"Holiday Road" - The Official Vacation Thread

[imref]

We just booked an early August trip out west. Flying to Denver, then down to Cimarron NM to visit the Philmont Scout ranch, then to Durango to visit Mesa Verde, then to Lake Powell, then to Sedona before flying home from Phoenix.

The most expensive part of the trip is a rental car, it's nearly $2,200 to rent a standard SUV for the 9 days.

If anyone has any recommendations for stops along the way / places to see, please let me know.

[1995hoo]

There is a really good restaurant southwest of Sedona on Page Springs Road, the Up the Creek Bistro Wine Bar (it was called the Up the Creek Bar and Grill when we visited). Don't let the wagon wheel over the main entrance put you off—our meal (I had venison) was really exceptional and far less expensive than it would have been in an urban area. The huge number of hummingbirds visiting the feeders outside the window near our table was pretty cool to see, too, so hopefully they still had those.

Going from Durango to Lake Powell, it's worth crossing into Utah through Bluff and Mexican Hat and heading down US-163 through Monument Valley if you've never been that way. You'll recognize US-163 instantly from all the movies filmed in Monument Valley. Forrest Gump ended his cross-country run there and the spot is marked with a sign; I have a picture of myself standing in the road at the same location. If you have time and if this sort of thing appeals to you, the Valley of the Gods Bed and Breakfast near Mexican Hat is worth an overnight visit—really nice place, really isolated, and an incredible night sky due to the lack of light pollution. The drive up the cliffs on the Moki Dugway, located near there, is worth doing as well—at the top of the Dugway, make a left and take the dirt road to Muley Point for a great photo spot. (This is worth the detour even if you don't stay at the B&B.)

I took this picture from one of the pulloffs on the Moki Dugway in September 2015:

[imref]

thanks 1995!

[1995hoo]

So the OPM tweeted that if, as expected, the President signs the bill this afternoon making June 19 a federal holiday, tomorrow will be a day off for the government. Various indications that not all agencies will observe it due to the short notice.

[OldChelsea]

Just got an E-mail from KLM saying, with effect from today, Americans can travel to the Netherlands without travel restrictions: 'When arriving in the Netherlands from the United States, a negative test result or self-quarantine is no longer required.'

Now I just need Lithuania to open up again and the first of my four booked trips will become a reality (1st-8th September).

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

The show in Glasgow I have tickets for has been postponed again due to ongoing COVID restrictions on indoor events in the UK, from next month to February.  February.  In Glasgow.   

[JCA-CrystalCity]

The show in Glasgow I have tickets for has been postponed again due to ongoing COVID restrictions on indoor events in the UK, from next month to February.  February.  In Glasgow.   

I hope they have lights.

[OldChelsea]

State Department now gives turn-round time for passport applications as 18 weeks for regular service and 12 weeks for expedited service: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html

[Count Walewski]

We're in the Shenandoah Valley this weekend with my in-laws and my 3 year old, and man I forgot how fun Virginia Safari Park is. Even the adults were cackling with delight as cattle, deer, zebras, buffalo, emus, ostriches, and countless other animals were sticking their heads into our car to ask for food.

[varoadking]

We're gonna be spending a night in Toledo on our road trip to The Windy City in August.  The Mud Hens will be in town, so I picked up a couple of tickets for one of their night games...

The Mud Hens are the Detroit Tigers AAA affiliate, which actually sounds pretty redundant...

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

 

The Mud Hens are the Detroit Tigers AAA affiliate, which actually sounds pretty redundant...

[imref]

We spent the weekend in Niagara Falls and checked a off a bucket list item by riding the Maid of the Mist.  That is one of the most thrilling trips I've ever taken, highly recommended.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

We spent the weekend in Niagara Falls and checked a off a bucket list item by riding the Maid of the Mist.  That is one of the most thrilling trips I've ever taken, highly recommended.

In our college dining hall, we used to take the tea tags off Salada tea bags and flick them across the dining hall.  Got to be so annoying that the head of the college had the tea tags removed from all the tea bags at one point. In any event, on our way out to my roommates wedding in Ohio, we stopped by Niagara Falls and I flicked a tea tag off the Canadian side of the falls. The thing got caught in the air currents and went maybe a hundred yards before I couldn't track it any more (not that tough to track because, with a red and an a white side, it flickered as it floated).

[imref]

In our college dining hall, we used to take the tea tags off Salada tea bags and flick them across the dining hall.  Got to be so annoying that the head of the college had the tea tags removed from all the tea bags at one point. In any event, on our way out to my roommates wedding in Ohio, we stopped by Niagara Falls and I flicked a tea tag off the Canadian side of the falls. The thing got caught in the air currents and went maybe a hundred yards before I couldn't track it any more (not that tough to track because, with a red and an a white side, it flickered as it floated).

so THAT was what I saw floating past me as we neared horseshoe falls!! 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

so THAT was what I saw floating past me as we neared horseshoe falls!! 

41 years ago, so it is possible.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

This could have ended very badly, a la "99 Luftballons"

In our college dining hall, we used to take the tea tags off Salada tea bags and flick them across the dining hall.  Got to be so annoying that the head of the college had the tea tags removed from all the tea bags at one point. In any event, on our way out to my roommates wedding in Ohio, we stopped by Niagara Falls and I flicked a tea tag off the Canadian side of the falls. The thing got caught in the air currents and went maybe a hundred yards before I couldn't track it any more (not that tough to track because, with a red and an a white side, it flickered as it floated).

[OldChelsea]

Canada re-opening for fully vaccinated Americans with effect from 9th August: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/19/canada-us-border-open/

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Meanwhile other countries (eg, Finland) remain closed or are re-closing to travel from the US.   

[OldChelsea]

Meanwhile other countries (eg, Finland) remain closed or are re-closing to travel from the US.   

The UK is now also on a Level 4 ('Do Not Travel' - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/UnitedKingdom.html) - ironically announced the same day as 'Freedom Day' in England when most Covid-related restrictions were relaxed or eliminated.

[OldChelsea]

England to re-open for fully vaccinated travellers from the US and the EU with effect from 2nd August: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/uk-border-open-without-quarantine-eu-us-travellers-b947936.html?itm_source=Internal&itm_channel=homepage_banner&itm_campaign=breaking-news-ticker&itm_content=2

[imref]

We spent the last week in Durango and Sedona. Both are fantastic places, Durango more liveable, Sedona more beautiful. Put both on your bucket lists, especially Sedona for its incredible natural beauty. 

[Count Walewski]

I got nothing going on the week between Christmas and New Years. I'm considering flying to Barcelona, simply because I've never been there before and flights there are cheap for some reason. I'd have 5 full days there if I went - will likely want to take a few side trips too. Andorra would be a must to increase my country count. Narbonne, Carcassonne, and other cities in southern France would be doable if I felt comfortable taking trains.

We'll see how the pandemic develops but I am officially considering it. The weather sounds like it will be similar to the weather here in December. "But the weather blows in December" isn't an argument against a vacation unless the weather is any better at your home in December IMO.

[imref]

I got nothing going on the week between Christmas and New Years. I'm considering flying to Barcelona, simply because I've never been there before and flights there are cheap for some reason. I'd have 5 full days there if I went - will likely want to take a few side trips too. Andorra would be a must to increase my country count. Narbonne, Carcassonne, and other cities in southern France would be doable if I felt comfortable taking trains.

We'll see how the pandemic develops but I am officially considering it. The weather sounds like it will be similar to the weather here in December. "But the weather blows in December" isn't an argument against a vacation unless the weather is any better at your home in December IMO.

Barcelona is beautiful, it reminds me a lot of San Diego in terms of feel/climate. You will have plenty to do / see to keep you busy over five days: Park Guell, Sagrada, and so much more. Museu Marítim is well worth a day. When I was there we took a short train to Ventimgilia Italy just to say we had been in Italy. There are several Roman-era ruins to visit in Ventimiglia as well.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Offseason is a great time to visit Spain.  As they say in the old country, "there is no such thing as bad weather, there is only bad clothing"

[imref]

Offseason is a great time to visit Spain.  As they say in the old country, "there is no such thing as bad weather, there is only bad clothing"

We're considering going in January. It will be cold in Madrid, but moderate in the south, and crowds are light.