jimmytavino 16 #1 October 8, 2014 We are a bit overdue for a nice get-away. we can often enjoy "long weekends " and Do so...from time to time, But would now like to take an extended trip somewhere...Sooooo. Any suggestions?? recommendations? Places to Go , Places NOT to Go ??? Nancy seems inclined to visit Alaska... 2 of her sisters and their husbands want to plan such a trip and asked US to join them... We Have traveled together from time to time... Only we all have different ideas of What to Do and Where to Go... Triple A here, offers package deals through Holland America . ARE they Any good???? are they fairly priced ( for what you GET ) or are they Over priced?? Some peole have told us that the cruise can get "boring" i.e. seeing glacier after glacier and basically "the same coastline " the entire trip... But I COULD be OK with THAT.... especially IF there are Whales,,,, in the water....One Sis. thinks that the ship will cause 'seasickness'. But i'm thinking that an Interior waterway, should be a Lot less "rough" that being Out in an Ocean... i dunno... I like One deal which includes a cruise for part of the time , and then, travel by Railroad, motor coach and aircraft, for other legs of the trip.. basically a circuit which either begins in Vancouver and then includes The Yukon territory, Fairbanks, Denali Park, Anchorage and return flight home. OR we can run it the Other way, and start in Anchorage and finish with a cruise ship, returning home from Vancouver...One S-In-Law doesn't want to be On a train, or a motor coach OR a small plane... She wants to Fly to and from anchorage, rent a van, and then "drive everywhere".. I'm not much for "having To BE somewhere" and following a rigid, inflexible Itinerary.. Not sure i wanna be in a situation where.. NOW,, we have to BE here, in order to GO there, even if we'd Like to STAY where ever we are.. ya' Know??? Is it Necessary to BOOK lodging Ahead of time for EVERY Single night??? or is it Possible to simply move here and there, and be Able to Find Nightly vacancies where ever we might find ourselves.. Does anyone Know,,, if there are "Hotel chains" much like we see around here. located nearby to Highways??? Any idea of the chance to easily FIND accomodations... We sure DON"T wanna have to "sleep in the rental car " I have already done a trip with these family members,,, where I was relegated to a back seat and mostly saw the back of my sis-in-laws head,,,,,as SHE drove us all over ireland... ( It did cause me to enjoy the time OUT of the vehicle, whereever we stopped) Is it better to book flights TO somewhere, and then just play it by ear??? or despite My uncertainty,,,,, to Just "hand ourselves over" to some Pre determined Tour ?? It's really NOT about Cost....but i do wanna get Good value and some degree of control over what we'd be doing.. as we have worked Hard, to create the funding for any such vacation. Are there Other places that are Good values in todays economy?? We wouldn't mind the west coast... or the SW part of the USA. Wouldn't mind Outside of the USA either.. ( we HAVE passports,,,, and we aren't "afraid to USE them " ) We have never been south of the equator...anything GOOD in S . America , or Mexico?? Is travel to those places Safe enough??? any suggestions for places where the US dollar gets GOOD Value??? Have those of you who HAVE traveled as part of a group.... found it to be OK??? How about such travel...??? with Relatives??? Remember,,,we Still have sit down together for Holidays, etc etc..... So,,, if it's not TOO much to ask. Can all you fine folks here @ The Bonfire.. offer ANY insight, suggestions, things to Do and things NOT to Do???? i will check back here later. thanks in advance jimmytavino Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Rick 67 #2 October 8, 2014 Hi Jimmy 30th anniversary. We had a great time. They use US dollars so there was no exchange rate to figure out. We found a lot of the locals spoke English. We spent some time in the city (casino's nice restaurants etc.) we spent 1 day at the canal (museum and all around cool place to visit), 2 days in the rain forest on a houseboat, and a day in the old part of the city ( really cool local art and architecture). I would suggest cabs or hiring a local driver as the roads are CRAZY. Of course if you have driven in NYC it may not be that big a deal for you. Anywho wherever you decide to go I hope you and Nancy have a nice relaxing vacation. P.S. we would prefer you make a trip to Florida but that might not be exotic enough for you. You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites NewGuy2005 51 #3 October 8, 2014 What time of year? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites JohnMitchell 14 #4 October 8, 2014 I've done 2 week vacations in Europe with just a plane ticket, one carry-on suitcase and a Rick Steve's guide book. Had a great time every time. I had a list of places I wanted to see but no schedule or reservations. We try to travel off-season to avoid the crowds and high prices. Cool weather doesn't bother us Seattle-ites. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites airtwardo 6 #5 October 8, 2014 We've done the 'inside passage' cruise a few years back. It was relaxing as the ship was only 1/2 full. IF you choose to do that get a rear balcony..it's worth the extra cost as you get to see things like mooses & whales on both sides, from your private perch. Personally I'd head to Europe if you plan on going in the near future...it's getting to be 'off season' and the prices are better. Spain is about the best deal $ wise IMO...but I'd think with that vowel at the end of your name Italy might be more to your liking. We love hitting the Amalfi coast in November & December, no crowds and hotels are 1/2 price if you shop around. I can turn you on to a great little B&B in Rome 2 blocks away from the Colosseum...Tell 'em I sent ya they'll do you right. We tend to travel without long lead time reservations for the most part...no plans make for better adventure. Capt. Mom gets on 'Booking.com' about noon and sets up someplace for that evening. Dump the Rick Steves book and get a lonely planet for whatever country...more choices and better descriptions. Bring your ipad and surf the net for current things to do where you are that day & the next. Tripadvisor.com has lots of interesting things and some deals on stuff too... Any specific questions let me know~ ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Andy9o8 0 #6 October 8, 2014 My mom, my sister and I have each been married for quite a long time. We don't agree on much, but we do agree on this: "vacation with in-laws" is a total oxymoron. It's something you do when you're younger, before it dawns on you that you'd be so much happier without them along. Been there, done that, got the whip scars. Doing Christmas with in-laws is one thing, but living with them for a week or 2 is the precise opposite of the definition of Vacation. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jimmytavino 16 #7 October 8, 2014 HahaHAH!! Andy9o8. you made me Laugh Out Loud !!!! but I DID ask for honest, straightforward replies !!! Yours is taken under advisement. and Duly Noted. Thanks also to every one else. NewGuy2005..... we're thinking towards next june- sept. sorry not to have mentioned that. I like the idea of "off-season " just about anywhere... Smaller crowds are better than Large Crowds...... especially if they are made up of Tourists... The idea of Just going somewhere and creating an open ended adventure is appealing... less luggage to "lug" around is appealing... and upgraded cruises, on Half full cruise ships, is appealing. How about all inclusive type places...?? resorts, where one simply arrives and then enjoys all the local amenities for 7 or 8 days ...?? good deals?? bad deals??.. often there are simply TOO many choices...thanks for the replies jmy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites hcsvader 1 #8 October 9, 2014 wikitravel.orgHave you seen my pants? it"s a rough life, Livin' the dream >:) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites akarunway 1 #9 October 9, 2014 Humm. Don't go to Liberia?I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites LuckyMcSwervy 0 #10 October 9, 2014 If you're considering Mexico I recommend Excellence Riviera Maya. I went in 2007 and always wanted to get back. Adults only, all inclusive, good food, good service, nice beach, nice clientele, very nice rooms with nice amenities, 24 hour all included room service. The excursions were plentiful although we didn't leave the resort save walking/running the beach. I want to go back NOW. Enjoy!! PS - Key West is nice any time of the year! Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Krip 2 #11 October 10, 2014 airtwardo We've done the 'inside passage' cruise a few years back. It was relaxing as the ship was only 1/2 full. IF you choose to do that get a rear balcony..it's worth the extra cost as you get to see things like mooses Any specific questions let me know~ Hi Mr T Since you volunteered.What time of year did you do the inside passage? . Did it sail from seattle? Was cruise round trip? Vs cruise one way and return by train What was the cruise line.? We can find out most of the info ourselves if we find out what cruise line you used and time of year. Was the food adequate? Great, or Marvelous Did they allow dogs? Any limit on dog size.? Any limit on the number of dogs? R.One Jump Wonder Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites CSpenceFLY 1 #12 October 10, 2014 Not the 3rd weekend of March. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites irishrigger 32 #13 October 11, 2014 you should come over to Ireland for a vacation! you will receive a friendly warm welcome from the irish People and there is lots to see and do on our small island. and you will be garateed to enjoy the irish hospitality! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites grimmie 177 #14 October 11, 2014 I can hook you up with a good deal in Belize or Nicaragua. Or join us for the Costa Rica boogie. They tan, you jump! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jcd11235 0 #15 October 11, 2014 jimmytavino… we're thinking towards next june- sept. … If you have that much time, consider something like hiking the Appalachian Trail or riding a bicycle across the US.Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites 24fps 1 #16 October 11, 2014 Where ever you go be sure to check out airbnb.com. I use them all the time. On most trips I can get an entire house or studio apartment for the same price as a hotel. I just a weekend up in the mountains with my sons and we got a amazing cabin for $125 a night.something funny and unique Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites AlanS 1 #17 October 13, 2014 My favorite vacation ever was to the Galapagos Islands through REI Adventures. We got a room on a small 20 person boat and enjoyed an 8 days cruise visiting each island. http://www.rei.com/adventures/trips/galapagosdest.html The wildlife there is amazing. Sea lions will swim and play with you there. Birds will be nesting right on the path and will only briefly glance up at you as you walk by them only 2 feet away. Animal life there has no fear of people, and it is wonderful to see. Here is a link to a video I shot. My intention was to swim down and get a nice picture of my girlfriend from about 15 feet down ... then a sea lion shows up. This was taken with a GoPro and an water proof camera mount. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtldcUeQXEg This one below shows the baby sea lions coming right up to us. We were in a group of 10 with one guide. At about 1:17 in this video you can see the boat in the background. Each day we would be at a new spot and at night they would sail to a different island. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXsaCb7O1aw To get there you will need to fly to Ecuador. I would recommend going to Quito, Ecuador and having at least one day to explore. In Ecuador they use the US dollar. My favorite meal was walking into a random restaurant for locals where they sold empanadas for about one dollar each. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jimmytavino 16 #18 October 19, 2014 lots of great replies here.. Thanks to each of you all. CSpencefly... I will NOt plan anything for mid march....i ALREADY have a destination in mind... We had the chance to Vist The Emerald Isle and then London... Truly great time. The PEOPLE in Ireland are Wonderful....!!! and Rick...Yes. Panama has always been of interest to Me. I have learned that the Atlantic side of the Canal is further WEST, on the globe, Than the pacific side.. Go Figure ! and one of my favorite palindromes is " A man a Plan a canal, Panama " TRY it it works backwards !! It's tough to plan for 10 or 12 or 15 days away... I get calls for work, ( service calls and sales calls ) pretty often... NOT sure How to handle being away for 2 weeks. I notice 4 and 5 day getaways listed in the paper, from "tour groups" Lots of variety for places to go... most of them One quarter to one third the cost of a longer trip.. We have booked a trip for Nancy and Myself and our Son...to Denver, with a well reputed local outfit.. for early Dec... Airfare from Roch on saturday, Game tickets to see The Bills play the Broncos, 3 nights lodging, and visits monday and tuesday to one or another Ski Mountain, and a Pro Hockey game tuesday.... return flight is wed... My son will learn of this,,, about the time he's going out the door to What he THINKS will be a day of work,,, on THAT Sat. Morning.. ( as a welcomed customer where he works, and a guy who is On good terms with both the Owner(s) AND the manager, I shall diplomatically "notify " them, that he deserves 3 days OFF.. and WILL they please NOT schedule him .. He's usually off, on Sundays and tues. so i'll request time off, on his behalf, for sat, monday and wed. ) Don't Tell HIM... it'll be a surprise.. Still gonna plan Something for the late summer months of 2015.... thanks again folks... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. 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Rick 67 #2 October 8, 2014 Hi Jimmy 30th anniversary. We had a great time. They use US dollars so there was no exchange rate to figure out. We found a lot of the locals spoke English. We spent some time in the city (casino's nice restaurants etc.) we spent 1 day at the canal (museum and all around cool place to visit), 2 days in the rain forest on a houseboat, and a day in the old part of the city ( really cool local art and architecture). I would suggest cabs or hiring a local driver as the roads are CRAZY. Of course if you have driven in NYC it may not be that big a deal for you. Anywho wherever you decide to go I hope you and Nancy have a nice relaxing vacation. P.S. we would prefer you make a trip to Florida but that might not be exotic enough for you. You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NewGuy2005 51 #3 October 8, 2014 What time of year? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #4 October 8, 2014 I've done 2 week vacations in Europe with just a plane ticket, one carry-on suitcase and a Rick Steve's guide book. Had a great time every time. I had a list of places I wanted to see but no schedule or reservations. We try to travel off-season to avoid the crowds and high prices. Cool weather doesn't bother us Seattle-ites. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #5 October 8, 2014 We've done the 'inside passage' cruise a few years back. It was relaxing as the ship was only 1/2 full. IF you choose to do that get a rear balcony..it's worth the extra cost as you get to see things like mooses & whales on both sides, from your private perch. Personally I'd head to Europe if you plan on going in the near future...it's getting to be 'off season' and the prices are better. Spain is about the best deal $ wise IMO...but I'd think with that vowel at the end of your name Italy might be more to your liking. We love hitting the Amalfi coast in November & December, no crowds and hotels are 1/2 price if you shop around. I can turn you on to a great little B&B in Rome 2 blocks away from the Colosseum...Tell 'em I sent ya they'll do you right. We tend to travel without long lead time reservations for the most part...no plans make for better adventure. Capt. Mom gets on 'Booking.com' about noon and sets up someplace for that evening. Dump the Rick Steves book and get a lonely planet for whatever country...more choices and better descriptions. Bring your ipad and surf the net for current things to do where you are that day & the next. Tripadvisor.com has lots of interesting things and some deals on stuff too... Any specific questions let me know~ ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #6 October 8, 2014 My mom, my sister and I have each been married for quite a long time. We don't agree on much, but we do agree on this: "vacation with in-laws" is a total oxymoron. It's something you do when you're younger, before it dawns on you that you'd be so much happier without them along. Been there, done that, got the whip scars. Doing Christmas with in-laws is one thing, but living with them for a week or 2 is the precise opposite of the definition of Vacation. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #7 October 8, 2014 HahaHAH!! Andy9o8. you made me Laugh Out Loud !!!! but I DID ask for honest, straightforward replies !!! Yours is taken under advisement. and Duly Noted. Thanks also to every one else. NewGuy2005..... we're thinking towards next june- sept. sorry not to have mentioned that. I like the idea of "off-season " just about anywhere... Smaller crowds are better than Large Crowds...... especially if they are made up of Tourists... The idea of Just going somewhere and creating an open ended adventure is appealing... less luggage to "lug" around is appealing... and upgraded cruises, on Half full cruise ships, is appealing. How about all inclusive type places...?? resorts, where one simply arrives and then enjoys all the local amenities for 7 or 8 days ...?? good deals?? bad deals??.. often there are simply TOO many choices...thanks for the replies jmy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hcsvader 1 #8 October 9, 2014 wikitravel.orgHave you seen my pants? it"s a rough life, Livin' the dream >:) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
akarunway 1 #9 October 9, 2014 Humm. Don't go to Liberia?I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LuckyMcSwervy 0 #10 October 9, 2014 If you're considering Mexico I recommend Excellence Riviera Maya. I went in 2007 and always wanted to get back. Adults only, all inclusive, good food, good service, nice beach, nice clientele, very nice rooms with nice amenities, 24 hour all included room service. The excursions were plentiful although we didn't leave the resort save walking/running the beach. I want to go back NOW. Enjoy!! PS - Key West is nice any time of the year! Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Krip 2 #11 October 10, 2014 airtwardo We've done the 'inside passage' cruise a few years back. It was relaxing as the ship was only 1/2 full. IF you choose to do that get a rear balcony..it's worth the extra cost as you get to see things like mooses Any specific questions let me know~ Hi Mr T Since you volunteered.What time of year did you do the inside passage? . Did it sail from seattle? Was cruise round trip? Vs cruise one way and return by train What was the cruise line.? We can find out most of the info ourselves if we find out what cruise line you used and time of year. Was the food adequate? Great, or Marvelous Did they allow dogs? Any limit on dog size.? Any limit on the number of dogs? R.One Jump Wonder Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CSpenceFLY 1 #12 October 10, 2014 Not the 3rd weekend of March. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
irishrigger 32 #13 October 11, 2014 you should come over to Ireland for a vacation! you will receive a friendly warm welcome from the irish People and there is lots to see and do on our small island. and you will be garateed to enjoy the irish hospitality! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmie 177 #14 October 11, 2014 I can hook you up with a good deal in Belize or Nicaragua. Or join us for the Costa Rica boogie. They tan, you jump! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jcd11235 0 #15 October 11, 2014 jimmytavino… we're thinking towards next june- sept. … If you have that much time, consider something like hiking the Appalachian Trail or riding a bicycle across the US.Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
24fps 1 #16 October 11, 2014 Where ever you go be sure to check out airbnb.com. I use them all the time. On most trips I can get an entire house or studio apartment for the same price as a hotel. I just a weekend up in the mountains with my sons and we got a amazing cabin for $125 a night.something funny and unique Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlanS 1 #17 October 13, 2014 My favorite vacation ever was to the Galapagos Islands through REI Adventures. We got a room on a small 20 person boat and enjoyed an 8 days cruise visiting each island. http://www.rei.com/adventures/trips/galapagosdest.html The wildlife there is amazing. Sea lions will swim and play with you there. Birds will be nesting right on the path and will only briefly glance up at you as you walk by them only 2 feet away. Animal life there has no fear of people, and it is wonderful to see. Here is a link to a video I shot. My intention was to swim down and get a nice picture of my girlfriend from about 15 feet down ... then a sea lion shows up. This was taken with a GoPro and an water proof camera mount. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtldcUeQXEg This one below shows the baby sea lions coming right up to us. We were in a group of 10 with one guide. At about 1:17 in this video you can see the boat in the background. Each day we would be at a new spot and at night they would sail to a different island. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXsaCb7O1aw To get there you will need to fly to Ecuador. I would recommend going to Quito, Ecuador and having at least one day to explore. In Ecuador they use the US dollar. My favorite meal was walking into a random restaurant for locals where they sold empanadas for about one dollar each. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #18 October 19, 2014 lots of great replies here.. Thanks to each of you all. CSpencefly... I will NOt plan anything for mid march....i ALREADY have a destination in mind... We had the chance to Vist The Emerald Isle and then London... Truly great time. The PEOPLE in Ireland are Wonderful....!!! and Rick...Yes. Panama has always been of interest to Me. I have learned that the Atlantic side of the Canal is further WEST, on the globe, Than the pacific side.. Go Figure ! and one of my favorite palindromes is " A man a Plan a canal, Panama " TRY it it works backwards !! It's tough to plan for 10 or 12 or 15 days away... I get calls for work, ( service calls and sales calls ) pretty often... NOT sure How to handle being away for 2 weeks. I notice 4 and 5 day getaways listed in the paper, from "tour groups" Lots of variety for places to go... most of them One quarter to one third the cost of a longer trip.. We have booked a trip for Nancy and Myself and our Son...to Denver, with a well reputed local outfit.. for early Dec... Airfare from Roch on saturday, Game tickets to see The Bills play the Broncos, 3 nights lodging, and visits monday and tuesday to one or another Ski Mountain, and a Pro Hockey game tuesday.... return flight is wed... My son will learn of this,,, about the time he's going out the door to What he THINKS will be a day of work,,, on THAT Sat. Morning.. ( as a welcomed customer where he works, and a guy who is On good terms with both the Owner(s) AND the manager, I shall diplomatically "notify " them, that he deserves 3 days OFF.. and WILL they please NOT schedule him .. He's usually off, on Sundays and tues. so i'll request time off, on his behalf, for sat, monday and wed. ) Don't Tell HIM... it'll be a surprise.. Still gonna plan Something for the late summer months of 2015.... thanks again folks... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
