Help us find a place to vacation :)

amother

OP ↓

Mon, Aug 05 2024, 11:20 am

Looking for a place near-ish to NY/NJ. 4-6 hours drive max.

Minyan in the area.

Kosher food available. I know this increases the vacation cost, but it is so much easier to go away without the pressure of needing to take all your food with you.

Someplace with activities suitable to a range of ages. I assume not everything will appeal to everyone, but we have ages from 2-13.

Any suggestions or ideas?

amother

NeonPink

Mon, Aug 05 2024, 11:21 am

It’s to hard. I’m also looking. Need Shabbos minyan.

But I’m happy to bring food. I find it’s easier and much cheaper to just have planned meals.

amother

Mulberry ↓

Mon, Aug 05 2024, 11:23 am

We only travel Sunday-Thursday bc of minyan

Unless Catskills, Monsey area or tannersville

Niagara Falls is beautiful outdoorsy and you can go to upstate ny, even Montreal or Toronto for shabbos

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Aug 05 2024, 11:24 am

Last year we did Lancaster. They have food and minyanim. And we stayed at a Chabad guest house (for pay) that had a kosher kitchen and plenty of room for the kids to run around.

But now I'm looking for a new idea Smile

amother

↑ Mulberry

Mon, Aug 05 2024, 11:28 am

amother OP wrote:

That sounds awesome

Can you share what you did there?

We went to lake George, upstate ny boating, camping, outdoorsy stuff,
Poconos same idea

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Aug 05 2024, 11:36 am

amother Mulberry wrote:

That sounds awesome

Can you share what you did there?

We went to lake George, upstate ny boating, camping, outdoorsy stuff,
Poconos same idea

For starters, it was BOILING!

Trying to remember everything we did.

Lake Tobias Safari - was nice but imo not worth the drive there
Amos Herr Park - free, the kids had a great time. Really nice playground
There's a childrens museum the kids enjoyed
Cherry Hill Orchard for fruit picking

There is a free potato chip factory tour but there was no availability.

Other things I have written down that we didn't do:
Barnyard Kingdom
Science Factory - actually, this might be the kids museum, come to think of it
The Tree House Playground
Mini Horse Farm
Longs Park
Utz Factory

There's a lot more to do that I didn't even write down. But most of it is outside and the weather was really not cooperative when we were there.

Chabad Suites - Rabbi Elazar Green - 717-723-8783

amother

Vermilion ↓

Mon, Aug 05 2024, 11:39 am

amother OP wrote:

I haven’t checked about a minyan, but we are planning to go to Springfield, MA. It’s about 2 hours and change from far Rockaway. Going to look at things to do today. Meat/chicken we will take with us, some stuff we will take from home and some stuff we will but there.
I’ll let you know what activities I find.

aria3578 ↓

Mon, Aug 05 2024, 12:06 pm

Our family did Niagara one year. Was so beautiful!!! We rlly enjoyed it!!
We had all ages at the time
Kosher food @ Chabad
And definitely worthwhile going to Canadian side

↑ aria3578

Mon, Aug 05 2024, 12:08 pm

amother Calendula wrote:

Doe anyone know if I need a passport in order to drive into the Canadian side of Niagara??

I think just birth certificate or ID
But Google it to double check

Rustynail

Mon, Aug 05 2024, 12:11 pm

Scranton PA.
There's some beautiful frum rentals, kosher food, minyan, and near the poconos.
If you are willing to travel 1-1.5hrs for day activities there is tons to do.
Some activites are Claw N' Paws Zoo
the steam town mall aquarium
bushkill falls
Rickets Glen
Boulder field in hickory run state park
Jim Thorpe
Lehigh Gorge
White water Rafting in lehigh gorge or the deleware water gap
and many more...

amother

Oldlace

Mon, Aug 05 2024, 12:12 pm

amother Calendula wrote:

Doe anyone know if I need a passport in order to drive into the Canadian side of Niagara??

That's only for kids. Adults need passport or enhanced id.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Aug 05 2024, 12:15 pm

busy mommy wrote:

How about Portland Oregon? They have a minyan and kosher food. It is a cool place to see and some neat waterfalls and things to see.

Sounds amazing, but it's a 42 hour drive. That's somewhat over my limit LOL

But maybe one year when the budget allows for flying...

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Aug 05 2024, 12:15 pm

aria3578 wrote:

Our family did Niagara one year. Was so beautiful!!! We rlly enjoyed it!!
We had all ages at the time
Kosher food @ Chabad
And definitely worthwhile going to Canadian side

My son JUST went to Niagara with daycamp (american side only) so I'm not sure if there's a point to take him this year.

amother

↑ OP

Mon, Aug 05 2024, 12:19 pm

Rustynail wrote:

Thanks! This sounds interesting.

Do you want to share more info?
What's the food situation?

amother

↑ Vermilion ↓

Mon, Aug 05 2024, 12:58 pm

busy mommy wrote:

How about Portland Oregon? They have a minyan and kosher food. It is a cool place to see and some neat waterfalls and things to see.

That’s not really near NY….