August Summer Blues.
August is just around the corner.
When I was a kid, that meant another month of summer vacation. Labor day and the beginning of school was far off in the distance.
Later on, it meant to start buying school supplies only a few weeks left.
Now there are schools in America that are starting August 1.
Where did summer go?
August was the family vacation month. My family spent most of August on the shores of Lake Michigan. Swimming in the morning, swimming in the afternoon. Watching incredible sunsets, with a better one the next day. And feasting on the fresh fruits and vegetables, we picked ourselves or found at a roadside stand.
Now even roadside stands are getting hard to find.
When Did August Stop Being Summer?
Many families are on the current school schedule and must plan around that. But I know people whose kids are through college and they are still on the program around the school schedule. As Alice Cooper told us back in 1972, School’s out for summer. School’s out forever.
So get some vacation back in your summer.
The Mediterranian is out. A) It’s just too hot, and the beaches aren’t that great. B) Europe goes on holiday in August, and it feels like they all go to the Mediterranian.
The rest of Europe is out because reasonable plane tickets are non-existent this close in.
So what do you do with a perfectly good August?
Why not relive a happy memory from your past?
What did your family do in August when you were a kid?
Camp in the Great Smokie mountains? Go back and see the Appalachian Trail. Hike a part of the trail. This time, stop, take a deep breath of fresh air. Look at the scenery instead of worrying if a small one just plunged over a cliff. Get some taffy at the Smokey Mountain Candy Kitchen. Have breakfast at that place dad always took us.
But leave the tent and gear at home and Glamp it (glamour camping). Stay somewhere with a good mattress and consistent hot water. You don’t need to relive EVERY part of the trip. Your back will thank you. Google “historic” and “B&B” for the area you are visiting.
Go to the beach! Leave the Nook at home and find a real paperback to read. There is just nothing like the feel of a paperback book. This vacation is about reliving memories.
Is that cottage or motel still there? See if you can still reserve a few nights mid-week. If not, upgrade to something with better mattresses and soaps.
What’s new in the area since you were last there? Wineries? New restaurants and shops? What hasn’t changed a bit since you were last there?
Or How About Where You Took Your Family?
What did your kids look forward to doing? Why not revisit one of those happy memories. If it’s not too late, ask the kids to join you even if it’s only for part of the time.
Once again, glam it up a little. The five of you do not have to share one room.
The mega theme parks are at peak admission prices during periods when families can travel. (Spring break, holidays and summer) But do you need to do two parks a day? Or even two parks during your whole stay? Use the pools while everyone is off sweating in long lines. Try the hotel restaurants. Some are quite good. Have lunch off-property. Or if you have a refrigerator, buy some deli salads or sandwiches to balance out the food budget. Today, many of the large parks offer much more than amusement rides.
I Always Wanted to Go To _____?
How about somewhere you said you would visit “when the kids grow up.” A National Park? I just took a look at the first week of August. I see very limited to NO accommodations at Yellowstone, Grand Canyon or outside of Rocky Mountain National Parks. By the third week of August, I see availability at all three. Some on weekdays, others weekends. Remember when these places would sell out in February for the following season?
They will still have crowds in August, but not like they used to be. The “best view” rooms are not available. But you didn’t travel to a national park to see it through a window. Get out and experience them.
The Place You Would Never Go With a Child.
Is that place an incredible restaurant? A fancy hotel or museum? Why not do a two-night get-away to THAT grande hotel, bed, and breakfast, wine lodge, etc. Tour that museum or historical building and treat yourself to a dining “experience.”
What happened to your summer vacation? Get it back. You deserve it.
Even two days of memory-making can be a great vacation.