Dining out on vacation is one of its greatest joys. You arrive in a new town to experience all its sights and activities. But you are still going to need a few meals a day. Where to have them is one of the primary questions of a holiday away from home.

Each of us considers vacation in different ways. That means that we’ll all have different views of how important those meals are too. Is dining out during your vacation a top priority? Do you plan your meals around activities, or do you plan your activities around meals? Do you consider going out to dinner an activity of its own? There’s no right way to do it. A talk with your travel partners to work out mealtime priority is about the only thing you might want to work out.

Then there’s the matter of pricey versus affordable. Do you have the means to dine at top notch hotel restaurants morning, noon, and night? If so, you’re off the hook for quite a lot of decision making. If you that’s not you, then you have to decide where you’ll eat with some prudence. We wouldn’t rule out the finer dining though. After all, you’re on vacation! It is rare to encounter a location without a mix of dining options. Spreading your meals across a variety of price ranges usually works well.

Then, of course, comes the terribly important issue of deciding if you’ll eat on a schedule or just wait until you’re hungry. Yes, we’re be facetious about its importance. But still, if you strike up an agreement with those you are traveling with, you’ll do much better. You certainly don’t want hangry travel companions or cranky children. You might know already who is going to get hungry first. Letting that person decide isn’t a bad idea.

We’re in the vacation rental industry here and so we like the idea of having kitchens in our units. Having the ability to prepare and serve meals where you are staying can be a great convenience. It’s not a bad idea for those days when you don’t feel so energetic, if the budget is low, or when you are as red as a lobster from yesterday’s trip to the beach. Large vacation groups love having kitchens. If budget or convenience are things on your mind for meals, then ask for units with kitchens next time you book your accommodations.

We called our local Chamber of Commerce and, sure enough, they had a link to a page that showed all the restaurants in our area. That’s a great source of information no matter where you take your vacation. Add the local chamber to your list of resources and you’ll probably do better than a random online search.

Regardless of all the considerations above, dining out is a lot of fun. It’s part of what makes a vacation special. Many memories of trips away from home include that special restaurant where you enjoyed your time. It rarely includes a memory of exactly what you ate. Instead, it holds the atmosphere, the view, and the company you kept, and that’s how it should be.

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