HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

unrelated question for you Americans

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 12/29/2012 6:27 PM (GMT -6)
Not cancer related other than it being related to me picking up the pieces and continuing to get on with my life.

Since we have so many people from so many different parts of the country i thought it would be a perfect place to ask.

When we left Europe this summer I told my wife that the next few family vacations would be in America because there is so much to see and we never took advantage of it being very NYCentric in the past 25 years of living in this country.

What do you think would be a great family vacation with teens?

So far I have my sights set on San Francisco with a drive down highway 1 but not all the way to LA because I never loved LA, Grand Canyon (although my wife has serious lizard phobia), South Beach with drive to Key West, Austin for food and music, a national park somewhere.
Posted 12/29/2012 6:54 PM (GMT -6)
David,
I used to ride my bike (Honda Goldwing) out west every summer. I loved the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Park. If I could I would be on a trip right now out west I would leave tonight!! I also visited San Francisco and drove down Highway 1. That was a rough ride on the bike because it was so beautiful but I had to keep my eyes on the road. I stopped often!!! I graduated in Austin Texas from The University of Texas (Hook'em Horns!!!).

Hope you and the family enjoy wherever you go!!!!!

David
Posted 12/29/2012 7:39 PM (GMT -6)
Colorda and Utah, amazing number of wonderful parks. Also Wyoming and Montana; Yellowstone, Tetons. and Glacier.....the best parks. Northern Michigan, Mackinaw, Wisconsin-Door County, and the Boundary waters of Minnesota and Canada....thrilling. David, you and your children are yung so you will have time to do many of these.

We lived overseas for 13 years and at one point my passport had about 120 countries stamped....we traveled a lot. When we returned to the states we made sure that we visited the states we had neglected and are down to just a couple that we haven't seen, most notably Alaska.
Posted 12/29/2012 8:31 PM (GMT -6)
boston is a great city, if you go for July 4th they have wonderful fireworks, and a few days later the Tall Ships come into the Harbor, can go whale sight seeing. just a few ideas, and no we are not from Boston.
Posted 12/29/2012 8:48 PM (GMT -6)
If you end up looking for something closer to the east coast either this year or some future year, I highly recommend the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina. The drive along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway is spectacular on clear days. There are hiking trails everywhere. Also in the western end of Virginia running just above the North Carolina border is the "crooked road" which runs through towns and villages with many small local old-time music venues and genuine American roots musicians.
Posted 12/29/2012 9:42 PM (GMT -6)
David -- i live in San Jose.  we drove to santa monica before Xmas and stayed in a hotel by the pier, venice beach, etc.  the week before xmas is really cool because traffic and tourism is about as light as you are going to see it.  we were a block off of wilshire blvd so hollywood, beverly hills, sunset strip were right down the road.  we had a great time and drove home on xmas eve.  there was no traffic on the way home and it was a spectacular day.  San Jose had gotten 3.5" of rain in two days while we were away! 

i'll post some pictures in another thread. 

i also spent almost a month in the puget sound this year taking care of my mother's affairs.  seattle and the pacific rain forest are also very cool places.  if your kids are twilighters they'll dig Forks. http://erader.zenfolio.com/p1055647058/h13b3302a#h13b3302a

ed

Posted 12/29/2012 9:44 PM (GMT -6)
I was just going to suggest Shenandoah area or the Smokey's if you like hiking. Beautiful scenery and hikes, especially in the fall. Charleston is a great city to visit with Myrtle beach or other beaches not too far. Love San Francisco and route one drive. The US has so many places to go. New Mexico has some wonderful sites, hikes, and places to go.
Posted 12/29/2012 11:32 PM (GMT -6)
Painted Desert, Carlsbad Caverns.

Santa Fe, NM

 

Posted 12/29/2012 11:41 PM (GMT -6)
And look at the list of Presidential Libraries and birthplaces. Maybe not the motive for a trip, but when one is nearby, have a look.

And for a sobering moment, Civil War battlefields.

Posted 12/30/2012 2:37 AM (GMT -6)
Can't say that I've ever seen anyone put Austin on a list like this idea

Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon are on my bucket list.

What are the kids into? You're never to old to hit the Disney parks.
Posted 12/30/2012 10:17 AM (GMT -6)
My father is a professional musician and I always heard how much fun Austin was if you wanted to have a lot of music involved in a vacation. Also heard it's a great college town.

We do Boston often, it's a short drive and our best friends are up there.

It'll come down to SF (my daughter is convinced she's going to Stanford like her grandfather and has a fetish for CA like she did for Paris, no idea why). I couldn't stand Paris but took her and although I really don't want her going away to college so far from me will end up taking her there too. Going to SF will enable us to explore the city (I've been), do Napa, Big Sur, Carmel, San Jose and perhaps all the way down to LA. I remember Venice Beach being really grimey in the late 80s, wonder if it still has that feel.

Or Some amazing national park like the ones you've listed. None of us are outdoors types but I imagine the natural beauty is overwhelming.

Or Miami down to Key West just to get away from the cold and eat some good Cuban food.

We've done Charleston, SC and actually loved it and ate really well. Still remember th ename of an amazing restaurant down there called Justene's. What dessert! I had berry cobbler and my wife had key lime pie. Only regret that time is that we didn't continue through to Savannah.

Another thing we can do quite easily from where we are is Montreal. Can't be more than a 7-8 hour drive. We like urban walking and I hear it's a charming city.
Posted 12/30/2012 10:25 AM (GMT -6)
If you want to drive Highway 1 south from SF, I'd say don't go further than say Big Sur - Monterey to Big Sur is very scenic. In CA I suggest Yosemite and with teens a trip to Disney Land and California adventure might be a nice bit of fun for them.

You also might want to take a day drive on Highway 1 north out of SF - easy to reach and great views. Also to the north is Mount Tamalpais which has some great day hikes.

In SF you've got take the Alcatraz tour but you need to book it several days in advance (it's always busy and teens seem to love the old prison tour). If you come to town during base ball season, an afternoon at AT&T park watching a game can be a nice bit of American fun.

Enjoy your trip,
Andrew
Posted 12/30/2012 12:16 PM (GMT -6)
Alternatively, you could try the northwest. Redwood National park is near the northern border of California. From there you could head north. The coast of Oregon is a good drive and Crater Lake is a must-see attraction. In Washington you could see the Olympic National park (an easy day's drive from Seattle) and the Hoh Rain Forest. There's lots to do in Seattle, including Pike Street Market, the Rock n Roll museum and the Science Fiction Museum. From Seattle you could catch a cruise ship to the Alaskan inner passage -- one of the most scenic cruises in the world. From the cruise ship you can book excursions with lots of high-adventure stuff for teenagers to do -- kayaking, hiking, the White Pass Railroad, helicopter to a glacier for a hike or a dog sled ride, etc., etc., etc., etc.
Posted 12/30/2012 12:47 PM (GMT -6)

If you are going to hit the Upper Pennisula of Michigan, don't forget Copper Harbor & Brockway Mountain Drive.  Stay at the Kewaunee Mountain Lodge.  Visit the Gay Bar in Gay, MI - it's painted violet inside.  And might as well take the drive around the north shore of Lake Superior, too and then visit Sudbury, On for some interesting geology, then down to Parry Sound and down to Toronto, too.

There is so much to see in North America, it will be difficult to decide an itinerary.  Good luck - Have Fun !!

Posted 12/30/2012 2:36 PM (GMT -6)
"you americans"? kind of confused me, aren't you an american? i know you have spent a lot of time in europe and elsewhere, but thought you were one of us americans.

in my part of the country, two best places to see are charleston, sc and savannah, ga. though charleston is much larger and has so much more to see and do. asheville, nc is worth a stop, as many don't realize, its considered the 3rd most art deco city in the US, after NYC and Miami.

david
Posted 12/30/2012 3:25 PM (GMT -6)
David:

If you ever get to Michigan, drop me a note. Maybe we can get together.

Just a few suggestions:

Our best vacations were Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Sequoia National Park. The drive from Grand Canyon to Sonoma was breathtaking. We also loved San Francisco (Fisherman's Wharf and assorted other neighborhoods). Palm Springs/Palm Desert area is also quite nice.

But also right up there was a vacation in San Antonio. We also planned to take the short drive to Austin from there, but there was so much to do and see in San Antonio that we ran out of time (we only had 5-6 days).

Another neat vacation for us: we drove from Michigan to Chicago and then on to Branson, Mo. I like long road trips. (Sorry, David).

Mel

Posted 12/30/2012 3:42 PM (GMT -6)
If you go to the Grand Canyon, you should spend some time in Sedona, AZ. It is a great small town(no night life) but scenery is beautiful and great place to hike. Asheville is another city as David mentioned. I spent hours touring the Biltmore estate. So may places to go.....
Posted 12/30/2012 5:11 PM (GMT -6)
davidg :

Oh, I forgot to mention - If you are an adrenaline junkie don't forget to visit downtown Detroit at about 1:00 am in the morning .......

But seriously, even Detroit has a lot to see. We have friends on the west side of Michigan who have literally traveled the world, but have never been to Detroit until we gave them the "Grand Tour" for 5 days a few years ago. I call it " The Good, Bad & Urgly Tour". They actually enjoyed themselves. We kept super busy and could have spent another 10 days in the area- we didn't nearly see all the sites. We took my old Dodge full-sized pick-up truck, just in case we had to "Run the Gauntlet". They wanted to know what that meant.  I told then they really didn't want to know ...... They survived.  I got them both a " I Survived Detroit" tee shirt. Two very brave people.
Posted 12/30/2012 10:45 PM (GMT -6)
Thank you JAV,

It is so nice to hear that someone thinks Detroit is a destination. I love the ole girl and all her historical beauty. Spending a day at nearby Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford museum is always a good time too.In fact, I think  Michigan general (especially northern) is one of the most beautiful places to visit.

Swim

Posted 12/31/2012 8:28 AM (GMT -6)
Wherever you go get a GPS and sign up for geocaching and try to find some hidden caches along the way. It's free.
The "kids" will really enjoy it, as will you, and you all will discover places you never knew existed. I'll bet even now there are at least 5 hidden within a 3 mile radius of where you are reading this reply right this very minute!
It also serves as a trip diary. Fun.
Enjoy,
Jeff
Posted 12/31/2012 8:43 AM (GMT -6)
Well if you like history Philadephia is the place to be,we have the Liberty Bell, Independence place, and the birth of the Philly cheese steaks;)
Posted 12/31/2012 12:39 PM (GMT -6)
sxsw.com/

Not sure what your timing is, but come rested and very hungry!

And even if you cant make this, there is always plenty of things to do and eat.

And now that the new 85mph hwy 130 is open, you can get to Seaworld and the many other family attractions in San Antonio in about an hour.

texasdebrazil.com/location/san-antonio

www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4EEVOIlxJI

Also, this is just north of San Antonio. Its a cowboy steakhouse where you have dinner and then walk next door to watch a real rodeo.


Rodeo Season
During Rodeo Season from March - November the grounds open at 5 pm, grab a picnic table under our covered pavillion and enjoy great BBQ and Steaks from our outdoor Tejas Rodeo smokehouse or step inside our new Tejas Steakhouse and Saloon for a sit down dinner before the rodeo. The rodeo starts promptly at 7:30 pm, kicked off by the colorful Cibolo Rough Riders flag team. After the rodeo, dance to live music.
"

www.tejasrodeo.com/

Post Edited (Startech) : 12/31/2012 12:02:04 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/31/2012 1:14 PM (GMT -6)
If National parks are your thing think about a Highway 89 Scenic Byway tour...One of the best drive in the US...

Within reach are...

Glacier NP
Grand Teton
Yellowstone
Bryce Canyon
Cedar Breaks
Color Country
Arches NP
Zion NP
Sedona
Grand Canyon NP
The Escalante
The Grand Staircase

us89society.org

Vegas just a jump away as well...Your camera will get a workout...

Tony
Posted 12/31/2012 1:54 PM (GMT -6)
I was going to vote for a drive up/down highway 89 but see TC beat me to it. The only problem with that drive is so much of it it stunningly gorgeous that you can fail to appreciate each spot for its own beauty. For example, I visited Yosemite for the first time shortly after spending a few days at the Grand Canyon. I was not as impressed on that trip as I was on subsequent trips to the valley.

You can also miss a lot in the rush to see a lot. From where I live I can be well into Yellowstone Park by three different gates inside of three hours. I was in the park a half dozen times this year and have spent as long as two weeks at a time there. I didn't discover many of my favorite spots until I actively started searching for bits I haven't seen yet in just the last few years. Some are way, way off the beaten trail; others are just tucked around the corner from the mobs.

So, really, you have two questions. The first you've asked, "What should I see?" The second may be more important, "How shall I see it?" Most along Hwy 89 require a good pair of shoes to be done well.

I've developed my own half day to full week recommendations for YNP. I'm sure others have done the same for their neighborhood spots.
Posted 12/31/2012 3:03 PM (GMT -6)
Swim:
YAAAA, another Detroit Booster !!

Of course our friends wanted to see Greenfield Village & HF Museum. Surprisingly, they didn't have a desire to see the Detroit Zoo, which surprised me. We did visit the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills and the Solanus Casey Center on Mt. Elliott.

I gotta tell you we took our friends to the old Dakota Rathskeller for a genuine German dinner the Thursday night we were in town. There was only about 5 other people when we arrived, but then they got real busy at about 7:30 pm. It was sing-along night !! They have that only once a month - we lucked out !! It was a great time & great food, too. The Rathskeller is an old Detroit tradition. It's on John R just north of McNichols. Of course, we also had lunch one day in Hamtramck at the Polonia Restaurant and then stopped in the bakery just around the corner on Joseph Campau.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12