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Show en Family Tirips: Suitcase Packed With Memories BY KATHRYN STRAACH DALLAS MORNING NEWS. More than a decade ago, my husband,two sons andI set out on ourfirst family vacation. + We drove to Houston and Gal- “ Veston for a few days in August. ''Travel before that particular trip consisted of visiting parents \ @f meeting up with relatives at a condo onthe beach. This was our first vacation as a ‘foursome to a destination where ‘mo one beyond the desk clerk ‘knew our names. ~*' We spent a day at AstroWorld ‘mow Six Flags AstroWorld), visit‘ed the Johnson Space Center back When admission wasstill free, and relaxed at the Hotel Galvez in Galveston. I clutched my children’s hands as we splashed out into the surf ‘across from thehotel. ' Now, as myolder son prepares ‘to go awayto college in the fall, I struggle not to hold onto mychil- dren’s handseven tighter. Instead, I leaf through the phealbums at our vast array of ifamily escapades, wondering if Wacationing as a foursomeis ni ihe an end. tal We have traveled fairly often "Since thatfirst vacation, from Dis- tbeyland to Disney World and {points in between. We've been to waii, St. Kitts and Puerto Va- , Mexico. Last year, we finally took “Mom's field trip” to Washing} ton, D.C., so they could seeall that oe important in the nation's capiI. *: As we drove from theairport to ie hetel, my 16-year-old son fasked, “Remind me again why we're here.” mall atall). Buying a pair of the real things for each of the boys would have been much cheaper than paying the price for the pair of knockoffs when you figure in air fare, ac- commodations and meals. But who — notcounting Visa — can put a price tag on a family yacation? The memoriesof quality time togetherarepriceless. But those priceless times get harder and harder to schedule. The kids’schooloffersa full week off from academicsin thefall, but students participating in athietics and ether extracurricular activities still have commitments during that week. No vacation then. ‘We can't go anywherethe first was as much a part of education as sitting in a classroom. And we did get an education of sorts, one my family still remem- bers with a few chuckles when we get together. In addition to learning about finger bowls, ordering room service and cutting up our chicken with a knife and fork, we also learned childish pranks such as pushing all the elevator buttons before making a hasty exit — exactly the sort of behavior I shudder at now. Mybrother missed out ona visit to Six Flags in Arlington during its opening season whenhe threw water ballocns out a Fort Worth hotel window. His little sister — ball season, and the jast Part of summeris no “summer” at all anymore. Schoolstarts the first that would be me — just had to stick her head out to see if the missiles had hit anyone. Moments later, the hotel doorman was week of August. knocking on our door. part of summer because of base- Christmas vacations mean church ski trips with peers, and my younger son already has informed us he plans to join the church youth group next spring break on a mission trip to Mexico. When’s a family to schedule a vacation anymore? And after son No. 1 goes away to college in a few short months, vacations for him then will be- cometime spentvisiting the parents, When I was growing up, my family didn’t really take vacations, but my father had a business convention each spring. Families were encouraged to tag along. Women andchildren each had full agendas of organized ac- tivities. Missing a few days of school was easier then. One principal even told my motherthat travel But mybrother wasn’t the only one admonished for tossing items below. An Austin policeman fran- Clothes Call tically blew a whistle at my moth- er who pulled weeds outofa flower box —- absentmindediy throwing them downto thestreet — during a reception on 2 baleony of the Driskill hotel. She was quite the gardener. We still grimace at the thought Cupecoy Beach, known forits spectacular rock formations, is one of 36 beacheson the FrenchDutch isiandof St. Martin. Qn the far endof this beach, clothing is optional, makingit less of a worry if you left your swimsuit back at the room. of the bucketloads of sea crea- tures I smuggled into the bathtub at the Galvez when I was a kid. No wonderthe hotel has hadto renovate so many times. Theonly real family vacation I remember from my childhood was a trip to the Texas coast. It rained. A lot. And I have nothing but wonderful memories of that trip. Mazein Hawaii Has Visitors Walking in Circles wa. Hawaii, recently opened the BYLARRY BLEIBERG DALLAS MORNING NEWS Hawaii's newest attraction has visitors walking in circles — and paying for the privilege. The Dole Pineapple Plantation in Wahia- world’s largest maze. The creation on the island of Oahu covers 2 acres, and has a twisting, curving path covering 1.7 miles. It’s built from 11,400 Hawaiian plants, including hibis- cus, heliconia, joyweed, panax and piumeria. Those who reach the centerof the mazewill discoyer a pineapple-shaped garden. The maze has been recognized by the Guinness Book of Records. Maze admission is $4.50 for adults, $2.50 for children. Information: (808) 621-8408. ;_: Maybe someday, if and when he has kids of his own, he’!l realize ‘why. {.; No doubt about it. Teen-agers rare a harder seil than younger lehildren. They want to be with Kids their own age, and they want ‘Most Faraz Require 21 Soy Advance Purchase tite be “doing,” such as skiing or Penorkeling or rock climbing, in- 27040 own 923.20 NEW i (Stead of simply “‘seeing.” wes| And they like tooeaL much ‘iter er than Mom and Dad. we The highlight of the Washingr¥én, D.C., trip — for them — was 'pying “Jokeley’'s,” knockoffs of AT $29” WE'RE HALF THE COST OF MOST TRAVEL CLUBS. “a'popular sunshade, from a shady vstreet vendor on the Mall (which MYERS......386.40 LAUDERDALE....363.20 SAN 418.40 SIOUX rthey didn’t consider much of a SSS ROCK.......270.40 WASHINGTON ‘WEST PALM BCH WORLDWIDE. 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