Originally Posted By 999HAUNTS So PB and I thought that maybe San Francisco was a bit boring for our summer trip as we've been there before. Now we're leaning towards either an Alaskan cruise or Tennessee (Graceland, Casey Jones Museum, Grand Ol' Opry and Dollywood). Then I got to thinking...these boards are full of lots of good old USA citizens just aching to inform me of a fun place to visit in their neck of the woods. Help!
Originally Posted By trekkeruss How much time do you have? If you're talking a couple of weeks, I vote for a road trip.
Originally Posted By Labuda Put your summer vaca off to October and come to Austin for ACL Fest. Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews band in Zilker Park, baby. This is going to be better than when the Stones played Zilker a couple years ago!!!!
Originally Posted By 999HAUNTS We have about 10 days and about $2000-$2500. We live in CA and have already done the CA road trip deal. But I like the idea of road trips, which is why we were thinking Tennessee.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb If your vacation is around August 8-14 get thee to Western Utah for Speed Week. Even just a day out there is amazing. If your vacation dates are different I still recommend a trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats, they are so beautiful and there's gambling in West Wendover 15 minutes away. While in Utah there's Salt Lake City, Park City, Zion National Park and lots of mountains and nature everywhere.
Originally Posted By WDWdreamin Things we've done (non-Disney) and enjoyed include: 1. Seattle, Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, Olympic National Park 2. Yellowstone NP 3. Yosemite NP, San Francisco (but you say you've done this) 4. San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park, and Sea World, as well as Old Town 5. Washington DC with lots of museums and national monuments 6. N'awlins, baby! with swamp and plantation tours 7. Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion NPs 8. Hawaii!! (I know it's out of budget, ours too (my parents paid), but I had to mention it). And next on our list, besides WDW, is: 9. NYC with the Met and Broadway shows and Central Park (may be over your current budget).
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Are there specific dates that you're looking at? It might be kind of fun to try and hit up some 'local' special events (like Speed Week in Utah) depending on when you're traveling.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss There's certainly lots to do in my neck of the woods, Washington D.C. With ten days, you could throw in side trips to Baltimore and/or Williamsburg. You can even get in some theme park time at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
Originally Posted By magic0214 Tampa, although it's close to Orlando, has a lot of cool little places. Hey, I can show you around! Downtown: See a Lightning Game Go to the Florida Aquarium Tampa Bay History Museum Spiltsville, a very cool Bowling Alley Ybor city:City tours Gameworks, a very cool Disneyquest type place Great cuban resturants My part of town...Westchase area: Vertical Ventures, indoor rock climbing Ballyhoo's a great little seafood place Other Tampa activities: MOSI, a great interactive museum Busch Gardens Africa, Really fun theme park, FULL OF ROLLER COASTERS!! Lowery Park Zoo, voted best zoo by Family Fun magazine, I think it was that magazine, cute little rides Big Cat Rescue, a non-profit organization that saves rather large and beautiful cats for display. Adventure Island, a fun very small water park chop full of slides AND THATS JUST A SMALL PORTION
Originally Posted By iamsally I do not like any of these ideas. I think you should stick with San Francisco. Then we could come meet you for lunch and some fun together. Siiiiigggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! I love road trips. Hope whatever you decide; you have a wonderful time.
Originally Posted By Labuda Also NEAR Tampa (in St. pete if I'm not mistaken) is the SALVADOR DALI MUSEUM. That's one reason I'll be returning to Tampa even after I change jobs next week (YAY) and am no longer on the account that has sent me to Tampa in the past.
Originally Posted By friendofdd Perhaps a loop road trip exploring some of our southwest national treasures. Grand Canyon Nat'l Park (south rim) Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Arches Nat'l Park Capitol Reef Nat'l Park Bryce Canyon Nat'l Park Zion Nat'l Park Great Basin Nat'l Park Yosemite Nat'l Park Sequoia/King's Canyon Nat'l Parks The loop will take you from SoCal to Arizona to Utah to Nevada to NorCal to SoCal.
Originally Posted By dshyates Since you mentioned TN. I suggest you skip Memphis and Nashville. My suggestion is you fly into Knoxville, rent a car and drive straight to Gatlinburg (40 miles). It is a very kitchy tourist town. Hit Smoky Mountain Nat'l Park and Dollywood. Then on to Williamsburg and do Coloniel Williamsburg and Busch Gardens. Then up to Washington DC. Hit the Smithsonian Museums that fit your interest and of course the Lincoln Memorial and the Washinton monument.
Originally Posted By disneylandfan8 One of the vacations I'd like to do someday is visit as many baseball parks I can within whatever vacation time I have. Not sure if you guys are into baseball or not.
Originally Posted By markymouse Do a lot less than you think you need to do to justify your vacation. Bring some books, a deck of cards, and spend a week in a rocking chair in the Smokey Mountains, a hammock on the shore, or a balcony with a beautiful city view. Kick back. Stop and smell the roses. Actually, stop before you even get to the roses. Maybe you'll get around to the roses tomorrow. Or the day after. Have you ever seen an Adirondacks chair? They're designed so once you sit down, you actually can't get back up. That's a vacation!
