Author Topic: "Holiday Road" - The Official Vacation Thread  (Read 145076 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline Optics

  • Posts: 9233
Taking the family to Cancun last week of March(Spring Break). All inclusive, all expenses paid. Can't wait.  8)

Offline imref

  • Posts: 42504
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
Taking the family to Cancun last week of March(Spring Break). All inclusive, all expenses paid. Can't wait.  8)

Stick to beer and have fun.

Offline OldChelsea

  • Posts: 8160
  • Nats Supporter in Exile
I don't think it's money vs. No money, because compared to the cost of even one plane ticket the cost of Pre-check is negligible ($85 over 5 years).   It's mainly to make a line for people who know what they are doing vs those for ones who don't. I understand that there are many people who don't fly as much as I do, but it's frustrating being in line behind someone who doesn't know even the basics behind modern security procedures[...]

Sorry if I brought this up earlier in this thread, but Global Entry is comparably priced ($100 for five years) and is, in my experience, eminently worth it (I fly international longhauls about 3-4 return trips a year).  If I ever had any doubt about Global Entry being worthwhile, such doubts were dispelled on my return from Riga in July 2016. The queue for customs stretched all the way to the other end of the baggage claim hall and doubled back on itself twice, and there was a Lufthansa A380 arriving just behind my flight (the passport control queue was similarly long). But I managed to avoid all that - a definite advantage.

Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

  • Posts: 17647
  • babble on
There's a certain time in the afternoon where the Dulles arrival hall becomes a vest gridlock of miserable jetlagged humanity.  Global Entry does take the edge off.

Offline imref

  • Posts: 42504
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
There's a certain time in the afternoon where the Dulles arrival hall becomes a vest gridlock of miserable jetlagged humanity.  Global Entry does take the edge off.

2-5 PM when flights to Europe depart.  :(

Offline OldChelsea

  • Posts: 8160
  • Nats Supporter in Exile
2-5 PM when flights to Europe depart.  :(

Eminently true - that stretch of the afternoon is thick with international arrivals (let's not forget some 30 foreign airlines use Dulles, as well as United international flights). The KLM flight I took back in the aforementioned Riga episode arrives just about smack in the middle of that period.

Now coming back from London I have a choice of two BA flights - one arriving round the beginning of that period and another (BA293) leaving London at 5 PM and arriving round 8 PM - I always opt for that latter flight because it makes for an easier airport trip at the start, along with avoiding the worst of the crowds on arrival.

Offline mitlen

  • Posts: 66171
  • We had 'em all the way.
2-5 PM when flights to Europe depart.  :(

Lot of 'em come in around that time as well.    On occasion, I'll sit on the deck in the late afternoon/early evening with a beer and binoculars and watch the foreign flagged flights head toward Dulles.    I don't think the neighbors buy that story though.

Offline wj73

  • Posts: 784
Off to Phoenix Saturday-Wednesday to take in a couple of Cactus League games. We’ve done the Grapefruit League a few times, but never Cactus. We’re seeing the Angels at home on Monday and the Brewers at home on Tuesday. My mother in law’s 90th birthday is in April, and she’s a huge Angels fan so we’re planning on getting a birthday card and hoping we can get some players to sign it. Wish us luck on that!!

Anyone know anything about the Phoenix/Tempe area? We have an off day on Sunday and plan to hike in South Mountain Patk, but if anyone knows any good pubs or other good eating places, or “must see” places, I’d love to hear suggestions.

Offline comish4lif

  • Posts: 2934
  • Too Stressed to care.
Taking the family to Cancun last week of March(Spring Break). All inclusive, all expenses paid. Can't wait.  8)
We're going in April.

Which place? We are hitting the Moon Palace Resort.

Offline imref

  • Posts: 42504
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
We're going in April.

Which place? We are hitting the Moon Palace Resort.

I've had friends stay at Moon Palace and they loved it.  Have you heard the security warnings about Playa del Carmen?

Offline comish4lif

  • Posts: 2934
  • Too Stressed to care.
I've had friends stay at Moon Palace and they loved it.  Have you heard the security warnings about Playa del Carmen?
yeah, saw that. There was a bomb went off on a ferry a month or so back, and found another bomb earlier this week.

Current plan is to get the transfer from the airport to the hotel and stay there.

Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25666
Made it to the National Museum of the USAF at Wright Patterson today.  Only had a couple of hours to spend so we saw just one of the 4 buildings.  Had a nice tour given by a retired AF navigator.  We all know about the Enola Gay but they have the bomber there that delivered the second atomic bomb--did not know that another city was targeted but overcast so they settled on Nagasaki.  The most unique item I saw is shown at the link below.  The Memphis Belle has been refurbished and will be unveiled later this week.  We will be back to see that and the rest of the museum.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettering_Bug

Good place to visit if you are in the Dayton area.






Offline varoadking

  • Posts: 29487
  • King of Goodness
Good place to visit if you are in the Dayton area.

Shopping for tires?

Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25666
Shopping for tires?
May try and get to Dayton Dragons game there.  Class A league.  They sellout almost all their games.  No one seems to know why.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dayton_Dragons

Offline DCFan

  • Posts: 16722
  • What are you dense?
Made it to the National Museum of the USAF at Wright Patterson today.

Good place to visit if you are in the Dayton area.

My nephew just got accepted at Wright State medical school so I’ll have to check this place out when visiting.

Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25666
My nephew just got accepted at Wright State medical school so I’ll have to check this place out when visiting.
Had no idea Wright State was there until we passed by today.

Offline KnorrForYourMoney

  • Posts: 16254
  • pissy DC sports fan
May try and get to Dayton Dragons game there.  Class A league.  They sellout almost all their games.  No one seems to know why.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dayton_Dragons

Dayton isn't exactly famous for having a lot of activities to offer.

Offline imref

  • Posts: 42504
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
Made it to the National Museum of the USAF at Wright Patterson today.  Only had a couple of hours to spend so we saw just one of the 4 buildings.  Had a nice tour given by a retired AF navigator.  We all know about the Enola Gay but they have the bomber there that delivered the second atomic bomb--did not know that another city was targeted but overcast so they settled on Nagasaki.  The most unique item I saw is shown at the link below.  The Memphis Belle has been refurbished and will be unveiled later this week.  We will be back to see that and the rest of the museum.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettering_Bug

Good place to visit if you are in the Dayton area.

Spent a full day and a second half a day there about ten years ago and didn’t get to see everything. And that was before they added the fourth building. Definitely hope to go back.

We spent today touring embassies in dc for the EU open house, large lines at the big ones but we breezed through smaller ones like Luxembourg, Estonia, and Romania.

Offline mitlen

  • Posts: 66171
  • We had 'em all the way.

We spent today touring embassies in dc for the EU open house, large lines at the big ones but we breezed through smaller ones like Luxembourg, Estonia, and Romania.

Was OC there?     Sounds like some of his travel spots.

Offline RobDibblesGhost

  • Posts: 31426
Spent a full day and a second half a day there about ten years ago and didn’t get to see everything. And that was before they added the fourth building. Definitely hope to go back.

We spent today touring embassies in dc for the EU open house, large lines at the big ones but we breezed through smaller ones like Luxembourg, Estonia, and Romania.

I spent half a day at the USAF Museum a few years ago and didn't get to see everything and that too was before they added the new hangar. It's very impressive.

Offline RobDibblesGhost

  • Posts: 31426
So my best friend texted me last week and wants to hit up Yellowstone this summer. So we're going to Yellowstone - I've been before but he hasn't. We're meeting up in Salt Lake City and driving up from there. We're staying the first night at a Forest Service campground near West Yellowstone (about 10-15 minutes from the park) and the second night at Grant Village campground in YNP. Still figuring out the rest - it's five nights total and probably the last night or two will be in Grand Teton National Park. Last time I was there I spent a day in each park and this time we'll have six days total so I'm excited to see some new places. Obviously the main sights like Old Faithful are on the list - any suggestions for what else to see?

Offline OldChelsea

  • Posts: 8160
  • Nats Supporter in Exile
Was OC there?     Sounds like some of his travel spots.

I have actually been to Estonia twice (headed there again in July) and will be going to Romania this coming Tuesday. Two out of three!

Offline imref

  • Posts: 42504
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
So my best friend texted me last week and wants to hit up Yellowstone this summer. So we're going to Yellowstone - I've been before but he hasn't. We're meeting up in Salt Lake City and driving up from there. We're staying the first night at a Forest Service campground near West Yellowstone (about 10-15 minutes from the park) and the second night at Grant Village campground in YNP. Still figuring out the rest - it's five nights total and probably the last night or two will be in Grand Teton National Park. Last time I was there I spent a day in each park and this time we'll have six days total so I'm excited to see some new places. Obviously the main sights like Old Faithful are on the list - any suggestions for what else to see?

I've been there twice.   Once pre-kids, and once post-kids.  I prefer the Tetons over Yellowstone and would try to spend no more than 3 days in Yellowstone, which gives you plenty of time to hit the major sites.  I'm just not a big fan of the busloads of tourists, and animal-sighting-caused traffic jams everywhere.  The Tetons are even more beautiful, with fantastic hiking opportunities.  No matter where you are in that area, be aware of bears and carry bear spray.  Don't put anything in your tent will attract them (including deodorant, toothpaste, clothes you cooked in, etc.).  Also, afternoon thunderstorms are pretty common so plan accordingly.

My favorite spots in the Tetons:
- Jenny Lake to inspiration point - a very easy, short hike, that provides beautiful vistas.  You can take the shuttle boat across the lake or hike around it depending on preference.  We saw a grizzly on the edge of the lake the last time we were there.  If you want a longer, even more beautiful hike, continue on into Paintbrush Canyon.  We hiked into it on our first trip and saw a black bear.
- Hidden Falls trail - there were bear warnings when we hiked it, but we didn't see any (fortunately).  We saw people camping at the falls overlook.
- White water rafting on the Snake River

If you can, stop in Jackson WY.  It's touristy, but it's a nice throwback town with some very good places to eat (Merry Piglets, Billy's Giant Burgers).

WRT to Yellowstone, we've only really done the touristy spots, so I probably can't tell you anything you don't already know.  We focused our last visit on Norris, Canyon, and Mammoth areas, we did go out the north gate and checked out Gardiner Montana (just past the gate) to say we were in Montana!

Oh, I'm jealous. :)

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
So my best friend texted me last week and wants to hit up Yellowstone this summer. So we're going to Yellowstone - I've been before but he hasn't. We're meeting up in Salt Lake City and driving up from there. We're staying the first night at a Forest Service campground near West Yellowstone (about 10-15 minutes from the park) and the second night at Grant Village campground in YNP. Still figuring out the rest - it's five nights total and probably the last night or two will be in Grand Teton National Park. Last time I was there I spent a day in each park and this time we'll have six days total so I'm excited to see some new places. Obviously the main sights like Old Faithful are on the list - any suggestions for what else to see?

In 2013 we entered via West Yellowstone - traffic backs up so hit it early.

We headed down south en-route to Bridge Bay campground, but stopped for a day hike - maybe 4-5 hours - and it was so worth it.  So many people are reluctant to even get out of a car, but these was an easy, nearly flat hike and a really rewarding experience.  We were having lunch by a small creek when it started bubbling and steaming - it seemed from then on that everywhere we went we found "features".  Saw hardly any people at all.  I believe it was Sentinel Meadows Trail we went out on, then on the way back we bushwacked a bit and ended up down the Firehole River a bit past Fairy Falls Trail.  Again, every where you saw water, often a calm little plunge pool looking thing, give it 20 minutes and it might become a boiling caudren.  Amazing place.  SO much better than the grossly overcrowded Old Faithful cluster F.  Do anything you can to get away from people and you will be richly rewarded.

If any of this resonates I can dig out my old map and pinpoint what we saw, and where.  I also have video of some of the overactive water features.  But I would strongly encourage you to take any kind of day hike in the area of the active geysers, no trail even required.  Just get out of the car and go look.

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Here's the first feature we found, having lunch up on the escarpment and looking down, the creek started to boil.

https://goo.gl/maps/9uGi533y7q72