We're probably crazy but...

We live in NWIndiana. Planning to leave mid July for New Jersey to visit family.
Places we'd like to see are:

Longaberger near Dresden, OH
Hershey, PA
Sesame Place
Niagara Falls

We can leave and head to Longaberger. I have been before, so we do not need a lot of time here, but my friend is leaving on a trip to South Carolina the same day, and we have always wanted to go here together, and never have. Since we are leaving the same day, same time, we thought we'd go. I mostly want my daughter to make a basket, she has wanted to for a long time, and is now old enough. Plan not to spend more than 3 or 4 hours there, and when I started to map it all out, it was not a big difference in going this direction vs. heading on I80.

Then from there, do we head to Niagara Falls or head towards Hershey? We'd drive and stay the night, outside the Falls or Hershey, hoping not more than an hour out, as I am finding hotels at a reasonable price that will still allow the 5 of us (kids 9,6, and 20 mos) and my lil' one has food allergies so I am looking towards a hotel with microwave and fridge so I can bring some stuff for him.

Once we leave either destination we will head to relatives in NJ, from there visit Sesame Place, which is about an hour and 15 min. if I recall right from her.

Doable? Crazy? Suggestions? The Niagara Falls thing came into play after my mom said when I was little they took a trip to Hershey and Niagara Falls in the same trip. I think it would be good for my children to experience something not character related for once! (too many Disney trips!)

Just wondering your thoughts as what else to see or do, should we cut something out, order of destinations? We would not do a lot of attractions at the Falls, plus I see kids are pretty much allowed on most tours, but I may have to have advice from those that did it with little ones or see it up close before I decide (which may not be wise, depending how purchasing tickets/wait times, etc are).

Welcome to the RoadTrip America Forum!

Niagara is about a day's drive from Hershey, PA, and about 6+ hours from Dresden, OH.

Depending on how much time you have, you could either head up to Niagara Falls and then on another day to Hershey and on to New Jersey, but not knowing how much time you have for the total trip it's hard to estimate if this is a situation where you could be turning a relaxing trip into a job.

Sorry, we have 9 days.

Here is the itinerary:
Day 1:Head to Longaberger (we'll be there when they open), then to the Meadows racetrack which is about 30 min. from Pittsburgh. Reson for this stop is my DH owns a few racehorses and one has been out there a few months and he wants to see him. Will overnight around here, or maybe continue a little ways but not much more. Would like to find a hotel with a pool for the kids.

Day 2: visit Hershey, do the tour with the kids, no amusement park however. They watch the Food Channel and want to see the tour, and eat chocolates. Then arrive to relatives in New Jersey.

Day 3,4,5:While we visit here we'll do Sesame Place, possibly Crayola Factory in the a.m., then Sesame in the afternoon as this visit is for the one yr. old who loves Elmo. Also do other things fairly local to the relatives, beach, boardwalk, Philly for cheesesteaks.

Day 6: When we leave here we will head to Goshen to the Harness Racing Hall of Fame, then to the new Orange County Choppers headquarters.

Will head towards Niagara Falls, stopping overnight, but not sure if we want to stop before the falls or go all the way there. I'd prefer all the way, but I am considering the kids. My relatives will go as far as the racing museum and the OCC and turn around for home.

Day 7:Visit the Falls and leave for home, or stay?? Looking what to do there, have not planned to really stop anywhere unless I think of something. We'll stop overnight, not sure where yet.

Day 8: Arrive home.

This gives an extra day to stay at relative's, and still gives my husband a day off at home, before working. Actually a day and a half, he'll work at 4 pm. So we could be gone longer, but I need to figure it out, I don't like looking for hotels at dinnertime with hungry kids!

It is a lot, I have tried to break it up as much as I could, I was employed by an airline the past 15 years, and they just went out of business, so we are not used to a lot of driving trips.

I think you should be in pretty good shape. You've struck a very nice balance with things to do along the way, without packing too much into your trip. I think the clincher that you've planned for a good trip is that you are giving yourself a day on the end to gently get back into the swing of the normal day to day. Its easy -and I'm guilty myself- to look at the days off and try to fit in as much as possible, forgetting that its always nice to have a day to relax after a vacation.