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Gimme $1,000 and a family of 4 in need of vacation. Will it be Atlanta, northern California, Philadelphia, or the hills outside Austin, Texas?

Some creative colleagues and I recently challenged each other, 'What would you do with a $1,000?' With a teen about to enter college, my first temptation is to take the thousand dollars and bank it. Then I remember that's the point; we have a teen about to go to college and not many more opportunities to do something together as a family. So I turn my attention to some of 2009's thousand-dollar family vacations and begin imagining a summer getaway.

Atlanta 4-0-4

Atlanta, Georgia is one of those increasingly hip cities that don't spring to mind immediately for a family vacation. But give me a thousand bucks, and I might arrive in town, family in tow, with the Marriott's Two-Day Six Flags package (888/236-2427, code THM) already booked. I could do theme parks by day and, by night, hunt down the native rappers Ludacris, Outkast, Lil John and TI, or maybe catch Usher at a local club.

We'd spend $330 for four of us to enjoy two nights in a fine hotel room at the Courtyard Atlanta Six Flags, complimentary breakfast daily, and two-day passes to the Six Flags Over Georgia theme park or the Six Flags Whitewater waterpark. Families can catch the park's all-new Monsters Mansion, a country music revue, the thrilling Goliath and the famous wooden rollercoaster, the Great American Scream Machine, then head to the waterslides. I'd spring for another $125 to cover a third night's hotel stay, because the Atlanta Aquarium and the CNN Center tour are both must-sees.  That leaves us $545 for six meals, fuel, souvenirs and evening fun, and that's a big budget in Atlanta.

Hiking Around Fillmore North

Alternatively, I dream of taking the money and heading west to California, to the hippie enclaves 50 miles north of San Francisco surrounding Pt. Reyes National Seashore. From coastal Route 1, past Victorian homes lining the funky tie-dyed lanes of Bolinas, we will head north to the artisanal bakeries of Tomales. We will settle at Pt. Reyes Station, an efficient, quiet village filled with discreet B&Bs.

Hostelling International-Point Reyes (415/663-8811) rents 45 beds for $22 per night, so for under $100 we can crash after a long day of hiking or a long night of dining. In this region, sea breezes temper the Pacific sun, easy-going trails meander under whispering Aspen, and distant herds of trumpeting elk are frequently seen. We will follow the Arch Rock Trail to the rugged coastline and wonder how surfers could survive alongside whales in these waters. Outwardly, the hostel looks like one of those grandfathered ranches within the park, but it has a pretty rooftop deck where we can have fresh bearclaws from the Bovine Bakery for breakfast.

Dining competes with scenery as one of northern California's true pleasures, so we'll picnic by day and plan three rich evening meals. The casual Station House Cafe is a Pt. Reyes classic, with fresh and flavorful dishes made of locally grown ingredients.  The fettucine with mussels harvested in nearby Tomales Bay, and the turkey and blackbean chili are favorites. Your family dinner here might cost $150 for a three-course feast and a bottle of wine.

Manka's Lodge in Inverness is of another order; a serious gourmet experience that even kids will understand is an unusually fine meal. Whether it's game or locally grown vegetables, soups and imaginative salads, this is serious dining priced at $58 per person. The staff is very gracious about turning out meals for young kids, many of whom enjoy sitting around the fireplace. Allow $200 with wine and enough time to digest before your drive home.