Travel Thread: Where Do You Like to Get Away

[No Pride]

Vegas is one of those places people either totally love or totally hate. Personally I love it and have been there many times, but I know a lot of people who have the exact opposite reaction.

Weirdly, though I don't gamble, buy sex, can't afford more than one show in a visit, and don't even much drink myself let alone like dealing with drunks ... I like LV. To me, it's like Disneyland for adults. (Insert generic defense of Disneyland here.)

I'm aware that lots of people dig Las Vegas and far be it for me to judge. It's like with music and everything really; we all have our tastes. But when I'm there, I feel like a fish out of water, can't help that.

Vegas does have some of the best people watching in the US, especially at night when the casinos are humming. I haven't been there for years but I was pleasantly surprised how the quality of the restaurants had ramped up at the casinos.

Well, there are lots of young women dressed like street-walkers over there and I can't say that I mind watching them let it all hang out. But the drunken behavior always knocks me out of any trance-like state that the view puts me in.

As for the food: The first time I ever set foot there was in the mid '80s and at the time, restaurants at the casinos were really cheap; you could eat like a king on a pauper's budget. I guess the thinking was that they could afford to do that because they'd get the money at the slots and tables. But somewhere along the way, they figured out that they'll get that gambling money anyway, so why not make a killing on the food as well?! Casino restaurants are quite expensive now. There's plenty of great culinary delights to be had, but it'll cost you. Then again, I'm from Chicago, which (even after all my travels in the past decades) I still consider to be one of the best eating cities in the country. Aside from New Orleans that is; I'd become an obese man after living there for one year.

[adap2it]

I was a regular visitor to Vegas, during the late 80's & 90's. Everything was cheap when they catered to gamblers. Gambling subsidized those amazing prices. However, when LV decided to diversify in a big way by going after families and creating more theme oriented attractions, gambling became less of a factor and prices started creeping up across the board. I don't go there anymore, last time was 2004 for a family wedding.

[SteveSly]

Can't believe I forgot to mention New Orleans ...

Bucket list includes Rome, Australia, New Zealand, and a NO Mardi Gras.

I have been to New Orleans twice. I liked it better when I was younger. My buddy and I went there when I was in my mid-20’s and we had an absolute blast. Went there again in my 40’s and although it was alright, I did not like it as much.

[SteveSly]

I was a regular visitor to Vegas, during the late 80's & 90's. Everything was cheap when they catered to gamblers. Gambling subsidized those amazing prices. However, when LV decided to diversify in a big way by going after families and creating more theme oriented attractions, gambling became less of a factor and prices started creeping up across the board. I don't go there anymore, last time was 2004 for a family wedding.

Yup, I first went to Vegas in the late 80’s, and have been there many times since, but it has changed a lot. As No Pride mentioned you used to be able to eat and drink like a king for practically nothing. I used to eat Prime Rib just about every day, just because I could for less than half the price of what it would cost back home. There was a restaurant in the Union Plaza downtown where we used to always go late at night for Ham and eggs. The ham steak they gave you was over a pound of greasy goodness. Today there are a lot more high end restaurants, and a lot less bargains. You can still find some good deals downtown or at off strip hotels, but the strip is completely different from what it was.

[Yves]

Vegas represents the antithesis of what I consider a nice vacation. My goal when I travel is to try to get away from the masses, away from the artificiality of an urban setting. Give me a cottage on the Northumberland Straight in PEI, or on a rocky cliff in Newfoundland any day. Keep your glitz and neon lights!

[Plasmatopia]

Vegas represents the antithesis of what I consider a nice vacation. My goal when I travel is to try to get away from the masses, away from the artificiality of an urban setting. Give me a cottage on the Northumberland Straight in PEI, or on a rocky cliff in Newfoundland any day. Keep your glitz and neon lights!

That's exactly how I feel - any city would not be my idea of "vacation". I have to laugh when some people seem to want be near places where they can shop while on their vacation. I know a woman who hates it when her husband takes the more rural routes ("there's nothing out there"). I guess she is just more reassured when she can see strip mall after strip mall from the passenger window.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

I'm very definitely a city boy -- though the safari in Kenya was bloody fantastic, I generally prefer to vacation in a metropolis...though cruises are nice too...

[Cats On Glue]

im curious, what is it about ithica ny that you like. never been there, but it's drivable from where i am

[Cats On Glue]

hawaii is prolly best place i been but west coast mexico is gorgeous too

[Yves]

That's exactly how I feel - any city would not be my idea of "vacation". I have to laugh when some people seem to want be near places where they can shop while on their vacation. I know a woman who hates it when her husband takes the more rural routes ("there's nothing out there"). I guess she is just more reassured when she can see strip mall after strip mall from the passenger window.

I'm OK with cities, but not Vegas. My girlfriend and I have done the thing where you fly to a city, stay right downtown, and go everywhere on foot or by taxi. Vegas is just too artificial for me though.

My favorite vacations usually involve driving somewhere on the byways of Quebec, through beautiful little towns, to a remote rental cottage on a lake. I live in a country that's 90% wilderness, and some of the most stunning at that. Visiting our cities takes a back seat.

[Jerjo]

I am pretty versatile. There's nothing like the vibe and energy of a big city. Then again I love finding a smaller, funkier town with a great downtown like Manitou Springs CO or Santa Fe NM. But I was born and raised on the Great Plains and wild places call to me too.

[Jerjo]

Give me a cottage on the Northumberland Straight in PEI, or on a rocky cliff in Newfoundland any day.

links please

[Yves]

With the Canadian dollar shrinking in comparison to the US dollar, I would invite you 'Mericans to vacation in Canada. You'll never feel so at home in a foreign country.

[ronmac]

Vegas represents the antithesis of what I consider a nice vacation. My goal when I travel is to try to get away from the masses, away from the artificiality of an urban setting. Give me a cottage on the Northumberland Straight in PEI, or on a rocky cliff in Newfoundland any day. Keep your glitz and neon lights!

Me, too. I always stated that if I ever went to Vegas, I'd drive down the Strip to see it and then keep driving to the desert.

[Lopez]

im curious, what is it about ithica ny that you like. never been there, but it's drivable from where i am

There's so much to like about Ithaca (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaca,_New_York). It's not a large city so you can cover it in a day or two. There are many gorges/waterfalls in and around town that are stunning, and if you are into fossils, you will likely find shell fossils in any of the gorges. One of the best record stores I've ever been to is in downtown - Angry Mom Records. Fellow who runs it is from Newcastle, England, and he has a lot of hard to find stuff at reasonable (not cheap) prices. I've discovered unknown Finnish prog there. The restaurants there are many and varied - Chinese, Korean, BBQ, fine dining, Japanese, French, Italian, you name, it's there. Good small and cheap ones up the hill near Cornell, too. One of the best small breweries around, Ithaca Beer Co. (http://www.ithacabeer.com), is just outside the city. Superb beer, and about 2 years ago they opened a taproom that has rather good food to compliment the beer. Their IPA (Flower Power) is wonderful. If you are into wines, there are plenty of wineries within minutes drive of the city on either side of Lake Cayuga (Ithaca is at the southern most tip of the lake), most making excellent whites. On the left side of the lake is a quaint little town, Trumansburg, that has very nice restaurants and is the original home of the Moog synthesizer and synth band Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Company (predating Tonto's Expanding Headband). There's a high waterfall there that is spectacular, Taughannock Falls (http://www.taughannock.com/). In the summer, Ithaca has a farmer's market that is the largest I've ever seen - there you can buy wine from the vineyards, fruits, vegetables, and meats from the many farms (Amish ones, too) in the area and plenty of different cooked foods from the various vendors. Both sides of the lake offer beautiful views and unique places like Aurora (on the right side) home to the eccentric and wicked expensive home decorating company MacKenzie-Childs (www.mackenzie-childs.com; fun to walk through and the grounds are beautiful and free to roam through‎) and the Aurora Inn, where you can have lunch in the backyard overlooking a wide expanse of the lake. The little town of Interlaken (on the left side) was home to Rod Serling. Ithaca College has a large collection of his work, as he once taught there. Ithaca also has a pretty cool earth science museum that has a mastodon skeleton that was found in the area. We have friends in Interlaken, and we enjoy sitting on their dock in the evening enjoying the quiet and adult beverages.

[UnderAGlassMoon]

I've been to a lot of places over the years, some of the favorites:

New Zealand-Actually lived there on and off for five years. Wonderful people and beautiful scenery. I enjoyed the South Island more than the North.

Australia-Have only been to Perth but it was a lot of fun

Hong Kong-Great food, great shopping and great nightlife a very fun city

Thailand-Pattaya Beach to be specific. A pretty crazy place. They have a street called "Walking Street" that is nothing but bars and clubs kind of like Bourbon St
.
New Orleans-Been quite a few times and during the height of Mardi Gras. I would not recommend going during Mardi Gras unless it is just something you want to do. It is way too crowded and the idiot quotient is out of control. New Orleans is much more fun away from Mardi Gras. Still lots of people, partying, bead throwing and breast flashing!

Victoria British Colombia-Highly recommended, a beautiful city.

Tokyo-Very expensive, but one of the best times I've had.

Places I'd like to go:
Europe, would especially like to do a river cruise
Chile or maybe Argentina

[SteveSly]

That's exactly how I feel - any city would not be my idea of "vacation". I have to laugh when some people seem to want be near places where they can shop while on their vacation. I know a woman who hates it when her husband takes the more rural routes ("there's nothing out there"). I guess she is just more reassured when she can see strip mall after strip mall from the passenger window.

For the past couple of years we have spent a weekend in Chicago with another couple (sometimes multiple couple) the weekend after New Year’s. We stay right downtown and these people that we go with will spend the entire day on Saturday shopping. They will leave the hotel at about 9 in the morning and shop until 5 or 6 in the afternoon non-stop. The first year we went with them, my wife and I walked around with them could take about 2 hours of it and that was about all I could take. After that year, we let them go shopping and we do something else (went to the aquarium this year), then get back together for happy hour and dinner in the evening.

My wife’s youngest sister is also a shopper. She can spend day after day doing nothing but shopping when she is on vacation. Not my thing, but to each their own I guess.

[SteveSly]

Me, too. I always stated that if I ever went to Vegas, I'd drive down the Strip to see it and then keep driving to the desert.

One of the things that I like about Vegas is you can do just that. Within a 1 hour drive of the strip is Lake Mead, Red Rock Canyon, Valley Of Fire National Park, and for a completely different experience Mt. Charleston (which even has a ski resort). I always find it hard to understand people who go to Vegas and never explore the areas around it.

[SteveSly]

.
New Orleans-Been quite a few times and during the height of Mardi Gras. I would not recommend going during Mardi Gras unless it is just something you want to do. It is way too crowded and the idiot quotient is out of control. New Orleans is much more fun away from Mardi Gras. Still lots of people, partying, bead throwing and breast flashing!

New Orleans is crazy any time of year. I can’t imagine what it must be like at Mardi Gras.

[UnderAGlassMoon]

New Orleans is crazy any time of year. I can’t imagine what it must be like at Mardi Gras.

It's a mad house. You can barely move in the French Quarter and seeing a young woman throwing up in the street at 11 in the morning doesn't exactly make for great scenery. I had fun, but had much more fun every time I went, when it wasn't during Mardi Gras