Ocean City, NJ. The beach, the sand, the boardwalk.

Williamsburg!

(Williamsburg, Virginia, that is.)

Is Ocean City wicked crowded, TPS? My late grandparents used to have a house in Avalon and the beaches there were just packed constantly.

Funny you should say that, amro. Busch Gardens/Williamsburg is the current front runner.

I must admit, I haven't been to Ocean City in years. I know Miko has been recently- hopefully she'll pop in and give you the scoop.

Northern Ohio. No, seriously. Cedar Point, Six Flags, the Lake Erie islands, museums and whatnot in Cleveland, etc. Plus it's cheap, and close.

I went to Williamsburg twice with my parents when I was a kid, and I loved it. From what you've told us about your daughter, I bet she'd get really into it, too.

For a bit I once wrote on active destinations for kids, a recommendation that kept coming up was the barrier islands off South Carolina, especially Kiawah. Lots of nature stuff, water sports, etc., and it seems family-friendly. Plus, it's near Charleston if you want to do more city stuff, too. (I can't actually remember where you live, so if that's too far away, or happens to be where you live already, ignore me!)

There's also generally good advice on GoNomad, though it's sometimes a bit random. Might be worth poking around there.

When do you plan to go? The first plane ride I remember (my parents went to NY and DC when I was a baby and apparently I had roseola) was to Denver for a Bar Mitzvah when I was 7 and I remember visiting Buffalo Bill's grave. We also rented a beach house in Oxnard for a week each summer when I was little--but that was a driving trip. When I was around six we went to SF, but I don't remember how we got there; the only thing I do is visiting the Balcluthla (?) with its musty smell. We also went to the Grand Canyon by train when I was 10.

I was going to say Hancock Shaker Village, but that doesn't open until Memorial day and I don't remember much other kid-friendly stuff in the area.

I'm coming down to Willamsburg on the 3rd for about a week and then roadtripping through the rest of VA.

Kiawah is pricy & snotty, but if you go to Charleston email me and we'll have a beer! I'm there almost every other weekend. Asheville is fun too! But I tell you, if it was me with small kids and my tacky-o-meter tolerance indicator was set on high, I'd think about Gatlinburg/ Pigeon Forge/ Dollywood. Yes, it's rednecky and tacky and ridiculous but OMG, there's miniature golf and go karts everywhere and the aquarium is sublime and in less than an hour you can be way out in the woods in some of the most totally beautiful scenery in the world. Yeah, it might be kind of a long drive, but to give you an idea, it's like 9 hours from Baltimore via I-81.

Nthing Williamsburg.

I've been lusting after the indoor waterparks at Great Wolf Lodge.

I completely second Ocean City - it's great for your kids' ages and fun for adults, too. I go there with a big family group for a week every year.

Is it crowded? I guess it depends what you're comparing it to. If you're the type that likes a relatively deserted, natural beach, you would think it terribly crowded. But I find it fun and festive.

Ocean City is a real city - a small city, sure, but it has a real downtown and the whole island is about 50 blocks long. The action (and crowd) centers on the boardwalk blocks, which run between 5th and 15th streets. If you like crowds, a busy beach with other families, and proximity rides and boardwalk food and mini-golf, aim for that area. But if you like things quieter, you have plenty of options. You can rent a house south of 20th street, and you'll find the beaches much more peaceful. You can always walk or bike into town or to the boardwalk for some honky-tonking if you get bored.

If you get serious about it and want more tips/info, just shoot me an email! I love OC (but I am biased, I'm a huge saltwater, beach, and boardwalk person).

I've wanted to go to Williamsburg for the longest time! Go there.

I've been to Washington DC with small kids. It was a fun trip, although not as fun for my small kids as a kid vacation should be.

You need kid entertainment (theme park), a beach and/or a pool to keep small kids happy in my opinion. That doesn't deter me. I drag them to cities and they're pretty good about going with the flow.

Come to Daytona Beach! I'll tell you where to go and we'll have you over for dinner. We can get tipsy while the kiddies play. :)

If it's gotta be beach, think about Rehoboth. I love it there - it's a great mix of boardwalk-y/tons of people and quiet, nearly deserted actual beach so you get the best of both worlds.

Damn, mgl, I was just coming here to suggest Rehoboth. That's where we go, most years. Families and lots of gay men not ogling you. Love it.

I have no idea where you live, but New Mexico is a lot fun. Is that too far away?

Rehoboth is a great beach option. Your daughter may dig Williamsburg. Depends on the length and budget of the fam. vacation of course, too.

I love you guys! You are all so dead-on with your recommendations. SC and the Great Smoky Mountains were also options we're considering. You can rent a giant house with an indoor pool in TN for like, 57 cents and my sister still raves about her honeymoon in Charleston.

I hadn't even thought of OH, box. My sister used to live in SE Ohio, but I think it's probably totally different down there.

We live in PA, so New Mexico is a bit far. My grandparents (the still alive ones) have a house not far from LBI, so that provides our Jersey Shore fix. But Rehoboth might be nice if it's not too crowded and full of "shoobies."

I'm definitely leaning toward Williamsburg right now. She'd dig it. (I did when I was little.) And I think she'd also get a kick out of the whole faux Europe thing at Busch Gardens.

I'm chucking this corporate thing and getting a re-enactor gig this summer just to stalk you. Oh, or a costume character at Busch Gardens. Easy stalking, built in weight loss sauna, and free case o beer with your paycheck. What could be better?