Funny Vacation Stories

About PYV Network

Most families have at least one funny vacation story that has been told with relish at family gatherings.  If you would like to share your story with us, we'll be glad to post it for others to read.  Click here to submit your funny vacation story.

Bearly Hungry (by Winnie Williams)
Our family's anticipation of an awe-inspiring vacation in the Smoky Mountains with my brother's family was an annual event. His family, including their three young children plus our three children encountered an unexpected event as we entered the National Park seeking a just right picnic spot.  Prior to entering the superb mountains, surrounded by their succulent foliage and gigantic trees, we had succumbed to the Golden Arches for burgers, fries and shakes with the understanding that we would have a picnic lunch at a suitable spot in the park regardless of the children's plea for just one fry.

With every child's eye looking for any spot for our picnic we finally spied an out- of-the-way roadside park minus picnic tables. Nevertheless, with starving children we would make do. These were the days before SUV's destined the family station wagons to the graveyard so we lowered the tailgate of our station wagon for use as a table. Our youngest son, Wyatt, informed me of mother nature's call so I suggested he "just run down into the woods behind one of the trees". The other children drooled with anticipation as the stimulating aroma from the burgers penetrated the area.. Only a few moments later, Wyatt returned running up the hill shouting, "Mom, there is a bear down there".  "Oh, Wyatt", I responded, "You know that is not true."  I thought he was trying to frighten the other children so I responded, "You just go right back down there." "But Mom," he said, "There really is a bear down there in the woods and I'm afraid".

Suddenly out of the dense forest came an enormous black bear with his nose lifted high following the aroma of our burgers.  Though my back was to the approaching bear I knew from the screams of the children that we were about to be invaded and possibly lose our food and encounter danger by this unwelcome picnic guest.  I just could not surrender these 10 burgers and fries to a hungry bear so in the midst of the shouts from the adults for the children to get in the cars, I wrapped my arms around most of the food on the tailgate, attempted to jump in the back of the station wagon while my husband assisted by closing the tailgate on me, thrusting me into the car. The window of the tailgate failed to rise to the top so the bear stuck his nose right in the opening of the window as I held forcefully to the food. As the children screamed, frightened that the bear might somehow get in the car, my husband started the car and drove from the roadside park.  As I sat paralyzed, covered with burgers, shakes and fries, I felt glad that we were safe, still had our burgers and yet a little sad that we had not left just one burger for the hungry and disappointed bear.  Our next stop was at a real restroom with a door.