These memories have made me realize the importance of creating vacation traditions with my own kids and how, especially for younger children, the return to familiar places and landmarks can create a lasting impression. I believe that there’s comfort to be found in repeat visit to that beach town or quaint lakeside village or even a favorite hotel with killer mac ‘n cheese on the room service menu. That said, if it’s pleasant memories you’re trying to create you may want to forego those repeat visits to your aunt’s annual senior swimsuit gala or that five-story math museum.

For the past four years my husband, two daughters and I have taken a road trip to one of our favorite cities, San Francisco. We stay in a hotel on Union Square and, while the daily itinerary may change, there are a few things that remain constant – a stop at Café Espresso for their excellent coffee and soups, a quick shopping trip to Macy’s and a visit to the Yerba Buena Gardens, home to the amazing Rooftop Playground and the inspirational Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. With each trip we took I was sure that we had created a family tradition that our kids would look forward to every year. Or so I thought.

When the subject of our winter family vacation came up our two girls, eight and ten, looked concerned and said in unison, “San Francisco? Again?” Obviously this was their polite way of saying, “Can you possibly come up with anything else?” and I knew then that our family tradition was in danger of extinction. Surprisingly, my threats to book us for a five-day stay at a dishwashing camp didn’t seem to change their minds one bit.

So this year instead of heading to San Francisco we drove up the coast of California along scenic Highway 101 to Big Sur and while it was a beautiful, breathtaking drive the kids weren’t nearly as impressed with the scenery as my husband and I. Unfortunately, majestic vistas of sea, mountains and towering trees were no match for their GameBoys or the sixth book of Harry Potter. We stayed at the Big Sur Lodge which was quaint and charming in it’s own way but the rooms have neither TV or phones and even I have to admit that I missed being able to call room service at midnight when the urge for a doughnut overwhelmed me.

So guess what? As we continued our drive up north we all agreed that a stop in San Francisco, even if for a day, was just what we were yearning for. We had lunch in our favorite café, hit our favorite park and walked around Union Square. At the end of the day I was relieved to hear my girls lamenting the fact that we didn’t have a chance to visit all of our friends or favorite places, “like we always do” and we all agreed that after two days in a cabin it was great to finally be somewhere with internet access and excellent coffee. I suppressed the urge to yell, “Told you so!”

Will we return to San Francisco next year? The year after that? I think we will, and I’ll keep in mind that a break from our routine doesn’t mean the end of our traditions. Either way I’m determined to create some lasting vacation memories with my family, whether they revolve around a big-city hotel or a modest beachfront inn and a checkered plastic tablecloth.

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