Summer travel plans?

[RollingBallofButcherKnives]

We are wanting to stay closer to home this summer and are considering Lake Geneva in se Wisconsin for 3-4 nights. Looking at the website there seems to be a variety of things to do. Has anyone ever been there and if so what did you think?

 

[prlyles]

Spent two weeks on Ocracoke this spring. Got a Rhine river cruises coming up in two weeks and another two weeks at Ocracoke in September.

 

[lucas80]

I love the time on the North Shore. Lived in Duluth for awhile and really enjoyed it. Maybe retire there.

Retiring to Duluth is appealing. Travel for the Winter months, and enjoy the outdoor living the rest of the year.

 

[Carolina Hawk]

Spent two weeks on Ocracoke this spring. Got a Rhine river cruises coming up in two weeks and another two weeks at Ocracoke in September.

Nice, where do you stay on Ocracoke?

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Currently we don't have any plans to go on vacation although that could change.

The nice thing about my job is I can get vacation time pretty much whenever I want with very little advance notice.

So if we changed our minds and suddenly wanted to go someplace it wouldn't be hard to do.

 

[prlyles]

Nice, where do you stay on Ocracoke?

Got a friend who has a house. Ocracoke is my happy place.

 

[lucas80]

Sounds like some great choices, have a great time! Do you have any traditions at any of these locations?

Hiking, finding new places to eat. Honestly, picking out spots for my kids to scatter my ashes in 30-40 years. I've told them I'll leave a list of some of our favorite vacation spots over the years, and spots that have a majestic look to them.

 

[SoFla-Hawkeye]

Cypress Cove Nudist Resort up in Kissimmee next week. Colorado in August

 

[funksouljon]

I will go to Tally, possibly July to visit my mom.
We are trying to get a trip to Orlando so the kids can have a Disney trip and see the in laws.
Im looking at driving to S FL in August for a week or so.

 

[Carolina Hawk]

Got a friend who has a house. Ocracoke is my happy place.

Hilton Head is our happy place. Just got back a few weeks ago from HH for 2 weeks. Im a good walking beach kinda guy. HH is terrific for walking on the beach.

 

[luvmyhawks]

Just got back from our main summer trip, to Italy (Amalfi Coast, Capri, Naples). When we do a long trip, wife likes to go at the beginning of the summer. Couple of little weekend trips planned but nothing major; we'll probably end up at a beach for Labor Day weekend.

Any advice. Our last day on our cruise is in Naples. We are looking at a Sorento and capri by boat excursion.

 

[Randy Marsh]

Have you been to Disneyworld in Florida? I went when I was 5 and remember the Mickey Mouse phones.

CSB.

How's it compare?

Two different but great experiences with the kids. Disneyland in Florida was awesome for a day and you can knock out what you need and do other stuff around Southern California. Not as immersive. Disney world is full throttle Disney and something that would take about 5 days to experience with a day off in the middle.

 

[lucas80]

If you have a choice between chopping your pinky toe off with a shovel or a 5 hour layover with 3 kids in Denver....pick the former.

Sorry, but you lost most of us when you said you flew commercial, and that you didn't go to the special Disney for the elites.

 

[seminoledq]

Going on our first cruise Monday. Leaves out of Tampa, couple stops in the Bahamas and back. Then in August we are headed to St. Lucia for our 25th anniversary. Can't wait!

 

[Derekd3408]

Nothing big. Our kid turns 6 in a week and is very easily entertained. I took the week of the 4th off and we will spend it in Clear Lake boating, carnivaling, watching fireworks, going to the beach/splashpad with his cousins, fishing, etc. He will be in heaven and we can sleep in our own beds every night.

 

[McLovin32]

I think the fiance no pics and I are heading out to Colorado in late August to go hiking for a few days. Plans aren't set in stone yet though. Still trying to figure out a few things.

 

[HawkeyeShawn]

LOTO x 4. Spent a week at our condo Memorial Day week. Spending 2 weeks there over the 4th and a week there the last week of July.

 

[funksouljon]

I think the fiance no pics and I are heading out to Colorado in late August to go hiking for a few days. Plans aren't set in stone yet though. Still trying to figure out a few things.

Depending how where you are thinking of going and what your vehicle situation is, Alta, Colorado (ghost town) and Alta Lake are just south of Telluride. Bit of a off road drive to the top, but Alta Lake is amazing. Sure there are "closer to Denver" options, but Telluride is a great mountain city and Alta has disbursed options. You can tent camp right on the lake. At least when I was there last you could.

Leadville is a cool little town, has Camp Hale (WW2 base we trained the ski troops to prep for Alpine warfare) is just north for exploration. Lots of hiking in that area as well.


Both are a bit off the map compared to the standard tourist areas.

 

[McLovin32]

Depending how where you are thinking of going and what your vehicle situation is, Alta, Colorado (ghost town) and Alta Lake are just south of Telluride. Bit of a off road drive to the top, but Alta Lake is amazing. Sure there are "closer to Denver" options, but Telluride is a great mountain city and Alta has disbursed options. You can tent camp right on the lake. At least when I was there last you could.

Leadville is a cool little town, has Camp Hale (WW2 base we trained the ski troops to prep for Alpine warfare) is just north for exploration. Lots of hiking in that area as well.


Both are a bit off the map compared to the standard tourist areas.

I'm 100% putting this down in my notes for future trips. This summer I believe we're staying with my fiance's no pics best friend no pics, she lives in Thornton, so the hiking will probably be done closer to the mountains west of Denver. But with that said, we're thinking about doing an extended trip for our honeymoon possibly next year. Which would involve just kind of hopping around in the mountains for a week or so. This spot will definitely be on the list. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[HillcrestHawk]

Alaskan Cruise for no pic wife, and a trip to Red Rocks to see a Beatles tribute band.

 

[luvmyhawks]

I'm 100% putting this down in my notes for future trips. This summer I believe we're staying with my fiance's no pics best friend no pics, she lives in Thornton, so the hiking will probably be done closer to the mountains west of Denver. But with that said, we're thinking about doing an extended trip for our honeymoon possibly next year. Which would involve just kind of hopping around in the mountains for a week or so. This spot will definitely be on the list. Thanks for the recommendation.

Put telluride and ouray high on your list. It is possibly my favorite place in Colorado. Crested butte is another one. They are a bit of a drive from Denver but totally worth it.

 

[McLovin32]

Put telluride and ouray high on your list. It is possibly my favorite place in Colorado. Crested butte is another one. They are a bit of a drive from Denver but totally worth it.

Added. Thank you!

 

[BelemNole]

Spent 4 days in Denver area last month, 10 days fishing yellowstone in August, wedding in Ohio in September, move my youngest back to school late september then 25th anniversary trip to probably Hawaii in October.

 

[darylhawk]

Heading back to visit my parents in Iowa starting next weekend with some days spent at a Cubs game in Milwaukee and seeing old friends in Lake Bluff (north of Chicago).

Couple camping trips planned here in Oregon, one in NorCal with my sisters, and Labor Day weekend down in Berkeley to visit them again.

Plenty of fly fishing for steelhead on the Rogue all summer like always.

Apparently RIP in pieces to me going to Milwaukee

 

[BrianNole777]

Spent 4 days in Denver area last month, 10 days fishing yellowstone in August, wedding in Ohio in September, move my youngest back to school late september then 25th anniversary trip to probably Hawaii in October.

Have you been to Hawaii before?

I heard it's amazing...better than Costa Rica, which I went to in 2009.

 

[Carolina Hawk]

Have you been to Hawaii before?

I heard it's amazing...better than Costa Rica, which I went to in 2009.

You have never been to Hawaii? Its pretty great but the wife and I have been so much in the last 15 years (8 times I believe) we are going to skip going there for a long while.

 

[BrianNole777]

You have never been to Hawaii? Its pretty great but the wife and I have been so much in the last 15 years (8 times I believe) we are going to skip going there for a long while.

I live near Washington D.C.

I've been to maybe 25 states. The furthest west I've been is New Mexico.

 

[Carolina Hawk]

I live near Washington D.C.

I've been to maybe 25 states. The furthest west I've been is New Mexico.

so that would be like a 10 hour or so flight (most likely 2 flights) for you to get there. The long flight times are why we don`t plan to go back for a while. Even though when we came back last September a direct flight from Maui to DFW was just 6 hours and 50 minutes.

 

[NLHawkeye88]

Des Moines golf trip early August

Duluth, MN / Minocqua, WI in late August

Not in the summer, but later in the year
LA for Iowa@UCLA followed by a week in Hawaii. 10 year wedding anniversary and will be the last of the 50 states for wife and I to visit together.

 

[yescyam]

My trip a couple weeks ago to the UP was fantastic. And will probably head out to my brother's near the west side of RMNP in July. Here's some pics from up in the UP.

 

[funksouljon]

Put telluride and ouray high on your list. It is possibly my favorite place in Colorado. Crested butte is another one. They are a bit of a drive from Denver but totally worth it.

Definitely worth the drive to get away from the Denver crowd. And the Ouray area just feels different. Love that area of CO.

If yall have ever watched the opening to "The Ranch", it has a number of scenes from the area.

 

[kcnole63]

Still deciding between a family August trip to Portugal or Norway with an outside shot at some other trip not yet conceived. I’ve heard good things about Portugal and I haven’t heard much about Norway but the Fjordes look beautiful as does Oslo and Bergen.

I have never been to Portugal, but I highly recommend Norway.

 

[Dr. Phil Seuss]

I am wrapping up my vacation tomorrow.

I just did a week in Colombia and a week in Peru—both alone, wife had to work and kids had to finish school. Flew back last Friday, turned around and flew to Florida Keys for the week with the kids, gave my wife a solo week. Currently on a flight to drop my punk ass kids off in Washington DC for a few weeks of camps and grandparents. I need to go back to work.

Kids will meet us in exotic Iowa for the 4th, bring them home for 5 days, then ship them off to a Bible beater 2 week camp an hour away and hope they don’t get raped.

 

[Carolina Hawk]

I am wrapping up my vacation tomorrow.

I just did a week in Colombia and a week in Peru—both alone, wife had to work and kids had to finish school. Flew back last Friday, turned around and flew to Florida Keys for the week with the kids, gave my wife a solo week. Currently on a flight to drop my punk ass kids off in Washington DC for a few weeks of camps and grandparents. I need to go back to work.

Kids will meet us in exotic Iowa for the 4th, bring them home for 5 days, then ship them off to a Bible beater 2 week camp an hour away and hope they don’t get raped.

How is Peru? Kinda interested in going there

 

[hawkbirch]

Just got back from Okoboji. We're going to the Bahamas in July.

 

[Dr. Phil Seuss]

How is Peru? Kinda interested in going there

Peru was amazing. Already planning my trip back with the battle axe. So much stuff to see and I hardly scratched the surface. I booked my flights 36 hours before landing in Colombia, so whole thing was planned haphazardly. Had a rare window to bail and wife was supportive.

The food is off the hook in Peru and the people are the best of any Latin Country I’ve been to. I ate a few of the world’s best restaurants in Lima. Got into #1 “Central” with last minute luck. It was worth the $600. 14 courses, 3.5 hours. Wild.

Took my hired driver to a 9 course, 2 hour lunch at Astrid y Gaston, the godfather of modern Peruvian cuisine. Venezuelan immigrant who escaped when their system crashed. Guy legit hugged me, told me it was the nicest thing anyone did for him, and then took videos of me to show his kids that all Americans aren’t POS. Spent like 10 hours together, even crashed a wedding.

 

[BrianNole777]

Just got back from Okoboji. We're going to the Bahamas in July.

Enjoy!

I went to a resort at Grand Bahama Island in 2004 or so. I liked it better than Costa Rica overall because the beaches and water were nicer, IMO.

 

[funksouljon]

How is Peru? Kinda interested in going there

Peru was/is amazing. Do it.

 

[IIowaFarmBoy]

Going to France.

I need to add Delaware, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii one of these days to get to all 50 states.

 

[SI_NYC]

Peru was amazing. Already planning my trip back with the battle axe. So much stuff to see and I hardly scratched the surface. I booked my flights 36 hours before landing in Colombia, so whole thing was planned haphazardly. Had a rare window to bail and wife was supportive.

The food is off the hook in Peru and the people are the best of any Latin Country I’ve been to. I ate a few of the world’s best restaurants in Lima. Got into #1 “Central” with last minute luck. It was worth the $600. 14 courses, 3.5 hours. Wild.

Took my hired driver to a 9 course, 2 hour lunch at Astrid y Gaston, the godfather of modern Peruvian cuisine. Venezuelan immigrant who escaped when their system crashed. Guy legit hugged me, told me it was the nicest thing anyone did for him, and then took videos of me to show his kids that all Americans aren’t POS. Spent like 10 hours together, even crashed a wedding.

I cherish stories like these, which is precisely why I’m passionate about traveling. It’s during these journeys that serendipitous, profound encounters occur with greater frequency. Perhaps it’s because we approach life with a more open mind, unburdened by our everyday routines.