Summer Vacation Suggestions Needed!!!

Orlando Florida, everything not Disney. I know I had a blast in 2009 with my family and we didn't even touch anything Mickey related. It was great. If you get a hotel on International Drive there are so many things in walking distance like Ripley's Believe it or Not, Sleuths dinner theater, Wet n Wild, and so much more. Even that other big theme park was easy to get to and get from. We didn't even have a rental car. We had an amazing time. Definitely stay at a hotel with a pool.

One of the best summer vacations my family ever took was to Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota. We flew into Jackson Hole and out of Cheyenne and did a driving tour around Yellowstone, the Black Hills/Badlands, Mt. Rushmore -it was fantastic! Gorgeous scenery, rafting, hiking -it was so much fun. We ended it in Cheyenne for Frontier Days. I can't wait to take my boys on the same trip!

Myrtle Beach, SC is an amazing family getaway. We have been there 3 times. Driving from Chicago takes around 15 hours or so. There is so much to do and it is very family oriented. We stayed at the Island Vista and had a 2 bedroom condo there. It is very reasonably priced and right on the ocean. It is one of our favorite family getaways. We also love Biloxi, MS. It is right on the Gulf and the people there are SO nice! Biloxi is also a 15 hour drive from Chicago.
We also did the Nick hotel in Orlando once and our daughter loved it! We had a 2 bedroom suite and her room was decorated in the Spongebob theme.While we were there we did Sea World as well- lots of fun!
Please let me know if you have any questions

I grew up in IL. Of course things change over the years, but some of the vacations that I remember ...

Wisconsin Dells
Door County WI
St. Louis MO (gateway arch, amusement park, and then to the Ozarks)

Although it's a long drive, I'm sure the girls would love seeing and swimming in the ocean.

Tennessee (Gatlinburg) is awesome. There is so much to do.

You didn't say how far you wanted to go or how you wanted to get there. Julie B. has some real good ideas. You can also go on a trail ride, covered wagons and all just as if you were traveling in the 1880's.

Closer to where you are is Nauvoo, IL. (http://www.historicnauvoo.net/) Its a town restored to the way it was and America was in the 1840's. At one time Nauvoo was the second largest city in Illinois. There is a pageant that is held in the evenings from the 10th of July to the 4th of August. There are actors in period dress operating bakeries, blacksmiths' shops, and a brick making foundry where you can get a free brick.

Across the river and down stream is Mark Twains' home in Hannibul, Missouri.

I hope you have a wonderful time. Good luck to you and yours.

How about just going to a spot or somewhere in your own city that is noncommercial and just seeing it as a nonlocal.

Hot Springs, Arkansas was fun. We loved Destin, Florida. San Antonio, TX is a favorite of ours, but that may be too far for you. We're heading to Colorado Springs this summer. Have fun wherever you go! :)

Branson, MO
Kansas City, MO
Santa Claus, IN
Land Btwn the Lakes...in KY down to TN
the Smoky Mts are awesome. LOVE Gatlinburg!!

lots of great places ....all over the midwest!

Wisconsin Dells? I haven't been there, but my friends had and they liked it.

We had a super great summer vacation one year in Maine. We rented a house right by a sandy beach (you had to walk 2 blocks down a country road). We got live lobsters and cooked them. There were little towns nearby with shops and yummy restaurants. We spent a bunch of time in Acadia National Park. The house was not in the park but it was very close by. From the rental house we also could hike down a wooded trail over to a rocky beach. At low tide you had hours to walk across to an island and explore. The kids LOVED this. It was very beautiful and the kids had a blast playing at the beach every day.