Over 35 Vacation/Travel thread.

[Corbi]

Going on vacation? Traveling for work or school? Post it here, tell us your plans, places you will visit, things you look forward to eating or drinking, etc. Afterwards be sure to return and post up your pictures and give us your opinion on wherever it is you went. This could be and is meant to be a fun thread but it cannot succeed without everyones participation.

Thanks and as Rick Steves says "Happy Travels".

[Corbi]

I'll kick it off and get the ball rolling.

Next month going to Minnesota for a couple days, attending the state fair & seeing Nickleback play opening night. Will also hit up the zoo which is top notch and just general screwing around.

Early september should be flying out to Draper Utah for work, its halfway between Salt Lake City and Provo. We have a vendor there and am going out to see the progress on a piece of equipment we just ordered.

End of October the wife and I fly to Capetown South Africa for a week, will be our 1st trip to that continent. Staying down near the marina and will utilize taxis and busses to get around. Plan on going up Table Mountain, taking a trip to the southern Cape, there is a game reserve about 90 minutes out of the city where we can hopefully see elephants, lions, rhinos, giraffes, etc. From what I have been reading the food sounds delicious and already have a couple of restaurants picked out as "musts". They offer cage diving with Great Whites for $200 which would absolutely scare the crap out of me but also sounds like fun. I enjoy scuba and snorkeling and have zero fear of the water but have never been around any sharks other than Nurse sharks or the pool sharks at the bars

Get back to work and have 2.5 months until the next trip which is Cabo San Lucas, we are staying right across the street from Sammy Hagars place Cabo Wabo. Have been to numerous Mexican cities such as Tijuana, Cancun, Playa, Cozumel, Ixtapa, Zjihuatanejo and Puerto Vallarta with a few of those numerous times. We loved Vallarta and think Cabo will be right up our alley. Plus I have always traveled to Mexico either at the end of Oct beginning of Nov or waited until May. This will be our 1st trip there in the dead of our crappy winter so getting out of here is going to be glorious. Planning on 1 day of deep sea fishing and maybe rent a Harley or BMW and take a ride up to La Paz for the day.

[mirroroferised]

1-2 for us a year. Usually an all inclusive with the kids and some sort of other trip. This year we're heading to Mrytle Beach in a couple of weeks (gonna be hot). Last year Florida and Cuba. We do a lot of other little weekend type trips too but that's more camping or a cottage trip and not real travel. I grew up driving all around Canada and want to get my kids doing that in a couple of years.

Good thread

[nutsy54]

I've done a few cruises. Up next this fall....
https://www.rockymountaineer.com

Usually one big blowout excursion each year, and a handful of smaller options, including "staycation" at a local casino/resort.

[Corbi]

I've done a few cruises. Up next this fall....
https://www.rockymountaineer.com

Details on the cruises, where did you go, what ships, etc? I have heard good and bad about them, my wife wants to do an Alaskan cruise.

[Corbi]

1-2 for us a year. Usually an all inclusive with the kids and some sort of other trip. This year we're heading to Mrytle Beach in a couple of weeks (gonna be hot). Last year Florida and Cuba. We do a lot of other little weekend type trips too but that's more camping or a cottage trip and not real travel. I grew up driving all around Canada and want to get my kids doing that in a couple of years.

Good thread

So you must live in Canada since Cuba is forbidden to us unless we do an insanely expensive guided tour deal, or we can go from Mexico but don't let the USA authorities find out. How did you like it?

[nutsy54]

Details on the cruises, where did you go, what ships, etc? I have heard good and bad about them, my wife wants to do an Alaskan cruise.

I loved three of my four cruises... all on Norwegian.

First one when I was in Hawaii, hitting multiple islands during the week. Basically check into your "hotel" once, with a new location every day. Good food, endless drinks, etc. I was hooked

Also had fun on a northeast/Canada route from New York, lots of lobster!
And Canada/Alaska (including glaciers) from Seattle.

I did a last-minute Carribean cruise from New York. Not a fan - it's basically an impoverished destination where guests are quickly shuttled from pier to tour attraction(s). I was also on one of Norwegian's largest ships, which I probably won't do again - too many people crowded into the central areas while at sea.

[weiss1967]

in August I will be on one helluva trip. Vancouver to Paris. Then Kiev and travel around Ukraine. Then Athens, and then - Crete!!! Chania in Crete particularly. Greek part is something I look forward to. I haven't been there for over 25 years, I still have vivid memories of divine blue color of Mediterranean sea. Greek food, a lot of freediving, maybe some spearfishing. I also look forward to walking around ancient ruins and medieval stonework in Chania and Heraklion. And Acropolis in Athens of course. And Notre Dam in Paris. When I see Notre Dam my trip is a success. I will update in September with pictures.

[Corbi]

in August I will be on one helluva trip. Vancouver to Paris. Then Kiev and travel around Ukraine. Then Athens, and then - Crete!!! Chania in Crete particularly. Greek part is something I look forward to. I haven't been there for over 25 years, I still have vivid memories of divine blue color of Mediterranean sea. Greek food, a lot of freediving, maybe some spearfishing. I also look forward to walking around ancient ruins and medieval stonework in Chania and Heraklion. And Acropolis in Athens of course. And Notre Dam in Paris. When I see Notre Dam my trip is a success. I will update in September with pictures.

Sounds like fun, Paris is a blast with some very cool stuff to see and do. Notre Dame is impressive, be sure to cross the river and see it from every angle & have fun.

[paolo59]

This will be an interesting and enjoyable thread! I have become boring in the last 20 years or so. LOL I used to hop a plane, or hit the road every chance I got. It might just spur me to make the effort, and plan a real vacation!

[bodyhard]

Was planning on going to Hawaii (Maui) for 3 weeks this year with Patty since I lost my job, but I just landed another career (I start August 7th) so we might have to do it next year, but that is my plan vacation.

[mirroroferised]

So you must live in Canada since Cuba is forbidden to us unless we do an insanely expensive guided tour deal, or we can go from Mexico but don't let the USA authorities find out. How did you like it?

Yes we're Canadian. Over the years we've done Mexico and Dominican quite a few times and Cuba twice. I never end up remembering the names of the resorts with there being several but we generally always pick minimum 4 star and we have yet to have a bad trip. Cuba was my least favourite of all of the all inclusive destinations though but that was mainly just down to the quality of food. The beaches are great, resorts were pretty good there but the food in Mexico and Dominican is a fair bit better we found. Generally we don't leave the resorts and stick to the beaches and pool but as the kids get older that will more than likely change. The hospitality in all places was great. Cuba we thought was full of very friendly people and we weren't pushed into buying anything on the beach like in Mexico or Dominican.

Given my choice though I'll take Dominican every time. Our favourite all inclusive was a Dominican one a couple of years ago that we went on with friends and their kid as well. We usually go for a week and at the end of the week we're usually all ready to go. With this one we could've easily stayed another week. I'll find out the name of it and drop it in the thread.

[Corbi]

Given my choice though I'll take Dominican every time. Our favourite all inclusive was a Dominican one a couple of years ago that we went on with friends and their kid as well. We usually go for a week and at the end of the week we're usually all ready to go. With this one we could've easily stayed another week. I'll find out the name of it and drop it in the thread.

Have done a few all inclusives, 1st one we ever did was in 96 at what was then the Diamond resort on Cozumel and we loved it then but now we would probably think it was just meh. Earlier this yr we did all inclusive in Barbados and we had zero issues with the resort or the food, but damn was it expensive, could have done 2+ really nice Mexico vacations for the same price.

Best all inclusive we have been to was the Iberostar Tucan in Playacar Mexico, its about a 20 minute walk to 5th ave in Playa Del Carmen. Fantastic place with excellent food options, the grounds were outstanding with a jungle in the middle with monkeys, coati and other native animals just wandering around. Add in that it has the biggest freakin pool I have seen anywhere and it was an impressive place. We typically don't stay at the resorts though, we like to wander and will use buses, collectivos, whatever to get around and we try to get to the lesser visited areas.

[dazlittle]

heading to Menorca with the wife and youngest two on Monday Next week. a week of snorkeling in waters like this

[Corbi]

heading to Menorca with the wife and youngest two on Monday Next week. a week of snorkeling in waters like this

Gorgeous !

[Bo_Flecks]

I just finished booking a trip to Sweden. We'll spend a week there around the Labor Day holiday. On one leg of the trip, we'll be spending the night in a castle, so that should provide some interesting scenery. Hopefully I'll have some decent pics to post.

[mcbourque]

Thank you so much for starting this thread, Corbi! I love traveling and can live vicariously through you all in the next year or so.

I've traveled extensively my whole life and lived abroad a few times. We've been pretty stationary with the kids, but when I went back to work again, we managed a trip to Scotland to see the in-laws, then Maui, then Alaska. I also usually go home every year to Quebec City. But we just bought a house and money is tight so I am sadly going nowhere this summer.

My husband is taking the boys on a rough and rowdy road trip to northern B.C. but I decided to pass. All inclusive is more my thing than driving for hours cramped in an F150

I'd love to go to Cuba but you guys are making me but the Dominican on my list

I will probably by traveling to Vancouver and Victoria with my oldest in the Fall for college visits. I'll post some pics

Here's Alaska from 3 years ago. It's absolutely gorgious. I'd love to go back on a cruise this time. I think it's pretty cheap from Seattle.

[quicksand jesus]

Usually do two vacations however job doing a transition this year so a agreed to only take one vacation this year. Probably take cruise out of New York sometime in September.

Next year planning Barbados and Puerto Rico.

[Cantplankwell]

Got two kids going off to university this fall. So money is tight. We will all be going on our annual vacation to a resort in the Muskoka area of Ontario in two weeks, we take our wakeboard boat with us (another reason money is tight sometimes) do some wakeboarding, surfing, cruising around and even some fishing. Realistically this could be the last time we do this one as the kids are getting old for this place, they get bored after 2-3 days, boat is to be sold later on this summer(more sadness).

On the other hand my wife has agreed its time we go somewhere warm this winter...just the two of us. Not even sure where, we don't like being crowded or in an area with a lot of busy craziness. In the mean time I want to look at all of your pictures....want to see some great-white shark cage action!

[Corbi]

MC, Vancouver is a fantastic city, the market under the bridge is awesome as is the gaslight district. I could easily live there.

[mcbourque]

MC, Vancouver is a fantastic city, the market under the bridge is awesome as is the gaslight district. I could easily live there.

I did I went to UBC for 5 years. Great city and my kiddo loves it. I'm trying to sell Canada to him for college and he definitely would like Vancouver (plus it's like 90min drive from home!).

[2nd_chance]

I live in the middle of nowhere and I'm going nowhere. But I love my wife and I like what I do every day.

[Corbi]

Anyone here stay at the mega resort Atlantis in the Bahamas? I always plan far ahead and am thinking about summer next yr, haven't been to the Bahamas yet & not sure if I want to stay at a massive place such as this. Any positives or negatives to sway me one way or the other?

[mcbourque]

Anyone here stay at the mega resort Atlantis in the Bahamas? I always plan far ahead and am thinking about summer next yr, haven't been to the Bahamas yet & not sure if I want to stay at a massive place such as this. Any positives or negatives to sway me one way or the other?

I went to the Bahamas when I was a kid and it was fine, but I heard that crime there is really high right now. I'd definitely go there instead of somewhere else on the island. Seems safer.

[dazlittle]

Just to keep the pictures coming, back in April the wife and I got away just the two of us. We spent a week in Fuertaventura working out, hiking, eating and drinking.



Chipmunks at the top of the mountain/hill



sunset (no filter)

[Corbi]

IMG_3200.jpgIMG_3456.jpg

Couple shots from this past may.

[Plateauplower]

I'll live vicariously through your posts. Budget and small kids makes any exotic trips unlikely in the near future. Oh and IL just jacked up my income tax rate 37% so that's fun too. Maybe my next vacation will be to the capitol to protest having to spend so much to keep our former governors incarcirated

[weiss1967]

I'll live vicariously through your posts. Budget and small kids makes any exotic trips unlikely in the near future. Oh and IL just jacked up my income tax rate 37% so that's fun too. Maybe my next vacation will be to the capitol to protest having to spend so much to keep our former governors incarcirated

tell you what. Couple years back our family had planned long 6-week vacation trip to Thailand. And when it did not materialize, I was surprised that I actually felt happy. Believe it or not, I looked forward to 6 weeks of nothing but eating right, cooking great meals and training twice a day. No distractions whatsoever, just being home, sleeping in my own bed - those kind of things.

[weiss1967]

Just to keep the pictures coming, back in April the wife and I got away just the two of us. We spent a week in Fuertaventura working out, hiking, eating and drinking.

did you have a chance to explore the rest of the Island? How is it, social life, food etc? Places to see? Is there good diving/snorkeling? Pictures look great.

[Mark1T]

Work is my life, but I plan on traveling more next year.

So, like Borkie-Thmorkie and Plattisimus, I will live vicariously through all of you, as long as you provide pictures and descriptions of the foods wherever you may be.