OT: Summer vacation destinations?

[minidarren]

Ive been to a number of the places that you have mentioned. I will refraign from commenting on places that you did not mention that I have also been to.

Ocean City, MD-Super commericalized along the strip (as are most tourist areas). We had a really nice time here. Beaches were very nice and groomed every evening. Found that the drop off in the water was steep. Maybe not the best for people with children.

Virginia Beach, VA-Had a great time here as well. Rented a house in the Sandbridge section. This wasnt my best move because it was really removed from all the attractions. But we made due. The strip is nice, lots of pretty cool street preformers. Beaches are really nice. Norfolk has an aquarium and USS Wisconsin is there. Pretty neat to walk through.

Outer Banks, NC-Went here last year and was bored out of my mind. I can appreciate the pristine shoreline and whatnot, but I like to be able to go to attractions within a short drive. Wish we had brought the boat down because that may have made my experience a bit more exciting. For about the same drive, go to Myrtle Beach.

Myrtle Beach, SC-My all time favorite vacation location. We go here every single year and rent a house on the beach in North Myrtle Beach (Cherry Grove). This year my girlfriend and I are going to meet with a real estate agent to start the process of looking to purchase a condo. From North Myrtle Beach there are a ton of shops and restaurants. Barefoot landing is a short drive and has a lot of really good restaurants, including Greg Normans place. $ (edited because apparently people do not possess this name as a proper noun, so its *****'d out) is fun, but isnt for everyone. Myrtle Beach is a short drive away if you want to go and check out the strip and hang down there. Broadway at the Beach (http://www.broadwayatthebeach.com/) is a huge shopping complex that is really cool. Almost Clinton outlet like. The beaches are beautiful and the water is always warm (July-August) and you can walk out a long distance before the ocean floor begins to drop off. Another cool thing we have done is the T.I.G.E.R.S. (http://www.tigerfriends.com/RSF.html) exhibit where we got to interact with tigers and other animals. A super cool experience and something that I would recommend to anyone. There is also Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede. My girlfriend keeps trying to get me to do it, but I have yet to break. She claims it is a lot of fun and you get to drink from a boot. Sounds like blast.


My biased is obviously towards Myrtle Beach. Im just counting down the days till I get to visit my buddy at the package store by the IGA!!

 

[RS9999X]

As some wrote it depends on timing and interests.

Burlington has their great Discover Jazz Fest June 2-10. It's a regional talent fest with many small venues. Newport's Jazz Fest is always packed with talent August 3-5

The largest US freshwater lakes by volume (Lake Cumberland) and by surface area (Lake Kentucky) are in Kentucky. Bass fishing is huge as is houseboating which is more budget friendly than some Cape Alternatives

 

[minidarren]

As some wrote it depends on timing and interests.

Burlington has their great Discover Jazz Fest June 2-10. It's a regional talent fest with many small venues. Newport's Jazz Fest is always packed with talent August 3-5

The largest US freshwater lakes by volume (Lake Cumberland) and by surface area (Lake Kentucky) are in Kentucky. Bass fishing is huge as is houseboating which is more budget friendly than some Cape Alternatives

And your um...in Kentucky.

 

[bpear1600]

Ive been to a number of the places that you have mentioned. I will refraign from commenting on places that you did not mention that I have also been to.

Ocean City, MD-Super commericalized along the strip (as are most tourist areas). We had a really nice time here. Beaches were very nice and groomed every evening. Found that the drop off in the water was steep. Maybe not the best for people with children.

Virginia Beach, VA-Had a great time here as well. Rented a house in the Sandbridge section. This wasnt my best move because it was really removed from all the attractions. But we made due. The strip is nice, lots of pretty cool street preformers. Beaches are really nice. Norfolk has an aquarium and USS Wisconsin is there. Pretty neat to walk through.

Outer Banks, NC-Went here last year and was bored out of my mind. I can appreciate the pristine shoreline and whatnot, but I like to be able to go to attractions within a short drive. Wish we had brought the boat down because that may have made my experience a bit more exciting. For about the same drive, go to Myrtle Beach.

Myrtle Beach, SC-My all time favorite vacation location. We go here every single year and rent a house on the beach in North Myrtle Beach (Cherry Grove). This year my girlfriend and I are going to meet with a real estate agent to start the process of looking to purchase a condo. From North Myrtle Beach there are a ton of shops and restaurants. Barefoot landing is a short drive and has a lot of really good restaurants, including Greg Normans place. $ (edited because apparently people do not possess this name as a proper noun, so its *****'d out) is fun, but isnt for everyone. Myrtle Beach is a short drive away if you want to go and check out the strip and hang down there. Broadway at the Beach (http://www.broadwayatthebeach.com/) is a huge shopping complex that is really cool. Almost Clinton outlet like. The beaches are beautiful and the water is always warm (July-August) and you can walk out a long distance before the ocean floor begins to drop off. Another cool thing we have done is the T.I.G.E.R.S. (http://www.tigerfriends.com/RSF.html) exhibit where we got to interact with tigers and other animals. A super cool experience and something that I would recommend to anyone. There is also Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede. My girlfriend keeps trying to get me to do it, but I have yet to break. She claims it is a lot of fun and you get to drink from a boot. Sounds like blast.


My biased is obviously towards Myrtle Beach. Im just counting down the days till I get to visit my buddy at the package store by the IGA!!

Locals now refer to it as "Murder Beach". Seems like there's a homicide a day lately. We live in Murrells Inlet.

 

[Catsailor]

Similar to Maine, equally beautiful and maybe even more so, are the Canadian Maritimes: New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia and Labrador. Ferries connect all.
When I last visited Acadia the buildings were in dire need of repair, it was a dump really, sad, compared to Parks in Canada. Hope that's changed.
PEI and Cape Brenton Nova Scotia are simply fabulous and the water's warm like CT RI so you can actually get wet and enjoy sans wet suit, unlike ocean in Maine. Cape Cod diverts Gulf Stream off shore missing NH and ME but it baths Cape Brenton and PEI.

If you go north avoid black fly season.at all costs. Northern bugs are fierce.

 

[EffanWoks]

If you enjoyed Lake George but are looking for a more outdoorsy atmosphere, you could go further north in New York and go camping. Beautiful scenery up there, best time to go would be end of July or beginning of August.

 

[jibsey]

A lot of this depends on kids ages etc. For slightly older kids like teens (swimming, fishing) lake winnepesauki if you have access to a boat is quite amazing. May be able to rent one for a week, need a house with dock. won’t be cheap. Used to split that with another family to make it more doable.

 

[coachcap]

The wives of the majority of my tailgate group just last week booked an all-inclusive vacation in August to Cancun. We have in the past vacationed through the Excellence Group in Punta Cana & Cancun, but the wives couldn't find any deals for our group. This time we are going to Playa Royal del Carmen. The pix on-line look extraordinary. The price was right: $ 2,800.00 per couple includes airfare, hotel accomodations, food & beverages. Full report after the trip.

 

[Travelman6]

If you want to stay within the USA/East coast go to washington dc, great little city that feels more like a big town. Tons of stuff to do!

Or, go to Savannah in Georgia, beautiful little city.

 

[mikedog10]

Locals now refer to it as "Murder Beach". Seems like there's a homicide a day lately. We live in Murrells Inlet.

I've got family in Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island, so much nicer than Myrtle Beach. I'm planning to visit a couple times this year, and I probably won't even bother making the trip up to Myrtle. I will be spending plenty of my time (and money) at the Marshwalk, though!

 

[Chin Diesel]

Went to Lake of Ozarks in Missouri a few years ago. It's near nothing other than the lake. We had four couples from all over the country; one couple does Wyndham Resorts and got us a four bedroom condo for the week. We went Mid-June.

It was very good overall. We got in to a groove where first person up started coffee, bloody mary bar and started breakfast. Guys went off to golf, girls went on a winery tour, did some shopping and I really don't know what else. We were right on the lake and had access to a dock for evening drinks. Plenty of places to rent boats for the weekend.

If you have kids I wouldn't recommend it but if you need a central location in the US that won't kill you with heat and want enough outdoorsy stuff to keep you busy for a week, it's an option.

There are some "interesting" videos on You Tube of some of the coves during the weekend. It gets pretty crazy if you're in to sharing jello shots, navel shots, etc.

 

[Husky25]

Went to Lake of Ozarks in Missouri a few years ago. It's near nothing other than the lake. We had four couples from all over the country; one couple does Wyndham Resorts and got us a four bedroom condo for the week. We went Mid-June.

It was very good overall. We got in to a groove where first person up started coffee, bloody mary bar and started breakfast. Guys went off to golf, girls went on a winery tour, did some shopping and I really don't know what else. We were right on the lake and had access to a dock for evening drinks. Plenty of places to rent boats for the weekend.

If you have kids I wouldn't recommend it but if you need a central location in the US that won't kill you with heat and want enough outdoorsy stuff to keep you busy for a week, it's an option.

There are some "interesting" videos on You Tube of some of the coves during the weekend. It gets pretty crazy if you're in to sharing jello shots, navel shots, etc.

Good place to launder money too.

 

[J187Money]

I chase the heat in the summer because I don't like crowds. Palm Springs / Cabo / etc. Super cheap, golf courses are empty, pools are empty - like having hotels / resorts to yourself.

Most of the time I can play golf 4-5 times in a week and only see a handful of other people on the course.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Elsewhere, and typically when fewer others might visit or are traveling!

 

[nelsonmuntz]

A good, somewhat under the radar, European vacation, is Holland and Belgium. It is more of an urban, sightseeing kind of vacation, than go somewhere and relax. It is a nice place to go for first time overseas travelers because just about everyone in Holland, and most people in Belgium, speak English. Unlike Paris or London, Dutch and Belgian cities are small but each is a little different. They are close together, which makes everything a short drive, or you can skip the car and just take trains everywhere (my recommendation). The cities are beautiful, manageable to walk around, and safer than Italy or Paris. Beaches are close no matter where you are, and France and Germany are short drives for day trips. As you would expect from a region at or under sea level, there is water everywhere.

A word about Amsterdam though. It is a beautiful city with a lot to do for adults, but stay out of the red light district. It is less seedy than it used to be, but it is a giant street party most days, especially on weekends, which can be annoying. It may also be a little too much temptation of the organic variety for teen members of your travelling party to handle. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a destination for a bachelor party and don't want to do Vegas like the last 10 bachelor parties your crew went to, Amsterdam could be an excellent change of pace. There are casinos in Amsterdam.

 

[Travelman6]

Yes, Netherlands is a beautiful country!

 

[nwhoopfan]

If you are already in the Tahoe area, I would highly recommend driving further south along 395. Mono Lake, Tuolumne area of Yosemite, some cool small towns like Mammoth Lakes and Bishop. If hiking is your thing you'll be in heaven. If not there's still stuff to do, and incredible scenery from the car or short interpretive walks.

 

[nwhoopfan]

My brother and his family are in Dayton, OH. They've taken several vacations around the Great Lakes. He couldn't stop raving about Bruce Peninsula National Park in Ontario, on Georgian Bay. I haven't been, but the pictures I saw looked pretty spectacular. The water looks tropical...but it definitely isn't!

 

[nwhoopfan]

For me vacations and hiking/backpacking are pretty much synonymous. I could go on all day about great road trips with plenty of hiking opportunities. I don't do much touristy stuff like normal people do.

Pretty much any National Park is gonna be a good destination. I haven't seen nearly all of them but I've hit quite a few of the parks in the West. Mt. Rainier, Olympic, North Cascades, Crater Lake, Yosemite, King's Canyon, Sequoia, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Glacier, Rocky Mountain, Denali (barely, that place is huge and I hardly scratched the surface). Some Canadian NPs too--Mt. Revelstoke, Glacier (not to be confused w/ the one in Montana), Yoho, Kootenay, Banf and Waterton Lakes. They are all nice to drive through, but for me I have to park the car and go walk around in them. In some cases Wilderness Areas in National Forests are every bit as scenic as National Parks, just nothing in the way of development--no visitor centers, gift shops, hotels, restaurants etc.