When this Good Question came on it’s funny because I think it was right around the time when Laura was getting ready to go on her vacation and somehow I lost track of it. It’s “Do vacations make us happier?”
I know for me, I LOVE the anticipation. Planning on what we’ll do and thinking about the weather and just dreaming about the getaway. Our favorite thing to do is take a week and rent a cabin or condo on Lake Superior at Grand Superior Lodge so we take most of our own food too. It’s just so nice and it’s so fun to get away.
But what do you feel like when you get back? Does it depress you? I’m happy with the get away but I’m also happy to get back home and sleep in my own bed. Use my own bathroom and stuff like that. I’ve never gotten depressed after a vacation. But, I will admit to worrying about the money we spent on some vacations that we shouldn’t have and now would have to tighten things up. I worried more about owing money. I was never depressed to come home nor did I feel “let down.”
How do you feel about vacations? What kind of trips do you like to take? Did you do family trips as a kid? How do you feel leading up to a vacation and how do you feel once back home? What’s your favorite part? The anticipation or while you’re there?
Us Girls..Our Views 
I tend to worry about the fallout of vacations before actually going. The cost, the time investment, not knowing my way around in the new place, etc. Once I actually embark, I usually have a great time and by the time I get back, I’m always so glad for having taken the plunge. Even though our vacations are usually pretty action-packed, it is still a relief to get away from the “daily grind.” Changes of scene are really therapeutic for me.
I love to travel. It took me a long time to get comfortable with the idea of spending money on “fun” travel, but I think I’m over that now. There really isn’t anything else like it. And I’ve been pretty frugal and hardworking for enough years that if I want to spend a little here and there, I’m not going to feel guilty about it.
I love vacations. I love thinking about them, I love planning them, I love going on them. I love flying… getting there… ALMOST all of it. I hate packing. I’m always worried that I’ll forget something, so I’m a neurotic list-maker. I was a complete and utter wreck last Thursday, and we were only going to Cub Scout Camp for three days!! Of course, I was the Leader, so I had to make sure all the paperwork was complete and we had snacks, and maps (which I forgot, thank goodness Assistant Cubmaster Jim had one),and everything else. But once we got going, it was an absolute blast.
Most of the time, my vacations go smoothly, and I have a personality that rolls with most anything, so yeah, I have a good time, and don’t stress. As for the paying, it’ll get done. It may take a bit, but it’ll get paid for eventually.
We stayed at the Grand Superior lodge for our honeymoon in June 2009. It was absolutley beautiful. The staff was very friendly, the lodge was clean and very inviting. The view was absolutely breath taking. Waking up every morning to the sun shining and looking out on Lake Superior was very romantic. It was very intimate and not over -populated like some hotels and vacations end up. It really did feel like we were the only 2 there. Since our honeymoon we have been back multiple times. Going back there reminds me of our honeymoon and I get to re-live it over and over. I get butterflies in my stomach whenever we pull into the parking lot. This is a very special place for me and my husband.
I love the anticipation and planning of it! I’m good at planning them. Both Jason and I make a list, and we cross them out as we go. I love the road trip there, and unpacking. I love it all. We try to do one out of town vacation a year. Either to Taylors Fall, or Duluth. Both are fun and beautiful. I’d love to go to Wild Mountain in Taylors Fall this year. We’ll see.
I hate leaving, but I do love coming home. I miss our animals, and my house in general. This last time we left, it was just for a night and full day, but I couldn’t wait to get home. Of course the cost is always on my mind, most the time I keep it way back there, but once we get home and settled in, it rears it’s pretty little head! We’re used to tightening things up though, so it’s fine.
My favorite part is during the vacation. Just the 3 of us, having fun, doing things that we don’t normally do. Hike, sight see, just being your normal tourists!
Now, our trips to California. I don’t love those as much as our family trips up north. Mainly because I know it’ll be constant go-go-go. I cannot wait to get home from there. We usually go for 10 days, which is too long, but to make it worth the money, and to see all our family and friends we need two full weekends.
I think we went there when we went down the apple river one year. I’m not sure though. Aren’t there two good ones? We spent the weekend.
I know I’m really REALLY bad. I do love to go away too. I like the kind of trips we both like. I like going away close to home. I love my own state. You can almost do anything here because of the changing seasons. Well, except having an ocean but we have a lot of really nice bodies of water.
My problem is when I find out how much it’s going to cost, I start thinking about what I could do with that money that I’d always have. One year after we’d only been married a year or so Paul wanted to go to Hawaii but the cost of that trip could have paid for new windows in our house which we really needed. We ended up with the windows. I have a hard time spending that kind of money on something that’s only going to be a memory when I could “have something” forever with that money.
Does anyone get that?
Last night I was looking at a trip up north and all I could think of is upgrading our pool and doing the new deck next spring and all that money could be used for that. Something we’d use almost everyday. I wish I didn’t do this.
I do get that, Joy… it’s your practical soul. I have one, too. It’s what has caused me to forgo a bunch of things that I need or want so that we can have things for the family. But sometimes you need to override it. A trip to Hawaii!! Yeah, it’s “just” memories, but it’s also experiences, learning new things (a Banyan Tree, Diamondhead), seeing history (the USS Arizona), that you can’t learn or see anywhere else. That kind of stuff always balances it out for me. Of course, we haven’t gone anywhere besides Chicago or Hayward in years, so it’s kind of a Moo Point, but you get what I’m saying.
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