Going on Vacation vs Traveling….

Golden hour; sunset in South Kihei, Maui

I've been thinking this week of the different kind of trips my family likes to take and have decided that they mainly fall into two categories: Traveling and Vacationing (trips of obligation-visiting family, kids' sporting tournaments, work travel-none of those really count here).

Traveling is mostly what I do, and mostly what I plan. I define this as a trip where exploring the destination is the goal. This doesn't mean a new city every day-my rule of thumb is no more than two places in a week whenever possible-but it does mean I might be booking a walking tour, visiting a historical site, and finding places that are new to me. Of course, I want to see where the locals live, eat where they eat, and spend time people watching, but it's still a new place that is exciting to explore. Even if I've been to a place before, most destinations fit in this category for me-especially in Europe and other countries.

Vacationing, to me, means the main goal is fun and relaxation. My family loves pool time, beaches, golf, and great food-I love the pool and a book in the shade with a cocktail. Our very favorite destination for a real vacation is Maui-we've been here multiple times, so we don't feel the need to "see everything" and we have lots of favorite places to eat and surf and snorkel. We are here, in South Kihei, this week and my husband and best friend both said "this is the most relaxed I've been in a loooong time".How about you? Which do you prefer? What's next on your bucket list?Of course, if you want help booking either type of trip, schedule a complimentary consultation at the red button above and we will make it happen. Life is short! Take the trip!