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• A few years ago, my family took a wonderful beach vacation to Florida.
• Accommodations, food, and attractions add up quickly for a family of 6, and we spent so much money.
• These days, we opt to stay closer to home and take budget-friendly day trips instead.

Three years ago was the last time my family of six went on a traditional family vacation.

It was a trip to Miramar Beach, Florida, and we made some really lovely memories together. I still remember eating seafood and ice cream, playing putt-putt, and spending our days playing in the ocean. Our accommodation was perfect for our family: close to the beach and easy to swing in for bathroom and snack breaks. We took loads of photos, and we returned home tan from the Florida sun.

Then, it was back to the grind, but with what felt like next-to-nothing in my bank account. This is when we realized we could either go into significant debt to take a yearly or even every-other-year family vacation, or we could choose to stop vacationing far from home. Now, we prioritize day trips.

Vacationing has become too expensive

The cost of that trip to Florida, even with free flights after years of saving up airline points, was astronomical to us.

For starters, my family wants comfortable accommodations, especially while we’re vacationing. For us, that means enough bedrooms and bathrooms. Nobody wants to spend their vacation almost on top of each other. For us, a rental home works best.

We also need a rental vehicle that not only seats all of us, but also holds all our luggage, too. That’s a tall order.

Then there’s the food. Even though we chose to eat most of our meals and snacks in our rental home, the food costs quickly added up. Two of my kids were teens who can eat adult portions. When we ate out, even without ordering appetizers, drinks (besides water), or desserts, every meal was over $100, and usually closer to $150.

Staying local gives us a new appreciation for where we live

We live near St. Louis, where there are plenty of museums, restaurants, sports events, and entertainment venues. Instead of blowing thousands of dollars on a week at Miramar, we schedule multiple/a few mini day-trips for our crew throughout the year/summer

Whether we are trying a new restaurant (especially for brunch, which is the kids’ favorite) or strolling through an art museum or the zoo (both of which are free in St. Louis), our family can experience memorable, cultural, and culinary expenses close-to-home.

It’s also easy to take local attractions for granted. When you live close to a major city, you simply forget that there are incredible opportunities for family fun right in your backyard.

St. Louis is known for The Hill, an area laden with Italian restaurants. The Botanical Garden is in the heart of an eclectic area of the city with loads of coffee shops and niche, small restaurants. Of course, there’s the Arch, Cardinals and Blues games, the National Museum of Transportation, The Magic House children’s museum, and so much more.

A day trip is a lot easier to coordinate

Planning any trip is stressful and time-consuming, but those concerns are much less when we’re just going within a few hours of where we live.

There’s no packing, airplane rides, rental cars, special gear, or dog sitters to coordinate. And anything that can limit the stress in our lives is something I’m game for.

Sometimes we stay overnight, but not for long

When we do crave a few days away, we’ve opted to keep it low-key. Once, we rented a charming St. Louis storefront that had been renovated into a giant living space, complete with a ballroom (yes, a ballroom), for just a few hundred dollars for three days. While there, we visited local bookstores, enjoyed tacos, browsed the infamous graffiti walls, and went to The City Museum—a mecca of chaos and curiosity for kids of all ages.

We’re sticking to the plan for now

Yes, our kids sometimes complain when they know friends are going on “big” vacations. However, we balance the craving for travel with multiple, short day trips. Some of our kids also get to travel with their extracurricular sports, letting them have their own trips without carting the entire family along.

I’m not saying we’ll never take a big vacation to a beach or another state again, but for now, this plan works for us and our budget.

• As someone born and raised here, I’ve traveled all over Scotland.
• I always tell first-time visitors to pack a waterproof, windproof coat, plus comfortable shoes.
• Physical cash is important, too — generally, both Scottish and English bills are accepted here.

Figuring out the best things to pack for Scotland can be a little bit tricky for a couple of reasons.

To start with, it’s not one-size-fits-all: A trip to a city like Edinburgh or Glasgow will be a completely different experience from one to the rugged mountains and glens of the Highlands. Plus, it’s not uncommon to experience all four seasons in just one day (or even in one hour!).

I was born and raised in Scotland and have traveled the country extensively, so I know exactly which items visitors should pack for different destinations and ever-changing weather.

Here are my recommendations for what to bring on a trip across the country — from physical cash to bug spray.

A waterproof, windproof coat is a necessity.

Scotland’s landscapes are so lush in large part thanks to the year-round rain, but it’s important to choose your coat wisely so that you can enjoy the beautiful scenery without getting soggy.

Scotland can also be windy — particularly on the coast and in the mountains — so rather than bringing a thin waterproof shell, it’s best to opt for a coat that also functions as a windbreaker.

In colder weather, my go-to waterproof coat is one with padded insulation. If the weather forecast looks particularly wet, I’d also suggest bringing a pair of waterproof pants.

During warmer seasons, I usually opt for a lighter waterproof coat, which features a thin lining to help block the wind.

You should prioritize durable shoes — even in cities.

Sandals and heels might be a decent footwear choice for a lot of cities, but in Edinburgh, you’ll want something a bit sturdier.

Edinburgh’s Old Town is partly paved with cobblestones, and there are hills and staircases across the whole city — all of which warrant a durable walking shoe.

If you’re stepping into nature, worn-in hiking shoes or boots are essential. Scotland’s peaks, glens, and lochs look gorgeous, but paths are often fairly rugged even in the most popular places — such as Loch Ness and Arthur’s Seat.

The frequent rain also means that trails can get muddy quickly, so walking boots are your best bet for staying dry, safe, and comfortable.

It’s best to have some physical money on you at all times.

The vast majority of places in Scotland accept credit cards and contactless payments, but if you’re exploring somewhere that’s a bit more remote — such as small towns in the Highlands and Islands — then you can’t always rely on it.

It’s best to have a little bit of physical money on you in case you come across a cash-only shop or restaurant, and there isn’t a cash machine nearby (some smaller villages don’t have one).

Both Scottish and English banknotes, or bills, are generally accepted here.

I always recommend bringing a reusable water bottle.

Scottish tap water is not only completely safe to drink, but also absolutely delicious.

I recommend skipping bottled water and bringing a reusable bottle instead. There are even free “Top Up Taps” throughout the country, making it easy to refill your bottle whenever you need.

You likely won’t regret packing a warm hat.

Autumn and winter are the coldest seasons in Scotland, but temperatures can stay surprisingly low well into spring. Even in the warmer months, the wind can sometimes be biting up in the Highlands and down by the sea.

Unless the forecast is very hot for your entire trip, I’d suggest bringing a warm beanie hat. If you’re traveling during the winter, I’d also add a scarf and gloves to your packing list, too.

Sunglasses might not seem essential, but Scotland can get gloriously sunny sometimes.

Even though Scotland is famously rainy, the weather is very changeable, and the sun actually comes out fairly often.

To avoid being unprepared on a sunny day, make sure you’ve got sunglasses and sunscreen at the ready. (Even if the weather does turn out to be overcast for your entire trip, at least sunglasses don’t take up much suitcase space!)

If you’re going to spend time in nature in the summer, pack bug spray.

Midges can be a nuisance in certain parts of Scotland in summer. The tiny flies aren’t dangerous, but their bites are very itchy. They can usually be found around lochs and in forests, and they’re most active at dawn and dusk.

Thankfully, there are a couple of ways to keep midges away: long sleeves and bug spray. One of my favorite repellents is Smidge, a powerful spray that was developed here in Scotland.

• Ubisoft Entertainment cofounder Claude Guillemot has died at 69.
• French authorities said Guillemot was involved in a fatal plane crash.
• Ubisoft is behind popular video game franchises like “Assassin’s Creed” and “Just Dance.”

A cofounder of the video game giant Ubisoft, the publisher behind “Assassin’s Creed” and “Just Dance,” has died at 69.

A Ubisoft Entertainment spokesperson told Bloomberg in a statement that Claude Guillemot died in a plane accident.

“Ubisoft was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Claude Guillemot, cofounder of the group and chairman of Guillemot Corp., in an accident,” the statement said. “Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time. No further statements will be made at this time.”

French media reported that a Cessna plane carrying Guillemot and another passenger crashed in a field on Friday evening, ahead of its intended destination in western France.

Guillemot cofounded Ubisoft alongside his four brothers in 1986 to create and sell video games worldwide. In addition to “Assassin’s Creed” and “Just Dance,” Ubisoft is also behind “Rayman,” “Star Wars: Outlaw,” “Rainbow Six Siege,” and “Far Cry.”

The company, now led by CEO Yves Guillemot, one of the founding brothers, became one of the biggest video game publishers over the last four decades and continues to expand. Ubisoft has recently also leaned into TV, film, books, music, and in-real-life experiences with VR systems.

• Figma CEO Dylan Field sees AI as a creative ally, not a threat, for graphic designers.
• Field encourages designers to push creative boundaries beyond AI’s “average” design capabilities.
• AI-generated graphic design means creative careers will become more generalist, he said.

That AI slop can’t hurt you, according to Figma’s top executive.

Figma CEO and cofounder Dylan Field said creative people — like the graphic designers who use his company’s tools — should find the AI era “a great time to be creative.”

AI models, he said, are trained on the “distribution of data” and typically create designs that people recognize as “average.”

Humans, on the other hand, can make something that hasn’t been seen before, Field told The New York Times’ “Hard Fork” podcast.

“If you’re in distribution, and you’re not actually pushing the bounds, I think that you’re in a worse shape than if you’re actually going and exploring the frontier of human knowledge, creativity, and what you can put out in the world,” Field said. “And making something that’s fundamentally new as an expression of yourself. So I get excited about that.”

Field made the remarks at a San Francisco event hosted by the podcast last week. A video of the interview was posted online on Friday.

Figma has released its own AI “vibe design” tools that allow users to mock up apps and other software. It’s faced competition from other tech companies, like Google, which has Stitch, and Anthropic, which has Claude Design.

Field said that the flood of AI-generated designs in marketing, in particular, should be pushing companies to make work that’s more original.

“In advertising now, we’re seeing ways to prove authenticity, to prove that you are actually making something that is not generated by AI, and some companies are really going for that,” Field said. “In the world of design, I think that what we’re going to see and what we are starting to see is a lot more interactivity, a lot more creativity, people really making software more of a creative medium.”

The CEO also waved away the notion that AI would create a job apocalypse for graphic designers. Jobs will become more generalist rather than specialized, he said.

“A lot of people that are doing other jobs, I think, will start calling themselves ‘designers-creatives,” Field said. “I think in general, we’re seeing more of this kind of generalist vibe that people are feeling like they have to embody.”

• A key Google DeepMind engineer is leaving for Anthropic.
• He’s the latest Silicon Valley name to join the AI giant.
• John Jumper won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work with Google’s AlphaFold technology.

John Jumper, a chemist and computer scientist who once won a Nobel Prize alongside Demis Hassabis, announced Friday he is leaving Google DeepMind to join Anthropic.

He’s the latest Silicon Valley name to jump ship for the AI startup darling. Jumper worked at Google for nearly a decade.

“The entire GDM team taught me so much about how to do great science,” he wrote in an X post on Friday. “GDM is a special place, and I’ll still be excited to hear about what amazing things they discover next.”

Jumper is best known for spearheading Google’s AlphaFold team, an AI system that predicts a protein’s 3D structure from its amino acid sequence.

The AI-powered technology was a major breakthrough in medical and biological research, enabling scientists to understand protein design in greater detail. Now offering over 200 million protein structure predictions, it’s a resource that cuts months and even years from the research process.

Hassabis, the cofounder and CEO of DeepMind, said that Jumper’s work with Alphafold will have a lasting legacy.

“What we achieved with AlphaFold changed the world, and showed the field what was possible with AI for science and medicine, lighting the way for how AI can benefit humanity,” he wrote.

Hassabis and Jumper shared the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work developing AlphaFold.

Jumper’s exit to Anthropic coincides with a series of tech leaders at companies like Google and Meta leaving for the big AI startups. Firms like Anthropic and OpenAI are the hottest tech job around — especially as both prepare for an initial public offering.

Jumper did not say what his role will be at the AI giant. First, he said, he will be “taking some time to recharge.”

• Bo Pettersson runs his socials with the help of his daughter, Emily.
• Emily suffered a brain injury playing soccer, which changed both their lives.
• Their content helps support treatments for Emily’s injury.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Bo and Emily Petterson, of Dad Advice From Bo. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Parents aren’t supposed to have a favorite child, but there’s no secret that Emily has always been mine. She’s the second youngest of my six children. She’s been the boss of our household since she was 3. She was the type of child who you’d look at and think, “This kid is going places.”

Emily got a scholarship to college. Then, in 2009, she was playing soccer when she and another player both jumped to head the ball and collided. From that moment, Emily’s life changed forever.

At the time, my wife and I had a “shake it off” mentality. No one was talking about concussions back then.

We were horrified as we slowly watched Emily’s life fall apart. Today, Emily describes her injury as being seasick 24/7. When Emily has a bad spell, she stays near the toilet, vomiting for days. There’s nothing I can do except hold her.

I never wanted to be a TikTok star

In the years since Emily’s injury, her world got smaller and smaller. First, she lost control of her body, then she lost her friends, her social life, and her ability to work. By 2020, she’d also lost hope. Emily was severely depressed, and her mother and I were worried.

Emily had mentioned making videos with me, but I had always brushed her off. I’m not the type of person who wants to put himself out there. I didn’t even know what TikTok was at the time. But I could see that Emily was desperate to have something positive in her life. So, one day when she asked, I reluctantly agreed.

Emily prompted me to give Dad advice. I thought about the things my own father had taught me and settled on a simple tip: how to back up a trailer. Emily posted the video, and the next day we were amazed by how many people had seen it. As we made more videos, I could see that our channel was pulling Emily out of the depths of despair.

I enjoy hearing about the real impact my advice has

Usually, our videos are based on something I’m already doing around our home and land. I’m shy, so I try not to think about the fact that millions of people watch me — I just speak like I’m talking to my own kids.

I love seeing the comments and messages our audience sends. One woman messaged to say that when her dishwasher sprang a leak, her husband was running around trying to figure out how to turn off the water. The woman remembered I’d posted about just that, and she saved the day.

Another time, I encouraged viewers to pick up the phone and call their fathers. I’d be thinking about my own dad, and the conversations we’d had during his final years. A bit later, a viewer messaged us to say that she had reconnected with her estranged father because of that video.

The channel has helped Emily access treatment and community

A good dad is always there for his family, but he’s not perfect. I’ve always been clear about that with my kids, and I make a point of saying it on social media. I make mistakes. As a parent, you’re going to mess up millions of times. The best you can do is always try to make the next right decision.

I made a mistake with how I initially responded to Emily’s injury. But deciding to get onto social media with her was definitely the right decision. We have so much fun together making videos. We often laugh until we’re on our knees. It’s been amazing to have this much time with my daughter.

It’s also helped Emily directly. When we started, she didn’t know anyone else with a traumatic brain injury. Now, she has a network. Because of funds and connections on social media, Emily has had access to new treatments. We started making content because we were desperate. Now, because of everything that content has given us, we have hope.