Yeah, I have gone on vacation with a mandolin (or ukulele, fLute/whistle, guitar, etc). And yeah, the family can grumble at times. I have a hard time going without playing some music for a week or more.

Taking an instrument depends on the type of vacation, where we're going. who we'd be with, how we are travelling, etc..

One thing we did a number of times is to plan the vacation around a music workshop. I'd go off to the workshop in the morning and the family would do their thing while I was off playing. We'd all be together in the evening. I went to Augusta Heritage workshops four different years on that basis. Most years we'd camp. If the weather was uncooperative we'd find a motel. The wife and kids got to hike, go rock climbing, ride horses, be tourists and see the sites. I got to play my brains out. Great vacations. Once I was retired they'd happily let me go off to the workshops by myself.

Sometimes you just have to travel light and leave the instruments at home. But if you plan ahead and investigate what music may be available where you are traveling it can become and opportunity to find a new instrument or learn about a new type of music. It's a big world with a lot of different musical noise makers out there.

Just returned from one week trip to Arizona to visit my friend with terminal brain cancer. I did not take my mandolin due to airline charging for anything but my C-Pap machine and my wife nicely asking that I leave it at home just once ! But, I did take my juice harp, Jews harp , mouth harp or whatever you want to call it ! I struggled all week not being able to practice but back home so have to quit typing and get back to mandolin playing ! Bye ! :)

We traveled by motorhome, so took my banjo and mandolin and Dave's acoustic-electric bass everywhere we went. Kids are grown, so it was just the two of us. When we stopped overnight at an RV park, we usually met the nicest people while we were outside jamming and singing. Two became 3 and 4 and then an audience. We never had anyone complain about our picking and singing.

I almost always take a mandolin. Much easier to transport than a guitar. It's surprising how often I can find a jam, or just time to sit and pick. When I was backpacking the trains around Cornwall a few years ago, it was a great way to meet people in the pubs.

Thanks for the wisdom and feedback, folks. I appreciate it. Mine will be coming along with me.

I can't remember the last time I didn't travel with a mandolin haha. One of the main reasons I started playing mandolin over guitar or bass was because it's size was perfect for travel haha! Honestly, it's always been a great way to meet people anywhere you go ;)

Take it with you. You can always find some place to play away from those that don't wanna hear it.

I mostly travel/ vacation in a camping van. Space is at a premium, but I always make room for my fiddle.

There is a great John Kruth song (I heard live but can not find a recording of) that tells the story of one of his times on the road as a youngster. He was sitting outside a Country Kitchen playing his mandolin when the Big Mon himself exited the restaurant, paused for a moment and told John "Get some new strings and a harder pick, keep on playing that ol tater bug and tell'm all "Big Mon sent ya". 

OK the song has surfaced on the web! (I did not remember it quite right)

We live in a horse camper 6 months a year. I always bring my fiddle, guitar, mando and Dobro. I have carbon fiber "travel" instruments, so I can store them in the non-temperature controlled part of the trailer.