Aruba.....everywhere else is not quite "good enough"?

[Andrea J.]

I grew up with family vacations in W Dennis and Dennisport on Cape Cod.
MY Grandparents and then my parents had 2nd homes on the Cape.
We loved it and thought that the Cape was the best.

My grandpa on my dad's side had a family home on the ocean in New Brunswick, where we visited once a year in the summer.

My Mom's mom and sister had a place in Florida and as an adult I visited there often as I could.

So, i really wanted for nothing in the travel department as a kid or young adult.

My husband grew up going to NH on the weekends to a cottage in the woods and near a lake in Wakefield NH.

Flash forward to now......

It is now ONLY about Aruba.
Those other places I just mentioned..."sure they are ok"

We love Aruba...... and are just not quite as happy with the things that were "the best" not so very long ago?

Aruba raises the bar HIGH.

EX:
Paul and I are here in York Maine...."Vacationland" visiting the kids and grandkids. We are thrilled seeing family, but are wishing we were all in Aruba (where it is warm and sunny) instead.

Tracey D and her husband went on a summer vacation in July to S Carolina or the OBX......and had a BLAST. It was not an inexpensive venture. They had lots of friends with them and lots of fun. However, in her mind she was dreaming about "Aruba".

Aruba, although we love it (some of us adore it) , has a way of making travel destinations that we always used to love....not quite as appealing as before.

Dear husband has a big birthday coming in November. I have been stashing money for 2 years for a nice trip for him. About 8 months ago, I presented him with a few choices....Ireland, Panama Canal Cruise or Pacific Northwest. He chose Aruba. 'Nuf Said.

Your thoughts?

[Traceyd14]

You hit it right on the head. Jon and I used to go to Virginia Beach regularly and now we might make it one weekend a year. We had a lot of fun there and still do, but there is just something about Aruba where we would rather sacrifice a weekend at a local beach to add on days there. Our trip you refered to this year was in the Myrtle Beach area.

We are currently having our 2017 vacation debate. We've been invited to join a great group of people on a cruise in December and I know it would be a blast, but it would mean giving up my 40th bday trip to Aruba and I'm just not sure I am willing to do it.

[cpjones]

I grew up with family vacations in W Dennis and Dennisport on Cape Cod.
MY Grandparents and then my parents had 2nd homes on the Cape.
We loved it and thought that the Cape was the best.

My grandpa on my dad's side had a family home on the ocean in New Brunswick, where we visited once a year in the summer.

My Mom's mom and sister had a place in Florida and as an adult I visited there often as I could.

So, i really wanted for nothing in the travel department as a kid or young adult.

My husband grew up going to NH on the weekends to a cottage in the woods and near a lake in Wakefield NH.

Flash forward to now......

It is now ONLY about Aruba.
Those other places I just mentioned..."sure they are ok"

We love Aruba...... and are just not quite as happy with the things that were "the best" not so very long ago?

Aruba raises the bar HIGH.

EX:
Paul and I are here in York Maine...."Vacationland" visiting the kids and grandkids. We are thrilled seeing family, but are wishing we were all in Aruba (where it is warm and sunny) instead.

Tracey D and her husband went on a summer vacation in July to S Carolina or the OBX......and had a BLAST. It was not an inexpensive venture. They had lots of friends with them and lots of fun. However, in her mind she was dreaming about "Aruba".

Aruba, although we love it (some of us adore it) , has a way of making travel destinations that we always used to love....not quite as appealing as before.

Dear husband has a big birthday coming in November. I have been stashing money for 2 years for a nice trip for him. About 8 months ago, I presented him with a few choices....Ireland, Panama Canal Cruise or Pacific Northwest. He chose Aruba. 'Nuf Said.

Your thoughts?

You nailed it.... Lots of trips to Maine as a kid to my Dad's friends farm and I loved it. Numerous trips to NH as a kid at a friends cottage. Working at the scout camp for 5 summers thru high school and beyond on Cape Cod. Just a short drive to the cape now. A few USA stations and a couple overseas tours when I worked for Uncle Sam keeping the USA safe! Too many US cities to count when I was a 'corporate wienie' that traveled constantly. And now an annual trip to Seattle to see my brother's family in May....... all great stuff.... but nothing as good as Aruba.

[Pegmeister]

Aruba is the place where vacation always go well. Never a worry about the weather, the beaches are phenomenal and restaurants aplenty. I too grew up with vacations on the Cape in places like Dennisport and West Dennis or camping at Sebago Lake in Maine. It has been years since I've been to either location although I still enjoy an occasional weekend at the Vineyard.

Tom, however, would choose Vegas in a heartbeat. We'll be there in just a few days. I feel a little bit cheated as this is our 2nd Vegas trip this year and I would much rather be in Aruba. It did give me a little leverage though as I felt since we were only having one Aruba trip this year we deserved to splurge a little with a stay at the Bucuti!

[Andrea J.]

"leverage' IS SUCH A GOOD WORD, ISN'T IT?

Aruba is the place where vacation always go well. Never a worry about the weather, the beaches are phenomenal and restaurants aplenty. I too grew up with vacations on the Cape in places like Dennisport and West Dennis or camping at Sebago Lake in Maine. It has been years since I've been to either location although I still enjoy an occasional weekend at the Vineyard.

Tom, however, would choose Vegas in a heartbeat. We'll be there in just a few days. I feel a little bit cheated as this is our 2nd Vegas trip this year and I would much rather be in Aruba. It did give me a little leverage though as I felt since we were only having one Aruba trip this year we deserved to splurge a little with a stay at the Bucuti!

[cpjones]

"leverage' IS SUCH A GOOD WORD, ISN'T IT?

I think that's a girl thing.

[DiviDiviFan]

As a youngster growing up I could not wait for our annual 2 week vacation to Hampton Beach. We always would get a nice cottage after my parents saved their pennies all year. I remember we would take a ride during the snowy winter to choose which cottage it would be that coming summer. Nights were spent at the Salisbury Beach amusement park or walking the boardwalk at Hampton Beach. As a teen I would go with my friends to continue the tradition and boy did I feel like a grownup. 28 years ago when I met DH we would also go to Hampton and had a great time. Then came the cruises, we were even married during our Bermuda cruise 20 years this coming October! Quite a few island destinations later, discovered Aruba and will never ever go anywhere else! Only wish we had found Aruba sooner, but better late than never and god willing will have many more trips to Aruba to come Oh, by the way Andrea, I believe Paul is a very smart man, not only by choosing you as his wife but choosing Aruba for his birthday!

[Liz - Aruba Lover]

I grew up with family vacations in W Dennis and Dennisport on Cape Cod.
MY Grandparents and then my parents had 2nd homes on the Cape.
We loved it and thought that the Cape was the best.

Our paths may have crossed. We stayed when I was growing up at Hopkins Cottages in Brewster near Nickerson State Park.

[brady bear]

Growing up in Cape Cod.... we used to RV all the time. Couldn't wait to get into to 5th wheel almost every weekend going up the coast to Maine and going on long trips to the Carolina's and etc...
Then being able to cruise frequently .
But Aruba is the perfect vacation.. weather no worries about hurricanes, always a peaceful clean blue water beach, top restaurants, the most friendlies local who welcomes you and the list goes on.
Guess that is why they call it "One Happy Island"

[Aruba4ever]

Growing up I always wanted to go on vacation. Our vacations were staying at different hotels around the state of MA when they opened up, and we only did that 3 times. We went to Florida once. I got the travel bug in college going away every spring break to a different place, well I did Florida twice. My wife and I went to many islands thru the years, we are now stuck on Aruba and don't discuss going anyplace else. We know we are going to love it. Its not like going on vacation these days, its like returning home. I enjoy Aruba so much. I think it has screwed with my US happiness, lol. I am in post Aruba blues. Although one of my good Aruba friends that I play cards with texted me out of the blue yesterday to say hello. He also wished my family well and that put a huge smile on my face. This is a guy I have grown to really like a lot over the past couple of years.