A mancation is a trip including a manly activity to any given location for men only. This is not simply going on vacation with some buddies. It is not the cliché trip to Vegas. It goes beyond the normal and the usual. The mancation is a vacation with action. It is for guys only…no drama, no fancy drinks, and sometimes no showers. The trip does not need to be expensive or elaborate, but those options are out there. This could be for a bachelor party, a reunion, or for no good reason other than a guy’s weekend….
Planning the mancation
1. When planning out your mancation the first step is to find the group of gentlemen required for attendance. Remember, no wives, girlfriends, or potential hook-ups…this will tremendously change the weekend…and we all know it’s true.
2. The next step is to select the activity. This is possibly the most important step. All gentlemen mentioned in the prior step should be in total agreement on the selected destination. No whining or second-guessing once this is finalized.
3. Finalize the date and location. This can be a logistical challenge, however it is important for every one to agree on the date well in advance. Ideally get the group to agree on 2 or 3 different potential dates. Once potential dates are selected check to ensure availability of whatever activity you have decided on. Be sure to
A mancation is also a wonderful substitute for a standard bachelor party. While it might be fun to do the standard Vegas trip or night out/strip-club, you don’t quite get the man time that should be spent. A mancation almost always includes ample idle time for discussing life, family, sports, relationships, or anything else that comes to mind.
A few possible mancations
White Water Rafting & Camping – Most companies leading white water rafting expeditions have options for camping and often times have fairly upscale cabins at reasonable rates.
In West Virginia, the ACE Adventure Resort (http://www.aceraft.com/) they have packages with white water rafting and cabin accommodations included. Pricing is around $50/night per person for 6 people, this would include a cabin with three bedrooms with queen beds, a living room with a sofa sleeper, front porch, back deck with hot-tub, fire-pit, fully equipped kitchen, and more. Not exactly roughing it, but it makes for a pretty good mancation.
Cross-Country Trip – Embrace your inner vagabond, your Jack Kerouac, and dive into the often-ignored open road of the United States. Get someone in your crews SUV or RV, or simply rent one…and take off… This particular trip requires the ability to take some significant time off work, but would be well worth it. There are numerous resources available online with route information, and guides more making your trip across the beautiful US of A.
Driving School – Most men fall in love with cars from an early age. Something about being behind the powerful engine, and controlling that power is an irresistible draw. There are a lot of driving schools out there that teach advanced driving skills. (It is a prerequisite that you can drive a manual transmission, but isn’t that a prerequisite just to be a man?). Check out the Mazda Driving School for a nice two-day program or the higher-end option…BMW’s prestigious M School.
Sailing Trip – Load up the boat, and take on the seas. From the beginning of time men have been taking on the high seas (think pirates or Columbus). Whether you look to sail the Caribbean or the Northeast, there is something special about the power of the ocean.
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What you’re portraying as out of the ordinary, time for just guys being guys, was actually the norm for men at one point. Think about it – when the women stayed home and cooked and the men went out hunting for the game to cook, there was the opportunity for all this talk and activity. Are we saying that ‘mancations’ take us back to the roots of our ancestors? That that’s what masculinity calls for? Very interesting topic for discussion.