Summer's coming! What is your best vacation EVER?

[NuclearNed]

My wife and I have nice incomes, no kids, and no expensive vices, so we get to take some pretty sweet vacations. With summer coming up, it's time to start planning. What is your best one ever, favorite thing to see / do, etc?

I'll start...

We planned to fly to Wyoming to see Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Glacier National Park, etc. in September 2001. Our flight was scheduled for Friday September 14th. For obvious reasons, our flight got cancelled. At the last minute, we decided to rent a car and drive the whole thing (from Eastern Tennessee) instead of cancelling the trip. As it turned out, it was the perfect road trip. We got to see everything we had originally planned, as well as a whole bunch of bonus stops (Badlands National Park, Mt. Rushmore, Devils Tower, Theodore Roosevelt National Park) all during the height of autumn. Plus there is a certain freedom to having a car that you don't get in an airplane (i.e. turn up the radio all the way, no crying kids, clothing optional). If you have never been to Yellowstone / Tetons / Glacier, I don't think there is anywhere in the U.S. that is more scenic. And because of the Sept. 11th tragedy, we had the parks virtually to ourselves for some awesome hiking. It was the perfect trip.

 

[edro]

Maui.

 

[Anubis]

im going home after i graduate in May, and then the job hunting begins,

 

[gistech1978]

2 weeks camping & hiking in national parks in Utah, Arizona, Nevada and Colorado.

it was easily the most fun ive had on vacation.

 

[NuclearNed]

Originally posted by: gistech1978
2 weeks camping & hiking in national parks in Utah, Arizona, Nevada and Colorado.

it was easily the most fun ive had on vacation.

Southern Utah is FREAKING AWESOME... probably my favorite place on earth. Particularly, Zion National Park. And it's close to Las Vegas.

 

[Kelemvor]

We're heading to Alaska for a cruise in July. I'm hoping that is awesome. I've done the Caribbean twice and yeah the sun and water is great, but everyone I've ever talked to that's gone to Alaska has just raved about it and ranked it higher than their caribbean crusies.

Can't wait.

 

[Aharami]

cancun for spring break. best time of my life!!

 

[gistech1978]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed

Originally posted by: gistech1978
2 weeks camping & hiking in national parks in Utah, Arizona, Nevada and Colorado.

it was easily the most fun ive had on vacation.

Southern Utah is FREAKING AWESOME... probably my favorite place on earth. Particularly, Zion National Park. And it's close to Las Vegas.

me too. S Utah is so gorgeous.
ive been to Zion twice.
we went to the north rim of the GC, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Mesa Verde (CO), Monument Valley(AZ), Great Basin (NV), Arches, Natural Bridges NM, Grand Staircase Escalante NM...I think thats all.
man it was so much fun.

 

[NuclearNed]

Originally posted by: gistech1978

Originally posted by: NuclearNed

Originally posted by: gistech1978
2 weeks camping & hiking in national parks in Utah, Arizona, Nevada and Colorado.

it was easily the most fun ive had on vacation.

Southern Utah is FREAKING AWESOME... probably my favorite place on earth. Particularly, Zion National Park. And it's close to Las Vegas.

me too. S Utah is so gorgeous.
ive been to Zion twice.
we went to the north rim of the GC, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Mesa Verde (CO), Monument Valley(AZ), Great Basin (NV), Arches, Natural Bridges NM, Grand Staircase Escalante NM...I think thats all.
man it was so much fun.

How is Great Basin? My wife and I really like the National Parks and are trying to see them all during our lifetimes. We want to see GB, but don't know a whole lot about it.

 

[gistech1978]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed

Originally posted by: gistech1978

Originally posted by: NuclearNed

Originally posted by: gistech1978
2 weeks camping & hiking in national parks in Utah, Arizona, Nevada and Colorado.

it was easily the most fun ive had on vacation.

Southern Utah is FREAKING AWESOME... probably my favorite place on earth. Particularly, Zion National Park. And it's close to Las Vegas.

me too. S Utah is so gorgeous.
ive been to Zion twice.
we went to the north rim of the GC, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Mesa Verde (CO), Monument Valley(AZ), Great Basin (NV), Arches, Natural Bridges NM, Grand Staircase Escalante NM...I think thats all.
man it was so much fun.

How is Great Basin? My wife and I really like the National Parks and are trying to see them all during our lifetimes. We want to see GB, but don't know a whole lot about it.

it was interesting. Its basically surrounded by desert, but you go up into some mountains and once you get high enough up, the vegetation changes dramatically. Forests, much much colder. I was there in late May, we had hiked to see a bristlecone pine, the elevation was about 11,000 ft, so we postholed thru the several feet of snow on the ground to see one. There is a cave you can go through. The Park is really pretty, but very very isolated. In the middle of nowhere, definitely. It was 4 or 5 hrs (at least) from Salt Lake, where we started our trip. It was the first park we visited before heading south to Zion.

 

[kranky]

Mine was last year. Flew Pittsburgh to Denver, then rented a car. Went to the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Utah, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Durango (CO), and back to Denver to fly home. My wife would go again tomorrow if I offered her the chance.

The Grand Canyon is an awesome sight, but Yellowstone is overall more spectacular IMHO.

 

[Papagayo]

Costa Rica (PapaGayo Resort)..

We did a all inclusive vacation package from vacation express.. I don't do tour attractions (they had volcanoes tours, rainforest tours, etc). When I go on vacation I want to relax.
Every morning we would take a cayak (free) to a very remote beach and just relax (when I remote, I mean nothing except the beach and forest in the background).
I would go fishing in the nude sometimes..

 

[GasX]

This vacation > all others

Possibly the best 10 days of my life...

edit: 10 days whitewater rafting in Chile. Imagine a place where it is 75 degrees, a carribean blue (colored by the glacial mill) river rages 100ft below you, you are surrounded by snow covered mountains and you are sitting in a hottub getting your drink on. This is after a day of rafting, hiking, climbing and horseback riding...

 

[GTaudiophile]

I have three...

Summer 1996: 16 years-old, spent four weeks in Germany, traveling without parents for the first time. Later that summer, we had the Olympic Games in Atlanta. A blast!

Summer 2002: 22 years-old, six weeks spent in Europe. Using trains and hostels, visited these countries: Greece, Italy, France, Spain (Ibizza), Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden.

Summer 2003: 23 years-old, ten weeks spent almost entirely on the Greek island of Naxos. I was literally an inhabitant of the island, but unlike the locals, I just went from the beach to the bars and back to the beach, etc. (See sig for PICS.)

Summer 2004: European travels continue...plans to be determined!

 

[NuclearNed]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
This vacation > all others

Possibly the best 10 days of my life...

edit: 10 days whitewater rafting in Chile. Imagine a place where it is 75 degrees, a carribean blue (colored by the glacial mill) river rages 100ft below you, you are surrounded by snow covered mountains and you are sitting in a hottub getting your drink on. This is after a day of rafting, hiking, climbing and horseback riding...

HOLY CRAP! I think I need a cold shower...

 

[prvteye2003]

went to Jamaica a few years back. That was a fun time. 2 years ago went on a western caribbean cruise...best time of my life.

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed

Originally posted by: Mwilding
This vacation > all others

Possibly the best 10 days of my life...

edit: 10 days whitewater rafting in Chile. Imagine a place where it is 75 degrees, a carribean blue (colored by the glacial mill) river rages 100ft below you, you are surrounded by snow covered mountains and you are sitting in a hottub getting your drink on. This is after a day of rafting, hiking, climbing and horseback riding...

HOLY CRAP! I think I need a cold shower...

Well, if you went on the trip, you could just go swimming in the chilly waters of the Futaleufu...

 

[GoldenGuppy]

Haven't been many places (never out of the USA), so I will have to say Honolulu

 

[fitzhue]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
My wife and I have nice incomes, no kids, and no expensive vices, so we get to take some pretty sweet vacations. With summer coming up, it's time to start planning. What is your best one ever, favorite thing to see / do, etc?

I'll start...

We planned to fly to Wyoming to see Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Glacier National Park, etc. in September 2001. Our flight was scheduled for Friday September 14th. For obvious reasons, our flight got cancelled. At the last minute, we decided to rent a car and drive the whole thing (from Eastern Tennessee) instead of cancelling the trip. As it turned out, it was the perfect road trip. We got to see everything we had originally planned, as well as a whole bunch of bonus stops (Badlands National Park, Mt. Rushmore, Devils Tower, Theodore Roosevelt National Park) all during the height of autumn. Plus there is a certain freedom to having a car that you don't get in an airplane (i.e. turn up the radio all the way, no crying kids, clothing optional). If you have never been to Yellowstone / Tetons / Glacier, I don't think there is anywhere in the U.S. that is more scenic. And because of the Sept. 11th tragedy, we had the parks virtually to ourselves for some awesome hiking. It was the perfect trip.

Awesome, you pretty much did what my perfect vacation would be. Last summer I went to Yellowstone, Badlands, Glacier and after that went up into Canada to see Banff which was absolutely stunning. This summer I'm planning on seeing Mt. Rainier, Olympic, and maybe even Yosemite, even though I've heard those parks are usually very crowded.

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: fitzhue

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
My wife and I have nice incomes, no kids, and no expensive vices, so we get to take some pretty sweet vacations. With summer coming up, it's time to start planning. What is your best one ever, favorite thing to see / do, etc?

I'll start...

We planned to fly to Wyoming to see Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Glacier National Park, etc. in September 2001. Our flight was scheduled for Friday September 14th. For obvious reasons, our flight got cancelled. At the last minute, we decided to rent a car and drive the whole thing (from Eastern Tennessee) instead of cancelling the trip. As it turned out, it was the perfect road trip. We got to see everything we had originally planned, as well as a whole bunch of bonus stops (Badlands National Park, Mt. Rushmore, Devils Tower, Theodore Roosevelt National Park) all during the height of autumn. Plus there is a certain freedom to having a car that you don't get in an airplane (i.e. turn up the radio all the way, no crying kids, clothing optional). If you have never been to Yellowstone / Tetons / Glacier, I don't think there is anywhere in the U.S. that is more scenic. And because of the Sept. 11th tragedy, we had the parks virtually to ourselves for some awesome hiking. It was the perfect trip.

Awesome, you pretty much did what my perfect vacation would be. Last summer I went to Yellowstone, Badlands, Glacier and after that went up into Canada to see Banff which was absolutely stunning. This summer I'm planning on seeing Mt. Rainier, Olympic, and maybe even Yosemite, even though I've heard those parks are usually very crowded.

Ranier is not that crowded above 14,000ft

 

[Parrotheader]

With family: Trip to California when I was about 13. We were out there for a month so we got to take our time and pretty much take in the whole state. Also got to visit Colorado and New Mexico for a couple weeks with them a few years ago via motorhome. Great way to tour that part of the country IMO.

With my wife: Our trip to Disneyworld and on a Disney cruise (our first cruise) a few years ago. I know WDW's a cliche to some, but we've (mostly I've) been there enough to know our way around so thoroughly that we know when to go to avoid crowds, bad weather and what's worth seeing and what's a waste of time/money. I could have a good time there without even going in the parks given the vast amount of restaurants and entertainment they have at the various resorts. And the cruise portion was amazing. People think Disney and automatically think $$$ and lots of kids and they're somewhat right on both counts. But on the cruise ship they still have to cater to adults-only areas and since most of the people there ARE families the adult-only areas are VERY uncrowded and quite relaxing, especially on their private island. In fact, they had so many programs that kept kids busy that I honestly didn't see that many kids on our entire cruise outside of when we went to meals.

FUTURE trip: Hawaii. Probably won't be this year, but I'm hoping maybe in the next year or two. I do a LOT of work for companies out there and am going to have to get out there sooner or later for a 10% business - 90% pleasure trip at some point.

 

[fitzhue]

Well I've heard some of the more popular trails tend to get pretty crowded. But as with most national parks, it's pretty easy to get some solitude the farther out one gets.

 

[PanzerIV]

Unlike you all I haven't had the opportunity to travel to interesting and exotic places so mine is much more dull. My best vacation was our first trip as a family to Disney World. We were so excited to get out of this crappy state (MS) and I was especially because I hadn't been back to FL but one time since I moved from there. We've had several subsequent trips back to Orlando but that first time has a special place in my heart.

 

[Borracho]

The summer I spent in Europe after college was awesome.

 

[bbrontosaurus]

Originally posted by: prvteye2003
went to Jamaica a few years back. That was a fun time. 2 years ago went on a western caribbean cruise...best time of my life.

Second the vote for Jamaica....have you ever fallen asleep on the beach with nothing but the waves and a gentle breeze lulling you to sleep? Most relaxing feeling ever......