Nevada on hwy 80 there were NO underpasses (no towns, either). I woke up DH and he (smarty pants) looked around and said "it's behind us; speed up". I've never driven so fast with grandkids in the car but they thought the whole thing was "cool". Yes, we out ran it and got into a hotel that night. in the Dakotas or N. Wyoming (about 5 miles from Mount Rushmore) we stayed at a camping park (we tent) that had a swimming pool, little store, lots of play area. We went to a "Cowboy dinner and music" thingy (it wasn't very good... food or music), walked the streets of the small towns, gawked continually. That area has really made itself a "destination."

Also, I really disagree with those who say any age is too young... We are finding our teenagers hard to capture... one (15) went off to Costa Rica with a church group, another (14) is now an exchange student at Drankensburg in South Africa, and a 10 year old had to "give up" her gymnastics for a couple of weeks for a trip (hard decision on her part). We started keeping the kids for weekends when they were really young (before 3) and by 5 we were taking them camping. Every summer it is off to somewhere.... this summer to Yellowstone and about.

Enjoy your grandkids. We had fun with our kids, but only on weekends because we worked. Now we have the time and it's been a blast.