10 Stories That Prove Family Vacations Are Far From Stress-Free

Most people look forward to vacation—a chance to unwind by the seaside, go camping, or explore new destinations after long hours of work and stress. However, family trips don’t always go as planned, and sometimes, they can be more exhausting than a day at the office. Here are 10 stories of family vacations that went completely wrong.

• My 8-month-old cried for what felt like the entire 10-hour flight. I gave him his bottle as soon as the wheels were off the ground, but he finished it while the plane was still ascending (even though I used the newborn teat for a slower flow).
  I tried giving him a pacifier, but he just wanted to play. The seatbelt sign was on almost the entire flight due to turbulence, which meant he was strapped to me or the airline's bassinet—and he hated it. All he wanted was to crawl, stand, and play.
  As we descended to land, he was crying (screaming) so much that he wouldn't take either a bottle or a pacifier. People were giving me death stares the whole flight, and the lady next to me had her head in her hands. I felt like screaming and crying myself. © beelabong24 / Reddit
• I rented a house with my in-laws, who believe parenting means never saying "no," feeding their kids sugar for breakfast, and expecting other parents to make their children play with their brat. They insisted on renting a house across a busy highway from the beach, even though we had small children to carry around, just because they wanted a "gourmet" kitchen.
  It turned out the house was built on a swamp, and we had to stay indoors to avoid being attacked by giant mosquitoes. They’re no longer invited on our family vacations. © Kalthia / Reddit

• I was tired and resting alone in the hotel room while the rest of my family went shopping. When they were on their way back, they got stuck in the elevator together.
  For some reason, no one realized the elevator wasn't working for hours, and their phones couldn’t get any signal inside.
  We were supposed to have dinner together after shopping, and I started wondering why they hadn't come back, especially since it was well past dinner time.
  After a few hours, I figured out the hotel elevator had broken down. Unfortunately, the hotel manager informed me that the technicians had already left for the night with the emergency key. We had to call the Fire Service to open the elevator and rescue them all. © Saeed Shoummo / Quora
• My dad is not an inexperienced traveler—he's been all over the world—but he's getting on in years. A few years ago, he and I traveled to China together because my mom didn’t want to go.
  Every time we walked into a new hotel room, he’d immediately ask me where the lights were and how the toilet worked. I’d patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) remind him that I had never been in this room, either. Looking back, it’s kind of cute, and despite those little moments, we had a great time. © Chemical_Egg_2761 / Reddit

• My mother must have been around 70 at the time. It wasn’t her first time on a plane, but it was her first time flying overseas. We were sitting across the aisle from each other on a red-eye from Logan to Heathrow.
  A couple of hours after takeoff, she suddenly woke me up in a panic, insisting that I needed to talk to the pilot because we were going the wrong way! She had somehow convinced herself that the sunrise she was seeing meant our plane had caught up with the sun, so obviously, the pilot must have flown west instead of east.
  It took quite a bit of explaining (and even getting a flight attendant to confirm we were on the right path) before she finally believed me. © plotinus99 / Reddit
• My wife is from Miami, and I’m from Alaska. We actually met in college in Australia. She had traveled before, but mostly to tropical places and the southern U.S.
  One year, in May, she came with me to Alaska to meet my family. Thinking it would be warm since it was almost summer, she packed only flip-flops and sandals. Well, it ended up snowing 24 inches while we were there!
  Turns out, she had never even owned a pair of closed-toe shoes—except for heels and a single pair of running shoes from her high school track meets. We had to make a quick Goodwill run for a coat and borrow my sister’s boots for the week. © BeefosaurusRekt / Reddit

• I was spending a summer in Europe when I met up with my mom in Italy. She likes her coffee with cream—American style—and when we were at a café, she tried ordering exactly that: “coffee with cream.” The waiter asked, “With milk?” and my mom replied, “No, cream.” He looked a little confused but didn’t ask any more questions.
  I tried explaining to her that in Europe, coffee is typically served with milk, but before I could finish, the waiter returned with a coffee topped with a generous swirl of whipped cream. She stared at it for about two minutes before attempting to stir the cream in. After that, she stuck with milk. © lumnicence2 / Reddit
• Hopetown Harbor in the Bahamas was absolutely gorgeous—a serene setting with great food and friendly people. But my father, for reasons I’ll never understand, got bored and decided to start a fight with my long-suffering mother.
  His goal seemed to be creating an excuse to cut the vacation short. It was frustrating, infuriating, and completely disgraceful behavior. I’ll never forget it. © Rip Christman / Quora

• When I was 11, my mom, dad, little brother, and I went camping in Yellowstone. We really had it rough (sarcasm)—we had a truck with a camper. The only thing it lacked was a bathroom.
  On our first morning there, I went outside to use the restroom. When I came back in, I casually told my brother that I saw bear tracks. I was bluffing (or so I thought)—I hadn’t looked for any tracks. Then my dad went outside and came back saying, “There ARE bear tracks out there!” That creeped me out real fast! © Sandy Johnson / Quora
• We went on a trip to Spain and drove through France. Since it was late, we stopped in a small town in France to ask for directions to a motel. My mother’s boyfriend took the lead and confidently walked straight into a bar—despite not speaking a word of French.
  He swung the door open, coughed loudly to get everyone’s attention, and then boldly yelled, “Vous le vouz coucher avec moi?” which, of course, means “Do you want to sleep with me?” The whole bar erupted in laughter. My mother, however, did not find it amusing, especially since she was fluent in French and had to go up to the bartender, red-faced, to ask for directions. © Darielos / Reddit

Vacations promise relaxation and adventure, but sometimes, they deliver the unexpected—turning dream trips into unforgettable disasters. Uncover more failed vacation stories here.