Take a Break (Part 1)
When traveling, we tend to want to see and do as much as possible. As a result, I sometimes over-plan a day, trying to squeeze in just a bit too much in an effort to make sure that we do and see everything that interests us. However, I know from experience that this type of planning often leads to exhaustion. Plus, I find that when I try to cram in too many sights into a single day, they all seem to blur together and I don’t really get to enjoy the day.
Over the years I have learned that slowing down and taking breaks while traveling makes a powerful difference in both my family’s happiness during the trip as well as our overall memories of the vacation in the years that follow. Yes, that might mean that I don’t get to see that second museum, the fourth fountain, or yet another vista point, but the net effect is so positive that I now actively plan for a little down time wherever we go.
The easiest break is the kind my family enjoys when visiting Disneyland or Walt Disney World. In the middle of the day, when the parks are at their most crowded and it’s so hot that running from ride to ride becomes an endeavor in exhaustion, we slip out of the park for a few hours to enjoy our hotel swimming pool, grab a bite to eat, and just relax. This break helps us to unwind and reset our energy levels, and we generally will be excited to return to the parks and ride the rides in the evening, when the temperatures and crowds are better.
While taking these breaks can be more challenging when visiting another country or touring a big city, there are usually places you can find for some down time. In the middle of a quick 3-day stay in Rome, where we were running around visiting the Vatican, the Colosseum, beautiful fountains, and fantastic restaurants, we decided to take a walk through the quiet Borghese Gardens. Being surrounded by nature, even right in the middle of the city, felt so refreshing. We came upon a lake in the gardens where you can rent a rowboat and float around, and while my first thought was a cynical “I can do this at home,” I decided to try it out. Happily, what I initially suspected to be a waste of time turned out to be exactly what I needed – a calm, quiet, fun hour relaxing with my family. This respite from touring gave us all the much-needed break we didn’t even realize we were looking for, and it’s now one of my favorite memories of our time in Italy.
Similarly, we spent a whirlwind two days in Copenhagen, where it felt like there was too much we wanted to see and do and not nearly enough time. Recalling our experience in the gardens in Rome, I planned an evening visit to Tivoli Gardens, the 175 year old amusement park that is located in the center of the city, for the end of our first day. Walking through the gardens, riding a couple of rides, and enjoying the scenery as night fell and thousands of little lights all over the park flickered on was a memorable, wonderful, and relaxing way to end our day.
Even though I know how important taking a break is when traveling, I still sometimes get caught up in trying to experience everything. After our second day in Copenhagen, exhausted from all the walking and touring and visiting sights I felt like I “should” see, I realized that instead of walking past the lovely cafés that line the street in Nyhavn, I could actually just sit down at one for a while to enjoy the area, the boats, and the people passing by. While I gave up an hour of the touring I had scheduled, skipping something I thought I wanted to visit in the process, I couldn’t be happier that I spent that time simply enjoying being in Copenhagen instead. As with our stroll in the Borghese Gardens, this relaxing afternoon at a café became one of my fondest memories of the trip.
I have no regrets about missing something I could have seen or done on any of these trips. It’s so easy to get caught up in the moment, fall victim to FOMO, and to try to see so much that we end up unable to remember anything except how exhausting a trip can be. After many intense trips, I have finally realized that slowing down a bit can be a large part of what makes a vacation truly magical and memorable, and this is now a lesson I carry with me every time I plan a vacation.
