I LOVE planning complex itineraries for long vacations, but sometimes life gets in the way, making vacation planning difficult or altogether impossible. Yet, a weekend road trip escape a couple of hours away from home is easier to accomplish than a longer trip requiring an air travel. And don’t underestimate what a WEEKEND can do to restore a family’s sense of well-being!
So here is our WEEKEND TRAVEL recap for 2017 (click on the links below for the stories about each trip). I hope it will inspire you to have your own weekend getaways more often.
MOM’S YOGA RETREAT IN MASSACHUSETTS BERKSHIRES
In March, I went on a weekend yoga retreat to Kripalu center of Yoga and Health in the Massachusetts Berkshires. I went with a friend to engage in a series of well-being seminars and –some- movement. This is something every busy mom should try to do once in a while – get away by yourself, leaving the daily worries behind and re-assessing some personal goals. Just look for a retreat center near you within 1-2 hour drive.
COUPLE’S ESCAPE TO EASTERN TOWNSHIPS OF QUEBEC
Another one of the yearly weekends I propagate is a couple’s weekend away. We try to go every year for our anniversary weekend in September, and for the last couple of years, Eastern Townships region of Quebec, Canada (roughly, a 4.5-hour drive from Boston) has been our couple’s weekend destination. Our agenda this year included a visit to our favorite North American day Spa Balnea in Bromont and food and wine tasting at the annual September Harvest Festival in Magog.
NORTHEAST COLLEGE TOURING: PENNSYLVANIA
I think every family with a high school student should put college touring on their weekend agenda. Not only it is a useful tool in helping your high-schooler assess or re-assess their ideas about the type of campus they want to be a part of, planned right, it becomes a great way to experience some interesting cities and towns (and historical campuses) within a driving distance of home- as a family. On our weekend college trip to Pennsylvania last April (we have grouped together several weekend college touring trips and I will do a separate post about it), we have stopped in a charming town of State College (Pennsylvania State University) and in a re-emerging city of Pittsburg (University of Pittsburg, Carnegie Mellon University). (Disclaimer: this particular weekend involved a lot of driving but was still worth it!)
FAMILY SKI WEEKENDS: QUEBEC, CANADA
We actually enjoyed not one but two family ski weekends in calendar year 2017, both in Canadian Quebec: to a town of Sutton in Eastern Townships of Quebec in February (about a 4.5 hour drive from Boston) and to a ski resort of Mont-Tremblant (7+hours away) in December. Our college freshman son joined us for the Tremblant trip; ski weekends work well for a multi-age family weekend escape. Every family member can choose the slopes for their level and non-skiers can enjoy a wintery walk or snow-shoeing.
SUMMER CULTURE WEEKEND IN THE BERKSHIRES
Culture weekends in the Berkshires (about 2 hours away from Boston) is now our annual family tradition – we even have several friends’ families join us. On our agenda last July: a visit to Tanglewood Music Center for a lawn concert and children’s pre-concert, Jacob Pillow Dance Center for a Family Concert, and a backstage tour of the Shakespeare and Co theater in Lennox.
FAMILY WEEKEND ON CAPE COD
Being an 1.5-hour drive away, we spend several weekends on the Cape every summer. We were lucky to spend Labor Day weekend with extended family on the Cape last September, celebrating my birthday with my parents, friends and my brother’s family.
BOSTON WEEKEND WITH FAMILY
When your family visit from Australia, you take them on a tour of Boston, land, sea et all! (thanks to my brother for organizing).
GYMNASTICS WEEKEND IN MONTREAL, CANADA
In October, I was accredited to cover world’s gymnastic championships in Montreal’s Olympic Arena and my family joined me for a weekend of Montreal city fun. We visited the Old Town on a walking tour, cruised the St. Lawrence river, strolled in the Port area and visited an amazing archaeological museum (not to mention attending several gymnastics competetion sessions!).
FIGURE SKATING WEEKEND IN LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK
In November, our touring of Olympic towns continued in Adirondak mountains with a weekend at Skate America competition in Lake Placid, New York. We enjoyed the three days of figure skating competition at the famous Herb Brooks Ice Arena and touring of 1980 Lake Placid Olympics sites.
HAVE YOU TAKEN AN INTERESTING WEEKEND TRIP RECENTLY? TELL US ABOUT IT IN THE COMMENTS!
PIN FOR LATER:
That was a great idea to summarize past year. Looks like you and your family had a great year. Many more ahead! Thanks for sharing all the recommendations with everybody.
Looks like you had a wonderful year of traveling! Thanks for linking up with #TheWeeklyPostcard!
We try to work in as many weekends away as possible – but most of ours are in the Southeast as that’s where we live. This year we’re trying to get to a Beach a Month – wish us luck!
Wow, you’ve had a great year. I do love getting away for short weekend trips, they seem to be easier to work into life than longer vacations 🙂
#TheWeeklyPostcard
It’s so easy to take for granted and forget about the places that are close to you. I think it’s important for people to realize they don’t have to travel far to travel. Glad to hear you had some great weekend trips.
The fountain at Point State Park was one of our favorite places to visit when we lived in Pittsburgh. Glad you enjoyed your trip.
I remember reading about most of these trips during this past year. I think that even though you took shorter trips, they proved to be really great. That proves that you don’t need to go to the end of the world for an entire month in order to have fun, right? Great year, Victoria!
Such a great collection of fabulous weekends Victoria.
I just hope I can get our family doing so many activities over the same period of time.
Lovely pictures, great work, thank you.
Cheers Sharon…
That was a great idea to summarize past year. Looks like you and your family had a great year. Many more ahead! Thanks for sharing all the recommendations with everybody. college basketball online games free