Summer will be here before we know it, which means I've been thinking a lot about where to go on vacation this year. Last year Mickey and I took a week off and did a grand tour of Mount Vernon, D.C. and Philadelphia, with some beach time thrown in at Cape May, New Jersey (where Mickey's grandmother lives) and some down (read: boring) time in Centreville, Maryland (where his other grandparents live.) It was a lot of fun, but this year I'm ready for something other than the relation vacation.
This is all very preliminary since Mickey doesn't plan on being in the same job come summertime, and thus doesn't know how much money or time he'll have to spare, and consequently he will not discuss this with me. Which means I'll discuss it with you. You're such a good listener, Internets. I'll even French braid your hair while I talk, and then we can order pizza and paint each other's toenails.
My first choice is to leave the country. I'm like the last person I know that hasn't been to Europe, and I have a semi-serious list of things to do before I turn 30 that includes crossing the pond. That means I have to go either this summer or next. The precise location I'd most like to visit changes like the wind, but lately I've been thinking a UK tour would be pretty cool. It would probably take years to absorb all the history and scenery of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, but if we have to forego sleep in order to see as much as we can in a one- or two-week period, so be it. We're young; we can handle it.
If money and/or time issues force us to stay in the country, I'd like to do one of two things: Either go to Alaska or take a road trip through New England. I've wanted to visit Alaska for several years now, and I know quite a few people who have been and say it's spectacular. The only problems would be avoiding the giant mosquitoes and convincing Mickey to hang out with me instead of climbing Denali.
We've been talking about a New England road trip for quite some time. The farthest north I've been is New York, but I've always wanted to experience the quaint New England life (as I've imagined it.) I have also done a lot of reading in the past year or so about colonial America, and my nerdly senses go all aflutter when I think about all the important stuff that has happened in Boston and how much I'd like to see it. (There may also be some certain blogfriends living around that area that we possibly could rendezvous with.)
So tell me, Internets: Where should we go? Where would you go? The fate of my vacation lies in your hands.*
*Not really.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
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11 comments:
Don't feel too bad, I've never been to Europe either; and I'm over thirty.
As someone who's lived in New England his entire life, I would be happy to help direct you two to any places of interest. Then again, I've never actually lived in the quaint, bucolic areas with cows, but I can confirm that they are here.
That said, there are some excellent beaches, and more importantly, Boston is nerdvana for history buffs.
BOSTON!!!!!
Oooh yeah, and the summer is the best time to come. All the students are gone and it's warm and there are beaches and hiking and Duck Boat tours! And oh, the Sam Adams Brewery, and the Harpoon Brewery, and Red Hook Brewery and Allagash Brewery...
And New Hampshire and Maine are also specialty areas for me. Well, southern New Hampshire and Maine anyway. And there's Ben and Jerry's in Vermont, and the Green Mountains, and Burlington has lots of great live music.
Okay, it is decided. You are coming to New England. Screw Old England.
I can't afford to climb Denali (do you know how much a high-altitude down suit costs?! Not to mention permit fees and hiring a plane to drop me on the glacier.)
This is why I need a job in which I only work half the year and make just enough to get me through the rest with enough to travel a bit, because one or two-week vacations are for suckers.
I would say if you've never been to Europe and you can afford the flight, you should go. Flights into London, Paris, Amsterdam or Frankfurt can actually be really cheap. I flew to London a couple times for cheaper than I flew from Atlanta to Seattle.
Otherwise, road trips are always fun. If I have the time this year, I am going to plan a driving trip to the Outer Banks.
I would put in a plug for the England-Scotland-Ireland thing, because I spent a semester there in college and loved it, but it seems NPW has already decided on your vacation plans for you. Have fun in Boston!
Going across the pond is always exciting, but the trip through New England sound pretty grand as well. Chris and I have also mentioned going to Boston - so much to see and so much to eat!
I feel like saying New England is a little self-interested, but there are seriously tons of cool things to do here. (Or there, as I guess the Hudson Valley is technically outside of the NE border...)
Then again, Alaska is supposed to be life-changingly wonderful, and I've been to England a few times, and I've always loved it. Although I'm going to wait to go back until the dollar is not in such a slump.
I wish I had gone to Alaska when I lived in Seattle (kind of the gateway to Alaska). Now it just seems realllllly far away.
Britain is pretty cool, and you've got the right idea focusing on the British Isles rather than the Kontiki tour of the continent.
Good luck convincing your other half and thanks for the manicure...
I hear Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge is nice. And you're so close.
You should definitely drop by the Dixie Stampede and Dollywood, cause I know how you love your country music.
I am the worst at deciding things like this. I was trying to decide between Egypt, Spain/Portugal, Greece and Russia before we spent all the cash on a down payment for the new place. I'd been debating and researching for something like three months before it became a non-issue.
I imagine we'll end up doing the eastern US since it's drivable and we have friends along the way. Chuck (the puppeteer/minister who married us) now owns a coffee shop in SC. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Columbia/DC. The new air & space museum kicks ass. I have 10 pictures of myself next to a space shuttle! I also got to visit Mike and see the aquarium in Balitmore. No ducky thingys though because it gets freakin' cold up there in January. Lesson: go during the appropriate season.
Also, I'm making up for lost time so it's easier to read reverse chronological order. This means I already know you got down-sized and I now feel bad giving you advice about a vacation when I know that's up in the air.
Sorry to hear about your job, and I guess that means Europe is out of the picture. BTW, having been to Alaska twice, I highly recommend it, but a trip to Britain and France would be cheaper or at least comparable. I've found much cheaper tickets for London and Paris than I ever have for Anchorage. It's amazing, though. Mickey would love it and I'm sure you would too (although it's pretty much right up his alley considering all the naked rock and nature.)
Kim actually invited you (which is good because I was going to offer anyway) to go with us for part or all of our trip this summer. I'm hoping for two weeks starting in the last week of May. A sprint up to Montreal in a couple of days followed by the rest of the trip slowly working our way back down the coast. We're planning on camping the entire trip except maybe a couple of nights in a hotel. We'd be going the State/National park route mostly for campgrounds.
We'd have to drive separately (the Prius is bigger than it looks, but it ain't that big).
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