Do you see the world?

When I was a kid, we didn't have the devices available today and so when my parents had to travel somewhere in the care we just stared out the windows. We nicknamed my dad "Old Eagle Eye" because he was always the first one to spot a deer or elk or bird so we'd have our eyes stuck on the road (and beyond) hoping to see something before he did. As we got older and moved from the wild North to the Vancouver area we looked out the window to see where we were going to and became very familiar with the streets. Each of us kids are great navigators and know the area extremely well. Our skills have also translated well when travelling as I can't tell you how many times I landed in a town, got into a rental car and arrived at my destination with relative ease (some preliminary research was done in advance of course). Nowadays I am amazed at the number of people who've spend many years here, but don't know their way around, and rely heavily on their GPS device. 

But that's not what  wanted to talk about. I was curious about your opinion of vacations - when I go somewhere new, I still like to look out the window and see all that I can see. It's a new place, I want to drink it all in. But if you've been in the car with a 90's or 2000's kid they are glued to their phone or game and never look out the window. In fact half the time they have no idea where they are, and when quizzed, they have absolutely no idea where they are. Sometimes they're only a few miles from their home. When I've asked them was city/town/municipality they are in, they couldn't even name that. 

A friend of mine just returned from a tropical vacation and mentioned several co-travellers sat by the pool or on the beach and read a book. And that's what tweaked my brain - when you travel would you just want to sit there and read? I know you can't walk and explore everyday  and I too have sat on the beach and read (and people watched) but when I like to go away I like to see as much of it as I can. I want to take walks or excursions and see as much as I can. And I'd much rather sit and look at the ocean because I'm not going to see that view again for a while. I don't want to sit by a pool because I can sit by a pool at home. I'm not criticizing others, it's just my different opinion. And I'm curious to hear what others think.

So. How do you like to travel? Are you a beach sitter or an explorer? Do you vacation to see the world or to get a break from it?