Adventures in the Bay Area

For most families here in Los Gatos, summer vacation provides opportunities to go on fun and exciting trips. I know so many people whose summers are spent in places like Hawaii and Europe. But for a lot of people, including my family, the summer is spent here at home.

For my family, exotic vacations are completely out of the budget. Not only that, my parents and younger brother don't enjoy traveling. It drives me crazy when my friends talk to me about how they are spending three weeks in France, while I am stuck at home trying to find something remotely interesting to do. The same cycle happens year after year, but this year something changed.

This summer, my family has decided to take day trips and explore different parts of where we live. When I first heard this idea, I thought that it seemed boring. I mean, besides the beach and San Francisco, there isn't much to do up here, right? Wrong!

Last week we went on our first adventure. My family woke me up at 5 a.m. to drive up to Yosemite for the day. I'm not really an outdoor person, but it was more fun than I expected. We got to the park around 10 a.m., and we spent the day hiking and enjoying the park's beauty.

We are now planning more trips, including San Francisco and Big Sur. And of course, we will be looking at colleges, too. I am surprised at how much there is to do. Although Hawaii would be fun, I am fine with spending my time here at home. Day trips aren't as big of a commitment, and I still have time to hang out with my friends when they are home.

Just like every other summer, I am not going on any fun vacations this year. But exploring the area around me is a lot better than just staying in town and not going anywhere at all. I might not be going to Europe, but that doesn't mean that I'm not having fun. I can't wait for wherever we are going next!