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When my kids were 5, 3, and 18 months old, we took one of our first family vacations together.
Back then, traveling with three little kids, including one with severe disabilities, seemed daunting. But I was desperate to get out of the house and away from our stressful routine, which included numerous doctor and therapy appointments for my disabled son.
When a family friend offered us his townhouse in South Burlington, Vermont, I took him up on the offer, especially since the low cost made me feel less pressured to plan the perfect vacation.
We drove from our home on the East Coast and stocked the fridge with groceries from Trader Joe’s. Many of the activities we enjoyed were cheap or free. For example, we fished on a dock near the townhouse, took a hayride at Shelburne Farms and pet the animals, and tasted ice cream on the Ben and Jerry’s Factory tour.
I was surprised by how happy my kids were hanging out in the quiet environment. It went so well that we made it an annual tradition.
The trip evolved as we grew
As the kids got older, our list of activities grew, just like they did. One summer, we traveled two hours east to Lake Willoughby and waded in the water. The following year, we rented paddleboards at the same lake, and the year after that, we all went kayaking. We took lengthy bike rides on the waterfront by Lake Champlain and hunted for waterfalls all over the state. One year, after I got the kids their first passports, we drove to Montreal for two nights so the kids could experience a new country.
We consistently visited Vermont during the third week of August, right before everyone went back to school, so we could escape before life got hectic. Each year, the drive along Route 22a in Vermont brought regular views of cows, barns and hay bales. As we meandered through the winding roads, I took a few deep breaths and enjoyed the multi-layered, rolling mountains as the four-lane concrete thruway faded out of sight.
As the years passed, we extended our stay by a day or so. Our list of “must do” activities in the surrounding area kept expanding, so we needed the additional time to fit it all in. And when those 10 days were over, no one wanted to head home.
Creating memories to last a lifetime
When I look back, I realize that my kids grew up in Vermont. My youngest was barely walking on that first trip, and my daughter rode her pink scooter around Church Street. The next year, she rode a tricycle and eventually a bike for miles on the Colchester Causeway Trail. On our last trip, my daughter was a teenager who liked to go clothes shopping with me.
Our adventures taught us how to pack, travel together and modify activities so my disabled son could get in on the fun. Those vacations gave my kids a consistent, familiar place to explore, learn, and grow. And they gave me a break from a hectic routine and space to breathe.
A couple of years ago, our family friend sold the townhouse in Vermont. Everyone in my family was sad, but we took the opportunity to expand our travels. Since then, we’ve been to Maine, New Hampshire, Arizona, Key West, and, most recently, Europe, all of which were amazing. But our time in Vermont will always hold a special place in our hearts.
Those low-cost, laid-back trips made it easy for us to get away, but they also gave us memories we will hold onto for a lifetime.
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