Where do you think you're going?
Lora and I are taking a special anniversary trip this year. We're thinking about Italy or the Carribean. But after researching online and looking at more travel books than I care to admit, we're utterly confused. Don't know where to go :) Thought I'd tap into the wisdom of the blogosphere.
Any suggestions? Places to stay? Islands to visit? Things to do?
Feel free to post some travel links.
By the way, a little known Batterson factoid. Lora and I used to be independent travel agents. I kid you not. We paid a travel agent fee and enjoyed a ton of discounts. I even had a business card and motto. Our travel agency motto was: where do you think you're going? Based on the fact that I'm asking for travel advice, you guess how successful we were as travel agents :)
Any suggestions? Places to stay? Islands to visit? Things to do?
Feel free to post some travel links.
By the way, a little known Batterson factoid. Lora and I used to be independent travel agents. I kid you not. We paid a travel agent fee and enjoyed a ton of discounts. I even had a business card and motto. Our travel agency motto was: where do you think you're going? Based on the fact that I'm asking for travel advice, you guess how successful we were as travel agents :)
30 Comments:
'm told that St. John (US Virgin Islands) is amazing. I have friends who enjoy it so much that they are looking to purchase land there to have a second home.
Mel and I went to Aruba in 2001. It was AMAZING. Best place I have ever been. Never rains. Always about 85 degrees. Beautiful blue water. Very romantic.
I went to Italy last September. I hate to say this to a pastor, but Chianti was the best, because of the castles and gorgeous scenery if nothing else. Overall, though, I prefer France to Italy, although it may have been because I was traveling alone. Personally, I have always wanted to go on a safari in Kenya or traipsing through the Amazon in South America...then there's St. Petersburg....I really don't like to travel at all, you can see...I would recommend thinking about what you're looking for. Private time, R and R, culture, adventure, etc. and make your choices accordingly. But the South of France combines both culture and R and R if you go during the right season.
I vote Ireland or Wales. Both feature incredible scenery, great food (believe it or not), lovely people with folksy charm and generous hospitality, and thousands of years of rich history and culture. Being a preacher and a writer, you'd appreciate the Celtic gift of gab for sure. :)
go to tahiti.(moorea) stop in LA for a couple days. and then head west to this incredible place. stay in one of the over the water huts. its worth it. and while in LA lets do lunch :) mike.
SANTORINI-
that's all i have to say about that.
in the four years i lived in europe, it was definitely the most beautiful place i visited.
*hasler
If you're looking for the tropics, Hawaii is great!
I'm on Maui right now, and if your visit coincides with when I'm here, I can even take you scuba diving! :D
One benefit to Hawaii -- no international travel shenanigans. :)
-kb
a friend sent me to your post, as he thought i might be able to offer some ideas...
my husband and i are pretty well traveled in europe and i do have a few suggestions. (in the last year we've been to wales, ireland and france - twice) since i don't know what kind of travel you're looking for or even really thinking about, i won't list ideas here. but - feel free to contact me if you'd like any help.
good luck!
Barbados. Hilton. My wife and I love this island. The people are extremely friendly. There is a law on their books that the country has to be nice to tourists. Tiger Woods got married there. If it's good enough for him..... The water is as clear as a swimming pool. The food is awesome. But don't take my word for it.
Cawker City, Kansas.
The Best Western.
Where else can you spend the day looking over the World's Largest Ball of Twine!
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/KSCAWtwine.html
My wife and I spent our honeymoon in St. Lucia at the Ti Kaye resort (www.tikaye.com). It was an unbelievable place. The Ladera Resort on St. Lucia is also nice - we had lunch there one day - but didn't top Ti Kaye for a romantic getaway.
There are only two reasons to go anywhere else: (1) You have to fly through San Juan. Each time I've flown through San Juan they have topped my previous "worst airport experience ever." (2) If you're in to the touristy thing. St. Lucia is one of the few Carribbean islands that is relatively untainted by the tourism industry.
If you have never been to Hawaii there is some good airfare right now.
My wife and I just took our honeymoon a few months ago to Malta (small island off the coast of Sicily where Paul was ship wrecked) and we stayed at the Fortina Spa and resort. It is an all-inclusive resort with fantastic restaurants and a great location (minutes from shopping, right on the coast). It was fantastic. It you want more info let me know.
Lake Tahoe ... in the summer. It's gorgeous .. aaand now I'm homesick.
two words:
VEGAS BABY
-Zak White
zakwhite.typepad.com
www.theconnectionchurch.org
I live on the Caribbean Cost of Costa Rica, It rocks. (I'm a missionary in Puerto Viejo) It is not super Touristy in that there are no huge hotels, very tropical, a lot of great adventures to go on, experiences to make, and animals to see. Once you get here, I can point you to all the right spots. Check out my blog for some pics of the area and email me for more info.
Phil
pgogilvie@gmail.com
www.thepse.blogspot.com
stick around the western hemisphere and get outdoors a bit and reconnect with the wild! I vote for any of the awesome national parks in US or Canada, but especially in any of the southern utah ones, or go where I'm going this year... Banff :)
I live in Asheville, NC. I cannot think of a more romantic destination.
Relaxation
http://www.shojiretreats.com/
Really Romantic places to stay
http://www.biltmore.com/plan/stay/stay.shtml
http://www.richmondhillinn.com/
An awesome downtown experience with lots of culture and magnificient food
http://www.romanticasheville.com/downtown.htm
http://www.tupelohoneycafe.com/
(try the grit cakes)
If you're thinking Italy...other than the usual suspects, Verona is awesome. I really enjoyed it. From there you can take a 2 hr train ride (European train rides are wonderful) to the romantic spot, Venice.
My wife and I just celebrated our 10th on a Carnival cruise to the Caribbean (Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Martin) a couple of weeks ago.
Everything was pretty cool (our first cruise), but the best was just being by ourselves (no kids) for our anniversary. So... it probably doesn't matter much where you go. My two cents
Thanks for your blog - I read it regularly.
try www.bmit.com
A guy recommended it to me, and the trips look great! Especially the ones to Ireland. He said he had been several times, and said it was a great vacation spot.
When I think of the ultimate vacation spot, in my mind there is only one: Maui. There is plenty of stuff to do on the island, but not so much that you feel like you have to be doing stuff everyday. It's the only place I've ever been on vacation that I never get tired of. Special bonus if you go between November and May, you can sit on your lanai looking out over the ocean and watch the humpback whales! I will second the vote for Asheville, NC too. I grew up near there and would love to be back in the mountains, but if I'm getting on a plane for vacation I want to be going to Maui.
I'm with Hasler. The Greek Islands are incredible and very seldom thought of. YOu want relaxing. No one knows more about chilling out and eating good food than the Greeks. The sun, the water, the people, the food...Gotta go to Greece.
My wife and I went to Israel for our 5th anniv. years ago. It was well worth it. If you haven't been then you should go. It's awesome and you will get sun and sand. ;)
check out this Jamaican resort
http://www.rockhousehotel.com/
Hawaii is very nice. Avoid Europe after the first few weeks in June through the end of August. Heavy tourist time!
Italy is beautiful! The people, the land, the food, is all great. My favorite places were Florence and small coastal areas such as Cinque Terre. Venice is cool, but seems more touristry. Have a good trip wherever you go!
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Mark,
Check out a Sourthern Caribbean Cruise on a small ship called the Windstar. It is awesome. The ship only has about 300 people on it and every evening it sails (& I mean sails) out of port. They put on this romantic music, everyone is on the deck and off you sail into the sunset. AMAZING! Lora would love it & the food is awesome.
http://www.windstarcruises.com/
Sydney Australia is awesome, Cabo San Lucas is amazing, St. Petersburg Russia is fantastic, Paris is all it's hyped up to be, Costa Rica is a dream, Shanghai is cool (Don't pick it over the others, but it's really cool!)so any of these would be a can't miss place to go.
BVI - British Virgin Islands. You haven't lived until you've been to the Baths! BEST. VACATION. EVER!!!
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