4 Reasons You Should Vacation to the Same Place Every Year (when you have kids)

I love a good adventure.  But when it comes to kids and vacationing (and the very little time my husband actually gets to take off of work), sometimes an adventure sounds a little too, well, adventurous.  I want our vacation to be refreshing, relaxing, rejuvenating, and filled with great memories…which seems like a tall order for a vacation with three kids.

We’ve found that vacationing to the same destination year after year has provided all of this and more!  Our vacations are full of relaxing, exploring, and enjoying time together!

4 Reasons You Should Vacation to the Same Place Every Year (when you have kids)

1.  You know what to expect.

When you go to the same place every year, you know what to expect.  Although there will always be uncertainties, you know the typical weather for your destination.  You know how to get there (a biggie for someone who is very directionally challenged like me).  You know all the great places to stop along the way.

And most importantly, you know what you need to pack!  Hallelujah!  Do you need a humidifier and saline spray to help with the dry air in the mountains?  Or how about some benadryl cream for sand mites at the beach?  You can be much more prepared because you are familiar with all of the aspects of the environment!

2.  Familiarity offers comfort and relaxation for kids and adults alike.

Traveling with young children can be difficult as there are so many changes.  If your kids are anything like mine, they thrive on familiarity.  And if I am totally honest, I do too.  When children (and adults) are comfortable with their surroundings, they can more freely enjoy time away.  Going someplace that is familiar puts everyone at ease.

3.  You have already figured out what to skip and what to do again.

When you vacation to the same place every year, you will quickly learn what is “worth it” and what isn’t.  For example, you’ll know next time to skip that “scenic” horseback ride that really ended up riding past the local landfill or the cavern with mostly broken stalagmites/stalactites.  Forget Yelp, personal experience trumps it all!  🙂

Plus, there will always be new venues and activities to mix in with your yearly favorites!

4.  Your children build memories upon memories.

I once heard in a parenting class that the pillars of our children’s childhood memories are vacations and holidays.  When you visit the same place year after year, new memories are built upon older memories.  When your children experience something that they have already experienced before but in a new way, it just solidifies those existing memories.

The first time I revisited my family’s favorite vacation destination as an adult, I felt like I had stepped back into a portal of my childhood.  The scenery was so familiar and it brought on a sudden onslaught of memories I didn’t even know I had!

As our children get older, we plan to broaden our vacationing horizons and take them to new places to see new things.  In fact, I have a file on my computer outlining all the dream vacations we hope to take in the next 15-20 years, with destinations that include Disney World, Washington, D.C., the Pacific Northwest, Zimbabwe, and even Israel and the Holy Lands.  But while our children are young and traveling can be difficult, we are going to enjoy going to the same destination year after year.

What about you?  Do you like to vacation to the same place every year or try someplace new?