Trip ideas?

[TromboneAl]

This may sound like a weird idea, but here goes.

I'm guessing that by January, New Orleans and the gulf coast will be ready and desparate for tourists. They might have great deals, and you'd be doing them a favor by spending your tourist bucks there.

Even a few days after the 1987 earthquake, San Francisco was absolutely fine for tourists, but the news media made it seem like the place was a smoking ruin. Perfect time to visit.

 

[laurence]

Not weird at all, we went to NY post 9/11 and they were very happy to see us (and our dollars). Great vacation.

 

[justin]

I heard tsunami-affected areas of Thailand were great bargains (and eager for tourist dollars!) after the Christmas Tsunami last year.

 

[retire@40]

Not weird at all, we went to NY post 9/11 and they were very happy to see us (and our dollars).  Great vacation.

We went to NYC for a few days after 9/11 as well.  Overall a good trip, but I remember getting steamed every time I saw a shirt, keychain, or other souvenier with the twin towers on them.  Going to ground zero and seeing nothing but land really got me infuriated.  To this day, every time I see the towers in an old movie shot in NYC, I shake my head about sad it is that they got destroyed by a few sub-humans.

At least with NOLA, it was a natural event.  Tragic in a different way.

 

[Nords]

This may sound like a weird idea, but here goes.

Disneyland three weeks after 9/11. You could have shot a cannon down most of the streets and not hit anyone. As soon as you jumped off the ride you'd run to the entrance and get back on-- sometimes the same exact set of cars you just exited.

My BIL had already arranged his New Orleans airline & hotel for January. It'll be interesting to see if the vacation still pans out...

 

[JB]

We just returned from a trip to Italy. It's the third time that I've visited and I love the place. The people are the happiest I've seen anyplace. We went to Rome, Almafi, Pompei, and Tuscany. The food and wine in there is incredible and relatively inexpensive. The weather was perfect. It may be rainy if you go in winter. I flew to Frankfurt from HI on United/Singapore using 50K miles with a stopover in NY. It was a bargain in terms of miles/ticket price. RT tx Frankfurt to Rome were .79E on Ryan Air. That's right -- 79 cents! With tax it turned out to be around 30E pp. Incredible.

 

[Eagle43]

I'm off to Paris next month; we're meeting the daughter, who claims Paris is "the best city in the world." Any suggestions? Lodging, must-sees, restaurants, etc.

 

[73ss454]

Try to learn a little French, they will like you better.

Your daughter is right Paris is a great city.

Take one of the city tours and have a great time.

 

[Eagle43]

Growing up in New Orleans, I learned a little French. Mebbe enough to get in trouble. What worries me about the trip is I believe the weather may be a tad cold and rainy in late October. Also, I have heard, politics aside, that the Parisans are rude. I hope this is incorrect, as I am practicing "Mangez Moi." Just in case, don't ya know.

 

[ESRBob]

Brewer,
I think Italy in Jan/Feb will be colder than a northeasterner would want to travel for at that time of year.

You might try Tampa area -- there are some reasonably inexpensive hotels in St Pete, or you might try a motel on the beach out near Sarasota.

Since you already know about Puerto Rico, you probably know my favorite budget escape-to-sun which is to fly into Aguadilla (the old Ramey Air Force Base) and you are 20 minutes to Rincon and other places with good budget accommodation and good surfing if you are into that. We rode horses and hung out at the beach and snorkelled. Best of all, direct flights from Newark or JFK were $300 at peak season last year on Jet Blue or Continental.

The other place we liked as a family was Tortola, a notch more upscale from western Puerto Rico. (downsides: flights a bit more, fewer low-cost hotel options,and required a plane change at San Juan which can be a pain with a kid). Both PR and Tortola are warmer than Florida. We stayed at the Long Bay Beach Resort which wasn't too expensive 5 years ago anyway and was very family friendly.

 

[TargaDave]

Growing up in New Orleans, I learned a little French. Mebbe enough to get in trouble. What worries me about the trip is I believe the weather may be a tad cold and rainy in late October. Also, I have heard, politics aside, that the Parisans are rude. I hope this is incorrect, as I am practicing "Mangez Moi." Just in case, don't ya know.

Paris is awesome. Weather can go either way. Still in the 60's right now. People overplay the rude thing but then again I'm always in the company of locals. Traffic around rush hour can be mind boggling. Also keep an eye on any potential union strikes which can disrupt travel. There are endless things to do if your not in a rush and the touristy things are still fun. If you have time and want a change of scenery, hop the train down to Grenoble (~3 1/2 hrs) and get a taste of the Alps. [We have a sales rep is based in Paris and a customer outside of Grenoble].

 

[Honkie]

Paris is awesome. 
..............
Also keep an eye on any potential union strikes which can disrupt travel. 

Comme Ca..........

A one-day national strike has caused massive disruption to transport, schools and industry across France.    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4305456.stm

 

[Texas Proud]

Disneyland three weeks after 9/11.  You could have shot a cannon down most of the streets and not hit anyone.  As soon as you jumped off the ride you'd run to the entrance and get back on-- sometimes the same exact set of cars you just exited.

Went to Astroworld this weekend.... it is about to close... and since it was raining there were not a lot of people... some of the rides would let you hang around on the exit side and if the ride did not fill up you could just jump back in... they did not make you run around.... We are smarter here in Texas

 

[Repairmanjack]

Re: Paris - Make sure to stop and have some Nutella and banana crepes. They sell them all over in little stands on the street. There was also a fantastic antique area - due north from downtown and I think it was the last subway stop, or nearly so.

Re: Puerto Rico/Ramey - I went to High School there! We went again (trip down memory lane) a few months ago and they are turning the base (so they claim) into a resort with a military theme. Strange.

Re: Trip ideas - Costa Rico is supposed to be wonderful and not too expensive. Or the FL Keys?

RMJ

 

[ESRBob]

Re: Puerto Rico/Ramey - I went to High School there! We went again (trip down memory lane) a few months ago and they are turning the base (so they claim) into a resort with a military theme. Strange.

This is hilarious -- seems to me they might just want to dust off that old slogan -- Join the Army, See the World! If they've got anybody whose idea of a vacation destinatino is a military base, then we've got plenty of paid vacations available.

 

[treypar]

Paris is a great city and the people are very nice if you try to speak some French. Most will reply in English. On our last trip we stayed at the Best Western Regents Garden near the Arc de Triumph. It was an old doctor's mansion not like a typical BW. It was convenient to the Metro. There are plenty of great places to go in Paris and nearby but my favorite pastime is just wandering around.

 

[brewer12345]

Hmmm, just found out some info that will make me put a bigger premium on a location with first world medical facilities and not too strenuous an itinerary. Gotta re-jigger the vacation plans...

 

[pagar]

www.skyauction.com has some outstanding values sometimes, but always a lot of variety. We've used them four or five times. Always been well pleased. Just be sure you read all the rules on each auction. There are a lot of different groupings, so be sure to search them all if you want to know everything that is offered.

 

[ESRBob]

Hmmm, just found out some info that will make me put a bigger premium on a location with first world medical facilities and not too strenuous an itinerary. Gotta re-jigger the vacation plans...

Brewer,
Are you guys expecting ? If so, congrats. Hope it's nothing else serious.

 

[brewer12345]

Brewer,
Are you guys expecting ?   If so, congrats.  Hope it's nothing else serious.

Not quite ready to part with the specifics just yet. Humor me. Not to worry, though.

 

[laurence]

Not quite ready to part with the specifics just yet.  Humor me.  Not to worry, though.

You stud! We'll be patient and eagerly await specifics....

 

[SLC Tortfeasor]

Hop one of the winter cheapo flights from EWR to Morocco.  Skip inland to Fez, and feel like you've dropped in on another planet.  It's one of the most beautiful cities in the world, IMHO. 

Fez is amazing. Some other places in Morocco are pretty amazing too. Some places are not.

FWIW, I've heard Malta is boring.

What about Mallorca? That's supposed to be incredible. Great weather, lots to do, and friendly, from what I've heard.

 

[brewer12345]

FWIW, I've heard Malta is boring.

Depends on what you like to do. If you are looking for a wild party scene, forget it. OTOH, tere arre amazing pre-historic sites open to the public (UN World Heritage sites, etc.), some of the most fantastic churches I have seen in Europe, really neat crusader and Knights of St. John castles, lots of sunshine, a delightfully slow pace of life, good food, and the Maltese people, who are very welcoming. I also found it very interesting to be in a place with such a unique polyglot culture (Maltese is the only semitic lannguage written in the latin alphabet, for example).