lowell

Most people I know take an annual vaction to the beach and just sit there under the sun and bake. Their idea of a vacation is doing as little as possible, sleeping 12 hours a night and eating lots of fatty foods at the local greasy spoon diners.

Another option is visiting museums, cultural and historic places and try to learn as much as you can about the place you are visiting, This type of vacation takes lots of thinking.

Which option is best for you?

ellen_griswold

Depends on the time of year. We like a combination and try to plan balanced trips that include both learning and relaxing.

Our spring breaks are usually spent on a beach, but include a couple days at Disney and / or something historical in Virginia on the way home. Weekends away always include both, too.

Summer road trips ARE relaxing when we explore and learn something new, whether out west or in the UK. But we always leave 'wiggle room' in our itinerary to chill by a pool, the ocean etc.

Meesthare

I'm just wondering what a "vaction" is. Apparently some people take one every year, whether they need it or not.

Rachelle

I think the only people who don't need a vacation are ones who don't work and don't have kids and won't clean their house...basically, bums. Everyone who is employed and/or has children needs a vacation.

abram

No doubt--option B. We love to learn about a place, and always feel like we're wasting time if we're sitting around doing nothing.

J_Correa

I like a combination of relaxation and sightseeing. I don't like sitting in the sun baking, but I can hang out in a shady spot with a beer or relax with a book for hours.

xxxx

We describe our trips in the following ways: "Vacation," meaning sun, beach and little pre-planned activity in the Caribbean or Mexico. "Traveling," meaning going to Europe (usually) to see as many museums and historic places as we can reasonably fit in. "Trip," is a short jaunt to visit friends or family. Ironically, I find that I could usually use a "vacation" after returning from "traveling!"

Cerlaurie

I like a little of both. When you are busy at home, work or even running around on vacation, there is nothing wrong with a little relaxation by the pool or beach with a good book.

Chele60

I like to have balance. Even when I went to Cancun, I couldn't spend the entire time there just doing the beach thing. I always envy those folks who can sit on the beach for an entire week. I wish I could do that. I sometimes go too far to the other side.

suzanne

The beach? bah!

Museums? bah!

You forgot about option #3: "adventure" vacations. For the most part, I like to spend my vacations hiking, biking, exploring wilderness...it's actually my way of "relaxing" and clearing my mind of worries. And I guess I learn, in a way...by seeing new & different things.

jetset1

We have enjoyed both ways over the years. Since both our boys love the military, air shows, flight museums and related activities used to be a big hit, and fun for the parents too(seeing your kids excited, happy AND learning).
There is something beyond a price being able to just kick back and vegetate too, whether lazing on a beach, renting a houseboat, skiing all day, then sitting in the jacuzzi at night with tired and happy campers. Now that our kids are getting older and independent, we are enjoying more r&r trips with the better dining options(that can be a learning process btw, hence this Fodor's board), and maybe learning what NOT to do by observing others behavior while traveling/vacationing, lol!!

travellyn

A good vacation has to have relaxation, learning, and some sort of outdoor activity, even if that part is walking 5-10 miles a day from museum to hotel, etc. For me, it also has to involve some good food, usually Asian or French, and a little alcohol.

I have a trip to Hawaii coming up that should include all of those elements, plus coffee.

travellyn

Oh, and a boat and/or train ride is also important.

Kal

Aloooha,
Kal's vacation rule of thumb: "Learnin' when yer urban-No motion near the motion".
Went ot Kauai a few times with different couples that both needed to learn how to relax.
But diff strokes/folks, yah?

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!
"It's 5 o'clock somewhere"

Patty

I like xxxx's definitions and I too have often returned from 'traveling' only to need a 'vacation'

Molly2

Yup,Suzanne's option #3 for me, but with an occasional museum or beach day thrown in - also meeting all the friendly folk. I like your style, Kal -LOL!

Tansy

Lowell is obviously trying to stir things up. Oh, Lowell.

Going on a beach vacation does not mean sleeping 12 hours a night and eating fatty foods. I do my annual beach vacation in a little town in Mexico. Yes, I sleep in, but I'm also up late so I usually log about 7 hours sleep per night. Yes, I sit on the beach, under a palapa, and read approximately one book per day (my ULTIMATE in relaxation). Non-fiction, biographies, novels, and pure "beach reads." I swim, I sun, I read, I relax. I also walk, explore, and talk to the locals. Maybe a little afternoon delight with my significant other.
When it's time to eat, no "greasy spoons" for me; we find wondeful local restaurants, both dirt cheap and high-end, and eat fantastic meals. We walk on the beach in the moonlight, talk to each other, enjoy the stars and the silence, and then we get back to the room and let the romance continue. We're talking long, slow, hot and humid [deleted].
With this type of vacation, you learn about the place you're visiting, and you also learn about YOURSELF. It takes some peace and quiet to do that.

Cher

It depends ... Sometimes you want to go somewhere new, explore and learn what you can about the destination. Sometimes you just really need a true "vacation" - a break from your routine - and need to veg-out, unwind, and collect your thoughts .... basically refreshing your spirit.

Sometimes our vacations are one or the other; sometimes a bit of both ... it just depends what we feel like and need at that time!

karens

I'm with suzanne - I like adventure vacations. Even though we don't "relax" on these type of vacations where we do lots of hiking, biking or such, they have been some of the most memorable. I like the beach, and with kids its a great vacation destination, but after a day or two of just sitting on the beach, I'm ready to go do something!

I also enjoy city vacations and art museums and used bookstore shopping, but my husbands not too thrilled about doing this. If we're in a city he'll tolerate my browsing for a bit but he can't make a whole day of it. He was bored in the Prado, which is just unfathomable to me. He tells me that I should find a good friend and go to Europe and just do all the art museums so I don't have to drag him through them.

You know, the question that started this thread is similar to some others posed by lowell and others recently. In those, the first responses were negative and berating to the original poster. In this one, people started out just responding to the question and there's not the same amount of negativity. It's interesting to me that sometimes when the first responses are negative, the whole thread can become quite mean. But it doesn't seem to get quite as mean if the first responses are more positive. Just an observation.

Paul

karens - Actually, this thread DID start out negative. Fodors editors have been hard at work.

Tansy - Can we travel together on the next vacation? I like your style! lol