Weekend get-a-way

Took the family up to Nordic Village, just outside of North Conway, NH. You wouldn't believe the amount of space we have for just over 300 bucks for the weekend. It's a full condo, couple bed rooms, living room, full kitchen, fireplace, etc. The view is fantastic...mountains galore. We're up here with family and friends. So it's a nice get together with a number of us...just to unplug for the weekend.

Of course, that didn't stop me from bringing my laptop, blackberry and new iPod touch so I could do a little blogging, checking email and making I don't go to work and have 300 emails waiting for me. I guess I really never unplug, being a gear head and all.

When you have a family it's very hard to travel, I find. One you need the money to go places. Two, you need the patiences to deal with cranky kids when they are tired and bored. And three, you need to find the time.

With a wife at home with the kids, it's hard to save money to go away on a real vacation. There are bills to pay, things to fix, school to pay for, groceries to buy, etc. I really do love vacationing, but never have been a traveler. I don't travel to islands. Never been outside of the US with the exception of Canada. I'm a local boy. Grew up in Cambridge and really never left the Greater Boston area. Some might think that boring. Maybe so. I chose to get married in my late 20s and start a family. I want to be a young and fun dad, but when my kids get old enough to sustain living on their own, i.e. when aren't latch key kids, I'm sure my wife and I will travel. At that point, she will be back at work, I'll be making more money and we'll be able to do the things we've wanted to do. That's the formula most of the couples in our families have used and it seems to work. Why fix something that's not broken right?

My point to all this is that while I can't afford to take the kids to Disney ever year (maybe once every 3 or 4), I can do these little mini-vacations. The types where you pack the car and drive 2-4 hours. On the docket for the rest of this weekend is swimming in the outdoor, heated pool and shopping at the outlets. You'll find Nike, Timberland, Old Navy, Guess, etc. All the big brands are here and you can find incredible deals. The best part of it all is that there are no taxes. Add in the fact that we're very much in the black these days thanks to taxes and the impending tax kick back from George W. and his crew. This means we can actually shop this weekend without having to worry about it. No buyers remorse (though I will be clocking what's spent very intently).

So for all you out there with kids, in a similar situation as I, I highly recommend coming to North Conway and staying at Nordic Village. It's a nice, quick get-a-way that the kids will enjoy just as much as the adults.


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