We've taken some wonderful family vacations and some not so wonderful family vacations. I always try to figure out exactly what the formula is for success so I can replicate it, but I can't seem to. I think it's just a matter of timing and who is in what phase at what time, and how everybody's personality is meshed together. But there is something special about getting out of your home setting and putting your kids in a different environment - the swimming pool, the beach, Disney World - whatever it is that separates that from home, does make for some great memories. I would say if you can, either hire a sitter for a couple of hours or bring their grandparents, have some way to get a little distance because it's very different than at home when they can go to their rooms and have some alone time. You never have down time when you travel with your kids and you're all piled into a hotel room alone. And it can get pretty intense. So just have some way of getting your grounding and having some space, because otherwise, it is not a vacation for you.