Before I left for vacation, I submitted this WG2E post to DD. By the time this post is up, I may be in Minnesota. On the other hand, I may be on the eleven-hour car ride back from Minnesota to Illinois for the last part of our vacation. So please accept my apologies if it takes me a while to respond to your comments- I will do my best to catch up when I am able to.
Vacations are so important. I find that a change of scenery and the opportunity to get out of my daily routine is so important to regenerate and refresh. A vacation – whether a long one or a short day trip- is a great way to take a deep breath, open my mind and get a different perspective. I love to meet people, see different things, and enjoy new experiences. A vacation is such a great way to refresh my creative juices.
Some of my favorite summer vacations have been spent at my brother’s farm in Midwest Illinois. For the past ten years we’ve spent the week of Fourth of July at his farm. The week is packed with hayrides, riding go-carts and mini bikes, taking long walks, having cookouts and exploring the countryside with family and friends.
Lake Geneva Wisconsin is also a favorite vacation spot of mine. Every other year or so we make our way over to my husband’s best friend’s gorgeous home on Lake Geneva. We spend the days tubing, waterskiing, taking boat trips, having campfires complete with smores and ghost stories. Of course there is always endless quantities of food and lots of laughter.
Another favorite vacation spot of mine is the beach. Tybee Island, Georgia is under an hour drive from our home in Savannah, and even a long day spent oceanside is refreshing fun for our family. Plus Tybee is convenient to get to and easy on the wallet as well.
It’s Your Turn, WG2E-Land: Do you have any summer plans? What are some of your favorite vacation spots? How do your vacations refresh your creative juices?
The Best of Vacations for Writers Wishes — Lois Lavrisa
Don’t have a current favorite vacation spot since moving to NYC 2 years ago. We do love to travel by Amtrak, especially via the cabins. We’ve been wanting to do the trip through the mountains up to Montreal, Canada since before we moved up here, but timing, schedules, and most importantly budgets haven’t aligned well enough for it to happen yet.
This summer, we’re hoping to squeeze out a trip back to where we moved from (Florida) to visit family.
Savannah is beautiful. We did a short Amtrak trip there from Florida quite a few years ago. Got some incredible photos of the riverwalk park and the cemetery that may find there way onto a cover someday.
While I agree that vacations are fabulous for stirring up the creatitivty, for us, right now, I think that some steady sleep and income that is more consistent (and livable – important side note because no-pay can be consistent and we don’t want that) might do a good deal of creative-juice bubbling as well.
Hope your trip goes well and that you regale us with some amusing tales from it Agee you’re back.
Wow… I don’t know how autocorrect on my phone turned “when” into “Agee.” Hmm…
Randi- too funny ! auto correct or even voice to text can make for some funny words;)
Yes sleep is an all important way of refreshing. Right now I could sleep for a whole day. I just finished an almost 12.5 hour journey today- I am a little groggy from Dramamine (to prevent motion sickness) and a bit stiff from lots of togetherness of six people and all of our stuff crammed in a rental car. But It was fun! My three youngest children all learned how to water ski on the same lake as I did when I first learned to ski (round Lake in Brainerd MN) and got valuable ski lessons from the same ever patient uncle (thanks Steve Esser) Now onto my brother’s IL farm Friday for the week of 4th of July:)
This summer, my family is going camping for a week on the NC beach in the Outer Banks – no internet access, no power, no hot showers. When I was a girl, my family used to go to the same spot; this will be the first time I’m returning as an adult. I’m excited about seeing the vacation through my children’s eyes… and a little bummed that I’ll be away from my laptop for a whole week. As I write on my laptop and almost never on paper, I hope I’ll be recharged and set my keyboard on fire when I return!
Oh I have always wanted to go to the outer banks. Please let me know how your trip goes- and I hope that you do set your keys on fire upon your return (keep the extinguisher handy:)
We’re heading down to Nashville Tennessee (Music City) this coming Sunday which is “the” special place my muses always find their recharge button. From the friendly people, to the food, to the artsy environment, and of course the music and the rolling hills too…my muses dance there like nobody’s watching!!!
We’re planning on moving there soon and can’t wait!
Moving to TN- what gorgeous country!! When is the big move?
Hope you are having a wonderful time! I’m on vacation in Pt Pleasant, NJ right now. While I’m enjoying myself I am also working promoting my new release (only an hour a day) BUT I have to say I’m INSPIRED by all the cute lifeguards who are friendly and if no one is in the water they will take turns doing pushups and such…
Hmm, cute lifeguards, sun, water- sounds like great inspiration:)
Vacation is one thing I miss since starting the farm. Now that we have a horse, sheep, goats and other farm animals, we can’t go away overnight. So this summer, I’m planning a few days where we get lost at one of the many beaches in Nova Scotia. I love hitting several in one day, often never going swimming, just exploring the beach for as far as it goes. We return tired, sandy, sun-tanned and statisfied, and with pockets of colourful rocks. My favourite camping site is Liscomb Mills, where I’ve been going for more than 40 years.
I love/hate routines. I understand they can be productive, but runing free is good for the soul. That running free pumps up the imagination as I explore new sites.
Enjoy your vacation.
Running free is good for the soul- you said it so well. And your farm life sounds wonderful- and tiring too!! Camping in Liscomb Mills for more than 40 years sounds like you found your favorite vacation spot:)
Have a wonderful time! I just returned from a week away in Millinocket, Maine.I went with a few of my sisters and did some fabulous moosing in Baxter State Park. Hung out in a lovely cabin on the lake, enjoyed the birds and some kayaking, and had fun with my sisters. I even had a chance to write about 4000 words on my WIP. What I can’t seem to manage is totally getting away from my business life. If i don’t spend an hour at least twice a day going through e-mails while I’m away or attending to blogs and comments, I am so inundated when I come home that it’s hardly worth going away. The last time I went “totally dark” for four days, I came home to over a thousand e-mails and spent five hours my first day home going through them. It was so disheartening, I decided it was worth sacrificing a couple hours a day of my vacation to keep up on it so I wouldn’t have to dread coming home.
yes, I’m absolutely taking my computer with me! And will try to get hotels with wifi so I don’t get behind!
“What I can’t seem to manage is totally getting away from my business life. If i don’t spend an hour at least twice a day going through e-mails while I’m away or attending to blogs and comments, I am so inundated when I come home that it’s hardly worth going away. ” oh so true!!!
Because of money issues, I usually only take very short vacations about every other year (like 3 days). This year I’ve planned a big one, RWA conference in July then I plan to drive around that side of the country for a couple of weeks. However, I find as the date is drawing closer that I don’t really want to go, I’m too much in hermit mode. I’m telling myself it’ll do me good to get out of my cave, but I dunno…
meant to add, hope you’re having/had fun!
Have fun at the RWA conference in California:) And I know what you mean when the vacation date draws nearer to the start of a trip we can get caught up in so many other things. Go and relax. Have fun and take time to network and enjoy:)
I don’t really have holidays now, as my mum doesn’t like travelling on trains for too long. Instead we will go for a morning of spa treatments, or out somewhere different. Later in the year I am going to a writers’ conference.
Even short breaks from our routines can help reinvigorate us- I love what you do “we will go for a morning of spa treatments, or out somewhere different”
I just got back from northern Minnesota – Deer River area, actually. Week of fishing and relaxing, and perfect timing as I just finished the first draft of WIP and needed a break. Yes, we all need vacations, especially with the increasing demands of social media and marketing. Enjoy yours!
Stacy- you are so right “Yes, we all need vacations, especially with the increasing demands of social media and marketing” we can get caught up in 24/7/365 work if we let ourselves:)
Have a super fab time! I loved my recent Vegas trip. Because I spend most of my time in Cyprus now in a hot climate, I don’t need a beach holiday anymore. I’d love to travel around Australia and do a safari in Africa!
Sibel- I’d love to go to Australia and Africa- maybe we can get a group together in the future for an adventure like that:)
I so totally agree. I haven’t had a day off in over a year…and I live at the beach! So I have to make some beach time. Really soon! My sixth book in nine months came out today. Once I finish the launch, I’m going to turn off all phones, lock the computer room and let myself have a few blissful days playing tourist in my own back yard.
Anne- a vacation in our own backyard can be just as rewarding as getting away- have fun! Congratulations on six books in nine months- wow that is awesome!!
Some of my favorite memories of childhood are of vacations. Memories of how miserable I made everyone because I wanted to be anywhere but on vacation. LOL Now I look back and wonder WTH I was thinking.
We aren’t vacationing this week because we have several family weddings to attend. But next year: New England.
Jill- yes as children we sometime whined about going on family vacations – but they do create some of the beat memories don’t they?
Meant not vacationing this YEAR. Geesh!!
Gotcha:)