As a kid we hated vacation time............see DAD was self employed so when he took vacation time that was non-paying time. Not only did MOM have to budget for vacation but she had to budget for that loss of income too.
We lived in WY and grandparents lived in Miss and Tenn.
We would load up the Oldsmobile and hit the road. Only stops were for gas. MOM packed sandwiches, chips, pop.
If you missed a potty break at gas station........pop bottle (sorry sis)
Dad & Mom switched off driving...straight thru 1600 miles with the three of us kids in backseat.
FUN FUN FUN..............Oh the Horror!
When I had kids and went on vacation........might drive 600 miles but we would stop for breakfast, stop for lunch, stop for dinner, stop for potty breaks, stop for roadside attractions, stop to just look and stop for the evening in a motel/hotel.
I got paid for vacation time, I made good money and I could take 2-3 weeks vacation at a time. No reason to NOT take it easy.
It comes down to your needs/requirements.