Family Vacations

How important do you think these are?

We don't really do them often at ALL... we do a lot of day trips and we go places locally.. but we don't do Disney or Great Wolf or Carribean or anything like that. Mostly because while my husband was going to school we didn't really have the time.. and now he is out of a job so we don't really have the money.

But.. I'm wondering if maybe I am 'cheating' my kids in some way? Their friends are forever going to all of these incredible places on breaks.

So.. do you do a lot of vacations? Did you have a lot when you were a kid?

Re: Family Vacations

VERY!! I think vacations period are important!!

DH and I take at least 1 vaca alone and 1 together every year.

I always went on vacations as a kid. At least 2 a year and my parents always went away together at least 2 times a year.

I had some great experiences and memories and we want the same for our children.

Re: Family Vacations

We usually did 1 vacation a year as a family-- Lake George. It was great, great memories.

We have yet to take a vacation with DD, except for going to visit family out-of-town. I would love to go lots of places as a family, but we're trying to not spend $$ right now.

Personally, I don't think the "going away together" part is as important as spending time together. So even if you can't GO away, you can still take a long weekend here/there and just spend time together as a family, doing local things.

Re: Family Vacations

As a kid, our vacations were always sailling (a lot of sailing) & either Florida, occasionally Lake George.

My dad encouraged my sister & her family to get a sailboat because he said it was always one of the least expensive ways to vacation. We would go out to dinner maybe once a trip, otherwise my mom cooked on the boat. We went sailed to Block Island, Newport, Montauk, Greenport, Port Jeff. Now I realize Port Jeff is drivable I find it amusing that we vacationed there.

I'm pretty sure our parents went away 1-2x a year without us because I remember my grandmother with us for the week.

I think it's important for my kids to get a break from camp/school just like it's important that I get a break from work. I think it helps bond you as a family.

We do 3 days weekends at my friend's house in Montauk and 3 day weekends in Manhattan. We've never gone away with the kids for an extended stay somewhere (yet). We may do Disney at the end of the summer. I'd really love to do a resort thing with my kids but right now the priority is house renovations.

DH & I put off vacationing alone for a long time - and finally did 2 vacations last year. While I loved being with him alone, it was hard on the kids to be without us on back to back weeklong trips.

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Personally, some of my BEST childhood memories are of our family vacations and as long as I have the money to do so I want nothing more than to be able to give my DD the same wonderful memories. I will never forget the first time I walked through the gates of the Magic Kingdom or all of the fun, silly times we shared together as a family in Disney World. It was such a magical experience every time we went and I want Emerson to have that feeling and those memories too. Even our smaller family vacations like Mystic Seaport or Hershey Park were all filled with great times and memories. I think if you have the financial means to do so there is nothing like a family vacation. It's such a nice part of childhood.

Message edited 3/18/2009 12:47:00 PM.

Re: Family Vacations

Vacations are extremely important to me. Not to DH so much he would be happy staying in our home and just hanging out there. I do one vacation without DH and the kids and DH does his vaca without kids, then we do one vaca a year with the kiddies. WE did Boston for July 4th with DS and I was preggo last year. For 2009 we will do Disney in Dec.

I love to travel and i did that a lot with my parents when i was younger. We never went on a plane while i was growing up but my mom and dad took us up and down the east coast (except for Florida and Georgia) by way of driving when we were little.

ETA: this year i might take DH to Miami Beach for his 30th b-day. WE will see b/c money is so tight right now.

Message edited 3/18/2009 12:55:07 PM.

Re: Family Vacations

Posted by Hofstra26

Personally, some of my BEST childhood memories are of our family vacations and as long as I have the money to do so I want nothing more than to be able to give my DD the same wonderful memories. I will never forget the first time I walked through the gates of the Magic Kingdom or all of the fun, silly times we shared together as a family in Disney World. It was such a magical experience every time we went and I want Emerson to have that feeling and those memories too. Even our smaller family vacations like Mystic Seaport or Hershey Park were all filled with great times and memories. I think if you have the financial means to do so there is nothing like a family vacation. It's such a nice part of childhood.

Re: Family Vacations

As a kid my fondest memories were our 2 trips to Disney and one to Hershey park

We also did lots of outings on weekends (museums, poconos)...however the getting on the plane ones were the most memorable---but we didnt have a lot of $$$ so the weekend trips were good as well

Re: Family Vacations

My DH went away every summer when he was kid, somewhere drivable and then he also went to Croatia every summer with his grandparents for close to 2 months. He has lots of great memories.
I went on one family vacation and that was Disney when I was 7 and it wasn't even the whole family just my mom, my brother, aunt and cousin. My dad wasn't able to go. We never did anything. My parents did own a summer house In Southhold that we went to but they sold it when I was 10. I went to Croatia also as a child but I didn't get to go until I was 12 or 13 the first time. I wish I had memories of family vacations.
Now for our family, we haven't gone on a family vacation yet. We think we are going to Myrtle Beach in August for a week. We did just go away alone for a week and that will be our last vacation alone for a few years. It was nice but it is really difficult getting back into the swing of things, especially when they didn't stay at our home.

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I definitely think vacations are important. My DS is 17 months and my DD is 4.5 months. Last summer, before my DD was born, we went to Maine for 2 nights in the spring and for 5 nights in the Summer. We also went to Philadelphia in the summer for 2 nights. Since my DD was born we have only stayed overnight once in Philadelphia. I just booked a 3 night vacation in Maine fore April. I have yet to get on a plane with my DC. I am going to wait until they are a little older.

Re: Family Vacations

As a kid we went on “Vacations” we went camping my parents had a pop up camper. We only went to Disney after my grandparents lived in Florida and we drove down. I do not think I missed out. I think the aspect of Vacation is what is important. We aren’t able to go on Disney type vacations with our DS he is only 2 but our situation won’t change for at least 5 years. I think we will be taking a week off work and make it a “Vacation” even if we don’t go away for a week. I think we probably would be able to spend one or two nights away since during the week is usually cheaper we would spend the first part of our vacation at the beach or parks around out house, sleeping at home. Maybe making a tent in the living room our backyard. Then go away mid week and spend the last weekend around the house again. I think it’s about being together making memories. My husbands family didn’t go on vacations as kids except to visit family. Which is also another option for a weekend with family.

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As kids my parents always took my sister and i on vacations at least once a year (usually summer). DH and I dated for 10 years before getting married we vacationed at lot usually like 1 big one and 2 or 3 little ones a year ( 4days crusies, ski weekends etc) or my friend lived in florida we would go see her and her BF.
I have great vacation memories and I have decided to do the same for DD as long as my circumstances permit. This is out first year with a baby and we are heading to DR in April (after easter)

Re: Family Vacations

I don’t think that being at some exotic or expensive location is what is necessary for a family vacation. I think its important to take the time out to do family stuff the way you would with a family vacation. My family didn’t have the money for big vacations when I was a kid, the ONLY big vacation we ever did all 5 of us was to Disney when I was in the 5th grade. But I have amazing memories of going camping out in riverhead, and my parents bought some land upstate with a small trailer and I remember fondly going hiking with my brothers and going to the state fair every year. When DH and I talk about things we want to do with DS its not take him to Disney or the Caribbean although we do hope to do those things too, its that we want to go camping as a family every year or get a boat so we can sleep out on the boat as DH did as a child, etc.

I don’t think you are jipping your kids at all by not doing those things as long as you take the time out to put your regular life on a shelf and focus on just building memoires as a family for 1 week a year

Message edited 3/18/2009 1:47:47 PM.

Re: Family Vacations

As a kid, we went to New Hampshire every summer for 2 weeks. We had a great time.

So while I think vacations are important, I agree with a PP that said the tiem spent together is more important then actually going away.

I don't think you are gipping your kids at all.

Re: Family Vacations

Growing up we only went on 2 big vacations - Disney & Bahamas.

Every year we did go on "mini vacations"- Vermont, Lake George, Upstate, Seaside Heights or even to LI Game Farm and those were the best memories.

If your circumstances do not permit going away your DC will still have great memories even if take them to fun local places

I would like to add spending time as a family is more important to me rather then where we spend it.

Message edited 3/18/2009 1:52:14 PM.

Re: Family Vacations

I can see the value in vacations but I don't think I missed out on anything. As a kid we didn't really do family vacations, mostly bc there wasn't any money. The only thing we did consistently were day trips to Lake George or AC with our church. Our church also had a yearly retreat for a week at a camp somewhere, we always went to that. Our first real family vacation was to LA for my uncle's wedding when I was 12.

DH and I definitely want to do family vacations, but just haven't really had the money and the kids are still young. We're hoping to take them to Disney at the end of the year.

Re: Family Vacations

they are impt to me and my DH, both of us didnt have consistent vacations every year when we were children. When we decided to have our own children, we said we would always take atleast one real vacation a year with them. It may not be to the Bahamas or a expensive resort every year, but even just to the jersey shore for a week, or RI, or pennyslyvania, etc.
We are also lucky that we have family willing to watch my DS, so me and my DH can have an overnight away just the two of us every couple months

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We always did something every summer as a kid...a driveable place, Penn/hershey park/bush gardens/etc. I have fond memories of them. DH did not go on vacation as a kid with his parents.

For our family...I would like to have the tradition of going away for a little family thing, while DH doesn't want to because he says his parents never did that for him and he turned out fine

So...we really haven't done anything as a family as far as vacation. He told me I should take the kids myself to Disney if I want to go so badly

Re: Family Vacations

I think that for me and our family..it is important. Not sure if it is to "every" family.

Its more about leaving the comfort zone and showing the kiddos other ways of life and other things, other climates, other things not in our area.


I have a huge obsession with wordliness though or the urge to be it...and a big phobia about kids who don't realize there is a whole world out there and to me as a kid...a 2 hour trip to VA as what was equivalant to a cross country trip to me now. It had a whole lot of excitement attached to it.

Thats why I travel, or want to travel...do vacations..to make memories apart from this place and these moments and also to expand mine and my children's points of views. So we have made a place in our budget to always include vacations ( ask me again when I possibly have 3 kids under 3 though...LMAO)

But every family has choices to make and I wouldnt feel badly if yours is different and doesnt include vacations kwim? Theres never any reason to feel guilt.

Message edited 3/18/2009 5:32:03 PM.