Top Ten Memorable Vacations

Family vacations are something we all would love to remember in our lives which gives us some funny and memorable time we had spent together as a family. To preserve these memories we would also click several photos of the memorable moments to see them later and enjoy. Each family will have their own family vacation ideas. I'm sharing here some of my memorable family vacations.

New York, USA

We had a wonderful family fun vacation in New York visiting places like Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Empire State Building, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Madam Tussad's Wax Museum, Parks, Museums etc. Also enjoyed dining in some of the best restaurants there. Three days we had spent there and at the end of our trip, we felt that our time was too short; otherwise we could have spent more time there visiting more places.

Myrtle Beach is a great place for family friendly beach vacation. We two families together arranged for the trip and enjoyed a memorable vacation there watching sunset and sunrise in the beach, dining in some of the best restaurants, visiting the many boutiques and malls, watching the life stage performance etc. Since we had a nearby hotel for our accommodation walking to the beach was very easy. We spent two full days there walking through Grand Strand, Broadway, Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park, Family Kingdom Amusement Park, watching sunrise and sunset at Myrtle Beach, and still there were more places to walk around and see and also see at least one of the various shows there. We bought some souvenirs of Myrtle Beach to give to our dear ones.

Munnar is a must visit place in Kerala, which is one of the most sought after destinations in India. It is a beautiful hill station located at the confluence of three mountain streams – Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. Munnar is enriched in beauty with lush forests, sprawling tea plantations, Anamudi Peak, Eravikulam National Park, bird sanctuary,charming Devikulam lake etc.

Cochin, queen of Arabian Sea, is a wonderful place for vacation. Presently more known as Kochi, it is the commercial hub of Kerala. Apart from the beach and backwater houseboats, there are also interesting places like Bolghatty Palace, Jewish Synagouge, Santa Cruz Basilica Church, watching the Chinese nets etc. Watching a sunset sitting in the Marine Drive is a wonderful experience.

London is a fascinating place to visit for the entire family. There are several things to see such as London Bridge, London Eye, The Houses of Parliament with Big Ben, Royal Palaces, British Museum, Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, National Art Gallery, Piccadilly Circus etc. Shopping at Oxford Street, the most famous street in London, is a wonderful experience. Spending an evening in any of the beautiful parks such as Hyde Parke is a memorable experience. During your visit to London, watching at least one of the successful shows there is a thrilling experience.

Mysore, fondly called as the 'city of palaces' is the cultural capital of Karnataka State. The glorious Dusserah festival is world famous. Mysore palace, built in Indo-Saracenic style, is a must visit place, especially when it is illuminated. Since we went on a Saturday we could not see the illuminated palace. Watching the city from the Chamundi Hills and visiting the Chamundeswari Temple, visiting the Brindavan garden especially in the evening are great experiences.

Visiting Indianapolis Zoo in USA was an amazing experience. Indy Zoo is located in White River State Park. Apart from seeing the various animals like elephants, iguana, penguins, cheetah etc, we also enjoyed watching the wonderful Dolphin Show and walking around the Butterfly garden.

Another memorable vacation we had was at Snowdonia or Eryri as it is known in Welsh, located in north Wales, with a rich heritage. Traveling through the enchanting places and reaching the majestic Snowdon mountain located at an altitude of 3560 ft above sea level was an exhilarating experience. Visiting the Edwardian castles like Caeferon and the beautiful village of Betws-y-Coed are some of the memories which would last in our memory for a long time.

Visiting the British town Southport at the Irish Sea coast in the North West of England and shopping at the famous Lord Street along with our friends was an ever remembering experience. With it's breathtaking coastline, exciting seafront attractions, sophisticated shopping and world class golf, Southport is a great place for a day out, short break or a full blown holiday.

Lexington was the first place I visited abroad where my daughter's family stayed. Our occasional visits to Joseph-Beth Booksellers and Lexington Public Library, and spending sometime reading the books there was an unforgettable experience. The Kentucky Horse Park, History Center, Farmers' Market, Mary Todd Lincoln House and University of Kentucky are some of the interesting places there.