Nontraditional Vacations

Farmers markets? Been there, done that. Take your commitment to eating local up a notch, and spend your next vacation on a farm:

A number of small farms in New York State are offering “haycations.” For about the price of a nice hotel room in Manhattan, you can stay on a farm and even perform some farming duties.

That’s the Village Voice’s Fork in the Road blog, summarizing a longer article in the New York Times. Here’s a peek at what your accomodations might look like:

If farm chores aren’t your idea of a great escape, here are some other non-traditional trips my friends have taken:

• Cedar Creek Tree House – Stay in a tree house! My friends Molly and Colin did this and had a grand time. If you’re not big on heights, may I recommend a yurt vacation? I remember a colleague of mine booking a couple nights in a yurt overlooking the San Francisco Bay after a conference we attended in San Fran – the perfect antidote to being “on” and “corporate” for 5 days straight. Plus, it’s just fun to say: “Yurt.”
• Cross-Cultural Solutions – A guide to international volunteer opportunities. Why spend your vacation volunteering? My friend Christa explains her reasons (she’s done it twice) here.
• It’s a Creekmore World – My friend Trisha Creekmore and her husband, David, travel the world with their two daughters, and chronicle their experiences on this blog. Recent trips include Old City Jerusalem and Yucatan, Mexico. In addition to offering non-traditional ideas for family travel, the site and related Facebook page show you how two working adults with school-age children are able to fit so much family travel into their lives.

What’s the most unusual trip you’ve ever taken – either a quick getaway or a longer excursion?