Today is the last day of school for my children; in just a few hours we’ll officially be on summer vacation.  I’m looking forward to the relaxed schedule, the absence of packing lunches, and of course doing some fun things this summer.

Because of some specific commitments this summer (family wedding, church anniversary, etc.) and my husband’s work (farming), we don’t have a big family vacation planned.  We may be able to plan something last-minute before school starts, but for now our summer vacation plans are small.

• Swimming lessons.  A nearby pool has an excellent program with a 1:1 teacher:student ratio for the younger kids.  We’re signed up for lessons in June, which gives the kids the rest of the summer to practice their skills.
• Camp.  This is something new for us this year.  The older kids will be going to a four-day science camp at The Works, and the youngest to a three-morning art camp at the same time.  They’re looking forward to these day camp experiences.
• Camping.  We have a camping reservation at one of Minnesota’s state parks for a holiday weekend.
• The lake.  My husband’s family has gathered at a lake resort for a summer week the past few years.  The kids love this time with their cousins.
• Grandma and Grandpa’s house.  We were able to find a long weekend when we’d be able to get away and my parents would be home.  This was not an easy thing to schedule!
• Day trips.  One of our family goals for the summer is to visit the rest of the Minnesota Historical Society sites.  We have seven that we haven’t seen yet.
• Farmfest and Farm Progress Show and State Fair.  These late-summer outdoor activities are some of our family’s favorites.

I always have ideas in the back of my head for a bigger roadtrip, however.  If we can get away, St. Louis or Nebraska are places I’ve considered.  Bing’s summer travel forecast says it doesn’t look great for airfare prices this summer, but hotel prices could be bargains, which is a good combination for this road-tripping family.

As always, I’ll do my best to fill you in on the good stuff we see, although with four busy kids, it’s sometimes hard to find time to write.  What are your plans for the summer?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the Bing Travel and Trekaroo summer vacation spotlight for a chance to win $500 in cash. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Read more about Trekaroo’s Summer of Travel Contest.

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