What are your vacation plans for '07

[grumpy]

We've been kicking around the idea of a cruise to Scandinavia and Russia. In 2006 we cruised to Italy and Greece and loved it. However, DW's car, a 1995 Camry with 130K on it, is showing signs that it should be replaced soon. We always pay cash for our cars so if we buy a car this year the travel will have to be more modest - maybe a driving vacation through the western US. I would like to visit places like Mt. Rushmore, Meteor Crater, Yellowstone, etc.

Grumpy

[W2R]

We don't have any definite plans for this year. Maybe we will visit potential retirement locations. We went to our first choice for a potential retirement location in Missouri last year, and had a wonderful time. We might decide to go back this year.

Over Mardi Gras we spent a couple of days in Mobile, Alabama, where we have no intention of retiring. We toured the U.S.S. Alabama, as well as the submarine beside it and all of the vintage aircraft parked around it. That was fascinating! Then, we walked several miles around Bellingrath Gardens. We enjoyed that. It was very peaceful, and there were hardly any other people in the gardens and conservatory in February.

Our favorite type of vacation is more spontaneous than totally planned. We always take a road atlas with us.

[scrinch]

DW and DD are going for two weeks in July to India on a Girl Scout trip. So I just booked an 8-day trip to Baja California to do some fishing with my son. Gonna spend some time in the Sierras in June and early July also.

[BarbaraAnne]

Med cruise early June. Can't wait!

[Lagniappe]

May: London for one week - some friends moved there last year and want to show off their new home town
September: Kenya, Tanzania for two week safari

A few day trips to the Sierra's thrown in if time (w*rk) allows

[kowski]

Starting in June, Florida to Michigan via the Mississippi using the RV. August return trip via the Great Smokey Mountains.

[WanderALot]

Just got back from a 4-day trip to Whistler.

2 week trip to Italy in June/July.

Possible trip to China for my friend's wedding in October.

[RedHawk]

Quote:

We toured the U.S.S. Alabama, as well as the submarine beside it and all of the vintage aircraft parked around it.

Went there several times with the Boy Scouts. We slept on the boat and played capture the flag at night on the boat.

[Charlotte]

Lake Tahoe in July. Can't wait....

[Peaceful_Warrior]

What's vacation?

j/k

Not sure yet.... but with the little one it won't be until later in the year.

[heyyou]

The Arizona Trail goes from the Mexican border to Utah via the scenic route. I intend to walk it in segments chosen by weather and water conditions.

[travelover]

Two weeks in July in a Costa Rica rain forest with Earthwatch in Nicoya peninsula. This will be Earthwatch expedition #5 for me. Not only is the trip fully tax deductible, it will enable me to see and experience things I'd never see as a tourist. It is also a great opportunity to visit with my brother from the other side of the country in a relaxed setting and do my bit for the environment.

http://www.earthwatch.org/site/pp.as...PFJnH&b=386457

[justin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover Not only is the trip fully tax deductible, it will enable me to see and experience things I'd never see as a tourist.

Just don't let the IRS know that you got a free trip out of your "donation"!

[travelover]

Tax deductible traveling with Earthwatch is on the up and up - nothing underhanded here. I was skeptical that it could be such a good deal initially, but now I am a believer - actually surprised at the low interest on this board -maybe just not for the average ER.

[lazygood4nothinbum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover Tax deductible traveling with Earthwatch is on the up and up - nothing underhanded here. I was skeptical that it could be such a good deal initially, but now I am a believer - actually surprised at the low interest on this board -maybe just not for the average ER.

had never heard of this before. looks real interesting. will study further. thanx much for posting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazygood4nothinbum my first vacation of 2007 just got even better. apparently we are also going to new port richey florida for the world renown chasco fiesta. we're staying with one of the organizers with a whole bunch of other raging heteros. yeah, i see a whole lot of drinking in my near future.

pics from that (the non eco version)

here's chasco fiesta parade in new port richey (1 easy hour's drive north of tampa). very affordable, nice town. lots of houses under $200k. tree lined neighborly lanes and a main street with 13 pubs. this is early in parade which went on for a few hours. best local parade i ever had the chance to enjoy. bet we caught five pounds of beads apiece. this town does 11 festivals throughout the year.



just a 15 minute drive south of new port richey is the greek sponging community of tarpon springs. we found a place right on the water with excellent service, a truly talented guitarist and great food. something tells me i'm not the only tourist to take this photo...



next roadtrip later this week or next will be checking out potential future early retirement homes in daytona beach (where i can buy a $250k house and walk to the beach), also polk county where there are lots of interconnected lakes for a fun little sailboat and varous other florida locales. might even hit the keys where, of course, i'd have to still be working to be able to afford.

[justin]

Flipping through IRS's Publication 526, I couldn't help but notice a couple of examples they gave regarding deductibility of "volunteer tourism" contributions. Two examples of non-deductible contributions are:

Example: You sail from one island to another and spend 8 hours a day counting whales and other forms of marine life. The project is sponsored by a charitable organization. In most circumstances, you cannot deduct your expenses.

Example: You work for several hours each morning on an archeological dig sponsored by a charitable organization. The rest of the day is free for recreation and sightseeing. You cannot take a charitable contribution deduction even though you work very hard during those few hours.

The contribution is deductible as long as "there is no significant element of personal pleasure, recreation, or vacation in the travel".

Assuming Earthwatch's trips are bona fide deductible charitable contributions (and have no significant recreation or vacation in them), that would mean you would be doing actual work 8 hours a day for the duration of your "vacation". No wonder those trips aren't more popular. It sounds too much like work.

[travelover]

When I went to Kenya with Earthwatch, one example of the "work" we did was hiking through a rhino preserve and counting and noting the location of the animals we saw. This data was used to determine if an excessive number of other species were competing with the rhinos for the available food. In a previous trip to Kenya, I got shuffled around in a minivan all day with a bunch of tourists and never got a real Africa experience. Granted, the experience is not for everyone, but the "work" is certainly not drudgery - at least not to me. I'd encourage anyone interested to view the Earthwatch site to see for themselves.

[Zoocat]

I'd love to do an Earthwatch trip. But, as it is, my "earthwatching" will be done locally this summer. I plan to do quite a bit of trail hiking in the Rocky Mountains, watching out for bears and cougars. Also, I plan to throw a lot of tennis balls out into the lake and watch my dog swim out to retrieve them.

[thefed]

just reserved a 3 bedroom beach-house in kittyhawk, NC for a week...


$1000

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saluki9 Going to Honolulu for a week this December because we got a great deal on a new resort there. I'll have to see if Nords will let me buy him lunch?

Absolutely. We'll surf Queens, too, if the freezing-cold water doesn't drive us to the beach.

Phew, that must be quite a deal in the middle of high season!

I'm going to West Point next month for the graduation of my nephew the Army Ranger (and presumably a bunch of other people too). It'll be four days of fun with cousins & aunts.

Our kid spent her entire spring break working on our rental house ($$) or at Kumon ($$$) and we couldn't even manage to put together a neighbor-island trip. She finishes 9th grade this June and starts a month of summer school six days later... and ends up with only two weeks left before 10th grade. Not much time for summer vacations. But spouse has a Reserve conference in Colorado Springs this July so we're looking at a trip to Grandpa (my dad) in Grand Junction and my younger brother in Denver. We'll also be visiting any small college (<5000 students) with a good engineering department, an ROTC program, and a women's basketball team. Other than USAFA, anyone have any suggestions?