Would you rather? travel or own a lakeside cottage

[nzwasp]

This is more of a question for people with kids but I would like anyones input.

Would you rather own a cottage or condo near/on a lake in BC or wherever, or use travel with your kids?

[R-Audi]

May be bias since I grew up with a vacation condo on a lake, but i wouldnt trade that for anything. Plus you can use it year round!

[cet]

I think a lot of people's opinions are going to depend on what they did growing up. I grew up travelling to a different place every year, so I would rather travel.

[nzwasp]

I'll be interested to see the peoples opinions who did neither thing growing up such as myself. I was envious of people who had a cottage by the sea or lake and I only got to go on one overseas trip when I was 13. Although I lived in NZ growing up not Canada. Maybe parents take their kids on more trips in Canada.

Also it would be ideal to have both but people with kids probably realise it costs close to 10k to take a family of 4 to some other country (not US) for a vacation.

[A790]

Used to hit the cottage every summer with my Dad. Always had a good time.

BUT, I greatly prefer travel. The cottage is a nice destination, but there's nothing like stepping off the airplane to warm carribean air...

[Tik-Tok]

Just talking about this with the wife. I asked her if she'd rather have a 4 week time-share in Maui (our favorite place to relax), or a nice acreage within 6 hours of Calgary that we could build a cottage on.

We both agreed the land would be better, as said above, year round usage.

[Lex350]

Originally posted by A790
Used to hit the cottage every summer with my Dad. Always had a good time.

BUT, I greatly prefer travel. The cottage is a nice destination, but there's nothing like stepping off the airplane to warm carribean air...


This. I think when you have young children a cabin is nicer but as they get older and more mobile travel is the way to go. There is just so much to see and do out there.

[sputnik]

I would prefer a lakeside cottage.

Being in Winnipeg there are tons of lakes and cottages within a 90 minute drive. Not sure I would want one in BC if I lived in Calgary. Kind of a PITA driving 4-6 hours just to get away for a weekend.

That said I would need to own the land right down to the shoreline (so I could build a private dock) on a heavily treed lot and I wouldn't want to be any closer than at least 100 feet from my neighbours.

[nzwasp]

Originally posted by sputnik
I would prefer a lakeside cottage.

Being in Winnipeg there are tons of lakes and cottages within a 90 minute drive. Not sure I would want one in BC if I lived in Calgary. Kind of a PITA driving 4-6 hours just to get away for a weekend.

That said I would need to own the land right down to the shoreline (so I could build a private dock) on a heavily treed lot and I wouldn't want to be any closer than at least 100 feet from my neighbors.

Well it could be in Alberta but the scenery is much nicer in BC than AB. I've seen the lakes east of Alberta and there's hardly any trees it all just prairies

[austic]

I would rather travel. I can see the appeal to a lake cabin but I love scuba diving so I need to take off to the ocean a few times a year.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by cet
I think a lot of people's opinions are going to depend on what they did growing up. I grew up travelling to a different place every year, so I would rather travel.

Correct on this. I always travelled so it'll be travelling for me.

My only recollection of cottages when I was a kid were from fairy tale stories. :rofl:

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

My parents bought a place on the Shuswap when I was 11, I liked it but never got out more than once or twice a year because it was quite far away, now that I'm older me and my friends go in the summer for long weekends and its awesome, and now that my parents are older they are more into traveling so they want to pass it on to me. And I'm sure when I'm older I will want to travel more than stay at the same place.

[ercchry]

i did both. cottage is the best... IF.... you can make it work. for me a cottage only works well if you can be out there every weekend, or can live there for the entire summer.

i still make sure i get out to ours every year, but we have a place out east so its tough. our lake is one of those places where it gets passed down generation to generation. my mom grew up on the lake, all her friends had kids around the same time. then we grew up on the lake. to this day i dont have closer friends than i do up there. when we were younger we would spend ALL summer up there. grandparents took care of the kid watching. parents came up for 3 weeks each summer. but thats cause its not close for us.

the other kids' parents would either be teachers, able to work from anywhere with the odd meeting back in T.O. or they would swap off. one would work, the other would hang at the lake. it was rare that there would be weekend only type people.

[CSMRX7]

I grew up doing road trips with my parents, and travelled quite a bit before I got married. My wifes family has a cabin, and it is great. I am a bit tired of traveling and having a comfortable place to go year around is great. When we have kids it will be even better I am sure. My wife wants to travel still, but all I want to do is go to the cabin. I only wish it were a bit closer. It is 5 hours away, so you do need a long weekend to go. Kinda hard to go Friday after work and come back Sunday.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by nzwasp
Well it could be in Alberta but the scenery is much nicer in BC than AB. I've seen the lakes east of Alberta and there's hardly any trees it all just prairies

There are no decent lakes in southern Alberta.

Sylvan, Gull and Pigeon are all crazy. Lots are tiny, trees are sparse and the lakes are filled with boats driven by people with more money than brains. Gull is particularily annoying because the lake is so shallow. Makes any powered watersports a bit difficult because sandbars are everywhere.

Little Bow and McGregor are nicer lakes however they also lack trees and the lots are TINY. I also really don't like the common right-of-way between the cottages and the lakefront. You look out of your lakefront cottage and just see people wandering around the entire time. There is no privacy at all. It is more like a suburb on a natural lake.

The other thing about Manitoba is that you don't need to be a millionaire to own a really nice lakefront cottage.

[taemo]

this will vary person to person with no right or wrong but
personally for me though I don't consider the mountains, lake, cottage, prairies as a vacation having lived 90% of my life around it.
so for me to relax and not get bored, I have to go somewhere totally different than it, sand, beaches, sun, etc.

although I have nothing against a lakeside cottage and it's nice to go to one maybe once or twice a year.

[SJW]

I have a lakeside cottage but it's 10 hours away and I only go once per summer. So I guess im on the fence.

[ercchry]

for being calgary based i would say cranbrook area would be best. not too far, great lakes/golf for summer. in the winter you have kimberly or fernie not too far away. close to the states too :dunno:

[R-Audi]

A big thing to keep in mind is how many times you see yourself using the cabin/condo. Depending on the drive you can get out every weekend in the summer and the odd one in the winter... where as vacation you would get a week or two every year? Also just because you have the cabin/condo doesnt mean you cant rent it out for a week or two and go on another vacation.

[eblend]

Travel. World is too big and interesting to be holed up in the same place year after year. With a cottage you have to maintain, pay taxes, electricity ext for a place you visit a few times a year at most. Seems hardly worth it. We used to have a country house in Russia and I loved staying there during the summer but that is because travel was not really an option, at least not out of the motherland haha

[ExtraSlow]

Distance would be a decidding factor for me. Sure, BC has a lot of great lakes, and once you are there, there's not mucht that can beat it. However, if it's a 10 hour drive each way, how often are you really going to use it? How much is it costing you per visit?

For that kind of money, you can rent nearly anything, and come out dollars ahead.

[Redlyne_mr2]

Travel for sure. We have a lakeside cabin and although my parents are always out there I barely go. I hate being tied down to just one place. Life is too short to waste it sitting around at the same place every holiday.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
Travel for sure. We have a lakeside cabin and although my parents are always out there I barely go.

You can't really add input to this since you already have a cabin. You are bored of one and now want the other too.

Would you be willing to give up your cabin completely?


Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
I hate being tied down to just one place. Life is too short to waste it sitting around at the same place every holiday.

It all depends on your definition of a vacation and relaxation.

For me I find going from airport to airport and from hotel to hotel to be pretty stressful. I am not a fan of hotels and get pretty tired of eating at restaurants day after day.

Usually when I go on longer trips I need a day or two off just to be able to relax after.

So the idea of going to a cabin after a hard day at work, grabbing a beer from the fridge, building a fire and staring at the lake as the sun goes down sounds like an ideal weekend for me.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by sputnik


It all depends on your definition of a vacation and relaxation.

For me I find going from airport to airport and from hotel to hotel to be pretty stressful. I am not a fan of hotels and get pretty tired of eating at restaurants day after day.

Usually when I go on longer trips I need a day or two off just to be able to relax after.

So the idea of going to a cabin after a hard day at work, grabbing a beer from the fridge, building a fire and staring at the lake as the sun goes down sounds like an ideal weekend for me.

:werd:

why the hell would you want to travel during cottage season anyway?! save that shit for the long ass winter.

also for me its more about the people you share the experiences with rather than the destination. with a property like this you build relationships with others on the lake, there is nothing like it with random destination travel.

[msommers]

6 hours driving to BC or 6 hours flying to...well what's reachable in 6 hours of flying from Calgary? A lot. I can see the appeal of the cottage because it's exactly as Sputnik described, sometimes it's nice to sit and really do nothing. But depending on where you're looking, a cottage is a significant cost and it's almost like you force yourself to go out there knowing how much it cost you, so you better make it worthwhile. Maybe not others but that's kind of how'd I'd feel.

Whenever I have a family, I'll be taking them travelling around the world and camping/hiking trips during the summer. That could include renting a cabin for a weekend, which is a good compromise.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by msommers


Whenever I have a family, I'll be taking them travelling around the world and camping/hiking trips during the summer. That could include renting a cabin for a weekend, which is a good compromise.

i'd say a comparable if you cant afford both would be camping with a permanent site. we also use to camp a lot and i was always jealous of my buddy that had a site out on koocanusa, boat, dirtbike, fireworks... go out whenever. no setup.

camping for a weekend was alway. rush from school/work friday. get to site in the dark. setup trailer blindly... spend saturday morning fixing everything you fucked up friday in the dark... enjoy saturday afternoon and night... pack everything up sunday after waking up from a hangover/late night... rush home... pulling a trailer hoping that the truck and/or trailer dont blow up coming through the mountains...

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by R-Audi
A big thing to keep in mind is how many times you see yourself using the cabin/condo. Depending on the drive you can get out every weekend in the summer and the odd one in the winter... where as vacation you would get a week or two every year? Also just because you have the cabin/condo doesnt mean you cant rent it out for a week or two and go on another vacation.


Originally posted by taemo
this will vary person to person with no right or wrong but
personally for me though I don't consider the mountains, lake, cottage, prairies as a vacation having lived 90% of my life around it.
so for me to relax and not get bored, I have to go somewhere totally different than it, sand, beaches, sun, etc.

although I have nothing against a lakeside cottage and it's nice to go to one maybe once or twice a year.


Originally posted by eblend
Travel. World is too big and interesting to be holed up in the same place year after year. With a cottage you have to maintain, pay taxes, electricity ext for a place you visit a few times a year at most. Seems hardly worth it. We used to have a country house in Russia and I loved staying there during the summer but that is because travel was not really an option, at least not out of the motherland haha

All of this. Plus, unless you are in BC, a cottage on the lake is really only useful 6 months out of the year IMO.

Travel. Travel lots. There are SO many places to see, pictures and books don't do them justice.

[asp integra]

travel gets boring

i would much rather have a cottage on the lake, nothing better than a lake house!

[davidI]

I am one of the biggest advocates of travel you'll ever meet.

That said, from the kids perspective, I think it would make sense to invest in a cottage to enjoy with your family until your children are in their late teens. Honestly, when you travel with kids, neither you nor the kids are going to be doing the things you want to do but rather finding the happy medium family compromise. Plus, it costs a lot for kids to travel and they probably won't remember or appreciate much of it until they're in their mid-teens anyway.

If I ever have kids I'd plan to invest in a cottage for 15-20 years, and try to make the most of family time there with grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Then, I'd look to sell the cottage (which hopefully appreciated and became a decent investment in that period), give my kids some backpacking money for their gap year, and go off on trips with the wife once there are no little ones to worry about.

If there are certain trips or adventures you don't think you'll be able to handle when you're older then ditch the kids on to someone for a week or two and go enjoy them with your wife. Your kids probably won't be able to handle them either so I don't think it should be seen as a limiting factor anyways.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by HiTempguy1
All of this. Plus, unless you are in BC, a cottage on the lake is really only useful 6 months out of the year IMO.

Really?

- Skiing (Alpine and XC)
- Snowboarding
- Snowmobiling
- Ice Fishing
- Snowshoeing
- Tobaganning

Not to mention that a cottage in the winter can be a great place to spend Christmas/NYE and get away from the insanity in the city.

[lasimmon]

I have been priviledlged enough to do lots of traveling while young and my parents owned a lake house.

I would take the cottage any day. Water sports, winter sports, hanging with friends etc etc. Travaling is good and all but if you chat with anyone under 18 they would likely rather be with friends then parents.

[woodywoodford]

Easy question... give me the lakefront cabin in the rocky's somewhere and a good crowd to bring out anyday. Bonus points if I can land a float plane up front and not even have to drive there.

Travel would be nice and all, but this is just a priority for me.

[woodywoodford]

Originally posted by HiTempguy1
Plus, unless you are in BC, a cottage on the lake is really only useful 6 months out of the year IMO.


I disagree completely. Have you seen how beautiful the mountains are in the winter? I can't think of any place I'd rather be over christmas than at a cabin with the fire going with my family/friends. Cabin's are like a home without the stresses of work, travel you're living out of hotels.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by woodywoodford
Bonus points if I can land a float plane up front and not even have to drive there.

i miss the float plane days... my grandpa and his buddy use to have one when they were younger. use to fly out to georgian bay for fish and chips for everyone. then flying back with steaming hot food that fog up all the windows :rofl:

[89coupe]

Travel

I'm from BC so I visit every year, two weeks is plenty.

Now if you said Ocean front property in Hawaii, then I would probably choose that over travel.

I love Hawaii.

I think it all depends on what you enjoy.

[yellowsnow]

My in laws have a cottage in windemere right by the lake. They've had it for over 10 years, and built it himself.

One thing that is an issue is they have a LOT of break ins. The entire neighbourhood is like that. No one is there most of the year, and it's a free for all. So nothing valuable is there.

Like someone else said, if I plan to have kids, I might consider buying a cottage by a lake for cheap vacations, but I would be worried about it all the time since it's mostly vacant.

[milesmcewing]

My wife and I went through this years ago......

We ended up buying a house on the lake in Chaparral in Calgary.
No travelling, extra furniture, insurance etc.

When you go to work you go out the front door, when you go out the back you are on holidays!

We kept a canoe on the dock - and in the winter we would have skating parties from dock to dock.

It was a great year round solution for us.

It gave us the best of both worlds and we could still travel wherever we wanted without feeling like we were not getting the value from the 'cottage'

Cheers
Miles

[Kavy]

I would take the cottage because if I ever got bored of it I could sell it and travel.......Is this a trick question?

[clem24]

Originally posted by davidI
That said, from the kids perspective, I think it would make sense to invest in a cottage to enjoy with your family until your children are in their late teens. Honestly, when you travel with kids, neither you nor the kids are going to be doing the things you want to do but rather finding the happy medium family compromise. Plus, it costs a lot for kids to travel and they probably won't remember or appreciate much of it until they're in their mid-teens anyway.

Congratulations on knowing what it means to compromise. Since you don't have kids, how do you even know what it's like to travel with kids? And do you really think that traveling parents are only doing it for their kids? So basically as a parent, we shouldn't be traveling because our kids won't remember it, and they won't appreciate it and therefore we shouldn't travel even if a.) we want to and b.) are more than capable?

I am sorry dude.. I love traveling. I made a decision to have kids. All that means is that I travel with them and make it work somehow. Done.

BTW just to add to the discussion, for me, I would hate being tied down to a "cabin by the lake" or any cabin for that matter. AB is beautiful but the prospect of staying the province (or even the country) is just so... bo-bo-boring to me. If I wanted a cabin, I'd just rent for a weekend. I'll rent for a weekend every year if that's what my kids want. I'll be out a few hundred without year, without any guilt or obligation to go visit the cabin as often as possible as msommers puts it.

But having said that, I am with 89coupe.. Hawaiian "cabin"? Hell yeah!!! :D

[Kritafo]

cottage, as long as it's not on leased land. lol.

I grew up doing both. We had a cottage that had been in the family for years. We went up whenever, and if our cousins were there it just meant more fun. It was a decent size place, we always had a blast. We used it summer and winter. Didn't matter, never slowed us down from travelling because our families shared the expenses on the cottage.

[davidI]

Originally posted by clem24


Congratulations on knowing what it means to compromise. Since you don't have kids, how do you even know what it's like to travel with kids? And do you really think that traveling parents are only doing it for their kids? So basically as a parent, we shouldn't be traveling because our kids won't remember it, and they won't appreciate it and therefore we shouldn't travel even if a.) we want to and b.) are more than capable?

I've done numerous trips with my younger cousins and know exactly what it's like to travel with kids. We all have a good time, but the young ones are not doing everything they'd want to do and I'm not doing everything I'd want, so of course it's a compromise. I'll end up going back to all of the same places I've been with my cousins again on my own so I can experience it again my way. I've also traveled long enough to see what most families are like on airplanes, in airports, at restaurants and at attractions - not my cup of tea.

It's fine if you want to travel with kids just because you can, but what are you really accomplishing if they won't remember it and they're limiting what you can do? I guess if you're the type that wants fun photos of baby Cindy on the Dumbo ride to show all of your friends then that's why you want to travel. In that case, go for it.

I also remember what it was like to travel as a kid myself (well, not really, but that's sort of the point). My grandparents also had a cabin in Windermere and I remember a lot of the amazing family times there and think it was an invaluable part of my growing up.

My suggestion is not travel over cabin or cabin over travel, it's to do both. :dunno:

[nzwasp]

I'd be interested to know of the people that said yes to travelling - if they had kids and knew the expense i.e 10 - 15k for a 2 week vacation to asia/europe if they would still travel that much. I dont think we will buy a cottage, or atleast not until we have alot more equity in our current house, that being said until the kids are back at school and we dont have to pay $1200 a month for child care I find it hard to think we would be saving the same amount to dedicate just for one trip per year somewhere with the kid/s.

[whiskas]

If you have crotch droppings then you pretty much forfeit travelling.

[msommers]

My family didn't have much money when I was growing up but we still went on the odd vacation. Disneyland when I was 4 and later in grade 2, east coast Canada when I was in grade 5, mexico grade 6. Obviously I don't remember everything when I was 4 but even my parents were shocked when I said some things about it.

It would be great to have a cottage/piece of land passed down through generations. But that doesn't seem to be the situation here, it's one or the other.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by clem24

So basically as a parent, we shouldn't be traveling because our kids won't remember it, and they won't appreciate it and therefore we shouldn't travel even if a.) we want to and b.) are more than capable?

correct, leave the kids at home. they have no need to go anywhere. it just pisses off others on the plane. every time i fly i get closer and closer to just snapping on a god damn child that cant keep their dirty little paws off of my chair. like, why the fuck does this kid that is sitting behind me have to stand on their seat and fucking touch my head?! does it have a mental illness? or is this really what kids find entertaining?!

and the crying! and random loud shrieks! do they just need to make sure every 15min that their voices still work? wtf... :banghead:

[davidI]

Originally posted by ercchry


correct, leave the kids at home. they have no need to go anywhere. it just pisses off others on the plane. every time i fly i get closer and closer to just snapping on a god damn child that cant keep their dirty little paws off of my chair. like, why the fuck does this kid that is sitting behind me have to stand on their seat and fucking touch my head?! does it have a mental illness? or is this really what kids find entertaining?!

and the crying! and random loud shrieks! do they just need to make sure every 15min that their voices still work? wtf... :banghead:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I nominate this for post of the year!

[nzwasp]

I have to take my 4 month old back home to NZ for 2 weeks in late march. The flight is 14 hours - I used to hate kids that screamed and cried on flights that long and now Im gonna be the one with the kid - its going to suck pretty bad.

Ive never heard of a kid touching my head on a plane though unless I was asleep and didn't notice. Do you have hair - perhaps <if bald> they were fascinated.

Its the kicking of my god damn chair that I don't like - if my kid kicks the chair infront (when they are older) shes gonna get told off. So many parents with kids who kick just sit their laughing away.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by ercchry


correct, leave the kids at home. they have no need to go anywhere. it just pisses off others on the plane. every time i fly i get closer and closer to just snapping on a god damn child that cant keep their dirty little paws off of my chair. like, why the fuck does this kid that is sitting behind me have to stand on their seat and fucking touch my head?! does it have a mental illness? or is this really what kids find entertaining?!

and the crying! and random loud shrieks! do they just need to make sure every 15min that their voices still work? wtf... :banghead:

Chances are they will turn out to be just like you.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by msommers
It would be great to have a cottage/piece of land passed down through generations. But that doesn't seem to be the situation here, it's one or the other.

Sounds like a good idea, but can be a logistical nightmare if all of your kids have kids of their own. It is usually better just to sell the cabin and let one family buy the others out.

Once you reach a fourth generation you will most likely end up with too many people to be able to share the cabin without it feeling like a family owned rental.

The nice thing about cabins is the ability to just drive up on the weekend with nothing more than some perishable groceries and some clean clothes and knowing that the cabin is well stocked with staples in the pantry, clean linens in the closet and just as clean as it was when you left the weekend before. You can't really have this when you are sharing the cabin with 3-4 other family units who have been using it for the entire month before you have a chance to use it.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by nzwasp


Ive never heard of a kid touching my head on a plane though unless I was asleep and didn't notice. Do you have hair - perhaps &lt;if bald&gt; they were fascinated.

nope, full head of hair (for now :finger crossed: )

for a while i thought it was a fly... but nope, then the kid was hanging out in the iles and i was sleeping... it then touched my arm (though it was the food cart) ... its like every time i tired to sleep it would wake me up.


Originally posted by sputnik


Chances are they will turn out to be just like you.

nah, im pretty unique :D

when i was young... we drove places. probably not till grade 4 that we started to fly. at that age you know how to act in public... well, back then you did... kids now? probably not.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by sputnik


Sounds like a good idea, but can be a logistical nightmare if all of your kids have kids of their own. It is usually better just to sell the cabin and let one family buy the others out.

Once you reach a fourth generation you will most likely end up with too many people to be able to share the cabin without it feeling like a family owned rental.

i've seen it all when its come to the 3rd or 4th generation. really what it comes down to is how much the family can and is willing to invest in it.

worst case i saw:

family, two girls. both married with 2 kids each. the father died years ago, mother was still around.

mother died, left the place to the girls... one wanted to buy the other out. other didnt want to. they spent more time up there, did improvements, bought toys... lots of feuding. then finally the one sister needed money, bought them out. then years later they were doing good again and bought another place on the lake.

best?

3 kids, one makes it big in business, marrys a woman that comes from some serious money, they have a family ISLAND... yeah. whenever a kid gets married. they get to build a place of their own on the island :nut:

other 2, normal working class (teachers, upper management, etc) each have a family, one with two kids, one with 3. parents built a small place behind the main house for themselves. hardly come up cause of age. so the boys share a room, girls share a room. one room for guests, two rooms left... one being the parents room in the smaller place. they have crazy strict rules for splitting the bills and sharing stuff, when they can have friends up, etc... it works i guess :dunno:

for our place. i was the first born. when that happened my grandpa added a decent sized addition. after many years, we had 5 of us kids (brother and myself, 3 cousins) we all fit under the same roof. one family in the addition. grandparents and the other family in the old part.

it worked for a while. but then my uncle had a chance to buy the place next door, so he did... then he had a chance to buy the place 3 doors down... so he sold that one and bought the other... then the place next to that came up... so he bought it too... so yeah, probably like 14 bedrooms or so between all the places? :rofl:

[sputnik]

Originally posted by ercchry
3 kids, one makes it big in business, marrys a woman that comes from some serious money, they have a family ISLAND... yeah. whenever a kid gets married. they get to build a place of their own on the island :nut:

Islands are a dime a dozen out here. In fact they are actually pretty cheap because no one wants to spend the extra money it costs to get power for your cottage. Seems like a neat idea, but its kind of a PITA especially if the weather turns sour and you can't fly or boat back to the mainland for an extended period of time.

Also it costs a TON of money to get building materials and trades out there to actually build your place.

http://www.northwoodsrealtyltd.com/listing/sioux-narrows-snake-bay-island/

http://www.northwoodsrealtyltd.com/listing/17-5-acre-island/

[ercchry]

Originally posted by sputnik


Islands are a dime a dozen out here. In fact they are actually pretty cheap because no one wants to spend the extra money it costs to get power for your cottage. Seems like a neat idea, but its kind of a PITA especially if the weather turns sour and you can't fly or boat back to the mainland for an extended period of time.

Also it costs a TON of money to get building materials and trades out there to actually build your place./[/url]

see, we are boat access only on our lake anyway... so island or not its all the same. this place(s) is on one of the bigger lakes though (st.joe, or rosseau... cant remember)

but like i said, money isnt a worry in that situation :rofl: i think they dropped $100k just to carve steps from the boat house to the cottage into the canadian shield :nut:

and their boat houses? fuck, bigger than our cottage...

[clem24]

Originally posted by davidI
It's fine if you want to travel with kids just because you can, but what are you really accomplishing if they won't remember it and they're limiting what you can do? I guess if you're the type that wants fun photos of baby Cindy on the Dumbo ride to show all of your friends then that's why you want to travel. In that case, go for it.

Like I said.. I don't really care whether they remember or not. My point is, *I* want to travel. With my wife. No I am NOT about to ditch 3 kids under 5 with my parents for 2 weeks. So my point is, I am a parent, I want to travel. That's the path I chose. I just make it work.

And why would I want to show all my friends pics of my baby on the Dumbo ride? Seriously you're as ignorant as they come.

In any case erccrhy, yes I agree that I hate kids screaming as much as you do but sometimes there's just not much that can be done and I feel really bad for the parents who have to deal with it. We prepare as much as we can for our trips and our kids stay quiet during their flights. My 2 year old did start kicking the seat in front on our trip to Hawaii (like twice) and I immediately told her off and she stopped. Until they actually ban kids from flights, all I have to say is, too fucking bad. Really, why ban the families? Why not ban YOU?!

Really I think both of you just need to grow up a little.

[ercchry]

i think you fail to see that actually parenting your children is RARE, most parents dont give a shit what their kids are up to on flights.

but honestly? why not dump the kids with the grandparents? my parents dumped us at the lake all summer every year. they loved it. we loved it. parents got a break. win, win, win :dunno:

hell my grandparents came out during my 10th birthday to watch us when my parents went to china. did i feel resentment that i didnt get to go to china? hell no! what business does a 10 year old have in china? international trade relations? :nut:

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by ercchry

but honestly? why not dump the kids with the grandparents? my parents dumped us at the lake all summer every year. they loved it. we loved it. parents got a break. win, win, win :dunno:


If the grandparents are willing, this is perfectly legit. Kids don't give a crap about sightseeing when they are young.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by HiTempguy1


If the grandparents are willing, this is perfectly legit. Kids don't give a crap about sightseeing when they are young.

even when i was 16...

"you want to go out to the lake for the summer, or take a 2 week vacation with us"

hrm... share a hotel room with my parents for two weeks, with 0 freedom... or... two MONTHS at the lake chasing tail and "not" drinking ;)

:rofl: hard choice

[R-Audi]

Ha ha.. I've never thought of my families condo in Windermere as being tied down, if anything more of a positive experience.

We have gone up there for ~29 years and I still love it every time we go. I spent every summer up there from age 3-24 and I wouldnt change a thing. In fact I hope that I can afford to let my children have the same experiences! A summer filled with boating, hiking, swimming (Winter with skiiing/snowboarding, skating, tobogganing) boozing, ladies and lifelong friends. It was basically a whole other life for me!

It blows me away that anyone could see that in a negative way. Tied down?? ha ha. Maybe if outdoor activities arent your thing? Or you were never at your place long enough to make friends around you? Perhaps is funds are tight and you feel that you HAVE to spend time there? (As opposed to renting it out... or sharing it with another family)

Granted when we were young we didnt travel as much, (Started family trips when I was ~14) I certainly never saw that as a negative. Certainly hasnt stopped me from seeing the world either.

[davidI]

Originally posted by clem24


Like I said.. I don't really care whether they remember or not. My point is, *I* want to travel. With my wife. No I am NOT about to ditch 3 kids under 5 with my parents for 2 weeks. So my point is, I am a parent, I want to travel. That's the path I chose. I just make it work.

And why would I want to show all my friends pics of my baby on the Dumbo ride? Seriously you're as ignorant as they come.

In any case erccrhy, yes I agree that I hate kids screaming as much as you do but sometimes there's just not much that can be done and I feel really bad for the parents who have to deal with it. We prepare as much as we can for our trips and our kids stay quiet during their flights. My 2 year old did start kicking the seat in front on our trip to Hawaii (like twice) and I immediately told her off and she stopped. Until they actually ban kids from flights, all I have to say is, too fucking bad. Really, why ban the families? Why not ban YOU?!

Really I think both of you just need to grow up a little.

You sound like a really fun person. :rolleyes:

Happy you can make it work. Sounds like hell to me. As errchry is saying, just keep those monsters under control if you're not willing to leave them at home.

[asp integra]

theres no better sight in the world than waking up to this

http://sphotos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/225220_504142335482_6826_n.jpg

[A790]

Originally posted by asp integra
theres no better sight in the world than waking up to this

http://sphotos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/225220_504142335482_6826_n.jpg
I respectfully disagree:

http://i.imgur.com/O8gpIbx.png

[heavyfuel]

Given the responsibility of owning a beach side property, all the extra financial hassles, maintenance, yaddi yadda I'd much rather travel that way I can wake up to those beautiful views without the attachment and responsibility.

[clem24]

Originally posted by davidI


You sound like a really fun person. :rolleyes:


WTF? :banghead:

[sputnik]

Originally posted by A790

I respectfully disagree:

http://i.imgur.com/O8gpIbx.png

Looks nice...

Until of course the condo next to your unit gets rented out to 8 frat boys looking to drink themselves to death.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by A790

I respectfully disagree:


i as well... :poosie:

http://sphotos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207963_5648718637_279_n.jpg

[taemo]

^the problem though is that will be covered with snow and the lake frozen for a good third of the year, plus all the mosquitoes.

[ercchry]

mosquitoes are everywhere... so, mute point.

and yeah, people still go up in the winter. this year its actually been an issue since the ice bridge is just NOW frozen enough. so, open water for like 3/4 of the year.

winter includes but not limited to:

skating/hockey
snowmobiling
hunting
ice fishing
snowshoeing/x-country skiing
and giant middle of the bay bonfire parties

[sputnik]

Originally posted by taemo
^the problem though is that will be covered with snow and the lake frozen for a good third of the year, plus all the mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes are actually pretty rare around lakes. Especially in areas that are mountainous or Canadian Sheild where there aren't large stagnant bodies of water.

As for the winter. Some of us actually like winter sports and activities or even just sitting around a warm fireplace with a book and a beverage of choice.

[taemo]

^i like winter sports and the mountains as well however for an actual break, I'd rather be away in a totally different environment than where I live within a 500KM radius.

the pictures that asp and ercchry have posted were pictures of lakes in the spring/summer whereas A790 picture can be year-round, but that's a different topic.

regarding mosquitoes, true that there's less in the mountains but east AB in the prairies with stagnant water, I got bitten more in an hour than a week in the beach.

but I understand that everyone have different POV and definition of vacation.
maybe it might have been my childhood having lived in 3 different continents that makes me want to travel.

[ercchry]

ever be somewhere tropical during rainy season? :rofl:

also when you have an asset like a vacation property... you can rent it out... paying for your vacation elsewhere :eek:

[heavyfuel]

Originally posted by ercchry
ever be somewhere tropical during rainy season? :rofl:

also when you have an asset like a vacation property... you can rent it out... paying for your vacation elsewhere :eek:

Boy, you got the whole living off of other people thing down pretty good lol if I was ur tenant and I read this I'd go stay at a shelter if I had to just not to give you any money lol

[ercchry]

Originally posted by heavyfuel


Boy, you got the whole living off of other people thing down pretty good lol if I was ur tenant and I read this I'd go stay at a shelter if I had to just not to give you any money lol

yeah, you stick it to those assholes that buy appreciating assets! :rofl:

[taemo]

Originally posted by ercchry
ever be somewhere tropical during rainy season? :rofl:

also when you have an asset like a vacation property... you can rent it out... paying for your vacation elsewhere :eek:

yes I have, having lived in the Philippines for over 8 years.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by taemo


yes I have, having lived in the Philippines for over 8 years.

uh... and you are complaining about our mosquitoes? :rofl:

and for the record my family place is in the muskoka, primarily canadian shield around there

[A790]

Originally posted by ercchry


i as well... :poosie:

http://sphotos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207963_5648718637_279_n.jpg
Yea, that's nice.

Reminds me of my cottage I used to go to growing up in Parry Sound.

My family has cottages on lakefront Lake Eerie, near Port Stanley Ontario (which is about 40 mins from London). It's nice and all, but I'd rather hit a carribean destination at this point.

Lukewarm azure-blue water, all-inclusive amenities, excursions/activities, etc. Maybe this faze will pass, but right now I find myself dreaming of Cancun... lol


Originally posted by sputnik


Looks nice...

Until of course the condo next to your unit gets rented out to 8 frat boys looking to drink themselves to death.

Depends where you go. I've never had that issue before, but I also only stay at higher-end resorts that "frat boys" likely won't pay to stay at.

[taemo]

Originally posted by ercchry


uh... and you are complaining about our mosquitoes? :rofl:

and for the record my family place is in the muskoka, primarily canadian shield around there

uh... yes because every time I go there, I dont recall ever having problems with mosquitoes unlike here, even a 20min walk in Nose Hill park guarantees 1-2 bites.

[carguy]

Seeing the world really opens up your eyes, you get to experience different cultures, see different people live different lifestyles, taste different foods & those memories they stay with you forever, it becomes part of who you are & if not to that extent then at least it gives you a few more stories to share at the Christmas work parties or out at the bar with friends haha

A cottage would do the same in giving you memories for life, but the whole seeing something different and experiencing something new, that may not apply as much. It's more the familarity a place/escape for the family to come back to again and again.

Depends on what you value more, & yes I grew up during vacations doing road trips & travelling with my family, & I wouldn't give that up for anything. Good times...

[woodywoodford]

Screw culture, give me something like this as my back yard:
http://www.travelehome.com/files/images/pphoto_112935240910_Holiday_Condo_Rental.JPG

http://imagesus.homeaway.com/mda01/40d8d74a4028d646df9168e0ed92b76c83ad21a1

Let this be how I get there,
http://www.fortlangleyair.com/images/jsw_werner_friesen_cdq_at_hihium_lake.jpg

This as my afternoon,
https://www.rentalbug.com/public/assets/img/properties/9665.jpg

This as my evening,
http://imagesus.homeaway.com/mda01/28b112de-d54f-49e7-aa2e-d03216779905.1.12

And major bonus points if this is the view on the other side of the cottage
http://wfiles.brothersoft.com/l/l_s/lakefront-by-putong_193244-480x360.jpg

Travels great and I'd be lying if said I didn't have a strong desire to do that, but there's just no competition which of these I'd take :dunno:

[89coupe]

AB is a shit hole when it comes to lakes, other then the ice cold Mountain lakes bordering BC.

Plus, are you all retired millionaires? Are you planning to drive 5 hours every weekend to spend a couple days at your cabin?

What's the cost of a nice cabin on a lake property these days? $500k and up.

That's a lot of nice trips over a span of a lifetime.

I spend two weeks in BC every summer, end of July into the Aug long weekend. A family of 4 that is about as much time I have to enjoy for a summer vacation. The kids are pretty tuckered out after that and have had all the lake time they desired.

No worries about paying a 2nd mortgage, bills for maintenance & up keep. Just a nice summer vacation at the lake.

[ercchry]

EDIT:^^^ also $200k can get you onto our lake... $600k will get you a "nice" place

i've come to the realization that those who havent experienced actual cottage life... will never understand it. we have also never had to pick one or the other. summer=lake spring/fall=international travel, winter=mountains

[msommers]

That's great. But it's certainly not a luxury that everyone has.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by msommers
That's great. But it's certainly not a luxury that everyone has.

if you are in the market for a vacation property then it is a luxury you have. think of the property as a fixed cost, right? okay so then you want to travel... well, you have a property in a desirable location that people will pay to stay at... which could potentially fund a trip and since the property is a fixed cost if its used or not, any income the property brings in is now above and beyond your initial "r&r budget" and can fund more r&r

[89coupe]

Originally posted by ercchry
i've come to the realization that those who havent experienced actual cottage life... will never understand it. we have also never had to pick one or the other. summer=lake spring/fall=international travel, winter=mountains

Are you old and retired?

How often are you at your cottage?

Where is it located?

I was born and raised in a lake town, I have an understanding, lol.

[sputnik]

Me and my son...

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u6NHi696zb0/Tm-4ZoWCe4I/AAAAAAAAAZw/Tx7HCv3zk1c/s1600/_MG_8767.jpg

A perfect morning...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LqRQ1BhY4t8/Tm-4aMm324I/AAAAAAAAAZ0/CTSq_jHBvWs/s1600/_MG_8792.jpg

Going for a paddle after dinner...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k-uC68MQ-_I/Tm-4bsifm7I/AAAAAAAAAaA/EXbQgmRu-Lg/s1600/_MG_8945.jpg

Full disclosure. This is not my cottage (not trying to pretend to be a baller). Some friends of my mom graciously let us use it on an annual basis. However if I had the choice. I would take a cottage any day.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by 89coupe

Are you old and retired?

i think we know this answer...


Originally posted by 89coupe

How often are you at your cottage?

every summer. some years i'll head out for may long, then 3 weeks in late july/early aug... really depends on what work is up to. everyone but me made it out for thanksgiving this year too. i couldnt justify the flight.


Originally posted by 89coupe

Where is it located?


the muskoka


________


also there is no need to be old and retired to make it work... you just have to have the appropriate career. i know many people that make it work. teacher is the most realistic... but yeah. im pretty sure you already know the types that make it happen :bigpimp:

[89coupe]

Originally posted by ercchry


i think we know this answer...



every summer. some years i'll head out for may long, then 3 weeks in late july/early aug... really depends on what work is up to. everyone but me made it out for thanksgiving this year too. i couldnt justify the flight.



the muskoka


________


also there is no need to be old and retired to make it work... you just have to have the appropriate career. i know many people that make it work. teacher is the most realistic... but yeah. im pretty sure you already know the types that make it happen :bigpimp:


So you fly out to Ontario twice a year to spend a few weeks at a cabin? Which I'm assuming is your parents?

What is the cost for a return ticket from Calgary?

Do they live there year round or is this an investment property that they rent out?

[sputnik]

Lets be honest here for once.

Most people here didn't buy/build their own cottages. Their parents/grandparents did and have passed it down to them or let them use it.

Unless you live in Manitoba or NW Ontario owning a lakefront cottage on a decent sized lot is REALLY quite expensive. Even in Manitoba most lakefront cottages are starting at around $300k. The people my aged that now own cottages, many bought the land with some inheritance money or something and have been building it on their own to keep costs down.

[89coupe]

Originally posted by sputnik
Me and my son...

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u6NHi696zb0/Tm-4ZoWCe4I/AAAAAAAAAZw/Tx7HCv3zk1c/s1600/_MG_8767.jpg

A perfect morning...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LqRQ1BhY4t8/Tm-4aMm324I/AAAAAAAAAZ0/CTSq_jHBvWs/s1600/_MG_8792.jpg

Going for a paddle after dinner...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k-uC68MQ-_I/Tm-4bsifm7I/AAAAAAAAAaA/EXbQgmRu-Lg/s1600/_MG_8945.jpg

Full disclosure. This is not my cottage (not trying to pretend to be a baller). Some friends of my mom graciously let us use it on an annual basis. However if I had the choice. I would take a cottage any day.

Cute photo of you and your son, looks like a prairie slew? Is this in AB? Haha sorry, I'm not a fan of AB lakes.

[msommers]

Originally posted by ercchry


if you are in the market for a vacation property then it is a luxury you have. think of the property as a fixed cost, right? okay so then you want to travel... well, you have a property in a desirable location that people will pay to stay at... which could potentially fund a trip and since the property is a fixed cost if its used or not, any income the property brings in is now above and beyond your initial &quot;r&amp;r budget&quot; and can fund more r&amp;r

I can certainly appreciate and understand the value that an investment property brings. But it certainly takes a lot of money to start that up, plus having a house to live where you work.

But when you say stuff like this:


Originally posted by ercchry
we have also never had to pick one or the other. summer=lake spring/fall=international travel, winter=mountains

I'm not sure who you are referring to when you say "we." But it tells me there is a lot of money floating around, and/or you had alot of opportunities growing up. Which is awesome, I'm certianly envious of it. But that's what I'm talking about. That is a luxury that not everyone has.

Basically, if travelling later is something that you're wanting, then buying a property now makes sense to help fund that, provided you have the funds right now to make that work. But if you want to travel now and not bother with a vacation property, you have the opportunity to go, and have nothing to be concerned about when owning a secnd property.

Though the OP hasn't really said specifics, the jist I get out of it seems that it's a choice: would I rather spend $10,000/yr taking the family on a vacation/trip, or save up $20,000+ and get a cottage ($200K+) that can be visited a bunch of times over the spring/summer. Tough call especially with kids.

[89coupe]

Originally posted by sputnik
Lets be honest here for once.

Most people here didn't buy/build their own cottages. Their parents/grandparents did and have passed it down to them or let them use it.

Unless you live in Manitoba or NW Ontario owning a lakefront cottage on a decent sized lot is REALLY quite expensive. Even in Manitoba most lakefront cottages are starting at around $300k. Even for the people my aged that now own cottages, many bought the land with some inheritance money or something and have been building it on their own to keep costs down.

Exactly, my family lives in Creston BC, I go every summer to visit and have fun at the lake.

I wouldn't waste a dime trying to buy something though, haha.

Like I said, two weeks is plenty.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by 89coupe


Cute photo of you and your son, looks like a prairie slew? Is this in AB? Haha sorry, I'm not a fan of AB lakes.

It is a lake in the Whiteshell Provincial Park in Manitoba.

Not prairie at all. 100% Canadian Shield. The cottage is built on solid granite surrounded by pine and aspen trees.

My in-laws own a place on the lake at Little Bow. Not a fan of how crowded it is, but they really seem to like it there.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by 89coupe



So you fly out to Ontario twice a year to spend a few weeks at a cabin? Which I'm assuming is your parents?

What is the cost for a return ticket from Calgary?

Do they live there year round or is this an investment property that they rent out?

you havent read half this thread, have you?

yeah right now i dont get out there as much as i use to. when i was in school it use to be 2 full months. now with under 5 years into my career... yeah i have limited time off. this is the in between stage for me.

its technically still my grandparents. my grandfather built it himself back in the late 50s

my parents are probably going to buy them out this year. then i'll probably have a good 20-30 years before i have to worry about it/figure something out with my brother.

my uncle isnt a part of it anymore cause he bought two lots a couple doors down... cash. cause he balls, spends 3 months solid out there with the kids... every year. this is also my plan, i have at least 10 years left to achieve it... so far im on track

no one lives there year round from our family. we also dont rent anything out. kind of a perk of building the place in the 50s i guess :dunno:

we use to have snowmobiles and head up in the winter, but as my grandparents aged, those got sold.

my uncle has rented his places that he has owned in the mountains before. normally through the interwest programs... but he really doesnt have to... so he has stop renting out any places.

return to T.O. ranges greatly... $600-$1000? (taxes in) its justifiable over bus/driving due to time constraints though

[ercchry]

Originally posted by msommers



I'm not sure who you are referring to when you say &quot;we.&quot; But it tells me there is a lot of money floating around, and/or you had alot of opportunities growing up. Which is awesome, I'm certianly envious of it. But that's what I'm talking about. That is a luxury that not everyone has.

"we" would be the family. in comparison, i'd say not a "lot" of money. my grandparents were pretty working class, grandpa worked for hydro, grandma was a nurse. hell, my parents didnt even really get into their careers till they were almost 30! (my dad graduated from his undergrad the year i was born)

everything was just build slowly over time. grandparents would give us a birthday and x-mas present (combined gift) if a flight out east every year that they booked on points cause my grandpa traveled a lot for work. parents would take us on a trip every 2-3 years... :dunno:

just made it work i guess...

[89coupe]

Stop talking about your parents place or your grandparents place and look at it from the OP's view.

Own a cottage or travel.

Do you want to fork out hundreds of thousands up front to vacation at one place every year or travel different places every year with no up front costs?

[ercchry]

Originally posted by 89coupe
Stop talking about your parents place or your grandparents place and look at it from the OP's view.

Own a cottage or travel.

Do you want to fork out hundreds of thousands up front to vacation at one place every year or travel different places every year with no up front costs?

you are not even reading... this has all been discussed.

[R-Audi]

Originally posted by ercchry

I've come to the realization that those who havent experienced actual cottage life... will never understand it.


This.
None of my friends understand going up to a small town community and enjoying it. At the end of the day its either something you enjoy or something you dont enjoy.
All I know is that at the end of the day I hope to be able to provide the same cottage/condo experience growing up that my parents provided for me. Im also not saying I will never travel, as that is also an important life experience.

[ercchry]

this thread is making me want to get up there more this year. it would be awesome if we resurrected this bitch.

http://sphotos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207219_5648618637_8242_n.jpg

my one buddy built it in the spring one year when he was working up there in between school years. 4 months at the lake, working construction... i should have done that one year... kind of regret it. instead i got summer jobs in town :(

[dirtysamwich]

I've grown up travelling so I would definitely say that. I also have friend who's family owns a cabin out in Windermere which I've been lucky enough to be able to hit up at least once a year. It really comes down to your values as what I find enjoyable many others may think otherwise.

With the cabin/cottage no doubt is it relaxing and awesome but personally, that doesn't even measure up to all the amazing experiences I've had travelling. I've had the pleasure of experiencing so mang different cultures and lifestyles, different kinds of foods that you will never see or knew existed in North America, along with all the sightseeing and unforgettable memories that you form.

In all honesty, I believe this world has WAAAY too much to offer and see to be 'tied' down like others have said. Get out there and experience new things! It's not like you can't do all the fun outdoor activities on a different continent...

Just my 2cents

[Unknown303]

I think it has to do with where you are at in your life. If you're single or DINKs then you have greater ability to ship off to places and travel a lot easier. Once you have a kid or two then the cost and complexity of travelling internationally goes up.

Personally with starting a family I still want to travel internationally for a while. But my grandparents had a cottage when I was growing up and I loved going out to it every summer, but for some reason when my grandparents offered it up to my dad and his brothers they didn't want to keep it going and they ended up selling it. I want to bring back some of that tradition and hope to someday get one that I can share with the family and hopefully hand down to the next generation.

[lasimmon]

I'm not a fan of travelling.

I'm a fan of the cottage life.

Pretty easy to decide. My cabin is about 3 hours from Calgary. Not in the mountains. Wouldn't trade it for the world.