2012 Vacation Thread

[ndcent]

Where are you heading this year? Any fun trips planned?

First up this year is...

Wednesday I leave for Sacramento - Plan to visit a friend an hour East of there, borrow a motorcycle and trip around SF, Napa, up CA-1 to Modesto and back over a week. Looking forward to riding up CA-1, been on my list for a while!

Did a similar trip in '09, borrowed a bike from him and tripped around Yosemite, Lake Tahoe and SF. I love CA.

Plenty more after that...

 

[IanB]

I leave on Friday morning to pick up my Land Cruiser! Flying to Vancouver, pick up the truck, drop it off for an oil change, tranny fluid change, and having the big end bearings in the engine replaced (big preventative maintenance item on the 1HD-T). Hanging out in Vancouver for the weekend, going up to Whistler for the day Sunday, going in to work Monday morning to meet my boss for the 1st time (making this a "business trip", flights, hotel, meals etc paid for), then driving to Kelowna to see my Grandpa and stay the night.

Spend the next couple days we'll make our way through the mountains to Calgary, thinking we'll take a route south out of Kelowna, zero rush, looking to enjoy some scenery, etc. Spend a couple days in Calgary, staying with a friend there, have lunch with my old boss, do some shopping, etc. I think we'll go up to Edmonton from there, I want to go to the waterpark at West Edmonton Mall! Then bomb home down the Yellowhead Hwy, hoping to make the trip back to Winnipeg in one day, it's a long day, but I've done it before. Might crash at family's place in MB if we get tired, we'll play it by ear.

Really starting to look forward to it, so much stress and headache over the last 2 months related to the demise of my Surf, fighting with insurance over it, lining up a replacement, etc.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Post some pics IanB where you take possession of the Cruiser.

Not much money in the budget for a vacation, even with gas prices lower. Ce la vie.

 

[T4rman]

I live in dallas tx. I started off the summer with a 2k mile trip to the overland expo. I stopped in santa fe NM, flagstaff AZ, monument valley UT, and San Juan National Forest CO. Currently sitting on the west coast of Florida, I'll be driving back to Dallas soon then straight through to San Diego and San Francisco on business with some meandering back home ( Tahoe, salt lake, maybe Telluride/Ouray? ) then Denver for the summer. When it's time to come home I'm planning an epic west coast tour that should last a couple weeks.

 

[ndcent]

I live in dallas tx. I started off the summer with a 2k mile trip to the overland expo. I stopped in santa fe NM, flagstaff AZ, monument valley UT, and San Juan National Forest CO. Currently sitting on the west coast of Florida, I'll be driving back to Dallas soon then straight through to San Diego and San Francisco on business with some meandering back home ( Tahoe, salt lake, maybe Telluride/Ouray? ) then Denver for the summer. When it's time to come home I'm planning an epic west coast tour that should last a couple weeks.

100% go to Ouray...one of my favorite places in the world.

ETA: Depending on when you arrive you could do Black Bear Pass & Imogene Pass and a bunch of others.

Did I mention I love Ouray?

 

[LandRvr Convert]

I will be driving from here in Atlanta down to Sarasota, Florida (Siesta Key to be exact) with my girlfriend for the Fourth of July week. It is about an 8 hour drive and is right at 500 miles from ATL. The sand on the beaches there is gypsum and is the softest and the brightest white I have ever seen, even more so than on the gulf coast of Florida (PCB, Destin, etc). Because of gypsum's makeup, it is never hot to your bare feet, even at mid-day in full sun. It feels like you are walking on baking flour, no joke. Not that I have ever walked on baking flower...LOL

On the way down, we plan to take a break from the (very boring drive down I-75) and snorkel in some of the natural springs in north Florida. I've done it once before and the only other place I have ever snorkeled in with water that clear was in the Bahamas many years ago, so I'm excited to do it again and will post photos from the springs here. It's so strange to hike through a very dense pine forest on a narrow trail, and then, all of the sudden, there's this aqua-blue pool right there!!

Once we get to Siesta Key and chill for a couple of days, we will take a day trip down to Sanibel Island near Ft. Myers (about 70 miles south) . Sanibel is known for a ton of sea shells on it's beaches. Shells are great but I would love to find a shark tooth or two...or three!!

We will then drive accross Florida to Cape Canaveral, then north up A1A to Daytona (about 300 miles) so I can drive the Runner on the beach there, and yes, will post photos of that here too.

Then its back to I-95 north up to Hilton Head and Charleston, SC (about 300 miles) for a couple more days and then back to AtL (about 300 miles again). Glad to be driving all of this in the Runner!!

Unfortunately, going over to Pensacola was just not in the cards for this trip, BUT watching the Blue Angels perform over the beach would have been bad ass, so maybe next year!!

Looking forward to it:boink:

 

[BucknutBob]

If all goes well, I'll be joining some of the classic Runners from this site out in Moab, UT this October. Tons of top-notch wheeling and sightseeing, and hanging out with fellow rabid 4Runner enthusiasts, camping and swapping tips, suggestions, and lies. I've already been there once, for a short solo trip--I can hardly wait to go again!

 

[rayjay]

Leaving tonight going to Lake Powell for a week on a house boat. Gonna be sweet!

 

[Millerad1651]

Just booked our flight to Tampa for brother in laws beach wedding. We drove last time, but since it's a short trip, we decided to fly.
Beach all day Thursday at Siesta Key, beach wedding on Friday morning, then they're renting out a club in Ybor City that night for reception. Then back home Saturday for my buddies annual hog roast kegger...with a slip and slide into a pool this year.

Later this summer/early fall, the wife has a long break from nursing school, so we finally get to take a honeymoon, although we dot know where yet. Any suggestions?

 

[ndcent]

Just booked our flight to Tampa for brother in laws beach wedding. We drove last time, but since it's a short trip, we decided to fly.
Beach all day Thursday at Siesta Key, beach wedding on Friday morning, then they're renting out a club in Ybor City that night for reception. Then back home Saturday for my buddies annual hog roast kegger...with a slip and slide into a pool this year.

Later this summer/early fall, the wife has a long break from nursing school, so we finally get to take a honeymoon, although we dot know where yet. Any suggestions?

What hog roast kegger would be complete without a slip and slide pool?

My wife and I did our honeymoon in Punta Cana here:

Excellence Punta Cana - Excellence Group Resorts

Upgraded to the "club" package. It was awesome even though I'm not big on relaxing type vacations, I like adventure.

 

[cfranck1]

If all goes according to plans, I should be spending a week up in Maine at a cabin in the woods!!
And am definitely going to the 311 show at Red Rocks in August!! :reddance:

 

[1engineer]

Since I live at an adventure vacation destination (hiking, mtn biking, rock climbing, white water rafting, skiing) we will be going to a nice beach for a week. We have a lot of things but sadly, no ocean and I love the ocean.

 

[JohnsD90]

Flying into Phoenix with parents, driving to orange county CA, staying 9 days going to beach and hang out with COB, driving back to phoenix, staying a week visiting family, and train watching, then going home.

 

[calikev]

Taking the boat ride this Friday from Long Beach to Catalina Island. It's always nice to get away and go there. There are very few cars there everyone drives golf carts with rims and tint and crazy paint jobs. Much slower pace than LA. We go there or somewhere within driving distance as often as possible to recharge from the LA hustle and traffic. Relaxing weekend for sure.

 

[IanB]

Flying into Phoenix with parents, driving to orange county CA, staying 9 days going to beach and hang out with COB, driving back to phoenix, staying a week visiting family, and train watching, then going home.

Train watching? Is that what it sounds like?

 

[Antman]

Disney next Saturday with my 2 & 4 yr old, along with the immediate family!

They finally get to meet a real princess!:bravo:

 

[calikev]

Disney next Saturday with my 2 & 4 yr old, along with the immediate family!

They finally get to meet a real princess!:bravo:

Antman, my wife used to work for Disney in Orlando so we were fortunate enough to go often with our kids when they were younger.

Advice:

There are 2 ways to get into the park...take the tram or take a boat ride that most don't take because they just want to get in ASAP. BE ON TIME (early) and arrive when the park opens with the parade (the opening parade is amazing and one of the best parts) and definitely take the boat ride. Your kids are gonna go nuts. The boat ride takes you right to the parade and they will see Mickey and Minnie and all the others marching while on the boat ride in front of the castle. The princess is waving from the castle. See the parade then go straight to a ride. EVERYONE else is gonna go to the castle to meet the princess. Come back after you take a ride or 2--- there will be way less people in the castle meeting the princess this way. Take a few bottled waters, it was like $5-6 a bottle last time we went.

When you visit the continents make sure to go to Africa---the upside down trees (Balboa trees) are huge and really unique!


Have fun!

 

[BucknutBob]

Disney next Saturday with my 2 & 4 yr old, along with the immediate family!

They finally get to meet a real princess!:bravo:

Can I come, too? LOL! I've been around for quite a while now, and I STILL turn into a little kid at the thought of going to an amusement park--I love that stuff!

 

[JohnsD90]

Train watching? Is that what it sounds like?

I have like no good shots on this computer, but i think it means what it sounds like:

 

[Huskey]

3 more weeks of work in Brazil, then I get to go home for a holiday for a few months... Woohoo!

Still no plans for when I'm home, thinking about the Oregon coast, and looping over to the Perkins guys to get a nice roof rack for the runner