Simple Vacations Are Rewarding, Too (no matter what your Instagram feed tries to tell you)

We’ve just returned from a vacation in New England. Over the past week we wound our way from Kennebunkport to Portland, Maine and then on to Boston, Massachusetts. Our vacation was simple and included fresh sea food, trips to the ocean, and long family walks.

While we were away, I saw many of my friends posting photos of their adventures, too – from Mexico, to Florida, to Italy – families are taking this time to get away, explore, and unwind. Travel is a wonderful way to bond as a family, gain an appreciation for the world around us, and learn about different cultures. In an increasingly global society, travel prepares us to work with colleagues, customers, and collaborators from other lands. And as Saint Augustine said, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.”

However, to reap the rewards of family travel, you don’t have to take an elaborate or expensive vacation. Jet setting families look pretty on Instagram, but many of us don’t have the funds or the time to set off on an around-the-world tour. In fact, a “staycation” or short trip can give us the same benefits. So friends, don’t fret about keeping up with the Joneses. Create a special experience that works for your family. This is something I know a thing or two about.

When I was a kid, my family couldn’t afford many long distance vacations, but we did have one fabulous getaway each summer. One of my favorite family traditions! My parents would cram sleeping bags, pillows, food, games, drawing pads and a box full or markers into our 1980s station wagon and we’d drive three hours to a placid lake in northern Wisconsin. There we would pitch a tent and cook our meals over an open flame. At night we’d lay near the empty country road that ran along our property and watch stars shoot across the pitch black sky. And before bed, we’d tell ghost stories with flashlights under our chins while munching on Jiffy Pop.

At the lake, my brother and I lived in our swim suits and always smelled like a mixture of Coppertone, Off!, and algae. There were no cell phones, no flush toilets, no showers, and we were in heaven. Those rustic, “roughing it moments” – as my dad referred to them – are some of the best memories of my childhood.

Tent camping taught us to appreciate nature. My dad would take us on hikes through pine forests in search of deer tracks. We would catch grasshoppers and learn how to tell time by watching the sun. On the shores of the lake, we would find snails and my mom would tell us about the escargot served in France. My brother and I would wrinkle our noses.

Those long summer days were filled with teaching moments. It was where I learned about the glaciers that once covered Wisconsin and the importance of freshwater lakes. We learned about the logging industry in our state and toured paper mills. If we ever complained about being bored, my parents would hand us the drawing pads and markers and tell us to make art.

Next time you’re planning a trip, think about something simple and close to home. Head to a museum, a State Park, or go camping in the woods. Encourage your children to put down the electronic devises and spend time with their imaginations. Help them expand their understanding of the world through fun, hands-on learning. Make it an annual trip, and start a new family tradition.

Happy traveling! -Mara