Summer is synonymous with vacations. And vacation means going somewhere. Folks, it’s a beautiful world out there, and exploring it expands our horizons and makes us appreciate the wonders we have been given. Being able to hit the road as a family is positive in many ways.
and offers invaluable lessons for children. This includes showing gratitude to our Creator for the glorious world we have been given. Another is the positive lesson that we can be frum anywhere and that mitzva observance does not hinder our aspirations and opportunities. Travel also offers such wonderful memories – and some great family photos – suitable for framing.
In addition to great family vacations, here’s an alternative travel idea: A parent might take one or two children on their own cross-country camping trip. This could serve as a reward for good school performance or any other goal. Imagine the child’s excitement at earning a Sunday-through-Friday trip with Dad to visit some of the national parks out west. It is not expensive (with credit card points) and can totally turn a life around.
So, do you want to live a life in which your only aspirations are a never-ending to-do list, or are you ready for some excitement? Unfortunately, some people perceive travel as overwhelming. Let me offer a how-to guide to help you get up and out. Good trips are well planned. Do not assume that activities will just spontaneously appear. That only happens in the movies. That said, I try to plan loosely. I recommend against accounting for every hour in case you do want to do something unplanned.
Planning Is Easy
Gone are the days when I used to order travel guides from the chambers of commerce of a dozen rural towns to search for mom-n-pop cabin rentals. Now, with the internet, the little guy offering a single cabin can be easily located, and the listing includes pictures and all the details. There are also numerous websites that offer vacation homes and cabins at every price. In addition, websites, such as Airbnb and others, offer condos and vacation houses, from tree houses to elaborate decorator-dream homes. One can also stay in motels. There are countless private cabin/whole house renting operations as well.
Parks and private campgrounds offer camping cabins. Campgrounds have playgrounds for children, bathrooms, and electric hook-ups. If you are heading to a large national or state park, you would typically stay in the park. These lodgings (cabins hotels and tent sites) are handled by the park exclusively and typically book up very fast since they are priced below market.
Of course, you can rough it and camp in tents. Tenting is a lot of fun and offers a very special experience for children. It saves money and allows for great barbeques with roasted marshmallows (and a kumzitz) around the campfire. Camping teaches children to be simple, resourceful, and unspoiled – and they love it.
The internet is also enables you to create an itinerary of places to go in the area. Just google “25 greatest sights in New York State,” or similar search terms. Needless to say, it is a whole new world. All information is at our fingertips.
Where to Go
I imagine that many people want to stay close to home, which means we are dealing with a driving vacation. I always recommend the national parks. Shenandoah in Virginia is the closest. There is also Smokey Mountains in Tennessee/ North Carolina. Acadia Park is in Maine, and Mammoth Caves Park is in Kentucky.
Each of these is a great road trip with many things to see and do on the way. For example, Kentucky factory tours allow one to see them make cars, bourbon, and Louisville baseball bats. Factory tours are exciting to people of all ages – but more, they offer children a glimpse into how the world really works. So skip the fantasy (and fancy) amusement parks, and you will save a lot of money as well. The website factorytoursusa.com is great for finding factory tours.
There are many other places in the East to see. I know people who head to West Virginia and love it. Niagara Falls is probably the most famous tourist attraction. Another option is the Finger Lakes in upstate New York. Or, head way out on Long Island and put your car on a ferry to Rhode Island.
Head West, Young Man
Those of you who have been following my articles over the years know that I have a “thing” for national parks in the West. Without question, the great American West offers the greatest sights in the country: absolute nifla’os haBorei (wonders of Creation). If you can swing it – meaning airfare or, better yet, credit card points – that is where you want to head.
Flying requires renting a car. It’s pretty easy at any airport. If you have more children than a minivan will hold, you have a challenge, but it is not insurmountable. When you rent, you should consider purchasing collision damage waiver insurance. Priceline allows you to purchase it for only $11 per day. Relying on your own car insurance for collision damage is a whole discussion, but you could be on the line personally in the case of even minor car damage.
Top sights in the West include:
1) Las Vegas and environs: The surrounding area includes the magnificent Grand Canyon. (Dear reader, do you really believe G-d created the Grand Canyon only for non-Jews?) Nearby are Bryce and Zion national parks. Further out, Utah has more national parks, including the iconic Arches. You can spend Shabbos near a shul in Las Vegas. The city also offers many family-friendly and completely free attractions.
2) Yellowstone National Park is enormous. Almost impossible to lodge in only one area since accessing the other parts of the park can be a long drive. Yellowstone borders on a second park called Grand Teton. Getting to a minyan for Shabbos is a challenge. Check out Chabad of Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
3) Yosemite National Park in California: Accessible from either Los Angeles or San Francisco, you can spend Shabbos in a frum community and then visit Yosemite during the week.
4) Los Angeles offers access to other California parks, such as Sequoia, Joshua Tree, and Death Valley, the hottest place in America. (Do this last one in the winter!)
5) Denver has access to the Rocky Mountains, including Rocky Mountain National Park.
6) Once you have hit all those, Montana has Glacier National Park, and Washington has a few more.
These sights will not only take your breath away; they will change you. If you want to get a taste of what’s in store – or get some inspiration – watch people’s vacation videos on YouTube, or go to the library and look at books on the national parks.
Food
Traveling kosher is when one earns a reward for being frum. But even kashrus is easy these days. Let’s take it in steps:
1) We bring vacuum-packed meat, such as deli, hamburgers, and hotdogs. The meat is completely frozen when we leave so it lasts for many hours. Also bring frozen soup. That all goes into a hard-sided ice chest that gets checked on the airplane. After arrival, we dump in a bag of ice at least once a day. Since the ice is constantly melting, my food is being kept cold by being underwater in ice water. It will stay perfectly cold even when the temperature in the car soars.
2) Upon arrival at your destination, go to a supermarket and buy everything else. You’ll need fruit, veggies, milk, snacks, disposables, ice, and charcoal. There are supermarkets everywhere. Of course, if you are doing a driving vacation, it is easier to bring your groceries along, if you have room.
3) Finding kosher bread is a challenge. It pays to bring some. Or switch to matza. I know someone who is heading out West for three weeks and plans to have someone “overnight” him bread during his stay.
4) Bring a medium-sized suitcase for all your “kitchen supplies.” You will need disposables, metal cutlery, a small pot, a camping stove and/or portable barbeque grill, can opener, and leather gloves.
I hope this short article will serve as encouragement to start planning a super family vacation. Start dreaming and planning. You will not regret it.
Eli Pollock CPA can be reached at elipollock2@yahoo.com.
