Vacationing has been different, to say the least. Before the pandemic hit, our family would take a trip every year. We spent months planning for the most adventurous vacation spots, whether to the beach, a national park or on a cruise. 

Taking a vacation is so important for our family. My partner and I needed that time away from life to reconnect with our kids and each other. Sometimes, we would even invite our close relatives with us and make it a big family reunion. Other times, it was just our immediate family. 

Everyone knows that travel has changed. We felt bummed when we had to cancel our flights once COVID-19 hit, and we felt even more bummed when we had to quarantine during our planned vacation time. However, that didn’t stop us from taking a safe vacation this past summer. 

With vaccines rolled out and our family’s hand-washing technique in check, we were able to travel this past summer. Every family is different, and it’s okay if you chose to do a staycation this year! The most important thing is keeping everyone safe in your family. Our family decided to travel, so here are eight reasons we took a safe vacation this summer.

1. We Needed One

The first reason we chose to take a safe vacation this summer was simply that we needed one. Skipping a summer vacation once COVID-19 hit affected my whole family. We love adventure and spending time together away from home. Once states lifted restrictions this past summer, we knew we needed to plan an epic safe vacation. 

2. We Wanted a Change in Scenery

We knew we needed a change in scenery. Spending over a year in our home and only visiting close relatives and friends called for a change. Most of us were remote, whether with work or school. We couldn’t focus, and stress was eating us alive. We knew that going to a different location would make us all happier and break up the monotony.

3. We Wanted to Unplug

Since our family was remote with schooling and work, we had to use screens for most hours during the day. We quickly learned how much we missed the outdoors. Our eyes grew tired from staring at the screen, so this past family vacation allowed us to truly unplug. After we came back from vacation, we decided to set stricter screen time limits, which has improved our mental health and boosted physical activity.

4. We Craved New Memories

Most families love to create new memories. My partner and I truly missed making early memories with our young children last year. During vacations, we take thousands of photos and purchase souvenirs so we can recall our times together. This summer, we wanted to make new memories, and take part in activities together like hiking, beach games and swimming, especially since quarantine news and screens filled most of our memories throughout this past year.

5. We Missed Our Relatives

One of the best things about our vacation this summer is that our kids got to spend quality time with their grandparents. Our children’s grandparents were vaccinated, my partner and I are vaccinated, and our children took COVID-19 tests before traveling to ensure everyone was healthy before spending a week together. The kids missed their grandparents so much, so this vacation was extra special for them! 

6. We Wanted to Boost Our Mental and Physical Health

Most of our vacations involve some sort of physical activity, and this past one was no exception. Again, we are an adventure-seeking family. We love to hike, bike, splash in the ocean and be outdoors as much as possible. Our mental and physical health has lacked this past year because we couldn’t go places. This safe vacation offered us a boost in mental and physical health. Our minds could clear, and we were able to be physically active in new ways.

7. We Needed an Increase in Productivity

We took our family vacation a few weeks before the kids went back to school. The kids have had a reasonably productive summer, but my partner and I had lacked productivity at work. We took the vacation to reboot our productivity and ensure that our kids would carry theirs during the school year. Even though vacationing seems contrary to being productive, studies show that people are more productive at work after taking a break.

8. We Didn’t Want to Miss Out on This Time with Our Family

Finally, this summer, we took a safe vacation because we didn’t want to miss out on quality time with our family. You can’t take back time, so make the most of it. We made sure that this whole vacation was safe for our family and those we would interact with during our vacation. We made sure to follow the Centers for Disease Control guidelines for traveling, wore our masks when needed, practiced social distancing and still had a fantastic time.

Take a Safe Vacation

All of this is to encourage you to take advantage of this time and go on a safe vacation. Our family did, and we had the time of our lives. As long as you feel comfortable and follow the recommended precautions, you can take a safe vacation, too. Make memories with your kids while you can, and be responsible.