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Some of the fondest memories I have of my childhood are of our family vacations. I grew up in Stamford, Ct., which was a city outside of New York, so going on a trip to a Northeastern rural area, including Canada, was a great treat.
Mom and Dad tried to pick locations, which were kid friendly, and sometimes even educational.
One trip to Canada, and Niagara Falls, was not only educational, but awe inspiring. The Falls were unbelievably majestic and powerful. I can still remember the great roaring sound they made. And when my Dad took us all into the tunnel under the Falls I thought my heart would burst with excitement. I can still see the black, oversized, raincoats and hats my sister and I had to wear to protect us from the water spray when the tunnel opened out onto a ledge underneath the Falls. I think we were all speechless at the sight of the gigantic plume of water rushing down right in front of us, sounding like a runaway freight train.
Our trips also included regular visits to Crystal Lake in Gilmanton, N.H. Dad would rent a two-bedroom log cabin on the lake, with a fireplace and a loft. What great fun for city kids who lived in an apartment! Dad would light the fireplace each evening to take the chill off the air. I can remember waking up to the smell of fresh bacon cooking, pancakes….and real maple syrup! The woods around the lake were filled with maple trees being tapped for their syrup. What a learning experience that was for us kids… seeing "real food" coming from a tree! And looking out our front door, I could see the breathtaking morning mist which hung over the pristine lake like a great sparkling cloud, at the start of each day. The beauty was ethereal and serene.
Our family vacations are not only wonderful memories, but are recorded forever, for my children, with photos my Dad, the amateur photographer, loved to take. I will always cherish those times, and the sense that I grew closer to my family during family vacations still pervades to this day.
The great joy you can give your children by taking yearly vacations with them will live in their hearts, and yours, forever. As a parent, I know that taking children on a family vacation can seem daunting, and may present some obstacles. However, with solid planning, and firm ground rules, they can present an opportunity for family fun, fond memories, and significant bonding…like no other experience.
The best advice I can give is to try to plan family vacations which are exciting and interesting to everyone. One way to assure that is to include all family members in the details. It can be great fun to explore locations together on the computer, and talk over possible destinations, with everyone giving their input. It only makes sense that we are all more cooperative if we feel our needs and desires are heard. Give kids choices. It may be best to pre-determine vacations you can afford, then let them choose from those three or four possibilities. Most importantly, let's not forget that we all need to choose a vacation which does not include the need for Mom to be the chief cook and bottle washer! Moms need vacations, too!
Have fun exploring possible vacation destinations with your family. I've included many books for your use, many of which are available at Barnes and Noble. Frommer writes a series of family vacation books to many different destinations, you may want to look them up, also. It may be a good idea for the kids to join you at the book store so they can investigate books which are filled with games, puzzles, drawings, etc. to keep them busy while traveling. Happy Hunting!
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