Are you summer vacation planning? Looking down the road and wanting to plan a trip for the fall, the holidays, or maybe even next Spring Break? If you’re in need of a getaway (who isn’t?) and dreaming of where to head to escape it all, here is a list of 12 places where you will likely find a healthy dose of relaxation, exploration, or maybe a nice combination of both.
12 Fun Places to Get Away
Fredericksburg, TX
What I enjoyed: the restaurants, shopping, and of course the views driving in. Beautiful wineries are everywhere!
If I were to travel here again: I would plan a trip with a group of girlfriends, or maybe with my husband and a few other couples. I’d book a couple of nights at a Bed and Breakfast and explore the wineries one day and downtown the next.
Here’s a look back at our day trip from 2017.
Coronado, CA
What I enjoyed: the perfect weather, the ample amount of activity for tourists, and the active beach
If I were to travel here again: I would plan a trip with my husband. We’d stay in a nice hotel or Airbnb that’s a little nicer than one we would stay in with the kids, spend a little time relaxing on the beach, but mostly spend our time paddle boarding, driving into San Diego and La Jolla, and eating/drinking at fun patio restaurants. We’d also likely do a dinner cruise after immensely enjoying a brunch cruise we did as a family years ago.
Here’s a look back at our trip from 2014 (our first leisure vacation as a family of three!)
Boston, MA
What I enjoyed: exploring the historic city on foot.
If I were to travel here again: I’d visit here with my husband, and we’d stay somewhere central to tourist areas. We’d research and plan most of our activities and restaurants ahead of time and arrive with a full agenda so that we can see and do as much as we can over a long weekend.
Here’s a look back at our trips for the Boston Marathon in 2014 and most recently in April 2019.
New York City
What I enjoyed: not having a strict agenda and exploring as much as I could.
If I were to travel here again: I’d love to return to New Year City next time with my mom and my sister for a girls’ trip. We’d make a loose schedule for each day, maybe planning one big event each day and then spending the rest of our time exploring different neighborhoods.
Here’s a look back at my trips 2009, 2010 and 2015.
Kennebunk
What I enjoyed: driving along the coast and shopping downtown.
If I were to travel here again: I’d travel here with my whole family. A couple of beaches have playgrounds nearby, so the kids could play on the beach and play at the playground. We’d check out all of the local hotspots to eat and drink, and we’d shop until we dropped in all of the adorable local shops. Very family-friendly coastal town.
Here’s a look back at my day trip in April 2019.
Disney World
What I enjoyed: staying on property and being fully immersed in all things Disney from the time our plane touched down in Orlando.
If I were to travel here again: we’d use our phenomenal, free Disney travel agent and plan a trip where we spent 3-4 days at the park and one full day at the resort. We’d save money by staying at a cheap to moderately-priced resort (at Disney World, they ALL rock!) but definitely splurge on the meal plan. We’d skip traveling during the summer or during a major holiday and shoot for sometime in the spring or fall.
Here’s a look back at our incredible family trip in 2017.
Destin, FL
What I enjoyed: the sugar-soft sand, pretty water, nice people, and countless local, “beachy” restaurants
If I were to travel here again: A trip to Destin would be fun with many different combinations of family and friends. Three to four nights is my preferred amount of time here; It’s just enough time. Regardless of who I was with, I’d chose to spend 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. relaxing/playing/walking/swimming at the beach, then shower/nap/relax until dinner time, then spend some nights staying in and cooking and other nights putting on a sundress and going to grab dinner.
Here’s a look back at our trip in 2015 with Hadley to visit my sister, in 2016 to meet my niece, and in 2017 for a bachelorette party for my best friend.
Asheville
What I enjoyed: Exploring downtown, taking a few tours, and spending a day on the Biltmore property
If I were to travel here again: I’d travel here with my husband. We’d spend a day hiking, a day at the Biltmore, and a day eating, drinking, and shopping downtown. I would try to research restaurants ahead of time and make reservations since the hot spots are mostly “reservation only”.
Here’s a look back at a girls’ trip I took there with my two best friends in 2015.
Costa Rica
What I enjoyed: the tranquility, the sounds, and the combination of relaxation and adventure
If I were to travel here again: I’d stay at Los Altos de Eros 100 times over. I’d want to travel with my husband but would also love to travel with a group of “couple friends” and do a “property takeover”. We’d stay seven days and arrive with very few plans. Instead, we’d allow the staff to make suggestions on how we should spend our time each day depending on our interests and moods.
Here’s a look back at our honeymoon in 2012.
Turks and Caicos
What I enjoyed: how tiny and peaceful this island is.
If I were to travel here again: I’d travel with my husband, kids, and extended family. We’d soak up our days enjoying the tranquility and perfection of the beaches but also get out every couple of days to explore local “hole in the wall” restaurants. We’d go on a million walks around the gorgeous coastline and soak up every second of watching our kids enjoy the sand and water.
Here’s a look back at my trip in 2018 for my college roommate’s wedding.
Grand Cayman
What I enjoyed: the peaceful beaches, the friendliest people, and the ample amount of activity available for tourists (besides just hanging on the beach)
If I were to travel here again: I’d return with my family to Rum Point and do our exact trip from March all over again.
Here’s a look back at our family vacation from March 2019.
Switzerland
What I enjoyed: the scenery, the scenery, the scenery. And the chocolate and cheese.
If I were to travel here again: I’d travel during the summer so that I could start and/or end each day with a swim in Lake Lucerne. We’d pick one adventure per day to embark on and get to it by rental car so that we could sight see while en route to each day’s activity.
Here’s a look back at our trip from October 2018.
Let’s chat!
Are you already planning trips to any of these locations? If so, what are you looking forward to and who are you traveling with?
Where are a couple of places you frequently suggest that you family and friends visit?
Hi! I’m Erica, and I absolutely adore sharing my life on this website with you! I come here almost daily to blab about all of the things related to being a regular wife and mother in today’s ever-evolving society. I share about our new home, what’s on our kitchen table, what we’re hanging in our closets, where we’re traveling to next, my crazy 5 a.m. work outs, how I make time for girlfriends, our faith, and much more. We always have a lot of balls in the air and somewhat thrive on the chaos. I believe in the power of story-telling as a form of inspiration and entertainment, so I’m here to do both! I was born and raised in north Alabama and recently re-planted roots here again after my husband transitioned out of the Army (he is now in the Reserve and it’s going so well!) I’m a super proud mom to three little girls (ages 7, 4, and 1) who seem to be the stars of the show around here (for good reason – they’re pretty great!) I’m so glad you found me and are here reading! I hope we can get to know each other here on the blog as well as Facebook and/or Instagram. xoxo