Your favorite vacation spots!

[ree-Xi]

Cape Cod (aka The Cape) is our regular spot. We usually share a house with my sister and her family, one block from the beach (walking distance!). We usually stay in Falmouth, which has a bike trail to Woods Hole (where you take the ferry to Martha's Vineyard). We usually get in a day trip to MV or Nantucket (I've stayed on both islands already - been there, done that). We spend every day (or part of) at the beach. Heavenly!

My favorite spot is Puerto Rico. We went several years ago and it's just amazing. PR has the only rain forest in North America, and Old San Juan is gorgeous (love the above pic!). The fort was amazing, we have such beautiful pictures of our time there.

We spent a week there and it wasn't long enough. Next time, we are staying in the Old San Juan Hotel, where the Rat Pack used to stay. The lobby is insane, we spent an entire afternoon and evening hanging out there. We didn't get any pictures there (we didn't know what to expect) but next time, we will. Here's a link to photos: http://www.elsanjuanhotel.com/photo_...inkToGo=hotel1

This thread is making me itch for a vacation!!

[sceniczip]

Favorite repeat vacation is good ol' Hilton Head My aunt used to have a timeshare down there so we would go every year. Since she's died we stay at a super nice place on the harbor side. I just really enjoy being down there and sitting on the beach for the majority of the week. We also usually do a city trip while we're there, either to Savannah or Charleston. I adore both.

My favorite trip of all time was Mackinac Island. They don't allow cars on the island, which I thought was so cool. We stayed at the Grand Hotel and the food was amazing. I loved dressing up for dinner each night. They also have the longest covered porch and I would sit out there and just visit with people. They have an old military fort that we took a tour of too. We learned how to drive a horse and carriage, which was awesome. They also have a huge national park and a pretty nice golf course. I would love to go back. It's also really cool up there and I'm not a heat person so 70s in August was great!

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by sceniczip

My favorite trip of all time was Mackinac Island. They don't allow cars on the island, which I thought was so cool. We stayed at the Grand Hotel and the food was amazing. I loved dressing up for dinner each night. They also have the longest covered porch and I would sit out there and just visit with people. They have an old military fort that we took a tour of too. We learned how to drive a horse and carriage, which was awesome. They also have a huge national park and a pretty nice golf course. I would love to go back. It's also really cool up there and I'm not a heat person so 70s in August was great!

My friend got married there. We were all a little annoyed because it made it completely impossible for any of us to get to her wedding. You can't just fly into Detroit and get there in one day. She ended up with one person from our program at her wedding...hope she wasn't offended, but none of us could take vacation to go to her wedding. It's a shame, because it does look like a really nice place!

[sceniczip]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

My friend got married there. We were all a little annoyed because it made it completely impossible for any of us to get to her wedding. You can't just fly into Detroit and get there in one day. She ended up with one person from our program at her wedding...hope she wasn't offended, but none of us could take vacation to go to her wedding. It's a shame, because it does look like a really nice place!

idk where on the island she got married at but I want to get married there soooooo bad. They have the little stone church and all the money you pay for your wedding there goes to the graduating class (usually one or two kids) so they can go to college. Most of the people who live on the island year round are pretty poor. BF, however, feels the need to invite his entire extended family (all 2 million of them) so it looks like I'll need to find an alternate plan lol.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by sceniczip

idk where on the island she got married at but I want to get married there soooooo bad. They have the little stone church and all the money you pay for your wedding there goes to the graduating class (usually one or two kids) so they can go to college. Most of the people who live on the island year round are pretty poor. BF, however, feels the need to invite his entire extended family (all 2 million of them) so it looks like I'll need to find an alternate plan lol.

She had it at the resort. Before we all finished residency, she made us all promise that we'd go to her wedding, then she popped up with Mackinac island. We felt bad for not going, but none of us could actually get there in time for the ceremony.

[sceniczip]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

She had it at the resort. Before we all finished residency, she made us all promise that we'd go to her wedding, then she popped up with Mackinac island. We felt bad for not going, but none of us could actually get there in time for the ceremony.

The Grand Hotel? It's super, super nice. That's where I would do a small reception if I got married on the island. Where were you guys coming from? We did the trip in two days on the way up, driving from Cleveland, and then one day on the way back to Cleveland but it's a super long drive. We stayed at a really nice bed and breakfast on the way up.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by sceniczip

My favorite trip of all time was Mackinac Island. They don't allow cars on the island, which I thought was so cool. We stayed at the Grand Hotel and the food was amazing. I loved dressing up for dinner each night. They also have the longest covered porch and I would sit out there and just visit with people. They have an old military fort that we took a tour of too. We learned how to drive a horse and carriage, which was awesome. They also have a huge national park and a pretty nice golf course. I would love to go back. It's also really cool up there and I'm not a heat person so 70s in August was great!

I'm glad you enjoyed it I consider Mackinac one of our secret treasures. It's definitely a repeat vacation place for Michiganders. The last time I was there was in 2008, with my son, when we scattered my mom's ashes in the straits of Mackinac during a meteor shower.

[sceniczip]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I'm glad you enjoyed it I consider Mackinac one of our secret treasures. It's definitely a repeat vacation place for Michiganders. The last time I was there was in 2008, with my son, when we scattered my mom's ashes in the straits of Mackinac during a meteor shower.

For as much as I like to bash Michigan (hey BF goes to OSU lol) the first thing I would do if I won the lottery is buy a house on the island for a summer home. It really is just spectacular.

[IrishLake]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I'm glad you enjoyed it I consider Mackinac one of our secret treasures. It's definitely a repeat vacation place for Michiganders. The last time I was there was in 2008, with my son, when we scattered my mom's ashes in the straits of Mackinac during a meteor shower.

now THAT is a beautiful, significant and amazingly memorable way to honor your mom!

[XAntoftheSkyX]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

Cape Cod (aka The Cape) is our regular spot. We usually share a house with my sister and her family, one block from the beach (walking distance!). We usually stay in Falmouth, which has a bike trail to Woods Hole (where you take the ferry to Martha's Vineyard). We usually get in a day trip to MV or Nantucket (I've stayed on both islands already - been there, done that). We spend every day (or part of) at the beach. Heavenly!

How did I know someone was going to mention the Cape?

[ree-Xi]

Originally Posted by XAntoftheSkyX

How did I know someone was going to mention the Cape?

Because it's close, it's affordable, it has a variety of towns and experiences, and it's nice? We've stayed in Chatham, Hyannis, Orleans, Dennisport and Falmouth, and of course, Nantucket and MV.

If you live there, I know you have a different experience. We had friends in Orleans and though their business was dependent on tourists, they loathed them.

[XAntoftheSkyX]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

Because it's close, it's affordable, it has a variety of towns and experiences, and it's nice? We've stayed in Chatham, Hyannis, Orleans, Dennisport and Falmouth, and of course, Nantucket and MV.

If you live there, I know you have a different experience. We had friends in Orleans and though their business was dependent on tourists, they loathed them.

The Cape definitely has two personalities, tourist season and winter. I don't mind tourists too much (as much as I used to), my real peeve is people that rent or own property for the summer and then claim to live there. Sure, from the months of May to September you may live in Falmouth/any other town, but you live in a suburb of Boston for the other months of the year. IMO if you aren't here for all of the off season, you aren't a Cape resident.

I love the Cape though, the summer definitely brings a lot more to do. Unfortunately I won't be here because I'll be performing all summer with the Spartans Drum & Bugle Corps. At least I get the middle to end of August and early September when it's still nice out.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

PR has the only rain forest in North America

FYI, no it doesn't. We have the Hoh Rain Forest here in Washington state, which is within the Olympic National Park. Alaska has some, too.

PR does have the only tropical rain forest in North America, whereas the others are temperate. The biggest difference is temperate - rain forests closer to the equator are warmer and known as tropical whereas rain forests closer to the arctic are cooler and known as temperate.

[PeppyGPhiB]

I love the Oregon coast. My family went to Seaside, OR every summer when I was growing up and I fully intend to take my kids there when I have some. Oregon has an incredible mix of both powdery and rugged beaches. Seaside has a boardwalk you can ride your bike down, a main street teens like to cruise down that is lined with salt water taffy/candy shops, arcades, cheesy putt-putt golf and restaurants. Or go five minutes away to Cannon Beach, an artsy town with yummy restaurants, luxury hotels, an iconic beach, and not much else.

I also LOVE London every time I go, and I can't wait to go back to Paris.

My fiance and I are considering Belize for our honeymoon - anyone been?

[WCsweet<3]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

I love the Oregon coast. My family went to Seaside, OR every summer when I was growing up and I fully intend to take my kids there when I have some. Oregon has an incredible mix of both powdery and rugged beaches. Seaside has a boardwalk you can ride your bike down, a main street teens like to cruise down that is lined with salt water taffy/candy shops, arcades, cheesy putt-putt golf and restaurants. Or go five minutes away to Cannon Beach, an artsy town with yummy restaurants, luxury hotels, an iconic beach, and not much else.

I always end up at the coast for about any vacation/day off I have (I went today for instance). I'm a big fan of Cannon Beach and Newport. Seaside tends to be super busy most of the time so I go down to the other two so that I can deal with a smaller crowd. I love the aquarium at Newport, but the beach at Cannon is my favorite. No matter what beach you visit, you have to find Mo's. The clam chowder...OMG I may have to do another trip tomorrow because I'm craving now.