That vacation you're planning is more than a romantic getaway. Travel can be the start of a tradition that creates -- and preserves -- memories for a lifetime.

Some couples decide ahead of time on a ritual they intend to enact on every vacation. It could be as simple as asking a stranger to take a picture of them kissing. Or packing a little gift to leave on the other's pillow the first night. Or even scheduling their trip so they can attend the same event each year, such as a state fair or a music festival.

Of course, you don't have to determine exactly what you're going to do beforehand. Part of the fun is discovering the possibilities when you arrive at your destination and making up your mind what your tradition will be on the spot. (It is a vacation, after all.)

Things like always having breakfast in bed on the first morning of your vacation, taking a swim in a hotel pool every night before dinner, or capping each evening with a favorite bar drink are a few simple rituals that make good use of facilities away from home.

Then there are couples who make a point when they travel to visit a certain place in every new city they visit. It could be a church, a farmer's market, the local art museum.

I know one couple who seek out the local humane animal shelter on every vacation, and they always leave a donation.

The important thing is, do whatever it is you love, as consistently as you can.

That way you create a storehouse of vacation memories.

And that's not a bad tradition in itself.

Collecting Vacation Memories
Choosing objects for your new home

Free and Cheap Souvenirs
Objects to pick up along your travels