Why We Need Family Vacations

why we need family vacations

Try and think back to some of your favorite childhood memories. You might remember your best friends, sports or activities you enjoyed, your favorite toy or a wonderful vacation you went on with your family. Even if you didn’t go on many family vacations as a child, it might be something you’re looking forward to experiencing with your children.

Numerous families in the United States take family vacations. These trips are unique to each family based on their travel destination, whether it’s just the immediate family or includes extended family, duration and budget. But most of these vacations have at least one thing in common. They build long-lasting memories that your family will cherish.

Why are vacations important for families? Life can pass you by fast, and it’s important to set aside time to spend having fun with the people you love the most.

You and your family deserve to feel refreshed and make memories together. Read some of the benefits of family vacations and why it’s a great time to start planning your next trip.

the value of family vacations

The Value of Family Vacations

Going on a family vacation can hold significant value to you and the rest of your family members. It’s a special time for your children to take a break from their structured activities and school to hang out and have fun with their family. And for you, the parent, it’s time to take off from work and other day-to-day responsibilities and bond with your family.

Families may notice that their busy schedules can interrupt bonding time. Spending time together in a fun location outside of your normal daily routine can help renew that feeling of family togetherness and remind you why you value their company.

Having downtime at home typically consists of screen time, but on vacation, you can choose locations where you can enjoy numerous activities with your children.

It’s important to find a destination that will satisfy everyone in the family. Sit down with your family and come up with some ideas of what kind of vacation would be fun for everyone. Here are some examples of fun vacation spots where you can bond with your family:

  • Beach vacation: Beach trips are one of the best vacation destinations for families. The beach offers various activities for all ages to enjoy. From swimming and fishing to making sandcastles and searching for seashells, you and your children are sure to find something fun to do at the beach.
  • Camping trip: Set up your tent in the great outdoors and spend some time camping with your family. You can take your kids on a fun nature hike and take in all of the sights near the mountains, roast marshmallows or look at the stars while sitting around the campfire.
  • Theme park: Thrill rides, games and countless activities are some of the reasons families choose to vacation at a theme park. Everyone in your family can enjoy something at a theme park.
  • RV road trip: Hit the road together and rent an RV for a fun family adventure. You can plan fun stops along your route with plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Even if something doesn’t go according to plan on your vacation, like a rainstorm, you can still find opportunities for connecting with your family. Think outside the box and enjoy activities that promote family bonding and will make memories.

New Experiences for You and Your Children

Traveling and going on vacation can provide the opportunity of seeing new places, meeting new people and learning outside of the classroom. Your family vacation is a chance for your children to gather new experiences that they may carry throughout their lives.

Giving your children toys can make them happy for a moment, but the valuable experiences they’ll have on a family vacation can greatly outweigh a new toy. For many families, money is one of the reasons they may refrain from going on a trip. The experiences of a fun family vacation can be worth limiting your spending a bit now. Reduce what you spend on toy purchases, movies and other entertainment to save up some extra funds for a vacation. Also, look for ways to plan a fun and affordable vacation full of new experiences for your kids.

Vacation can be a time for a lot of firsts for your children. It can be their first time snorkeling, kayaking, hiking or riding a roller coaster. Enjoy these new experiences and take out your camera to snap photos or record videos that you and your children will cherish for years to come.

Time to Unplug and Enjoy Quality Time

Vacation is about being present with your family and soaking up the quality time that every family member deserves. Your family can be fully available to each other if you use vacation time to unplug from phones, tablets, laptops and other devices that are a common distraction in our daily routines.

Now, this isn’t to say that you can’t have your phone on at all. However, making time to unplug from the digital world for most of your vacation will be great for bonding, fully immersing yourself in your activities and keeping your mind free from work or social media distractions. Your family can focus on quality time and grow even closer.

Reduce Stress for Your Whole Family

Stress can occur from different aspects of your family’s life. Work, school, sports, clubs and other stressors can take a big toll on a person. We mostly think of parents needing to relieve stress because of busy work schedules, but children can also experience stress from the demands of school, friends, family or extracurricular activities.

According to a study from the American Psychological Association, vacations help reduce stress levels because you remove yourself from events that you associate with stress. Family vacations can make you happy, help you enjoy your leisure time and decrease the chance of burnout.

Taking a vacation can reduce stress and the lingering symptoms that come along with it. You can clear your mind and enjoy the fun things in life along with your loved ones.

It’s also important to take your children on vacation to show that although going to work is a part of life, it’s not all of life. Teach your children to set aside time for themselves to enjoy life and have some fun. Help promote stress-reducing techniques and book a fun vacation for your family.

promotes learning

Promotes Learning for Your Children

Kids are constantly soaking in new information, even outside of the classroom. Going on a family vacation allows children to learn an abundance of new information that can help them throughout their lives.

Whether you’re traveling domestically or internationally, there is always something new for you and your kids to experience on your trips. Taking children to new states in the U.S. is a fantastic opportunity to teach them about the state, where it is on a map and fun facts about the place you are traveling to.

If you’re traveling to the ocean for your family vacation to hang out on the beach, your children can learn about the marine life that inhabits the ocean, how the tide goes in and out, new seafood they can eat and much more real-world information.

You can also visit fun attractions on vacation that promote learning, like the zoo, aquarium, children’s museums and more. There is always an opportunity for you and your child to learn something new on a family vacation.

Teaches Children Independence

Going to a new place and experiencing new things teaches a child more about the world around them and helps them gain greater confidence. The new adventures they experience with their family are fun and can boost their spirit and courage.

Vacations can include several firsts for your child that can impact their confidence levels and make them feel unstoppable. Your family trip to the beach can lead to your kid learning how to swim without their floaties for the first time, or a vacation to a theme park can result in your kid conquering their fear of heights and riding a roller coaster for the first time. There are endless new things to try on vacation, and these self-confidence boosts can positively impact your child for years to come.

Even if they don’t remember the time they learned how to do something new on the family vacation when they were little, you will remember. Moments like this highlight the importance of family holidays and vacations.

You Can Act Like a Kid With Your Kids

Of course, vacations are supposed to be fun. It’s time to let loose and release your inner kid while hanging out with your kids.

Participate in activities that you normally wouldn’t because they’re typically for children. Play dress up with your kids, splash in the waves at the beach, build sandcastles and enjoy all the activities with your children on vacation.

Time tends to fly by quickly in life, and your kids won’t be little for long. They’ll grow up and carry the memories you made together on your family vacations. Since you’re on this trip to relax and relieve some stress, channel your younger self and play like a kid with your children. The extra effort and fun won’t go unnoticed.

boost productivity

Vacations Help Boost Productivity

Even though people experience stress at work, they still may feel guilty about taking time off. But if you’re feeling slower at work and less motivated, a vacation may be the right answer.

Booking a family vacation means you’re taking time for yourself to refresh, which can boost your productivity once you’re back at the office. After all of the hard work you do and the focus you put on your job, shift some of that focus to your family.

Take the family vacation because it will help you in the long run. You’ll feel better at work and better about spending needed time with your family.

Kids Can Travel for Less

A bonus of bringing kids on vacation is that children typically travel for a discounted price or sometimes for free.

You can look for discounts at hotels, theme parks, transportation and other attractions. Complete some research before booking your trip to see what kind of deals or packages are available that offer discounts for traveling children.

Come Home Refreshed

Returning home from a vacation is an interesting feeling. While you might be sad that your fun trip has ended, it feels nice to get back to your own bed and feel completely rejuvenated from vacation.

After seeing new sights and participating in new activities, you’re ready to get back to your normal routine with a positive outlook on life thanks to your family vacation.

Create Memories You’ll Remember Forever

Taking a family vacation doesn’t need to be expensive to be memorable. Whether you’re flying to a resort on an island or road tripping to your grandparents’ cabin for the weekend, all a family vacation needs are the ones you love.

Your next family vacation can help you create beautiful memories for you and your children to cherish. From new experiences to taking the time to relax, a family vacation has many benefits that can positively impact everyone in your family.

These new memories you create are more than just a thought. They’ll shape you into the continually growing person you and your kids are.

visit ocnj for your next family vacation

Visit Ocean City, New Jersey, for Your Next Family Vacation

Your priority for your family vacation may be similar to other families. You may want to schedule a vacation to keep your children happy and entertained. Parents may want to make sure they travel to a location with several outdoor activities. At the beach, you can swim in the ocean, play in the sand and enjoy the charm of a beach town.

Vacationing on the beach with your family opens up endless opportunities for family bonding and an amazing vacation. There is something for parents, teenagers and young children to do while vacationing at the beach. If you’re searching for a wonderful beach to visit with your family, consider traveling to Ocean City, New Jersey, for your family vacation.

Ocean City is a lovely beach resort that is perfect for families. With a small population, Ocean City is a great vacation spot for those looking to avoid overly busy hotels and ocean-side destinations.

The relaxing environment on Ocean City offers numerous family-friendly activities that will entertain across generations. Your family can hang out on our beautiful beaches or take a trip to our world-famous Boardwalk for more vacation activities.

The Ocean City Boardwalk hosts a variety of stores, entertainment, amusement and more attractions that families can enjoy.

When you’re booking your next vacation, consider visiting Ocean City, New Jersey. You’ll find many affordable vacation options on our beaches so you can enjoy quality time with your family without hurting your wallet. Start planning your vacation to Ocean City today!

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