Photo by Bill Banaszewski.

It's summertime, and the livin' is -- well, not quite as easy as it used to be. Nowadays, most households need two jobs just to keep the wolf from the door. Gas prices got so crazy last year that now we think two bucks and change for a gallon is a bargain. Then there are the kids with soccer practice or music lessons. We're a much busier world than we used to be.

Well, it's time for you to kick back, relax and unwind with a good old-fashioned family vacation. Regardless of your budget or how much time you can take away from work and other commitments, there are plenty of options when it comes to picking a getaway.

Weekend destinations offering a change of scenery and change of pace are less than a two-hour drive from anywhere in Wisconsin. And if you have the time and the money, you can plan a longer trip, both in time and distance.

Here is a look at some vacation destinations offering a range of options, one of which could be the ticket for your family to chill out. Of course, this includes you, so there will be plenty of fishing involved!

MISSISSIPPI RIVER ADVENTURES
Wisconsin's "West Coast" offers dozens of family vacation opportunities, ranging from inexpensive camping trips in one of several state parks along the Mississippi River to a posh outing on a houseboat that rivals a classy resort for comfort. You can also rent bikes or bring your own to pedal the Great River Bike Trail that follows an abandoned railroad grade along the river.

Huck's Houseboat Vacations
If you have never spent a night on a houseboat, you owe it to yourself and your family to give this ultimate river adventure a try.

Several outfitters offer houseboat rentals, so you can make an overnight trip or spend a leisurely week or more motoring up and down the river. Sleep on the boat, or pull up on a sandbar, build a bonfire and pitch a tent.

I celebrated my birthday several years ago with my son Jon and some friends on a cruise with Huck's Houseboat Vacations in La Crosse County. Huck's boats are a far cry from the rickety raft with which his namesake plied the river in Mark Twain's adventure, but we all felt a little like the fictional Huck Finn as we navigated the wing dams, locks and buoys from La Crosse to Trempealeau and back. We stopped for lunch at the historic Trempealeau Hotel, then soaked in the hot tub on the upper deck as Huck himself steered us back downriver to La Crosse.

Huck's staff conducts on-water training for first-time houseboaters, then turns you loose to enjoy the river. Motor upriver or downriver, and stop at the waterfront towns of Winona, Fountain City, Trempealeau and Stoddard. You can stop to fish when the mood strikes you. Or, when safely anchored on a sandbar, you can slide down the onboard waterslide into the river to cool off on a hot summer day.

We slept six comfortably aboard the 62-foot Presidential model, which can handle several more people with ease. The 84-foot Trump model sleeps 14. If you share the rental among your guests, even a weeklong excursion becomes an affordable trip.

Contact: Huck's Houseboat Vacations, (920) 625-3142 or Hucks.com.

Great Alma Fishing Float
If a houseboat adventure is out of range of your budget, you can still enjoy the river's great fishing and fun by camping along the river and spending a day or two on the Great Alma Fishing Float in Buffalo County.