Family Vacation

When my brother and I were young, our parents took us to California for vacation. It was a long hot drive across the desert from Phoenix to San Diego with no air conditioning in our Nash Rambler. We enjoyed going to Mission Beach and seeing some of the sights around San Diego. We loved to go to the San Diego Zoo and Sea World, too.

We usually stayed in one of the old fashion motels near the beach for a few days. One time we rented an upstairs apartment for a whole week. I think this was a stretch financially but it was a memorable week. I remember playing a card game that my father had found in a store at a new mall in Mission Valley. The game was called – Milles Bourne. The goal of the game was to complete a trip collecting mileage cards. Your opponents could hinder your progress by giving you a flat tire or a traffic accident. All of the cards were in French so we learned some new words playing the game!

On a couple of occasions we drove to Los Angeles to spend a day or two at Disneyland. That was a big deal. I remember how we would look out the car window hoping to be the first to spot the Matterhorn as we neared our destination. One time we stayed at a motel right across the street from Disneyland. My brother Steve and I were so impressed that the motel had its own nine hole miniature golf course! We loved the new attractions that were added to Disneyland over the years. My mother loved Pirates of the Caribbean and we loved the new Matterhorn ride.

My parents also loved to visit Balboa Island in Orange County. One time we rented tandem bikes and road around the island. I was in front steering the bike with my brother pedaling behind me. I remember we crashed into some garbage cans because the bike only had hand brakes on the handle bars and my bike at home only had brakes on the pedals. Thankfully no one was hurt.

When my wife was young, her family frequently went to San Diego for vacation, too. So it is not surprising that after we got married and started a family of our own, we took our children to San Diego too. One time we surprised our kids in October and took them to Disneyland. We packed their bags while they slept and we picked them up right from school the next day. They had no idea what we were doing or where we were going. I still remember how they screamed with delight when one of them finally guessed we were going to Disneyland.

Let me encourage you to do something special with your children or grandchildren. Set a date, make a plan – don’t wait. Make a memory that may last a lifetime. You will be glad you did and they will too!

For more stories by the author you can purchase his book – Let Me Encourage You by Mark Hopper which includes 365 articles and stories – one for every day of the year. You can order your copy at markh@efreedb.org – the cost is $25 and includes shipping. Read it for your enjoyment and share a copy with your friends.