Online Travel Guide - USA > Mid Atlantic

Mid Atlantic Family Vacation Ideas & Vacation Spots (DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, OH, ON, PA, VA, WV)

Mid Atlantic Family Vacation Ideas

You don't need to look too far if you're looking for mid-Atlantic family vacation ideas. Nearly every city or town, park or beach, offers family-friendly vacation spots. Let's start with the biggies and then make our way down to the more unique ideas:

First, any family visiting the mid-Atlantic region needs to spend some time in New York City. The city offers family of all sizes with more activities than you could imagine. Visit a rock gym, paint pottery, go horseback riding through Central Park, visit the Manhattan Children's Museum, or take advantage of the endless programming offered by the other big museums and libraries in the city. The New York Public Library, for example, as well as the Museum of Natural History, always have child-friendly exhibits, activities, and workshops.

Other popular family excursions in the mid-Atlantic region include a visit to Amish Country in Lancaster County, hiking through the Hudson Valley, visiting the beaches on the Jersey Shore, or riding the rides (and eating the chocolate!) at Hershey Park.

Mid Atlantic Family Vacation Spots

There are also a number of popular as well as off-the-beaten-path mid-Atlantic family vacation ideas, including a factory tour at Crayola, a visit to the Corning Museum of Glass, or a hands-on experience at the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia.

The list of mid-Atlantic family vacation spots goes on and on. For a family-friendly historical trip, parents may choose to bring their kids to Washington, D.C., the living museum of Williamsburg, Virginia, or the historic site of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The museums in this area, not to mention the parks, are perfect for families who want to get out, learn something, and have fun!

Family vacation spots in the great outdoors also provide great actives, especially for more active families. Fly a kite, ride a bike, or go for a hike in the vast, lush, green area around Lake Placid. Or why not strip down to your swimsuits and jump in the usually-cold water for a spontaneous swim with the kids? Rent a boat, invest in scuba diving lessons, or take the kids up for a hot-air balloon adventure that they'll never forget—activities like these are easy to come by in areas of upstate New York and Western Pennsylvania.

NY, PA Family Vacation Guide

Also included in your NY, PA family vacation guide is the classic amusement park or water park option. New York and Pennsylvania have plenty of options for families who want to take a break from the historical or the natural and just have some plain ol' fun. An indoor rock climbing wall will put a spin on the classic outdoor park—plus it'll give your kids an opportunity to boast how strong they are and how high they can climb; these rock gyms will also provide a nice challenge to mom and dad.

Looking for other activities that mom and dad will like just as much as the kids do? There's no better safe bet than heading to the beach and having a little fun and the sun. It's free (usually), open all day, and loads of fun!

	Family Vacation Ideas for Long Island, the Hamptons, Montauk, Fire Island
Ideas for summer sun and sand recreation are seemingly limitless on Long Island

	Family Vacation Ideas for Manhattan and New York City
Manhattan is a great vacation destination for the whole family. There's just so much to do that kids think is cool.

	Family Vacation Ideas for Woodstock, Cooperstown, New Paltz, Catskills and Hudson Valley
The Catskills and the Hudson Valley region contains a good amount of family-friendly activities and attractions. Distances between attractions are relatively short and the areas are well-suited for weekend trips.

	Family Vacation Ideas for Lake Placid, Lake George, Saratoga Springs, Adirondacks and Northern New York


	Family Vacation Ideas for Toronto, Niagara Falls, Finger Lakes in Western New York and South Central Ontario
If you have kids, go to Corning ! This charming city in western NY of 10,000 is home to the Corning Museum of Glass, which has lots cool exhibitions opening up all the time. And kids love getting soaked by the mist of Niagara Falls.

	Family Vacation Ideas for Atlantic City, Wildwood, Cape May, New Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore can provide a sensory overload for kids of all ages: the tastes of sweet saltwater taffy and gooey fudge; the scent of boardwalk popcorn floating on a sea breeze; the textures of soft and light, wet and heavy beach sand; the sight of boats plying the Atlantic as seagulls swoop down for a meal.

	Family Vacation Ideas for Philadelphia, Lancaster, the Poconos, Eastern Pennsylvania
Eastern Pennsylvania is a popular region for family vacation activities, such as sports or camping, and for family road trips and sightseeing. Many of the historical sites in this region will likely be familiar to kids from their history studies. Many attractions and sites are especially geared for kids, and are both educational and fun. And for just plain fun, there are several theme parks and factory tours with familiar names like Hershey Chocolate, Crayola, and Daniel Boone.

	Family Vacation Ideas for Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland
Washington DC offers many attractions that are sure to entertain and excite kids of all ages.

	Family Vacation Ideas for Richmond, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, North Carolina's Outer Banks
On the Delmarva Peninsula, eastern Virginia, North Carolina shore, and in the Outer Banks, you can bank on the kind of historical and wildlife intrigues that will have your children begging for more

	Family Vacation Ideas for Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania
It is no wonder that people often fondly call Pittsburgh Kidsburgh. No matter where you go, you'll get the sense that city is deeply dedicated to nurturing and engaging the younger generation.

Major Tourist Attractions in the Region

Park City Center Mall - Lancaster, Pennsylvania
The Westchester Mall - White Plains, New York
Cross County Mall - Yonkers, New York
Oxford Valley Mall - Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Ross Park Mall - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
King of Prussia Mall - Pennsylvania
Smithhaven Mall - Lake Grove, New York
Walden Galleria - Buffalo, New York
Ocean County Mall - Toms River, New Jersey
Palisades Center Mall - New York
Roosevelt Field Mall - Long Island, New York
Woodbury Commons Premium Outlet Mall - Central Valley, NY
Franklin Mills Outlet Mall - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Fair Oaks Mall - Fairfax, Virginia
Arundel Mills Mall - Hanover, Maryland
Potomac Mills Outlet Mall - Prince William, Virginia
Busch Gardens Theme Park - Williamsburg, Virginia
Hershey Amusement Park - Hershey, Pennsylvania
Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum - New York City, NY
Tysons Corner Center Mall - Virginia
Staten Island Mall - New York
Morgantown Furniture Outlet Mall - Pennsylvania
Short Pump Town Center Mall - Richmond, Virginia
Sunrise Mall - Long Island, New York
White Marsh Mall - Baltimore, Maryland
Wrightsville Beach Island Oceanfront - North Carolina
Westfield Garden State Plaza Mall - Paramus, New Jersey
Willowbrook Mall - Wayne, New Jersey
Tanger Outlet Mall - Riverhead, New York
Montgomery Mall - North Wales, Pennsylvania
Dulles Town Center Mall - Virginia
Freehold Raceway Mall - New Jersey