We knew FamilyFun readers were a loyal bunch, but when we asked them to reveal their favorite vacation spots, we wondered if we'd gone too far. After all, who'd want to share their special island hideaway, mountain retreat or seaside camping spot? We shouldn't have worried. "This place is so good, I almost don't want to tell you about it," began many of the letters, "but I will." In fact, more than 250 of you responded, praising destinations that, in some cases, have been family secrets for years.

How on earth did we choose the 20 winners? We looked for travel ideas with a spark, the kind that made us want to pack up the car and hit the open road. We looked for letters that described new ways to enjoy classic spots or those that tipped us off to places rarely celebrated in guidebooks, such as the old-fashioned resort that hosts family reunions, or the little-known state park where the river and natural pools are just right for floating. In the process, we discovered the Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park in Missouri made up of marvelous geological formations which make way for every activity imagineable.

MISSOURI

JOHNSON'S SHUT-INS STATE PARK
Judging by its name, Johnson's Shut-Ins would seem an unlikely spot to experience the great outdoors. But, as the Black family discovered, the state park (named for canyonlike gorges formed from volcanic rock nearly 1.5 billion years ago) "is absolutely beautiful, from the campsites to the rock formations and bluffs." On hot, lazy days last summer, Robyn, David and their three boys floated down the river in life jackets and snorkeled in the colossal glacier-carved "big pool." When the family felt like roving on land, they took bike rides, hiked to Mina Sauk Falls (at 1,772 feet, the highest waterfall in Missouri), and drove 30 minutes to Elephant Rocks State Park, which features humongous formations shaped like the lovable big-eared beasts. For information on Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park, call 800-334-6946.



Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated June 2005.