I just got back from the most wonderful week in Puerto Rico, my third visit actually! This time it was "business" but mostly pleasure - after a few days of learning at Wanderful's WITS Travel Creator Summit in San Juan, I was hosted by Discover Puerto Rico on a 3 day culinary tour press trip in the central mountainous regions! I got to experience things I never would have thought about planning myself - we're talking a vegan Puerto Rican cooking class at El Grifo, a coffee farm tour at Hacienda Muñoz, and dining at absolutely phenomenal and unique restaurants including PyP Restaurant in Caguas, Cocina Abierta in San Juan, Ojala Speakeasy in Caguas, and a Lechonera on the Pork Highway in Cayey with Sofrito Tours. I'm drooling just sitting here remembering it all (see some of my highlight videos at the bottom of this post).
Puerto Rico is gorgeous. The food is delicious. The people are friendly. The beaches and rainforest are spectacular. There are endless cultural, historical, and just plan FUN activities to do for families, solo travelers, young, old, you name it. That said, Puerto Rico isn't for everyone. Is it for you?? Read on to find out!
Puerto Rico may not be best for your next vacation destination if...
1. You want to add stamps to your passport.
I get it. Having a passport full of exotic stamps is a flex. At one point I had to have pages added to my passport! Can you imagine!? But Puerto Rico is an American territory, meaning, if you're American flying from the USA, you do not need a passport! And even if you bring one, they wont' stamp it. So... if you are American and traveling to far off lands for new passport stamps is a requirement, I'm sorry, Puerto Rico is not for you. But... if you are American and don't have a passport, or enjoy the simplicity of flying to a truly gorgeous tropical island without needing your American passport, then go ahead and book your flight already!!
2. You want an all-inclusive resort.
I love a good all-inclusive resort. Sending the kiddos to the kids club and laying around on the beach sipping endless "free" mojitos all day is always a good time. But you won't find many (or any??) typical all-inclusive resorts in Puerto Rico. That doesn't mean there aren't endless amazing accommodation options, whether you're looking for adult-only or family-friendly resorts, many even have on-site snorkeling, water parks, five star restaurants, and more! From luxury resorts like the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort with an 18-hole golf course and Dorado Beach Ritz-Carlton Reserve with a spa and kids club, to Villa Margarita where you get an entire house to yourself with a private beach and pool! While you won't find hordes of traditional all-inclusive resorts like you will in Cancun, many hotels in Puerto Rico have all-inclusive package options, so you can go that route as well. And if you want a more local experience, try renting an apartment or house through AirBNB or VRBO.
3. You don't like warm tropical climates.
Puerto Rico is a small island but it does have several distinctive regions, including beach, mountains, and rain forest! That said, none of these areas ever get below freezing, and most are warm or downright hot year round. For those wanting a hot and sunny escape during winter or spring break, it's perfect! But if you don't like warm tropical climates, Puerto Rico may not be for you. That said, you shouldn't take it completely off the table. San Juan, for example, rarely gets below 70 or above 90, but May through November are the most humid, so keep that in mind. Personally, I spent a week there in mid May and found it to be absolutely perfect weather! Visiting Old San Juan in the early morning (7am-10am) and then hitting the pool or beach for the afternoon was perfect! In the central mountain region, it was warm enough not to need a jacket day and night, but not at all hot, and zero bugs.
4. You don't like colorful, beautiful places rich in culture and history.
If this one applies to you, we can be friends, but I'm sorry, we can't be travel buddies! There's a time and place for just laying around on the beach, but part of traveling for me is really experiencing the culture and history of a place, feeling truly transplanted, and being surrounded by its beauty!! In Puerto Rico, you feel this ALL. THE. TIME! I especially felt it in Old San Juan. The colorful apartment buildings, the old forts, the cobblestone streets, it's just so gorgeous! You can wander around or book a tour to learn more. The Spoon Experience provides authentic cultural, food, and drink experiences in Old San Juan and is just SO much fun! Definitely look into these local tour guides and travel agencies recommended by Discover Puerto Rico to make the most of your trip!
5. You prefer driving or long haul flights.
If you refuse to fly, then Puerto Rico is probably not for you, though you can find San Juan as a port of call on some cruises originating in the US). And if you really want to do a long haul flight, Puerto Rico (from the east cost US anyway) is not for you... I've heard great things about the Qatar's QSuite which you can enjoy for 14 hours straight on a flight from JFK to Doha! But great news for the rest of us who like quick, easy, and cheap: San Juan is SO EASY to get to!! There are endless opportunities to fly non-stop to San Juan in 4 hours from all 3 of the NYC airports with JetBlue, Spirit, Delta, and United. Prices vary by season, of course, but I've seen direct roundtrip flights for under $200!!
So what do you think? Is Puerto Rico now on your radar for an amazing momcation, family vacation, or health & wellness retreat?? I hope so!! I can't wait to go back soon bringing my kids, husband, and parents along for a lovely multigenerational family vacation!!! See more of my vacation reviews and family travel tips here!
And to work on building up those airline miles, be sure to get you a points card (or several)!! I'm loving my Chase United card, within a month of getting it I already achieved my 60k bonus miles. Click my affiliate link here to read more about all cards they have (I'll get some bonus miles if you apply for a card).
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Ever feel like you need a vacation after returning from a family vacation? Have you thought traveling with kids is just parenting in another location? Join the club!!! The struggle is real, but there are some alternatives to just powering through. Today I've got 4 amazing tips for scoring FREE childcare on your next family vacation so you can feel like you actually ENJOYED the vacation with your family - both your kids, your partner, and maybe even some alone time!! Watch my video below for all the details including multigenerational travel, all-inclusive resorts with kids club, traveling and co-parenting with another family, and bringing along a babysitter on your vacation!
Have more tips for planning and carrying out the most amazing family vacations, momcations, or solo travels?? Leave a comment below!!
I put in a LOT of time researching for our spring break Arizona family vacation, and am putting even more time into publishing it so you can save time and quickly copycat for your own family trip! Where to stay, what to see, how to save money here and there, I've got it all, so let's go!!! Watch our super fun highlights videos below and keep reading for links, photos, and more details!
The Itinerary
Here's our itinerary for 1 week in Arizona. I wanted to make sure to hit our "must see" spots but leave it very relaxed and flexible. I didn't want to be driving LONG distances daily (especially with 2 kids who get car sick), or changing hotels daily, so this worked out really well for us!! Day 1: Flying - we flew all day thanks to the 6 hour layover in Atlanta (which went super fast, we did lots of fun explorations of the airport running through the long terminals with art exhibitions and riding the Plane Train), I think it was a 19 hour travel day, arriving at PHX at 10pm and going straight to the hotel, Hyatt Place Phoenix Tempe Airport. They had free parking, free airport shuttle (check the hours), pool, and a great free hot breakfast. Our room had 2 queens and a pull out sofa, the size we always look for as a family of 5 not wanting to book 2 separate rooms.
Day 2:
With over 50,000 plants on 140 acres, we found Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix to be THE BEST way to kick off our Arizona vacation. I reached out and they were kind enough to provide us tickets in exchange for our review, but full honesty, we were 1,000% blown away and in love with the place!!! We just couldn't get over all the different kinds of cacti, and the volunteers were so helpful!! It got quite hot by midday so I recommend going when they first open in the morning. Also, go to the butterfly exhibit when it first opens - we waited til the end of our visit around 11am and the line was too long and sadly we gave up. They have water fountains allllll over so you don't have to bother lugging water bottles around, just stop for a few sips at each fountain. Also, it's incredibly stroller friendly, great paved paths throughout! A must-visit on your trip to Phoenix!!
Before heading out of Phoenix, we stopped by the super cute Scottsdale nabe for lunch and to walk around for about an hour (couple of photos below), then hit the road to our "long stay" hotel, Verde Ranch RV Resort located 1.5 hours north in Camp Verde. We checked in, unloaded the car, and quickly hit the nearby supermarket and CVS to buy breakfast and barbecue food, and sunblock since we packed so lightly we couldn't bring any.
After researching centrally located hotels to all the hot spots we wanted to visit, I reached out to Verde Ranch RV Resort who was gracious enough to provide us with a Deluxe Cabin for 5 nights in exchange for our review. It was an ABSOLUTELY amazing resort, and very budget-friendly, that I highly recommend!!! We loved our cabin, which had a comfy pull out sofa for Kenzo, a private primary bedroom for Ryoji and myself, and a little loft for the twins! AC, shower, full kitchen (but no oven or dishwasher), picnic table and gas grill, parking spot, it was simply perfection!! Huge bonus is that it comes with linens and towels, so if you're flying like us, no worries there!
They have a great pool with hot tubs, ping pong, corn hole, a beautiful clubhouse with pool table and shuffle board, a play ground, pickle ball, and lots of events going on! There's even a new laundry room if you need. We saved a lot of money by staying here, cooking some meals, and really enjoyed having an actual "house" where we didn't have to be as stressed about kids being loud and running around. And it's pretty conveniently located as a base for endless day trips - 90 minutes to Phoenix, 40 minutes to Sedona, 2.5hrs to Grand Canyon, 10 minutes to Montezuma's Castle! So whether you have an RV to park, or want to level up with a Cabin, a glamping tent (see my tour of one on IG here), or even a super unique Conestoga Wagon (see my tour of one on IG here), definitely check out Verde Ranch RV Resort!
Day 3:
Day trip to Sedona (40min drive). First stop was the visitor center, they were VERY helpful with maps and suggesting the best kid-friendly hiking trails and views. Parking can be tough, go early in the day and consider utilizing their free shuttle to get around. For example, we went to Chapel of the Holy Cross and could only drive by, in heavy traffic, couldn't actually park to get out of the car. Whomp whomp. We also had trouble finding parking but eventually did at beautiful Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village, where we had lunch at Oak Creek Brewery & Grill (got 10% off with a card from the visitor center) with a gorgeous view of the red rocks! Sedona is just a breathtaking area with a super cute town - I may shamefully have proclaimed "this looks like Disneyworld" LOL!!
Day 4:
Day trip to Grand Canyon (2.5 hr drive). We went to the south rim, as it was the closest. Parked and started at Mather Point, walked along to the next shuttle spot, took shuttle back to the car. Were there probably 2-3 hours. Some may want more time but for us, it was enough to take it all in. The paths were paved and stroller friendly, set back quite a bit from the edge with trees and what not so it felt pretty safe. Popular view points had nice rails which also helped with me so nervous about the kids falling over LOL! Though there are plenty of riskier spots, so if you have a runner, consider a stroller or leash or just never stop holding hands. It's not for the faint of heart I'll tell you that!!
On the drive home we stopped in Williams for lunch (Route 66 super kitschy town) and historic downtown Flagstaff for dinner, and caught a gorgeous sunset on the mountains!
Day 5:
Local day - Montezuma's Castle, Cliff Castle Casino for lunch (they have $12/hr/kid child care, bowling, Johnny Rockets and more), and hotel pool in afternoon.
Day 6:
This was a flex day we had nothing special planned, so we decided to go to Sedona again - we didn't get enough of it the first time! More specifically hiking at Fay Canyon and seeing the breathtaking view from Sedona Airport Overlook. Then, of course, hotel pool in the afternoon.
Day 7:
Checked out and headed back to Phoenix. Got early check in at Hilton Phoenix Resort at the Peak so we could use their River Ranch waterpark ALLLLLL DAYYYYYYyyyyyy. With a huge waterslide and lazy river, a couple of bathwater warm pools, it was heaven!! Dinner at on-site Hole in the Wall restaurant which was really delicious!!
Day 8:
Fly home! We had a 6am flight so ouch, it was a 3am wakeup and 17 hour travel day!
Noteworthy TIPS for this trip:
1. Stay on eastern time if going for a week or less, especially in warmer months. It'll help you wake early and get the most out of the cooler morning hours. We woke at 5 or 6am and were out hiking by 8 or 9am, and in bed around 7-8pm LOL! No shame!! Don't fight the jet lag, let it help you! 2. Find a balance of kid-focused and family / parent-focused activities. Our kids couldn't have cared less about hiking and all the spots that made mine and my husband's eyes go gaga over the natural beauty. They just wanted to go to the pool, or be on screens. You need to find a balance so everyone has something to look forward to, throughout the day and the trip. 3. Don't over extend yourself. Plan for down time, have a flex day or two built in in case someone gets sick, and have backups ready. Sure you could have a different national park scheduled for every day of the week, but you're going to be totally exhausted and stressed out. You can't see everything. Pick a couple of must sees and just enjoy your vacation! 4. Have a 4th grader? Print out the Every Kid Outdoors Pass and get free entrance for your whole family at all national parks!! We saved about $85 with free entrance to Grand Canyon and Montezuma's Castle! 5. Book a cabin or hotel that allows you to cook in the kitchen and grill outdoors, you can save a lot of time and money this way, not to mention it's healthier. We ate breakfast in our cabin's kitchen, had lunch out on the go, and had a combo of restaurant and home grilling dinners. Was really nice to have options! 6. Don't try to be frugal skipping a night at a hotel by doing a red eye flight with kids. If going to Asia you can't avoid it, but cross country?? Just. Say. No. Spend a whole day flying if budget doesn't allow for a direct flight, but get a good night sleep in a real bed!! Everyone will be in better moods. Trust me!! 7. Packing is difficult... it's desert which means DRASTIC change in evening and daytime temperatures. And while Phoenix could be warm, Grand Canyon could be snowing. We were there mid April and it was 40's over night and 80's during the day. By 10am we didn't need jackets or cardigans and it was mostly shorts and t-shirt weather. I will go on a limb and say spring is the BEST time of year to go. They had more snow and rain than typical this winter so we are told the flowers were blooming more than usual and they were absolutely spectacular! 8. Utilize these sites and apps to research trips & save money (* denotes affiliate link - I earn commission through purchases made):
Nearby spots we didn't have time for but you may want to consider:
Further away if you have time...
How to Save Money on Flights
If you have tons of miles, or a huge budget, you can just skip over this section. If you are trying to save money on flights, it may take some time and effort but it will pay off (pun intended). I was seeing crazy high prices, over $500 per person. But after playing around with dates extensively, I found this random combination through Frontier that gave us a really good price. I literally had to search every combination of days until it popped up, by chance, so try this yourself, or get a great travel agent!! We ended up paying about $1300 (including the $99 annual discount club fee and 1 checked bag fee) round trip for our family of 5 from NYC to Phoenix, though we did have 1 stopover with a 6 hour layover, each way, it was worth the money saved!! There are some risks flying with budget airliners like Frontier and Spirit. The biggest concern is they have a limited schedule and no alliance with other carriers, so if you miss a flight or the flight gets canceled, you are just out of luck because it's going to be difficult to get another flight that day, or even the next day, especially if you have a big family like ours. Still, when you look at getting tickets for half the price as other carriers, sometimes it's just worth the risk, and usually it all ends up just fine (our trip was 100% smooth this time with Frontier, as well as last year with Spirit). To save money with baggage fees, we packed very lightly, paying for 1 checked bag for the family (has to be under 40 pounds) and no "carry ons". We each carried a small backpack "personal item" with just the essentials (kids' Mifold booster seats, water bottles, snacks, tablet, book, change of clothes) - be careful here they are VERY strict with the size of your "personal item" and will charge a HUGE fee if it doesn't fit into the little box to test the size at the gate. We did not pay for assigned seats but got lucky with them assigning us in sets of 2 and 3 so no kids were seated without adults (but we did see flight attendants moving people around to get other families together, so they will try to help you but there's only so much they can do if passengers refuse to move around). If you have young children, you may want to splurge here. For us, we risked it and lucked out. We DID buy Allianz travel insurance, I think about $125 for the whole trip, worth it IMO to cover cancellations, interruptions, lost baggage, etc etc.
MORE TRAVEL IDEAS HERE!!!
Travel with kids, especially with babies and toddlers can be hard. It's not so much vacation as it is parenting in a new location, am I right?! But one great family travel hack is renting your baby gear on location, and nobody makes it easier than BabyQuip Baby Gear Rental, who provided our rentals free in exchange for our honest review.
Watch my video below for a quick overview of how it works, and read on for more details and my coupon code to get $20 off your next baby gear rental!!
If you travel with young children, if you own a vacation home that you rent out as an AirBNB or VRBO host, or if you occasionally have family visit with babies or toddlers, then you have GOT to know about BabyQuip Baby Gear Rentals, who I just collaborated with on a rental for family who brought their 1 year old to visit us from Japan.
We haven’t had little ones in our home for several years now, so to have a toddler coming to stay with us for 2 weeks was a bit overwhelming!! I considered searching on Facebook to borrow or buy used items from random people, but it’s stressful and very time consuming and I was nervous about the condition items would be in.
Thankfully BabyQuip makes the whole process SO easy!! You search for providers on their website or on their app, can see how many rentals they’ve completed and see reviews from previous customers. Each provider has their own list of gear and prices, there are discounts for longer rental periods, and some even had discounts for twins and multiples. Their quality providers deliver and set up clean, safe, and insured baby gear right to your door!
Most providers have free self-pickup and return or a nominal fee to drop it off and pick it up from your home, hotel, or vacation rental location. They’ll even come in and set it up for you if needed!
We rented from Teresa who is quite popular up here in Northern NJ. She was so easy to communicate with and everything was dropped off nicely protected on our door step, where she picked it up from at the end of our 2 week rental. We got a pack ’n play and an infant car seat from her, both were in perfect condition.
Using BabyQuip made everything so easy - no worries about having to buy or sell or store all this stuff. It’s really a great option for people like us who very occasionally host family for a visit, or as an add-on option for Air bnb or verb hosts, or when you yourself are traveling and the hotel or rental home doesn’t have any baby gear. You can rent anything from cribs and high chairs to car seats, strollers, baby gates, and even toys!! Less to pack is a WIN for me!!
You don’t have to take my word for it either, they have over 30,000 5 star reviews, with over 1200 quality providers serving 900 locations!
If you find yourself in need of baby gear rentals, check out BabyQuip! And don’t forget to use code JAPANFAM20 for $20 off your rental over $100!!
We usually do our annual Family Vacation Guide to Lancaster in the summer and hit up Dutch Wonderland and Cherry Crest Adventure Farm, but when Cartoon Network Hotel invited us down for a winter visit, we were excited to discover what kid-friendly fun was to be had in Amish Country in winter and year round... and to share with you all, of course!!
Watch our highlights video and read on for more details about each of the attractions, restaurants, and hotels!
Cartoon Network Hotel
Whether you have a lover of cartoons in your home or not, adults and kids of all ages will LOVE Cartoon Network Hotel!! We were provided 2 nights in the Steven Universe Dream Suite in exchange for our review, but don't worry, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased. In full honesty... IT IS AMAZING!!!!! They have 4 dream suites that can sleep 6: Steven Universe, Ben 10, Power Puff, and Adventure Time. Ours had a private primary bedroom for the parents, a huge bathroom with 2 sinks and a shower, a 6-chair dining table, small kitchen with mini fridge / Keurig / microwave, large living room with 75" TV, and kids room with 2 double bunk beds and a TV in each bed (this didn't have a door, unfortunately, but was off to the side so you could have lights and TV on in the living room and it wouldn't bother kids if deep sleepers like ours, or simply head to your own bedroom and close the door ;) The dream suite costs quite a bit more than the regular rooms that sleep 2 or 4 people, but are the only rooms inside the main building and are totally worth the splurge IMO! The only negative I have is that because it is right over the lobby, we heard the music pumping down there (they were doing karaoke I think?) on Saturday night til 10pm. It didn't bother me and my kids didn't notice and passed right out, but just a heads up. Nothing some ear plugs or white noise app on your cell phone can't take care of!
Inside the main building, you have the Cartoon Kitchen, regular character meet & greets, a cafe, the gift shop (a dream for Cartoon Network fans!!!), Omnicade (arcade), and the favorite of me and my kids: the Toon Room. Here you can play VR (even 2 can play together in the same game/cube), scavenger hunt, arts and crafts, and more!
They have an outdoor pool and splash area open in summer, and they have a lovely heated indoor pool open year round but you have to go outside to get there and ooooooof it can be cold in winter! It didn't have any locker rooms but we changed in the bathroom, not a big deal. Be sure to BYO puddle jumpers / floaties. Book your room on cartoonnetworkhotel.com or Hotels.com (affiliate link).
LoKal Experiences
There are a ton of companies out there with "Amish tours" and museums and what not. Some are authentic, others not at all. I ran across LoKal Experiences on Discover Lancaster's website and am SO glad I reached out to work together on a review. The "Unique Amish Immersion Experience" tour we were taken on went above and beyond my expectations in teaching us all about Amish / Mennonite history, culture, and such great tidbits. I never realized how misinformed we are about them! Here are some things I found most fascinating:
Mike, the co-founder of LoKal, is passionate about working with local Amish businesses and families, and giving his clients an authentic, memorable, and fun experience. He took us in his beautiful 14 passenger van to several homes (including one that was featured in the 1985 Harrison Ford movie Witness) and farms and even Down on the Farm Creamery that had the BEST ice cream I've EVER had. (Yes, at 9:45am. Don't judge.) He also had these great ear pieces so you could hear him and ask questions no matter how far back in the van you sat, which was really helpful!
They offer tons of experiences and tours, so you can find the best one for your family - from lunch with an Amish family to a Sweet & Savory tour of Lancaster City, even some craft beer & dive bar options for adults!
Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
Founded 35 years ago and serving 15,000 guests annually, this 328 seat theatre is a great stop on any family-friendly Lancaster vacation!! Check their calendar to see which performances will be held during your stay! Their main theatre lineup includes Singin' in the Rain (~April 16), Rock of Ages, The Little Mermaid, Chicago, Saturday Night Fever, and Elf the Musical. They also have workshops and performances geared more toward children, which is what we were invited to join! I had no idea what to expect but we went for the matinee lunch and show of Pinkalicious the Musical and honestly, I LOVED IT! The buffet for the kids show wasn't spectacular, to be honest, it was "kid-friendly" foods (think hot dogs and fish nuggets) but it did have a salad bar and yummy cupcakes and cookies! The show itself was one hour and pure fun. The acting, set, and music were top notch, and it was, frankly, HILARIOUS. All 5 of us had a fabulous time!! After the show the cast stayed on stage to take questions from the audience, which was a really nice touch!! It's running through April 15, I really recommend it!!
Choo Choo Barn
If you love model trains, the Choo Choo Barn is a MUST!! It's basically 1 HUGE Lancaster County themed train set in a 1700 square foot room! With over 150 hand-built animated figures and vehicles and 22 operating trains. There are buttons to press to activate different parts. Every 10 minutes the room darkens and the ceiling has starts that light up to simulate nighttime. It's just utterly fascinating to examine every single inch of this place! I wasn't sure if our kids would be bored but they couldn't get enough of it either! There's a zoo, ski slopes, airplane, Dutch Wonderland, a house on fire, a circus, so so so so much to see! SO FUN!! For older kids who need some help focusing, they have 2 great scavenger hunt lists - one for first timers and one for repeat visitors.
Aaron & Jessica's Buggy Rides
We had terrible luck with the weather, in the middle of a winter storm when it was time for our reserved time at Aaron & Jessica's Buggy Rides. Despite the wind and snow, they were more than happy to take us out and tell us all about the Amish history and culture. The owner, or "Grandpa," as he said everyone calls him, was our driver and was so great with our kids. He let all 3 pile up front and help him steer the horse. Answering their millions of questions and taking photos with us afterward. I can't wait to go back for a longer ride during nicer weather! They have several tours to choose from such as the 20 minute "Cookie Run" with a stop at a farm stand to the 90 minute "Amish Journey" and private rides as well. Check out their website for hours and more details!
Fulton Steamboat Inn
We already had our accommodation settled for this trip but in all our years visiting Lancaster, we had yet to stop by the Fulton Steamboat Inn! So, I reached out and was delighted to be invited for a hotel tour and dinner! From the moment you see the "steamboat" from the road, til you step foot inside and get immediate "Titanic vibes", it's just one OOOOH after another! It's a truly unique experience and stunning property!
They have an assortment of beautiful rooms, and if going on a couples getaway or momcation, I highly recommend their spectacular rooms on the adult-only sun deck!! They have an indoor pool and jacuzzi, a small game room, a cute playground and pond outside (the Koi fish were wintering but we had fun feeding the ducks)! Dinner was delicious, they had a great kids' menu and coloring activities for them, and we were pleasantly surprised to have pianist Bill Horn playing during our meal! Whether you stay at Fulton Steamboat Inn or just drop in for a meal at Huckleberry's Restaurant, you won't be disappointed! Book your room at fultonsteamboatinn.com or Hotels.com (affiliate link).
Did we manage to squeeze in a TON in just 3 days or what!?!?! We loooooove Lancaster and can't recommend it highly enough for your next family vacation! Are there some must-sees and must-dos we missed? Leave us a comment below!! And if looking for more Lancaster ideas, see our past years' guides below!
Our previous Lancaster Family Vacation Guides:
So you haven't figured out your spring break plans yet? Join the club! With uncertainty around the pandemic and travel safety, many of us have left it to the last minute, and some places are fully booked already. But, it's OK!!! I've got you!! Check out some of my last minute kid-friendly spring break ideas for inspiration and get to planning TODAY!!!
(Disclaimer: this post contains some affiliate links and we earn commission from purchases made after clicking.)
Family-Friendly All-Inclusive Resorts
Don't assume these are out of your budget. While they are definitely a splurge, there are many types of all-inclusive resorts at various price points, so you can definitely find one for you! Head over to hotels.com to see prices and availability (you can narrow your search by selecting "all inclusive" under "accommodation type" and "family" under "themes/types"). Take into consideration all of the "included" things when looking at the price. They vary by resort but typically include room, 3 meals a day + snacks + drinks (some even include alcohol), activities (some even have non-motorized water activities like snorkeling and kayaking), nightly entertainment, kids clubs / camps, etc etc! When you tally it all up, it can actually end up being a great deal! Don't want to fly? No worries!! We love love LOVE these all-inclusive resorts located right here in the Tri State Area: (click to read our reviews or watch embedded highlights videos below): Woodloch Resort, Rocking Horse Ranch, and Pine Ridge Dude Ranch.
Indoor Waterpark Resort
Prices for these during school breaks can be about 3 times higher than lower peak times of year, but may be worth a splurge if your kids are pool and water slide fanatics! The nightly rate usually includes waterpark access for days of check in and check out (and all days between), and if you consider standalone waterpark tickets go for around $50/person, this makes the hotel rate a bit more understandable. Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari are popular chains of waterpark resorts with locations around the country. If you're in the TriState Area, some more local ones include Rocking Horse Ranch (which is all-inclusive and mentioned in the above section), Kartrite, Six Flags Great Escape Lodge, Greek Peak (click to read our reviews for the last 3 or watch our embedded highlights videos embedded below), SplitRock, and Camelback.
Ecotourism Adventure
Learn to surf and zipline through the jungles of Costa Rica, stay at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, feed giraffes from your bedroom window in Nairobi! The possibilities are endless and SO very exciting!!
Humanitarian / Volunteering Vacation
Vacation with a purpose - arrange yourself or join a group such as Discover Corps, Global Volunteers, or one from this great list on USA Today.
Go somewhere WARM
Mexico or the Caribbean. Central or South America. Anywhere near or south of the equator! Soak in the sunshine and vitamin D! Swim. Snorkel. Whether you go all-inclusive, budget hotel, or rent a house, you'll have an amazing warm escape!
Go somewhere COLD
Most people don't think of going somewhere COLDER for spring break, so you may be able to find a good deal with less competition! Maybe you want to go skiing, go dog sledding and stay in an ice hotel (Hotel de Glace in Quebec is only open through March 12 though, so not applicable for most of our spring breaks), or try to see the northern lights? Would be an (arctic) blast!!
Staycation
This can mean staying home and planning fun-filled days visiting local tourist spots and doing really exciting activities (check out GROUPON for great deals and inspiration, and Resort Pass for day passes to resorts - from NYC to Florida, anywhere!). Or you could stay at a nearby hotel and enjoy their pool and jacuzzi and other amenities (hit up hotels.com or hotwire.com to see what's available - you can narrow search by amenities such as pool and family-friendly). Watch the below video for a recent staycation we did with some super fun local attractions and a night over at a budget-friendly hotel with pool!
If you're in the Tri State Area, you can't go wrong with Crystal Springs Resort in New Jersey. Glorious tropical-esque indoor pool, delicious food, spa, classes and activities, near ski slopes - just perfection!! Click to read our summer & winter stay reviews or watch the embedded highlights videos below!
Extra Considerations...
Disclaimer: We were provided complimentary tickets to Dutch Wonderland and Cherry Crest Adventure Farm in exchange for our promotion, but all thoughts and opinions are our own - we LOVE them, have been going for years, and know you'll love them, too! This post also contains affiliate links, you won't pay more but we receive commission from purchases made after clicking.
We missed our annual trip to Lancaster last summer, we all missed ALOT of things last year, am I right?! But it made our trip this year that much more special! And to top it off, we also met my best friend (and her family) who I hadn't seen in 3 years!! See the WHOLE vacation in this super fun video here, and read on for more details!!
Lancaster is one of our favorite family vacation destinations, for 3 reasons:
1. The landscape
It's absolutely beautiful, so peaceful, with rolling hills and endless farmland! Also, I may be a tad fascinated with Amish culture and lifestyle...
2. Dutch Wonderland
Possibly the best amusement park out there for toddlers and younger kids, with everything from chill rides to exciting diving shows, and even a small water park. There are many rides where you can hold babies and little ones in your lap. By around 2-3 years old, they're tall enough for most rides, at least going together with an adult. My oldest is 8 and finally tall enough to ride the wooden roller coaster with the highest height requirement. My 5 year olds are tall enough for the 2nd highest cutoff ride, Merlin's Mayhem, a super exciting SMOOTH metal roller coaster. Look at the below photo of our first trip in 2017 and our latest trip in 2021 - the kids have grown SO much!!
We're still not out of the pandemic, but I should note that most people at the park were NOT masked, and it did get crowded. The waterpark was too crowded for our comfort (you can see in our video) so didn't venture in there, but other than that we didn't feel uneasy, especially being outdoors. We got there right when they opened at 10am and were able to ride Merlin's Mayhem (our favorite roller coaster) twice in a row without any line and didn't have to wait more than 5 minutes until afternoon, when it got a bit more crowded but still not crazy, for a super nice Sunday in August I was pleasantly surprised!
We just love going back year after year! We haven't noticed any change in rides since we've been going, but it's fun seeing how the kids change each time - what they're excited to ride or see again, and what they're suddenly tall enough to do.
3. Cherry Crest Adventure Farm
We've been going to Cherry Crest for years now and every time they have added new things and expanded and my mind is blown in the best way all over again!! It's basically 25 acres of outdoor adventuring "agri-entertainment" fun on the farm - we're talking HUGE fast potato sack slides (a 6-lane slide is new this year and amazing!!!), jump pillows for kids AND adults, petting zoo, tractor rides, shooting apples and paint balls, Sproutsville kids' town (expanded this year with many new buildings - see the video), and so so so much more!!
Their epic corn maze was voted #1 in the country last year!! Be sure to click here and vote so they win again this year. Above center is an aerial view, this year's 5-acre corn maze with 2.5 miles of trails has a theme of "Hometown Heroes", and throughout the maze you can learn about how local and national emergency services keep our communities safe!
Cherry Crest is open daily through the summer (closed Sundays/Mondays) in July & August, and open Thurs-Sat from September 11 - November 6. Check out their calendar here!
We've stayed at several different Lancaster hotels over the years, you can see them mentioned in our previous annual guides (our 2019 guide, our 2018 guide, our 2017 guide - you can see TONS of other activities and restaurants in those as well).
ACCOMMODATION:
This year we chose the Wyndham Lancaster Resort and it's our new favorite!! Here's why we loved it: 1. Huge and newly renovated - modern, clean, super nice! We got a pool-view balcony room with 2 queen beds and I was surprised how big it was! Could fit an extra bed but we decided to keep it roomier and just had our 3 kids sleep sideways in one of the queen beds, easy peasy! 2. Great heated zero-entry outdoor pool with lounge chairs IN THE POOL. It was in the 90's when we arrived and the pool was actually a bit too warm, felt good but not refreshing. I've never said that about a pool in my life LOL, it was like a warm bath, would have felt really nice on a normal day in the 70s-80's but in a heat wave, I wanted icey water! 3. Nice indoor pool with 9' deep end, nice for jumping and diving! **note: NO LIFEGUARDS! You have to sign a ton of waivers at check in. 4. TODDLER ROOM!! See photo below and in our video. My kids are 5, 5, 8 and loved it here. And it was amazing for our friend's 2 year old because he could just roam free with no worries. It's a great space to take your kids when they wake early, to let your partner enjoy a sleep in! 5. Super cute outdoor playground. Note: it's not gated in, so you'll have to stay close to your little ones if they're runners! 6. On-site restaurant, bar, and Starbucks. Pro Tip: the Starbucks has a microwave (our room didn't), it also has a little food pantry where you can buy cereal, snacks, etc. 7. Located across the street from Cartoon Network Hotel and Dutch Wonderland, walkable to many restaurants including Applebees. Very close to the outlets and TONS of stuff! That said, it's in a busy commercial area, not the quiet peaceful areas of Lancaster where we've stayed before.
We also dropped by Cartoon Network Hotel because I've been curious about it since it opened recently! It looks like it was an old motel that got bought up and gut renovated in a really fun and kitsch way. We peaked into an open room and it was small, no wonder they have a max 4 guests policy. The outdoor pool and splash area look great, and we ate dinner at the Cartoon Kitchen, which looks more like a cafeteria than a restaurant, but we got a private BenTen themed "pod" (3 walled room with a TV at the end of the table) and had fun. The food was good, drinks were strong and yummy, they have a FAB gift shop if you have CN loving people in your life, and they had meet and greet with a couple of characters, however there was a no-touch policy, covid related probably. I definitely recommend either a stay or a meal there!
MORE FAMILY VACATION INSPIRATION:
Looking for a great kid-friendly getaway from NYC? What about traveling back in time!? Then you've gotta check out Wild West City in NJ where we went yesterday for the first time, just under an hour and a half drive from up here in Hudson Valley. For the full experience and all the details, check out our fun highlights reel here:
At Wild West City you are transported back in time to the 1800's Wild West! With live action every 15 minutes on the Main Street - we're talking shootouts (with powder blanks, don't worry - no danger here!!), cowboy horse riding competitions, stagecoach holdups with audience participation, can can dancers and more!)
The Main Street also acts as a living history museum where you can go into each building and explore - bank, jail, saloon, saddle shop, post office, barber shop, one room school house, chapel, and more! There are a few dining options, including the Golden Nugget (with the usual fast food i.e. not historically accurate LOL, great live music, and booze options for the adults), a confectionary with cotton candy, ice cream and sno-cones, and a pizza parlor (they only space with AC). Seeing animals in the barn and panning for gold are also included in the admission fee. Fun extras include $6/person stagecoach ride, $5/person train ride, $5/person mini golf, $5/person pony rides, and more. We honestly had such a fun time!! They keep it "historically accurate", with words that are not PC in today's world ("Indians" for example), and yes, they do shoot, and kill, and the guns are loud (but fake - firing blanks), so consider if your kids will be ok with this. After gloriously and often hilariously dramatic shootouts and "deaths", the actors jump back up and wave, so your kids will quickly understand it's all just playing, of course you should discuss this before, during, and after to make sure they understand it was acting, and how dangerous real weapons are! Safety first!! LOCATION: 50 Lackawanna Drive Stanhope, NJ TICKETS: $29.50 for adults, $24.50 for kids, $22 for seniors. Visit their website for more details. For more like this from us, visit:
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by CaliCase but all thoughts are my own and completely unbiased. In fact, I reached out to them because I was so interested in the product, which is often the case for our reviews. I'm no sell out :) I got you! That said, affiliate links follow - we receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking, cuz ya girl gotta eat!
Remember back in they day, those little single use Kodak underwater cameras?? They still exist, and most of you probably believe to take photos or videos in the water you need that or a $500 GoPro. But what if I told you that you could just use your own cell phone. We pay a lot of money for these phones that have amazing cameras, so why not use them!? But how to protect our phones while at the beach, pool, lake, or waterpark?? I'll tell ya how - CaliCase Waterproof Phone Pouch (it floats, too)!!! These are amazing not just for adults and our primary cell phones, but to let your kids have fun shooting photos with their phones or your old cell phone (more on how to use old phones here!)
Watch my full unboxing, demo, and review video here and read on for more details:
In a nutshell, I LOVE our CaliCase waterproof phone cases! They're an amazing bang for your buck and allow you to safely use your phone in and around the water - you can make calls, send texts, take photos and video, everything!! I'll go into more detail about the phone by answering some of the burning questions I had going into this, which you probably are wondering about as well:
Are they really waterproof?
How's the sound and camera quality?
Any other standout features?
Any problems?
My takeaway: Get it. Get it today! You can have your phone close by without having to worry about it getting splashed or dunked. You can even throw a credit card in there, which is what we did at the water park so we had everything we needed right on us! The universal size fit my phone (Motorola G Stylus) and my husband's (iPhone 11) only if we took our regular cases off, the extra large size fit them with cases on, which is easier, so I recommend that bigger size.
BUY YOUR CALICASE on CaliCase.com (affiliate link) - use code "japanfam" to get 20% off!!
Disclaimer: We were provided tickets in exchange for sharing our experience, but all thoughts and opinions are our own.
We moved from Brooklyn to Hudson Valley a year ago, but last summer was pretty much a wash for any kind of theme park experiences. Thankfully everything is opened back up now and we are HERE. FOR. IT!!! Yesterday we ventured half an hour up to Fishkill, NY to spend the day at SplashDown Beach Water Park and had the best day everrrrrr!!! Be sure to watch our highlights video here, and read on for details!!
We arrived at 11AM, got our bags checked, tickets scanned, rented our locker for the day (you get a handy wrist band you simply scan to open the locker), and rented our Cabana, which is an extra splurge but I highly recommend it - it was so nice to have a quiet shaded spot to come back to for a break. There's a buzzer so you can easily call your waiter and order food and drinks to be brought to you. You need a special wrist band to enter the private cabana area, so we felt safe leaving our clothes and water bottles and sunblock and other non-valuables there with no worries, just putting wallets and keys in a locker (in another area). We had a cheese pizza delivered for lunch and it was delicious!!!!
Those 48" and above can do all the rides, though 42" and above can do pretty much do everything, sometimes solo and sometimes needing to pair up with an adult. There are some HUGE and terrifying slides (like Humunga Halfpipe and Megalodon), some medium thrill ones (like Bullet Bowl and Arctic Plunge), and some super chill ones safe for babies and babies at heart (like the lazy river, regular pool, and wave pool), and even some areas just for smaller kids.
One of our 5 year old twins was too scared to do a solo ride at the start of the day, but after doing several rides with a partner she was ready to try again at the end of the day and SUCCESS! She loved it and begged to ride again and again!!! So, my tip, if you have a more nervous kid like her, do parter or group rides first to get their confidence up a bit, and avoid any potential tears and inner conflict!
They have complimentary coastguard certified lifejackets available throughout the park - for adults (over 90 pounds), youth (55-88 pounds), child (33-55 pounds), and infant. Our kids can't swim yet so having them wear these helped me feel more reassured.
I was really impressed with the lifeguards, too. At the pool, you can see them scanning in very strict grid patterns - each line up and down the pool from one side to the other, the perimeter, and back to start - they obviously have very detailed training and when one of my kids had trouble exiting from a water slide at one point that lifeguard did not hesitate to blow her whistle, jump in, and rescue my little one who had been sucked back to the corner by the current (you can see the action in our video). While she luckily hadn't been in any real danger, it was amazing to see how confident the lifeguards are in knowing exactly what to do. So so so important at any water park, and this was the first time I ever got to see their training in action!
They have changing rooms, bathrooms, lots of dining options inside and outside. We left when they closed at 6pm, after a full 7 hours there, and honestly, still hadn't had enough LMAO!!! It is a SUPER FUN day out and I can't recommend it highly enough!!
LOCATION: 16 Old Route 9 W, Fishkill, NY
TICKETS: from $29.99 - $49.99 per day (half day, weekday, weekend/holiday rates vary), infants 2 and under free (but first visit you must purchase their reusable swim diaper cover for $9.99), $129.99 season's pass.
Quick shoutout to some items that made our day in the sun even better:
(affiliate links):
For more NY / NJ area reviews and recommendations, be sure to check out our roundups:
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About ME:I'm a NYC metro area mom blogger living in NJ with my Japanese husband & our 3 kids (twins plus 1), focusing on fun and honest product and travel reviews, saving moms time finding the best for their families! Find what you need in the menu bar or search section above! Categories
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