Vacation Writing

For the past twenty years or so, I've tried to combine summer family vacation and writing. It's not easy, but somebody has to do it.

Here's how it usually works:

During the planning stages I allow my wife (and now two children) to determine the final destination. I have no say in the vacation venue or itinerary, I just bring the necessary cash for gasoline and Almond Joys. I am the lightest packer and only bring along one change of underwear (I can use my swim trunks in a pinch).

Once the destination and itinerary has been established I then begin to plan a writing scheme that might net some travel writing assignments or human-interest stories for magazines, or pieces I might be able to use in future books. For example, in the past ten years I've written pieces on the following (not all published):

A trip to Hawaii netted me two nice articles for AAA Midwest Magazine on the island of Molokai and Kayaking the Na'Pali' cost of Kawaii.

Another trip to Galena, Illinois netted me some background information on Ronald Reagan.

And last year, during a trip to California wine country, I wrote two pieces on various boutique wineries and smaller wine regions around Clear Lake.

This year, with a trip planned to Michigan once again, I am really struggling to think of some connection points. Some article titles that I'm working on include:

"Boring Vacations: How to Recognize One After You've Planned It"

"Old Foggie Romance: Ten Possibilities for Nookie While the Teenagers are Watching a DVD"

"Gas Mileage Made Easy: How to Lighten the Load by Dumping a Youngest Child at a Rest Stop"

"Writing on Vacation: One Dad's Personal Struggle to Find the Meaning of Existence While Eating Fast Food on a Cross-Country Journey to Nowhere"