Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 8, 1994 TAG: 9408100044
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
That's what 92 percent of parents who own an RV said in a Louis Harris study. Perhaps more significant, 63 percent of the parents who have never owned an RV agreed.
RV owners and non-owners alike told Harris that escaping routine, enjoying nature and going to places where there are plenty of kids's activities and learning opportunities are important considerations in vacation planning.
To steer them in the right direction, the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association, headquartered in Northern Virginia, has posted a list of what it considers outstanding family RV vacation destinations. The selections were based on activities and attractions of interest to all age groups and the availability of local campgrounds, the association said:
COOPERSTOWN, New York
The National Baseball Hall of Fame, plus swimming, boating and fishing on Otsego Lake; National Soccer Hall of Fame; Corvette-Americana Hall of Fame; learning opportunities at Fenimore House and Farmers' Museum. Approximately 1,200 campsites at 10 nearby campgrounds.
GATLINBURG/PIGEON FORGE, Tennessee
Goods in more than 300 local shops are produced by Gatlinburg crafts makers. Other attractions: Mysterious Mansion and year-round recreation at Ober Gatlinburg All Seasons Recreation Park. In Pigeon Forge, Dollywood celebrates life Smoky Mountains style. ``Fly" in a wind tunnel at Flyaway, one of two such facilities in the world. Water sports at six nearby TVA lakes.
NASHVILLE, Indiana
Nearly 300 arts and crafts shops make Nashville a browser's paradise. Outdoor recreation sites abound: Hoosier National Forest, Brown County State Park and Monroe Lake, which is Indiana's largest. Little Nashville Opry entertains music fans, numerous covered bridges beckon photographers. There are 700 campsites within four miles of Nashville, where families can relax and enjoy nature.
MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina
Sixty miles of white sand beaches. More than 70 championship golf courses. Amusement parks, water parks, tennis, sailing, surf and ocean fishing. Marine life displays including a hands-on saltwater lake at Bellefield Nature Center. Brookgreen Gardens houses American sculpture, thousands of plants, a wildlife park and aviary. More than 7,000 local campsites.
OUTER BANKS, North Carolina
The Wright Brothers National Memorial commemorates Orville and Wilbur's 1903 flight. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is America's tallest. The Cape Hatteras National Seashore offers miles of beaches and fishing. From Kitty Hawk to Ocracoke, there are 17 campsites with 2,200 sites. On nearby Roanoke Island, there is Fort Raleigh National Historical Site; North Carolina Aquarium; Elizabeth Gardens, memorializing the first English settlers; Waterside Theater and America's oldest outdoor drama, The Lost Colony.
PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH COUNTRY
Known for its Amish and Mennonite communities and factory outlet shopping in Lancaster County. Also: Strasburg Rail Road; Dutch Wonderland amusement park; Pennsylvania Farm Museum of Landis Valley. Farther north is Hershey, where chocolate is king.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas
The Alamo is remembered here, but also not to be forgotten is Sea World of Texas, Cascade Caverns (in Boerne), the Plaza Theater of Wax and Fiesta Texas theme park. The Institute of Texan Culture, Southwest Craft Center and Spanish Governor's Palace offer historical and cultural enlightenment.
SANDUSKY, Ohio
Cedar Point Amusement Park has more roller coasters than any site on earth, plus the world's longest and fastest. There are four theaters, a marine life complex, petting zoo, marina and beach. Nearby towns offer educational attractions that include Great Lakes Historical Museum, Thomas Edison's birthplace, African Lion Safari. Swimming opportunities are plentiful.
WIND CAVE/BADLANDS, South Dakota
These two national parks offer stark natural beauty, rolling prairies and wild flora. Hiking at Badlands ranges from leisurely to challenging. Wind Cave offers standard guided tours and candlelight or spelunking tours. Wildlife is abundant: bison, pronghorn, eagles, badgers and birds. Other attractions in the area: Mount Rushmore, Jewel Cave National Monument, Crazy Horse Monument, Wall Drug.
by CNB