My answer: NEVER. Let’s face it, life moves fast. (My two-year-old just told me she needed a new doctor’s kit because the one she has doesn’t have “an otoscope with a light.”) So it’s no wonder with work schedules to plan around, a family budget to juggle, and relatives to appease, I plan for our family vacations months in advance. For example, we just returned from spending a few weeks visiting my parents, grandmother and siblings in Hawaii. While we were out there I began researching family-friendly fall vacation destinations. Here are two, which currently top our list:
Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina
Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina stands proud at an elevation of nearly 6,000 feet. It is the highest peak in the Blue Ridge mountain range and is considered one of the premiere areas to view the fall foliage. Naturalists say the diversity of plants in the area, especially hardwoods and shrubs, yields vibrant red, yellow and orange leaves.
The mountain gets its name from its profile. Visitors say it looks like an elderly man’s face as he’s lying down looking at the sky. While many tour books list the mountain’s main attraction as its mile-high, 228-foot-long swinging suspension bridge (it’s about 80 feet from the bottom of the bridge to the bottom of the gorge), the reason Grandfather Mountain is on our family’s list is because it is also considered a top destination for wildlife viewing. My daughter (our resident zookeeper) is fascinated by animals. Grandfather Mountain is teeming with bears, cougars, otters, eagles and white tail deer.
Cranberry Country, Massachusetts
Did you know that 27% of the world’s cranberries are produced in Massachusetts? According to the Cranberry Growers Association, the cranberry industry is Massachusetts’ number one agricultural crop. The cranberry harvest runs for six to eight weeks and ends in October, which is why so many visitors flock to the region each fall.
Once there you are treated to a hands-on lesson in cranberry harvesting. Visitors are allowed to watch as harvesters flood the bog with water then drive around the bog to knock the berries off the vines. Once the berries are gathered together they are loaded and sucked into a pump truck where they are later cleaned and shipped to market.
Some berry companies allow tourist to walk through the crop and swim through the bounty. Those who have tried it say it is an experience like no other in the world. The activity sounds especially exciting for teenage family members who may initially wrinkle their noses at the mere mention of “family time at a cranberry bog,” but once they are knee-deep in cranberries they may just find they are (gasp) having fun.
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Traveling with Children: Finding the Best Hotel Room
Fun Fall Family Travel Destinations-Part 5: Farms and Festivals