How are family vacations supposed to work, exactly?

[Kwesi]

So my family is on vacation in NYC for 3.5 days (sun, mon, tues, wed till 1ish). So far I be had fun but it seems like there's been a lot of arguing. I kind of just went along with the flow last time we came but I realize that my family doesn't have very many interests in common. I like shows and events, my mom like tourist-y stuff and is usually cool with whatever, my brother likes to shop and my dad likes anything that doesn't take more than an hour. The parents insist that we should do everything together and I just don't see that being possible seeing how little overlap there seems to be between us. So they get upset when I suggest we do our own things. I think im missing something. Thoughts, TBOT?

[()smoke()]

why not do both? a few things together broken up by 'individual free time'.

[Bass Mule]

How are they supposed to work? They usually don't. The whole point is NOT to relax and getaway from your usual 9-5. The point is to make memories that will last a lifetime.
Usually, it's the less-than-comfortable vacations that get remembered.

Years from now, at a holiday gathering, someone in your family will bring up the time you all went to NYC, if you're lucky.

[sandmangeck]

Sounds like 4 selfish people. The point is to spend time toghether. Enjoy it.

[Simo98]

Follow the family around, spend some time together, see the sights, get the folks to shout you meals and stuff.

I quite like family holidays actually, although we never get away at the same time anymore.

[MJ5150]

Vacations seem to work out better when you plan some activities before you go. Showing up somewhere and just doing whatever usually results in the kind of experience you are having. I've done them both ways, and the unplanned ones were typically less pleasant.

-Mike

[Stilettoprefer]

They usually end up exactly like you explain, with my family at least. I like music and watching performances, mom shops, sister sits there awkwardly, dad throws fits when he doesn't get his way and always gets us too much food to eat and complains about us not eating all of it.

Pretty much, I prefer to stay home and jam with friends, and watch movies with my girlfriend while my family goes around doing their own thing without me:P and I gots no problem with that!

[pacojas]

next time go to MAUI. (nuff said)

[Scott1]

3.5 days is too short to qualify. It takes at least 7 days traveling, in a car, to count.

But generally they are smelly, annoying events where everyone gets on each others nerves after the first couple of days. You should be able to do your short stint with one hand tied behind your back, but if not at least try for the sake of family unity (and to show you are the better sibling).

[madmatt]

Ideally you should agree before you ever leave the house what the routine/schedule will be so there are no surprises/headbutting.
I am feeling your pain, I just went to my birthday dinner and me, my mom, wife, son could not sit down for even an hour before the nitpicking started. It was mostly my Mom's fault, but that is just the way she is. Once you understand the problem it is so much easier to deal with it, and my Mom's problem is she obsesses over things. The trick is trying to get her to shut it off.

[Pilgrim]

Family vacations are what they are. They don't "work", they are shared experiences.

[Phalex]

You didn't take your mom to the leather shop when you were picking up "fashion accessories" did you??

Your description of "Family vacation" sounds really familiar. My old man was a good time on vacation if there was a fishing boat involved, but trips out of state always ended up with him "Pulling this car over" and someone "Not being happy about it".

Take that jewelry off before you get in the car and start the long drive home. Things could turn black and fall off if they don't get enough circulation!

[Quickie]

You take the family to your nearest Guitar Center and buy all your GAS.

[pie_man_25]

I agree with most of these opinions, they generally tend to work out better when they're planned out ahead of time. My parents (when we were old enough) used to sit us down and ask us what we wanted to do while we were wherever it was that we were going (try saying THAT 10 times fast!), and we'd usually do a couple things that each of us wanted to do.

Also, we wouldn't just spend 3.5 days on family vacation either, we'd spend 2 weeks, and we'd be road-tripping too! Imagine how you guys disagree and argue about things now, and then imagine doing that after having been stuck right next to them for two or three days prior to that for 16 hours straight, and even when you're out of the car, the only time you can be more than 5 feet away from them is for a washroom/shower break, and you're sharing a bed with somebody too because the hotel room only has two beds, in spite of the fact that you'd rather sleep in the sleeping bag you brought. Seriously, I'm surprised sometimes that those family vacations didn't involve trips to the hospital! To be honest though, I think that it's actually helped the family be closer together in some way, I'm just not entirely sure how

[Strohsx]

- Go somewhere with less distractions and mroe importantly less people.
- Budget and Spend less money
- Physical activity
- Booze

[Chebass88]

Originally Posted by Strohsx

- Go somewhere with less distractions and mroe importantly less people.
- Budget and Spend less money
- Physical activity
- Booze

This is how I make my family get-togethers work. Not vacations per se, but even works well with longer visits to family who live out-of-state.

[Phalex]

Also time really does equal money. Spend less money and spend more time.

[JimB52]

There is no such thing as "Fun For The Whole Family".
There are no strippers that sell cheap jewelry and have free ice cream & video games.

[Kwesi]

Originally Posted by JimB52

There is no such thing as "Fun For The Whole Family".
There are no strippers that sell cheap jewelry and have free ice cream & video games.

LOL, must I change my sig already?

[fenderhutz]

Originally Posted by Kwesi

LOL, must I change my sig already?

I don't sig really anything and that is fully sig worthy.