Trip Ideas for a Short Excursion with my son (13) (1 Viewer)

[Irish]

Looking for ideas from the creative PCF member pool My oldest son turns 13 next year, and I thought a really neat idea for a birthday gift would be a cool trip that he gets to pick. While we've been very fortunate and typically do at least one family vacation every year, the boys have only been to a handful of spots, including Disney World/Universal/Sea World (Orlando), Rehoboth Beach in DE, Cape Code MA, and Great Wolf Lodge (indoor water park in PA). They've been to each of those a bunch of times, mostly because someone in the family has property/time shares there, or we really like the area. The conditions for the trip are that it couldn't be any one of those places or anything similar, the purpose of the trip is for him to see or do something new, be it go someplace he's never been, do something he's never done, learn something new, etc. He gets to pick either my wife or I to take him, based on the place/activity. The trip will be a relatively short one (departing from NJ), say 3-5 days with travel, like a long weekend, and I'm looking to keep the price reasonable (within $2k if possible, slightly more is OK). Given the duration and $ restrictions, I'd like to keep in the US and surrounding areas (i.e. nothing overseas, Caribbean would probably be OK).

Being the Disney freak that my wife has made him into, he immediately wanted to go to Disneyland - but in CA instead of FL. (n) :thumbsdown: After putting the brakes on that, I'm trying to help him with some trip ideas. He's a pretty typical 12 year kid and active in a bunch of things, he likes sports (plays baseball & basketball), video games, music (he's in concert band), reading, camping, archery. Here are some ideas I've come up with so far :

Ideas of Places to Go:
Yellowstone
U.S. Space and Rocket Center (Huntsville, AL)
Yosemite (CA Sequoias)
Schlitterbahn Waterpark (Texas)
Alcatraz Island
Georgia Aquarium
San Diego Zoo
Mammoth Cave National Park
Dinosaur Valley State Park (Texas)
Grand Canyon

Ideas of Things to Do/See:
Fishing
Snorkeling (new)
Horseback riding (new)
Skiing / snowboarding (new)
Hiking / Biking
Camping
Kayaking / Rafting / Tubing (new)
Ballpark Tour
Drive a Tank (yes, supposedly there's a place in Minnesota where you can drive a tank and crush cars)
See a volcano (thinking Iceland)
See the northern lights (again Iceland)
Go to a tropical island
Cruise**
Check out a city - NYC/DC/Boston/Chicago
Spend a couple of nights in a really fancy hotel
Concert (though we're already primed to see Metallica next month in Philly :coffee: )

** one of the ideas that I figured he'd like was to do one of the Disney cruises. There are 3 and 4 day cruises to the Caribbean/Bermuda that leave from either NYC or Port Canaveral that look to fit within my budget. The issue with that is my wife has horrific motion sickness and is fearful she'd be sick the whole time. I've tried explaining that these ships are immense and she should be OK, but having never been on one myself, I can't say for sure.

I'm looking for any advise, recommendations, or alternatives to the above, or if anyone has done a similar type of trip and wants to chime in on what they did or how it went, that wouldn't be great. Really just brainstorming and looking for as many ideas as I can get. Go!!! (y) :thumbsup:

 

[RichMahogany]

Well, I'm 43 and would still love to drive a tank!

Seriously though, if you're coming out to California, there's nothing like the redwood forests.

Edit: does he happen to be a Star Wars fan? The Cali Redwoods are where they filmed the Endor scenes in Return of the Jedi. Also, IIRC there's a Lucas museum here in SF in the presidio, including a cool yoda statue.

 

[gkitt80]

My vote is for Yosemite. You could hike from Yosemite Valley to Mammoth Mountain resort town (~45 miles give or take) portion of the John Muir Trail - starts in the Yosemite valley, ends Thousand Island Lake. I actually hiked the entire JMT back in 2010, but my dad started the hike with me and did this exact portion. We did it in 3/4 days? Awesome stretch of trail for sure - takes you by many of the famous points in Yosemite (Half Dome, Yosemite falls, Clouds Rest, Tuolumne Meadows, etc.) and ends at Thousand Island lake, with the Banner Peak vista in the background, which is pictured in the below picture from this trip:



Definitely a trip for the memory banks - I highly recommend, especially if you and your son are into hiking. If you did this portion, you would basically leave your car in Yosemite valley, hike to Mammoth Mountain, then catch the (free?) shuttle back to the valley. Probably will end up staying the night in Mammoth for the early morning shuttle if memory serves correct. Let me know if this piques your interest and if you have any other questions, happy to help in any way I can.

Edit - Looking at this picture has convinced me that I need to lose a few LBS - holy crap was I skinny!

 

[Darson]

My son is 13 next year and this is a cool idea! When is he 13 and do you plan on the trip being on/around his birthday or anytime in the year? Weather is a factor!

I'm taking my son to the US grand prix at Austin next month with Bruno Mars in concert on Saturday night. I'm trying to persuade my wife to spend Christmas at my sister's in LA for Disney and Universal studios (we're all Harry Potter fans).

A great "island" getaway is Costa. Yes, I know it's not an island but it's safe and there are so many outdoor activities you can do - jungle treks, white water rafting, snorkeling, surfing, sea kayaking etc. I went with the boys a couple years ago and a few of them took impromptu surfing lessons and had a blast. Cheap to get to & cheap to stay.

 

[detroitdad]

My son and I did a two day camping trip every year for about five years. We hiked, fished, ect.....He loved it!

 

[David O]

Looking for ideas from the creative PCF member pool My oldest son turns 13 next year, and I thought a really neat idea for a birthday gift would be a cool trip that he gets to pick. While we've been very fortunate and typically do at least one family vacation every year, the boys have only been to a handful of spots, including Disney World/Universal/Sea World (Orlando), Rehoboth Beach in DE, Cape Code MA, and Great Wolf Lodge (indoor water park in PA). They've been to each of those a bunch of times, mostly because someone in the family has property/time shares there, or we really like the area. The conditions for the trip are that it couldn't be any one of those places or anything similar, the purpose of the trip is for him to see or do something new, be it go someplace he's never been, do something he's never done, learn something new, etc. He gets to pick either my wife or I to take him, based on the place/activity. The trip will be a relatively short one (departing from NJ), say 3-5 days with travel, like a long weekend, and I'm looking to keep the price reasonable (within $2k if possible, slightly more is OK). Given the duration and $ restrictions, I'd like to keep in the US and surrounding areas (i.e. nothing overseas, Caribbean would probably be OK).

Being the Disney freak that my wife has made him into, he immediately wanted to go to Disneyland - but in CA instead of FL. (n) :thumbsdown: After putting the brakes on that, I'm trying to help him with some trip ideas. He's a pretty typical 12 year kid and active in a bunch of things, he likes sports (plays baseball & basketball), video games, music (he's in concert band), reading, camping, archery. Here are some ideas I've come up with so far :

Ideas of Places to Go:
Yellowstone
U.S. Space and Rocket Center (Huntsville, AL)
Yosemite (CA Sequoias)
Schlitterbahn Waterpark (Texas)
Alcatraz Island
Georgia Aquarium
San Diego Zoo
Mammoth Cave National Park
Dinosaur Valley State Park (Texas)
Grand Canyon

Ideas of Things to Do/See:
Fishing
Snorkeling (new)
Horseback riding (new)
Skiing / snowboarding (new)
Hiking / Biking
Camping
Kayaking / Rafting / Tubing (new)
Ballpark Tour
Drive a Tank (yes, supposedly there's a place in Minnesota where you can drive a tank and crush cars)
See a volcano (thinking Iceland)
See the northern lights (again Iceland)
Go to a tropical island
Cruise**
Check out a city - NYC/DC/Boston/Chicago
Spend a couple of nights in a really fancy hotel
Concert (though we're already primed to see Metallica next month in Philly :coffee: )

** one of the ideas that I figured he'd like was to do one of the Disney cruises. There are 3 and 4 day cruises to the Caribbean/Bermuda that leave from either NYC or Port Canaveral that look to fit within my budget. The issue with that is my wife has horrific motion sickness and is fearful she'd be sick the whole time. I've tried explaining that these ships are immense and she should be OK, but having never been on one myself, I can't say for sure.

I'm looking for any advise, recommendations, or alternatives to the above, or if anyone has done a similar type of trip and wants to chime in on what they did or how it went, that wouldn't be great. Really just brainstorming and looking for as many ideas as I can get. Go!!! (y) :thumbsup:

Well I will be biased and say bring him to Schlitterbahn! New Braunfels is a great small Texas town. Also New Braunfels is only 30 minutes away from me so selfishly I would say come on down.

 

[Irish]

Well, I'm 43 and would still love to drive a tank!

Seriously though, if you're coming out to California, there's nothing like the redwood forests.

Edit: does he happen to be a Star Wars fan? The Cali Redwoods are where they filmed the Endor scenes in Return of the Jedi. Also, IIRC there's a Lucas museum here in SF in the presidio, including a cool yoda statue.

Link added to OP for the tank place And yes, big star wars fan, thanks for the heads on up on the Redwoods, I completely forgot that was filmed there.

My vote is for Yosemite. You could hike from Yosemite Valley to Mammoth Mountain resort town (~45 miles give or take) portion of the John Muir Trail - starts in the Yosemite valley, ends Thousand Island Lake. I actually hiked the entire JMT back in 2010, but my dad started the hike with me and did this exact portion. We did it in 3/4 days? Awesome stretch of trail for sure - takes you by many of the famous points in Yosemite (Half Dome, Yosemite falls, Clouds Rest, Tuolumne Meadows, etc.) and ends at Thousand Island lake, with the Banner Peak vista in the background, which is pictured in the below picture from this trip:

View attachment 201651

Definitely a trip for the memory banks - I highly recommend, especially if you and your son are into hiking. If you did this portion, you would basically leave your car in Yosemite valley, hike to Mammoth Mountain, then catch the (free?) shuttle back to the valley. Probably will end up staying the night in Mammoth for the early morning shuttle if memory serves correct. Let me know if this piques your interest and if you have any other questions, happy to help in any way I can.

Edit - Looking at this picture has convinced me that I need to lose a few LBS - holy crap was I skinny!

Awesome pic, sounds like a great trek. May be a little beyond his hiking skills so far, we've only done day trips so far, but definitely adding this to the list for the future, thanks!

My son is 13 next year and this is a cool idea! When is he 13 and do you plan on the trip being on/around his birthday or anytime in the year? Weather is a factor!

I'm taking my son to the US grand prix at Austin next month with Bruno Mars in concert on Saturday night. I'm trying to persuade my wife to spend Christmas at my sister's in LA for Disney and Universal studios (we're all Harry Potter fans).

A great "island" getaway is Costa. Yes, I know it's not an island but it's safe and there are so many outdoor activities you can do - jungle treks, white water rafting, snorkeling, surfing, sea kayaking etc. I went with the boys a couple years ago and a few of them took impromptu surfing lessons and had a blast. Cheap to get to & cheap to stay.

He turns 13 at the end of May. Depending on the activity, we're not necessarily tied to that particular time of year, so if it makes sense to go somewhere in February or September instead, I have no problem doing that. If you're a Harry Potter fan and haven't been to Universal yet, definitely put that on your to-do list. I'm not even a big Harry Potter fan and I thought it was pretty cool.

 

[gkitt80]

On the hiking skills point - while maybe a little beyond the "comfort zone" for day hikers, trust me when I say that this is not a "technical" trek. Only thing you won't be used to is sleeping in a tent / outdoors & carrying everything on your back. Also the elevation can be difficult for some of us lowlander east coasters. The JMT is a very well defined path, and during the summer there are a decent amount of folks on the trail (although numbers are regulated via a permit system). Trust me, if my Dad could do it (he hadn't hiked / slept outside for over 30+ years before he went on this trip), then you and your son could likely do it.

Anyways, best of luck to you in figuring out where to take your son - I am sure this will be an epic trip, no matter what you choose!

 

[David O]

Well I will be biased and say bring him to Schlitterbahn! New Braunfels is a great small Texas town. Also New Braunfels is only 30 minutes away from me so selfishly I would say come on down.

Oh they also have one of those Tank driving places near! Only 89 miles from San Antonio! You come here we can knock out at least a couple off the list.

https://www.drivetanks.com/

 

[Lemonzest]

This sounds really cool and has me excited for when my boys are older. Sounds like you have already exposed him to a lot of the cool things like Disneyland and Great Wolf Lodge etc.

My 2c is kids this age really benefit from the great outdoors, I know I did. I would work on setting up an outdoorsy type trip with some combo of camping, fishing, hiking, etc. There are many cool sub activities like building a fire together and setting up the tent etc.

This could be cheap or expensive depending on whether or not you have the gear

Have fun!

 

[BukNaked36]

May not be quite right for this trip, but may be a good future add on for Disney Florida - Discovery Cove is very cool. It's like snorkeling in a life size fish bowl - https://discoverycove.com/orlando/ - lot of good youtube videos if you're interested.

 

[Irish]

This sounds really cool and has me excited for when my boys are older. Sounds like you have already exposed him to a lot of the cool things like Disneyland and Great Wolf Lodge etc.

My 2c is kids this age really benefit from the great outdoors, I know I did. I would work on setting up an outdoorsy type trip with some combo of camping, fishing, hiking, etc. There are many cool sub activities like building a fire together and setting up the tent etc.

This could be cheap or expensive depending on whether or not you have the gear

Have fun!

I'm a huge outdoors fan, love to hike and bike when I actually get the chance so I definitely agree, I try to get them out into great outdoors whenever I can. Typically, when we're not doing Disney, at least some component of a trip includes a side trek to a park. I did a day hike with my Dad this year at the Great Smoky Mountains, and we hit up Acadia in Maine and then the more rural portion of Cape Cod this summer with the kids, including a really neat bike trek along Cape Cod seashore. I've been out to a few of the big parks in the west as well and have a few more planned for when they get a little older.

Part of the fun for this one will be that he gets to choose the trip - well, Dad has veto power but he'll mostly be the one choosing the trip. I'm actually very curious to see what he ultimately chooses. We told about the trip on his 12th birthday, to give him enough time to start planning. Once my little guy (9) heard about the trip and that he'd eventually have one too, he already has his all planned out - he wants to go charter fishing with Dad down in the Gulf of Mexico off Texas, lol.

 

[Lemonzest]

Part of the fun for this one will be that he gets to choose the trip...

I don't think many kids will choose the outdoors...lol. I will be utterly shocked if he chooses a camping/hiking trip. Regardless, super fun idea and look forward to hearing what you guys get up to.

My kids are so small it feels like we haven't done anything cool in years. All the ideas in this thread are motivating me to hit some of these parks and cool activities.

 

[Irish]

May not be quite right for this trip, but may be a good future add on for Disney Florida - Discovery Cove is very cool. It's like snorkeling in a life size fish bowl - https://discoverycove.com/orlando/ - lot of good youtube videos if you're interested.

View attachment 201660

We've looked at this place on previous trips, just could never fit it in. It does look really cool, going to add it to the list, thanks!

Appreciate the replies so far, keep them coming!

 

[David O]

I'm a huge outdoors fan, love to hike and bike when I actually get the chance so I definitely agree, I try to get them out into great outdoors whenever I can. Typically, when we're not doing Disney, at least some component of a trip includes a side trek to a park. I did a day hike with my Dad this year at the Great Smoky Mountains, and we hit up Acadia in Maine and then the more rural portion of Cape Cod this summer with the kids, including a really neat bike trek along Cape Cod seashore. I've been out to a few of the big parks in the west as well and have a few more planned for when they get a little older.

Part of the fun for this one will be that he gets to choose the trip - well, Dad has veto power but he'll mostly be the one choosing the trip. I'm actually very curious to see what he ultimately chooses. We told about the trip on his 12th birthday, to give him enough time to start planning. Once my little guy (9) heard about the trip and that he'd eventually have one too, he already has his all planned out - he wants to go charter fishing with Dad down in the Gulf of Mexico off Texas, lol.

When your 9 year old is ready please make sure to look me up. The company I work with owns a bay fishing boat company and we know who the good guides are here in the Gulf of Mexico. We can put him on some Reds and trout.

 

[Irish]

My kids are so small it feels like we haven't done anything cool in years. All the ideas in this thread are motivating me to hit some of these parks and cool activities.

This may sound crazy, but start some very general planning and start planting the seed in your kids now. When they hit the latter stages of grade school, you'll be so busy with school and their sports/scouting/hobbies/activities that you'll blink and they'll be 13 and ready for the cool trips before you know it - but also will have that lovely 12-13 year old attitude (even the good ones have attitude ). I have about a dozen different trips I'd like to do with them (Acadia this year was the first), I doubt I'll fit them all in before they're grown and off to college but I'm sure going to try.

 

[Irish]

When your 9 year old is ready please make sure to look me up. The company I work with owns a bay fishing boat company and we know who the good guides are here in the Gulf of Mexico. We can put him on some Reds and trout.

Awesome, I'll definitely check in with you Dave, thank you!

 

[Highli99]

If you are considering outdoor stuff,your son is a great age to hike Old Rag Mountain in Shenandoah. It’s considered to be one of the best hikes on the east coast. Spectacular views and really fun rock scrambling. It’s a solid 8 hour circuit. Other stuff nearby includes some neat caves but I forget their names.

I try to do old rag once a year it’s that good.

 

[Irish]

If you are considering outdoor stuff,your son is a great age to hike Old Rag Mountain in Shenandoah. It’s considered to be one of the best hikes on the east coast. Spectacular views and really fun rock scrambling. It’s a solid 8 hour circuit. Other stuff nearby includes some neat caves but I forget their names.

I try to do old rag once a year it’s that good.

This park & trail is definitely on my to do list, thanks!

 

[Kain8]

Read that at first as a short execution with my son!

 

[slisk250]

What month is this trip going to happen? I can give some very good advice about things but time of year eliminates some things and opens up others. I've traveled a bunch.

 

[Irish]

What month is this trip going to happen? I can give some very good advice about things but time of year eliminates some things and opens up others. I've traveled a bunch.

Nothing set in stone datewise, his birthday is at the end of May, but if the trip would work better at another time of year, we'll do it then. Anytime during the school year, we'd be looking at centering the trip to a weekend, I don't want him missing more than 2 or 3 days of school (and he doesn't either, said it would be a pain to catch back up).

 

[DrStrange]

13 is a tough age. too old for kids stuff, thinks they are old enough to do adult stuff but really needs a couple more years under their belt.

It is a shame you both aren't involved with scouting. There are a lot of things you would be doing monthly that could easily be made into a special trip.

Dad gets an A+ for taking the time and effort to make this happen. You don't have many more years left.

so much depends on your son's interests. viewing sports vs playing sports. Esports? Hunting / fishing? Any outdoorsman leaning? Technical interests? Dreaming of a trip to Universal or Disney? I am sure he has some opinions.

For what it is worth . . . my experience is young people have little appreciation of grand vistas or natural wonders of the world. So a rugged trek through amazing places from an adult point of view is a rugged trek for your son. Still might be fun, but not because of the views. That being said, something truly exotic could make a big impression - say a week in Iceland or a fishing trip into the Boundary Waters of Canada or a snorkeling trip to Little Cayman (though that trip might be better as a 16th birthday scuba trip. )

what ever you pick - have fun and enjoy the time -=- DrStrange

 

[slisk250]

Nothing set in stone datewise, his birthday is at the end of May, but if the trip would work better at another time of year, we'll do it then. Anytime during the school year, we'd be looking at centering the trip to a weekend, I don't want him missing more than 2 or 3 days of school (and he doesn't either, said it would be a pain to catch back up).

In this case I'd rule out Grand Canyon. You will be fighting huge crowds and if you planned to stay at the bottom, permits are tough to get and or it will be hot down there. Canyon is best during shoulder seasons...after school starts or mid May. Not sure about travel cost but it is possible to do San Francisco, Alcatraz, Muir Woods but travel, lodging costs could be crazy. I stayed at Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf a couple years ago. We took a cab from the airport. You can do a day around there with no car and there is a rental place in the garage so you can get one to drive across the Golden Gate to go to Muir Woods. Get up early, parking is limited for the Muir if that interests you. Can go to see a ball game, golden gate park...all that said, SF is pricey.

 

[crussader]

I used to work at the space center in Huntsville. I would highly recommend a visit there. They have a very large collection of vehicles and artifacts from the space program (vastly superior to the collection we have here in Houston). It's not Disney, but as a 13 year old boy, I would have preferred that to a hike. On the way, Rock City in Lookout Mountain, GA is worth a stop.

 

[slisk250]

Disneyland admission prices are crazy but there are ways to do it and other stuff in the area as well and maybe stay in the budget. I recommend the Tropicana Inn, you still have a $15 parking charge but it is secure and next to your room. You can walk to the gates and it is very close, much closer than using Disney Parking $20 or $35 for preferred and I think you are still much closer at Tropicana. Maybe a 5 minute walk to the gates. If theme parks are your thing, give Knott's Berry Farm a go. Much more reasonably prices and some great rides. Depending on the plan (you can do Disneyland in one day), get lodging somewhere else for the other activities. You got the Dodgers if you go up north, but the Big A is right there and will keep you from enjoying the worst traffic on the planet getting to Dodger Stadium. The challenge will be getting a good rate from NJ to LAX, no idea what may happen there. 2K will be tough to meet but nothing is impossible. Start the Disney fund and win some cash at the tables between now and then.

Edit. - You could also get some cheaper lodging at Knotts area and drive in to Disney and use parking. Plan to arrive at the lot at least 30 minutes before the park opens, maybe more so you can get ready to roll when the gates open. Could possibly save a C note or more per day rates are 50% less than Disney places on Harbor Ave. Best rates at Tropicana for a basic double queen are 180 military and a bit more for rack. The place pretty standard, not luxury at all but you won't be there except to sleep I bet.

 

[Irish]

13 is a tough age. too old for kids stuff, thinks they are old enough to do adult stuff but really needs a couple more years under their belt.

Yes it is, but there's a method beyond my madness.

We decided to do 13 instead of 16 (or 18) for a few reasons. Primary reason is to expose him to something new and "adult-like" to possibly expand his interests as he gets older. At 13, yes he's not capable of doing a strenuous/technical hike like the base hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, or go wreck diving, or rock climbing. But we can do an easier hike at a cool park, or learn to snorkel, or check out a cool island or new city so that when he's older, he has a few more ideas of trips he'd like to do himself or with a group of college buddies when he is capable of doing more (and very likely more capable than my wife or I, lol). While it may not have the same grandeur of a trip in a few years, we thought a trip now would have a bigger impact, as he's at that adolescent age where a lot of kids really start disconnecting from their parents.

Thanks for the suggestions! Adding to the list (y) :thumbsup:

 

[slisk250]

OK here are a few more places I'd recommend that are not theme park oriented. If you wanted a real adventure, like hiking and want to enjoy some National Park action, consider Zion National Park in Southern Utah. Fly to Vegas and then you are 165 miles from Zion, lodge at Springdale, UT. I would do this to hike Zion Narrows. You could do it from the south as a day hike or plan an overnighter staying in the Narrows overnight. Wet weather could impact access but I'd roll the dice June no problem. Weathyer will be warm but the hike has water, think very long trekking pole (rent 'em) and thermal boots (rent them). I did it with my trainers but the water can be cool. Perfect hike on a long day. Stunning scenery, the best slot canyon hiking in the world. This option would be high on my list and damn! Flying to Vegas! I'd do this again any June I could get there. It is a real adventure.
https://utah.com/hiking/zion-national-park/the-narrows

The options to drive from there to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon now become possible. 160 miles. Do you like road trips? Vermillion Cliffs along the way are beautiful and the North Rim is 1000 ft higher plus 95% of all Canyon visitors never go there. Yes, the views on the South are better but the North is awesome too. In place of this, perhaps Bryce Canyon is appealing to you. The weather should be good, camping is a fun option, Night temps are great. Check in with @Lars he lives a 3.5 hours north of Zion.

Edit - don't know your kid but 13 years old is no worry I think. If he is athletic, the Narrows is not a hike of elevation gain. You get wet for sure and that is part of the adventure. BTW I took a group of 8th graders there about 10 years ago. It was a blast and Springdale on July 4 is a fun place to be.

 

[Irish]

In this case I'd rule out Grand Canyon. You will be fighting huge crowds and if you planned to stay at the bottom, permits are tough to get and or it will be hot down there. Canyon is best during shoulder seasons...after school starts or mid May. Not sure about travel cost but it is possible to do San Francisco, Alcatraz, Muir Woods but travel, lodging costs could be crazy. I stayed at Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf a couple years ago. We took a cab from the airport. You can do a day around there with no car and there is a rental place in the garage so you can get one to drive across the Golden Gate to go to Muir Woods. Get up early, parking is limited for the Muir if that interests you. Can go to see a ball game, golden gate park...all that said, SF is pricey.

Disneyland admission prices are crazy but there are ways to do it and other stuff in the area as well and maybe stay in the budget. I recommend the Tropicana Inn, you still have a $15 parking charge but it is secure and next to your room. You can walk to the gates and it is very close, much closer than using Disney Parking $20 or $35 for preferred and I think you are still much closer at Tropicana. Maybe a 5 minute walk to the gates. If theme parks are your thing, give Knott's Berry Farm a go. Much more reasonably prices and some great rides. Depending on the plan (you can do Disneyland in one day), get lodging somewhere else for the other activities. You got the Dodgers if you go up north, but the Big A is right there and will keep you from enjoying the worst traffic on the planet getting to Dodger Stadium. The challenge will be getting a good rate from NJ to LAX, no idea what may happen there. 2K will be tough to meet but nothing is impossible. Start the Disney fund and win some cash at the tables between now and then.

Edit. - You could also get some cheaper lodging at Knotts area and drive in to Disney and use parking. Plan to arrive at the lot at least 30 minutes before the park opens, maybe more so you can get ready to roll when the gates open. Could possibly save a C note or more per day rates are 50% less than Disney places on Harbor Ave. Best rates at Tropicana for a basic double queen are 180 military and a bit more for rack. The place pretty standard, not luxury at all but you won't be there except to sleep I bet.

OK here are a few more places I'd recommend that are not theme park oriented. If you wanted a real adventure, like hiking and want to enjoy some National Park action, consider Zion National Park in Southern Utah. Fly to Vegas and then you are 165 miles from Zion, lodge at Springdale, UT. I would do this to hike Zion Narrows. You could do it from the south as a day hike or plan an overnighter staying in the Narrows overnight. Wet weather could impact access but I'd roll the dice June no problem. Weathyer will be warm but the hike has water, think very long trekking pole (rent 'em) and thermal boots (rent them). I did it with my trainers but the water can be cool. Perfect hike on a long day. Stunning scenery, the best slot canyon hiking in the world. This option would be high on my list and damn! Flying to Vegas! I'd do this again any June I could get there. It is a real adventure.
https://utah.com/hiking/zion-national-park/the-narrows

The options to drive from there to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon now become possible. 160 miles. Do you like road trips? Vermillion Cliffs along the way are beautiful and the North Rim is 1000 ft higher plus 95% of all Canyon visitors never go there. Yes, the views on the South are better but the North is awesome too. In place of this, perhaps Bryce Canyon is appealing to you. The weather should be good, camping is a fun option, Night temps are great. Check in with @Lars he lives a 3.5 hours north of Zion.

Edit - don't know your kid but 13 years old is no worry I think. If he is athletic, the Narrows is not a hike of elevation gain. You get wet for sure and that is part of the adventure. BTW I took a group of 8th graders there about 10 years ago. It was a blast and Springdale on July 4 is a fun place to be.

All good stuff, thanks Mike. My wife initially looked at Disney and if they stayed offsite (I forget which hotel), we were at ~$2500 plus food & misc. My problem with Disneyland is that he's been to Disney in Florida 4 times, it's just not something new (I've been to both sites, there's nothing in CA that he hasn't seen in FL), so I've all but nixed that idea. Zion is flat out incredible, my wife and I did the Narrows hike for our 10th anniversary and it was awesome, great recommendation. That one is actually on my list for our first family trip out west. (y) :thumbsup:

I used to work at the space center in Huntsville. I would highly recommend a visit there. They have a very large collection of vehicles and artifacts from the space program (vastly superior to the collection we have here in Houston). It's not Disney, but as a 13 year old boy, I would have preferred that to a hike. On the way, Rock City in Lookout Mountain, GA is worth a stop.

Thanks! I forget where I initially found that recommendation, but I thought it provided a neat alternative to the outdoor options.

 

[pltrgyst]

Well I will be biased and say bring him to Schlitterbahn!....

Thank god for the letter "L".