What’s your vacations like?

You guys can afford vacations?

Until the honeymoon, it had been over 20 years since I was on vacation. Probably going to be another 20 until I can afford to do it again. 

Currently spending a long weekend at the Inn at Biltmore with family for my parents 60th anniversary. 

Fueled by Caffeine said:

VolvoHeretic said:

Fueled by Caffeine said:

Mostly sex dungeons 

Is that like Dungeons and Dragons?

roll a 1d20 saving throw and put your feet in the stirrups. 

Don't you save vs. fire after the scene starts?

RevRico said:

You guys can afford vacations?

Until the honeymoon, it had been over 20 years since I was on vacation. Probably going to be another 20 until I can afford to do it again. 

Then enjoy your staycation. Stay at home and don't turn it into a work session.  But take the time off.  All work and no fun makes Jack a dull boy.    Burn out is real. It's not something that happens at the same time to everyone but if you ignore time off it will happen to you.  Suddenly you'll ignore doing the things you like to do.  Some who love their job are mistaken to believe it will never happen to them.  

slefain said:

Took the family on a camping trip the other week. I was glad to be back home working in my office so I could relax finally.

Yes camping isn't automatically fun.  I've never enjoyed it.  But other "Vacations" can be the same way for some. Travel is my pain in the postior. I built my home so I could always enjoy  working on it.  
    I love working on my race car.   On the house.  Getting on an Airplane and flying someplace, yech!!!!! 

Doesn't matter how or where, if I don't need an alarm clock for a week that's a vacation.

My wife and I try to take one of some sort every quarter. Then we do 2 without the kids per year lol. Usually we pick places we've never been and also pick NOLA one a year. I usually take a 4 day solo vacation around late summer early fall, except this year lol. 

If it wasn't for traveling we'd never be able to reset. 

Our regular vacations are usually on an island somewhere, but my favorite vacation is the week after Labor Day up at Watkins Glen for Vintage race weekend. I've done it for 27 years so far now without fail. Even when it was canceled in 2020, I still went up and just relaxed on Seneca Lake. 

Vacation? As in time away from work? Shoot..... I just got written up a week ago for not being committed enough to work sufficient Saturdays or (any) Sundays. Not because Sunday is special but I'm not working like the boss if I'm not getting paid like the boss and able to take time off like the boss when I work myself to illness, like the boss. Then again, I didn't go in today either since I was being selfish and lacking committment by instead choosing to fix my car and do some overdue house cleaning. So I may have a nice little staycation coming my way soon if the boss is feeling some kind of way about me having ideations of being my own person.

Haven't had a vacation since kiddo was born in 2019. 

We're working remotely so we just rent an airbnb and work from areas of the country that have nicer weather during the summer. 

It seems to scratch the itch but it's expensive. We may lower costs in the future by renting our house out during the time we're gone.

Error404 said:

Vacation? As in time away frontier  work? Shoot..... I just got written up a week ago for not being committed enough to work sufficient Saturdays or (any) Sundays. Not because Sunday is special but I'm not working like the boss if I'm not getting paid like the boss and able to take time off like the boss when I work myself to illness, like the boss. Then again, I didn't go in today either since I was being selfish and lacking committment by instead choosing to fix my car and do some overdue house cleaning. So I may have a nice little staycation coming my way soon if the boss is feeling some kind of way about me having ideations of being my own person.

 

You are an employee not an owner or partner. Since you have no long term reward when the business is sold. Or even a guarantee of employment as long as the business remains viable. 
   In other words you are a simple wage slave.   Let him fire you and find a replacement in these tight labor conditions.  Here in Minnesota unemployment is 1.9% 
  On the other hand,  hard work and dedication is the only way I've gotten ahead. 
     But then you'll find yourself 74 and working 40+ hours a week because  you like working.  

Steve_Jones said:

Our regular vacations are usually on an island somewhere, but my favorite vacation is the week after Labor Day up at Watkins Glen for Vintage race weekend. I've done it for 27 years so far now without fail. Even when it was canceled in 2020, I still went up and just relaxed on Seneca Lake. 

Well said, I know the feeling. Elkhart Lake Vintage Race is my go to vacation.  See old friends, hopefully race a bit but just the atmosphere is really all I need. 

for me my ideal vacation is all about new experiences.  This past year we went to Alaska, last year we did San Diego, prior to Covid we did Austin, New Orleans, Denver, Seattle, etc.  I like to stay in a 3 star hotel somewhere within walking distance of everything, we wake up find a local coffee shop that is walking distance for a coffee and a pastry.  We then plan out our day while enjoying said coffee.  We try not to plan out the full day but pick an activity that will take up a good portion of the day.  We then try to find a micro brewery place to try a local beer and lastly a local dining spot for dinner.  Our evening usually ends and we are back to the hotel early enough to get a full nights sleep.  Our next trip is likely going to be London.  The Chicago cubs are supposed to play the St. Louis Cardinals at Wimbley stadium next year, so maybe we will go see the baseball game, and then stay for a week or so and experience London.  

for my wife vacation involves beaches, Mexico, relaxing..  The last few trips have been to Saulitya in Nayarit with her step brother and his wife.  Our trips usually involve a similar theme (local coffee, walk around and explore, nice dinner spot, etc) the difference is that it usually ends back at the hotel/condo with a nice quiet evening of cards/board game and casual conversation.  

I don't vacation much. If I take time off it is usually at home and I am doing house stuff. I wish it was car stuff.

I have run The Dragon 3x in the last 4 years. 2x were actual vacations to Chattanooga, the other was a swing by driving back from a work trip in CA.

We have done a couple weekend trips to Portland and Burlington, but that is pretty lame.

I currently get 6 hours of vacation time every 2 weeks, next March I start getting 8 hours every 2 weeks.

Our plan is to buy in TN (retirement home) and try to get down there a couple times a year. We'll see.

It's been a while since I've taken a proper vacation. Last was Thanksgiving in 2015, went to San Diego to stay with my mom and her now husband. 2015 was an incredibly rough year for me.

Was supposed to go to Florida with the fiance to see her parents last summer, but must have got food poisoning or something. I was bummed because her dad had gotten us tickets for an air boat ride.......if you're a fan of the show Archer you'll get it.

With my ex-wife, we went to a resort in the Caribbean every year over the week of Thanksgiving.

With my fiance now, long vacations are difficult because it means boarding 3 dogs and figuring out something for the cat. And because the nice couple we use for the dogs, and their pickup/dropoff time, that means an extra day before and after any trip at $100+ per day.

So we do a lot of stuff that is one day. So far this month we've been to a beer dinner at a nice restaurant, Bill Burr, two OSU football games (we have season tickets again this year), and next month we are seeing John Mulaney, Tom Segura, another beer dinner at the same restaurant featuring a different brewery.

And that's just the first week of October.

One of our best was a train ride from Memphis down to New Orleans. 

Since my divorce and kids grown and gone, I go sit at home, alone, in my recliner until I run out of food, because my life is ruled by satisfying other people, solving problems, and living by the clock.

Not having a commitment of any sort is fabulous.

We like to go camping in the fall, usually around now, sometimes two or three times, as long as the weather holds. 
After that's done PW, who's looking constantly, will book a trip somewhere warm. Then again around January, and in April as long as there are good deals. 

Covid really screwed that up, but we leave in the morning for camping trip one, and she's planning on Mexico in November, then Panama in January 

These days, been taking a lot of impromptu 5-7 day trips to Hawaii. It's my favorite place. I don't book anything in advance, just pack a hammock and a beach volleyball, and let my mood decide what to do. I always make sure to rent a decently fun car though 

RevRico said:

You guys can afford vacations?

Until the honeymoon, it had been over 20 years since I was on vacation. Probably going to be another 20 until I can afford to do it again. 

I've just become a master at vacationing cheaply.

Every summer of my life - except the two Covid summers when the border was closed - I've spent in Ontario.  Some family friends own a lodge and campground up there and my mom has been going there since she was a kid.  This was her 61st year up there.  My recipe:  buy $5000 travel trailer.  Tow it up and leave it.  Build a patio with some pavers I bought for $20 at a local auction sale.  Scavenge a stamped steel shed and put a $40 used washer in it and string some rope between trees to dry clothes.  Put beer in fridge.  Catch fish and eat.  The whole summer costs me about $1500 which is fuel for the boat, dock spot rental, bait, and food/beer.

The downside is that I'm in a job that doesn't do anything in the summer... which means my pay is crap.  Working for a non-profit arts organization is rewarding, but not monetarily.

Other vacations I take when I can weasel the time... I have a tent so it's easy to pop down to Chincoteague VA if I can squeeze the time.  My family also kept both of my grandparents' properties - one in WV and one in PA - so a weekend trip is an easy thing.

I focus on getaways, not destinations.  I know that it works for some people, but I never liked the "I have one week off, let's go to Disney."  That usually results in more stress than you get at work.  I would rather unplug.  Give me a beer and a rocking chair at a cabin.  Give me a beer and a boat so I can fish.   I think the common thing here is beer.

I'm going to have a beer now.

Vacations have evolved for me over the years as life changed, and I'm sure it does for many others.

I met my first wife in 1997 (married in '99).  Our first child wasn't born until '04, so we did lots of stuff.  Vegas, Bahamas, Disney, or even a few staycations and/or autox weekends/days.

Then the kids were born.  First in '04, then my twins in '07.  At that point, 3 kids under 4...yeah, life changed.  Vacations became mostly staycations.  During that time, we'd save hard so that we could take a trip to Disney every 3 years or so.

Moved from PA to GA in 2014.  Kids were growing and wife and I had moved up in our careers.  We were close enough to Disney to drive.  Bought annual passes and made tons of trips there.  Also did a few staycations.  

From '18-'21 my marriage crumbles and I get divorced.  No such thing as vacation.

I met my current wife in early January '21 and vacation is now a thing again.  We're both fortunate enough to have/had very good jobs and saved.  Wife retired from her career with a nice send off bonus.  We're setting ourselves up for retirement while finding that balance of "live for today vs save for tomorrow".  We both have health challenges, so we try to enjoy activities while we can, yet be set for an uncertain future.  I work from home, which allows a ton of flexibility, so we travel a ton.  Hell, a "vacation" can be spending the week in Florida where we'll work during the day and vacation from 4pm on.  Tomorrow we leave for a 36 hour trip to Denver.  We fly home Thursday afternoon and go straight to Kentucky for a Lemons race.  

So for me, the definition of vacation has changed...a ton.  Can't wait to see what the next several years bring!

Our vacations usually consist of traveling and seeing things. The journey is the point, not the destination. Sometimes we camp, sometimes we hotel it, sometimes we VRBO it. We have spent 2 weeks circumnavigating Lake Superior with a truck camper. We have spent 2 weeks driving up the east coast to through Maine and back down through the mountains. Last year we made a 14-day run to Detroit for the Henry Ford Museum and then moseyed across Michigan to visit some friends in Fennville for a few days. I really don't like being tied to a tourist trap for a week so something like Disney would be a week in hell for me. Our vacations are usually on the move and frequently not scheduled beyond generalities. Just drive until something catches our interest and sleep wherever we land for the night. Sometimes that's a 5-star hotel in a downtown area, sometimes it's a crappy little motel in the middle of nowhere. I know I'm far enough off the beaten track when the hotel gives you an actual key for the room instead of a card. 

There is usually a purpose to the trip. The Michigan run was to pick up a new toy. The Maine and Lake Superior trips we met up with my parents during their boat cruises. We just stretch out the to and from to see the countryside. 

This year we spent a week at a VRBO on a lake with the Shamrock. No kids, just 4 couples that have been friends since high school. That was fairly relaxing. No schedule, just good food, great friends, and cruising around Lake Murray. We also just spent 4 days at the Inn on Biltmore Estate to celebrate my parent's 60th anniversary. 

In reply to Toyman! :

That sounds nice.   It's sort of what I would do if it was just me.   I'd convert an old Semi into a camper and just go race track to race track  pulling a vintage race car or 4. 

In reply to frenchyd :

Oh I have what you need across the street my boy.

RevRico said:

You guys can afford vacations?

Until the honeymoon, it had been over 20 years since I was on vacation. Probably going to be another 20 until I can afford to do it again. 

It's the #1 reason we made the life choices we have made. No kids, No car payments, no mortgage and no credit card debt. We lived frugally to afford them to get where we are and now that we are here we are going to enjoy every damn second. But even being frugal we still took time for ourselves and would find ways to make 3-4 day vacations. Sure, we had to drive there. Eat cheaply and do things that were free. But always find a way to make time to spend together for vacations.