Doesn't Anyone Just Relax on Vacation?
 

I read everyone's amazing trips and planning and begin to wonder whether I am the only person who relaxes and just hangs out while I'm on vacation. Isn't the joy of going to Key West, for instance, that you DON'T have to do anything, that you don't have to stick to a schedule?

When I go to a city, for instance, I plan one or two things to do in a day. Then, if I want to sit in a park reading a book or drinking coffee and watching the people go by, I can. Of course, I am also going to sleep late. Does anyone else vacation like this?

Dear MikeT,
My modus operandi during travel is similar to yours. I usually have a couple of "must-sees" on my agenda, but I let my activities or lack of them be dictated more by my mood than anything else. I usually travel alone, so I can indulge in this more so, it seems.
Recent experience: I was in a small city in the Netherlands (Maastricht) with a morning free to explore. I went to a well-known and busy cafe intending to just grab a coffee and then see the sights. However, I was so taken with the atmosphere at the cafe (Blanche Dael Coffee Lovers, to be specific) that I stayed for over an hour to people-watch and eat a second breakfast! Then I went on my way to "see the sights", having seen much I had not planned on at first. So that's serendipity for you - I find it very relaxing.

It definitely depends on where I'm going. If I want a "relax" type of vacation, I'll go on a cruise or some beach-y type resport where there is not much to do. I can certainly spend an afternoon reading a good book, but my husband (my most frequent travel companion) gets bored easily.

If I'm going to a city or area where I have never been I can't just sit around, I have to make sure I see everything.

When I went to Key West, I just vegged out with my travel companion. We did what we wanted, when we wanted. Stayed up late reading and relaxing, woke up whenever we felt like it and enjoyed our days shopping and just looking around. We scheduled a boat trip and that's the only thing we scheduled the entire trip. Had a great, relaxing vacation.

However, we also went to Disney World with 11 other family members and even though we were tired by the end of the trip, it was great being with our family and having fun.

Some vacations are hectic, others are relaxing, but all of them are ENJOYABLE.

Well ... sort of. I always relax more on beach/cruise type vacations than on city vacations. But for both types I plan and plan and plan some more. The thing is, once we are there, I have no problem going "off memo" as my DH calls it, either to relax or to do something that catched our eye that wasn't planned. The planning and lists are a tool not strict marching orders ... if we want to do something all the info is right there ... if we want to lay out by the pool or try the italien place we just happended to walk past .. no problem. Basically I don't mind deciding to skip stuff we planned to do BUT hate the feeling we missed something b/c we didn't know about it or tried to do it the day it was closed or something. Plus the research and planning is so much fun for me that I get months of enjoyment from a trip rather than just the 7 or so days from the trip itself. :)

Interesting thoughts. I go away with a group of girlfriends a couple times a year - I'm a female - don't get too excited. :-) and we're about split down the middle. A few of us, including myself hate to sit and relax and the rest want to do nothing but. Must be a personality thing. I just want to see and experience everything and can only relax at the end of the day. I guess I figure I can sit and relax at home. And I HATE sleeping in - I just feel like I'm missing too much. I have a trip planned to New York City this month and even though I've been a few times before, I have an 8 page itinerary. Crazy I know. So funny how we're all so different. Thanks for bringing this up - my travel buddies always have a good laugh over the different "vacation styles" we have.

Yikes .. I really need to proof read before I post.

Not me...

My kids refer to it as vacationing like Dad!

Up at sunrise....best photo ops at this time! Busy doing stuff most of the day and more photo ops at sunset. If I don't see and do what the area has to offer, I have failed. Go to bed early. Repeat.

It is my theory that you can sit around and read (which I do) at home. Why would one want to do that on vacation when there is so much to see? I got people to see and things to do...let's go!

My wife loves this about me. In hindsight of course!

I'm like McQueeney....... plan but don't mind at all changing plans. I plan much more when we go to Hawaii, because we are never there as long as I'd like to be (like the rest of my life!) so I want to eat everywhere, and see anything new, etc. Where I relax the most is at Emerald Isle, N.C. in the beach house.......... then we read, walk on the beach, watch movies, eat at home a lot. (sign....... wish I were there!) But my husband gets bored easily, so we can only sit still so long!

My thoughts exactly placeu2! Good to hear there's others like me. Have a blast on your next vacation. I'm not judging others of course - my tea drinking, relaxing on the beach buddies have a great time too - in their own boring way of course. :-) Just kidding!

Mike T:

So funny that you would ask this today!

I am planning a huge South America Trip and my "helper" had suggested some days to RELAX!

We discussed this because I do not travel to relax. Now I do relax while I travel but, I do not travel to relax.

We came up with ONE day out of aproximately 40 where I would "relax" and that is ONLY because it is been medically documented that you HAVE to let your body adjust to the altitude change in Peru....least you be sick!

Sad, funny but true...

We deleted or "filled" up 5 "relax" days with stuff to see or do!

I guess I figure that you go that far and spend all that time and money that it is best to see and do as much as you can.

I'll relax on the plane...SMILE!

Oaktown Traveler

MikeT: I know what you mean. My problem is that I can't imagine going to another country and not see everything. So the hubby and I now try to do at least one of our vacations a "just to relax" one. We pick a place where there isn't much to do so we won't feel guilty about "just relaxing". But you know what, even going to a place where we run around seeing this and doing that...despite being physically tired and needing a vacation from that particular vacation...my mind always feels rejuvenated. Know what I mean? :-)

That is a question that I have thought too, especially b/c I am planning a trip to Hawaii this August and have been reading all the posts about people's Hawaii's trips. I am amazed at how busy a lot of trips seem! I just flag things I want to see, and only plan ahead days for things that I need to plan ahead (e.g. scuba diving, which can't be too close to a plane flight or mountain ascent). 90% of my trip to Hawaii is going to Hawaii is to sit, relax, eat, swim, etc. We usually do most planning by reading the books on the plane to where going, and we always plan to sleep late.

Interesting responses.

I've vacationed with people who were "planners" and crack-of-dawn types and had a great time. The compromise is that we don't commit to spend all of our time together. They give me their agenda and I'll say, "how about if I go here and here, then spend the rest of the day by myself" or how about I catch up with you at lunch or dinner.

I am another person who likes to pack as much into vacation as possible, even if I am exhausted when I go back to work. I find the jam packed vacation to be mentally relaxing. I did a week at the beach once and the first day on the beach doing nothing but reading was great but by the third day, I was ready to scream-only a day trip to Charleston saved me. I guess we each have our idea of what a vacation should be.

No, I fritter and waste the hours in an off-hand way.

=D>

Pink Floyd fan DB??

How much relaxing time vs how much sightseeing time we have on vacation depends largely on the type of vacation we are taking and our needs at the time.

Either way, I try not to schedule too much in any particular day. If we are taking a tour in the morning on a particular day, the afternoon I like to leave open - open to relax, find some spur of the moment activity, or whatever. I usually have a list of must-sees, which I plan out and a list of interesting things that I would like to see if we get to them. Sometimes I think that the best way to experience a place is to find a good spot to hang out and just watch things unfold.

Next week we are going to be in Yosemite for 5 days. There are several hikes I am interested in and a couple scenic drives. We might do all of them or just a couple. We might get there and decide that lounging by the river playing cards and drinking sangria for 5 days is exactly what the doctor ordered. I don't know. Either way, I am bringing my hiking boots and the cards to cover my bases.

It does seem like the active vacation gets a lot of discussion lately.

We're going to do a lot of walking, driving and sightseeing on our next vacation. I think I like it that way. If I stay busy, I find I'm not letting my mind wander off to work and home. Maybe if my job was more physical, I'd want a relaxing vacation where I had lots of down time. In that I (and a lot more people these days) have a job where I work at a computer, I need to get up out of that chair in order to get that temporary change of lifestyle.

Lots of people take slower-paced vacations, but this is a travel advice forum. If you just want to go somewhere and laze on a veranda, you don't need that much help. On the other hand, if you want to debate the pros and cons of this day trip, compare tours, ask for best sights to visit, you'll be on this board writing more.