I vacationed with my parents last year for the first time as an adult. Here are 3 reasons why it was my favorite trip of all time.

17.09.2023 - 20:45 / insider.com / Last Year

My family has an unwavering love for Savannah, Georgia. 

Although we live four hours south in Central Florida, the picturesque coastal city has always been a cozy haven for us. My parents — Kevin and Amy Edmonds — first visited Savannah in 2000 for their 10th wedding anniversary, and they later brought me along when I was nine years old in 2004. At that time, I was an ardent Girl Scout, and Savannah is where the first troop was founded in 1912, according to the organization's website. 

We spent a weekend or two in Savannah each year, but as time went on, that stopped. It wasn't intentional, but life happens.

While my parents still took the occasional trip, I left home in 2014 to attend college and later moved to New York City in 2019. Family vacations weren't the same anymore, but when a friend told me her family was going to Europe together, I realized how much I missed vacationing with my parents. 

In 2022, I suggested we all take a week off from work and have a carefree, relaxing vacation like we used to. 

One of the first things my family did when we settled down in Savannah was go out for celebratory cocktails — something we'd never had on past vacation itineraries. Afterward, we grabbed dinner at a local restaurant where I had a hamburger with Pimento Cheese, which was a shocking choice since I used to be a picky eater. 

During our all-adult vacation, I realized that my age used to limit my family's activities, but that's not the case now. My palate and interests have expanded with time, so now we can try different experiences.

We also reconnected in old ways, too. One night at our Airbnb in Savannah's Historic District, my mother and I decided to stay in and watch one of our favorite films, "Grease." I didn't realize how much I missed singing "Hopelessly Devoted to You" with my mom until the first chords rang out. 

My parents and I rented an Airbnb during our stay, where we spent a lot of downtime together and talked. It was eye-opening talking with my parents, who shared stories from their childhoods, reminisced on old trips to Savannah, and shared things about themselves I didn't know. 

For one, my dad showed me his outline of a fictional novel he drafted decades ago. He brought it with him for the trip, and I read about his early passions. 

My family and I lounged around Savannah quite a bit, but we also explored the city and took advantage of all the historic sights the city has to offer. We visited the shops and small businesses along Savannah's waterfront, where I purchased local art and small trinkets. We also stopped by River Street Sweets, where we bought some Pralines to munch on. 

We got so wrapped up in our vacation that we didn't take many photos, but that means we were present