Vacations are something nine-to-fivers look forward to every year. They can be an escape from the office, a way to take the family somewhere new, or just a moment’s peace from the daily grind. In general, vacations can be grouped into three categories: road trips, family vacations, and exotic destinations, with each one respectively requiring more advance preparation.

Road trips are for the weekend warrior. They are meant to be impromptu, off-the-cusp, outings often made with little deliberation. They do not require much preparation, since the road-tripper likely plans only to stay at his or her destination for a couple of days at the most. In some cases, a road trip can be made, there and back, in the same day. Road trips are perfect for getting away quickly without worrying about packing much luggage or making advance plans. Oftentimes, these types of trips are more about the journey than the destination.

By contrast, family vacations require more preparation. Since families can be quite large an include many people—sometimes immediate and extended family—these vacations have to be planned out in advance in order to ensure success. Family vacations typically require extended stays at the destination, perhaps a few days to a week or more. These vacations are often themed, i.e., a trip to Disneyland, a favorite campsite, or a trip to a beach resort. They may or may not require plane travel, though they are often made by car.

Finally, exotic destination vacations require the most planning of all, since they predominately require overseas plane travel. Exotic foreign (for an American) destinations may include such places as Paris, St. Maarten, Aruba, London, Barcelona, Acapulco, etc. They are sometimes destinations near large bodies of water and warm, year-round beaches—although they can also be far from the sea. These exotic destinations can be further grouped into cultural vacations (i.e., a trip to London to visit Buckingham Palace), or rest-and-relaxation vacations (i.e., a trip to Aruba to lie on the beach for a week and work on one’s tan).

Vacations can come in many different forms, but the three discussed here—road trips, family outings, and exotic destinations—are definitely three of the most common types. We can all use a vacation from the nine-to-five; it is something to look forward to when work becomes too mundane.

References

• Bouwens, K. and Brizee, A. “Writing Essays for Exams.” (2010). Purdue Online Writing Lab. Accessed 19 Dec. 2016. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/737/01/.