Offseason Topic: Favorite Vacation?

[ME Husky Fan]

2003, kids were younger then, left 4 A.M from CT to Niagara Falls for a few days, then off to Cedar Point for a few, onto Notre Dame (couldn’t pass it up) and then to Wrigley for a day game. Off to Mall of America for a few and then to Rapid City SD before heading to Bismarck, ND for a wedding. 2 weeks in total, drove home alone to regain sanity.

 

[SCNCHuskie]

My traveling partner (my son) and I have traveled the country extensively. We have hit most of the NPs, and I will concur that Muir Woods is great. This past year we walked the Appalachian Trail and while clearly not a vacation, we did see many great sites and attractions. (Send me a PM if you’d like to see the link to my pictures of that trip.)

I have never been to Hawaii, although I have two plane tickets to Hawaii that are still sitting in my email, but long expired. My son spent a month in Alaska and he said it was one of his favorite places to visit; northern lights, curling, dogsledding, etc.

We have also done the backpacking Europe thing numerous times, doing what we called urban backpacking, but the reality is we are more of homeless vagrants in Europe, sleeping anywhere, and rapidly losing weight. So many great places to visit with Italy at the top of the list, but loved Ireland, Romania, Berlin, Budapest, Greece, etc. We did hang out with the princes and the princesses of Liechtenstein, which was pretty cool. The Princess, “Ah, only Americans.” We ran with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. Auschwitz Concentration Camp was a different end of the spectrum, as far as vacations go, but definitely worthwhile. And, we just barely missed getting arrested at the Vatican.

I will be leaving again for a nine week homeless trek through Europe following a New Jersey guitarist around very soon. Homeless and poor, with accommodations for one night out of the nine weeks that I will be there, not most people’s idea of a fun vacation.

However, my favorite trip was probably China, where I visited Beijing, Shanghai, and Mongolia. I was in Beijing in 1989, in Tiananmen Square during the student uprising, which some people accuse me of starting.

 

[OldSchooler]

A friend of mine very kindly offered me the use of his house in Maui. He didn’t have to offer it twice! Though I didn’t know it at the time, it turned out that his “house” ended up being a fairly substantial plantation with gardens, groves and beautiful grounds. The “house” had, if I recall correctly,14 guestrooms, 11 of which with attached baths.

We drove up the long, curving driveway and parked under the porte cochere where we were greeted by the property’s manager (think Higgins from the old Magnum, PI series) who gave us a tour of the house and introduced us to the cook/housekeeper. After some light refreshments, he showed us the substantial grounds via golf cart. He very emphatically told us whatever we needed just to let him know. That ended up being literally true. When Mrs. 82 joked that the only thing that was missing was a ping pong table (kind of an inside joke, referencing another vacation) one magically appeared on the lanai an hour or so later.

The food was amazing. The cook would meet with us to ask what we were in the mood for that day, typically we would just leave it to her discretion, and we were never disappointed. Mornings, she would go out into the groves and pick fresh fruit that she would cut up in a fruit salad for us. It was amazingly delicious. She would vary the location of the dinners as well sometimes in the dining room, sometimes on the veranda, sometimes in park-like gardens, always lit by hurricane lamps and tea lights, with fresh flowers on the table.

Every detail was immaculately managed. Throw even one piece of clothing in the hamper, and it was immediately washed, folded and put away for you seemingly moments later.

On top of all of that, it was in Hawaii, so definitionally it was beautiful. The house was situated on the hillside and had an infinity pool that overlooked the ocean. We almost felt guilty going out to tour beautiful Maui because the estate was just that stunning.

As the vacation ended, I joked with my wife that it was going to be hard to go back to the real world. I think that is probably our most memorable vacation, but there were others that were memorable more because of the people than the location.

Could you introduce me to your friend?

 

[OldSchooler]

Could you introduce me to your friend?

Sorry, I see you already answered that Q. But your description was almost as good as being there.

 

[Magy Cannon]

1. Snow skiing. Park City, Utah

2. United Arab Emirates

3. Hawaiian islands cruise

 

[NY Fan]

Cape Town, South Africa about 10 years ago. Table Mountain, Robin Island, a wine tour, visit to an animal preserve and fantastic food. Plus a ten day visit with our daughter who was in year two of a three year stint in the Peace Corps in Botswana.

Visited Capetown on business 15 times (it never felt like work) and stayed at the Mount Nelson Hotel near the base of Table Mountain. I thought it was the most beautiful place I'd ever been until I went to New Zealand in Y2K with my daughters and their 2 classmates and parents. Then I became convinced NZ - the South Island especially - was definitely the most beautiful. It is a remarkable land of contrasts at every turn: one is in a lovely Swiss town, the next turn and you're in Ireland, and the next you're in the Fjords.

Top it off is the Milford Trek 5 days and nights of glamorous pack packing and staying in very comfortable lodgings along the way with dinners, beds, etc. ending in the Milford Sound reminicent of Puget Sound. NZ has everything; too bad so far away!

 

[Monte]

Southern Germany , in the summer. Take bus rides through the Black Forest and the many hills and valleys.
Stop in Munich for a few days. Go sightseeing in the daytime, and visit the many indoor and outdoor beer halls at night.
A nice one day trip from Munich is to visit Hitler's hideaway: the Eagle's Nest. From high up on this mountain peak, you can see FOUR different countries, on a clear day.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Southern Germany , in the summer. Take bus rides through the Black Forest and the many hills and valleys.
Stop in Munich for a few days. Go sightseeing in the daytime, and visit the many indoor and outdoor beer halls at night.
A nice one day trip from Munich is to visit Hitler's hideaway: the Eagle's Nest. From high up on this mountain peak, you can see FOUR different countries, on a clear day.

Did you go here in the Bavarian Alps…………

It was the inspiration for the Disneyland castle. Driving south from Munich to the Alps is flat for several hundred miles until (on certain days when the atmospheric conditions are just right) you will see what you think are high banks of clouds in the distance but as you get closer you realize they are not clouds at all but actually mountains, much like the Rockies rising up out the Great Plains, it’s an awesome sight. Crazy King Ludwig of Bavaria built the castle in the 1800’s.

 

[huskeynut]

We did Ontario, Canada for our honeymoon. Great sights and great food. Wonderful people.

Had a timeshare in Sedona, AZ for several years. Great vacation spot in February for two CT teachers. Hiking the Red Rocks of Sedona. Great restaurants right in Sedona on the main drag. Three times we went to the Grand Canyon. An absolute must see!!

We've done a few cruises to Caribbean. Enjoyed the clear blue waters.

Next year we are planning a 7 day trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota. Can't wait. Our community has a travel club that sponsors these trips like the Black Hills. We have done several day trips and 2 day trips since we moved here 7 years ago.

Next week we head up to Westerly, RI. Family reunion - wife's side of the family. Misquamicut Beach, fried whole belly clams, real Chowda, steamers, corn on the cob (if available).

 

[FridaFriend]

River cruise on the Nile from Cairo to the Aswan Dam in 1990, just after Iraq forces invaded Kuwait. The river boat had about 100 passengers, mostly Spanish and Italian tourists; we were the only people with children and 4 of only 15 Americans. My favorite time was one evening when the crew stopped the boat and tied it to a palm tree. The night was very warm and beautiful, with a bright moon and many stars.

 

[Monte]

Did you go here in the Bavarian Alps…………

View attachment 88160

It was the inspiration for the Disneyland castle. Driving south from Munich to the Alps is flat for several hundred miles until (on certain days when the atmospheric conditions are just right) you will see what you think are high banks of clouds in the distance but as you get closer you realize they are not clouds at all but actually mountains, much like the Rockies rising up out the Great Plains, it’s an awesome sight. Crazy King Ludwig of Bavaria built the castle in the 1800’s.

It was a looong time ago. I did not visit it, but I believe we saw it from a distance.

 

[EdSaid]

In a few weeks we're flying to Pittsburgh, then driving to New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia. Then flying to MSP to visit Voyageurs National Park in Northern Minnesota, then driving to Grand Portage, MN and taking a ferry to Isle Royale National Park in Michigan (Island on Lake Superior.) This will bring us to 56 of the 63 National Parks, and all of them in the 48 states.