How many family vacations do you regularly take in a year?

Marlena Searcy: How many family vacations do you regularly take in a year?
Vacations can burn in a hole in the pocket esp. with kiddos and all the gears! Not to mention always running low on paid leave from work…

Answers and Views:

Answer by Rosa
1-2 a year

Answer by Brian S
I dont know! we ususlay go somewhere every vacation! Summer, Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring!

Answer by injuried
Ideally, we’d like to take 2 1-week trips during the year, one in the Spring, and one in the Fall. My family has rented a house down on Mobile Bay for nearly 30 years, and rates are very reasonable when you consider we’re splitting it amongst my mom, me, brothers and sisters, and so on. Usually $ 200-$ 300 each for a furnished house that all we need to do is empty the trash when we leave.

It’s very relaxing, and you can save even more by using the fully-equipped kitchen to make your meals (we have a few restaurants we traditionally visit). If you just want to swim, hang out on the deck or beach, you don’t have to spend any more money. So we’re talking gas to get there, our portion of the rent, and then some money pitched in for rent. Being as frugal as possible, we could spend $ 500 and have a great week off.

In the fall is when we’d prefer to visit my wife’s parents in Southern California. Airfare is the big one here, as we don’t have to worry about a car rental or hotel since they’ll pick us up and we’ll stay at their house.

This year, though, we’ll only be taking a long weekend in August since we used most of our time in April and May after the birth of our daughter.

Like you, I’d prefer to spend as little as possible on a normal vacation. I want to get away and relax.

Next year, we’ll probably take our first goal-oriented trip as a family: Disney World in Orlando.

Since I like to save some days off to use towards the end of the year, I try to schedule my time around minor (but still observed) holidays and the weekends.

Answer by iffley
My fiancee and his daughter and I get to take one one-week vacation a year. I have three weeks of Paid Time Off to use a year (for vacation/sick days), but I usually only get to use about a week of it for actual vacations, since he doesn’t have as much as I do. I usually use the rest of it when I need a day here or there, or if I happen to get sick. We do also try to take a like a 4-day weekend trip sometime during the year, but I don’t really count that as vacation because it is so rushed and not planned like a normal vacation.

Answer by Gaye
We only take one nice vacation per year. Money is an issue and I find that if we really splurge on one trip, the memories last for the whole year and beyond. Then we do things like weekends camping, etc. I’d rather do it this way than take two or three mediocre trips.

Answer by assassinate
But this year, that’s only going to be 2hrs (by car) from home… I just can’t imagine taking my little guy on a plane! And besides he doesn’t sit well in the car seat for more than an hour, that is his limit!

You are right, vacations can be expensive. My Dad always said lay out everything you want to pack for your trip on your bed. Take half of what you lay out, and twice the money!

Last year we ended up taking two trips a few weeks apart (one was a wedding) with a 5 month old. Ugh! I was more tired at the end of the month than I was before the “vacations”.

To me I would rather skip the “big trips” until my son is really ready to appreciate them, and there is less gear to take with him. I hope one day I can pack for a family trip with out a 10 page list of times not to forget!