Man, the places you've gone with your kids-I envy. And I so agree with you about the commercialized destinations. My biggest question for you is-how do you budget for these vacations? Even if you camp (and I'm perfectly happy with that)-it's not cheap to travel 3000 miles for a family vacation.

We save ALL year. We use our birthday and holiday gift money. We take our change and put it in a jug at the end of each day (you'd be surprised by how much it adds up to!). We have a yard sale each year and use that money for gas. We cut back throughout the year ... I cut my boys' hair rather than go to a barber, we use coupons like crazy, we buy clothes on clearance or yard sales. We live a very frugal lifestyle so that we can experience these things.

And yes, camping is a HUGE savings! I'll admit we haven't yet camped the whole trip ... we usually use www.vrbo.com to get a rental house which is often cheaper than using hotels. We're AAA members so that helps! For meals, we get groceries, a cooler and make as many of our meals as possible while on the road.

Somehow we do it on a single income. I know it's not always possible for folks to have two or three weeks at a time to drive cross-country, but there are some great spots along the east coast too! A drive up to the Adirondacks, Vermont, Maine, the Smokey Mountains, and even southern Canada can offer some beautiful experiences. I know a lot of this is geared toward the outdoors, but I do think our natural resources offer some pretty amazing experiences.

One more thing - we DO plan to go to Disney! It's just not at the top of the list. ;)

Ok Jenae, I'm sold!

We are huge fans of the national parks, and this is the first year in a while that we haven't been to a new one....It's hard to limit to only ten, but my list would include Rocky Mountain NP and the Grand Canyon, along with Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in addition to some of the ones you mention. Plus the national historical sites in Philadelphia, Washington DC and Boston. And yes, we've been to Disney -- twice. We're thinking of combining a trip to the Everglades with Orlando next winter.

We have a goal to visit as many national parks with our kids as possible. We spent a long weekend at Shenandoah National Park this June and it was a fantastic trip. One of the best things about it, is that it is so close - an easy 4 1/2 hour drive from the Lehigh Valley. You can camp in tents, rent cabins with running water, heat and electricity or stay in one of the lodges. Another option would be to stay at a hotel outside of the park.

We saw 4 bears (all observed from the safety of our car!) on our trip and the ranger led program we attended was fantastic. There are over 500 miles of trails and there are a number of easy hikes that even a novice will enjoy. Skyline Drive has around 70 lookout points that are enjoyed by pulling over in your car as you drive through the park. You don't even need to hike a trail to enjoy the incredible views.

I highly recommend a visit to this National Park!

Hi Jenae, we know each other from Freecycle & I can personally second your money saving tip to stay in a vacation rental home rather than a cramped hotel room. We have been renting homes this way for years now & you also save on meals as most have fully equipped kitchens. For those folks who are interested in a nearby beach vacation, I'll shamelessly share our website www.theheronsview.com, where folks can rent a DE waterfront 2 BR townhome near the beach for less than a hotel room.

This post left me with some very mixed feelings. I was shocked by the attitude that because you avoid commercial destinations your vacations (and therefore the quality of life your children have) are somehow superior to people who choose to vacation at places like Disney. It's almost offensive. I am a firm believer in the idea that children learn through experience. And travel, to any destination, offers an opportunity to learn. Vacation is about quality family time and shared memories. Further it is rare for families to have the chance to travel for weeks at a time. And I completely understand stretching your dollar by renting houses and having kitchens. For some families, this means no vacation for the person doing all the cooking and clean up and so they choose to vacation differently. I really feel that there is a place for both types of vacations. You judge Disney trips, standing in line in hazy, hot Florida can be the experience but it doesn't have to be. National Parks with their lines of cars and RV's and people dragging their kids through exhibits at museums, when they clearly don't want to be there, can be just as bad. I really don't think that because you personally choose to do one type, without giving your kids the experience of the other, you can judge one to be better.

Hi Dana! I'm so sorry you took offense to this. That was definitely not my goal. I appreciate the value that Disney holds for many people - especially the nostalgia that comes with a trip to visit the Magic Kindgom. My descriptive words were simply my personal experience from going (and I have been there several times).

My goal for this piece was simply to discuss other alternatives for those who might have never considered doing a trip other than to Disney or to the Atlantic shore. I think some people are nervous to venture out beyond what they're familiar with, so I was hoping to motivate readers to open the door to something new. It doesn't mean it's 'better.' I'm sorry if it came off that way.

I just wanted to share these experiences for anyone who might be ready to consider a different kind of family vacation. Kids grow older and might be ready for new sights and adventures. I truly didn't mean to upset anyone through this.

You are a travel expert, so it would be great if you'd be willing to share some of your favorite destinations - around the U.S. or the world! I'm limited in my knowledge of world travel. Are their any terrific places that are drivable from our area to Canada that you would recommend? And feel free to share your website for anyone who might need help planning! Happy travels!

Again, never meant for this to be judgemental. I apologize if it's being interpreted that way. I have a LOT of close friends who love Disney! And I'm sure we will get there someday. Perhaps a journal would have been better. Maybe I'll do that this week! :)

I appreciate your feedback and truly meant for this to generate some discussion on alternatives to the norm. Also, our national parks REALLY need our support if we have any concerns about preserving them in the future.

What are some of your favorite 'off the beaten path' vacation destinations?

Sounds like a tree hugger vacation! Say what you want, but any child will choose Disney over pathetic national parks.

A friend sent this link to me and I found the timing interesting!
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/blogs/forget-disneyland-were-going-back-to-yellowstone

Thanks Jenae for this post and sharing the link to my article on MNN. I don't think your post was judgmental, at all, you merely shared your experiences and your preferences. I have a friend who'd rather go to Disney World than anywhere else, I don't think any less of her because of that and she doesn't think I'm weird for choosing another national park trip. To each their own...basically. :)

Point Reyes is on my short list, we'll be vacationing in Oregon in June of next year and I'm trying to see if I can work out a drive down the coast and depart out of a Bay-area airport just so I can get there.

As a child, my parents took us to most of the national parks (and state capitals, and battlefields and homes of presidents). I cherish those memories more than anything (except time at Grandma's house with my cousins). Fortunately, our son loves this type of travel too. In kindergarten, they memorized the front and back of all the US coins. As soon as he got home from school that November day, he said "We have to go to the LIncoln Memorial ! its on the back of the penney and I want to go see it!". We have friends who live in MD, so last summer, we indulged our 6 year old in Washington DC. and he was giddy running to get up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. As we walked down, he said "I've seen President Washington's house and monument, and President LIncoln's Memorial, now I want to go see Lincoln's house." I was stunned !! As a 1st grader, he decided he now needs to see Mount Rushmore...so we are indulging him again and heading to South Dakota (from Texas) so he can see the rock carvings. Now, I am giddy with anticipation to see his face when he sees how massive the president's faces are. After, Mt Rushmore, we are headed to Cody, WY, Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons. My hsuband and I are great believers in the value of the National Parks system and outdoor, interactive vacations. We aren't apposed to Disney World, but there are so many places our son requests to go that aren't as commercialized...so we indulge that spirit!