Where D.C. goes on vacation

Many who live and work in the D.C. area have trouble getting away from the important decisions that happen in our nation’s capital.

George and Trish Vradenburg, D.C. philanthropists who founded and co-chaired the Alzheimer’s Association’s National Alzheimer’s Gala, know how to vacation but still get the job done, as do Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and his wife, Debbie.

Every Christmas, the Vradenburgs join their children and their families who live in Chicago and Los Angeles to vacation together. They go to Anguilla in the Caribbean over the holidays, and Miami so “the kids coming from LA won’t have such a tough flight back,” Trish Vradenburg said.

The couple used to travel to Hawaii, but Trish Vradenburg called it “one long trek.” The family has also been to Thailand, and frequently will visit Disneyland.

“I love it there,” she said. “I always say to the kids, come on, just one more time to go!”

But, her most “outstanding, life-affirming and Darwinian vacation experience” was an African safari.

“You’re five feet away from lions and their pride — I can’t wait to take my grandchildren when they’re old enough,” she said.

According to Trish Vradenburg, it takes about three days of vacation to leave work life behind.

“I always joke the only thing George failed at is retirement,” she said.

To the Vradenburgs, getting away means feeding your soul and getting refreshed. “We usually spend a day to come down from the vacation and get back to getting up early,” Trish Vradenburg said. “It’s just wonderful to clear your head and the rest of your body.”

As far as the economy hindering some Americans from vacationing, she feels that “everyone at every economic level sort of knows they need a little time for themselves.”

“Hope is in the air now,” Trish Vradenburg continued. She recalled a trip to Cuba her husband made with the Council on Foreign Relations. “It was so different then, people weren’t really traveling like that,” she said. “We recently we went back and it was very crowded — it showed me the economy seems to be on the mend.”

Debbie Dingell, wife of the Dean of the House, goes home to Michigan weekly but spends a lot of the summer on the state’s Mackinac Island.

“There really is nothing like a Michigan summer,” she said. “The August cloudless nights, they’re just simply beautiful.”

Debbie Dingell said, however, her ultimate vacation is to sit on their porch reading a book.

“We’re not good at getting away, so this is why Mackinac is perfect for us,” she said. “John will sit on the porch in his rocking chair and we see people we know passing by.”

Before they know it, the Dingells have visitors pulling up rocking chairs to talk business and ideas with the congressman.

Debbie Dingell calls Michigan an affordable getaway that is completely drivable with natural lakes, golf courses and bed and breakfasts.