The Power of Tradition: Why Family Trips Matter More Than You Think
Some of my favorite childhood memories aren’t about gifts I received or things I owned—they’re about the traditions my mom made sure we kept.
Every summer, we went to Mammoth Lakes. Every year, we took trips to visit family. It didn’t matter how busy life got, how tight money was, or how many other responsibilities there were—my mom prioritized those traditions. And because of that, I grew up with a deep sense of family connection, adventure, and belonging.
Now, as I build my own family, I realize just how powerful those traditions were. They weren’t just vacations. They were the foundation of my best childhood memories, my closest family bonds, and the values I want to pass on to my children.
Your Kids Are Only This Age Once—Your Parents Are Only This Young Once
It’s easy to think, We’ll take that trip next year. But next year turns into the year after that. And then suddenly, your toddler isn’t a toddler anymore. Your parents are older. Your grandparents may not be here.
That’s why traditions matter. That’s why making time for family trips—big or small—is so important. Because once the moment is gone, you don’t get it back.
I can still picture the Mammoth Lakes trips from my childhood—the familiar drive, the same trails we hiked year after year, the simple traditions that became part of who we were as a family. And I can remember visiting relatives, knowing that even if we lived far apart, we would always come together for those moments.
Those trips shaped my childhood. And now, I want to make sure I create the same kinds of memories for my own family.
Traditions Don’t Have to Be Expensive—They Just Have to Be Consistent
One of the biggest misconceptions about travel is that it has to be extravagant or costly. But my mom showed me that it’s not about how much you spend—it’s about making the time.
Some of our best trips were simple:
Sharing a 2 bedroom Condo with family in Mammoth Lakes instead of expensive resorts.
Driving to visit family instead of flying somewhere exotic.
Weekend road trips that didn’t break the bank but still felt like an adventure.
The key wasn’t the destination—it was the consistency. Knowing that every summer, every year, we would have that time together.
Now, as an adult, I see how those traditions strengthened our family across generations. I got to know my cousins better. I spent time with grandparents, aunts, and uncles in a way that daily life didn’t allow. Those relationships became stronger because we weren’t just connected by family ties—we had shared experiences, memories, and traditions that kept us close.
How We Make Time for Family Traditions Now
Just like my mom did, I want to make sure that family traditions stay a priority in my life. And while we don’t always have endless time or money, we’ve found ways to make it work:
🏡 We prioritize visiting family. In 2023, we made a trip to Pennsylvania to see my grandparents, knowing that those visits won’t always be possible. We also traveled to New York City—something my brother James and I had dreamed of for years but had never made happen. We also always make time every year to visit my older brother’s family, even if it’s just over a long weekend!
✈️ We use points and rewards to make trips more affordable. Travel doesn’t have to be expensive if you’re strategic. We used airline miles to help with flights and credit card rewards for hotels, making these trips more doable while keeping our budget in check.
📅 We plan around weekends and holidays to maximize PTO. Like many people, we don’t have unlimited vacation days. But we made sure to take advantage of long weekends and holidays, using just a couple of extra PTO days to extend our time away.
📍 We keep traditions alive, even in small ways. If we can’t take a big trip one year, we plan a shorter version—maybe a nearby road trip or a quick getaway that still gives us that feeling of togetherness.
The key is intentionality. If you don’t make travel a priority, it will always get pushed aside for something else. But when you commit to keeping traditions alive, they become part of your family’s story.
Final Thoughts: Start Your Traditions Now
Looking back, I’m so grateful that my mom made traditions a priority. She showed me that family isn’t just something we’re born into—it’s something we build, through time spent together and memories created year after year.
Now, as I continue these traditions in my own family, I hope to pass down the same sense of adventure, connection, and love. Because in the end, the best childhood memories aren’t about things—they’re about time spent with the people who matter most.
So start your traditions. Make the time. Because those moments? They’re the ones your kids will carry with them forever.
