https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 08 Apr 2026 18:54:54 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-250111 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 18:54:18 +0000 littlebug 250111@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents own a home in The Villages in Florida. Yes, it's in a retirement community, but it's a really nice house and it's only an hour from Orlando. Plus, you get to drive a golf cart everywhere! But seriously, we will probably take several family vacations there - can't beat a free place to stay! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-250106 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 18:48:44 +0000 matador84 250106@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband's family owns 3 cabins in the mountains of New Mexico that have been in the family forever. They are a fantastic getaway! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-250090 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 18:32:25 +0000 hellobeeboston 250090@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents have had one since I was pretty little. Their first one was a bit of a trek, maybe 4 hrs away - and we were little so we didn't go that much. They've had one 2 hours away for the past 20 years and go all the time... Being that it is so close it's easier to maintain.... We go all the time since its on the ocean and will probably go a lot with our LO... I would say they go almost every weekend in the summer and probably once or twice a month the rest of the year.... </p> <p>It may be a lot with a newborn - but it will be a great escape from the city for you all! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-250034 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 17:47:26 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 250034@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents have a vacation home in the Outer Banks. Growing up, we went during the summer and for some major holidays (like Thanksgiving and Easter). It's an 8-9 hour drive, depending on traffic, so I think a 2 hour drive sounds absolutely lovely!</p> <p>Keep in mind the upkeep. My parents rent theirs our year round, so it takes slightly more upkeep than normal, I suppose. My mom goes down in the fall (October) to winterize the house, and again in the spring (March) to open it up for the season. It's pretty time consuming, and I'd assume you'd have to do similar things if you didn't plan on going up for a few months! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249990 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 17:20:27 +0000 regberadaisy 249990@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: another area to consider is Hudson valley! So beautiful and so many wineries too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249867 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 15:49:11 +0000 mrsjyw 249867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>nope! ILs have a timeshare program... we want our future vacation home in st. thomas! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249865 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 15:45:32 +0000 hilsy85 249865@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: Very good points! :) Thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249858 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 15:41:58 +0000 MamaMoose 249858@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My family had me down at our beach house 3 weeks after I was born and we stayed for two weeks. And it was a 6 hour drive from MA to NJ. I think if you really want to use it it will be easy enough to make it work. And even if you don't use it right away, that doesn't mean you should pass on the house. 6 months from now you may not be able to find something you love as much, or prices and/or interest rates may have gone up. And you're building equity in the home even as you aren't using it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249833 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 15:23:18 +0000 heffalump 249833@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We never had one, but my family did travel a lot when I was little. We just liked to go to different places. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249723 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:14:22 +0000 hilsy85 249723@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Modern Daisy: Oh absolutely! We do NOT want to do any renovations, lol--we told the realtor we wanted "toothbrush ready". And trying to negotiate furniture is a great idea. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249716 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:08:09 +0000 Modern Daisy 249716@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is actually why I'm hoping to have a spring/summer due date - so I can go down to my parents shore house as often as possible during my maternity leave. I think that as long as you don't have to do any construction or major projects on the house right away then you would use it often enough. </p> <p>You might want to consider buying a home that's already furnished or negotiating the sellers leaving the furniture in the sale price so you don't have to deal with that right away. Also, buying something turnkey would make your life easier. But honestly the fact that it's your own vacation house would probably be better than visiting someone else's. If you want to go up there for a weekend and disappear you can. It's a lot more work/stress to be a guest in your family's home and have no control over who else is there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249713 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:03:55 +0000 hilsy85 249713@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: Near Woodstock, NY. That's where we spent a few weeks last summer and we just got back from a babymoon/vacation there. We love it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249710 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:02:50 +0000 regberadaisy 249710@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: whereabouts are you thinking? I forget, how far are the Adirondacks from NYC? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249705 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:01:18 +0000 hilsy85 249705@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: Yup that's exactly what we want--somewhere we can not see anyone for a week if we didn't want to, but close enough to a town so we can get what we need when we need it/enjoy all sorts of activities. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249704 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:59:55 +0000 regberadaisy 249704@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I <i>really</i> want a vacation home. A cabin somewhere secluded but near activities for all four seasons.<br /> It's something I've thought seriously about even gone searching for! But definitely not for a few more years. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249685 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:45:33 +0000 hilsy85 249685@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs.B: Ah gotcha--that makes sense, since it's so far away for you guys. We would probably be doing mainly weekends, with maybe a week during the summer and a week during the winter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249683 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:44:53 +0000 hilsy85 249683@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@meredithNYC: Thanks! That's really good to hear...I don't think we'd be up there quite that fast, lol, but I'm happy to hear that they still use it all the time and did from the beginning. The trip would be a short one for us, so even if we had to stop a few times a long the way, it wouldn't be too big of a deal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249681 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:44:38 +0000 DillonLion 249681@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: Perfect. I figured as much but just wanted to make sure! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249680 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:43:56 +0000 hilsy85 249680@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@highwire: Yup those are all considerations for sure, especially since neither one of us has ever lived in or owned a home before! There are people you can hire to do all sorts of maintenance stuff (we would need a landscaping person, a pool maintenance company, etc). We'd prefer not to rent it out when we're not using it, but obviously if it became a financial burden, we would be open to it. And it would definitely be a big financial commitment at the same time as LO coming along, especially since we'd have to buy a car as well! We're thinking of it as a different way to invest our money, versus just having it in stocks/accounts/etc. Our biggest concern is whether we would really get any use or enjoyment out of it in the first 6 months of LO's life, or if it's better to wait until next summer, let's say, when we're presumably in more of a routine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249677 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:41:40 +0000 Mrs.B 249677@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: DS was 1 the first time he went. We would go more if it was closer. We usually spend 2-3 weeks at the house when we go. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249675 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:39:22 +0000 DillonLion 249675@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm sure you guys have probably discussed this already, but these are some things to consider: Who will manage/maintain the home when it is not in use by you? Will it be available for rent when you aren't using it? And obviously there is all of the expense involved in owning a second home. I would be weary about committing to something like that during the same time as when we would be adjusting to a new baby. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249673 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:37:40 +0000 meredithNYC 249673@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't have a vacation home, but my brother and sister-in-law have one in the Hamptons. They might be the exception, but their baby was born on a Tuesday and they went for their first weekend that Friday and have continued to take her out there every weekend. </p> <p>From what they say, it seems the hardest part is just getting all the baby gear together and being prepared to make multiple stops to breastfeed a newborn. They have said that many times the 3 hour trip takes 5 hours due to all the stopping. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249668 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:34:39 +0000 hilsy85 249668@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs.B: How young were your kids the first time that you took them? And do you think you would go more often if it were a closer trip (car ride instead of plane ride)? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249666 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:33:07 +0000 Mrs.B 249666@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do have a vacation home that is a 3 hour flight away. We went 3 times this year with our kids ages 15, 13, and 3. LO is due in October so we aren't going again until December but we fully plan to go as often as possible next year with all of our older kids and our new LO. We just have the house ready for baby and have double of everything (swing, highchair, playpen, etc.) so we don't have to travel with as much stuff. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249652 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:25:57 +0000 MrsHotDog 249652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't have a vacation home but I would totally go for one! I don't know how much we would have used it during the first two months of her life, but I think we would use it a lot after that. I wish we had one! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-youyour-family-have-a-vacation-home#post-249649 Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:21:20 +0000 hilsy85 249649@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH and I are seriously considering buying a home as a vacation home in upstate NY (about 2 hours away by car). It's something that we would use throughout the year. </p> <p>We're unsure whether this is the right time to buy, however, with LO due in a little over 2 months. For those of you who have vacation homes (whether you own them or they're in your families), how much did you use it for the first 6 months of LO's life? Is it crazy to think about going away one or two weekends a month when LO is so little? </p>