When I was a kid, my parents decided one summer to take a break from our traditional summer vacation, bought an RV, and took us out west. We had such a good time, that years later, they did the same thing with my much younger sisters. 

If you are looking for great vacation ideas and want to do something different, a trip out west with your family is a great idea. Driving is the best option for this trip because there is so much to see on the way  - as you head out west you can stop in the Badlands, visit Jackson Hole, Wyoming, stop at Yellowstone National Park, go to Wall Drug, check out the Grand Canyon, and much more. When you arrive in California, you can spend some time at Disney Land, Knott's Berry Farm, & Universal Studios.  Or, if San Francisco is your thing, you can spend a few days there.  

This is the perfect vacation for kids that are at least eight or nine. It's also best to take an RV.  When I was a kid, my parents had to buy one and then sell it at the end of the summer. However, you can now rent RV's. The best idea is to get a one-way rental, which allows you to take your time getting out west and then lets you fly back home.  Alternatively, you can go rent with friends. You take the first half of the trip, from wherever you live to the west coast.  Have your friends fly out to the west coast and they drive back east, allowing you to fly back home. 

If you're really wild and want to make a whole summer of it, you can plan different routes for the way there are back - allowing you to see even more.  

This summer might be the best time to take advantage of this great vacation idea - especially if gas prices stay low! You'll have memories that will last a lifetime and will be able to teach your kids lots and lots of history.