Changes

Vacations probably begin in antiquity, with records indicating in the Roman Empire period the presence of inns and travel lodges available in parts of the Roman Empire that allowed individuals, usually reasonably wealthwealthy, to travel and enjoy the countryside or areas within the Roman Empire that were relatively peaceful. The Roman Empire was probably among the first states, although it is possible vacations go back even further in time such as the Achaemenid Period, where infrastructure, such as roads and hotels or lodges, were purposely built for people to enjoy time away from their normal daily life. What we might consider wealthier upper-middle-class and elites would have been likely the ones taking these holidays in different parts of the Roman Empire to enjoy a new atmosphere or simply relax. Perhaps the Roman Empire was also the first to extend the idea of vacations beyond only very wealthy individuals. Vacations seem to die out after the Roman period, at least in Europe, although they may have continued in more prosperous regions such as the Middle East and China in the early Medieval periods. HoweverIn these regions, wealthy individuals in these regions likely partook in vacations. Desert castles, such as in Jordan, have been found, suggesting they were holiday homes for the wealthy elites, for instance. In late Medieval and early Modern Europe, vacations were essentially retreats for the wealthy who had homes in the countryside or were able to travel, sometimes for months, to new destinations to spend time away from their normal dwellings. This included going on extended hunting or even trips just to escape. In the Renaissance, the idea of touring Europe and more exotic locations began to be developed among the elites. This idea of touring ancient countries and regions, the so-called Grand Tour for instance which was educational but also leisure, in Europe and Asia would go on to influence the early United States in the 18th and early 19th century.<ref>For more on early vacations for the wealthy and powerful from antiquity until the Medieval period, see: Casson, L., 1994. <i>Travel in the ancient world</i>. Johns Hopkins Paperbacks ed. ed. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. </ref>

The concept of vacations only for the wealthy, where they would spend sometimes months in the countryside away perhaps from their urban homes,influenced was another early perecptions influence on the idea of vacations in the United States after its founding. Thomas Jefferson's home, the Poplar Forest, is an example of a vacation or retreat home for the early elite Americans. This exemplified the concept of European-style vacations for the wealthy, who would retreat into more isolated countryside for sometimes long retreats to write, reflect, or relax. They Such vacations began to be considered part of the elite lifestyle in the United States. People in these vacations might be engaged in writing, reading, hunting, going on walks, or possibly other sport and leisure activities. Exploration In the United States, adventuring into the unknown became another activity of the wealthy, in a theme in way similar to the Renaissance, and with idea of the United States expanding across North AmericaGrand Tour experience, where wealthier individuals also went on long excursions exploring the vast continent.<ref>For more on the idea of retreats for the wealthy, see: Falk, J.D., Kinnell, S.K., Brown, J.S., 1987. <i>Searching America: History and life </i>. ABC-Clio, Santa Barbara, Calif, pg. 737. </ref>