Best/Worst vacations

[Disney Ella]

I am always looking for new vacation ideas and hope you might share some of your best and worst vacations. No need to mention Disney, since I'm assuming most of us here like Disney parks!

Best

San Diego - what a beautiful area! I would like to live here if I could afford it and droughts, mudslides and earthquakes weren't a problem.

Yosemite - Scenery you won't find anywhere else.

Ft. Lauderdale - Nice - tropical looking water and very clean. Airport is very close to the beaches.

Bermuda - Also nice, although I think I'd go in the the summer instead of April (went on a trip with DH's company.)

Montreal - Lots to do and we loved Parc Jean Drapeau in the middle of the St. Lawrence. Close to the US, but it doesn't feel like the US or even the rest of Canada.

Worst

Norwegian cruise - I am not a drinker, dancer or gambler (don't I sound boring?!) and felt like I was stuck in a floating hotel while we were at sea. I know that some people enjoy sitting on the deck and looking at the water for hours, but the water looked exactly the same in one spot as it did 20 miles away to me. I much prefer flying somewhere and spending all of my time there.

Tent camping - Not my thing. I need a real bed with a bathroom nearby.

 

[OhMari]

Italy-the best vacation. Rome-Venice-Florence.

Worst-anything in Wisconsin-the weather is to darn unpredictable-never and I mean never leave your sweatshirts or thermals at home.

 

[NCRedding]

Worst for me: tent or any other kind a camping.

Best for me: I am a cruise person. I love having all my needs met with no where to go. You can be as laid back or active as you want.

I loved San Diego but didn't get to see as much as I wanted to.

Yosemite was awesome. If I go back, I will definitely stay at one of the Park Service hotels.

I didn't care for Montreal, but loved Quebec and Ottawa.

Love to go to the beach and be a beach bum (27 days to go!)

 

[Philagoofy]

Yellowstone National Park has beautiful scenery & wonderful natural attractions rarely seen elsewhere. Very memorable. Everyone should see this place, amazing.

Hawaii, absolutely gorgeous.

The Pacific Northwest, beautiful scenery.

 

[SC Minnie]

My worst was Marblehead OH. It was a family reunion type vacation- DH's family- and it was the longest week of my life. I was bored stiff the whole week.

Camping. Can't stand it.

The best for me is a cruise or a nice not so crowded beach.

 

[marthachick]

BEST: San Diego, Ca


WORST: Anywhere with In-Laws!

 

[cteddiesgirl]

Worst vacation - any vacation that is timed down to the minute on what you're doing. If it's all run, run, run, that's not relaxing.

Best vacations - Backing out of your driveway and saying which way? The most relaxing vacations ever. Not having a set schedule on how many miles you're to drive in a day. Being able to stop and see whatever may interest you. There's lots to do and see in this country that most people never even know about because they only take the highways or a plane to a certain place.
In one 2 week vacation, we managed to see wild buffalo, one of Laura Ingalls Wilder's homes, Mount Rushmore, The Badlands and a number ofther things.

There was one vacation we drove 9 miles one day and 800 the next.

You never know what you're going to see when you're not looking only at the destination.

 

[shortbun]

Best: African Safaris in Kenya/Tanzania and Botswana/Zimbabwe/South Africa, Egyptian Cruise on the Nile, Maho Bay Eco-camp(St. John, USVI), the French Riviera.

I also love: Hatteras National Seashore, Captiva Island, San Francisco, Hawaii, Alaska, Ireland, Bermuda, Akumal and points south on the Yucatan peninsula, a luxury cruise(real luxury service/cabin/food), Paris, London, NYC, camping with my family.

Trips I did not like: when I was 11, I got the mumps and was sick the whole time we vacationed on the gulf coast of Florida/Sarasota Seriously, I love to travel = almost anywhere, anytime, I'm ready. I people watch and read if I'm not in a culturally rich environment. I'm never bored because I can always sleep, lol!!!

 

[Darcy03231]

Best vacation - Young Island. What an amazing place. Also, we love to cruise, so any cruise is a great vacation for me.

Worst vacation - Tent camping. I am not a camper!

 

[eeyore65]

Worst vacations - staying at someone's too small cottage. I HATE this - always feel like we are imposing despite the fact we keep getting asked back.

Any camping or places that involve large amounts of unavoidable bugs

Not a huge fan of cruising - too many people

Best vacations -

Anywhere there is a beach - but specifically, the British Virgin Islands (sailing them is amazing), St. John, Bermuda, Anguilla, the Abacos in the Bahamas, Belize - stayed on a private island - heaven should be so nice!

Skiing trips - loved them all but Deer Valley is a favorite followed by Jackson Hole

Barcelona, Spain for site seeing - loved everything about it - food, architecture, people. Followed closely by Rome for the same reasons.

Galapagos Islands for the most amazing animal encounters and vistas. Also amazing people in Ecuador. (But we did not like Quito - mostly because DS and I got altitude sickness and some intestinal bug)

My own backyard. I love Florida and all the things I can do here. every weekend feels like a vacation when I can walk to the beach, swim in my pool and kayak from my dock.

 

[eeyore65]

Best: African Safaris in Kenya/Tanzania and Botswana/Zimbabwe/South Africa, Egyptian Cruise on the Nile, Maho Bay Eco-camp(St. John, USVI), the French Riviera.

I am soooo jealous of these! Safari and Nile are on my short list of things I'd love to do. I have been thinking of Adventures by Disney Safari. I also love to travel anywhere.

 

[Pakey]

Best vacations: 1) Paris. I loved every minute of that vacation. 2) I also loved parts of Italy on our Italian vacation but not all plus 16 days was too long for me. The best parts were Venice and the Vatican.

Worst vacations: 1) Hawaii. I've been 3 times now to 3 different islands and I've decided Hawaii is not for me. 2) Branson, Missouri. I hated every minute of it. 3) Mexican cruise (Royal Carribean). I didn't like the ship nor any of the ports.

 

[MoniqueU]

Best- Turks and Caicos, it is my one true happy spot!!

Worst-Free Carnival Cruise to Mexico, worst room, food and guests, staff etc.... I can't believe some people willing choose to cruise this line it was like Circus Circus in Vegas. No vacation would of been better then that.

Also a trip to the grand canyon where we got carbon monoxide poisoning and ended up in the hospital. I got out drove up to the canyon, looked down and said I almost died for THAT???

 

[Claire L]

Best would have to be any West Coast holiday starting with San Francisco, also loved Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Grand Canyon and all over Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and South Dakota, mianly for the wonderful countryside, cities and great people

Or Lanzarote for sheer chill-out

Worst is the Greek Islands for the 1* hotels, drunkeness and sanitation

Claire

 

[Disney Ella]

Best vacations: 1) Paris. I loved every minute of that vacation. 2) I also loved parts of Italy on our Italian vacation but not all plus 16 days was too long for me. The best parts were Venice and the Vatican.

Worst vacations: 1) Hawaii. I've been 3 times now to 3 different islands and I've decided Hawaii is not for me. 2) Branson, Missouri. I hated every minute of it. 3) Mexican cruise (Royal Carribean). I didn't like the ship nor any of the ports.

Pakey, what didn't you like about Hawaii? It's on my list, so I'm curious about what the negatives are.

 

[minniebeth]

Best: African Safaris in Kenya/Tanzania and Botswana/Zimbabwe/South Africa, Egyptian Cruise on the Nile, Maho Bay Eco-camp(St. John, USVI), the French Riviera.

I also love: Hatteras National Seashore, Captiva Island, San Francisco, Hawaii, Alaska, Ireland, Bermuda, Akumal and points south on the Yucatan peninsula, a luxury cruise(real luxury service/cabin/food), Paris, London, NYC, camping with my family.

Trips I did not like: when I was 11, I got the mumps and was sick the whole time we vacationed on the gulf coast of Florida/Sarasota Seriously, I love to travel = almost anywhere, anytime, I'm ready. I people watch and read if I'm not in a culturally rich environment. I'm never bored because I can always sleep, lol!!!

Shortbun,
Can you pack me in your suitcase? Your vacations sound amazing!

My best vacations:
Married w/o kids: Honeymoon in Maui, Kauai
Couple Trip w/o kids: Camelback Inn, Arizona
W/Kids: WDW always! DCL Cruise
W/Family: Outer Banks, NC Family Reunion

Worst:
A company trip we took w/DH's group to Mazatlan, Mexico. We were not in a tourist resort, more local and were not welcomed very well...

 

[threecrazykids]

My worst was Marblehead OH. It was a family reunion type vacation- DH's family- and it was the longest week of my life. I was bored stiff the whole week.

Camping. Can't stand it.

The best for me is a cruise or a nice not so crowded beach.

BEST: San Diego, Ca


WORST: Anywhere with In-Laws!

I'm seeing a pattern here and I couldn't agree more!

I'd rather try to have "relations" with a rabid badger than spend an entire week with my in-laws. They are about as much fun as hemorrhoids.

 

[MA pigletfan]

Best vacations: 1) Paris. I loved every minute of that vacation. 2) I also loved parts of Italy on our Italian vacation but not all plus 16 days was too long for me. The best parts were Venice and the Vatican.

Worst vacations: 1) Hawaii. I've been 3 times now to 3 different islands and I've decided Hawaii is not for me. 2) Branson, Missouri. I hated every minute of it. 3) Mexican cruise (Royal Carribean). I didn't like the ship nor any of the ports.

Just curious about what made Hawaii end up on the worst vacay list..you have me nervous!!! ( we are going for part of our honeymoon in the fall!)

I'll play
BEST: Key west...we stayed at a great inn and just had a beautiful laid back time
Disney..I just love it and we always have such a great time..
Colorado...BEAUTIFUL!! We went to denver and the Boulder area..Boulder is my favorite.

WORST: any camping situation..yuck..bugs!

 

[Pakey]

Pakey, what didn't you like about Hawaii? It's on my list, so I'm curious about what the negatives are.

First vacation was to Oahu which I hated the worst. It is very crowded, traffic is bad, beaches were packed by 9am. Also, I'm a 5 star kind of person and the hotel (which I have purged from my memory) was not good. I enjoyed our day on the North Shore but other than that, I did not care for Oahu--it reminded me of going to the beaches in the Los Angeles area.

Second vacation was to Maui/Hawaii. We stayed at the Grand Wailea in Maui which is a gorgeous hotel/spa but did not care for the Wailea area at all. Not enough to do. I was bored, bored, bored. On the island of Hawaii, I did enjoy the volcano area but other than that, I was bored.

Third vacation was to Maui and we stayed at the Ritz in Kapalua. I think I might have enjoyed this vacation (hotel is gorgeous) except I was going through chemo so I sat on the lanai in the shade and read for most of the week. Since it was the third visit to the islands, my negative attitude was already in place.

For me, Hawaii would be a good weekend place but a week or more and I'm climbing the walls. Driving around and looking at scenery doesn't thrill me and I can only sit at a pool/on a beach for a short period of time.

I'm in the minority in my opinions so I would not let my comments deter you from going there.

 

[mamacatnv]

I've never had a "worst" vacation I guess I am easy to please and find something to discover just about anywhere.

Favorites:

Schlitterbahn water park - the original in New Braunfels, TX - amazing

N. California coast - Redwoods road trip for DS's HS graduation, the inlaws were with us and they are not much fun but the memories for all of us are forever priceless.

San Francisco/Santa Cruz and Monterey - amazing things to see, do and eat! Fabulous places to visit.

New England in the fall. From the Museums and pubs of Boston to the quaint B&B's in Boothbay, Maine to the gondola ride in the White Mountains and the drive along the Kangamangus (sp?) Hwy. Amazing people to meet and scenery to take in.

New Orleans, LA - self explanatory! Love it; The feel, the vibe, the people, the food, the history and the cemetaries........