Truly amazing childhood travel experiences

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Camping.
Raise a contributor, not a consumer.

+1000

I am the poster who remarked above about not spending money on a plastic world, when the actual world is so rich in experiences.

As we raise our children we teach them.

My DC, now an adult, loves to explore nature and other cultures. She would not save up thousands to try a new ride designed to market a new movie. She cannot be led around by the nose by ads. She recognizes authentic value, not packaged adventure and culture, which is actually just a vehicle for taking your money out of your pocket.

I have not doubt many kids like Disneyland, but what are you teaching them when you would rather invest in that instead of exploring the real world?

[Anonymous]

I also think there is a mentality about wanting to delegate or farm out decisions. Whether it is asking a consultant to help your kid identify the right college or asking someone else to figure out how to enjoy a week off with your family.

Kind of a hands off approach, where you have money but not really ideas or energy. So, you just take the easy path of going to Disney.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Camping.
Raise a contributor, not a consumer.

+1000

I am the poster who remarked above about not spending money on a plastic world, when the actual world is so rich in experiences.

As we raise our children we teach them.

My DC, now an adult, loves to explore nature and other cultures. She would not save up thousands to try a new ride designed to market a new movie. She cannot be led around by the nose by ads. She recognizes authentic value, not packaged adventure and culture, which is actually just a vehicle for taking your money out of your pocket.

I have not doubt many kids like Disneyland, but what are you teaching them when you would rather invest in that instead of exploring the real world?

Not everything needs to be a lesson.

I, now an adult, love to explore other cultures (although I'm not a nature person), despite the fact that my dad took me to Disney. I do see where you are coming from but I think that you overestimate the impact of a parent's decisions on the long-term outcome of children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also think there is a mentality about wanting to delegate or farm out decisions. Whether it is asking a consultant to help your kid identify the right college or asking someone else to figure out how to enjoy a week off with your family.

Kind of a hands off approach, where you have money but not really ideas or energy. So, you just take the easy path of going to Disney.

Actually the only reason I haven't taken my kids to Disney is that it seems complicated as hell. We went to Iceland instead. You're reaching here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Camping.
Raise a contributor, not a consumer.

What exactly do you contribute by going camping?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Camping.
Raise a contributor, not a consumer.

+1000

I am the poster who remarked above about not spending money on a plastic world, when the actual world is so rich in experiences.

As we raise our children we teach them.

My DC, now an adult, loves to explore nature and other cultures. She would not save up thousands to try a new ride designed to market a new movie. She cannot be led around by the nose by ads. She recognizes authentic value, not packaged adventure and culture, which is actually just a vehicle for taking your money out of your pocket.

I have not doubt many kids like Disneyland, but what are you teaching them when you would rather invest in that instead of exploring the real world?

Unless you have extremely limited funds you can do both.

We did Disney once. All of the many other trips we take are exploring nature and other cultures.

It doesn’t have to be an either/or.

[Anonymous]

My parents scrimped to take us to Disney when I was 9. We stayed far off property, had to listen to time share pitches to afford it, etc. It was our only big trip.

The World Showcase at Epcot sparked a lifelong love of travel. Seeing the microcosms of cultures and corresponding foods, decor, etc. I was enchanted. My parents let me strategize our park itineraries and that’s still my favorite thing to do.

I’m now the dcum a-hole who prefers Barbuda to Barbados and Lofoten to London. I travel deep and love nature, but will always be grateful for my childhood Disney moment.

[Anonymous]

Do whatever your kid wants to do.

For me, it was going to the Oregon Shakespearean Festival. My dad told us the stories on the drive there, and we camped in the mountains by a lake, under a huge sky filled with shooting stars.

Also a hike to a mountain lake with my dad and my cousins. I took our little boat out onto the lake at dawn and watched the shadows drop down the rockface.

YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Yellowstone/Tetons
Dude ranch in the Rockies

I did both of these as a kid and I remember them vividly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Camping.
Raise a contributor, not a consumer.

+1000

I am the poster who remarked above about not spending money on a plastic world, when the actual world is so rich in experiences.

As we raise our children we teach them.

My DC, now an adult, loves to explore nature and other cultures. She would not save up thousands to try a new ride designed to market a new movie. She cannot be led around by the nose by ads. She recognizes authentic value, not packaged adventure and culture, which is actually just a vehicle for taking your money out of your pocket.

I have not doubt many kids like Disneyland, but what are you teaching them when you would rather invest in that instead of exploring the real world?

Not everything needs to be a lesson.

I, now an adult, love to explore other cultures (although I'm not a nature person), despite the fact that my dad took me to Disney. I do see where you are coming from but I think that you overestimate the impact of a parent's decisions on the long-term outcome of children.

Yes, what's funny about reading this person's posts is that I agree with the general ideas (experiences are important, seek out non-commercial things, etc), I also find the tone insufferable, and you hit the nail on the head as to why. My family was able to travel internationally a bit when I was younger- we made a single big trip when I was 14 and it really meant a ton to me personally. My younger sibling on the other hand? Mostly hated being away from the comforts of home, and those patterns have stuck into our 40s. Travel to new places is still important to me, and my sibling mostly doesn't care and at most wants to go to a nice beach.

Different strokes for different folks, etc. I also work hard not to make my preferences to be an absolute good, and thus other people's preferences are bad. I can't stand amusement parks, but my kids f---ing love them, so I give in and take them sometimes. I may grumble under my breath about the cheap tackiness, the bad food, etc, but they don't really hear it and have their fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do whatever your kid wants to do.

For me, it was going to the Oregon Shakespearean Festival. My dad told us the stories on the drive there, and we camped in the mountains by a lake, under a huge sky filled with shooting stars.

Also a hike to a mountain lake with my dad and my cousins. I took our little boat out onto the lake at dawn and watched the shadows drop down the rockface.

YMMV.

But it is a bit of a catch 22. If they have never had fun in the outdoors, they are likely to request that.

Generally speaking, healthy kids are curious and open minded. They will enjoy most new experiences, but you ARE teaching them (to some extent) how to have fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Camping.
Raise a contributor, not a consumer.

+1000

I am the poster who remarked above about not spending money on a plastic world, when the actual world is so rich in experiences.

As we raise our children we teach them.

My DC, now an adult, loves to explore nature and other cultures. She would not save up thousands to try a new ride designed to market a new movie. She cannot be led around by the nose by ads. She recognizes authentic value, not packaged adventure and culture, which is actually just a vehicle for taking your money out of your pocket.

I have not doubt many kids like Disneyland, but what are you teaching them when you would rather invest in that instead of exploring the real world?

I think PP was explaining her reasoning. Not saying Disney should be banned.

Not everything needs to be a lesson.

I, now an adult, love to explore other cultures (although I'm not a nature person), despite the fact that my dad took me to Disney. I do see where you are coming from but I think that you overestimate the impact of a parent's decisions on the long-term outcome of children.

Yes, what's funny about reading this person's posts is that I agree with the general ideas (experiences are important, seek out non-commercial things, etc), I also find the tone insufferable, and you hit the nail on the head as to why. My family was able to travel internationally a bit when I was younger- we made a single big trip when I was 14 and it really meant a ton to me personally. My younger sibling on the other hand? Mostly hated being away from the comforts of home, and those patterns have stuck into our 40s. Travel to new places is still important to me, and my sibling mostly doesn't care and at most wants to go to a nice beach.

Different strokes for different folks, etc. I also work hard not to make my preferences to be an absolute good, and thus other people's preferences are bad. I can't stand amusement parks, but my kids f---ing love them, so I give in and take them sometimes. I may grumble under my breath about the cheap tackiness, the bad food, etc, but they don't really hear it and have their fun.

[Anonymous]

We went to Disney a few times as a kid and I remember very little of it. My family didn’t fly so we drove everywhere up and down the east coast. But we also camped and some of my best memories are just having out with new friends in the campgrounds, riding our bikes, having campfires, going hiking. Not saying you have to go camping, just don’t overthink it. You never know what your kid will love and remember!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did Morocco and Egypt at 9 and that trip was a blast. My son never stopped asking the guides questions.

We've also done Italy, Croatia, Paris, Rome at various ages (3 to 5) and he loved it all.

I bet the guides, and everyone on the tour, just loved that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You say “besides Disney” as if Disney is even a top 20 travel experience. It’s not. It’s a park. That is marketing.

I think most people have to travel to Disney.

It is a fake (plastic/mechanical) experience.

My kid white water rafted for excitement, and hiked where there were bears. Saw boiling geysers. She took cable cars to the tops of alps. Castles and crepes. Monet's garden. Seeing a whale skeleton and holding a koala on Kangaroo Island. Hiking the great wall of China.

I am not bragging (though we are lucky to have enough money for such adventures). Disney is very expensive.

I am just saying that my kid has amazing memories of the world, not some manufactured place designed to put cash in the coffers.

You are so articulate.

Sorry. I was at a loss for words for how utterly insufferable this post comes across as, that all I could muster was an eye roll PP.

NP. ITA. She's like a bad parody of herself. "Castles and crepes..."