The Trips That Made Us: Reflecting on Summers Past
I love reflecting on the many family adventures we’ve had. These little moments in my Facebook memories are like postcards from the past, reminding me just how many summers we’ve spent exploring, laughing, and making memories together.
As two teachers, summer was our family time. It was the season when we could step away from the classroom, focus on each other, and create the stories that would become part of our family’s history. Vacations weren’t just trips, they were our chance to reconnect after the busyness of the school year.
The Beauty of Looking Back
Scrolling through these memories, I’m reminded that our best trips weren’t always the fanciest or the farthest away.
✨ Our Top 5 Favorite Family Trips
Fifteen summers at Emerald Isle – Beach walks, sandcastles, and annual family photo shoots that still make me smile.
Disney with the girls when they were little – Wide-eyed wonder and running excitedly from character to character.
That adventure in Belize – Bright colors, snorkeling, and everything feeling colorful and vibrant.
Exploring Hawaii and Alaska- Two different vacations, a year apart and the beginning of sharing this world with our girls
Our national park trips – Always starting with Grand Teton and expanding to Arches, Banff, Glacier, and beyond.
It’s funny, when I look at those photos now, I don’t just see where we went; I feel who we were in that moment. That’s the magic of family travel, it captures time in a way nothing else can.
Travel Evolves, But the Heart of It Stays the Same
As the girls have grown, our trips have changed. There are fewer princess breakfasts and more coffee shop stops, fewer theme park marathons and more hikes with long conversations about college, careers, and what’s next. But the heart of it, spending time together, exploring somewhere new, hasn’t changed at all. I continue to look forward to the time we get to spend together as a family, and am anxiously trying to collaboratively plan another family vacation soon!
And if anything, these summer reflections remind me why I’m so passionate about helping other families do the same: every family has its own version of Emerald Isle or Grand Teton, the kind of place that becomes part of your family story.
If you’re ready to start building your version of those memories, the trip your kids will talk about for years, I’d love to help. Together, we can brainstorm destinations, design a trip that works for everyone, and make sure you’re not just taking a vacation…you’re creating the kind of moments that will pop up in your memories for years to come.
Your Turn—What Do You Remember Most?
If you’re anything like me, your summer vacation memories aren’t just about where you went, but how you felt.
So, here’s my question for you: What trip is popping up in your memories right now? What little moments still make you smile?
Pull out those photos. Share a story at dinner. Better yet, start dreaming about your next great family adventure, because someday, that trip will show up in your memories, too.
Here’s to many more summers full of “remember when” moments.
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