We are a family of 5 with two tweens and one teen. We are trying to find a vacation spot with white water rafting, rock climbing, horseback riding ex. We live in Illinois and would not like to drive for more than 18 hours. Wyoming would be preferable. We have a pretty wide price range and are open to any suggestions.
Thank you in advance for any advice!
Thanks for all of the advice we are going to West Virginia. Can't wait!
Dude Ranch. Probably the best vacation we ever had. Sounds like it
is something you would enjoy. We went to Colorado. However, there is
a great one in Wyoming. Cannot remember where in Wyoming. I think
Eaton is the name of the ranch. However, the one I am thinking of I think
is in Jackson Hole. If you are interested, send me a messsage and I
will find out from a friend of mine.
There are a fair few places in Missouri that have everything but the rafting. If we get enough rain it gets close mind you.
You have to get to mountains before you get white water. Have you considered looking at the Smoky mountains, they are a bit closer than the Rockies. I think Gatlinburg has everything you are looking for and is very family friendly.
http://www.aceraft.com/west-virginia-adventure-activities
i just quickly pulled this up. I know you said west, but I would check out W Virginia. They have a ton of things like that. My husband went to one there and loved it. We are planning on going back so he can do the zip line. Plus it is BEAUTIFUL there.
Shotgun Eddie's in Whitelake, Wisconsin. Check it out for white water rafting, camping (real camping, not my version like a holiday Inn and a jacuzzi). This was fun and I'll bet still is. I just haven't done it in awhile.
we just went on a vacation to the French Broad Outpost Dude Ranch - Del Rio, TN. It was all inclusive and included 2 white water rafting trips - a beginner very mild white water rafting trip on Tuesday and an advanced trip later in the week (Fri or Sat), horseback riding, tubing down the river, all meals and lodging, games, a cattle drive and cattle penning activities - they were the nicest people, the food was great and it was A LOT of FUN! Perfect for your age mixes as the crowd of kids when we were there (this past June) ranged from ages 8 through a girl that just graduated high school. Very interactive with other families, and there was also a game room with a pool table, foosball, air hockey, checkers, etc. and families gathered in the "Saloon" at night for cards and other games. There is also a pool. My kids are 11,11,& 12 and they made friends with some other girls that were there. There are carrots available to feed the horses night and day. And you are assigned a horse and he or she is yours for the duration of your stay. The staff is SO NICE - you are on a first name basis with them. An example of a meal one night was porkchops, mac n cheese, bread & a veggie, another night meatloaf, mashed potatoes, veggie and rolls and dessert with every lunch & dinner! My kids said it was the BEST VACATION EVER! I LOVED it as well, and my husband 'liked it alot' I think he would have LOVED it had it not been for the $$.
As an add on to our vacation we spent a few days in Gatlinburg/ Pigeon Forge and did another white water rafting trip and zip lining at Smoky Mountain Zip Lines - very fun!
There is only one tv and it is in the game room and all they have to watch on it is westerns. Cell service is more miss than hit. We did the whole plaid shirt thing and many of the poeple there even wore cowboy boots, the 'wranglers' wore cowboy boots, jeans and plaid shirts everyday. The owner Shawn wore funny western outfits every day as well (picture Robin Williams in Night at the Museum".
hope this helps and good luck!
I was going to suggest Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge, TN (LOTS to do, and not too far). AND rafting in West Virginia. It's been years since I've been down to both places, but they have been favorites of mine. (I've been fortunate to have traveled most of the 48 lower states.) Living in IL, you may have already traveled these areas.
A little unsure of how far you could drive in 18 hours but my 2 picks would be Colorado or one of those rafting trips (3-5 days) where you go through the Grand Canyon!!! FUN!
i have traveled quite a bit inside the U.S. & some outside but the best fmily vacation was Gatlingburg, TN it is amazing....you can do everything you mentioned & it was a short drive to white water rafting on the border of north carolina then we also went to the biltmore estates........there is an amazing water fall ......drive thru the smoky mountains......horse back riding in the mountains (scary but fun)......tubing on a river for the day......oh so much fun!!!
I took my daughter when she was 10 & we both agree it was the best family vacation.........i have 3 young ones now (7, 5, 4) and i cannot wait to take them in a few years
