Sure, we just returned from a wonderful Hawaiian holiday, but as you know from my previous blog, that hasn’t stopped us from diving head first into new travel material in search of the ultimate family-friendly spring break destination.
Here are a few more spots we are considering:
Washington, D.C.
Springtime in the nation’s capital–mild temperatures, cherry trees, and loads of hands on learning opportunities for kids (and parents)–what could be better, right? Okay, there’s no guarantee that the weather will be picture-perfect, but it’s hard to resist the chance to take in the sight of more than 3,750 cherry trees in full bloom. Some residents say that the blossoms create a “pink cloud” that hangs over the Tidal Basin.
The city’s Cherry Blossom festival is a signature springtime event in Washington, D.C. attracting more than one million tourists over the festival’s two-week period—many come all the way from Japan. It makes sense considering the trees were a diplomatic gift from the people of Japan and include 12 different varieties. The most common is the Yochino cherry.
Padre Island National Seashore
Located on Texas’ Gulf Coast, Padre Island is famous for spring break partying. Half-naked college coeds bar hopping at night and sleeping the day away on the beach—why would this be considered a “family-friendly” destination and make our list? Simple: there’s more to the island than raging social gatherings for 20-year-olds. Padre Island National Seashore is the world’s longest barrier island—it is 113 miles from the top to the bottom–70 of those miles are protected and will stay undeveloped, which means your family can easily find space away from the students looking to P-A-R-T-Y!
According to park rangers, Padre Island National Seashore has more wilderness beach than any place in the world. This of course means my animal loving toddler would have a field day frolicking among the array of animals, such as the Kemps Ridley sea turtles, which are protected there. If turtles are not your pace, the Laguna Madre on the bay side of the island is a haven for windsurfers. And, if you have sun-seeking teens in your family, Padre Island’s sandy dunes are the ideal place to soak in the spring sun.
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