Travel / Vacation thread

[ACamp1900]

SWA is better than a lot of airlines

agreed. It's def not the worst

 

[gkIrish]

Alternatively, don't leave the resort.

If you don't want to leave a resort why fly all the way to Hawaii? You can stay at amazing resorts in the Caribbean...

 

[gkIrish]

Lax---should I be looking into the Galapagos as a Honeymoon option? My fiance and I are big on wildlife, food, and enjoying nature...

Perhaps a week in the Galapagos can be combined with a week in Argentina or some other place in South America?

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Heading to Disney World for 8 days during the 3rd week of October this year. Not my idea of a vacation, but my wife has been planning this trip for years.

Trying to convince her that the only real vacation with kids is one that requires little to no logistical planning. Which is basically limited to cruises and all-inclusive resorts. Otherwise I'm having to deal with rental cars, figuring out where to eat, how to get there, etc. Basically all the same shit I do at home, except now way more expensive and stressful since I'm in unfamiliar territory.

 

[ACamp1900]

Heading to Disney World for 8 days during the 3rd week of October this year. Not my idea of a vacation, but my wife has been planning this trip for years.

Trying to convince her that the only real vacation with kids is one that requires little to no logistical planning. Which is basically limited to cruises and all-inclusive resorts. Otherwise I'm having to deal with rental cars, figuring out where to eat, how to get there, etc. Basically all the same shit I do at home, except now way more expensive and stressful since I'm in unfamiliar territory.

Never been to DW but for most theme parks you just go back and forth from your hotel and eat in the parks... the money is a real thing but everything else isn't as dramatic. What am I missing?

 

[wizards8507]

Direct flights from Oakland coming after New Year. Presently flying into Honolulu and then hop over to Kuaui. Still 2 for 1 with my companion pass, as is Dallas to Oakland. Pretty good deal, and SWA always better than AA (no baggage fees!).

I like Southwest normally, especially because I can usually get really convenient flights out of Providence and Hartford. But I wouldn't fly to Hawaii on a narrow-body jet.

My comment wasn't "Southwest sucks," it was "wow, Southwest flies to Kuaui?"

Actually I think the only airline I'd fly to Hawaii from the East Coast is Hawaiian Airlines itself. The other domestic carriers don't even offer hot meals.

If you don't want to leave a resort why fly all the way to Hawaii? You can stay at amazing resorts in the Caribbean...

Variety is the spice of life. I've done and will continue to do both. Regardless, I don't personally stay at the resort the entire time, but that's really the only option if you're super afraid of crime like Lax seems to be. The only time I've ever been pickpocketed was outside the cruise port in Belize.

Even with the shorter flight, traveling internationally has a separate set of hassles, especially with kids.

 

[wizards8507]

Heading to Disney World for 8 days during the 3rd week of October this year. Not my idea of a vacation, but my wife has been planning this trip for years.

Trying to convince her that the only real vacation with kids is one that requires little to no logistical planning. Which is basically limited to cruises and all-inclusive resorts. Otherwise I'm having to deal with rental cars, figuring out where to eat, how to get there, etc. Basically all the same shit I do at home, except now way more expensive and stressful since I'm in unfamiliar territory.

My man. What resort?

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Never been to DW but for most theme parks you just go back and forth from your hotel and eat in the parks... the money is a real thing but everything else isn't as dramatic. What am I missing?

Paying out the nose to spend 90% of your time walking to or standing in line for rides;
Sweating your ass off in a Floridian swamp;
Getting repeatedly trapped around kids having melt-downs;
Few food options, all below average and criminally over-priced; etc.

Theme parks are the fucking worst. I come back from one and feel more tired than before my "vacation".

 

[ACamp1900]

Paying out the nose to spend 90% of your time walking to or standing in line for rides;
Sweating your ass off in a Floridian swamp;
Getting repeatedly trapped around kids having melt-downs;
Few food options, all below average and criminally over-priced; etc.

Theme parks are the fucking worst. I come back from one and feel more tired than before my "vacation".

Okay, fair enough. DL is amazing tho, especially if you can spread it out, at least imo. I got the line thing down to a science, lol.

 

[dublinirish]

Paying out the nose to spend 90% of your time walking to or standing in line for rides;
Sweating your ass off in a Floridian swamp;
Getting repeatedly trapped around kids having melt-downs;
Few food options, all below average and criminally over-priced; etc.

Theme parks are the fucking worst. I come back from one and feel more tired than before my "vacation".

i went to DW on a day ticket and it was over 100 degrees. Never again.

 

[wizards8507]

Whiskey, if you go to Mass while you're there, DO NOT go to Mary, Queen of the Universe unless you want to spend an entire day in traffic.

Go to Corpus Christi in Celebration.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

My man. What resort?

Port Orleans - Riverside. I've only been to DW once before in high school, and just spent a day in Epcot. We've got a meal plan and reservations for everything, so it should hopefully be more laid back than our average weekend crash course at DL.

 

[koonja]

We should re-title this the "humble brag" thread.

 

[wizards8507]

Port Orleans - Riverside. I've only been to DW once before in high school, and just spent a day in Epcot. We've got a meal plan and reservations for everything, so it should hopefully be more laid back than our average weekend crash course at DL.

Eight nights is perfect. You can do everything without going balls to the wall. The most important thing is to get there before the park opens and take your breaks midday when it's hottest and most crowded.

Look for a PM from me.

 

[IrishLax]

Lax---should I be looking into the Galapagos as a Honeymoon option? My fiance and I are big on wildlife, food, and enjoying nature...

Perhaps a week in the Galapagos can be combined with a week in Argentina or some other place in South America?

Yeah, I think it really has to do with how much you want an adventure and how well you tolerate cruises. And how much you mind the actual "travel" aspect. For example, on our last day coming home it was something like boat->smaller boat->bus->small airplane->bus->hours in an airport in Guayaquil->large plane->large plane->cab. Probably 36 hours from the big boat to being home.

The only way to do the islands is on a boat, and there are strict controls on those boats so no Royal Caribbean style behemoths or anything like that. We went on Silver Seas, which has luxury accommodations and fine dining. The drawback is that Silver Seas also tends to be targeted at old people so a large percentage of people on the boat were of the geriatric variety... but there were also a lot of really cool people, like Steve McCurry who put my iPhone photos to shame.

So if you did it for a honeymoon, I'd probably recommend bookending it with time somewhere in South America. I did some time in Ecuador on the front end that was great for "settling in." I talked to a young couple on our boat that was go to Peru afterwards. Argentina obviously has some world class wine if you're into that kind of thing.

With respect to the islands themselves, they're truly unique. It is as undisturbed of an isolated ecosystem as you will ever see, and each island holds something different. One day you might be on an island with giant tortoises, the next day you're on one with blinding white sand that sparkles like diamonds, the next day you see the largest bird you've ever seen, the day after it's some penguins that got lost on an iceberg thousands of years ago and crash landed in the Galapagos (seriously). So it's definitely adventure. I haven't been to the Great Barrier Reef, but the snorkeling and diving was top tier for everywhere I have been in Central America and the Caribbean.

 

[irishnd31]

We should re-title this the "humble brag" thread.

LOL. Yeah, I feel like a piece of shit taking my family to Myrtle Beach for 10 days. I feel like A POOR.

 

[koonja]

LOL. Yeah, I feel like a piece of shit taking my family to Myrtle Beach for 10 days. I feel like A POOR.

10 days???

Ok Rockefeller.

 

[wizards8507]

LOL. Yeah, I feel like a piece of shit taking my family to Myrtle Beach for 10 days. I feel like A POOR.

Maybe the real vacation was the Poors we befriended along the way.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

LOL. Yeah, I feel like a piece of shit taking my family to Myrtle Beach for 10 days. I feel like A POOR.

To be honest, if I were in Lax's or gk's position, I'd be doing the same thing.

 

[irishnd31]

Maybe the real vacation was the Poors we befriended along the way.

Indeed. LOL

 

[irishnd31]

To be honest, if I were in Lax's or gk's position, I'd be doing the same thing.

Dude, now I have to go home and look my kids in the eye and tell them that we are officially "trash".

 

[ACamp1900]

“I watch national lampoons vacation on my one afternoon off,...”

 

[irishnd31]

“I watch national lampoons vacation on my one afternoon off,...”

Reeeeeal tomato ketchup ACamp?

 

[dublinirish]

i do feel bad about mentioning my Cincinnatti to West Lafayette road trip now

 

[NorthDakota]

LOL. Yeah, I feel like a piece of shit taking my family to Myrtle Beach for 10 days. I feel like A POOR.

Sounds like you went to community college

 

[zelezo vlk]

My last trip was down to the border. Fun times, great food, better people.

 

[greyhammer90]

Any recommendations for Belgium next month? Will be doing Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, maybe Amsterdam.

 

[ACamp1900]

Any recommendations for Belgium next month? Will be doing Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, maybe Amsterdam.

I've never been but as sports fans a Division A game would prob be a cool bucket list item... Antwerp, Brugge or Gent...

 

[dublinirish]

Any recommendations for Belgium next month? Will be doing Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, maybe Amsterdam.

Bruges is a great spot if a little touristy. Watch the McDonagh film "In Bruges" before you go. Its a dark comedy. Brussels I am not very keen on really. Try all the beers, get your chips and mayo and enjoy the waffles

 

[IrishLion]

Any recommendations for Belgium next month? Will be doing Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, maybe Amsterdam.

I have not been, but I read about this place recently, which sounds pretty sweet. Quite literally a hidden gem, as in you go down a nondescript alley and then go through an unmarked wooden door to find the most chill bar in Bruges, which also has a killer beer selection:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attract...e_De_Garre-Bruges_West_Flanders_Province.html

http://paulstravelpics.blogspot.com/2013/11/finding-my-favorite-beer-in-bruges.html