Summer Vacation: Where to go?

[Sea Cot]

Seeking recommendations from y'all about where to travel for summer vacation this year. The family is me, wife, 14yo son, and 11yo daughter. Clicking all the wishes would mean:

• contiguous US only, 7day 6 night trip. Can't do more due to dog sitter arrangement. Can't take dog (141# newf)
• 1 day of 4x4, SXS riding, or ATV if 14yo can drive
• at least one day in the mountains
• at least one day in (not at) a natural body of water
• at least one day in a national park
• multiple lodging locations are ok. Typically we rent via VRBO/Homeaway, AirBNB, or IHG reward points.

We'll fly in/out, and rent a car or SUV. Hooray for travel awards! Our vacations are rarely a single spot. We typically have a base and explore an area, or travel like nomads seeking interesting areas to hike, swim, or do whatever. A boat cruise vacation would be hell for us.

Ideas so far in random order. .

• NW Washington: Olympic NP, Mt Rainier NP, Mt St Helens, and Cape Alva.
  • Pros: Never explored the area, Cape Alva would make visting 3/4 of the furthest points in the lower 48
  • Cons: Seattle. Y'all don't paint a good picture of it. . . and I'm 30min from Detroit, lol.
• Monterey Bay & Lake Tahoe
  • Pros: it's familiar. We have vacationed in La Selva Beach and Pacific Grove. Family hasn't been to Tahoe
  • Cons: It's somewhat predictable and old-hat but not enough old-hat to scratch it from the list
• SLC/Park City & Moab
  • Pros: Visit friends, family, hero dad status with Moab 4x4 rental, hero hubby status with Park City shopping
  • Cons: family (lol), lack of water. We visited Moab last year, but not long enough.

What y'all say?

 

[K0LCB]

I say “Have fun”. I love traveling

 

[qslim]

Well, as for SLC/Moab - there are plenty of reservoirs in N Utah, and the runoff from the crazy snow we had last winter means they’re nice and full. There’s Pineview and Causey just north of SLC by Huntsville, then Echo and Rockport over near Park City.

As for Moab, did you just do Moab? One could get lost for a year in Arches and Canyonlands

 

[Sea Cot]

Moab was home base for two days last year when we visited 10 national parks in ~ two weeks time. My daughter was a 4th grader last year and wanted to visit as many as possible during vacation. At Moab, we spent a day each in Arches and Canyonlands but didn't test the off-road worthiness of the Honda Pilot rental vehicle.

 

[cliffish]

Dominican Republic...lol actually I would love to do any of those trips especially Tahoe.

 

[06TJ35's]

Dominican Republic...lol actually I would love to do any of those trips especially Tahoe.

Lmao the DR please don’t go there

 

[Sea Cot]

We're off to Utah. The wife wants to visit her cousin and the kids want to play around Moab. Time to stock up on sunscreen and water. . .

 

[astjp2]

Blahhh, head up to Yellowstone from SLC, Moab is so 2012...head over to Cody Wy, or Cook City Mt. More critters than you would ever see in Moab.

 

[Bescarrelus1951]

Have fun! I'd probably go to the Philippines. Asian countries are pretty good!

 

[59 wagon man]

Cheyenne Wyoming has frontier days coming up in july . looks like fun with plenty to do

 

[Sea Cot]

We'll likely find our way to Wyoming tp buy a soda and lottery ticket so I can check-off the 50th state visited.