Author Topic: "Holiday Road" - The Official Vacation Thread  (Read 145099 times)

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Online Natsinpwc

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Well worst case scenario I have "cancel for any reason" coverage where I get 50% back. I booked all my flights and hotels with points (chase ultimate rewards points for my flights, hilton points for my hotels) and perhaps I can get those back.

I have a Plan B involving a domestic roadtrip, but now states are putting quarantines in place on each other - see what New York just did this morning.
Tit for tat after Florida did it to NY and Lousiana in March.

Offline OldChelsea

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A hopeful sign from today's Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/06/23/european-union-isnt-likely-blacklist-us-travelers/

I know I'm grasping at straws, but....

Offline wj73

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Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta cancelled. We had reservations. That makes trip #3 that I’ve lost to COVID. :(

Online varoadking

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Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta cancelled. We had reservations. That makes trip #3 that I’ve lost to COVID. :(

Not lost...simply postponed.  Count it as a blessing...

Offline OldChelsea

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Just got a message from the US embassy in Stockholm that passport processing turn-round time is now 1-2 weeks.

Offline imref

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EU banning Americans

Offline OldChelsea

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It's official - no more trips to Europe (list to be reviewed every 14 days): https://www.dw.com/en/eu-agrees-to-reopen-borders-to-14-countries-extends-travel-ban-for-us-tourists/a-53986435

Offline HalfSmokes

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China approved- tourist destinations are probably placated by that

Offline Count Walewski

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I am now unexpectedly headed to Chicago in 3 weeks because my grandmother is not doing well. Gonna drive because it still seems safer. Ohio is in the middle of that route: gonna check out Canton on the way there and Zanesville on the way back.

Expanding on this: the plan now is to drive to Chicago with my toddler in the car, spend a few days with my grandmother in Chicago, and then if she is stable spend a long weekend in Wisconsin and Michigan just me and my wife (leaving the toddler in Chicago with grandma, grampa, and grand-gramma). Then return to Chicago, pick up the kid, and drive back to Virginia. We would, excitingly for me, be taking a car ferry across Lake Michigan from Manitowoc, Wisconsin to Ludington, Michigan.

This is gonna be a socially distanced trip. Apart from the absolutely necessary (going to the bathroom, getting groceries in small towns where I can't get delivery) we are avoiding the inside of public buildings. We are focusing on things that can be done outdoors: fishing, boating, drive-in movie theaters (these are way more common than I thought), zoos but not indoor exhibits at zoos, admiring nifty buildings from outside, graves of famous people, etc.

It pains me to, in many cases, know we're going to be driving right by some cool museum and not go in, but at the same time I will feel a sense of accomplishment if I can nonetheless patch together something memorable under such tight constraints.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Best of luck, Count. Sounds like you're doing this smart. I  hope for pleasant surprises with your grandma

Offline imref

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Safe travels and smart plan count.

Offline wj73

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My mom grew up in Manitowoc and I spent a lot of summers there as a kid. They were a major submarine builder during WWII and there’s a really nice Maritime Museum. The museum includes an actual WWII sub that has been restored to the original WWII configuration. You can take a tour of the sub, and it’s fascinating. We took the tour some years ago, and at the end of the tour there was an old guy who had actually been on the sub. He described life on the sub, including the time they lay still on the ocean floor as a Japanese ship dropped depth charges on them. After several hours, eventually the Japanese gave up. According to the guy, it was just in time as the sub was damaged and leaking badly. I just checked and the museum and sub tours have resumed with safety precautions, if you’re interested.


Also, Beerntsen’s Ice Cream and Candy is a local institution and has been around since the 1930’s. It’s family owned and operated- the 3rd generation is running it now. They have great chocolate and other candy, and all the traditional soda fountain and ice cream specialties. My personal favorite is the Boston Nut sundae.


Manitowoc is a cute little town, but its once-thriving economy was shattered when the major factories closed a few decades ago. They’re trying to build some kind of tourist economy with the museum and the yacht marina, but like so many Midwestern towns, it’s struggling. Your tourist dollars will be welcome.

Offline skippy1999

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Expanding on this: the plan now is to drive to Chicago with my toddler in the car, spend a few days with my grandmother in Chicago, and then if she is stable spend a long weekend in Wisconsin and Michigan just me and my wife (leaving the toddler in Chicago with grandma, grampa, and grand-gramma). Then return to Chicago, pick up the kid, and drive back to Virginia. We would, excitingly for me, be taking a car ferry across Lake Michigan from Manitowoc, Wisconsin to Ludington, Michigan.

This is gonna be a socially distanced trip. Apart from the absolutely necessary (going to the bathroom, getting groceries in small towns where I can't get delivery) we are avoiding the inside of public buildings. We are focusing on things that can be done outdoors: fishing, boating, drive-in movie theaters (these are way more common than I thought), zoos but not indoor exhibits at zoos, admiring nifty buildings from outside, graves of famous people, etc.

It pains me to, in many cases, know we're going to be driving right by some cool museum and not go in, but at the same time I will feel a sense of accomplishment if I can nonetheless patch together something memorable under such tight constraints.

It's been awhile but the Dells were fun, but probably more crowded than they should be I'd bet.  For your kiddo there's a zoo in Racine that my kids used to love to go to, not too huge so easy walking for a little one and it's kind of on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan so it's a really pleasant way to spend a day. 

Offline Count Walewski

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I went to the Dells all the time as a kid growing up in Chicago - but yeah I would probably not go there right now due to anticipated crowding. Same with Lake Geneva, which I've heard is as full of visiting Chicagoans now as ever. I will be checking out Racine, right now I am seeing the lighthouse nearby (Wind Point, I think?) and the weird gold theater from the 1964 World's Fair that is on SC Johnson's corporate campus. They both fit into my category of interesting buildings that can be admired without going inside.

Mostly I'll be along the shores of Lake Winnebago: Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Appleton. This is an area that has had relatively little COVID.

Offline bluestreak

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I went to the Dells all the time as a kid growing up in Chicago - but yeah I would probably not go there right now due to anticipated crowding. Same with Lake Geneva, which I've heard is as full of visiting Chicagoans now as ever. I will be checking out Racine, right now I am seeing the lighthouse nearby (Wind Point, I think?) and the weird gold theater from the 1964 World's Fair that is on SC Johnson's corporate campus. They both fit into my category of interesting buildings that can be admired without going inside.

Mostly I'll be along the shores of Lake Winnebago: Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Appleton. This is an area that has had relatively little COVID.

I wish you could have made it to Madison (Although, maybe not as good if you’re distancing. The Fox River Area you’re going to is really nice too  though.

Online Natsinpwc

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I went to the Dells all the time as a kid growing up in Chicago - but yeah I would probably not go there right now due to anticipated crowding. Same with Lake Geneva, which I've heard is as full of visiting Chicagoans now as ever. I will be checking out Racine, right now I am seeing the lighthouse nearby (Wind Point, I think?) and the weird gold theater from the 1964 World's Fair that is on SC Johnson's corporate campus. They both fit into my category of interesting buildings that can be admired without going inside.

Mostly I'll be along the shores of Lake Winnebago: Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Appleton. This is an area that has had relatively little COVID.
Let us know how the ferry goes. Was considering taking that a couple years ago to go from Glen Lake Michigan to Milwaukee but we ended up driving the Upper Peninsula. 

Online varoadking

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I went to the Dells all the time as a kid growing up in Chicago - but yeah I would probably not go there right now due to anticipated crowding. Same with Lake Geneva, which I've heard is as full of visiting Chicagoans now as ever. I will be checking out Racine, right now I am seeing the lighthouse nearby (Wind Point, I think?) and the weird gold theater from the 1964 World's Fair that is on SC Johnson's corporate campus. They both fit into my category of interesting buildings that can be admired without going inside.

Mostly I'll be along the shores of Lake Winnebago: Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Appleton. This is an area that has had relatively little COVID.

The White Sox had a Boys Camp in Brothertown, WI on the eastern shore of Lake Winnebago...a lifetime ago.  It closed in '70.  I was there in '63-'66...age 10+ to 13+.  They had current MLB'ers and future HOF'ers as guests there to instruct the kids.  The money was quite different then as we all know.  One fella I recall vividly was Whitey Ford.  There were others, of course...Johnny Mize was one, I think.  As you know...the White Sox lost out on the AL Pennant to the Yankees on the last day of the season in 1964.  I had World Series tickets that the Sox had printed and couldn't use given to us at camp in '65.  No telling what I did with them...probably found their way into the spokes of my bicycle.

Here's a link to some more information:

https://www.calumetcountyhistoricalsociety.org/CCHS.org/Public/Links/Docs%20for%20Website/Takemeouttotheballpark.pdf

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Brothertown,+WI+53014/@44.0056447,-88.3119856,10.24z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x88039a8a223a30ab:0x5402801d4f44349f!8m2!3d43.9680454!4d-88.3089944

Online Natsinpwc

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The White Sox had a Boys Camp in Brothertown, WI on the eastern shore of Lake Winnebago...a lifetime ago.  It closed in '70.  I was there in '63-'66...age 10+ to 13+.  They had current MLB'ers and future HOF'ers as guests there to instruct the kids.  The money was quite different then as we all know.  One fella I recall vividly was Whitey Ford.  There were others, of course...Johnny Mize was one, I think.  As you know...the White Sox lost out on the AL Pennant to the Yankees on the last day of the season in 1964.  I had World Series tickets that the Sox had printed and couldn't use given to us at camp in '65.  No telling what I did with them...probably found their way into the spokes of my bicycle.

Here's a link to some more information:

https://www.calumetcountyhistoricalsociety.org/CCHS.org/Public/Links/Docs%20for%20Website/Takemeouttotheballpark.pdf

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Brothertown,+WI+53014/@44.0056447,-88.3119856,10.24z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x88039a8a223a30ab:0x5402801d4f44349f!8m2!3d43.9680454!4d-88.3089944
Thought you were a Cubs fan?

Online varoadking

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Thought you were a Cubs fan?

OK, Spider...  ;)

Offline bluestreak

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Let us know how the ferry goes. Was considering taking that a couple years ago to go from Glen Lake Michigan to Milwaukee but we ended up driving the Upper Peninsula.

The SS Badger is more fun, takes you to more interesting places and is long. But I liked it better than the express between Milwaukee and Muskegon. It’s nicer and has a VIP lounge. It’s spendy. But it’s great on a weekday rush hour. to avoid going through Chicago.

They are both super efficient. It took about 30 minutes to load and 30
Minutes to unload.

Offline HalfSmokes

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Just got back from OBX- pleasantly surprised by the mask/distancing compliance. The only guy I saw try to go into to a restaurant without one was immediately kicked out

Offline Mathguy

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Which restaurant was that ?

Just got back from OBX- pleasantly surprised by the mask/distancing compliance. The only guy I saw try to go into to a restaurant without one was immediately kicked out

Offline HalfSmokes

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High cotton- the food was terrible, but mask rules were stringent

Offline OldChelsea

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Update on status of passport processing: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/passport-covid-19.html

Also: List of countries whose nationals may enter the UK without having to quarantine (sorry, no USA - not with a 208 per 100,000 population infection rate over the past 2 weeks): https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors

The US and other countries not on the list (it's to be updated every two weeks) have to get down to 25 new cases per 100,000 over a two-week span...I saw a prediction by one writer that Europe won't be reopened to Americans till June of next year - that person may be right.

Offline MarquisDeSade

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Sitting at my new house in Kingston right now. Praise Allah. Glad I have my EU passport, time to check out my place in Athens next.