Well not quite but if I get to go on vacation this year that's my plan. Here's the thing - I don't know where we should go. We had talked about going with friends this year to Vegas and/or California for a week (maybe a little longer). I'm afraid though that their budget isn't in the same ballpark as mine - as in I want to stay at the Best Western and they want to stay at the Ritz. So my other option is to plan something alone. I'm thinking maybe Miami and Key West.
So here's my thought for all of you - what should I do? Go along with the original plan - which was either Vegas and LA or LA and San Francisco. Do plan b which we're thinking would be Miami and Key West. Or plan c - which is something else altogether - stay home and save money, mini-vacations, or where should I go?
Here's my thing with vacations. I love them. First off you have to be crazy not to. It's like summer vacation in some exotic location where all you have to do is sight see, eat and drink (margaritas are optional). I would save all year for a week somewhere fun.
I'm lucky enough my parents took us to a lot of places in the US growing up and K and I have gone on a few nice vacations (Bermuda and Cancun would be my two favorites with him). But somehow it was easier when your parents planned the vacation. All I had to do was pack and get in the car. Now, it's searching travel sites for ideas, reading books on what there is to do there, getting advice (good and bad).
I like hearing where other people suggest going but I hate hearing that a place I really want to go is a bad idea. Half the time, the person hasn't even gone to that place it's just something they heard from some email chain or some acquaintance somewhere it wasn't fun. If someone told me they wanted to go to Iran for vacation I would probably think in my head - what do you have a death wish - but would smile and say something like oh that should be interesting. I don't get why you have to say "I would never go there." Well, I didn't ask you to go so it shouldn't be a problem.
However, let's say I really want to go to VA Beach and stay in a hotel you know is a dive then speak up. I have no problem with real advice - like I went to xyz and don't eat here, or you have to see this. I think that's being helpful. I wrote a long email to K's brother about places to go in Bermuda.
The problem with advice is what I like to do might not be what you like to do. For our honeymoon we picked Aruba. We were there a long time - maybe too long if that's possible. It was perfectly fine, I don't hate it but we went for a few reasons but one reason was a friend bragged up and down about how great it was. We had built it up so much I don't think the real Aruba could compete. I liked it but I felt like there wasn't as much to do and I didn't like that you couldn't lay on the beach without trying to brave a sandstorm.
I know from experience K is the beach bum, happy to lay by the pool or the ocean all day. I'm the explorer. I need five magazines to get through an hour at the pool. I like to be doing - I think that's why Cancun and Bermuda were better picks for us - I felt like there was more to do outside of the beach and shopping. (Another thing about me is I may love to shop under normal conditions but not on vacation -I feel like unless it's a local store I can get all of it at home so I'm wasting my time).
Part of me is leaning towards Florida - its certainly cheaper and it could be fun to spend a few days in Miami then head down to the Keys. The other part of me is dying to go to California - I've never been there for one and LA and San Francisco just sound like a big adventure. Vegas I could take or leave. I'm not much on gambling and I don't have the money for shows every night.
So where would you go on vacation? Where should I go?
Well, of course you know I love California. But I will say LA and SF aren't common locations to do at the same time. They're about 7 hours apart by car. A lot of people in LA do weekends in Vegas, which was your other choice. I bet you'd be happy if you flew into LA, spend four days there, then drive up to Las Vegas for a day or two (stopping by the Hoover dam on the way there), and fly home from Vegas. So, it wouldn't be Vegas overload. Two days, and you'd be happy just walking around, looking at everything, take in a show one night. You wouldn't need to gamble, I think a few more days and there'd be nothing else to do but gamble! I also think Key West sounds awesome. I already did my dream vacation (Yosemite, SF and Sonoma), so I have to think of something. I'd love to do Greece, but obviously money-wise, that's unrealistic. I'd like to go back to Wyoming (Jackson Hole and Yellowstone), or go up to Vermont in the fall.
ReplyDeleteI like your options. I have been to LA but it was for a mission trip so I saw the worst of the city but I know there is stuff to do. I am like K in that I love the beach bum aspect but like you as well in that I need to do something with my time as well. I enjoy the OBX and go every summer with the parentals though it is not as much fun since they are not as conversational as I am so a week is too long.
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking of doing something with friends but like you have different budgets. Mine is similar to your and theirs is well non-existent.
I have been thinking about heading down to the Keys and might just do that this summer since I will be down in that area for work.
Let me know what you decide...
K's brother goes to Vermont a lot with his gf. He loves it. It seems cold for me but they always go in the winter.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestions. I found Key West and Miami for decent (actually cheaper than I thought). K wants to not go anywhere and do weekend trips or get a pool pass somewhere instead. I said two weeks in NJ (once early summer and once late summer) would be ok with me as long as I can just crash at the beach.
Vegas doesn't sound like a place I would really like but my parents are going with friends so I might wait and see if they like then go haha