In the realm of respite, there are restful vacations and there are very busy vacations. My family gravitates toward the busy.
None of us had ever been to Vermont until last week. We were going to make the most of it.
We cruised Lake Champlain, shopped April Cornell’s comeback store in Burlington, visited the state capitol in Montpelier, toured the Ben & Jerry’s factory in Waterbury, and witnessed the birth of a goat at Shelburne Farms (timing is everything, folks). That was the first half of the week.
The second half bowed to my husband’s business commitments. He worked while I entertained our energetic seven-year-old in an unfamiliar city.
Our itinerary included swimming, hiking, tree climbing, rock skipping, iPhone games, MythBusters marathons, and a shoreline run to the U.S. Coast Guard station for a band-aid.
We arrived home exhausted, hauling 135 pounds of laundry, a bevy of memories, and one air travel induced backache, namely mine.
A very busy vacation requires a stay in recovery.
“Mom,” said my son, “next time can we just go to Kitty Hawk?” He remembers restful vacations are possible even for us.
We vacation busy because we don’t want to miss a thing.
We vacation restful because we all need time out to recharge.
Most vacations fall between the two extremes. There are degrees. There is balance. There is a remote, beachfront condo braving the wild ocean somewhere in my future.
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from Him. Psalm 62:5 NIV1984
Vacation by The Go-Go’s.
Do you prefer busy or restful vacations? Why?
Girl, I hear ya! I feel like I’m just getting back to normal a week after being home. I do love a busy vacation, but a relaxing one is definitely calling my name about now! Glad you got to go to Vermont…I’d love to visit there!
I know you’re tired after Disney with three boys + the husband! Sounds like you had a *magical* time. As for Vermont, it was beautiful. Green, low humidity, moderate temps. We got to go bc Jeff had a meeting there. Not a typical kid destination, but I think T had fun.
I also eagerly anticipate the beach front locale you mention! Praying it comes sooner than later. (:
I hear ya, Diana. There’s nothing quite like the beach. Does a soul good.
My preference is a busy vacation but with leeway for me to rest when I need to (which can be frequently due to physical and mental strain). That’s how I did my vacation to the Carolinas in March. (btw I loved Kitty Hawk!)
The Outer Banks rock. I like your vacation style, Anita–sounds like the ideal mix.
If it’s someplace I’ve never been, then definitely busy. I want to experience all a new place has to offer.
That’s how we attack, er, approach it too, Fran. It’s unlikely we’ll be in Vermont again any time soon. Wanted to take it all in. Glad we did as it is surprisingly beautiful.
I’m most definitely a busy vacationer… though I usually try and squeeze in a day of not-too-much-to-do. On the other hand, I’m also reasonably low-key, as I don’t normally have a set agenda that I want to complete step-by-step; it’s more like a long list of things I want to get around to do. And then comes life. :) Probably my best vacation ever was my trip to the Netherlands – when one day I ended up walking all the way from Delft to The Hague, because I kept missing the train… It was a good 10-mile jog, with a refueling stop at a pizzeria.
But one thing is sure – if I can choose between beaches, lazing, and doing nothing, and running through cities, museums and sights, it’s definitely the latter for me!
Interesting, Nusy. Makes me wonder how we’ll do if we ever venture as a family to Europe. I’ll be soliciting your advice before that trip happens!