Favorite vacation destination you've been to

[CuseFaninVT]

This thread should be moved to the Travel forum.

orange79 can you make it happen?

 

[AlaskaSU]

For something different, I recommend Molokai. The nice nine hole golf course is pretty much empty. Mocha Mamas is great for a cold drink. The beaches are long and deserted. You can actually make love in privacy on some. There is just one small hotel on the Island but there are plenty of places for rentals including beautiful beach houses. The Island was set aside for Native land allotments. There are no fancy restaurants or modern supermarkets. When I went, they did not even have internet. Parts of Jurassic Park were filmed there just off the old leper colony that the Island is known for.

Regarding Maui, the place to be is the up-country, above Makawao. The Thai Tea House and the Aloha House on Olinda Road are paradise.

For hiking, the American SW cannot be beat. My favorite is Cedar Mesa or Mesa Verde, which are now being rediscovered. In a class by themselves!!! Best National Parks are Arches and Bryce. For horseback riding try the dude ranches outside of Escalante. They ride through slot canyons.

For sailing, the Inside Passage from Seattle to Haines, AK

For Alaska; Denali and Katmai but we are talking big bucks to get here. For Kayaking; Wood Tic Chic, the 100 mile long series of lakes that form the headwaters of Bristol Bay. For fishing; Icy St. Take a charter out of Glacier Bay, or Elfin Cove, or Homer or Kodiak.

for nordic skiing; Eastern WA. Stay at Sun Mountain Lodge.

For heli-skiing; Mt Assinaboine Lodge outside of Canmore in the Canadian Rockies.

For downhill skiing; get a place in the Canadian Rockies such as Fernie or Beaver Lodge at Lake Louise and a rental car. Follow the snow reports.

 

[cusefan88]

Any recs in Florence, Italy? Will be there in a few weeks. Mostly food please.

 

[ConnectiCuse]

Any recs in Florence, Italy? Will be there in a few weeks. Mostly food please.

L'Osteria di Giovanni - www.osteriadigiovanni.com
Osteria Zio Gigi - this place caters more to the locals but I thought it was really good (and inexpensive)

If you're planning to hit the museums and other sights, I thought the Firenze pass was a great deal. It lets you either skip the lines or get into a much shorter line at many of the attractions, although that is much more helpful during the summer months when the lines are outrageous. We got our passes at Santa Maria Novella which is (sort-of) across the street from the train station.

 

[DMDMD]

Any recs in Florence, Italy? Will be there in a few weeks. Mostly food please.

Skip Piazzale Michelangelo and keep heading up the hill to Abbazia di San Miniato al Monte for good views of the city and catch the monks chanting Vespers in the evening.

Great restraunt: Best restaurants in florence | fiorentina steak | Buca Lapi Official Website

 

[cusefan88]

L'Osteria di Giovanni - www.osteriadigiovanni.com
Osteria Zio Gigi - this place caters more to the locals but I thought it was really good (and inexpensive)

Love the local spots. Always something i wanna do.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Any recs in Florence, Italy? Will be there in a few weeks. Mostly food please.

Lived in Florence in the late 70s (Dante was writing the Divine Comedy at the time)...

Pinged my friends...

Here is list:

Cibreo
Borgo San Pietro
Fuor D'Acqua
I Fagioli
Perseus
Torcicoda
Cestello
Santo Bevitore
Enoteca Pinchiorri

Will update if more come in...

 

[storange]

Maui
Rome
Sicily
Liverpool UK

 

[Ghost]

New Zealand, specifically Queenstown. Incredibly beautiful and fun. Just wish it wasn't so far away.

Also, seconding Amsterdam. Loved the beer, weed, food, people, scenery, art...all of it.

I'd go with Amsterdam as well. Maybe a bit cliche as a pick, but I just love walking around there so much.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Rome
Florence
Curaçao

 

[cusefan88]

Rome
Florence
Curaçao

I liked Florence much more than Rome however both cities were enjoyable. Train system in Italy is wonderful.

 

[chugg21]

I'd go with Amsterdam as well. Maybe a bit cliche as a pick, but I just love walking around there so much.

My buddy moved there a year or 2 ago and I used it as a base camp for a 3 week journey. It's so clean and gorgeous.

 

[chugg21]

My favorites would have to be Iceland or La Paz, Mexico. Iceland was back over a decade ago and it seems to be way more of a tourist destination now so don't imagine I'd have the same experience these days.

La Paz is just incredible. 2 hour drive from the Cabo airport. Can't beat it for the food, culture and scenery.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Rome
Florence
Curaçao

Just got back from Curacao. Great trip

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Fortunately my wife likes to travel to beach places so here are all the places we have been for at least a week's vacation and hopefully I am not forgetting any:
Aruba
Barbados-3 times
St Kitts and Nevis-5 times
St Barth's
St Maarten-twice
Anguilla
Antigua
Jamaica-twice
Mayan Riviera-three times
Cozumel
Dominican Republic
Costa Rica
Canary Islands
Bermuda
Rincon, Puerto Rico
Cayman Islands-next month first time

It's hard to pick a favorite but I would guess it would be either Costa Rica for being such a great and diverse country or St Barth's for having such amazing beaches. We were in Aruba with 16 close friends for a wedding but didn't like the island as much as other places mainly because of the commercialization and the desert appearance. Trust me that we still had a great time but we don't rave about it as many people do. We just didn't feel it was as green and colorful (and quiet) as other countries. Probably one of the reasons we have been to St Kitts and Nevis five times. It's somewhat quiet and a very beautiful country.

Wife wants to go to Jamaica in March during my son’s spring break. Looking for a resort that has plenty of active options. Thoughts? Willing to shift to other islands

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Wife wants to go to Jamaica in March during my son’s spring break. Looking for a resort that has plenty of active options. Thoughts? Willing to shift to other islands

I believe Jamaica is a popular spring break destination so if you are looking for an all inclusive, that has a lot of included activities, you might run into a lot of other spring breakers and all the debauchery associated with that. Your son will not be bored and might thank you afterwards but don't be shocked if he experiences drugs, sex and alcohol. I could be wrong but but that's how I am visualizing Jamaica during spring break. If I was a kid I would put it on my bucket list.

The Dominican Republic might be a little more tame and still great beaches with all inclusives as well if that is what you prefer. Both islands also offer non all inclusive but if your son doesn't want to hang with mom and dad 24/7 or be on the same meal schedule, then being at an AI, you won't have to worry about him eating or not eating.

As far as specific resorts I would go on the Trip Advisor's travel forums. You will find out all the info you want. I would also check out expedia.com and punch in your info to get all your pricing to see all your lodging options.

 

[Cusefan0307]

My wife and I went to Hyatt Zilara in Montego bay. The adult only hotel was quite the party. Lots of S*x on balconies.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Lots of S*x on balconies.

Good for you, big guy.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Our last big trip was very quick in a lot of spots, but really loved Edinburg and Manchester. My wife loves Ireland, (has now been 12 times, I think).
We may well wind up there, at least part time.

 

[Guinness]

Our last big trip was very quick in a lot of spots, but really loved Edinburg and Manchester. My wife loves Ireland, (has now been 12 times, I think).
We may well wind up there, at least part time.

That is our plan too. Splitting summers between Galway and Edinburgh.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

My wife and I went to Hyatt Zilara in Montego bay. The adult only hotel was quite the party. Lots of S*x on balconies.

Back when I was in college, one of my friends, who was the proverbial horny devil (think somewhere between Eric Stratton and Tucker Max), went, by himself, to Hedonism in Jamaica. I think it had recently been featured on one of those HBO Real Sx shows.

His reaction was priceless. I think he was anticipating Caligula style roman orgies, but it was really just a bunch of middle aged, flabby, swingers and nudists. For a kid that would hit anything that moved, his palpable disgust was incredible.

Also, sounds like you might be ready to invest in a place at The Villages.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Back when I was in college, one of my friends, who was the proverbial horny devil (think somewhere between Eric Stratton and Tucker Max), went, by himself, to Hedonism in Jamaica. I think it had recently been featured on one of those HBO Real Sx shows.

His reaction was priceless. I think he was anticipating Caligula style roman orgies, but it was really just a bunch of middle aged, flabby, swingers and nudists. For a kid that would hit anything that moved, his palpable disgust was incredible.

Also, sounds like you might be ready to invest in a place at The Villages.

Rule #1: Don't expect supermodels at nude beaches. However all rules have exceptions. In this case it would be St. Barths.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

Rule #1: Don't expect supermodels at nude beaches. However all rules have exceptions. In this case it would be St. Barths.

We stumbled on to Black's Beach in San Diego by accident. We went down a big road across from UC San Diego where we saw a lot of college kids walking, and then were kind of just tracking the hang gliders while walking on the beach. Before we could turn back, we were surrounded by saggy jugs and floppy nutsacks everywhere. It basically just goes from a regular public beach, into the nudist section, without any "warning."

We werent sure how to handle it with our boys - 8 and 5 at the time. We didnt want to draw attention to it, but we also didnt want them noticing it, and shouting something out. So we didnt say anything. When we started up the escarpment trail to over where Torrey Pines is, my kids immediately started discussing all of the meatballs (breasts) and willys they saw.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Rule #1: Don't expect supermodels at nude beaches. However all rules have exceptions. In this case it would be St. Barths.

Just looked at prices for some resorts/hotels there. I'm not spending $2k a night to share a room with my wife and 18-year old son.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Just looked at prices for some resorts/hotels there. I'm not spending $2k a night to share a room with my wife and 18-year old son.

St. Barths is not cheap. It took a lot of upfront planning to find a place that was reasonable that looked good. Not really a country you would bring a teenager unless he was good to just lay around one of their incredible beaches all day long. Great place to bring your wife though. The guy that owns this place we stayed at is a surfing buddy of Jimmy Buffet.

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