When I was a child, my family spent Sundays enjoying the beauty of the local area, exploring interesting places, picnicking and bonding with each other. It was a tradition we all shared and loved.
Early in the morning my mother would pack a Tupperware bread container with a variety of sandwiches. She cut them in half so everyone could have more than one kind. Peanut butter and honey sandwiches were the staple, but she'd always have a couple of other kinds: cheese, bologna, ham, cucumber, pimento cheese, deviled ham, tuna, chicken salad or egg salad.
Dad would get the station wagon ready, and we'd load up and go for a ride. Sometimes there was no particular destination; just a jaunt to see the autumn leaves or spring flowers. But we kids preferred the trips that got us out of the car and moving about.
Generic Weekend Getaways
Here's a list of ideas to get you started on your own weekend adventures:
Sporting events
- Races of all sorts
- Benefit competitions
- League games - major, minor, or even little
- Exhibitions & demonstrations
- Sporting trials
Special Events
- Parades
- Air Shows
- Cultural events
- Circuses
- State & county fairs
- Home & garden shows
- Renaissance fairs
- Heritage Day events
- Concerts
- Octoberfests
- Arts & crafts shows
- Powwows
- Film & music festivals
- Car shows
Flora & Fauna
- Zoos
- Nature reserves
- Eagle watches
- Arboretums
- You-Pick Farms and Orchards
- Aviaries
- Safari tours
Markets
- Bazaars and open-air markets
- Flea markets and yard sales
- Farmer's markets
- Auctions & estate sales
Tours
- U.S. Mints
- Factories
- Wineries & breweries
- City tours
- Haunted houses
- Mazes
- Caves
- Submarines
- Missile silos
- Mines
Museums
- Art
- Natural science
- Technological
- Historical
- Science
- Wax
- Hands-on & children's museums
Places & events of historical interest
- Forts & battlefields
- Birthplaces or homes of historical figures
- Ghost towns
- Colonial buildings
- Indian ruins
- Re-enactments
- Historical Society Preservation sites
- Steamboat or locomotive rides
Play Places
- Amusement parks
- Expos
- Carnivals
- Driving ranges
- Go-Kart & miniature golf courses
- Paintball parks
- Arcades
- Water parks & swimming pools
Activities
- Sailing
- Horseback riding
- Snow skiing
- Water skiing
- Fishing
- Rockhounding
- Target practice
- Kite flying
- Crabbing
- Rafting
- Canoeing
- Hiking
- Sledding
- Cycling
- Four-wheeling
- Skating & roller-blading
- Snowmobiling
- Jet-skiing
- Spelunking
- Bowling
Natural wonders
- National, state and city parks
- Lakes & reservoirs
- Caves
- Beaches
- Waterfalls
- Mountains
- Deserts
- Canyons
- Swimming holes
- Forests
General Suggestions:
- Be flexible. At least twice, my family started a trip with one goal in mind and ended up doing something else entirely.
- Try to accommodate the different ages and abilities of family members
- Check events calendars for your locality and research the internet for your specific area
- Try a variety of activities. You never know when you'll discover a new favorite.
- Keep the seasons in mind and have a back-up plan for bad weather
- Wear appropriate clothing and take along extra shoes and clothes if you are likely to get wet or dirty.
- Carry plenty of snacks and drinks
- Be safe! Take along a good first aid kit
- Take advantage of what's available in your neck of the woods. It amazes me how many people live near a national park, but have never visited it, or have a ski area in their backyards, but have never tried skiing.
- Not every trip will be a winner, but sometimes the most memorable trips are those that seemed disastrous at the time, but improved with age and the retelling
Start your own traditions that fit your family's lifestyle. Consider having picnic lunches, creating family photo albums of your trips, playing your favorite travel games, or inviting friends or extended family members along. Most of all, have fun together and create great memories.
