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prain4u
02-04-2010, 05:41
My wife and two kids don't hike (their loss!). However, I would like to go on a vacation with my family members where I get to hike alone during the day on the AT and then spend my nights in towns and hotels with them.

In an ideal world, my wife and kids could "sleep in" at the hotels on most (or all) mornings (their idea of a great vacation)--and I could hike to the trail myself or grab a shuttle to the trail. (It would not be a problem for my family members to pick me up at the end of the hiking day).

The area would receive bonus points if there were fun things for my family members to do and see during the day.

My daughter is age 16 and my son will soon be age 11 (but he is severely autistic and has interests which are closer to those of a pre-schooler).

Any recommendations?

10-K
02-04-2010, 05:45
Any recommendations?

Do you want to come off the trail every night or are you open to being in the woods for anywhere from 1-3 days?

And.. how much time do you have?

prain4u
02-04-2010, 06:15
Do you want to come off the trail every night or are you open to being in the woods for anywhere from 1-3 days?

And.. how much time do you have?

Good questions.

I am thinking of spending a week in the area of the AT (No specific dates at this time. My vacation time is very flexible).

Ideally (from my family's perspective) I would probably be off of the trail each night. The whole idea is to combine me hiking part of the AT with spending time with the family. However, I am open to spending 1-2 nights on the trail.

10-K
02-04-2010, 07:02
Well, the first thing that comes to mind if you have a week is SNP after everything opens - usually by the end of May. The AT crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway several times in the park which would make daily pickups pretty easy while still giving you a little more than 100 miles of trail to hike. As a bonus, the BRP is marked with mile markers it would be really easy to tell them where to pick you up. You could even meet for lunch at one of the waysides if the timing was right.

They could stay in Waynesboro, Luray and Front Royal as you hiked your way through the park.

Cookerhiker
02-04-2010, 07:23
Well, the first thing that comes to mind if you have a week is SNP after everything opens - usually by the end of May. The AT crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway several times in the park which would make daily pickups pretty easy while still giving you a little more than 100 miles of trail to hike. As a bonus, the BRP is marked with mile markers it would be really easy to tell them where to pick you up. You could even meet for lunch at one of the waysides if the timing was right.

They could stay in Waynesboro, Luray and Front Royal as you hiked your way through the park.

Correction: the road through Shenandoah NP is Skyline Drive. The Blue Ridge Parkway starts just south of the Park. The Trail does parallel and cross the BRP for about 135 miles but there's no lodging on the Parkway itself.

10-K
02-04-2010, 07:55
Correction: the road through Shenandoah NP is Skyline Drive. The Blue Ridge Parkway starts just south of the Park. The Trail does parallel and cross the BRP for about 135 miles but there's no lodging on the Parkway itself.

Nitpicker. :)

Prain4u, Skyline Drive and the BRP is the same road but it changes names when you enter SNP.

As I said, they could stay in Waynesboro, Luray and Front Royal as you moved progressively through the park.

Jeff
02-04-2010, 08:01
And just south of Shenandoah NP and Waynesboro you can stay at the very hiker friendly Dutch Haus near the AT.

http://www.dutchhaus.com/

Hooch
02-04-2010, 08:08
Have you thought about Hot Springs? The trail runs right through town, plenty of it to day hike on. Bluff Mountain Outfitters runs very reasonably priced shuttles all around the area. There are rooms at Iron Horse Station, Rock Bottom and Alpine Court Motel, not to mention the cabins and chalets in the area for rent. For the family, there is Asheville not too far away with plenty going on most of the time.

Hokie
02-04-2010, 08:12
If you do decide on SNP, the lodges like Big Meadows and Skyline have reasonable rates and would be even more convenient for you. While they do not have shopping malls and movie theaters if that is what your family wants, they do have interesting non-hiker tourist type displays and films at the Big Meadows visitor center. Also there are some short hikes with good views of the valley or waterfalls if you want to expose them a little to nature. You might consider Waynesboro for a night, with lodges and subsequent nights?

Lots of civil war history, antiqueing, wine country, Jefferson's Monticello and other stuff in the area. A lot of people enjoy Luray caverns if you wanted to stay in a smaller town.

Harpers Ferry is another good stretch to consider for families. They could even go into DC for the day if they choose.

Have fun!

Cookerhiker
02-04-2010, 08:48
You could also hike PA west of the Susquehanna River (PenMar to Duncannon). Plenty of road crossings for your family to meet you and they can visit Gettysburg for both the history and the shopping. Calendonia State Park has a nice swimming pool for the family.

ki0eh
02-04-2010, 09:54
Or PA east of the Susquehanna, basing near here (http://www.hersheypa.com/) (although we all know here (http://www.doylehotel.com/) would be a better choice ;) )

GoldenBear
02-04-2010, 09:57
I have a related, if not similar situation, in that my wife does not enjoy hours of hiking over forested hills. As such, we have found the combination of an entire day with (1) me hiking and (2) she doing whatever she pleases to be EXCEEDINGLY enjoyable for both of us. We've found many places quite conducive to this combination. Adding children to the mix is another factor, but I'll try to sort out places where kids could have a good time as well.

Hershey PA is a place almost made for children, and the AT is within an hour. If the AT is not an absolute must, the Horse Shoe Trail goes right through the town.

Harrisburg is closer to the AT and has several things to do.

Gettysburg has some real history near the tourist stuff, and the AT is within an hour. If you stay in Chambersburg, you'll be closer to the AT and farther from the tourist stuff -- the latter may be a good thing.

Delaware Water Gap is a recreation area that has varying levels of trail difficulty. You can drive to waterfalls, hike five minutes to overlooks, or spend almost a week with a backpack.

Cabin Fever
02-04-2010, 10:29
I cannot believe the token answer has not been given yet. Gatlinburg! You could hike a lot of the Smokies if you were willing to stay out a night once or twice. The fam could do tourist crap all day until they puke.

Find a cabin along 321 north/east of Gatlinburg and you can hike sections between Newfound Gap all the way to Hot Springs. Standing Bear Farm and A Walk in the Woods can provide shuttles.

JustaTouron
02-04-2010, 10:47
A bit of thread drift.....

I hear you on the you wake up and start hiking at sunrise while the family sleeps in until 9 am.

If you find a hotel 5 miles or so from the trail head consider bring a bicycle with you. Either you can ride it to the trail head and retrive it later or you can drive to the trailhead and your wife can later on ride the bike and retrieve the car. I have done the latter, but it was me and three kids hitting the trail and just the wife sleeping in.

TEXMAN
02-04-2010, 10:57
I would do Damascus ,

Get a B&B , wife can relax, kids can Bike the trails and you may even get everyone to day hike with you to see the wild Ponies..
that's my pick for the South

In the north try the Mt Washington Area /// you could Hike to the top and family could take train to top of Mt Washington ,

everyone could stay at Lake of Clouds hut or they could go back to town and you could hike down , stay at Madison hut and meet them next morning


O.M. River

Hooch
02-04-2010, 11:11
Gatlinburg!

Tourist Trap!
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XTmpRKhr-hw/SvnVNDz4z3I/AAAAAAAArlg/H3ruwj3sEAo/s320/menInFilm.jpg

Hated it!

Lone Wolf
02-04-2010, 11:17
Tourist Trap!
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XTmpRKhr-hw/SvnVNDz4z3I/AAAAAAAArlg/H3ruwj3sEAo/s320/menInFilm.jpg

Hated it!
only if you allow yourself to be trapped. it's a great trail town

peakbagger
02-04-2010, 11:17
I will make the plug for the White Mountains in NH. There are numerous hiking trails all over the place and its set up for tourists. If you hit the southern whites, there are plenty of higher end tourist areas. My town, Gorham, in the Northern Whites goes for the family crowd that wants a "slower" scene. There are several motels to choose from and a couple of campgrounds. Plenty of thru hikers in town for most of the summer season. It will be tough for a 16 year old where ever you go. For your other son, there is Santas Village, Six Gun City and Storyland that all may be a fit.

AMC has a hikers shuttle that follows a fixed schedule to a lot of the whites major trailheads although its set up to support their huts, so the timing may not be handy. There also is some good flatwater canoeing supported by rental outfits in the region and a small whitewater rafting facility set up for first timers and families. The Maine seashore is about a 2 hour drive. There are also a couple of ropes courses and zip slides in the area that might engage the 16 year old.

A nice option that you may be to get the family to participate in is to take a gondola ride to the top of a mountain, take a picnic lunch and then walk down the ski slopes which is basically a walk down a grassy slope.

gravityman
02-04-2010, 11:36
Whites would work really well. I suggest staying at the AMC Highlands Center. It's a good deal for a family since breakfast and dinner is included.

Another option is NOC in N.C. Mountain biking and whitewater. That should keep the family busy. Smokeys are just around the corner. And a train ride... I would pick one of those two... Or Maine... Northern Outdoors is near the trail and also near whitewater...

Gravity

dmax
02-04-2010, 11:41
Gatlinburg! The wife and kids would love it...Also Pigion Forge is right down the mtn. They have outlet stores for the wife. And for the kids there are countless gocart tracks and Dollywood. It's cheaper to stay in Pigion Forge, but you are just a little farther from the trail.

Hikes in Rain
02-04-2010, 12:42
I did that, from Deep Gap in North Carolina to Fontana Dam. Road access is spaced nicely there for a good long day's hike, getting dropped off and picked up easily. On one, my wife met me at Burningtown Gap with second breakfast!

We stayed in cabins during that time. Kitchens, hot tubs, all the luxuries. I can recommend a good source, if that interests you.

Hoop Time
02-04-2010, 12:50
I have a related, if not similar situation, in that my wife does not enjoy hours of hiking over forested hills. As such, we have found the combination of an entire day with (1) me hiking and (2) she doing whatever she pleases to be EXCEEDINGLY enjoyable for both of us. We've found many places quite conducive to this combination. Adding children to the mix is another factor, but I'll try to sort out places where kids could have a good time as well.

Hershey PA is a place almost made for children, and the AT is within an hour. If the AT is not an absolute must, the Horse Shoe Trail goes right through the town.

Harrisburg is closer to the AT and has several things to do.

Gettysburg has some real history near the tourist stuff, and the AT is within an hour. If you stay in Chambersburg, you'll be closer to the AT and farther from the tourist stuff -- the latter may be a good thing.

Delaware Water Gap is a recreation area that has varying levels of trail difficulty. You can drive to waterfalls, hike five minutes to overlooks, or spend almost a week with a backpack.

Ditto ... except for the Chambersburg part. In the Harrisburg area you could actually get a place within a short walk of the trail along Rte. 11 near Carlisle. And that would put your family at the intersection of I-81 and the Pa. Turnpike, as well as close to US 15 (to Gettysburg).

Lots of family friendly stuff to do in the surrounding area, including Hershey Park (a little pricey). The state museum in Harrisburg is cheap and has some very interesting stuff. The Whitaker Center, also in Harrisburg, has a great hands-on science "museum" and an Imax theatre.

There also are a couple nice state parks within an easy drive that are inexpensive ways to spend the day -- picnic, lake w/beach for a swim, etc.

There's minor league baseball in Harrisburg, along with the Pride of the Susquehanna riverboat ( a small scale paddle boat that gives nice rides on the river).

Also not a real long drive to Amish Country and outlet shopping in Lancaster.

max patch
02-04-2010, 13:58
I like the suggestion of Damascus, although if I were in your situation the family would stay in Abingdon to have access to the hotel swimming pool. Even the non hikers would probably enjoy a day hike to see the ponies.

Mountain Meadows Lodge in Killington, VT participated when I thru'd in a bed and breakfast hike with other lodges in the area. Stay at one B&B, they take you to the trail, and you hike to a predetermined road crossing where you get picked up by that nights B&B. Repeat daily.

jesse
02-04-2010, 14:52
What "fun" things would your family like to do? This has the potential to be the vacation from hell. Too many compromises for anybody to have a good time.

JustaTouron
02-04-2010, 15:44
What "fun" things would your family like to do? This has the potential to be the vacation from hell. Too many compromises for anybody to have a good time.

I would echo that. Probably the best compromise would be the name of the trail you are hiking on.

If the family wants to go to the beach and an amusement park, you might have a hard time finding a section of the AT near both, but you should have no problem finding a decent hiking trail next to a beach and amusement park. I would first find a good vacation for the other three, then find a trail within a half hour distance.

You could still do your plan of getting a motel next to the trail (which would probably be a lot cheaper than getting one next to the other tourist area) and letting the three of them drive a half hour or so to do their thing.