The Travel Thread

[blackjack68]

So nobody's ever been to Ft. Myers Beach / Sanibel area?

[llipgh2]

Well, since my friend is using her husband's hotel points for the room, we are going to spend 4 days/3 nights in Vegas . He wants some points left for his hockey clinic trips. (He participates in them, he doesn't teach them.)

We miss out on the cheap airfare, but since the room will be free, I'm willing to spend a little more on airfare.

[ExPatriatePen]

Is 5 days too long to stay in Vegas?

I've never been, and we're planning to go in Feb. Southwest has a KILLER 1 day deal right now, I can fly non-stop round trip for $204. But...only on certain days.

The shortest timeframe is 6 days. We'd fly out in the evening, and fly home bright and early. So subtracting the travel time leaves 5 full days.

I've heard people say more than 3 days in Vegas is a waste. Is that true? This is such a great deal flight wise I don't want to miss out, but I also don't want to waste 2 days in Vegas if I don't have to.

Opinions?

I've posted this often... but I've gone to Vegas probably three dozen or so times in my life. A few years ago I finally flew into Vegas and drove out through Mesquite NV, Clipped the North West corner of Arizona, drove through St. George Utah and spent time traveling across the southern tier of Utah from Springdale (Zion National Park) to Grand Escalante. (including Bryce Canyon).

In the future, if I can even possibly swing it, I'll always add 4-5 days to my intinerary and do that trip.
Southern Utah is truly Gods Country and it's close enough to Vegas that it's a "no brainer".

[llipgh2]

So nobody's ever been to Ft. Myers Beach / Sanibel area?

No, sorry. I don't even know anyone whose been there.

[ExPatriatePen]

So nobody's ever been to Ft. Myers Beach / Sanibel area?

I have, it's boring as hell... buut sometimes that's what you're looking for so...

I will say Sanibel/Captiva and the surrounding area is very nice... but there's absolutely *nothing* to do.

[Letang Is The Truth]

nice beach, boring social scene

[blackjack68]

So nobody's ever been to Ft. Myers Beach / Sanibel area?

I have, it's boring as hell... buut sometimes that's what you're looking for so...

I will say Sanibel/Captiva and the surrounding area is very nice... but there's absolutely *nothing* to do.

Kinda what we're going for this time, so that sounds ok. Just a long weekend of collecting shells, watching the manatees, drinking and catching some live music somewhere and drinking.

[Pitt87]

So nobody's ever been to Ft. Myers Beach / Sanibel area?

I have, it's boring as hell... buut sometimes that's what you're looking for so...

I will say Sanibel/Captiva and the surrounding area is very nice... but there's absolutely *nothing* to do.

Sort of what I think I might be looking for my next vacation. Sold!

[ExPatriatePen]

So nobody's ever been to Ft. Myers Beach / Sanibel area?

I have, it's boring as hell... buut sometimes that's what you're looking for so...

I will say Sanibel/Captiva and the surrounding area is very nice... but there's absolutely *nothing* to do.

Kinda what we're going for this time, so that sounds ok. Just a long weekend of collecting shells, watching the manatees, drinking and catching some live music somewhere and drinking.

The Live music part might be tough, but the rest of it is right up Sanibel/Captivas alley.

Last time I went there the bridge between the mainland and the island was about $12 - $15 a crossing. I'd stay over on Sanibel, there are some nice places over there.

[ExPatriatePen]

I think I'm on llipgh2's foe list (have been for years), so I guess she'll never see my response about LV. Oh well.

[eddysnake]

I would hate to travel to southern china in 1850.

edit: sorry thought this said time travel thread...

[llipgh2]

I think I'm on llipgh2's foe list (have been for years), so I guess she'll never see my response about LV. Oh well.

No, you aren't. Just didn't feel the need to respond since we are shortening our trip.

[llipgh2]

Vegas trip booked for March. Can't get here soon enough.

Will be staying (for free!) at The Cosmopolitan http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/?gclid=CP6igvqN3LQCFYqZ4AodrzMAEQ.

My friend and her husband loved it. Anyone else stay here? I know it's a relatively new place.

[The Snapshot]

I once visited a Nickel mine in Sudbury. Don't do that.

[The Snapshot]

So nobody's ever been to Ft. Myers Beach / Sanibel area?

I have, it's boring as hell... buut sometimes that's what you're looking for so...

I will say Sanibel/Captiva and the surrounding area is very nice... but there's absolutely *nothing* to do.

Nice and boring.

[shafnutz05]

road trip across Iraq. start in Kuwait City, go through Basra, Nasiriyah, Najaf, Karbala. then head north to Baghdad, and cut back west through Habbaniyah, Fallujah and Ramadi. (make sure you see the Sa'adan mosque there) north again through Haditha to Mosul, and finish up with Tal'Afar and Sahl Sinjar. if you see any wires along the way, leave them alone and just hurry past. dont give the kids anything, theyre like pidgeons. if you give them something, you'll have a whole damn group following you around.

yes

[The Snapshot]

Besides Disney at least 10 times I've been to St. Thomas, Aruba, St Martin, Bermuda, Jamaica, Cancun, Bahamas, Sanibel Island, Marco Island, Hawaii, Freiburg Germany, Zurich Switzerland, London. Going to Dublin, Paris and London this spring on a Corporate award trip (unless the Pens are deep in the Playoffs).

Of all of them I had the best time in Switzerland. Hawaii was beautiful but we had mechanical trouble on the way back and an already long trip turned into a 31 hour trip back.

[redwill]

I've been to North Korea.

Not much to report.

[tifosi77]

Mrs Tif and I just started planning a trip to Spain for later this year. Got all the requisite Fodor's and Frommer's guide books, as well as a huge packet of goodies from the Turespaña office in Beverly Hills. Going to go for two full weeks, divided 2/3-1/3 between Barcelona and Basque Country. Originally wanted to go this April (FC Barcelona has a home match on my birthday!), but one of our dogs needs knee surgery so we have to postpone our travels until she's done with her convalescence.

Gonna go there and meet Gacho for a basket of terrible fried food.

I've heard people say more than 3 days in Vegas is a waste. Is that true? This is such a great deal flight wise I don't want to miss out, but I also don't want to waste 2 days in Vegas if I don't have to.

Opinions?

That totally depends. My in-laws live in Vegas, so I'm there multiple times a year. But I don't do 'Vegas'. We just hang out and go shopping or see a movie. The Strip wears on me after one day now; mother-in-law picked us up after dinner our first night on this last trip and we drove up the Strip instead of doing the sensible thing and taking Paradise or Maryland Pkwy. I wanted to poke my eyes out.

If you're into doing Vegasy stuff, three days is about the max. You could probably stretch it to four if you aren't gambling your rent away, and take a night off. Five or six days is asking a lot from a town that does not have a lot to offer in terms of variety. If you want to go for that long, try to schedule the trip around a concert or show that you can use to pad your stay. Go to American Shooters and shoot guns for an afternoon. Go to Olympic Gardens/Scores/Sapphire -- just cos.

Five or six days of 'Vegas' Vegas would be enough to make me do murder.

Vegas trip booked for March. Can't get here soon enough.

Will be staying (for free!) at The Cosmopolitan http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/?gclid=CP6igvqN3LQCFYqZ4AodrzMAEQ.

My friend and her husband loved it. Anyone else stay here? I know it's a relatively new place.

It's very nouveau riche in presentation, more than most properties on the Strip. The bartenders in the casino make good negronis.

They do have a collection of some outstanding restaurants. There are two José Andrés establishments - Jaleo (a modern tapas/paella bar with some exceptional food) and China Poblano (a fusion of Mexican and Chinese fare) - and Scarpetta, by Scott Conant, and Comme Ça, by David Meyers. (Those are just the restaurants I know of and can recommend) I would eat at Jaleo every day of my life if I could.

[BigMcK]

Vegas trip booked for March. Can't get here soon enough.

Will be staying (for free!) at The Cosmopolitan http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/?gclid=CP6igvqN3LQCFYqZ4AodrzMAEQ.

My friend and her husband loved it. Anyone else stay here? I know it's a relatively new place.

How many nights are you there for? Daytime in Vegas doesn't do "Vegas" justice. It's a huge concrete and asphalt city during the day. At night, totally different. Nighttime is "Vegas, Baby!".

[llipgh2]

China Poblano sounds amazing.

We will be there for 3 nights.

[ExPatriatePen]

I've been to North Korea.

Not much to report.

That's it? You say it like saying you went to Target yesterday... Please elaborate.

[columbia]

redwill lives a 3 day drive from the nearest target, so I would like to hear that story.

[ExPatriatePen]

redwill lives a 3 day drive from the nearest target, so I would like to hear that story.

Yeah, I remember Redwill posting a google maps image if his property once, I think I had to zoom out about 6 standard deviations before I saw anything resembling a four lane highway.

[Gaucho]

Gonna go there and meet Gacho for a basket of terrible fried food.

It's not much fun for a vegetarian, I can tell you that.