Some of my favorite childhood memories were that of our family vacations. We were probably a little different from most families in that we basically went to two different places for family vacations. Most of our vacations were in Florida but sometimes we went to Cincinnati, Ohio. Two very different destinations.

Of course Florida was fun. Well, mostly. Actually I got the worst sunburn of my life in Daytona Beach when I was 13. What can I say? I was young and dumb. I spent the entire first day of that vacation walking up and down the beach in my new bikini. It was my first bikini and I thought it was so cool. Actually, burnt to a crisp, describes it (actually me) better. I was in so much pain that first night. I was fainting and vomiting and probably really should have gone to the ER. Long story short, I spent the rest of the vacation sick in bed. Fun times. Not.

But actually I do have a lot of great memories of our Florida vacations. I remember my mom would pack up sandwiches, chips, and soft drinks in preparation for the long drive. We’d usually got the kind of hotels that had refrigerators in them and my mom would also fix meals in her electric skillet that she had brought from home. Of course we also ate out at restaurants on occasion, which was a real treat when we did.

My dad also knew that a hotel with a swimming pool was a top priority! We all really enjoyed swimming in the hotel pools. So, most of the hotels we stayed at would probably be best described as small inexpensive roadside motels. Nothing fancy or nothing expensive.

I also liked stopping at all the various points of interest and rest stops between Indianapolis and Florida. I liked the caves in Kentucky and Tennessee, and the Stuckey’s stores in Georgia and Florida. Stuckey’s had the best taffy and candy back then! Some of my favorite memories in Florida were riding the Jungle Cruise You glass bottom boat at Silver Springs, watching the Wiki Wachi skiers, going to different beaches, and visiting the Kennedy Space Center.

So, why Cincinnati?!

Well first it was close to home, just a little over a hundred miles away from Indianapolis.

Second, the Cincinnati Reds Baseball Team.

And third, Coney Island!
Coney Island was a wonderful but very old amusement park in Cincinnati.

We all enjoyed Coney Island but my dad also enjoyed going to watch the Cincinnati Reds play ball. So he would also would take my older brothers to the baseball game, while my mom, me, and my little brother Dougie would go shopping or just hang out at the hotel. The highlight of our trip was always Coney Island though! It didn’t really bother me one bit that I didn’t get to go to the baseball game. But I do remember being upset when I first heard that Coney Island was closing in 1970, but it didn’t last for long. Kings Island opened two years later in 1972 and it was twice as large and twice the fun. Although by that time I had already graduated from high school and our family vacations became fewer and fewer as time went on.

Looking back, I realize that life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful, and vacations don’t have to cost a lot of money to be fun. Spending time together away from home, even in simple accommodations, was just fine with me. I was just happy that we even got to go on a vacation. Even as a child I sensed that it was hard on my parents to raise six kids and also afford family vacations.

I also realize I may have not expressed my thankfulness back then to my parents. I suppose when we’re young most of us take a lot of things for granted, and by the time we come to realize this, it’s too late. But if both of my parents were alive today, I’d tell them how much I love them and I would thank them for all that they did for me, and for all of the sacrifices they made as parents. I would also tell them that going on our family vacations gave me some of my happiest memories of my childhood. ❤️

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
I Thessalonians 5:18

Here’s a few of our family vacation photos between 1959 and 1971.