Your Summer Family Vacation - Five Fun Ideas for the Whole Family

What a treasure it is to have a week or so in the summer for the whole family to be together. If your family is like mine, we like to take a special summer family vacation each season. This year, I had each member of the family write down what they would like to do this year for our summer family vacation. These are the five ideas we all had to have the best family summer vacation this year.

Go on a Family Cruise- Cruising as a family is becoming more and more popular these days as cruise lines have gone to great lengths to accommodate the whole family. It virtually impossible for any member of the family to become bored on a family cruise. My kids have loved the family summer cruises we have taken and always have "take a cruise" at the top of their list.

Many parents I know shy away from taking the whole family on a cruise. One friend of mine mentioned not wanting to be "cooped up" in a tiny little cabin with all four of her children. I took the time to explain that very little time is actually spent in the cabin. Other objections I have heard are the fear of the younger ones not having any entertainment and the cost.

Most family friendly cruise lines have virtually non-stop activities for the whole family. As a mom, I have to say it is wonderful to lie by the pool as the whole family goes from one fun activity to the next and I never hear the words, "Mom, I'm bored"!

As for cost, keep in mind that most cruise packages are all-inclusive family vacations. The rates will include your meals, too. When you break down the cost, you may happily find that a family summer cruise may be less expensive than you originally thought it would be.

Go to the Beach - Going to the beach as our family summer vacation is always a solid second place for a choice on what to do each summer. We live in the southeast United States and have plenty of beach vacation spots available to us. Myrtle Beach is one of our favorites. My husband and I are both avid golfers and Myrtle Beach is a golfers heaven. Myrtle Beach also offers activities that the whole family can enjoy such as fun pools at the resort, putt-putt, arcades, go-carts, and the beach itself. Myrtle Beach is also home to some fantastic shows (Such as The Legends) and has some great shopping.

Family beach vacations can get quite costly so it's wise to do some pre-planning if you need to be budget conscious about your family summer beach vacation. Check online for special package deals and coupons. Doing a bit of research before you leave can save a lot of money over-all.

Go Camping - A camping family summer vacation is always a great time. We enjoy camping at the lake so we can water-ski and fish. There is something about the great outdoors that really bonds out family. It must be the magical campfire-cooked marshmallows!

Family camping is also a great idea when your budget dictates how your family will be spending their summer vacation. With the cost of gas prices these days, driving too far away from home is not always feasible. We are fortunate to have many wonderful state parks around us that afford us all the fun of family camping on a budget without having to go too far from home.

Go Visit Relatives - With everyone's busy lives and hectic schedules, summertime is a nice opportunity to slow down the pace and get to see those we miss all year. The kids love to go see the grandparents in Florida. I think it's because they love to be spoiled and it's been since Christmas since they have had quality time being spoiled by their wonderful grandparents!

Go to a Theme Park or Water Park - This is a very popular choice with my kids. Living in the Atlanta area means we have access to theme parks like Six Flags and awesome water parks like White Water. Usually our local merchants offer coupons to these destinations helping to make these parks a wonderful, and affordable, day-trip during the summer.

Having the best summer family vacation can take a little bit of planning, but it is worth its weight in gold. The memories made and quality family time during your summer family vacation will last a lifetime.