VACATION DAYS
First , grab your calendar , paper is best , and start by batch planning your vacations . Batch planning allows you to focus on a single time frame — whether this is three months , six months , or the entire year at one time . First , mark down all the days to remember , like weddings , birthdays , school events , sports schedules , etc . Then decide when traveling works best for you . Can you plan five long weekends away ? Campers usually stick to the summer season ; however , there is a huge movement to expand those into the shoulder seasons .
If you ’ re working with your kid ’ s school schedule , look for those random days off , this is especially nice when you ’ re hoping to avoid crowds . For example , my kids ’ school always has an in-service day on the fourth Friday of September . This is perfect camping weather , and we love taking advantage of scenic drives and hikes to enjoy the fall foliage . We leave on Thursday right after school and come home Sunday afternoon . That ’ s only one , maybe one and a half days of vacation time taken off of work for a relaxing extended weekend away from home .
Next , think outside the box and make your vacation days work for you by making the most of each day . By now , every well-seasoned employee knows to use weekends as bookends for a longer time off . Five days of vacation time magically becomes nine days away from the office . But what about making the three-day summer holiday weekends like Memorial Day and Labor Day turn into five by using only two vacation days as bookends ? That ’ s ten days off for the price of four ! Since Independence Day falls on a Sunday this year , ask your employer if you ’ ll be receiving a floating holiday and use that to your advantage as well .
Now it ’ s time to set your sights on which destinations you and your family want to experience . Beach , mountains , desert , the lake ? Why not each one ? Find a comfortable driving radius from your home and see what ’ s around . Don ’ t be afraid to plan a destination that doesn ’ t revolve around big activities ; these times of relaxing around the campsite are great ways to reconnect with family and friends . Also , consider going somewhere you ’ ve never been . It is refreshing for the brain and a great way to feel like a full-timer . But if you want to plan a big trip , it ’ s the perfect time to pull out that bucket list .
For big trips , two or more driving days away from home , it ’ s a good idea to find a home base campground and explore from there for a week instead of moving around . We have a well-loved road atlas , and in it , we have marked the big places we want to see . For example , when we decided to go to Glacier National Park , we stayed in West Glacier . We looked around the map for equally beautiful places to visit - exploring Kalispell , a picnic at Flathead Lake , fly fishing the Middle Fork Flathead River , a day trip to Missoula , plus two days of scenic driving and hiking in the national park . Pinterest is also a great next step for digging deeper when looking for advice on what to do at your destination . Checking out travel books at your library is also a helpful resource .
Once you ’ ve requested the days off at work , made your campground reservations , and planned your experiences , it ’ s time to focus on the best tip from the full-time RVers . Travel more simply . When we clutter our RVs with all the gadgets , do-dads , and extra things , it takes away from our precious vacation time . I challenge all campers to leave the extra things at home , just once , and focus on the things that matter . Travel easier and cherish your weekends and vacation days . And make the most of each of them .
MANDY DOOLITTLE : Mandy is half of the blogging duo over at CampfireTravelers . com , where she chronicles her family ’ s adventures with her husband Jason . They are a 30-something couple with three boys , a mortgage , and regular everyday lives . As young kids , they were always spending time outdoors and camping or traveling with their families , and as they had their own kids it wasn ’ t a second thought to take them along for new adventures . Mandy and Jason are focused on giving other travelers motivation , ideas , tips , and recommendations on how to make memories with your family — inspiring others to make everyday special ! Read more over at CampfireTravelers . com .
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