How do you make vacations more relaxing for yourself?

[ktgrok]

Eh? But you have to have bakeries, otherwise you are stuck with servo (petrol station) food on road trips! 

 

Nope. We have fast food (McDonald's etc) and that's it. 

 

I LOVED the little bakeries when we were in Scotland...being able to run in and get a sausage roll, for very little money, and eat it on the go was AMAZING! There is nothing like that here. 

[ktgrok]

This is tragic!

 

Part of the fun of road trips is noting which brand of curry powder they use in the curry pies and the everlasting search for the perfect Neenish tart!  :crying:

 

And I aways thought road tripping the US would be all kinds of fun! (I'd throw in some hyperbole about how my whole life is ruined now, but I was never going to be able to afford to do it anyway, so it isn't really.)

 

 

Sorry. 

The closest we have to inexpensive road food is maybe some of the nicer gas stations like WaWa, which have sub sandwiches made to order, and mac and cheese. But it's nothing like the little pastry/bakery shops you guys have. 

 

Honestly, I'd heard food in the UK wasn't good, but then we discovered those bakeries and were in LOVE. Sausage roll and some shortbread? Heck yeah, what more could you want?

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[lmrich]

Last beach vacation I assigned everyone a day in the kitchen. They were in charge for the entire day. I did not care if breakfast was cereal, toast, or pancakes - someone else was in charge. They had to plan the three meals and put it on the grocery list and even buy at the store. It was a great trip! I took two days - one of which included a late lunch at a restaruant.  

 

For other trips, I pre-cook a lot of meals so everything is done ahead of time so I can relax. I also rely on frozen foods as well. It is more relaxing than being home because we don't have to rush off to evening acitvities.  All that being said - our latest vacation with extended family was not relaxing. Too many people trying to decide what to do each day. I hate that kind of banter - I don't know, what do you want to do... Well someone pick something already. If it were my trip, the days would have been planned, but open to new ideas as we explore.

[bettyandbob]

Actually a few years back someone did a book on good road food in the US. I don't tend to stop at fast food (celiac in my family). I'll preplanning stops and research areas. I've found great diners and cafes maybe not on the exit but with a half mile.

 

There is good road food. Google can help you find it.

 

Also, planning a road trip to be entirely interstate highway may be efficient, but you may be missing out on fun. Non interstate routes, like the old US routes, definitely have food options.

Edited January 28, 2017 by Diana P.

[SparklyUnicorn]

This is tragic!

 

Part of the fun of road trips is noting which brand of curry powder they use in the curry pies and the everlasting search for the perfect Neenish tart!  :crying:

 

And I aways thought road tripping the US would be all kinds of fun! (I'd throw in some hyperbole about how my whole life is ruined now, but I was never going to be able to afford to do it anyway, so it isn't really.)

 

It is definitely tragic.  I dunno we have tons of fast food places, but I think the food all tastes the same.  Not interesting at all.

[mommyoffive]

Well, we lost some clothes on a vacation and spent a lot of time trying to find them before they turned up on the last day of the trip, in which we changed hotels every night. So, the next trip when we would be changing hotels every night, each person picked an outfit per day, including socks/underwear. Then each outfit went into a gallon-sized plastic bag. I then put half of the bags in one large suitcase, and the other half in a different large suitcase. (Our clothes would not all fit in one suitcase.) When we checked into the new hotel, we would only take in the suitcase that held the next day's clothes. (We had toiletry items/pjs in an overnight bag that went in every night.) We also brought a big trash bag that the dirty clothes went into every night. It made mornings less stressful.

 

s/o Embassy Suites. We have stayed at one or two that had three/four beds and a pull-out couch. 

 

Oh wow.  Good to know.  I will keep them on the list of hotels I check.  I haven't come across one that had more than 2 beds.   Hopefully I will.  Do you remember where you found those? 

[Erica in OR]

Oh wow.  Good to know.  I will keep them on the list of hotels I check.  I haven't come across one that had more than 2 beds.   Hopefully I will.  Do you remember where you found those? 

 

Have you tried the http://sixsuitcasetravel.com site? I saw it recommended on the boards awhile ago, and it's been very useful for searching for hotel rooms where our whole family can fit.

 

Erica in OR

[AK_Mom4]

We have done lots of road tripping in the U.S.  We rarely eat fast food (well, ok we have been know to visit the occasional Sonic, but they aren't really Fast...)  We eat in diners and cafes, buy food in small shops or fresh-baked at a grocery.  You can eat great if you aren't in a hurry.

 

I have to travel for business a good piece.  We stay in hotels and eat in restaurants.  It's so much harder to get good food.  My boss has taken to stopping at a grocery and buying fresh fruit and veggies on our way in from the airport so he can avoid restaurants more.  Our next trip is in March and I think I am going to follow his example.

[ktgrok]

Actually a few years back someone did a book on good road food in the US. I don't tend to stop at fast food (celiac in my family). I'll preplanning stops and research areas. I've found great diners and cafes maybe not on the exit but with a half mile.

 

There is good road food. Google can help you find it.

 

Also, planning a road trip to be entirely interstate highway may be efficient, but you may be missing out on fun. Non interstate routes, like the old US routes, definitely have food options.

 

Yes, but those are still sit down, restaurant places. The bakeries that were being discussed are more grab and go....at least the ones I've been to in Scotland. Walk up, point to what you want, get your paper bag full of goodies, and go. Eat in the car, or at a park somewhere, or your desk, or whatever. Like getting a hot dog at 7 -11, but good.

[sassenach]

There are 2 types of vacations for me. They are either relaxing or entertaining. The main difference I have found is the length. The longer we can stay put, the more relaxed I get.

 

Our most relaxing vacations are in nature (but we don't camp for numerous reasons). Beach, mountain, river, or lake houses. I don't mind cooking, as long as we order out a few times. Mostly, I want to be able to lounge and putz around outdoors and for my kids to do the same. For me, the minimum length to actually feel relaxed is 7-10 days. We have gotten a few 3-week trips that were incredible. Three weeks in one place, surrounded by nature is unbeatable.

 

If we are going anywhere for less than a week, we're best off making it entertaining. I won't feel relaxed, but I'll probably have fun. City vacations tend to be short and entertaining, but not relaxing.

Edited January 28, 2017 by Sassenach

[Dmmetler]

Where else besides Residence Inn? Oh, and it needs to offer at least a 1 bedroom, preferably two.

 

This past summer we stayed at a RI and it said one bedroom, I thought it would be like places we have stayed before. NOPE! It was TINY. Not a full kitchen, The LR had a place for a table for 2 (almost) and a sofa. The bedroom had a queen that you could barely walk around.

 

There were 5 of us, 3 teen boys and DH and me. It was very uncomfortable.

 

Dawn

Drury Inn does, but their biggest rooms are two room suites with a pull-out.

[marbel]

Yes, but those are still sit down, restaurant places. The bakeries that were being discussed are more grab and go....at least the ones I've been to in Scotland. Walk up, point to what you want, get your paper bag full of goodies, and go. Eat in the car, or at a park somewhere, or your desk, or whatever. Like getting a hot dog at 7 -11, but good.

 

Yes.  I have fond memories of a walking trip I did in 1992, across northern England (the "Coast to Coast Walk" if that means anything to anyone).  I don't think we walked the entire 190 (?) miles.  It was one of those van-supported trips so we had only to carry our day packs.  

 

Anyway.  Every day we would stop at a bakery to pick up our lunch for the day.  Sausage rolls come to mind, but there were so many delightful foods.  And some nice sweets of course too.  We'd stick them in our day packs and off we'd walk.  

[*LC]

Oh wow.  Good to know.  I will keep them on the list of hotels I check.  I haven't come across one that had more than 2 beds.   Hopefully I will.  Do you remember where you found those? 

I know one was in Niagara. I can picture the other, but I can't remember where it was. Sorry.

 

Another website to check is sleeps5.com I also saw this http://www.familyvacationcritic.com/hotel-rooms-for-large-families/art/ (very general advice, except for some very specific places)

[*LC]

Sorry. 

The closest we have to inexpensive road food is maybe some of the nicer gas stations like WaWa, which have sub sandwiches made to order, and mac and cheese. 

 

 

I have seen a few gas station chains with mega stores that offer tons of cooked food. Most of my kids really like dinner from these " to go restaurants."