Do you vacation once a year or more?
 

I know some people work hard all year and then go on a nice week or two vacation, and some go more than once a year. I've seen where some of you have gone to some really unique countries which is so wonderful. Just wondering how all of you do vacations.
We use to go once a year for a month, but found as we got older we like to go for short in state "get-aways" all the time. It sure keeps the dreaded "routine" at bay. We do plan on a trip to Spain next year, and maybe venture out with the motor home to AZ. And my husband wants to drive the Alcan hwy. Now that would be an awesome vacation. Driving the Alaska Highway is still an adventure
What would be so wonderful too is to own a pontoon and go out on a lake for a few days. That would be heaven. Hubby could fish, grill & just relax, and I could catch up on some reading, napping and the girls could snooze, play and watch other people go by. Anyone own a pontoon? Maybe people in TN. or MN. would be the likely ones. :D
So how often do all of you plan vacations?

Usually one big trip each year and then some smaller trips throughout the year.

The big trip usually ends up being a cruise.

This year has been never ending trips though, I went to Vegas in March, I am going to Atlantic City in the beginning of August, a cruise the end of August, and Aruba in November.

You can rent really nice pontoons at Lake Mead and there are gorgeous little coves and areas on that lake to hideaway. You can rent for an hour a day a week a month.....

The pontoon vacation sounds awsome...just never thought of it-THank you!! My brother lives in MN so I will def inquire.
We usually plan 3 vacations a year. One with the furbutts, just the two of us and one with family and friends. The caribean is usually a staple vacation as DH and I LOVE the beach and warm weather. We went to europe a few years ago and crossed the country by rail which was wonderful, we hit Denmark, sweden, germany, austria and venice. Another fav is Outer Banks, NC which is one of our favorite vacations with the furbutts because they are allowed on the beach.

Next week I'm doing a stay-cation and very excited to spend 7 solid days with my furbutts.

Cool thread~

Sadly, we don't always get 1 vacation a year...bc it's tough with the doggies. If we can take the doggies with us, then yes. But, kenneling is out of the question and I don't have a sitter I feel right about.

My hubby's parents live on a lake on MN and we love it up there. They have a pontoon, jet skis, canoe, paddle boat, fishing boat - it's so green, fresh, and relaxing - so different than Arizona. What about a Houseboat? I heard renting a houseboat is just fantastic bc you can live on it while vacationing. Doesn't that sound fun? :)

How exciting you're going to Spain...I think you've been there before, if I remember right? I've been to Madrid and it's an incredible city - very metropolitan, but so much history and character; so much to do. I've also been to Denmark and Amsterdam. Amsterdam is probably one of my favorite cities *ever*, I would even live there - the people are incredibly lovely and the city has an inexplicable charm that hits all the right spots for me. There is something so poetic about Amsterdam. Plus, you can see Van Gogh paintings in *person*...which is just stunning.

Vacation? What's that???

The only other country I've been to is Canada and our vacay every couple-few years is usually down Georgia way. When our money tree blooms, we will go to Bar Harbor, Maine; Colorado; the Grand Canyon; Cali (wine tasting), and if I get over fear of flying, Australia and Europe. :)

My hubby is in the military and I am still a college student so we actually get to vacation alot (my grandma always tells me "travel when your young and while you still can"). Every three day weekend he has we try to go somewhere and that way he doesnt have to use his leave so we can save for something big. Last year we did a cruise and this year I think we are going to take a week or two and go skiing at a resort. We always take a week or two at Christmas off for family as well.

And we never take a vacation unless the dogs (and cat :p) can come with us or family can watch them. We recently moved from Georgia to Colorado and Colorado is SO much more dog friendly so we plan on doing alot with the dogs this year

We go to Florida once ayear for 2 weeks. Thats our big vacation. During the Summer we take mini vacations on the weekends and especially the 3 day weekends

We go to Florida for a week every 2 months...so thats about 6 vacations a year LoL But its only cause we have a house down there and its easy to take Pasquale with us.

Before Pasquale : Italy
Aruba
St Lucia


After Pasquale : Florida

LoL I guess things do change when you have kids :D

for the past 20 + years, my two sisters and I each got a house at the same time on the Jersey Shore. My older sisters kids were little when we started, they are now married with kids of their own, I'm married with two grown kids and my younger sister has a teenager. Last year my niece made a dvd of pictures over the years, which we all got a copy of. There are so many wonderful memories.

I am SO ready to visit Aruba. WOW!! I lived in Madrid Spain for three years, fell in love with it and want to live there, or at least on the coast. My son is in the AF stationed at Rota Spain right now, and his son (my grandson) is also in the AF and stationed in MS.

Lake Mead sounds nice, but way too far for me to go. I'm not crazy about Nevada either. I know at lake Mead, they also rent house boats. That would be a fun thing to do if you have two or three couples and split the cost.

If I could buy a summer home, it would probably be in Main on the Islesboro, then I could have a pontoon to run up and down the river. :D

I used to be the only person at my job that would take *all* their vacation every year. I think my most incredible trip was to Beijing... we paid a taxi driver $30 to chaffeur us around the whole day. He took us to the Great Wall, and we were the ONLY people there. So much better than going on a tour bus.

I don't have a bf or good vacation buddy at the moment, so I've built up a ridiculous amount of vacation. I'm up to two months! I really need a vacation too. I'd like to go to Pariah canyon in Arizona. I even think I could take Thor. I need to get on that and plan a nice trip for September. :)

I too wanted to ask what a vacation is?? I have a slight memory of having one 4 years ago...
I will not kennel my dogs, don't trust anybody to watch them, therefore I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.
I am really feeling burnt out too, wish I could get away.
But I do love my dogs so :rolleyes:

We just to take lots of vacations, all the time, specially going to visit my family and friends out of the country, I haven't done it since I got Phoebe, (my first yorkie) I'm just like Mojo, don't like to leave my dogs behind or I take them all or none, we still go on mini vacations, but always make sure to book a friendly dog hotel:thumbup:

I try to go on one vacation a year but I also make mini trips to Cape Cod for a weekend or Foxwoods for a night, and I go to New Mexico to visit family twice a year for a short visit.... but usually we take one week long vacation a year. We just got back from a cruise to Bermuda!

Hmmm...just depends for us from year to year.

This year, we went to Disney for week Memorial week and will go again T'giving Week. We are going to VA for 5 days during 4th of July. And to the Beach for a long 3 day weekend at some point in the summer. Then, we'll have a few weekend off raoding trips scattered throughout. (Generally a one night stay or camping, drive in on Sat, home on Sun...not sure you could count that as a vacation.)

Last year, we went to Disney for a week in the Spring, and did 2 4 day weekends at the beach with friends and a 4 day weekend in TN for my sis's wedding.

I want to add... I am so lucky to have found a pet sitter whom I trust 110% and who loves my boys and takes SUCH great care of them. I always feel comfortable leaving them in her care! It makes vacation that much less stressful not having to worry about them. My brother used to run with this girls mother a lot and we all got to know the whole family. She has an older sister who used to watch my dogs and now this girl does. She takes them on outings and field trips, shes careful and responsible with them, her parents love them so they are allowed at her house and play with her 2 goldens who are gentle giants, at night she sleeps at my house with them so they are somewhere familiar to them. It works out sooo great... I will be devastated when I lose her, no idea what I'll do then! :(

You know I would take excellent care of your girls if you and your hubby want to go visit your mom and friends. So make some plans to get away. ;)
I'll be sitting with Lily for a couple of weeks next month while Linda goes away.

Aww Donna thankyou, I know that their daddy will say yes, to this invitation; but I will be afraid that they be so spoil rotten, that they will not, want to come back to us, hahaha:yelrotflm I just can hear them crying all the way back home, we want to stay with grandma Donna:sidesplt:

That's what Grandmas are for :D Well just think about it. ;)

I know the feeling, this is how I feel about my sitter also!

She is AMAZING, the dogs love her and she even puts up with me calling daily, :p

I dread her ever stopping, It took so long to find her.

For those who havent found anyone yet. There are lots of great, amazing sitters out there, it does take a lot of work to find them but is well worth it when you do. I visited tons of different types of facilities before I decided on care in my home and then talked with and met with many people before deciding on this sitter. In the end it was well worth the effort, it is wonderful to be able to travel, see new things, experience new cultures, and know the entire time that my dogs are safe and sound and having fun of their own while I am gone.

So true, so true, what you said. You are so bless to find someone that you are comfortable with.
I friend of mine had a sitter at her house, the little dog got out so fast, maybe looking for her mama:(, I dunno, that got run over by a car and died, she on vacation, over seas, can you imagine. I know my girls will be in good hand with Donna-yorkidaze but I have to come clean is me, with the separations anxiety, I know sick:rolleyes:

Oh my gosh, thats awful! I know accidents can happen... I know my sitter would be AS devastated as I would be if anything happened to my boys on her watch, she just LOVES them. I can't stop traveling and experiencing things because I have dogs, that's not the life I could or would choose for myself. So I take the chance that someone else whom I trust 110% will care for them like I would. I do miss them like crazy though! The first time I went away for a week without them they were almost a year old. I got soooo depressed for a whole day in Las Vegas I actually cried. LOL I am much better now traveling without them but I still don't think I could do more than a week. When I got home from my cruise 2 weeks ago, Dexter cried so hard for like 3 hours it was sad! He glued himself to me and just cried and cried, he was sooo happy to have his mama home. Its sad that you can't tell them and have them understand that you are leaving for a short time and you WILL be back. I am actually more fanatical about them NOT staying alone overnight EVER. I would NEVER leave them alone overnight on purpose, I'm sure some people do and have and that is their perogative but I couldn't.

A GREAT pet-sitter who does it in your home, whom you can trust is worth their weight in gold! Bonus that she loves doing it so much that you can't even pay her she won't take $$. :) (my sitter won't take money so I do other things for her like iTunes gift cards and this time I bought her a Dooney & Burke wristlet purse... it's her first 'designer' handbag and I know she'll be thrilled to pieces!)