Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with trip

Should I feel hurt that my boyfriend may be going on a trip without me?

femmefatale123 — Sun, 12 May 2013 21:47:39 -0800

I want to ask him if he's going but don't want to seem pushy about it. We have been dating for almost a year and a half, with a 3-month break last year. We are both adults, and he's about 20 years my senior.

Last year, after we had been dating for six months, he told me in June that he was going to Colorado to a jazz festival in August on a Thurday through Monday. His younger brother has a second home there. He said his brother is kind of aloof, and something to the idea that if he had invited him, the invitation was just for him. I'll admit that it stung, but I also kind of thought, "Well, we've only been dating for six months." In July, before he went, we split--for other reasons. We ended up getting back together in November.

He's very good to me in many ways. He takes me to nice places and always pays. We spend every weekend together, from Friday evening until Sunday, usually mid-afternoon, when he goes in to his law office to do some work and get ready for Monday. I have met his parents, with whom I seem to share a good bond, his sister, and his three adult children, who seem to like me as well. I have had dinner with all of them many times. And recently, I met the "aloof" brother, who was nice to me also, and had dinner with the whole family.

However, my boyfriend highly compartmentalizes his life. He says that's the way he gets through life. I have a feeling he is planning to go to the jazz festival again this year but hasn't said anything to me.

I don't want to be attached at the hip and do not feel like we must do everything together, but we both love to travel and both love jazz. I guess I'll be more hurt this time around, versus last year, because I feel like this time around, we are in a pretty committed relationship, and if I'm important to him, he would want me to go with him on the trip to share that experience with him, and he would be willing to express that desire to his brother. I guess it makes me question his level of commitment to the relationship and where it may or may not be going.

(By the way, my understanding is that it's not just a "guy" trip. His brother is married, and I think his wife may go. I know that my boyfriend's daughter has been before.)

Help me make a birthday weekend in NYC amazing!!

pearlybob — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:23:41 -0800

I'm taking my daughter to NYC for her 13th bday gift around the end of June. She is going to be so excited!! I'm trying to plan some great things for a Mom and a 13 yr old to do but I'm getting overwhelmed.... We will do a broadway show for sure...but any other suggestions? Help me decide what is really cool and worth doing and what would be just "meh". She loves the arts and creating and cooking and falls on the nerdy, quirky, funny side of life. She's perfect!! We will be there 3 nights and 4 days. Staying in SoHo but can Uber Car pretty much anywhere. I also have a very dear friend who lives there and will be with us to help navigate. He loves my daughter and will be up for anything but has no clue what 13 yr old girls of her ilk are into so he hasn't been much help....Thanks all!

What's missing on our trip to San Francisco?

abbagoochie — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 15:44:13 -0800

I'm going to SF with my partner for our first wedding anniversary - yay! We've been before and have seen some of the sights (list after the break), but are looking for things we might have missed, awesome places we haven't eaten at, great things we haven't seen, etc, so we can make the most of it. Only limiting factor: neither of us drive. So, stuff we have both seen/done etc:

-Pier 39
-Coit Tower
-Musee Mechanique and Fisherman's Wharf
-Oakland Museum of California
-Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company
-The Clarion Alley Mural Project
-Dolores Park/Bi-Rite Creamery/Humphrey Slocombe Ice Cream
-Walked around the Mission, ate burritos at Taquiera Cancun/Walked down the Valencia corridor
-The Exploratorium
-City Lights Bookstore
-Walked around the Castro
-Walked around the Haight
-Seen the Defenestration building
-Been in the SFMoMa
-Walked around Golden Gate Park

Stuff I'm thinking of for us:

-Visiting the Computer History Museum
-Going on an Alcatraz tour
-Maybe going in the Kabuki Hot Springs (will we be allowed in with tattoos?)
-Maybe taking a day trip out to Yosemite (is it worth it for three hours?)

Anything else I'm missing? I feel like there's more but I just don't know about it.

Extra info: We are both early thirties, able bodied and relatively fit, no kids. We have four days.

Thanks in advance for any tips!

Destination request, western/northwestern US; 20th anniversary edition

mosk — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:33:44 -0800

We're celebrating our 20th anniversary this summer (yay!) and we're trying to find a place to stay for a week in the western/northwestern US to celebrate this milestone. The catch is that this destination needs to be some place new to us. A few other particular requirements below the fold. The kids will be with the grandparents, so this trip is just for us. Looking for a little peace and quiet, some quality time with each other, and also some opportunities to fish, hike, and lay around.

We're from Northern California, so we've seen a lot of NorCal, and I think we've visited many/most of the obvious choices. We'd like to try another western state. A preliminary search has given us some promising leads in eastern Oregon and southern Idaho. It looks like there are some cool places in Montana, too, but I think that may be too far to travel. Similarly intrigued by the Ruby Mountains in Nevada, but I don't think we can make it there and back and still have enough time left over to make it worthwhile.

We'll have about 8 days total, including travel time. We're willing to invest a solid day of travel on each end, but no more than that.

Here are our requirements:

1. In the Western US, within a single day's travel from the SF Bay Area. Prefer to drive, but flying is OK if all other requirements are met. If driving, this could be up to 12 hours of travel time.
2. As stated, this must be some place we haven't visited before. Tahoe and environs are out, NorCal wine country is out, central CA coast is out, Ashland and Oregon's Lake of the Woods are out. Yosemite is out. Some parts of Sequoia and Kings Canton Nat'l. Parks are out. We've visited other places, too, but those are the ones that come to mind.
3. Must be near great natural beauty and good hiking possibilities.
4. Must be near good fishing -- I strongly prefer to fish for bass, but trout would be acceptable. I have a small aluminum fishing boat that I'll bring if I can (hence the preference for driving).
5. Accommodations must be nice to very nice, where nice = clean and comfortable, and very nice = a little luxurious. This is our 20th anniversary, so no cheap motels, though a rustic cabin at a resort or lake is OK as long as it's reasonably clean. A hotel or resort with some spa facilities (or something nearby), a nice pool or lake, etc. is what we're looking for.
6. No camping this trip.
7. At least one very good restaurant within a 30-ish minute drive.
8. Off the beaten path would be an added bonus.
9. This will be in early August, so heat is a consideration.

Thanks for what ever suggestions you can pass along!

A trip to Hamburg and Berlin

dubold — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:40:41 -0800

Our family is heading to Hamburg and Berlin. What should we see? I'm interested in things that aren't necessarily top of the list in guidebooks; I can look up tourism websites to find out where the major landmarks are, etc. I'm thinking more of street markets, interesting architecture, neighborhoods to walk around in, or things that might interest a 4 year old.

Looking to travel the world.

alona — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 16:24:26 -0800

I want to travel. Besides that fact, nothing is decided - around October, for 2-4 months, probably on my own, on a relatively flexible budget, anywhere in the world. Tell me your travel stories! By October, I will be finished 4 years of army service in Israel. I am a 22-year-old woman, raised in Canada so English is a mother tongue. I've saved up quite a bit of money, and while I'm going to need it, I'm willing to put up a decent amount for this trip. I will be after 4 years of intense military service and before starting my post-secondary education. I will probably travel alone, although I'd be glad to meet people abroad to travel with for short periods of time. Young Israelis out of the army usually spend a few months in South America, India or Thailand (in other words, anywhere as different from the military as possible), but I don't mind being unconventional.
Ideas that have caught my interest: backpacking across the states (I've seen a lot of the states, but there's a lot I want to still do), possibly including WWOOFing; India (for the food - I love vegetarian Indian cooking).
Safety and winter are two important considerations.
Tell me your travel stories! They can be anywhere, not limited to any one country, at any point.

NYC for a Not-Cool-Anymore Dad and His Daughter

chococat — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 21:52:55 -0800

Really excited to bring my daughter to NYC for her first time next weekend. I haven't been for a few years and never with one of my kids (she's 15) so this trip poses some new challenges. I want her to have a blast, as I have every time I've been there, so I thought I'd see if anyone had any suggestions. Oh, and we get along great and she's awesome and I love her! I'd be happy just walking around; going to book stores and record stores and catching a few bands, but this is her trip and I want her to love it. I'm not sure how much I should plan ahead. Also we are on a bit of a budget.
We're going to walk all over the place, and for sure do the MOMA and Guggenheim, but aside from that we're open. We'll probably do a touristy Empire State Building kind of thing at some point.
I'm not really a theatre person, but I thought it might be cool for her to see something...I'd heard Book of Mormon was good so I looked into that and of course it's the most popular thing ever with huge waiting lists so I guess that's out. I know they do a daily lottery so maybe we'll try that. Is that TCKTS booth in Times Square still a thing that people do?
She'd love to see a TV show taping, I'm sure, but SNL and everything else I've looked into have a minimum age of 16.
Aside from concerts, is there any smallish place where a 15 year old can see bands? In Toronto it's pretty much if a place has food, you can get in if you're under 19 and sometimes bars have all-ages things in the day.
I don't even know where to go anymore for cool stuff, clothes-wise. I'm so old. I was just going to walk around St. Marks Place, that kind of thing. Is that even a thing anymore? She's very particular and hates shopping for clothes (as do I) but I know she'd be happy to come home with a unique find.
Any tips on cool, smallish, local, not extremely expensive or touristy places to eat would be awesome. We can splurge a bit on dinner a few times, if there's somewhere awesome. We're staying at the Gild Hall, downtown, Wall St.-ish.
That's all I can think of. Thanks!

Help me plan my stay in Reading, UK!

msmanners — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 19:59:13 -0800

Mr. msmanners is being sent to the UK for 2-3 months and he's bringing me and the kids. We're staying in Reading and he's commuting to Newbury. Help us figure this out. We leave in 1 week, my head is spinning! With 2 kids under 4, it's been recommended we stay in Reading instead of Newbury as there is more to see and do and it's closer to London. But Newbury is an option - is it worth considering?
Where would be the best areas to stay in Reading? Somewhere central that's walkable with activities for the kids nearby and highway access for his commute. Safe and quiet at night would be nice as well.
My husband's expenses will be covered by his work, but not for myself or the kids. We'll be in an extended stay apartment with a kitchen, so how much should I budget for weekly groceries plus the occasional dinner out?
I was thinking of heading into London by train frequently but fell out of my chair when I saw the cost! And the kids were free! Are there more economical passes I can buy or is renting a car a better option?
At home we like to get around on our bicycles, is Reading a cycling friendly town? Are there any bike rentals or do I have to purchase a bike or ship mine from home?
I've heard that admission is free to museums, galleries and such. If that's not the case (or there are hidden costs) what can I expect to pay to take my kids for frequent adventures?
Bonus for weekend daytrip recommendations outside of London.

Any information is greatly appreciated.

How to eat well on a long-distance drive.

furnace.heart — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 08:33:56 -0800

How can I successfully avoid the full-on self-destruction of my stomach on a cross country drive? At the end of February, I'll be driving from Portland, Maine back to home in Portland, Oregon. I'll be taking the I80 route (barring any insane weather conditions that make another route easier). A year and a half ago when I made the reverse trip, the worst part by far was the fact that for the last 2-3 days of the trip, I had horrible stomach problems because of the food I was eating. Most of the food we eat at home is made from scratch and we don't really eat a lot of highly processed foods. I'm usually a fan of the greasy spoon and the "salt & brown," but not for 5 or 6 days straight and 3 meals a day.

My question has two parts really:
First, just general advice on how to eat well given all I'll have access to is a small lunchbox cooler? What foods should I be looking to purchase that will last the trip, or even parts of the trip beyond trail mix and drinking lots of water? What should my strategy be here?

Second, on that I80 route, I'm looking for places to eat or purchase food that won't destroy me while on the move. I need a short list of places that are no more than 20 minutes off the highway that aren't going to destroy my gut, or will at least destroy it less. I'd like to get a running list, so I can just sort of plot them out and stop at any of them depending on what time of day I'm there.

Looking for a website to plan a sports trip

kag — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 10:55:24 -0800

I'm looking for a website where I could select a date & US city and it would tell me if professional sports teams are playing locally on that date. My friends and I are planning a sports trip in March. We would like to see hockey and basketball (as baseball and football will be off-season).

We are trying to find out which cities will have a basketball AND a hockey game during our vacations.

Should I leave for the trip or wait for my escape?

Anonymous — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 16:16:21 -0800

I am trying to free myself from an unhappy family dynamic by moving out. But, without telling my family, I bought tickets for a trip to one of my favorite cities but am now having second thoughts about the trip. Should I still go, or wait a few months to make my grand departure with no hurtful follow-up acts from my crazy family? Hello Mefites, I am in need of your helpful advice. I am a female in my mid twenties and had to move back home after college after being unable to find a job in the economy. I've saved money, and am now in the process of moving out, hopefully within the next few months, before summer. I have not discussed any of these plans with my family, as they are generally unsupportive of my goals and tend to shoot down most things I say. For some background, here is the family I am trying to leave:

-My dad was an alcoholic and was abusive to my mom and me. He would punch me for wearing a sleeveless shirt when I was only 6, and later when I was a teenager, because I shaved.
-He lied about my PSAT score, which was over 1100 (out of 1600) and more than what my older brother made, which was more than 200 pts lower than mine. My dad is from a culture that is well-known to disrespect women, and I don't think he could take it that I scored much higher than my brother. I found out weeks before college that I scored that high and felt that I would have done so much better in high school had I known what I was capable of, as my dad would frequently call me "stupid". My dad wouldn't let me take honors classes in high school because my brother wasn't able to get into those classes, even though I was able to take them. My teachers would even tell me at parent-teacher conferences that they were wondering why I wasn't in honors. My dad never responded to them.
-My dad is no longer physically abusive, but he doesn't support my dreams and I hate being around him and just want to leave.
-My mom comes from a culture where women are expected to defer to men. She never protected me from my dad and will stand up for my brother even when she knows I am right. She frequently ignores me and does not even acknowledge my presence when our paths cross at home, whereas to my brother, she's laughing and all smiles and says encouraging things to him.
-My older brother is pretty much a jerk to me, and always has been. He posted bad things about me on his twitter and blog because I don't call him by the term for older brothers that people from our culture use, as well as for other things I do that "annoy" him. He slammed his door on my ankle one time and it bled and I have a scar there, but he never apologized. He shuns me and doesn't acknowledge me, unless if our cousins or other people are around. He says that I have no social skills (I'm guessing because I'm not on facebook or any social media and I have few friends) and that I'm "entitled" because I speak up to my family when I feel they do unfair things, like buying my brother a car, and not buying me one, even though I work full-time and my brother hasn't had a job in 6 years, since he was in college the first time.

So, that's the dynamic I'm trying to get away from. I just can't take it anymore. I haven't discussed any of my plans with them obviously, because I know my brother would try to steamroll me in some way and my parents would respond by giving something to my brother in response to me getting my freedom. I want to let them know with just days before my departure, so that there's no way for them to stop me.

So here is where my conundrum is: I recently acquired a ticket to one of my stand-up heroes in one of my favorite cities. He always sells out within minutes, and I thought to go ahead and get one, since it would be a dream come true. So I bought plane tickets, but now I'm wondering if I should leave for a trip, or should instead be focusing on getting out for good. I still have packing and organizing to do, as well as a job hunt for the city I want to move to, which I haven't decided yet. I don't want my family to pick up that I may be leaving, so that they don't try to stop me. So I'm not sure if I should go on the trip or not. There will be more opportunities to see the stand-up comic, and I can cancel the trip and get a full refund. I just don't know if I should go or not, because I would obviously enjoy it, but I feel like I should be spending all of my energy to get out for good. My therapist is out of town and so I thought to ask the sages of AskMe. If you all may have any advice, it would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance and take care.

Midwest weekend

quiet coyote — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 17:03:11 -0800

I want to spend this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday driving around to see/do fun, cheap things in a ~3 hour radius from Champaign, Illinois (closer is preferred). Can you help a sister out? I love music, thrifting, antiquing, outdoorsy/active stuff, good food and drink, and art. I already go to Kickapoo and the main flea markets around here (Arthur and Gordyville, namely) pretty frequently. I've looked at roadsideattractions.com and may try some of those. Weird ideas are welcome.

I would prefer coming back to Champaign for Friday and Saturday nights over getting a hotel somewhere. Closer to Champaign is preferred to save gas money.

Help plan a 3 week Italy Trip

snztt99 — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 19:54:40 -0800

I need help planning a trip to Italy this summer/2013 with my daughter for her 14th birthday (golden). Would like to see parts of the south and North. I am a bit nervous about traveling alone. Looking for tips on two week itinery, lodging, family oriented plans. I would like to start in the south as my mother's family is from Montefaconi, Rome, and then north. I have considered a week long tour in the south and then traveling Rome and northern on our own. Would consider a homebase in the north for 4-5days but where to stay??

An impromptu English road trip

superfish — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 10:43:20 -0800

Driving north from Bath - what should we see? We have a week to get from Bath to the Scottish border. So far, the only definite thing on our agenda is the Lake district. Please tell me everything you love about central/west England and Wales - particularly interesting hotels, museums/galleries, restaurants/cafes, day walks, shopping stops... Thank you!

What should I do to prepare for a road trip?

Peemster — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 15:28:38 -0800

What should I do to prepare for driving from SF to NY this January? The last time I took a road trip was in college 8 years ago. I am now preparing to drive with a friend from SF to NY, as I get ready to start a new job.

I drive a 2005 Honda Civic with 85K miles. No problems to speak of. Should I spring for a tune-up before hitting the road? Our route will be mainly through the south (SF->Vegas->Grand Canyon->Oklahoma (i.e. BBQ)->St. Louis-Columbus->New York), but are snow chains something I should worry about? I've been told as long as we are on interstates we should be fine.

I have AAA, and I'll have cell phone and friend with me. Anything else I should think to bring with me? Any general advice for doing a cross country drive? Particularly resources for what roads are looking like each day? Would like to know before I drive into a blizzard/black ice.

Thanks!

Help me be a good sober sitter!

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 08:19:27 -0800

My SO is planning on taking LSD during the extended break between Christmas and New Year's. I will be his sober sitter. How do I do that? Neither of us have any experience with psychedelics, but this is something he's wanted to experiment with for a long time. Our basic itinerary now is to drive around and look at big Christmas light displays, walk around a little bit outside (weather permitting), and then come back home, and let him do whatever he wants to do.

So - as his sitter - what should I be doing to make him feel best? Just listening/nodding? Suggesting music or art to experience? What will he look like when high? Do I have to be around him the whole time, or is it better to leave him by himself (in a safe area)?

He wants me to drive him to a big public place; I am loathe to do that, in case things get out of hand. I'm also a little concerned for our pets, and will be monitoring the interactions between he and them very, very closely. Are these rational concerns, or am I being paranoid?

Most importantly, from reading trip reports, it sounds like things have the potential to get scary. What should I do, then? Will he be able to communicate with me what is going on?

I've read plenty of trip reports, but not much from a sober POV, so any information will be helpful.

Tips for a Winter Trip to LA

foxy_hedgehog — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 09:01:50 -0800

We're spending the 20th-27th in LA, where I haven't been for almost a decade. Please give us your recommendations for wondrous and strange and delicious things to do, see, and eat! Specs: we are former New Yorkers who would like to do some big city stuff (seeing museums, going to galleries, eating out) with an LA twist, like having fantastic ethnic food in a strip mall and seeing art in some guy's garage in Venice. But we'd also love to go hiking in Topanga or Malibu, so would also appreciate trail recommendations, for example. Plus any good shows and venues, like stand up and music and performance and movies. A lot of the special things I used to know about are gone (the Amok Bookstore, the old Barbarella Bar, Machine Project) and we're eager to learn about new things and places. I've seen the other questions on What to Do In LA but thought there might be some particular new twists to be uncovered.

We are staying in Silverlake so would especially appreciate stuff to do and eat in the 'hood, though since it's LA we are naturally open to driving anywhere!

Two Canucks Lost in New York!

Danithegirl — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 08:11:27 -0800

Help me plan a relatively carefree (yet amazing!) trip to NYC! From Ottawa (potentially by car) in January or in a later month. Looking for a place to stay that won't drain bank accounts and sights to see with someone who has never been. Bonus points if anyone can suggest a fun route there and back. Time limit: I'm only going for a weekend.

Cheap caribbean vacation

Anonymous — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 18:14:46 -0800

Cheapest Caribbean vacation: where to go, how to begin? Buying a Caribbean Vacation for my mom as a holiday gift. We'd like to do basically nothing but sit on a beach on an island for 3-4 days. But I am not too wealthy! It doesn't have to be happening or in an outoftheway spot, as long as it is not dingy. Are there any hidden gems I am missing? Are there websites I should be visiting daily? I was suggested TravelZoo but it seems sort of hit and miss, and my travel dates would be in March which seem blacked out a lot. What can I reasonably expect to have to pay? Is there any chance of finding a flight+single hotel room (all inclusive or not) for $1000-1200 from the East Coast? Puerto Rico seems like the cheapest (and pretty easy to get to), but is it worth going to a resort there? Thanks very much.

Send us on a fun mini-trip based out of Phoenix

rachaelfaith — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 16:22:11 -0800

Where should we go after a week in the Phoenix area? Us: A mid-twenties lady and her boyfriend visiting her dad in Phoenix (technically outside of the city center, more towards Chandler) for 5-6 days in mid-January, staying in his home and catching up and hanging out.

What we're seeking: A mini vacation after the time spent in his house. Could be within driving distance, maybe even a short flight away. I've done Sedona, Taliesin West, Jerome, he's done the Grand Canyon recently.

What we like: Neither of us are particularly outdoorsy, but we're not opposed to outdoor things. More like a hot springs day trip, less like a serious hiking stint. We like great food and are kind of on the lazy/indulgent side when vacationing, to be honest, so wherever we go we'd probably like a decent hotel with a cushy bed. We both need quiet recharging time after being out for a while. We're both on the nerdy side, but are plenty social. We like beer, books, video games, music, and relaxing together.

Recent successful trip synopses: Atlantic City, stayed in a nice hotel, slept in, ate at great restaurants, gambled a bit, walked the boardwalk, got dressed up, stayed up late. Philadelphia, stayed in a nice hotel, visited a lot of local foodie destinations (Reading Terminal Market! YES!), walked around a bit.

Places that came to mind are Mexico, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Denver? Tucson? More local to Phoenix is fine by me, I just don't really know what's out there that would be fun for us. Budget is a concern, but with the money we'll save by staying with my dad for a few days, we can probably swing a decent trip.

I'm guessing our mini-trip will be January 17th-20th, 2013, or thereabouts.

Where would you go? Where shall we go?

DC is fun!

FirstMateKate — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 13:12:46 -0800

I'll be in DC next/this weekend. Where should we eat, what should we see? Shorter events are appreciated! My partner and I will be in DC from the 30th to the 2nd. 3 days, two nights. Saturday morning until about 2pm is spoken for. Other than that we're pretty open! We'll be staying at the Washington Court Hotel downtown.
Us: Early 20s nerdy/art types who could have fun doing anything with ample amounts of experience using public trans.

We need recommendations for food. Dinner places that are "nice"/not chains but not expensive? Diners/cafes/delis for lunch?

If we don't at least visit one museum, my partner will kill me. I don't want to spend a lot of time in one, either, since the trip is short. Which museum is best for a spending a few hours in? Is there one exhibit that's particularly awesome, and we can just visit that? Is there a museum that's more interactive and less "lets look at things"? I'm thinking of the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago as an example.

What other things are there to do? It doesn't have to be directly downtown, we have lots of experience with public trans, but we also don't want to spend too much time on a bus or the metro since it's a short trip.

Also, bedtime is usually around 1am.
Thanks!!!

Can I take the midnight train going anywhere?

jsturgill — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:30:00 -0800

Last minute trip: do airlines offer last-minute "leaves today" flights at rock-bottom rates to fill empty seats? I have an idea of blocking off some time from work for vacation and then purchasing tickets to somewhere the night before I leave, based on whatever random flight wound up not being full enough.

Terrible idea? Any other ideas on how to incorporate randomness into a planned vacation period?

Our babies need some beach!

pearlybob — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 13:56:51 -0800

Help me plan a family trip to the US Virgin Islands... We would like to plan a trip for the week after Christmas to the US Virgin Islands. We want to take our kids on a vacation, my husband and I have traveled several times this past year and they never got to go so we'd like to take them someplace nice. And the fact they they won't need passports has narrowed it down to the USVI. But, which island is the best one to visit with children? (Ages 12 and 5) We want a nice place to stay with activities and a pretty beach. Any suggestions on a resort or hotel? I'm researching but know nothing about the area so any tips or guidance would be appreciated. TIA

Road trip from California to Chicago in late December. Are we crazy?

quince — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 11:20:11 -0800

Is planning a late-December road trip from California to Chicago madness? Mr. Quince, our sweet pup, Lincoln, and I would like to take a road trip from Northern California to Chicago and back. We've done it several times taking I-80, but always during non-winter seasons. (more inside) We're planning to drive in a compact car, so we'd like to avoid major snow driving. Time frame for leaving California is Dec 20 and returning from Chicago around New Years. Has anyone done this or a similar route in winter? How bad does I-80 get? Would it be better to take the southern route through Arizona, New Mexico, N. Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri? I know that there are mountain passes and snow in those states also, but is it milder? I lived in Chicago for many years, so some snow driving is not a giant problem. I'd like to avoid chains, though.

Make our broke road trip awesome!

shesaysgo — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 14:51:18 -0800

How to make the cheapest road trip fun and comfy? Sleeping in the car snowflakes inside! The Lady and I want to go on a weekend road trip, but our bank account is no longer close to triple digets. We're cheap and fun and easy to please but running into a couple roadblocks.
We're planning on packing the back of my Ford Explorer with all of our pillows and blankets and ground cloths to make a bed area and covering the windows with black poster board and night. We're figuring we can park the car in Walmart parking lots or on a quiet side street overnight.
We're probably just going to drive down to rural north Carolina and maybe down to Savannah or Cherokee. Walk around, take some pictures, see cool things. Suggestions welcome!
We're leaving from eastern Virginia over a weekend sometime in the next couple of months.
Is there anything we're missing? Are we going to get hassled or attacked for sleeping in the car? Is it feasible to just sleep in the back of an SUV for a few nights? Is there anything we can do to make it more fun and comfortable on a budget? Have you experience in car camping?