What does ‘vacation’ mean for families that travel full-time? 4 Suggestions for ‘taking a break’ while traveling
There’s a common sentiment going around that traveling full-time means always living on vacation. But, while there are definitely some vacation-esque perks to living a nomadic existence, anyone who’s tried it can tell you that it’s definitely not all Thai massages and coconuts on the beach!
It’s a life filled with disruptions, culture-stress, and a constant struggle to get what needs to be done done. (Whether that be work, school, or the laundry that’s piled up again.) In short, it’s life as usual, with just as many responsibilities and just as much need for a vacation.
But, when everyday life already includes new countries, unfamiliar grocery stores, and at least one child asking, “Wait… what time zone are we in?”, then travel to a fascinating new locale isn’t really a break. It’s the baseline.
The fact of the matter is, as a full-time traveling family, vacation’s not so much about visiting a new location, anymore. Instead, it becomes more of a recalibration. A way to give your family a little more margin, a little more ease, and a chance to reset without needing to stop traveling altogether.
Less movement. Fewer decisions. More comfort. Or sometimes, one big, meaningful experience that stands apart from the rhythm of everyday travel.
For the family on the move, vacation can often mean less movement
At the beginning, movement often feels like the point. New places, frequent transitions, and the quiet pressure to keep going because this is what we signed up for. Eventually, less movement starts to feel like a real luxury!
When the idea of packing up the bags to change countries again feels like too much, vacation might mean staying in the same place longer than planned. Not packing the bags. Not learning a new transit system. Letting kids stop asking, “When are we leaving?”
During our first year of full-time travel, we changed countries every month. It was definitely fun, and we got to see a ton of new places, but it also became a drain on our energy. Before long we decided that it was in our kids’ best interest to take things a bit slower and stick to a single location for awhile. We were in Luxor, Egypt for a gathering of worldschoolers, and when everyone else moved on, we didn’t. We stayed put in a spot where we had already seen the major sites and just lived life for awhile.
Of course, being able to move less depends a lot on what the terms of your visa or lease say, but when you find yourself in need of a break, choosing to be still can be an excellent (and cost-effective!) option.
For the extra-busy traveling family, vacation can look like fewer responsibilities
Travel has a funny way of compressing life. All the normal responsibilities are still there – schooling, meals, laundry, logistics – but now they happen in unfamiliar environments, and often with fewer shortcuts to getting them done. So sometimes, vacation means intentionally shedding those responsibilities!
That might look like taking a weekend to stay somewhere where the meals are included. Booking an inclusive hotel after weeks in apartments. It could also look like choosing activities that require zero planning, zero prep, and zero follow-up.
For parents especially, this kind of break matters. Fewer decisions, fewer systems to manage and fewer things that depend on you remembering how something works in this country. And while the stress relief might be more for you than for your kids, the effects of that relief get passed down and everyone ends up benefitting from the break!
For a family that saves money by traveling, vacation might look like adding a bit more luxury
Luxury hits a bit different when you travel full-time. Especially if you typically try to keep your travels to strict budget! It’s not about indulging in excess or extravagance (though, that’s nice). Rather, it’s about taking a short break from “normal.”
A bigger space to stretch out. Better beds to sleep in. A place designed to be easy instead of “good enough.” Maybe it’s a resort. Or maybe it’s just the nicest place you’ve stayed in a few months. When everyday life is already full of novelty, luxury can become less about being impressed and more about being supported. Any of these little luxuries can give a weekend getaway that vacation feel!
Of course, if you have the inclination, you could also go all the way and dip into real luxuries. 5-star hotels. Ski trips in Europe. Even private yacht charters, if you can spare the expense!
Luxury trips can cost a pretty penny, but they definitely scratch that vacation itch, even for frequent travelers.
For families that are often in a routine, even overseas, vacation can be big trips or events
And then there’s the opposite approach. Sometimes vacation isn’t about slowing down at all; it’s about intentionally leaning into something big.
A once-in-a-lifetime trip. A major event. A place you’ve been building anticipation around for months. These moments stand out because they break the normal rhythm of full-time travel. For traveling families, these trips don’t replace rest, but they punctuate the year with meaning, excitement, and shared memories that feel distinct from everyday life on the road.
Some examples from my own family have been a week-long safari in Kruger National Park, a Komodo Dragon cruise in Indonesia, and spending a few days at the World Expo in Dubai! (that last one was totally unplanned, and totally counts as a vacation!)
What you choose to do is up to your family, but it should be something that you’ve built up excitement for and fun for everyone. We like nature outings, but this could also be concerts, sporting events, or whatever catches your imagination!
Simply put, vacations should still be fun and out of the ordinary, even for full-time travel families!
For families that travel full-time, vacation isn’t just about location. It’s about recalibration.
Less movement. Fewer responsibilities. More comfort. Or something intentionally big. Sometimes it’s all four!
And when you stop trying to force vacation to look like it used to, rest can become much easier to find, no matter where in the world you wake up tomorrow.
