The Birth of the "DayCation"

Rachael Burnett
Jul 18
2 min read

A Journey to the Black Hills

In early 2022, the members asked me, “Could we do something big with Simple Life?”I responded, “What do you mean?”They said they wanted to go somewhere cool.“Where?” I asked.

Suddenly, ideas were flying everywhere: Disney World! Chicago! The beach! Florida! New York! Texas!Then someone said, “The Black Hills—I’ve never been there.”

That’s when the wheels started turning.Could we really go?HECK YES—we can do this!

Planning the Dream

But with big dreams come big questions:

How long should the trip be?
Do we stay overnight? Can we really do this in just one day?
How do we travel?

We have three large passenger vans, and technically, everyone would fit. But is it safe for staff to drive that far? That’s a long haul—and the day would be full of activities. The liability, the exhaustion—it didn’t feel right.

And then there’s food. Could we make it work by eating out once, then packing breakfast, sack lunches, snacks, and water?It sounded realistic. Challenging, but doable.

By now, I was completely hooked on the idea.Not just a trip, but a vacation—packed into a 24-hour window to give our members an experience they might never otherwise have.

And just like that, the “DayCation” was born.

Making It Happen

Then came the biggest question of all: How will we pay for this?As Sheri always says, “The answer is always no unless you ask.”So—ask she did!

We reached out to friends, family, business acquaintances, and local partners.And guess what?We made it happen.

The DayCation: Black Hills Bound

On September 20, 2022, we boarded the Windstar Charter Bus and rolled out of Sioux City at 6:00 AM—off to the Black Hills!

Our first stop was Al’s Oasis for lunch. Then it was back on the road to Mount Rushmore.

As we drove closer, one member said, “I really thought it would be bigger.”I smiled and encouraged him, “Just wait—when we get closer, it’ll be better.”

And sure enough, when we stepped off the bus, he looked up and said,“You were right. It is huge!”That moment—his wonder, his joy—I’ll never forget it. It still makes me smile.

Another moment that stuck with me was when one of our members told me she hadn’t left Sioux City in six years. That nearly broke my heart—and reaffirmed that this is something we need to do every year.