Family Vacation
Do you make a point to take regular family vacation time together? I know that the last year has made this more difficult, and we have cancelled plenty of plans that we originally had.
Years ago, we realized that we had not taken a real vacation – sans grandparents or other family – and we made a point of rectifying that. Since then (around 2011), we have made sure to take our kids on a trip every year that has nothing to do with work or tagging an extra day onto some other obligation.
In case you missed it, check out my Weekend Travel post, where I talk about taking one extra day for family time every time you travel for work or play!
Kristi has talked about living your life like a vacation – and I love this idea! We should all be intentional about our lives. Also, sometimes we all just need a break.
I am a huge fan of getting away from it all, and my favorite kind of trip includes lots of beach time. We usually spread out beach days with some hiking and exploring, making sure to check out new places and things even if we’ve been somewhere before. Stopping into our favorite restaurants if it’s a repeat destination. Exploring areas new and old to see cool things and find out what may have changed since our last visit.
What are your favorite types of vacation?
I love it all! There are so many amazing places to visit, close to home and far away.
Last year, we did a lot of mini-breaks. Weekend visits to the Gaylord Rockies, drives into our neighboring states to check out new things, and extra days trying to come up with fun things close to home.
We also had some big trips planned that had to be postponed. Disappointing for everyone, but now that the world is opening back up, we are getting out again!
Friends, I am a huge advocate for taking time for a family vacation whenever you can make it happen. Once a year, at least – even if you have spent the whole year together at home, we all get into a rut sometimes. Taking the time to remove the whole family to another environment gives everyone a new perspective on all the day-to-day.
Because our big trips were cancelled last year, our annual family vacation was delayed a bit for 2020. So, this year, we are doing more than one vacation.
We usually use a combination of hotel and airline points, deals from travel sites, and we always book the cheapest rental car we can find, if we need it. Two years ago, when we visited San Diego, we chose to Uber or take taxis and not worry about parking a car. We’ve also done that in New York and San Francisco. If you are going to a large city and don’t want to worry about learning the grid or navigating unknown streets, this is a great option!
Vacations can be expensive, and we always take spending into account when we travel. Beyond transportation and housing, the most expensive thing on a vacation is food.
All of us get sick of eating out for every meal, and sometimes the kids just want to stay on the beach all day anyway. I usually take a foldable cooler, and we make sandwiches and take fruit and water with us to the beach or while we’re exploring. Depending on your destination, you can also usually find a hotel or Air B&B rental with a kitchenette, and shop for meal fixings at the local market. Farmers markets are also amazing!
Several weeks ago, while on a combination work/family trip, we found a restaurant with the best kid appetizers! Check out my Kid Food post for more kid eating ideas.
Do you love cities, or getting away to places without a lot of people?
Theme parks? Beaches? All-inclusive resorts, or camping in the woods?
There are so many amazing options, all across America and around the world! Family vacation does not need to be complicated. It can be very basic and inexpensive, actually. The whole point is to get away, have time together, and reconnect as a family.
Kristi had a great post a couple weeks ago with her Top 20 Tips for Disney – check it out if you need some ideas!
All of us had family time at home last year when we were locked down, and it was great! Until it wasn’t great anymore. Because we were all home together for a really long time. Our family was used to traveling as a group at least once a month or every other month for long weekends, work trips, and more. Last year, all of that stopped for a really long time.
In the last month, we have begun to do more of that again…and I can honestly say that I’m ok with only going back to about half of our previous travel schedule. Or less. But, we have all agreed that we love to get out and explore, and we miss traveling!
Taking a regular family vacation is so important. In our family, we are getting out and about again. And our kids are so happy! My advice? Take a Vacation! Whenever and wherever you can make it happen.