While it's always nice to leave the kids at home and get away with your partner (or, heck, leave your spouse behind and travel solo), there are few things better than a good old fashioned family road trip. It's a time honored tradition as American as apple pie. (Also classic: the inevitable choruses of, “Are we there yet?”). These budget-friendly family road trips traverse the country, with sights guaranteed to please all ages, so your kids will remember this vacation long after they're grown.
What to see/do: Newport, formerly home to Gilded Age robber barons and titans, boasts gorgeous historic waterfront mansions, including icons like The Breakers and less famous (but still impossibly grand) homes like Marble House, Rosecliff, and Elms. Kids pet dogfish sharks, spider crabs, and sea urchins at Save the Bay’s Aquarium, get in touch with their inner Serena Williams at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and ride the vintage Easton’s Beach Rotunda carousel.
Where to stay: Mere steps from Newport’s bustling waterfront, historic inn Vanderbilt—a former residence of the Vanderbilt family—offers special children’s menus and a bedtime snack cart including cookies, popcorn, and cereal. On the other side of town, there’s Gurney’s Newport Resort and Marina, with a new kid’s club and outdoor saltwater pool, plus 360 degree views of the marina.
Where to eat: Pub-grub and fresh seafood make stalwart Brick Alley Pub a perennial family-favorite. Cupcake Charlie’s offers 16 freshly-baked flavors daily, and is located in the heart of Newport Historic District, with America’s largest collection of colonial buildings. No relation to Clark, Griswold’s Tavern offers a casual atmosphere with a lengthy menu,
including New England Clam Chowder and a children’s menu.
See full story by Nadine Jloie Courtney on Oprahmag.com.
