Do folks take yearly vacations?

[Duppers]

Since being married for (cough) five decades, the hubs and I have taken very few real "vacations," i.e. traveling for the sole purpose of having a relaxing good time, having fun.

I've taken many trips, been lots of places, in most states, and on three continents with the hubs but it has almost always been on business or traveling for some specific purpose. Besides, I hate long road trips and traveling is so dang expensive, especially flying which isn't too much of a hassle nor too tiring, depending on the plane and airline.

Do you travel on a vacation yearly? Where have you been? Where would you like to go back?

I'd like to go to Alaska and Costa Rica. And southern Africa, but expense-wise is not doable.

[James48]

1. No.

Haven’t had a non-work connected “travel vacation” in 30 years.

[trueblue2007]

43. hubby and i haven't had $$ to "take vacation" in 25 years

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

2. Haven't gone on vacation since 2001.

My family used to go wonderful places though. Congratulations on 50 years.

[janterry]

3. Perhaps when my daughter graduates from college

[Duppers]

9. I hear ya. BTDT.

Sigh. Glad we only had one kid to get thru college.

[onethatcares]

4. no, never been on one

and looking back, that's really sad.

[Quemado]

5. For me, it's a mixed bag

My wife and I don't take a stereotypical vacation once a year, every year like you described "i.e. traveling for the sole purpose of having a relaxing good time, having fun." Our idea of a vacation is to drive to another state to visit relatives once a year.

[Duppers]

10. You must like your relatives. 😉

Can't stand mine or my hub's. Our visits are nothing but perfunctory and not enjoyable.

Another thread mentioned taking or having "yearly vacations" and I thought, "I wish!" Who has the money?
There's always something that needs repairing or there's saving for medical bills or retirement or a new home.

[Quemado]

24. I like some of my relatives

and some of my relatives like me.

Another mixed bag.

Actually, the yearly visit to out-of-state relatives is based on an obligation. My brother is mentally incapacitated. I am his guardian. I need to visit him at least once a year. Why don't I live closer to my brother? My brother lives in a state that has brutal winters. I like living where I am currently living.

[MFM008]

6. My parents idea

Of vacations was painting the house or cleaning the garage.
I try to get to ocean every opportunity.
At least twice a year for a 2 day stay.
Maybe Oregon beach to.

[Freddie]

7. Only recently started this

Daughter and family live 5 minutes away, son and his fiancé live in Florida (we’re in PA). Last 2 years we arranged a family vacation so everyone could be together for a week. This past August we met in the Outer Banks and had a great time. But when our kids were young we could not afford a “nice” vacation, mostly did day trips or just a week off at home. Never been to Disney, out of the country or further west than Pittsburgh.

[Duppers]

11. Never been to Disney either.

Never wanted to go. But I'm very glad my mother drug me all over the country.
She really had a travel bug. But with her "good-timing-it" travel bug, she ended with no retirement funds whatsoever, other than her S/S checks.

While hubs and I lived in England for three yrs we visited many European countries, almost always on business tho.

Freddie, someday I hope you can travel pass Pittsburgh. The Rockies, the West Coast, and Arizona are great places to see.

[riverbendviewgal]

8. I believe taking vacations are healthy for the family.

When my husband and I were young and had a family we went on camping vacations down east to Quebec, Ontario and nova Scotia a few times. We often went to NJ and Ohio to visit relatives. When the kids were in their teens we went to Disney world and along the Florida coast. We both started our jobs having 3 weeks yearly vacation. And it got longer as we stayed.

Then my husband and I went to Mexico a few times. After he died I been to western Canada and western USA and Florida. My favorite place I've been is Cuba, 4 times. I also went to England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland for 6 weeks.

Before I retired at 57 I had 6 weeks yearly vacation. I would take 2 days off each week in the summer and the week of Xmas off. I had 3 weeks left so I would plan a week somewhere for those weeks, sometimes staying home and doing day trips.

Last year I had a heart attack so missed my Cuba 2018 holiday. I hope to go this coming year and to England, maybe Europe as well.

The USA is off limits for me while the white supremists are in control.

[Duppers]

15. Tell us about Cuba.

Where did you stay? Why do you like it so much? And do you speak Spanish?

Thanks and take care.

[riverbendviewgal]

19. Ok went to Holquin, Veradero and cayo Santa Maria twice.

I liked Cayo Santa Maria best. The beach is the nicest one I have ever been on in the world. I went on a day trip to Havana when I stayed in Veradero. It is very old. Very clean and much repairs are needed. We went to the famous Tropicana club. Were at one of bars Hemingway went too. The Sanctions have affected Cuba. I am very impressed they can send doctors around the world for humanity reasons.

One trip we went an ocean eco area on a catamaran.

All the resorts were all inclusive. Most of the staff spoke English. I can speak un poco Spanish. I felt very, very safe . The food is okay. I don't go for the food. I go for the pools and beaches and the warm weather. I like going to the local markets.
I been to east and west coasts of Mexico and saw much worse poverty outside of the resorts in Mexico. Very sad in Mexico.

I am a beach bunny . I been to the entire east and west coasts of the USA. I always wanted to go to Hawaii. I hope the political climate changes. I fear I will die before it does.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

26. Pretty cool.

[The Genealogist]

12. Once upon a time, yes

No longer. When I was a child and an adolescent, we went Canada twice, once to Colorado, once to Florida for vacations. I am not including all trips as vacations. I went with my grandfather several times to Carlsbad, NM to visit his sister. These trips had vacation features, but the main purpose was to see after the sister. I did, as an adult, take a vacation to Carlsbad with my partner, in 1996. Last vacation I was on was a trip to Rome. That was 13 years ago, nearly 14. I've been to Europe and Canada, I've been close enough to Mexico to see Ciudad Juarez across the Rio Grande from El Paso (long story why I didn't end up going into Mexico). I've been to more than half the states in the union. I've seen the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific oceans. I've gone on plenty of education/work trips. I think I have done pretty good in seeing many places.

I consider going someplace on vacation to be low priority. I really can't afford it anymore, I have gotten to where I can hardly get on an interstate grade highway and drive without anxiety/panic attacks--even just to get across town quickly. I do take time off from work, but those "vacations" are de-stressing downtimes when I get burned out.

[Duppers]

14. So sorry, T.G.

Last edited Sun Nov 4, 2018, 04:37 PM - Edit history (2)

I hope you can get to the source of your anxiety/panic attacks and find a solution for that source....seek help. A highway shouldn't cause that kind of distress. The few anxiety attacks I've had were most debilitating but they were triggered by events (low blood sugar and sleep deprivation contributed).
Wishing you much luck!

[The Genealogist]

17. Thank you

It is actually better than it was. For several months a couple of years ago, I was unable to even drive surface streets without serious anxiety.

[Vacation Rentals]

13. Reading through this thread concerns me

Full disclosure - this is my industry - I want to state that right upfront for transparency.

I never gave it much thought as I just assumed all families in one fashion or another took vacations at least once a year. Reading this thread makes me realize I am off base here in my assumptions.

I won't get into preachiness or anything like that, but - let me say this if possible. If you have kids, you should do whatever it takes to get them out of the house and on the road for a vacation. 2 days - 10 days. Anything whatsoever to give them connection time with you, your spouse, and each other. Shorting them of this indelible memory imprint is a huge shame and should never happen. Life is tough enough without giving each other a break.

It does not have to be wildly expensive either. Take them fishing - even if you hate fish. Take them hiking - even if you hate ticks and rocks. Take them camping - even if you hate mosquitos. I promise, they will giggle and laugh and thank you for years afterwards.

Join with another family (best friends kind of thing) and split the expenses for meals and lodging. Be creative, but whatever you do, make at least a viable attempt to hit the road and spend time with the little ones.

Good morning to all, Mike

[riverbendviewgal]

20. I agree with you.

I grew up in NJ. My parents took my brother and me to the NJ boardwalk once a year for a day. And we would go to visit relatives in Brooklyn once a year. We lived an hour from Brooklyn and an hour and a half from the jersey shore.

My parents Loved Trump. They died before he became president. My brother has traveled free due to his daughter is an airline attendant. He always complains how different and strange people are. He loves Trump and Sean Hannity.

I moved to Canada when I was 21. No regrets. I lived in the Little Apple. Now I live in the great white North the past 13 years.

[DFW]

35. Let me be sure I got this right

Your brother loves Trump and Hannity, but complains about how different and strange people are?

Something does not jive, there. Who is more different and strange than Trump and Hannity? Borat?

[riverbendviewgal]

36. My brother hates

People of colour and those not christian. He made me laugh when he honestly said Hannity should run for president?

[dawg]

16. Back when I was married, I always tried to plan an annual trip for my family.

Nothing too big, just whatever we could afford at the time. Even if I could only afford two nights at Jekyll Island, we did something.

It was fun. It was something to do together. And it was something we could look forward to for months in advance.

Now, I really miss those family vacations. But I'm really glad to have had those times.

[DFW]

18. Every year, absolutely

I am in a different country almost every day for most of the rest of the year, so I need the down time.

We haven't been married for 5 decades (congratulations!), but we have been together for 44 years, so we're getting there.

We take a couple of weeks (2-4 depending on what time we can steal) on the outer tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, a tradition we started in 1984. We love the place and the people, and we still intend to go back next year, although the global warming of the seas has brought huge numbers of seals, and the great white sharks that eat them. There was a shark attack on a human this year at the beach we visit daily. It was five days after we left. Then there was a shark attack a few days after that at a beach nearby that was the first fatal shark attack in the area in 80 years. It does give one pause.

A couple of years ago, the daughter of some good friends of ours was getting married in early September, a time when we are usually back in Europe. We didn't want to be running back and forth to Europe every 7 days, so we decided to stick around in North America for two weeks. My wife had always wanted to see Alaska, so we booked a 12 day trip through there. I have to admit, it was pretty spectacular. I don't think we need to do it again, but it was worth it. We flew to Vancouver, where I have a friend who showed us around, and then boarded a ship that went up the Inside Passage. We got off at Anchorage, and went up by land to Denali, and finally up to Fairbanks, from where we flew back to Washington, DC (we had left most of our stuff with my brother in northern Virginia) before flying up to Boston for the wedding.

Other than that, our last really major excursion was for our younger daughter's high school graduation, which was exactly halfway around the world from us (Germany to Hawaii is 12 time zones--go any farther, and you start to come back from the other direction). That was 15 years ago.

We've heard a lot of good things about the nature in Costa Rica, and I used to live in Spain, so the language shouldn't be an issue. Maybe some day I'll play hooky and we'll take two weeks off for that.

As for southern Africa, I always wanted to do that, but got a cold shower from some friends of ours from Holland who did just that about 4 years ago. First off, they said there practically ARE no more animals "in the wild" in southern or Eastern Africa. They are all in National Parks (some of which are as big as Holland, they noted), and human encroachment has all but wiped them out outside of there. They said that the first time they saw elephants, they though WOW, elephants. The second time, it was hey look, more elephants. After the 15th time, it was "OK, fine, more elephants." The poverty and crime were positively depressing, and they hated spending all their time in gated areas or hotels protected by armed guards. They said it wasn't clear who was in jail and who wasn't. A rather depressing assessment.

We still want to see Australia and New Zealand, but we're not going to do that in ten days. I don't know how or when we'll steal the six to eight weeks that such a trip deserves, but that's the "someday" plan.

[Duppers]

33. DFW, you were the first person I thought of when..

posting this. I know you take vacations because i read all of your posts in order to keep with up your fascinating life. Living vicariously. 😁


More later. Btw, next time hubs and I are in Europe, we're coming to see you!😁

[DFW]

34. If we're around, by all means drop in!

We've had Steve2470 and California Peggy (with her husband, Lionel Mandrake) here, and both lived to tell the tale.

[KatyMan]

21. We live not far from Galveston

And our kids are grown so we go on two cruises a year, a fall and winter one. We missed our fall one this year (daughter getting married on Nov 24th), so we're really looking forward to our next cruise, this coming Jan 13!
We don't really get off the boat, just hang out, eat, read, have a bevvie or two. Not super expensive if you live near a port, can travel off peak, and don't mind an inside cabin.

[HipChick]

22. Parents retired to an Island

5 mins from beach,warm all.year around.... 5 mins from beach..better believe I take more than one vacation there per year...

[NNadir]

23. Not really, not since the kids were small...they're both in college now.

We do have "staycations" here and there, maybe a night or two at the Jersey shore, not enough to call a vacation.

I wouldn't call staying a weekend while dropping my kid off at school a "vacation."

Life may be too short for vacations.

[PasadenaTrudy]

25. I only visit blue states

on my travels. WA, OR, HI, NM....and around my state, CA.

[2naSalit]

27. I worked for fifty years

and I have had two paid vacations in my life and I had to go do something for family so it wasn't for pleasure... so I guess I've never had a vacation.

[Ohiogal]

28. I think we've done well

taking our kids on trips. They are all adults now. When they were younger, we took them to Florida 6 times (the Keys, New Smyrna Beach, to name a few places). We saw a sea turtle lay her eggs at night, that was awesome. We always tried to include something educational. A tip to Myrtle Beach included the aquarium. We have taken them to see the Outer Banks, Washington, D. C., Jekyll Island, New York City, Toronto ... We never did Disney, no one really cared about going there. Met with a long lost great aunt and her family near Miami on one trip. We toured an aircraft carrier in Charleston on the 4th of July and watched fireworks, that was cool. Took them snorkeling in the Keys and saw the coral reefs. Took them to the top of the Empire State Building and to see the Statue of Liberty. In NYC we rode in a taxi, a bus, and on the subway Took them to the Smithsonian and the Vietnam Memorial.

I hope they have good memories and appreciate seeing all those places. I wish we could have taken them on a road trip out West. The hubs and I drove to San Francisco for our honeymoon.

[gopiscrap]

29. been everywhere except Austraila

almost all of my trips are a mix of business and pleasure (that's partly how I finance my travels) gthere were 3 trips tho.... Europe for 6 weeks in 2015 to show our daughter where I am from Europe fo 3 weeks in 1993 to show our son where I am from (daughter and son are 11 years apart. and in 1988 a road trip accross the US Seattle to NYC to Charleston WV to Lincoln NE and back and in between we've done a bunch of Seattle to Portland or SEA to Vancouver BC or Sea to SFO type trips for fun, but those are are only 2-4 days in length and not a freal vacation

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

30. As several others have already said,

taking vacations is a Very Good Thing.

Exactly where you go and what you do isn't quite as important as taking a week or two (and keep in mind this country has criminally short vacations, especially compared to real first world countries) and relaxing, going somewhere, getting away from your normal day to day life.

When I was a working young adult, and then later when I was married, I tended to take formal vacations every year. Since divorcing and moving to another part of the country, not so much, mainly because my finances are more restricted. Plus, now I'm retired and I tend to make several driving trips each year to visit friends or relatives or to attend one of my science fiction things. As much as I enjoy all those, I don't see them as vacations. I think I need to try to do a more organized and formal vacation from time to time.

I am hoping to take a cruise to Hawaii next year, if I can convince Holland America I shouldn't have to pay two fares because I'm travelling alone.

[LeftInTX]

31. Cruises are fairly simple

Also Air BnB is great if you are looking for an RnR type getaway.
My son and his wife went to Colorado and they rented through Air BnB. They literally stayed in a house in a neighborhood. It wasn't a cabin or anything like that. It was just a plain old simple house in some city. It was quite affordable.

[elleng]

32. We used to, with the kids,

who have their own families now.

My folks used to take 2; one with us kids, one with the 2 of them together (sometimes cruises, with their friends.)

[ProfessorGAC]

37. Not Any More

My wife cannot fly due to the abnormal fusing of the bottom 3 vertebrae in her back. If she sat in one place for 2 or 3 or 8 hours, she would not be able to get out of the seat.

We used to go down to the keys every year to visit friends in KW, Tavernier, and Islamorada, but don't do that any more.

I'm retiring at the end of the year, but i traveled so much for work that retirement travel is very low on my list of things to do.

[Jimbo S]

38. I guess I've been blessed

I've been to 43 states.

Now, I view it as an opportunity to explore and meet interesting people.

As a kid, took many out-of-state vacations, not necessarily every year.
Washington, D.C. to visit aunt/uncle
St. Louis to visit aunt/uncle
New Orleans
Dodge City/Mount Rushmore

As an adult before/during marriage
Los Angeles
Las Vegas
Denver/Rocky Mt NP
Seattle
Jacksonville/Savannah
Boston
Pochinos
Nashville
Toronto
Montreal

[Xolodno]

39. Absolutely.

Usually two a year and some extended getaways. Some Places we've traveled;

Yosemite
Sequoia
Kings Canyon
All of the California Coast
Redwoods
Wine countries of Napa, Los Olivos, Paso Robles, etc.
Lake Tahoe, Reno & Virginia City
Joshua Tree
Crater Lake
All of the Oregon Coast
Silverton Falls, OR
Portland and Salem, OR
Point Brown, WA
Mt. St. Helens
Sedona, AZ
Scottsdale, AZ
The Grand Canyon
Las Vegas
Zions
Cedar Breaks-Brianhead
Bryce Canyon
Grand Tetons
Yellowstone
Big Sky, MT
Fairpoint, MT
Breckenridge, CO
Rocky Mountains NP
Orlando, FL
Key West
Maui
Tijuana, MX
Cancun, MX
Paris, FR
Rome, IT
Florence, IT
Venice, IT
Pompeii, IT
Naples, IT

...and several on that list we've repeated.

Nor are we done yet. God willing, we will go on another international trip in 2020 (next year were doing the Oregon Coast again, trip to MT and probably Yosemite), in fact, plan to focus on those in the next 10 years.

After that, buy an RV and semi-retire. Live out of the RV, pull into a place we want to visit for a few months and do odd jobs.

Former co-worker of mine once quipped that we were really good with our money as he never saw us buy "stuff". I said we do spend a lot, but on experiences, not "stuff". Everyone in the office is trying to get the latest iPhone or Android phone....The Samsung S9 came out when my Galaxy Prime finally bit the dust....I bought the S6 off of ebay, my wife's tablet is refurbished, etc.

But even when we do travel, we live luxuriously in our timeshare (you can get one cheap off of ebay)...but if that's not available, hey, if I'm staying only one night, Motel 6 it is. Chances are, I'm only utilizing the room to shower and rest, then I'm out the door exploring.

For food, if its in the Timeshare, we cook most of the time. If its a road trip, have no problem living out of the ice chest. Most hotels have a small fridge so if you plan it right, store the most perishable items in the fridge (stuff for sandwiches, etc.), keep the sodas, etc. in the ice chest.

[bedazzled]

40. They give me days off at work which you have to fight for

I take as many as i can to do housework and rest to try to keep my body together. Live in "vacationland" florida but couldn't afford any of the so called "entertainment" here. I prefer Shakespeare anyway. Wish i could go up north again. Once you are trapped in fl you can't get out

[OriginalGeek]

41. I always take off the week between christmas and new year

but we don't go anywhere. I usually take at least one other week off in spring or summer plus now I have been here so long I accrue PTO days faster than I can use them unless I take a Friday off here and there just to keep from losing them. (At 300 hours we stop accruing. Even with the 2 weeks off I bang into that ceiling several times a year. So in order to keep accruing I take 8 hours every now and then)

The last several years we have taken a cruise or driven somewhere but my wife lost her job last year so we may not go anywhere far this coming year.

When I was really little we often went on what I thought were vacations (I was a kid in different place - what did I know?) but were really my dad going on job interviews. We moved around a lot - I never went to the same school 2 years in a row until I hit Jr High. After a while I got to go to my grandparents every summer and that was great because they did take me places that were just for fun (plus they lived in FL so yes, I've been to Disney World many times - more then than now and I live in Orlando now lol).

For several years we'd pack up the kids and my in-laws and visit their relatives in Georgia. My wife's cousin in Savannah was one of my favorite people on the planet but he died many years ago so we stopped going up there. But I'm glad we got to take my FIL and MIL a few times before they passed away.

[Callmecrazy]

42. This time next week...

I'll be boarding the Celebrity Equinox for an 8-day Eastern Caribbean Cruise. Been planning it since March. I make sure I take a week for myself every year. My 7th cruise.