One last look: Readers offer their vacation photos, the good, the bad, the weird

The family of Ashley Simmons of Ringgold, Ga., was "just trying to do a normal family photo on last year's 'vacation.'" But they just couldn't quite do it. This photo, taken at her mother's house in East Ridge, features family members from California, Alabama and upper Tennessee who came in for a big summer cookout. The family takes a vacation every year so they can all get together. "We kept goofing around and decided this was the best photo we could get," Ashley says. The family of Ashley Simmons of Ringgold, Ga., was "just trying to do a normal family photo on last year's 'vacation.'" But they just couldn't quite do it. This photo, taken at her mother's house in East Ridge, features family members from California, Alabama and upper Tennessee who came in for a big summer cookout. The family takes a vacation every year so they can all get together. "We kept goofing around and decided this was the best photo we could get," Ashley says.

By Staff Report August 30, 2015 1 min read

Photo Gallery

One last look: Readers offer their vacation photos — the good, the bad, the weird

Dr. David Powers and his "wee lad," 4-year-old Gideon, get ready to head for Roanoke, Va.

The Downey family took their vacation to St. Lucia this summer to attend their son's wedding.

In July, during their first trip to Niagara Falls, Ontario, the Young family of Cleveland, Tenn., "tried to make it look like we were just about to go over in a barrel," says Samantha Young, far left. The others in the photo are daughter Maggie and husband Ty.

Packed up, Brooks Reed, 2, is making sure the cheese balls aren't left behind in Panama City Beach as the family heads home to Chatsworth, Ga. His sister, Emmie, is just all smiles.

The George Gannaway Family decide to the last Christmas holiday with daughter Ellen Lail in Atlanta … note the "large" Christmas tree. And, as a present, all of them got T-shirts that say: "Gannaway University." The front row, from left to right, are Ellen Gannaway Lail and George and Ginny Gannaway, while the back row, left to right are son-in-law Mike Lail, grandsons Cole and Neil Gannaway, and their parents, Sandy and Sam Gannaway.

During a trip to St. Petersburg, Fla., Olivia Huff, 2, has little interest in getting up close and personal with what she calls a "wallygator."

Steve Wilson's three adult children, from left, Adam, Ryan and Katie, being silly the last day at the beach. Katie is afraid her

During the Thompson family's vacation to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, daughter Amori, 5, was terrified by animals interactions. As her father, David, says:

This gull at Elkhorn Slough in California was very vocal in her displeasure at us for getting too close.

During Valerie Prevost's trip to China, she saw a number of bad Chinese-to-English translations on signs.

Well, sure, if you're going to Dollywood's Parrot Mountain, you need to document it with a photo of someone holding a parrot. Here, it's Natalie Tice, granddaughter to Fred Grove, far left. Next to Natalie is grandson Fred Irwin and grandmother Sharon Grove rounds out the quartet.

Four generations and 12 members of Ronnie Nunley's family make, as he puts it,

After forgetting the umbrella extension — and refusing to pay $20 for a rental one — April Connell's dad

Oma Palmer's dog, Pea, finds a great way to chill during the summer heat.

Phyllis Owen's 5-year-old grandson, Brenan Cooper Wilson, was not enthused a couple of weeks ago when his family decided to take this hike in Yellowstone National Park. The family, grandparents included, spent 10 days camping, reliving a family vacation they 32 years ago, right at the time the first

The family of Ashley Simmons of Ringgold, Ga., was

With Labor Day looming and school already started, summer vacation is done for most folks. So the Times Free Press asked readers to send in their vacation photos, the goofy ones, the weird ones, the funny ones, the ones that represent vacation fails.

Here is what they sent:

See ya later : During a trip to St. Petersburg, Fla., Olivia Huff, 2, has little interest in getting up close and personal with what she calls a “wallygator.”

Of all the gull!: “This seagull at Elkhorn Slough in California was very vocal in her displeasure at us for getting too close,” says Lynda Johnson of Collegedale.

Dog days: Oma Palmer’s dog, Pea, finds a great way to chill during the summer heat.