Where do you vacation?

[SunDancer]

The Mexico thread got me thinking, where do our FOFCers venture to, why or why not they hate/like it, and where do they want? What kind of vacations do you like? Any good vacation stories?

[JeeberD]

The last four years (until this year) my parents have treated the entire family to trips to Mexico instead of getting us Christmas gifts. Three years we went to Alcapulco (the Alcapulco Princess Hotel) and once to Puerto Vallarta. We always had a great time there.

For Spring Break this year the girlfriend and I are going to San Antonio for a few days. Never vacationed there before (except for when I was really young and we went to visit my grandma), but hopefully the Hilton on the riverwalk will be nice and romantical.

Other than that, I can't afford vacations...

[DaddyTorgo]

vacation...what's that?

[Neon_Chaos]

Thailand.

[gstelmack]

Disney World! Most relaxing place to vacation as you don't have to actually drive anywhere once there. Stay on property and there is dinner, entertainment, and all kinds of fun just a monorail / boat / ferry / bus ride away. We go about every other year, and this year we're taking our almost-2-year-old for her second birthday in 3 weeks.

[Flasch186]

vacation...what's that?

ditto...work 6 days/wk. for as long as i can remember...cant wait for a vaca.

[finkenst]

i just got back from 13 days in wonderful waikiki, honolulu, hawaii.

i think as long as i can afford to make the trip, i'm going to hawaii every year for annual leave.

[SunDancer]

ditto...work 6 days/wk. for as long as i can remember...cant wait for a vaca.

What do you? How may hours do you usually work?

[Buccaneer]

When I/we get the chance, the choice vacation spot would be the Northeast, specifically New England, Upstate NY and the Chesapeake area. But those trips seem to come once every three years so in the meantime, I vacation in Las Vegas every year (like next week, baby!). My wife goes to Florida to visit her family each year, as well.

[JeeberD]

Say hi to the college girls for me, Bucc...

[SunDancer]

When I/we get the chance, the choice vacation spot would be the Northeast, specifically New England, Upstate NY and the Chesapeake area. But those trips seem to come once every three years so in the meantime, I vacation in Las Vegas every year (like next week, baby!). My wife goes to Florida to visit her family each year, as well.

Are you going by yourself to Vegas?

[Flasch186]

What do you? How may hours do you usually work?

I sell new homes in a boomtown. Me and my sales partner have 2 sperate neighbrohoods so that is really really good. We kind of have a bonus neighbrohood but it doesnt allow us much time off. I work from about 10-5 m-T, 8-5 Friday, 10-5 Saturday, 12-5 Sundays...my day off is Thursdays, so that day feels like work too because everything bottle necks up on that day. My cell phone rings all he time from the 100+ customers in the pipe and all the new ones coming. Im stressed to no end right now but if we can sell the crap out of the bonus neighborhood, perhaps we''ll go back to our one neighborhood and get 2 days off again...we both need it bad.

[Buccaneer]

Awww, can't do that, Jeeb. My brother and I are planning on going back to the Barge but to LOOK, not mingle. Like I said, my wife will f'n kill me.

I do wonder about something. Of all of the times I've been to Las Vegas, never been ther when it's cold and raining. I wonder if that puts a damper on things. Besides, the town will be recovering from 5 days of CES and AVN when we arrive, but still I hope that there will be enough hot stuff going on at the clubs and bars. You think?

[Buccaneer]

Sun, going there with my brother coming from SF (btw, he's just finishing up 4 days of skiing at Park City, UT, so hopefully he'll have a safe trip back). It's my time to unwind and let loose since I'll pay for it when I have to babysit while my wife goes to Florida.

[SunDancer]

Sun, going there with my brother coming from SF (btw, he's just finishing up 4 days of skiing at Park City, UT, so hopefully he'll have a safe trip back). It's my time to unwind and let loose since I'll pay for it when I have to babysit while my wife goes to Florida.

Sounds like a cool way to hang out with your brother for a weekend or whatever. Where do you stay usually?

[JeeberD]

Awww, can't do that, Jeeb. My brother and I are planning on going back to the Barge but to LOOK, not mingle. Like I said, my wife will f'n kill me.

Awww, but Bucc...What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right? :D

I hope you have a safe, fun trip, oldtimer... :)

[SunDancer]

I've always wanted to see Hong Kong.

Anyways, do you guys go on a yearly vacation with the wife, or the whole family? Or you do the family thing, yet try to spend a night or some time with just your wife/gf, ect.?

[Eaglesfan27]

Ms. Eaglesfan and I have never really been able to sync our schedules to take many long vacations. Our last trip was 2 years ago to San Francisco. We had a great time. We usually do at least 1 - 3day trip to the either Mississippi or Florida coast each year. In a few years, when our schedules are more flexible I want to take her to Europe. I traveled for 3 months with a backpack and youth hostel pass when I was younger, and I really enjoyed Italy, France, Spain, Austria, and England. I want to take her to all of those countries some day (she has never been outside the USA.)

[Craptacular]

Growing up, we did a family road trip to Ft Myers Beach every year, usually stopping for a few days at some other Florida destinations (Disney World, Tampa, St Aug, NASA, etc) as well. My dad's boss had a house on the beach, and let some of his employees use it for free during the half year or so he and his wife didn't live there. Nice perks!!

Lately, I've been going to Colorado a lot. Mostly to ski, although this past summer, I went out to go whitewater rafting and hike around. We also went to the Seattle area in the fall, and would love to go back. My next vacation (or two) will hopefuly include one of the following:
* Naples, FLA - to visit my parents, who just moved down there
* Whistler / Blackcomb, BC - for skiing
* Washington DC - I've been there many times, but my wife has only been there once, and she didn't get to do much sightseeing
* NYC - I've never been northeast of Balt-Wash Int'l airport
* Vegas and Nat'l Parks in SW Utah - see honeymoon story below

I like to fly to places to spend a few days or a week at, but I also really love road trips. My best friend and I made a road trip out to the Mt Rushmore / Jewel Cave area one spring break when our ski trip fell through (no snow in U.P. of Mich). We made a point to stop at many of the odd "Clark Griswald" types of attractions, found by using www.roadsideamerica.com (http://www.roadsideamerica.com). We came back via the Twin Cities, and had a great time on a rather hastily arranged trip.

My wife and I also made our honeymoon into a road trip. We flew to Denver, and ended up in Vegas. Along the way, we spent time at the Hot Springs Pool and Lodge in Glenwood Springs, CO; Aspen, CO; Arches NP, Bryce Canyon NP, and Zion NP in Utah; Grand Canyon NP (north rim), Flagstaff, AZ, and Hoover Dam. We spent a lot of time in the car, but we both had an absolute blast. I would highly recommend hitting the open road with the one or ones you love. It's cool to discover new places together ... things that you completely bypass on a plane. We'd love to go back and spend more time at Zion and Bryce Canyon NP in Utah. The road trip was nice in that we got a taste of a lot of different places, and now know where to go back for a longer visit.

[Bearcat729]

My last vacation was to NYC last September. Prior to that I went to LA in 2001. Hard to take vacations when you deliver pizza for a living.


I've actually got a free airline ticket to anywhere in the lower 48 states, but can't decide where I would like to go.

[BigJohn&TheLions]

Three times a year I like to go to my little slice of vacation paradise... Sunny Detroit, Michigan!

My kid lives there...

[Karlifornia]

I vacation wherever the white rabbit tells me to

[Flasch186]

I vacation wherever the white rabbit tells me to

scary

[Balldog]

By far the best vacation I have had was in Punta Cana. It was nice and relaxing. I am hoping to go again this year around the 4th of July since I have 22 days of vacation this year. :)

[Radii]

cruises are fun

[moriarty]

Went to Ireland this summer, fantastic time. Great people, lots of pub-life, excellent scenery & golf. Little bit of rain. Good food (if you don't mind meat & potatos). Women w/ hot accents.

Driving on the wrong side is a bit of a pain, but highly recommended.

[GrantDawg]

I haven't had a real vacation in forever. I've just been offered buddy passes to fly anywhere for me and my family. Now which of you FOFCers are going to offer us room in your house to stay (since I still don't have the money for a hotel)?

[CamEdwards]

if you want to visit DC, GrantDawg, you're more than welcome to stay at my house. * Need to come before April if you want to avoid a house with twins, however. :D




*i say this without having asked my wife first.

[Gallifrey]

New York City

It is always really part work...but it is the one city where I find fun time.

[scooter]

Back in 2003 my wife and I took a pretty memorable trip. We saved our pennies for a few years and bought a BMW and took part in a program they have called European Delivery (essentially you order the car locally, pick it up and drive it for up to 6 months in Europe, drop it off, it's shipped and you pick it up again at your local dealer).

We drove around Germany, Belgium and France. My wife is a homebrewer and a big fan of German and Belgian beers, so she got to drink and I got to drive (I don't drink). It was very cool to drive that car on the Autobahn. We spent about 2 weeks over there and would love to do it again.

[MacroGuru]

Last 2 years my vacations have consisted of Memphis. Seeing family and such.

This year, I don't know where.

[GrantDawg]

if you want to visit DC, GrantDawg, you're more than welcome to stay at my house. * Need to come before April if you want to avoid a house with twins, however. :D




*i say this without having asked my wife first.
I'm tempted to take you up on that just to see how your wife reacts.

[SunDancer]

Back in 2003 my wife and I took a pretty memorable trip. We saved our pennies for a few years and bought a BMW and took part in a program they have called European Delivery (essentially you order the car locally, pick it up and drive it for up to 6 months in Europe, drop it off, it's shipped and you pick it up again at your local dealer).

We drove around Germany, Belgium and France. My wife is a homebrewer and a big fan of German and Belgian beers, so she got to drink and I got to drive (I don't drink). It was very cool to drive that car on the Autobahn. We spent about 2 weeks over there and would love to do it again.

May I ask, what kind of car model did you order? That's pretty cool to do that.

Is Hawaii worth all the hype for a destination vacation?

[Draft Dodger]

usually Washington DC or Disney World.

[Glengoyne]

The family goes camping once a year. My entire family, parents, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, my parents great grand kids, friends of our family that have also made this an annual affair. That takes up one week of my vacation, the rest we usually spread out throughout the course of the year a day or two at a time.

This year we may be doing a cruise, possibly to Alaska, but also possibly a Caribbean instead. Hell if we need to go budget it might be one of those cheesy 5 day Mexican Cruises down the Pacific Coast.

For our ten Year anniversary we are thinking of taking the Family to Disney World. We've done the Disney Land thing, but really think we need to give the whole Orlando thing a try.

[moriarty]

Is Hawaii worth all the hype for a destination vacation?

IMO, avoid the overcrowded tourist islands like Oahu and even Maui unless you're going to party (in which case you can find somewhere alot closer) or you really want to go to Pearl Harbor.

Going to Kuai, however, is definitely worth it in my opinion. Not over developed (yet), lots of hidden beaches and fantastic scenery and weather. But it's also much quieter so don't go there expecting rowdy bars & hookup spots.

A long flight from the east coast, but definitely worth it from the west coast.

[scooter]

May I ask, what kind of car model did you order? That's pretty cool to do that.

Is Hawaii worth all the hype for a destination vacation?

We got a 330 coupe. I'd be afraid to drive a 5 or a 7 over in europe. I kept thinking our 3 was too wide. Streets in european towns just aren't that wide.

My wife and I have been to both Kauai and Maui. It all depends on what you want to do while you are there. If you want to go and "see things", Maui and Oahu have things to see and do, but therefore tend to be more crowded (their cities are bigger too). The big island of Hawaii is supposed to be fun as well with the volcanos, but we haven't been there yet. Kauai was my favorite - it's called the garden island and that's what I remember of it - the island smelled like flowers. There wasn't as much to do, but if you like just laying on the beach without a lot of crowds, Kauai is the place.

[tategter]

Nothing like Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains in the fall. My wife and I go and rent various cabins almost every year. Clean air and peace and quiet.

[SunDancer]

We got a 330 coupe. I'd be afraid to drive a 5 or a 7 over in europe. I kept thinking our 3 was too wide. Streets in european towns just aren't that wide.

My wife and I have been to both Kauai and Maui. It all depends on what you want to do while you are there. If you want to go and "see things", Maui and Oahu have things to see and do, but therefore tend to be more crowded (their cities are bigger too). The big island of Hawaii is supposed to be fun as well with the volcanos, but we haven't been there yet. Kauai was my favorite - it's called the garden island and that's what I remember of it - the island smelled like flowers. There wasn't as much to do, but if you like just laying on the beach without a lot of crowds, Kauai is the place.

Hawaii looks beautiful, but is their alot to do outside the beaches?

[rkmsuf]

Hawaii looks beautiful, but is their alot to do outside the beaches?

you could find an ancient tiki and hang it around your neck for luck and watch all kinds of ill fortune beset on you like going surfing and crashing on some rocks or having a giant spider crawl into your bed.

[moriarty]

Hawaii looks beautiful, but is their alot to do outside the beaches?

Well it is a tropical paradise so if you're not too into sun and beaches you might have a problem.

There is all the water sports (fishing, diving, snorkeling, kayaking, surfing etc.), there's some great hiking, scenic helicopter rides, active volcanoes' to see, snow skiing (at least on one island though obviously limited). On Oahu, you have Pearl Harbor, hiking Diamond Head, lots of clubs, the polynesian cultural center (gag).

But seriously, if you're not into sun & beaches, save your money.

[bosshogg23]

My wife and I go to Atlantic City every other month or so. We stayed one time and lost a total of $80 in video poker/slots. Since that time we recieve 2 free days each month. We take advantage of the free stays and make sure we dont exceed $200 total for the trip. We live in Philadelphia so we are close enough to take advantage of their various free offerings(free rooms, cash, shows, dining, etc.)

[Kevin]

SWMBO and I are headed for Mayan Riviera for last two weeks of February. Stanfest on the July 1 weekend. Will probably also do the golf thing in PEI for a few days.

[JeeberD]

SWMBO and I are headed for Mayan Riviera for last two weeks of February. Stanfest on the July 1 weekend. Will probably also do the golf thing in PEI for a few days.

What the hell are you doing vacationing with SkyDog's wife?!?!?! :eek:

[Kevin]

She left him after the (ahem) patriotic undies thing. :D

Actually, I think we came up with the same appellation for our spouses independently. I've been calling Mrs. Kevin that since '97 based on the old British TV show "Rumpole of the Old Bailey"

[GrantDawg]

She left him after the (ahem) patriotic undies thing. :D

Actually, I think we came up with the same appellation for our spouses independently. I've been calling Mrs. Kevin that since '97 based on the old British TV show "Rumpole of the Old Bailey"
I'm going to go out on the limb and say Ben had a different source.

[sportsfan13]

I will always pick Vegas as my favorite vacation spot I have visited so far. It's an absolutely wonderful city, and believe it or not, there is more to do there than just gambling!!

[Izulde]

My parents and I usually go up north to visit relatives during Christmas (from southeast part of Wisconsin to north central-westish part of the state)

In the spring, we used to go to North Carolina until relations there passed away. The last few years my parents and my uncle have gone out to Vegas in the spring.

Summers we used to head out to either California or Florida.

As for me myself, most of the vacations I've taken that haven't involved the parents have been short, two or three day trips to hang out with people from online, with an occasional competiton for Delta Episilon Chi before I got my Associate. Oh and a couple places to check out colleges.

I used to go to GenCon, too, but didn't go this past year. It's just not as fun since it moved to Indy.

[Izulde]

dola,

We went to Hawaii as my sister's high school graduation trip. Went to Honolulu in Oahu. Granted this was just under 20 years ago, but it was still a blast.

Europe I toured the summer after my freshman year in high school and absolutely loved it. Ireland and Italy were my two favourite countries.