Author Topic: "Holiday Road" - The Official Vacation Thread (Read 228213 times)

Montreal has always been a fascination of mine but I've never been there. I've often heard the old English/French thing. If I go, I'd like to drive and hit spots in the Hudson Valley. Hit the lakes, etc. and take 9. Any do(s) and dont's?

Cooperstown isn't far off the beaten path.

Lake George is worth a day or two. The Adirondacks, of course. And Burlington, at the edge of Lake Champlain, what a nice little town. I have to recommend Vermont generally, what a beautiful, clean and tidy place. Stay a night (camp!) at Lake Willoughby in northern Vermont, closest we have to a fjord. Easy hike up the ridge that runs along the lake, spectacular views. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Willoughby

Head north up to Montreal, spend a couple of days walking around, but save a few days to head up the St. Lawrence to Quebec. The old English/French thing is a bit overblown, you speak the universal language after all.

mitlen · « **Reply #333 on:** April 15, 2015, 09:24:26 pm »

Quote from: tomterp on April 15, 2015, 09:18:55 pm

Cooperstown isn't far off the beaten path.

Lake George is worth a day or two. The Adirondacks, of course. And Burlington, at the edge of Lake Champlain, what a nice little town. I have to recommend Vermont generally, what a beautiful, clean and tidy place. Stay a night (camp!) at Lake Willoughby in northern Vermont, closest we have to a fjord. Easy hike up the ridge that runs along the lake, spectacular views. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Willoughby

Head north up to Montreal, spend a couple of days walking around, but save a few days to head up the St. Lawrence to Quebec. The old English/French thing is a bit overblown, you speak the universal language after all.

Thanks TT. Been to Cooperstown ... loved it. As it so happens, my people lived in that area after the Revolution. Been through Vermont and New Hampshire many times on my back woods trips to New Brunswick. In fact, went through VT and NH on my son's "Where you aren't goin' to college" trip on the motorcycle. We stopped by West Point as well as Dartmouth.

I'd like to see Lake Placid and the Olympic complex.

imref · « **Reply #334 on:** April 15, 2015, 09:59:06 pm »

Quote from: tomterp on April 15, 2015, 09:18:55 pm

Cooperstown isn't far off the beaten path.

Lake George is worth a day or two. The Adirondacks, of course. And Burlington, at the edge of Lake Champlain, what a nice little town. I have to recommend Vermont generally, what a beautiful, clean and tidy place. Stay a night (camp!) at Lake Willoughby in northern Vermont, closest we have to a fjord. Easy hike up the ridge that runs along the lake, spectacular views. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Willoughby

Head north up to Montreal, spend a couple of days walking around, but save a few days to head up the St. Lawrence to Quebec. The old English/French thing is a bit overblown, you speak the universal language after all.

Saratoga springs is nice. Fort Ticonderoga is really worth visiting.

Minty Fresh · « **Reply #335 on:** April 17, 2015, 07:33:48 am »

Quote from: tomterp on April 15, 2015, 09:18:55 pm

Cooperstown isn't far off the beaten path.

Lake George is worth a day or two. The Adirondacks, of course. And Burlington, at the edge of Lake Champlain, what a nice little town. I have to recommend Vermont generally, what a beautiful, clean and tidy place. Stay a night (camp!) at Lake Willoughby in northern Vermont, closest we have to a fjord. Easy hike up the ridge that runs along the lake, spectacular views. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Willoughby

Head north up to Montreal, spend a couple of days walking around, but save a few days to head up the St. Lawrence to Quebec. The old English/French thing is a bit overblown, you speak the universal language after all.

Cooperstown would be about 1 hour 15 mins from the I87/I-90 interchange so it's a bit out of the way.

Lake Placid and Saranac Lake are well worth the stop if you're heading up the Northway to Montreal. Ausable Caverns as well.

If you're into outdoors stuff, the Adirondacks are a go-to spot. I can recommend quite a few places but my favorite is Indian Lake Islands campground. It's a bit "hardcore" and if you rely on a camper or cabin to do your "camping" then it isn't for you. But if you can tent camp and enjoy fishing, Indian Lake is pretty much the best there is IMO.

MarquisDeSade · « **Reply #336 on:** April 17, 2015, 08:59:14 am »

Anybody have any favorite spots in Copenhagen?

varoadking · « **Reply #337 on:** April 26, 2015, 06:13:48 pm »

What do y'all do for phone access when you travel to Europe?

I have Sprint...they say we can reconfigure our phones...dunno if that is what we want to do.

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #338 on:** April 26, 2015, 07:39:43 pm »

I've never bothered, but you can rent a cell phone with a local number at any car rental joint at an airport (expensive)...or you can just take an old burner phone to a local bodega and tell them what you're trying to do - they can probably figure it out & then you just buy a prepaid card from a kiosk once you get there. Like I said, I've never bothered...but this seems to be what most of my friends do. I typically just stick to e-mail when overseas.

imref · « **Reply #339 on:** April 26, 2015, 07:40:07 pm »

Quote from: varoadking on April 26, 2015, 06:13:48 pm

What do y'all do for phone access when you travel to Europe?

I have Sprint...they say we can reconfigure our phones...dunno if that is what we want to do.

Sprint iPhone 6's now support voice calling over wifi which can save you money. Skype works too. I used to get a short term mobile wireless plan or buy a disposable sim. I've heard good things about http://www.truphone.com/us/ as well.

varoadking · « **Reply #340 on:** April 26, 2015, 08:19:23 pm »

Quote from: imref on April 26, 2015, 07:40:07 pm

Sprint iPhone 6's now support voice calling over wifi which can save you money. Skype works too. I used to get a short term mobile wireless plan or buy a disposable sim. I've heard good things about http://www.truphone.com/us/ as well.

We bought a couple of Kindle Fire 6' to take with us...can we use Skype with these? How does Skype work - email address I take it?

CALSGR8 · « **Reply #341 on:** April 26, 2015, 08:31:23 pm »

Anyone know of good website for cheap flights to San Diego?

mitlen · « **Reply #342 on:** April 26, 2015, 08:33:35 pm »

Quote from: CALSGR8 on April 26, 2015, 08:31:23 pm

Anyone know of good website for cheap flights to San Diego?

Southwest.com

imref · « **Reply #343 on:** April 26, 2015, 11:24:56 pm »

Quote from: mitlen on April 26, 2015, 08:33:35 pm

Southwest.com

Yep, check to see if Virgin America flies to San Diego as well. Also check flights into John Wayne in Orange County (about 90 minutes north depending on traffic).

imref · « **Reply #344 on:** April 26, 2015, 11:26:43 pm »

Quote from: varoadking on April 26, 2015, 08:19:23 pm

We bought a couple of Kindle Fire 6' to take with us...can we use Skype with these? How does Skype work - email address I take it?

Yes, there's a Skype app for Kindle Fire. You can use Skype for instant messaging, voice/video chat with other Skype users, or voice calls to regular phones at very low rates. For dial-out to regular phones you'll have to purchase Skype credits. You can create an account and simply tie it to your credit card.

varoadking · « **Reply #345 on:** April 26, 2015, 11:30:04 pm »

Quote from: imref on April 26, 2015, 11:26:43 pm

Yes, there's a Skype app for Kindle Fire. You can use Skype for instant messaging, voice/video chat with other Skype users, or voice calls to regular phones at very low rates. For dial-out to regular phones you'll have to purchase Skype credits. You can create an account and simply tie it to your credit card.

Very cool...thanks.

skippy1999 · « **Reply #346 on:** April 26, 2015, 11:43:27 pm »

Quote from: varoadking on April 26, 2015, 11:30:04 pm

Very cool...thanks.

You're taking one of the river cruises, right? Which countries are you going to? When we went to Italy 5 years ago we didn't do anything as far as phones (I didn't have an iPhone then so it wasn't so hard to unplug) I just gave my daughter the tour company's number and told her to call there in an emergency but I did break down and call her one night and we talked for about 5 minutes, I don't remember it being an outrageous amount on my next bill, but my friend is overseas now and she bought like 1,000 international minutes and it wasn't an outrageous amount either, but it sounds like Skyping will be the way for you to go.

varoadking · « **Reply #347 on:** April 26, 2015, 11:51:03 pm »

Quote from: skippy1999 on April 26, 2015, 11:43:27 pm

You're taking one of the river cruises, right? Which countries are you going to? When we went to Italy 5 years ago we didn't do anything as far as phones (I didn't have an iPhone then so it wasn't so hard to unplug) I just gave my daughter the tour company's number and told her to call there in an emergency but I did break down and call her one night and we talked for about 5 minutes, I don't remember it being an outrageous amount on my next bill, but my friend is overseas now and she bought like 1,000 international minutes and it wasn't an outrageous amount either, but it sounds like Skyping will be the way for you to go.

Hungary, Austria and Germany...

Yeah...this Skype thing has real potential...

We have the phone number for the boat too...just in case...

skippy1999 · « **Reply #348 on:** April 26, 2015, 11:56:21 pm »

Quote from: varoadking on April 26, 2015, 11:51:03 pm

Hungary, Austria and Germany...

Yeah...this Skype thing has real potential...

We have the phone number for the boat too...just in case...

I watched the special where Julie Andrews goes back to Austria to all the places the Sound of Music was filmed and now Austria is #1 on my list of places to visit, looks amazing! When do y'all leave?

varoadking · « **Reply #349 on:** April 27, 2015, 12:24:21 am »

Quote from: skippy1999 on April 26, 2015, 11:56:21 pm

I watched the special where Julie Andrews goes back to Austria to all the places the Sound of Music was filmed and now Austria is #1 on my list of places to visit, looks amazing! When do y'all leave?

End of May...we will be in Vienna for our 31st wedding anniversary.

My wife was born in Frankfurt, Germany and lived in Nuremberg until she was 7 or 8...her father was a U. S. Army officer. Nuremberg is the last city we visit on the river cruise.