On our current trip we met a family taking a “family gap year” where they took their 3 kids out of school for a year, put their careers on hold, and are taking a 14 month world tour. It’s going well for them and the kids seem to truly appreciate their good fortune.
For our first job, DH and I worked for the same company. We asked our supervisor if we could take three weeks off to go to Europe. He thought it was a great idea, so we arranged the trip. But then HIS supervisor found out and was furious that two engineers in the same department would be gone that long! Oops. We went ahead with our vacation and had a wonderful time. That’s one reason we eventually started our own firm. We can do what we want!
10 days 2-3 times a year. I wish we could do longer but my job wouldn’t accommodate me being gone that long.
I agree with the difference in work policies between countries. It’s one of the reasons we’re often not pegged as Americans if others guess. “Americans stay for one week. Canadians and Europeans stay a minimum of two weeks.” Or so we’ve been told by a couple of drivers we’ve hired out of country. We’re usually pegged as Canadian due to our language and “style” of travel. It could be a rub off since I grew up with Canada across the river and always felt they were almost as much my home country as the US. My step mom’s Canadian too.
I love two week or longer vacations. I’d travel 24/7 if we could swing it financially.
And yes, one can travel with pets and other critters. Dogs make it tough (so we no longer have any), but cats just need a decent sitter. Chickens and ponies too. None have come to harm by our travel. Occasionally we have some plants die, but they’re replaceable.
Our “typical” vacations tend to be a week to 10 days. Husband’s family has a vacation home, so it’s closer to two weeks when we head there. I would never do less than two weeks for a European trip. Airfare being what it is, I want to get my money’s worth. Plus I like to see a few countries, and travel can eat up a bit of time. We went to Europe two summers ago for 17 days. Unfortunately that was all husband could take off from work. We did three countries (similar to what you’re planning: France, Switzerland, two different areas of Italy). When we vacation we go for as long as we can possibly can. The entire family loves to travel. We were lucky enough to take a 5 week trip out west one year, which was bliss!
“OP, I have to believe your 6 week vacations are the exception not the rule for most families.” - Very true. We usuallly went back East to see family 2 weeks/year. Sometimes we camped for 2 to 4 day weekends too Most families we knew did similar to us or took 1 week vacations (not every year).
After our youngest graduated from college, we felt fortunate to have our first family Europe vacation (10 days together in Italy / Germany- wonderful!!)
For us it varies year to year. We are fortunate that my dh gets 6 weeks off every 6 years (sabbatical but it is purely fo recharging rather than needing to do any academic work) on top of 3 weeks per year and some time around Christmas-New Year as well, so we have also had some longer trips. So we generally do a 2 week domestic summer vacation alternating with an international 3 week vacation over the summer, then the sabbatical when it comes up, and then some shorter trips over winter break and spring break. Hubby travels a lot internationally for work so our vacation flights are usually using frequent flier points.
1st world problem-but only those in the very high income brackets-holding it all.
The replies are such sad examples of the limited vacation allotments in the USA, unless involved in education. Seen from an international perspective, unkind and limiting. It does make us a very productive society, I suppose.
My dad worked in academia for a significant part of my life. British in origin, he would return “home” to the UK to visit family, and then travel Europe for 3 weeks or so each August. People thought this was extravagant, but he traveled on a budget, and relished exploring corners and the languages of many interesting countries. I always thought this was the ideal life, focusing on travel rather than houses or material goods.
Here I am, decades later, having worked for the same employer for 35 years. Once, I petitioned for a longer vacation period, and went to Asia for 3 1/2 weeks to visit family and friends. That felt like a once in a career vacation. Otherwise, 2 weeks is the limit. I took a few long trips with my kids when they were growing up, two weeks max, but typically 8 days was all we could scrape together out of our busy lives.
In my 20s I traveled for months at a time, working intermittently, as many young people do from other countries, Australians in particular. There is a familiarity with global issues and cultural nuance learned in such travel that is different from vacationing for two weeks or less. Some Europeans have a month every year, and I very much envy the ability to explore a different corner of the world with that yearly time away.
Up to two weeks while the girls were in school, but typically less than that. I had positions in the company where I wasn’t able to use any vacation or I’d work in a motel room or the trailer, and was in a use it or lose it situation - those were unpleasant years.
The trips with them to Europe or Hawai’i maxed out at 2 weeks. Our usual was a week or so camping, a few long weekends thrown in.
I was able to finagle a 3 week trip to Europe to celebrate our 30th anniversary, only by scheduling it two years in advance and reminding management quarterly. Financials wait for no one and I apparently knew when I took the position that time off would be difficult. (Snort)
We retired last year and celebrated with 6 weeks in Europe, tying the trip in with an event in my extended family. It was a long time to be away, but a nice way to get into non-work mode.
This is quite possibly true in the US where paid vacation isn’t all that common compared to other first world countries.
Some of us aren’t in the top 10% income-wise though. We massively scrimp on other things to afford travel and we travel inexpensively. Time-wise we’re fortunate that H is self-employed (with a semi-portable job allowing him to work remotely when needed) and I’ve opted to mostly remain part time with a job that is happy for whatever time I give them.
When I was in Germany we had six weeks, but I don’t think any took it all at once. You had your ski vacation, your beach vacation and your sightseeing vacation. The office was also closed from December 24 through January 6, and there were at least ten more days off in addition to the ones that happened during Christmas break. I loved it, I think the office was more productive because of the breaks.
H and I usually take 2 1/2 weeks for travel to Europe or Asia. We do have pets at home and normally get a house sitter to stay with them while we are gone.
The longest we’ve taken is two weeks. It felt too long. For family sightseeing vacations, 9 days is good. Most of our trips are within the US. Now that the kids are away, our trips with them have been shorter, or they’ve come and gone during the trip, if your DH wants a shorter trip, I’d suggest, as others have, letting him arrive later or leave earlier than the others to fit his preferences.
Wow!!! Everyone you are so interesting. I got jammed up with grading the last week then kid with flu and another with strep so I was busy busy. But. I love hearing about the various ways everyone vacations. And the different lengths and “tolerance” thresholds. Seems like most have a 10-14 day sweet spot. We do have more time in summers bc we are academics, and it kills me to just stay home, esp when most of our academic friends go to their own places out of town. We have about 3 weeks in early summer then another 6-8 weeks later summer, depending on when school starts and stops. Of course our pay rate is based on 9 month contracts so we totally DIY everything around our house and skimp on a lot of things. Cars are 14 and 12 years old. But we do love to travel!
We’ve done trips before where husband and a kid or two left early and I stayed longer with another kid or friends. But I am trying to stick with the full family trip this time. It’s more fun for us all together anyway. And maybe I will change my mind about how long I want to go on future trips. Maybe.
So I went ahead and booked flights for 16 nights in Europe. Switzerland, France, Italy. We don’t mind the moving around much. Keeps my energized teens happy. We will be about 5 nights each place. H thrilled bc in love with Switzerland and hiking and Southern France. One kid jonesing for French food and pastries, other one digging some Italian art and food. So everyone is happy. Now I must narrow down Switzerland. If anyone has suggestions for where to stay and what to do in Bernese Oberland, please help! After I got the tickets I nearly blew a gasket realizing how costly the hotels are. We are going to be at $500 per night for all five of us. So I’ve got to drill down now!
Where are you all going for spring break? Summer?
@ProfessorMom1 We stayed in that area of Switzerland - in an adorable two bedroom cottage in the village of Wengenwald for +/- $100 a night via Airbnb. Had a big kitchen and bath, outside deck, walking distance to Wengen. No family room, but we hung out on the deck and in the kitchen, though we weren’t home much. Hiked all over Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Murren. Would go back in a heart beat! Train system is amazing there; didn’t need a car. Spent one day taking a boat cruise on one of the lakes. A woman on the Trip Advisor forums was kind enough to share a lengthy doc she put together on all sorts of hikes and things to do in that area - was invaluable. I’m happy to share that doc as well as other info from our trip if you end up going to that area. Just let me know.
@taverngirl Yes! I’ll message you. Some advice would be very helpful as I don’t know anyone who has been there before. The hikes document would be especially great!
Taverngirl, can you email me, too? When we were stationed in Germany in the 1970s, we went to the Wengen/Interlaken area a couple of times. My Girl Scout troop also went there as part of a trip to Adelboden. My dad is still in contact with the children of the owner of a campground where we stayed back then. Have always wanted to go back, and having some current info would be awesome!
@CountingDown sure! Can you pm your email address? I will send it to you; just give me a day or two. Such a beautiful area. I’d love to go back at some point.