Family Vacation

Going through the Times’ archive of family vacation photos is a powerful reminder that what makes a family vacation great is less about where you go and all about how excited you are to be there.By VERONICA CHAMBERS MAY 27, 2019Years ago, before I became a parent, I went on safari in South Africa. I was impressed at how awe united all of us in the jeep and how the wow of a new experience allowed the parent in our group to lay down the mantle of authority and just be in this shared experience with the children.Going through the Times’s archive of family vacation photos was a powerful reminder that what makes a family vacation truly great is less about where you go and how much you spend, and all about how excited you are to be there.For summer vacation, a father takes his two sons on a learning adventure to 10 cities in four countries, complete with a point system and trophies for the winners.By DAVID JOLLY MAY 27, 2019When I got the opportunity to take my sons on a six-week summer trip to Asia, I took leave of my common sense and did it. At 100 points, you get a trophy — yes, an actual trophy!Not only did they fall for it, they immediately began looking for ways to game the system.Ben wanted to know if they could have points for that Matt Damon movie about the monsters attacking the Great Wall of China we watched a few years ago. Our fate seemed sealed: the blood-thickening slow march on a creeping ticket line, then a slow march through a historic and fascinating but also airless and crowded building, an excursion that would leave us exhausted and pale and in need of a nap.The idea: On a family trip to Buenos Aires, the Spanish-speaking children would make the plans. They wanted something epic — pine trees, mountains, rivers, ravines, an occasional moose, at least 30 miles a day, sore legs, moments of doubt, moments of triumph, the satisfaction of a life well-lived — you get the idea.