Why do they call it a vacation?

The American vacation was born—quite literally. The scions of New York City took to declaring that they would “vacate” their city homes for their lakeside summer retreats, and the term “vacation” replaced the British “holiday” in common parlance.



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Vacation comes from the French vacances (in French the word is always plural) whereas British English uses a word that derives from Holy Day. Americans use “holiday” to mean an officially recognized day of significance, whether religious or not: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Independence Day (!!), etc.

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And yet, as early as the 1660s, some Americans were traveling for relaxation, often heading to spas and mineral springs. Among those taking the waters in Virginia a century later was George Washington.

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It wasn't until after the Civil War that wealthy and middle-class families began to vacation. Prior to the 1950's, if family vacations were taken, they were usually spent seeking spiritual or healthful experiences like church retreats or a stay at a sanitarium, which in those days was somewhat like a spa resort.

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So what's the fundamental difference between a trip and vacation? The difference is your expectation. Trips are something that you do and it often has a purpose. On the other hand, vacations are about the experience.

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The Difference between Holiday and Vacation – Meanings
The term 'holiday' can be used both as singular and plural (holidays), for example, 'Christmas is a public holiday in our country. ' At the same time, 'vacation' is an American English word that means a long time off from work (be it school or work).

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It was common to travel to the islands of Lesbos, Rhodes, and Chios, and the islands of Ionia. Greek cities in Asia Minor and important settlements such as Athens were also popular tourist destinations. Roman tourists were attracted to sites such as the Colossus of Rhodes and Satyr of Protogenes.

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New York City, New York More than 50 million visitors travel to New York City every year making it the number one tourist destination in the USA.

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