Make Family Vacations a Fun Tradition for Generation Upon Generation

by ARA Content

(ARA) - With family life so busy these days, a little planning can reap big rewards in creating fun vacations that bring together not only the immediate family, but several generations at once, and for years to come!

If you zoom in on any vacation spot on the planet, you'll find examples of how the family vacation tradition has materialized over and over again. For example, at the family-friendly Campbell's Resort on Lake Chelan in Washington state, four families have created a tradition of gathering the whole clan together for one week out of the year, every year, for decades.

"Every year, our 'never to be missed' vacation gives the family an opportunity to get together and reflect on the past year, and to look forward and plan for the next year," said Wayne Green, whose family has been coming to Campbell's Resort during the same time frame every year for 51 years. "My mother and father, Sherman and Myrtle Green, started the tradition, and we couldn't imagine breaking it. Ties and traditions run deep in the Green family."

Wayne was only two years old when he first went to Campbell's Resort. He grew up vacationing there, and loved the lake activities, especially swimming out to the floating dock and spending time boating on the lake. In fact, it was so dear to his heart, he even spent his honeymoon there! Since then, Wayne and his wife, Kathy, have kept up the tradition. Their daughters, Julie and Kristy (third generation), also grew up on annual summers at Campbell's Resort. Julie and Kristy now both return every summer with their husbands, Patrick and Rick, and the rest of the Green family. Kristy and Rick's 2-year-old son, Deirek, and soon to be born baby are fourth generation at Campbell's Resort.

"We thank our grandparents, Myrtle and Sherman Green, for starting the Campbell's vacation tradition. We love being together as a family and reflecting on the past year while we are at Campbell's. We enjoy seeing a lot of the families from year to year and the changes to the lake. We have so many happy memories of Campbell's Resort," said Kristy and Julie.

The Kashino, the Lentz and Abraham families, from grandparents on down to third and fourth generation babies, have also created long-standing family vacation traditions at Campbell's. Phil and Irma Lentz have been bringing their family to the resort every year since 1950. "We've not only watched our kids grow up at Campbell's, but also the Campbell boys, Art and Clint, who are now running the place. That's pretty special!" said Phil.

This year will also mark the 44th consecutive vacation year at Campbell's for the Kashino family. "Once we park the car, aside from going golfing, we hardly use it at all, as Campbell's has everything we come for: good food and accommodations, beautiful lake and beach, and best of all, the good friends we have made throughout the years," said Louise Kashino, the matriarch of the family.

"Campbell's is like a second home to us," said Brent Abraham, whose father and mother, Charlie and Olivette, first found Campbell's in 1951. Brent met his future wife, Kristin, at Campbell's, and they, too, keep returning with their own children, to enjoy the extended family and fun.

And to make these celebrations even more extraordinary, the resort, a fourth generation family business, is celebrating its 100th anniversary on July 1.

"The opportunity to get acquainted with such nice people is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the hospitality business," said Art Campbell, general manager. Art understands the importance of family continuity. His great grandfather built the original Chelan Hotel in 1901. On July 1, the Campbell family, now in its fifth generation, is hosting a community event to celebrate the resort's 100th anniversary. Now that's a family tradition!

What to Look for in Creating a Family Vacation Tradition:

• A family atmosphere in a community that celebrates the vitality and vivaciousness of families on vacation.
• A variety of activities. You will need something for every stage of the life cycle. Toddler pools, classes for pre-school and elementary school-age kids. On-site and off-site parks, both natural and man-made, with rides and amusements, as well as natural environments for spotting wildlife. Safe, and wholesome social gathering places for teens and young adults are a must!
• Guest rooms that bring families together, yet offer privacy.
• Spaces for gathering during family cookouts and parties. A barbeque with covered tables at beach side, for instance.
• Reasonable rates and amenities that make life easy. Parents are on vacation, too. Eating out three meals a day is expensive, and yet adults don't want to be kitchen slaves while on vacation! A utility kitchen with microwave and dishwasher, plus basic equipment and utensils, makes meal preparation quick, fun and affordable.
• A location near activities and services. From the golf course to the supermarket, getting pleasure and provisions should not be an all-day excursion.
• Start now! Before you know it, you will have a clan gathering that will cultivate family closeness. You'll build memories by which to day-dream until you get back to that favorite vacation stop again!

If you want to read more about the families in this article, visit www.campbellsresort.com and click on the guest histories link.

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This article courtesy of ARA Content, http://www.aracontent.com
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