Fall is the perfect season for many people — it’s a time to begin a new routine, enjoying crisp days and cool nights. It’s an excellent time for outdoor activity, and it can be a great time to plan a quick family getaway before the onset of the busy holiday season and the arrival of winter. If you want to leave for a long weekend before you settle in to your winter schedule, here are a few possibilities to consider:
One Last Beach Fling
Even though in most parts of the country, October is a little late to head for the beach, in Texas it’s just getting comfortable! A last weekend on Galveston Island might be just the ticket for city dwellers in Dallas and Fort Worth. In just a little more than four hours, the family can be unpacked in one of the rental condos of the Casa del Mar, starting at $129, and ready to explore the beach or the shops on the Strand. Rental condos feature kitchenettes, so bring some snacks and plan to have breakfast in your jammies! Rent movies and stay up late with popcorn and sodas.
Photo by Patrick Feller via Wikimedia Commons
You can swim in the heated pool, fill up on just-off-the-boat shrimp and local brew, hunt for antiques or listen to local bands on Saturday night. Pick your weekend and you can be there for the fun of Oktoberfest or celebrate a spooky Halloween with other island “ghosts.” The kids will love Moody Gardens and the railroad museum, and you might even be able to get in a little fishing from the pier.
Drive to Dells for Fall
It’s a little town in the middle of Wisconsin, but Dells is a big destination for folks from Milwaukee, Madison or even Minneapolis — and for good reason. It’s only about a three-hour drive from Chicago as well, but it’s a world away from the hustle and the stress of big city life. For a fall getaway, a two or three day visit to the Dells is better than therapy. The Autumn Harvest Festival, this year scheduled Oct. 19-20, is a treat for all ages, including a Saturday brew-tasting that’s strictly adult-only!
Photo by Emily TT Sullivan via Flickr
When you visit Dells with children, book a suite at Great Wolf Lodge, and the entire family is in for a treat. From the daily “wolf walk” through the lobby to the October Howl-O-Ween activities, it’s non-stop fun for all, and something you and your kids will always remember. Depending on your choice of accommodations, you will spend $129 to $170 on these dells deals, but you also receive passes to the water park and many other special activities are included.
Anywhere Near Kentucky?
A third great suggestion is to head to Kentucky. If you live in one of the surrounding states, you’re probably only about four hours from one of Kentucky’s superb state park system lodges. With 17 of the best bargains anywhere in the country, Kentucky boasts the nation’s largest and most fully developed resort system. All of them are bargain priced, each has a special personality and all have a variety of amenities. From golf courses to superb nature programs, fishing and hiking to swimming and boating, they’ve got it all. Many are even near important historical site, which is perfect to get a history lesson in for the kids.
Photo by Richard Elzey via Flickr
Facilities, including dining, are open year-round, and rates for lodge rooms or cabins begin at about $85 per night, depending on location. Consider yourself lucky to live within a short drive of Kentucky.
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