Hi all -

After my amazing trip to see my first football matches last 'fall', I think I've managed to convince my wife to take the kids over the 'pond'. We're just at initial stages of planning the trip. I've been on some other forums but wondered whether the Americans amongst you could add your tuppence worth of advice:

We aren't keen on doing the Florida NY LA etc usual thing as that wouldn't suit us.

We are a family of 5 (kids will be 14, 11 and 7 in Aug 2019).

We don't want a one resort all inclusive place that we could get in Spain etc.

Happy with one or two bases over the fortnight.

We don't want the heat of Florida etc.

We want it cheap to reach (so probably east coast?)

We want to experience real America (like you see in the movies!) - diners, drive in movie, dirt racing on oval track, monster truck show, sporting event (think baseball or nfl pre season game maybe?).

Near a lake or stream for kids to play in (not river Mississippi or lake Michigan!).

Water park for a day

We're not fussed about the beach but seeing the sea would be a nice day trip maybe.

Hire bikes for a day in a forest

Some driving through little villages or towns to get somewhere for a day but we're not after a touring holiday where there will be 4hr+ trips!

Oh and a final thing: we'd prefer not to come across a bear in the wood or a hurricane!

So there's a challenge for you all! Look forward to seeing who can tick the most boxes! So far, on other forums, one person suggested San Fran > Lake Tahoe > Yosemite which looks just amazing but maybe costly to reach. Another suggested Denver as a base then into mountains for second week. Again, flights may be the only problem?

Thanks in advance!

jh

Add in a little of Mr Krazy's speed boat racing too if it's nearby!!!

I don't know if it's too far, and there aren't any NFL teams nearby (yet), but you could fly into Las Vegas and drive up to southern Utah where you have Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (Lake Powell) and the Grand Canyon is close by too.

Between Vegas and Bryce Canyon there are several cities to stay in: Mesquite, NV, St. George, UT, Cedar City, UT just to name a few. There are quite a few options for recreation around the area, including movies, museums, lakes/reservoirs, etc. And of course you can visit the usual Las Vegas attractions as well.

Old Forge in upstate NY would cover many things you listed.

*Enchanted Forest - Water park
*Small villages to visit
*Go on boat ride in chain of lakes (also has beach area)
*Hiking up a mountain
*Campgrounds near water park (cabins)
*East Coast

If you are going, try to get there by early September. After the 1st week in September, its like a ghost town until winter and snowmobile season starts.

Cheers and firstly I'm not fussed about seeing nfl when there on this holiday. Seeing some cheap sporting event like a local baseball or stock car dirt race track thing would be great but not a major event as too costly.
We'd love to do that route you said but we'd fry in August so gotta wait till kids older and we can go in April maybe.

Thanks I'll check out that place in morning. We have to be back by first week of Sept for schools anyway so that should be fine :)

I would reccomend that you avoid swimming in fresh bodies of water.

https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/index.html

N. fowleri has been found as far north as Minnesota. While it is rare, the amoeba is almost always fatal. August is when most of the infections occur.

Be safe and have a fun vacation!

Yikes! Thanks!

If you're going in the summer you really can't do better than North Carolina/Virginia for the 'authentic' American experience. Racing, sporting events, wildlife, outdoors activities galore (including Civil War battle sites, which I imagine would be particularly surreal for a foreigner...or in Virginia, Revolutionary war sites..lol), and within traveling distance of Washington DC, which has some of the world's best museums.

You can get the folksy Americana along with the natural splendor, which is really all we're good for lol.

And if you're coming in 'Autumn', I suggest the northeast, particularly New Hampshire or Maine, for the weather and scenery...and antiques.

Cheers bedgerley much appreciated. We thought it may get too hot in nc/ Virginia but we've not decided yet. Think it's between there and Colorado. You from nc then?