Summer Vacations

Image 1: Cinque Terre near sunset, Italy

This post reflects on ten questions about summer vacations (see list below).

Image 2: Wisconsin River Overlook with Sandbar in River
Notice the tiny canoes at the bottom edge in the river

1.  Share your summer trips for 2025!  

(2024 trips would be easier!)  Summer trips in 2025 should consist of (2) weekend in-state camping trips, (weather permitting).  One is a canoeing trip where you camp on a sandbar in a large river, water levels permitting.  

Image 3: Wisconsin River Overlook with my kids and nephew, 2023

I hope to add in a visit to Door County, and possibly (a day trip? or two??) to Chicago.  This summer is a good time to stay home and enjoy Wisconsin in it's best season, especially when money and vacation days were used for the spring trip to Japan.  Someone has work on the 4th of July this year, so no July 4th mini-vacation to Door County or Michigan, both destinations I've enjoyed in the past.

Image 4: Canoeing on the Wisconsin River with three adult  children

2.  How do you manage the post vacation laundry?

I try to wash vacation laundry almost right away once home - within a day or two.  It might have sand or bugs or whatever from afar. 

Image 5: Sandbar Camping on the Wisconsin River

3.  What are your most memorable summer vacations.  

My most memorable summer vacation (post pandemic) was a trip to Italy including Venice and Cinque Terre.  Hot but wonderful!    

Image 6: Rialto Bridge at night, Venice, Italy

Another special summer vacation was a road trip from Wisconsin to Charleston South Carolina which included three National Parks (Smoky Mountains!)  I discovered driving trips could be fun!  

Image 7: Angel Oak Tree, Charleston, South Carolina

4.  Do you cook or eat out on vacation?  

We eat out on vacation because of places we stay (mostly hotels).  We have camped out and cooked, but I am not great at it.

Image 8: High Tea in Tokyo

5.  Do you over pack, under pack, or are you just right?   

If I'm driving, I way over pack and that car is filled!  Even flying - It's so hard to not over pack.  Doing laundry on vacation isn't fun, and extra shoes are a must. (If it rains, I am not wearing wet shoes.  In Japan we had to buy my daughter new shoes because hers got soaked...)  

Image 9: Spring in Tokyo, Japan - with wet shoes in the rain

6.  Beach, Lake or Mountains?  

Where do I want to go? or what's close? (particularly for summer).  For me it is sights.  I'd prefer mountains and beaches, but this summer, near Wisconsin, no Mountains, so Lake.  Beaches can be rocky around here, like in Door County.  

Image 10: Door County Beach, Wisconsin
Notice that the rock Cairns can be taller than the kids*

7.  Road trip or Fly? 

Road trips for small things (Weddings, camping), flying for "real" trips, and then rent a car once there if needed.  If you only get X days of vacation, I want to get to a spot fast and enjoy the location.  Except for that road trip to Charleston...

Image 11: Bridge from car at sunset, South Carolina

8.  My favorite vacation activities are... many things!  Seeing sights and museums, dining at great restaurants, exploring new places and cultures, hiking in beautiful locations, and shopping!  

Image 12: Oak tree on Wisconsin Hillside

9.  Best packing tips?  

Packing cubes, but not black ones.  (which is what I have)  Looking for adapters and power cords in black packing cubes tucked in with black clothes is a pain.  Having all socks and undies and technology extras in neat flexible packages, magic! 

Image 13: Kids Watching Sunset, Door County, Wisconsin, USA

10.  Favorite road trip songs?  

With multiple people we take turns selecting songs.  My daughter has incredible musical tastes, and I like hearing new tunes, .  When I pick a song it could be Billy Joel, Greatest Showman tunes, and Josh Groban's Oceano, and Canto Alle Vita.  I like peppy, upbeat and beautiful music.  

Image 14: The list of questions from Pinklady

The questions above were posted by Holly and Patty with a link party has people answering these questions.  I hope you enjoyed my answers.  Thinking about the responses and writing this post took time but allowed me to organize vacation photos to find photos to share.    

I hope your summer includes fun vacations
with friends and family!
...and a lot of beautiful sunsets! 

Click on the images to see them enlarged!

Let me know any thoughts you have on the questions above in the comments!  Anonymous comment are welcome!

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See other FANTASTIC travel posts here...

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Glass Garden

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Lotus Garden

Winter Garden

God's Garden

Spring Blossoms

Yellowstone

Flower Mirror

Bluebirds

Travel Memories

CBG Orchid Show

Rock Window

Bonsai in Bloom

Orchids

Lilies of Valley

Orchid Peacock

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I am linking up to these parties:
Holly pinklady: Monthly Musings Summer Vacation (Entry 27)
Altered book lover: T Tuesday (Entry *)
Lisa Howeler: Weekend Traffic Jam Thur (Entry )
Esmesalon: Salon Pit Stop 287 Mon 4a (Entry )
Rachel Swirl: Sunday Snapshot (Entry )
Mostly blogging: Inspire me Mon 9a (Entry )
My Random: Anything Goes (Entry )
Good Random Fun: Good Fun Mon 4a (m Entry )
*BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 6a (s Entry )
Holly pinklady: Hello Mon (l Entry )
Loulougirls: Fabulous-party Mon 1p (l Entry )
Keeping it Real: Party (Entry )
Wisdoms+Wrinkles: Wisdoms Party Tue (Entry )
Mersad photography: Thru my Lens (Entry )
Kristin at Uncommon Slice: Inspire Me Mon 2-4p (m Entry )
* Marty at Stroll Life: Inspire Me Mon 3p (l Entry )
Karins Kottage: Linky Party (Entry )
Image-in-ing: Weekly link up (Entry )
Nicholasjv: Travel Tuesday (Entry )
Jenerally informed: Happy-now Link-up Tues (m Entry )
My Wee Abode: Tuesday Turn About (s Entry r)
Stonecottageadventures: Tues with a twist (l Entry )
Stonecottageadventures: You're the star (l Entry )
Flusterbuster: Creative Muster 5p Tues (l Entry x)
Studio27 - Jennifer: Wed Studio 16 (Entry )
Artsy Mama: Team Creative Crafts (Entry )
Eclectic Red Barn: Wonderful Wed (Entry r)
Also Ducks n a Row: Wonderful Wed (m Entry r)
Grandmas house: Grandmas house Wed (m Entry )
Artsy mama: Artsy Party Wed 10a (Entry )
My world Thru My Lens: My Corner Wed (Entry )
Fifth Sparrow No More: Whimsy Home (Entry )
Our Hopeful Home: Vintage Charm Wed (m Entry )
Simple Life Mom: Homestead Blog Hop Wed (Entry )
Studio27 - Jennifer: Wed Studio 16 (m Entry x of )
Karins Kottage: Linky Party (Entry )
Pennys Passion: Thinking out Loud Thur (Entry )
French Ethereal: Share Your Style Wed 6p (Entry b)
Try It Like It: Creatively Crafty Th (Entry)
KatherinesCorner: Th Fav Things 10a (Entry )
Also Follow the yellow brick: TFT 10a (Entry )
Its a small town life: Thankful Th 24 (Entry )
Modern on Monticello: Home matters Fri (s Entry )
Answer is choco: BFF open house Thur (Entry )
Coastal Bohemian: Funtastic Thur 8p (i Entry )
Pieced Pastimes.gr: Saturday Sparks Fr 8a (L Entry )
Countyroad 407: Farmhouse Fri 325 (Entry )
Fiesta Friday: Fiesta Fri (Entry )
Skyley: Skywatch Fri (Entry )
Momfessionals: Fri Favorites (Entry )
Cottagemarket: A morning cup of Joe (L Entry )
Shabby Art boutique: Create-grow-gather (L Entry )
Crazy Little Love Birds: Link party Fri (Entry )
Rambling Woods2: Nature Notes Fri (Entry )
Funkyjunkinteriors: DIY Salvaged Fri (Entry )
Pams Party: Dare to share 456 Fri 11p (m Entry )
Weekend Reflection: reflections (Entry)
Huisvlijt: Huisvlijt Party Sun (Entry)
Nixpixmix: Sunday Best (l Entry )
The house on Silverado: Sun on Silverado 255 (Entry 1)
Eclectic Red Barn: Happiness is Homemade Sun a (Entry 6)
Life and Linda: Dishing it Digging it Sun 2p (l Entry )
A pinch of joy: Busy Sun 6p (l Entry )
Jaipur Gardening: Garden Affair Sun (Entry )
Sew can do: Craftastic Mon Su (Entry )
A Labour of Love: Happiness is Homemade 497 Sun a (Entry 6)
Also Love my Mess: Happiness is homemade Sun (Entry )
Esmesalon: Salon Pit Stop Mon 4a (Entry)
Pienilintu Finland: Wed around the World (monthly)
Life tales books: Will blog for Comments Mon (bi-week)
Create with Joy: Inspire me Sun-Mon (monthly)
Lindas lunacy: Making-a-home Tue 9a (m Entry monthly)
April Harris: Hearth and Soul Sun 10p (Entry monthly)

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