There are some memorable trips, especially when you’re a kid. For me, it was a trip out west, staying in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, hiking the Grand Tetons, driving to Yellowstone, and eventually going to a ranch in Montana. I’m a city kid, but I’ve never seen anything like this. It was epic. We also saw a moose or two. I hope to recreate this trip with my kids one summer, hopefully in the not too distant future.
So Scary Mommy asked viewers about their most memorable childhood trip, and they didn’t disappoint. Here’s what they had to say:
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The big vacations I took as a kid were road trips west to South Dakota and Yellowstone. We’ve been in a tornado, visited all the tourist traps and parks, and hiked all over Yellowstone. My brother and I still remember the great adventure we had on that trip. This summer, my husband and I are taking our kids to South Dakota, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton. We’re excited to be able to relive that memorable trip without the tornado. — Amanda Arrowood
I drive around the West Coast with my parents, visiting places like Monterey and San Simeon. I listen to Neil Diamond and Kenny Rogers over and over again. — Angela Eilers
I recreate it every summer. Family trip to Maine. Dad relived summer with us, and we’re doing the same with my kids. — rachel yaggie
Multiple families of relatives gather on Cape Cod every summer and rent a lot of space. A week of big group meals, long days at the beach, playing with cousins and running in groups, game nights, and looser rules with more freedom than at home. This has been happening for four generations. We’ve been doing it since my mom was a kid, in my childhood, with our kids, and now that generation has families, it’s still going on!!! — lauren bukowski
Lake Powell Houseboat Trip. A whole week “on the water” melissa pace
Mackinac Island…We will stay overnight after all the ferries for the day. — Heather McDonald Chap
Western National Park Camping Trips: Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Arches, Bryce, Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, and Zion too — Heather Shue Houston
When I was nine years old, I went to Washington, DC. We visited all the monuments and the White House. However, I was impressed by the Smithsonian Institution and Monticello and tried my first Ethiopian dish, yum. Then I got a stomach bug and drove through Arlington Cemetery and Mount Vernon, throwing up. My parents were determined to continue traveling no matter what. Then my sister got a bug and was taken to the ER. For some reason, this will forever be my favorite trip. I can’t wait to take my daughter there once the Orange Man steps down and removes his claws and influence from the Smithsonian. — rebecca shepherd swain
New York State, including the St. Lawrence Seaway with trips to Hart Island/Boldt Castle, the beautiful Western New York Lake District and Niagara Falls. — charlie flynn
I recreated the trip. My four children are 15 years old from oldest to youngest. When our third child was little (2 years old), we drove to Dearborn, Michigan and visited the Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. Part of the story includes having to change hotels because my allergies had a huge and horrible reaction to the “renovations” and the pool was about the size of a king size bed. We decided to ignore the price and go to a more upscale hotel. By the time we settled into our new hotel and went swimming in the nice big pool, my kids were exhausted and just wanted to put on their jammies. My husband and I thought it would be fun to wear our pajamas to a restaurant and have dessert for dinner. The kids loved it. They felt so decadent. We continued to talk about this vacation for years, even after No. 4 was born. When #2 was in college summer school, we had to drive her to a convention. I decided to ride 1, 3, and 4 to recreate my vacation to the Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, and the same luxury hotel, and have a jam dessert. Now #4 is included. — Katie F. Fitch
It was summer. My stepfather drove my mother, sister, and me to Duluth, Minnesota for Uncle Mark’s wedding. All four were driving a green Ford pickup truck. We fished, walked, saw the “Great Lakes,” spent hours playing the Dark Tower with extended family, my grandmother paddled a canoe in her jeans, watched “Gremlins” at the movie theater, ate a Peanut Buster Parfait by herself, and learned a two-step country dance at the reception. It was 1984. Thank you for contacting us immediately. What treasures those memories are! – shona rachel
Road trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. My parents made us many good memories on those trips. — Michelle DiPaola
Deep sea fishing with grandpa. I took my husband and all of our sons this summer. — sandy road
Summer vacation to the Oregon coast: tide pools, fairy forests, sandcastles, clam chowder, crabbing, and sun — Stephanie Lucas
For the past four generations, my family has lived in the same area of northern Michigan. When I had children, we continued that tradition. My kids are 15 and 8 and look forward to it every year. — Annie Maxine
When I was 13 years old, I was staying at a small cabin resort in Canada run by a Swedish man. There was a sauna along the river, and I was able to jump in from the dock. The owner invited all the kids into the large A-frame cabin so we could watch Miss America. Even though I got the worst sunburn of my life and my dad accidentally hit my toe with his car, it was still one of my favorite childhood trips. angela cosgrove
Eganville, Canada. Every summer, we would go to a bare-bones fishing cabin with our family and have the best time of our lives fishing and playing games together as a family. — chandler crew
Great Smoky Mountains. We stayed at the Tennessee Mountain Lodge…and the whole family came…cousins, grandparents, and everyone!!We were walking down that strip and watching people gather and play bluegrass music. Every year I received a pair of authentic Native American moccasins, and the souvenir was always the same…turquoise jewelry. I love mountains — Christy Anderson
Florence, Italy. Gelato, artisan markets, art…the whole city is magical. — Lisa Montezuma
There are at least two and we recreated some of them for the kids. We flew to Salt Lake City, where we had family we had never met, did some genealogy research in the huge library (on microfiche!), drove to Zion National Park for a few days, then saw the sunrise in the Grand Canyon and hiked part of the Angel Bright Trail, then continued south to Phoenix, stayed with family, drove further south, and stopped at: We visited the Chiricahua National Monument, hiked among the stone spiers, then drove to the border and entered Mexico to browse the shops and walk. The other trip was a two week camping trip. We drove to Shenandoah National Park, stopped at Luray Caverns, then drove to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, also visited Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and finally drove to Myrtle Beach. Our campground in Myrtle Beach was next to a racetrack, so we moved to another campground after that first night. The Smoky Mountains were probably my favorite part of that trip. It was very blue and very beautiful. — jennifer lucas culver
It happened at Golden Bell Camp and I reenacted it with my kids. We sang Whooples and Bononos! — nicole geraco
Lake Superior Circle Tour. See you again someday with my sons! — carrie crosby kovacevich
Yellowstone and Backpack in nearby Wind River. — Joy Palomo-Clark
Answers have been lightly edited for clarity.
