Wow, our family has gone 3 times now in the past 5 years. It’s always been great for us. As someone trying to get the cheapest vacation with the most value, this was really the only spot to go. Sure, the hotel rooms were not the greatest, but they had on-site watersides, kids’ pools, lazy river, and multiple indoor and outdoor pools with hot tubs. Beach was just past that. Idk where you’re from, but for someone in NJ, there is nothing that I have found that offers anything like that from here all the way down. Entire week was like $1700. If I wanted a hotel half as good here, it’s like $4k to 5k for the same week. The only complaints I have are some sketchy areas to be avoided, but we got the same problems up here. They are all tourist traps, but I would rather spend the least to give my kids a decent time. Also, the beach is way nicer than NJ!
Maybe one day I’ll have some extra money to go somewhere else…
Thanks, I see some cool options there. I’ll check it out some more. Only other problem is myrtle beach is about the extent of driving south with 2 kids. Its a little over 10 hours. Flying may work, but it does cost more.
Sometimes flying is honestly cheaper, but with a family it does mean you can’t bring as much stuff, which can end up costing more. Myrtle Beach is where my family went when I was a kid and it made me think I just hated the beach.
Total gas cost for round trip was 2 fills each way, so just under $200. There’s also tolls that are pretty expensive these days, but I would say they still bring the total under $300 for 4 people to travel. Of course, I should double this cost since im going twice as far if I do decide to take the plunge.
Just curious what was so bad that you hated the beach? When I grew up the only place my parents took me was Williamsburg VA like 6 years in a row. It got old but looking back i appreciate it. I also hate the beach, I never really enjoyed it and would rather do just about anything else, but the wife loves it, and the kids seem to as well, so I hold my breath, lol. It also seems like the easiest solution for smaller kids.
My main memories are just that everything was super crowded. The kids there were super aggressive types and there was a large amount of over drinking with the adults. Maybe it has changed, but I am more of a relax at the beach sorta person, not the 10,000 things at once type.
Ahh, yeah, it can be crowded. We made that mistake the first year and went the week before school in the south starts. The last 2 we did it the week after they go back, like the 3rd week in August, and its been pretty dead. This year especially, and I have a feeling it was even less because people are cutting back as well due to the struggles.
I think things have changed. We don’t really drink when with the kids, and we really didn’t see much where it was out of control anywhere. I do agree you gotta watch the areas you go to, especially at night. Different generations, I feel like those times are over these days, haha.
Wow, our family has gone 3 times now in the past 5 years. It’s always been great for us. As someone trying to get the cheapest vacation with the most value, this was really the only spot to go. Sure, the hotel rooms were not the greatest, but they had on-site watersides, kids’ pools, lazy river, and multiple indoor and outdoor pools with hot tubs. Beach was just past that. Idk where you’re from, but for someone in NJ, there is nothing that I have found that offers anything like that from here all the way down. Entire week was like $1700. If I wanted a hotel half as good here, it’s like $4k to 5k for the same week. The only complaints I have are some sketchy areas to be avoided, but we got the same problems up here. They are all tourist traps, but I would rather spend the least to give my kids a decent time. Also, the beach is way nicer than NJ!
Maybe one day I’ll have some extra money to go somewhere else…
Literally, any small beach town in Florida is better. Ft Myers is dirt cheap.
Thanks, I see some cool options there. I’ll check it out some more. Only other problem is myrtle beach is about the extent of driving south with 2 kids. Its a little over 10 hours. Flying may work, but it does cost more.
Sometimes flying is honestly cheaper, but with a family it does mean you can’t bring as much stuff, which can end up costing more. Myrtle Beach is where my family went when I was a kid and it made me think I just hated the beach.
Total gas cost for round trip was 2 fills each way, so just under $200. There’s also tolls that are pretty expensive these days, but I would say they still bring the total under $300 for 4 people to travel. Of course, I should double this cost since im going twice as far if I do decide to take the plunge.
Just curious what was so bad that you hated the beach? When I grew up the only place my parents took me was Williamsburg VA like 6 years in a row. It got old but looking back i appreciate it. I also hate the beach, I never really enjoyed it and would rather do just about anything else, but the wife loves it, and the kids seem to as well, so I hold my breath, lol. It also seems like the easiest solution for smaller kids.
My main memories are just that everything was super crowded. The kids there were super aggressive types and there was a large amount of over drinking with the adults. Maybe it has changed, but I am more of a relax at the beach sorta person, not the 10,000 things at once type.
Ahh, yeah, it can be crowded. We made that mistake the first year and went the week before school in the south starts. The last 2 we did it the week after they go back, like the 3rd week in August, and its been pretty dead. This year especially, and I have a feeling it was even less because people are cutting back as well due to the struggles.
I think things have changed. We don’t really drink when with the kids, and we really didn’t see much where it was out of control anywhere. I do agree you gotta watch the areas you go to, especially at night. Different generations, I feel like those times are over these days, haha.