Based on this article: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/m-blazoned/vacation-or-trip-a-helpful-guide-for-parents_b_7789310.html
All my preferred vacations are "trips". We ALWAYS want a kitchen. I ADORE being in a tent. And things like aquariums and battlefields- sign me up. So I guess I don't do vacations.
Even without kids.
I'm confused what a vacation would be. Lots of "trips" were described, but the only vacation mentioned was Tropical resort, all inclusive, kids programs. That sounds awful. Most resorts are cookie cutter and could be placed anywhere in the world with good weather. AI means $$$$ on things I'm unlikely to use. I'd like kid programs, but if I'm not working I want to spend some time with my kid- daycare sees her more than I do.
So, to offer one example, my basic version of a (kid-free) beach vacation goes -- drive to beach. Stay in beach house. Only goals for the week are (a) spend some time on beach; (b) make a batch of brownies at some point; (c) sleep in; (d) spend one day (likely determined in part by the weather) lying on the couch and reading a book. Typically also includes long walks -- say 2 hours, r/t -- at night on the beach.
Family trip to the beach is -- drive to beach. Stay in beach house. Perpetual enforcement of rules about whether TV, etc., is on or off (in fairness, this is partly because DH does not care and thus will allow DS to have screen time, whereas I am a fan of limits. But if it were just me, there would simply be no TV at all during the week we are at the beach. Or tablet. Or smartphone. Or anything.). But not to worry, because if kid is awake, and he is awake ~7 a.m. to ~9 p.m., he wants to be on the beach, and more to the point, in the ocean. And he is only just getting to an age (tween) where I might consider letting him go into the ocean by himself. But probably, I will go in there with him, and he will happily spend 3 hours or more swimming in the waves. In the morning. And then want to do it again in the afternoon (DH will come in with us once over the course of the week, just so he can say he did so. He does not like to swim in the ocean). And quite possibly the early evening (probably only 2 hours then). Every single day for a week. And he will be talking to me the entire time we are in there. Which, don't get me wrong, is delightful. But exhausting. If we are not in the ocean, he wants to be building stuff out of sand, and yes, he will do this by himself, some. But he is social and wants us to participate (yes, this would be easier if there were a sibling -- it is easier when there are cousins present -- but there's no sibling and not all such trips include cousins). And if we are not building sandcastles or swimming in the beach, then he wants to play mini-golf. Or play monopoly. Which requires a partner, aka, parent (see: no sibling). Or watch TV. Or throw a football on the beach (again, requires 2 people. One might be DH.). Or I might -- might -- be able to talk DS into going for a ~30 minute walk, but not the kind of walk I'd take on my own. And I can leave him and DH in the house and go out by myself for those long night walks if I want to (but who would have the energy after that day?).
And you know what? It is delightful. Heck, we were on the beach this winter in ~36 degree weather with a driving wind when not another soul was in sight (because who the heck would want to be on the beach in those conditions? DS), and he dug us ditches, so that we could lie in them and be out of the wind. Which worked, and was interesting, and a good experience, and fun in a larger parenting sense. But not a vacation, if the goal of a vacation is to relax and get some rest.
So -- kid: trip (for one thing, if I cannot sleep as late as I want? Trip, not vacation). I like trips, but trips are not vacations.