Planning our family vacation this year has been a significant challenge. Pre-COVID, we planned a trip to visit a family friend in Vermont and then continue north to Montreal and Quebec City. About a month ago we realized that it was unlikely Canada would be welcoming US tourists into their country at the time of our trip so we diverted our trip to a couple other spots in the New England states. Upon further review of the specific states’ travel policies, we realized that the required 14-day in-state quarantine was not going to work for our travel schedule.

Welcome to “Plan C”! The current and hopefully final plan is to spend five days at a lodge by a lake in the Adirondacks and then visit our friend in Vermont.

I know we’re not alone with our struggles to plan a family vacation. I’ve heard plenty of stories from others about how their vacation plans have had to be modified this year.
As I have been reflecting on our vacation planning challenges, I realized this is a good time to remind myself of why we do family vacations in the first place. Here is a brief list I have compiled:

• Memories – Family vacations are in essence a mental snapshot. Most of life is made up of routine and fairly mundane living. A vacation allows us to break out of our normal routine and create a lasting memory.
• Relationships – Family vacations give us the opportunity to connect with each other in special ways. Shared experiences have a way of drawing us closer together and building deeper relationships.
• Rejuvenation – We can all use a change in scenery, especially this year. There is significant evidence that taking an extended break from our regular work and routine will help us stay more productive, carry less stress and improve our overall health.

The struggle is worth it! Even if you land on a staycation this year, put the effort into making it memorable. You and those around you will reap the rewards.

Feel free to tell us about your vacation plans this year. What modifications did you need to make?