Here am I in one of the gardens at Richmond, Virginia’s Maymont in 2015 with my parents. This gilded age estate boasts an animal sanctuary, a Victorian mansion, gardens, and an arboretum. And yes, it takes all day to walk through it.
In the swing of the summer, August is usually the time when most people go on vacation. Well, at least in the United States anyway. Mostly because the summer vacation is winding down for the kids who will soon be back to school for the most part. Nevertheless, you will find a lot of people want to cherish such trips forever in their scrap books or photo albums so you have people wanting to take pictures of their family. Or they may want to use the vacation photos in their Christmas card. At any rate, I can show you so many great vacation photos from people’s travels. But you’d probably assume that they’re stock photos and probably not find them interesting. So instead, I’d go to Awkward Family Photos and show pictures that don’t depict precious memories as well as were probably taken at the wrong moment. If you think your vacation photos didn’t turn out right, I hope this post makes you feel better. Because it should.
- Greetings from Carnival Cruises!
And what better way to show it than by being photoshopped riding on a dolphin? Yeah, it’s pretty obvious.
2. When you have to answer the call of nature, holding it in can’t wait.
Helps if you bring your own toilet. Yet, you still have to take your crap with you. Or bury it.
3. Nothing makes a great family vacation photo like a picture in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.
However, you should always check if the photo shoot location is a nude beach before you take the picture. Else, you might end up with a full moon near the water.
4. Remember to always wear a life jacket when you’re on a boat. You’ll never know when it’ll come in handy.
Yeah, seems like we have someone who fell overboard on the rapids. Don’t worry, Sadie, Mom’s got you covered.
5. “And here is the whole family at the hotel witnessing some guy being taken to the emergency room.”
Guy being taken into an ambulance: Not funny. Family posing for a vacation photo while a guy’s being taken into an ambulance: Hilarious.
6. Sometimes a Disney World wedding proposal can be so perfect, save for that one pesky tourist who got in the way.
Given that Disney is usually crowded as hell, you have to expect these things. Yeah, that’s a photobomb to remember.
7. Travel to the wonderful picturesque scenery of LaCroaca Beach.
Apparently, this family came since they heard it was a “Super Fun Zone.” Little did they know it was actually a “Superfund Zone.” Very different connotation.
8. There’s nothing like spending a great vacation with your dad.
However, a father and son photo is not the kind of picture for an old man in a speedo. You can’t unsee that.
9. “No, I don’t want to sit with the Squid Lady!”
Then again, I can’t really blame the kid. That woman really looks like a sea monster coming after him.
10. “On second thought, maybe taking Sparky with us wasn’t a good idea.”
Yeah, I don’t think the dog should be sniffing up that woman’s skirt. Really ruins the moment.
11. Sometimes it helps to know what the animals are doing before taking pictures of young children at the zoo.
Apparently, the older brother has some fascination with Humping, Humping Hippos. As for the girl, well, she’s probably watched enough nature shows to know what’s going on.
12. On the water, always try to hold onto the raft.
Or else you can go flying out of the boat or into the water. Luckily he has on his life jacket.
13. Here are the Hendersons in the cave with Perry the Polar Bear.
And it seems like Perry wants to take Mrs. Henderson and Leslie for a tasty meal afterwards. Then again, Perry may be some really gigantic and ugly Arctic Ferret for all I care.
14. Apparently, Grandpa didn’t take to surfing very well.
Sure it’s a photo op. But the grandfather really seems to be in distress here. Not a happy camper in the least.
15. On Carnival Cruise Lines, you can have your picture taken with your favorite Latin American stereotype.
Seems like this family went with a Mexican bandito. And no, he don’t need no stinkin’ badges.
16. “Just let me finish this one level of Donkey Kong.”
I don’t know about you. But I think when you’re on vacation, best leave the video games at home. And definitely not play them on Splash Mountain.
17. “Son, it’s about time that I introduce you to the tradition of lederhozen.”
I have no idea why lederhozen exists. But this is certainly a picture this boy will certainly not want his classmates to see.
18. Despite what some parents think, sometimes you’re better off not getting your teenage children matching swimsuits.
This guy must be a brave man to wear a hot pink speedo. Guess this is what guys have to go through if they have sisters.
19. Apparently, there was a massive Pooh epidemic in town.
In fact, there was Pooh everywhere as far as the eye can see. And we mean literally everywhere.
20. Sometimes your destination may include interesting venue names.
This is a leather working shop. Hopefully, little Cindy doesn’t understand what “Cow’s Ass” means by this point.
21. Apparently, Mr. Grizzly was not in a good mood that day.
Well, at least there’s a fence so the bear won’t attack anybody. Then again, the fence doesn’t seem that effective. Unless it’s electric.
22. Seems like the Flanders family went to the sharks.
Relax, they were at an aquarium in North Carolina and got their picture there. Interesting, they chose a shark backdrop for it.
23. Since her was a pup, Rascal always wanted to see the Grand Canyon.
But once he got there, he wasn’t impressed with the view. Nobody knows why.
24. Seems like Jimmy is enjoying the family trip to Hawaii this year.
Sorry, kid, but I’m afraid the hula girl’s not interested. Don’t take it personally.
25. Welcome to Arkansas where they all come fully loaded.
Let’s hope this kid isn’t holding a real assault rifle. Because this photo is incredibly disturbing. Really.
26. Unfortunately, some families are bound to experience some vacation dismemberment.
This is actually a botched attempt of a panorama picture so no actual dismemberment took place. But looking at it…
27. There’s nothing better than a family vacation to Disney World which is the happiest place on earth.
The Sadlers seemed to think otherwise. From their faces, they probably became disappointed once they saw how long the lines were for the rides.
28. You can’t have a family vacation without a soak in a Jacuzzi.
I see these kind of pictures a lot and they always seem awkward. A few of the guys can’t hide their discomfort for the picture. No wonder.
29. “Honey, do you know where Travis is? You told me he was in the tent.”
In reality, the kid was on the tent, not in the tent. Still, someone get him off there.
30. Hop aboard the good ship, Hornblower Invader.
To be fair, there is a guy named Hornblower in literature who’s a naval officer. But the name can sound so dirty that it just gives me giggles.
31. Despite being seen as “the happiest place on earth,” we have to accept the fact that Disney World has an insidious dark side.
Oh, my God, Mickey, what the hell are you doing? You’re supposed to hug and pose with children, not eat them! Never seen something so horrifying.
32. Hop along the Wet Dream, kiddos.
Well, the word “wet dream” has another meaning. But I don’t think it’s something to tell the kids about till they’re older.
33. Now Lexie had understood what Jason meant when he talked about “the big one that got away.”
Seems like she’s jealous that her boyfriend appears more interested in the fish than in her. I don’t think she understands what he has with Big Mouth Billy Bass. And never will.
34. There are some people who love roller coaster rides, then there are people like this.
My dad is totally this girl when it comes to roller coasters. She’ll be in for a wild ride.
35. When you wanted to go see Evanescence but are stuck with going to the family cabin instead.
That girl really stands out in this picture. Then again, you tend to have that with teenagers. It’s part of life.
36. When camping, nobody puts baby in a corner but on a post.
Well, that’s one way to keep an eye on the baby. Wonder if they had camping high chairs back then. Probably not.
37. When naming a geographic location, make sure it doesn’t have unfortunate implications.
Honestly, she’s not a hoe. That’s just the name of the place. But you get the joke.
38. “Watch where you place your hand, Bobby!”
To be fair, the kid doesn’t know any better. But yes, it’s a very unfortunate placement that you don’t want on a Christmas card.
39. Greetings from Park City Mountain Resort!
The place where sibling rivalries are known to intensify. Even on the ski lifts.
40. This is a great place to see a giant tortoise up close and personal.
In fairness, this seems to be photoshopped by some zoo. Yet, it begs the question why the place would have a mating turtle backdrop to begin with.
41. Think deer are pleasant creatures? Think again.
Man, some animals just don’t seem to know fear. Don’t worry the girl only received a bruise.
42. There are some foods that are too much for a seagull to resist.
Then again, seagulls eat almost anything they could get their beaks on. But they especially like fish since they’re coastal birds.
43. For some reason, the squirrel wanted to smile for the camera.
At first this photo doesn’t seem out of the ordinary. Until you see the squirrel facing the camera. Then you wonder if it’s nuts.
44. There are some couples’ vacation photos that beg the question, “Why?”
Guess these two wanted a photo together to embarrass their kids with someday. Future and otherwise.
45. Recently, she’s become a magnet for macaws.
Kind of reminds me of those vintage bikini postcard photos for some reason. Then again, it’s quite tame in comparison.
46. “Hey, that wasn’t supposed to happen on the elephant ride!”
Guess this was how Dumbo was made. Bet Disney didn’t show you that. Still, like how one guy seems excited about it.
47. Maybe they should’ve hired a better T-shirt designer for the family reunion.
That’s a very unfortunate design. Guess the little kid just learned a new curse word.
48. When driving around the animals, always keep your window up.
Talk about a traumatizing moment. Hope the boy is all right after that. And has brought a change of clothes.
49. This old lady is like, “I never want to go on this ride again.”
Since this photo was taken on a water ride, I wouldn’t blame her. But that look her face says it all.
50. Woodland scenery always makes a great romantic photo op.
Except when you see two bears mating in the background. Yes, that’s what hot grizzly action looks like kids. No joke.
51. “Sorry, Grandma, but it’s for your own good.”
Pushing your granny off of Niagra Falls. It’s the kind of touching family photo only the likes of Alfred Hitchcock would dream of making into a movie.
52. That moment when you want to take a picture of your kids during nuclear testing.
You got to hope that photoshop was going on here. Otherwise, those kids might be doomed for all we know.
53. “Excuse me, but could you take me and my cubs to the salmon spawning grounds?”
That has to make you shit your pants. Seriously, if a bear comes that close to you, stay in the car and drive off. Just do it.
54. Nothing is more fun than pretending to be African tribesmen killing taxidermied animals.
I know this might be offensive to some people. But I think it’s pretty funny. Besides, this picture was taken in the 1970s anyway.
55. At Zakopane, dog sled rides are fun for the whole family.
However, that has to be someone in a polar bear suit. And it seems to have the body of an Abominable Snowman.
56. “Aaaah! Giraffe Man in the water! Run for your lives!”
This is just too much. Like how everyone seems scared by a guy in a giraffe suit. And he’s not nearly as scary as a maneating shark.
57. When you’re hiking and are the one holding all the equipment.
Apparently, “share the load” doesn’t apply to this guy for some reason. Can see why the woman appears to resent him. Hope she gets a free trip to a massage parlor afterwards.
58. Nothing is scarier to children than a banjo playing gator.
Even funnier, that gator is nowhere near intimidating. But the kids are crying anyway.
59. Sometimes you never know who you’re going to meet on the road.
Yes, there’s a biker gang nearby. No, I don’t know if they’re just there to admire the scenery. But it’s pretty funny.
60. Introducing the “Dad Tan.”
Not sure if those are his tan lines or he doesn’t know how to put on sunscreen correctly. Either way, he might need to apply the Aloe Vera.
61. When it comes to meth, just let it go before this happens.
Elsa, what the hell happened to you? You look like hell. And you seem like you’re in really deep shit, too.
62. Here is Tom taking a jump at the Grand Canyon.
Don’t worry it’s photoshopped. But it sure will freak out his parents.
63. Your first time on water skis could be a rather crazy experience.
This kid is holding his breath. Wouldn’t really blame him either.
64. Sibling rivalry: sometimes it can start at a very young age.
This is bound to give your parents a heart attack. Then again, maybe the other kid lost balance.
65. “Aaah! There’s an ostrich at my window!”
I can understand why that woman is screaming. If an ostrich appeared at your car window, you’d feel the same way.
66. Sometimes moments like these make you wish to have a vacation away from your embarrassing family.
Family vacations can be inescapable things sometimes. Particularly when to posing for crazy photo ops.
67. “Who put tomato slices on my legs?”
If I were her, I’d be asking the same question. Then again, she was probably a prank target.
68. For some reason, little Cassidy was different from the other girls.
Seems like she’s looking a bit grizzly lately. Best to not get on her bad side for the time being.
69. You always need a picture with giraffes on a zoo trip.
And I guess the trip became a rather educational experience for this young girl. Or at least when she saw what the giraffes were doing in the background.
70. When photographing your kids near rocks, make sure they don’t have anything written on them.
Yeah, “get high” is not an appropriate message for children. But it’s graffiti so it’s not where it’s supposed to be anyway.
71. Someone wake up Grandma before she’s underwater.
Well, she certainly chose the wrong place to sit at the beach. Don’t want to be at the tide.
72. Seems like this place is having a ball.
Let’s hope this little girl doesn’t know what the word, “testicle” means. At least until she’s older.
73. Seems like Maisy fell out of the plane.
Don’t worry. Her mom and her sister have her. So she’s fine. Seriously.
74. Someone help her before she falls off a cliff.
Again, this is a photoshopped picture designed to freak out parents. But still, it’s disturbing.
75. Someone doesn’t think that Tiggers are wonderful things.
For the girl hiding under the table, Tiggers are the stuff of nightmares. Of great, big, bouncy nightmares.
76. How about a moon over Manhattan?
I didn’t mean that kind of moon. But you can see the photographer was in for a big surprise when this picture developed.
77. Someone doesn’t seem to be enjoying their Caribbean vacation.
Then again, the guy’s face totally seems photoshopped since he probably wasn’t with his folks on the trip to begin with. Doesn’t look right at all.
78. When everyone’s exhausted on the trip and you’re wanting to see more.
Then again, the baby was probably tiring out the whole family. And might even cry just for the heck of it.
79. This has to be a view from another world.
This is a beach where kids are on leashes and dogs run free. Hopefully the dogs are spayed or neutered.
80. “Did we miss anybody?”
Looks like someone fell off the raft in the rapids. Guess they’ll have to go back for him.
The Lone Girl in a Crowd 