7 Fun Family Vacation Traditions to Start THIS Summer

7 Fun Family Vacation Traditions to Start this Summer – I love spending the summer with my family. It is a time where we can get out of the house, have new adventures, and really just enjoy spending time together. During the summer, we often have certain things we always do, or traditions.

Why are Traditions Important? Traditions aren’t just important in our family, but they should be in yours as well. Research shows that routines and traditions make healthy families. This is because traditions give security to the younger generation, providing a sense of continuity and routine that they depend on year after year. In fact, children remember these special traditions so much more than they will toys or gifts.

What I have found is that the traditions we employ each summer have really helped to promote healthy relationships between both kids and adults. I have also found that my kids enjoy the experiences and remember them far more than when we didn’t have them.

Of course, our traditions have changed some over the years. As the kids get older, you can’t always take them to the same places they once loved, but the memory is still there. And, you can start a family tradition at any time!

7 Fun Family Vacation Traditions

If you are looking to get your family closer this summer, make memories, and start traditions, summer is the perfect opportunity to get started! Here are 7 fun family vacation Traditions to start this summer!

#1 Visit the Ocean

Going to the beach is always a great family vacation, but there is just something magical about going to the ocean. You get to hear the waves crashing on the sandy white beaches, the smell is unforgettable, and picking up shells to take back home is a perfect memorabilia for kiddos. Some of the best family beaches include:

• • Cape Henlopen State Park & Beach (Lewes Delaware)
  • Cannon Beach in Oregon
  • Main Beach in East Hampton, New York
  • North Beach at Fort de Soto Park
  • Outer Banks North Carolina (see my Outer Banks family video here)

(My personal images with family in the Outer Banks seen above)

Wouldn’t it be fun to just pick a state and head to a different ocean each year?!

#2 Stay at Massanutten Resort in Virginia (my personal images with my daughter seen above)

• WaterPark (in door and outdoor)
• Ski and Adventure Park area (snow tubing, summer tubing, ropes course, zip line, gem mining, climbing wall)
• Two golf courses
• Farm to table dining experiences with delicious food option
• Shopping abound, horseback riding
• Day spa, nature trails, mountain biking (just to name a few) of the many activities

Of course, the accommodations are to die for and you may want to lounge around there, too. You can choose modest or go all the way with a full home that includes a kitchen, garage, washer, dryer, deck and grill! They are located in the mountain resort area or in the lower valley of the Woodstone Meadows. Here’s what you can get:

Condos: A condo ranges from 1-4 bedrooms where you can get a full or partial kitchen, whirlpool tubs, fireplaces and decks.

Hotel Accommodations: The Massanutten Hotel offers the option of a King room with a pullout or two queen beds. You get coffee makers, refrigerators, TV, balcony, and a sitting area.

The condos are a favorite with many families!

#3 Staycation in your state

You may know a lot about the city you live in, or you may know a lot about your state, but there is always more to do and more to find out. Having a Staycation each year in your state is a great way to learn about your state and explore. You can spend time with the family on the cheap while visiting places you have never seen.

To make it really interesting, ask your family to vote on which places they would like to go. Or, just pick some places from a hat. That’ll keep in fair and fun and keep complaining to a minimum.

#4 Go to Amusement Parks

It doesn’t matter how old you get, going to an amusement park is one of the best experiences ever. I remember each year, my parents would take us to the same amusement park. It was always during the middle of summer when things started to get a little boring, but we knew it was coming.

We go to Busch Gardens each and every year, and we absolutely love it! Pick a park close to you, and make the effort to go each summer around the same time. Traditions are fun and give everyone something to look forward to! (see my fun video of Busch Garden’s Howl O Scream here)

#5 Just Drive

Sometimes, you don’t need to have a plan of where to go. Take a road trip each year with no plan. This is a great adventure for the kids and the adults. I remember as a kid, whenever my parents had a long weekend off, we would get in the car and just drive in one direction. One time, we ended up in New York City.

The best traditions are those that make experiences and memories that last for a lifetime. So, if you aren’t sure where you want to begin, just get in the car and drive to your next destination.

#6 Go Camping

With this digital age, cell phones, internet, and video games, it can be hard to get the kids out into a camping experience. But, once they are there, they will love it. Cook dinner over the fire, roast marshmallows, and tell scary stories around the fire. It is even more fun if you bring other family members to camp with you. This would be a great way to have a family reunion camp-out.

We like to camp at local parks, but you can venture out anywhere you want. Plus, if you don’t have a lot of moolah, camping is the perfect way to vacation without spending an arm and a leg. After all, most memories are made outdoors!

#7 Make a Checklist

Another great vacation tradition is to have a list of all the places you want to visit (within reason). Make a checklist where every time you vacation at a different destination, you all get to check it off your list. Of course, the list will grow, change, or dwindle each year, but it’s a great way to have a family goal and work towards it together.

Not only is this a great way to choose where you will vacation, but the kids will remember each and every place that were able to visit throughout the years giving them a broader spectrum of the world around them.

What fun family vacation traditions does your family have? We would love to see them in the comments below!