Travel - Where have you been, would you recommend, what to do there...?

[youthathletics]

for gearheads & wannabes -- next time in Europe, rent a performance car & drive the Nurburgring. It used to be the F1 circuit for the German GP.
https://www.nuerburgring.de/en/

The F1 race in Montreal would be a good one to attend if you can't make it to the British GP.

If I lived in FL, I'd "summer" in Quebec & return to Mt Tremblant to ski in the winter.
Once you've learned survival French, check out Provence & the Med coast south to Barcelona.

It's also fun to "summer" in the UK when so many of the locals are vacationing in Iberia.
Lisbon is my favorite city. Stay in the Alfama & ride the trams. I could reside happily in Portugal.

About the only thing that you and I are in agreement on…pretty much.

Love Lisbon; my daughter lived there for a year; we ate and drank our way through the Alfama. About two years ago, a partner of mine bought a condo just off the beach in Nazare, Portugal, a little north of Lisbon and south of Porto.

Here is one of the spectator activities in Nazare:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfLSN4mxY0E

He rents the condo; let me know if any of you are interested.

My 25 year trip (one year overdue) has to be used before the end of the year. Company provides us a solid stipend every 10 years, then every 5 after 20 years. I recall seeing the above conversation and thought it may be a great starter for a new thread.

Due to our schedules, completing her masters, surgery, and work, we had to forgo 2023, now we have to do this before years end....considering Thanksgiving - Xmas time frame. A warm vacation spot in the Caribbean/South America is a last resort. Strong considerations in no particular order:

1. Portugal, Maldives etc
2 Scotland
3. Iceland
4. Cinque Terre

Feedback appreciated....

[SCLaxAttack]

for gearheads & wannabes -- next time in Europe, rent a performance car & drive the Nurburgring. It used to be the F1 circuit for the German GP.
https://www.nuerburgring.de/en/

The F1 race in Montreal would be a good one to attend if you can't make it to the British GP.

If I lived in FL, I'd "summer" in Quebec & return to Mt Tremblant to ski in the winter.
Once you've learned survival French, check out Provence & the Med coast south to Barcelona.

It's also fun to "summer" in the UK when so many of the locals are vacationing in Iberia.
Lisbon is my favorite city. Stay in the Alfama & ride the trams. I could reside happily in Portugal.

About the only thing that you and I are in agreement on…pretty much.

Love Lisbon; my daughter lived there for a year; we ate and drank our way through the Alfama. About two years ago, a partner of mine bought a condo just off the beach in Nazare, Portugal, a little north of Lisbon and south of Porto.

Here is one of the spectator activities in Nazare:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfLSN4mxY0E

He rents the condo; let me know if any of you are interested.

My 25 year trip (one year overdue) has to be used before the end of the year. Company provides us a solid stipend every 10 years, then every 5 after 20 years. I recall seeing the above conversation and thought it may be a great starter for a new thread.

Due to our schedules, completing her masters, surgery, and work, we had to forgo 2023, now we have to do this before years end....considering Thanksgiving - Xmas time frame. A warm vacation spot in the Caribbean/South America is a last resort. Strong considerations in no particular order:

1. Portugal, Maldives etc
2 Scotland
3. Iceland
4. Cinque Terre

Feedback appreciated....

Because your plan is to be away in Nov-Dec and you seem to be focused on Europe you might want to consider being close to any of these great Christmas Markets - https://www.europeanbestdestinations.co ... s-markets/

[Seacoaster(1)]

for gearheads & wannabes -- next time in Europe, rent a performance car & drive the Nurburgring. It used to be the F1 circuit for the German GP.
https://www.nuerburgring.de/en/

The F1 race in Montreal would be a good one to attend if you can't make it to the British GP.

If I lived in FL, I'd "summer" in Quebec & return to Mt Tremblant to ski in the winter.
Once you've learned survival French, check out Provence & the Med coast south to Barcelona.

It's also fun to "summer" in the UK when so many of the locals are vacationing in Iberia.
Lisbon is my favorite city. Stay in the Alfama & ride the trams. I could reside happily in Portugal.

About the only thing that you and I are in agreement on…pretty much.

Love Lisbon; my daughter lived there for a year; we ate and drank our way through the Alfama. About two years ago, a partner of mine bought a condo just off the beach in Nazare, Portugal, a little north of Lisbon and south of Porto.

Here is one of the spectator activities in Nazare:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfLSN4mxY0E

He rents the condo; let me know if any of you are interested.

My 25 year trip (one year overdue) has to be used before the end of the year. Company provides us a solid stipend every 10 years, then every 5 after 20 years. I recall seeing the above conversation and thought it may be a great starter for a new thread.

Due to our schedules, completing her masters, surgery, and work, we had to forgo 2023, now we have to do this before years end....considering Thanksgiving - Xmas time frame. A warm vacation spot in the Caribbean/South America is a last resort. Strong considerations in no particular order:

1. Portugal, Maldives etc
2 Scotland
3. Iceland
4. Cinque Terre

Feedback appreciated....

Congrats on the 25 years. I've been to a few of these places, so I will chime in where I have at least some experience:

Portugal -- great country, relatively inexpensive as Europe goes, and a lot to see if you like old architecture, palaces and churches. Good wine. The food is a bit funky for my taste, but the influence of Spanish cuisine (tapas, paella, Patatas bravas, gazpacho, etc.) gets you over the hump. We drank a lot of good wine all over the country. Lisbon is a beautiful old city. Porto to the north of Lisbon is also beautiful. My daughter traveled a bit to the Faro District in the very southern part of the country and loved it. The weather will be tough -- rain, cool -- in the November/December timeframe.

Scotland -- still on my bucket list, largely from the photos and experience of my brother in law and sister in law, who went there for two weeks for their 30th anniversary. They are seriously interested in single malts and traveled on the wrong side of the road, through spectacular countryside, to one distillery after another, took the distillery tours and the compulsory wee drams and the bottles to take home. My brother in law (avid fly fisherman) fished (for a price) a couple of well-known streams, operated by fishing clubs and private landowners and took some nice fish...and then went back to the bed and breakfast with the annexed pub and drank the local. All I know is they had a spectacular time, beautiful pictures, a lot of quality booze that they learned to differentiate. November in Scotland? This is why God invented wool and Patagonia make fiber pile.

Iceland -- we went there for a week with our two adult kids, and had the best family vacation we ever had (possibly because the "kids" were adult and weren't bickering as@holes). This is one of the really unique countries in the world: 300,000 people who are really connected in their community, where nearly everyone seems to be a first responder, where the bloodlines are so interconnected that local dating apps have enough background to make sure you aren't hooking up with your cousin by mistake. Volcanoes; beautiful rivers running off of glaciers, spectacular waterfalls seemingly everywhere, the Northern Lights for a good part of the year, unbelievable hiking and four wheel drive backcountry opportunities. The photographs I have of our Iceland trip are still gobsmacking almost two years later.

The problem? I think in November/December, it'll not only be cool and rainy on occasion, it'll be dark most of the time. In November, daylight is only about eight hours long. In July, daylight lasts for 23 hours a day.

Cinque Terre -- hiked and bicycled through this area of Italy in the early 1980s. So beautiful, so much good food and art and architecture, and wonderful people. But it is bound to be pretty expensive, if that matters to you. The beauty of Italy in the months other than summer and the immediate shoulder months is that you will encounter fewer Americans, which is always nice.

Excited to hear what you and your gal decide.

[molo]

I’ll accompany my daughter and grandson on their return to Barcelona in September. He’ll turn two in July and it will be his third time crossing the Atlantic. I hope I’ve been there enough times not to be mistaken for a tourist lest I get squirted by a water pistol.
Locals are upset with tourists as Spain is about to surpass France as the most visited country in Europe. If you go to BCN, you’ll no doubt want to hit some of the obviously tourist spots. They are popular for a reason. Get off La Rambla and go right into El Raval. Museums mark the upper section while the lower part, El Barrio Chino, features some areas where high prices haven’t forced out those who aren’t loaded.
Go left as you walk down La Rambla headed toward the sea and you are in El Barrio Gótico, whose streets resemble a rabbit Warren. Cross Via Lataena, which my wife calls Charles Street, and you are in El Born. Grab a beer at one if the cafes or go local and have a vermouth.
While beautiful beaches about on La Costa Brava to the north or in Tarragona to the south, it’s just a short walk to the urban beaches of Barcenoleta, Sant Sebastian, and Mar Bella. The city beaches are funkier than those outside the city, but the scene is diverse and the vendors of beer, water, clothes, and massages are ready for your business.
All that was in La Ciudad Vieja. North of Plaza Cataluña lies Eixample, or the addition. Have expensive tastes? Take a walk up El Paseo de Gracia, a mile of which includes some of the most expensive real estate in Cataluña. All of BCN is LBQT+ friendly. but a stroll through parts of Eixample can indeed become a walk o the wild side.
This quick sketch hardly scratches the surface. Knowing Catalan is ideal, speaking Spanish helps, but in the areas I’ve described, you will be ok with English.

[youthathletics]

Tourists......stay home: https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/27/travel/w ... index.html

[cradleandshoot]

Tourists......stay home: https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/27/travel/w ... index.html

My wife and I really enjoyed Jamaica. I even convinced my wife to climb up Dunns River Falls. It was a wonderful resort. The food was great and my early morning swims were a great way to start the day.

[bmorelax]

Scotland - I've been 5 times between doing Rugby and Scotch stuff.

Edinburgh is full of tourist, but worth a couple of day's time. The best times I've had were up North. Drive North to Aberlour, ( you can stop at Balmoral on the way up, from there you can visit the best distilleries, MaCallan, Glenfarclas are a must and others too. Stay at The Craigellachie hotel in Craigellachie or The Dowans in Aberlour. They both can set you up to fish and hunt if in season. Also, there is an old rail trail next to the Craigellachie that you can hike or bike. Don't get caught up visiting castles. One or 2 is enough.

If you really want to escape, Take the ferry (or fly) from Aberdeen to Orkney Island. 2 nights will be enough. Highland Park Distillery, Skara Brae, The Italian Chapel, Ring of Brodgar,

[ardilla secreta]

Go see the part of Spain that most don’t bother to see.
Start and end in Madrid. An amazingly cosmopolitan city of a bunch of easily walkable villages. Wander down winding streets and discover the multitude of beautifully tiled tabernas. Discover Jamon Iberico. The air-cured ham from the domestic pata negra (black footed pig). Hanging from every ceiling and cut by hand with the grain from a brace. Its fat streaked mahogany colored richness is pure heaven. It makes prosciutto look like bologna in comparison. After Tokyo, Madrid has the largest seafood market in the world. Find a small club that features Flamenco. Very powerful. The Royal Palace is worth seeing as well as the three great art museums. The del Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen-Bornemisza (a personal favorite). Learn to order a cafe con leche in the morning. Coffee with steamed milk.

Get car and drive north to Logrono, capital of Rioja, Spain's top wine region and some of Europe’s best trout fishing.It’s one of my favorite cities, anywhere. A sophisticated place with a charming old town. Enjoy great tapas or full main dishes like cochinillo, roast baby pig. Crackling skin, succulent fat, tender meat all had with Rioja wine made from Tempranillo, a red with similar profile to Pinot Noir.

You could veer over to Pamplona in Navarra or head north to Santander on the Atlantic coast. One of Europe’s greatest beach towns, but great anytime. Have lunch or dinner at the 1 star Michelin restaurant, El Serbal for an amazing dining experience.

Keep going west to Cantabria and the Paradore Fuente De in the Picos de Europa mountains. It would be like staying at a Swiss Chalet. A Paradore is a state run hotel chain usually situated in a former historical building, like a fortress, convent, hospital, etc., but at the cost of a Comfort Inn. Each one has a chef that cooks the local cuisine. I’ve been to several and they’re all great.

Continue west to A Coruna, principal city of Galicia. This is green Spain that more resembles Ireland and there’s a Celtic culture there. Don’t be surprised to see people with bagpipes. Great seafood and outstanding wine like the white Albariño or red Mencia. Take a side trip to Santiago de Compostella. One of the most significant locales in Christianity. Stay at the Parador Baiona, a former fortress on the rugged coast. Have some Percebes, the gooseneck barnacles harvested on the local seaside rocks by hand. Sort of like a New England softshell clam.

Head inland through rugged Galicia to the high plains of Castilla y Leon, the heart Spain. Land in its beautiful capital Valladolid. Gorgeous historic buildings, churches, plazas, avenues and parks. I was told they speak the most correct Castilian Spanish in the country. From there it’s back to Madrid.

[dislaxxic]

Picking up an RV tomorrow for our first ever visit to the Olympic National Park area...any advice or POI to visit appreciated...have a bit of an itinerary planned out so far, but interesting Blue Highway-type places are what we like the most...

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[NattyBohChamps04]

Picking up an RV tomorrow for our first ever visit to the Olympic National Park area...any advice or POI to visit appreciated...have a bit of an itinerary planned out so far, but interesting Blue Highway-type places are what we like the most...

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Sol Duc Falls was fun short hike (with longer options available) - we saw Steelhead running downriver at the cascades a few years back. There may be salmon running right now. The earlier you're out hiking, the more wildlife and fewer people there will be. Like 6-7am. The hot springs are fun for an hour or two.

Creekside restaurant at Kalaloch Beach had some good views and decent food.

Hoh rainforest is similarly busy (get there early for easy parking and more wildlife) and has great short to long hiking options and wonderful rainforest scenery. Saw a lot of elk.

We only spent two full days there, but got a lot out of it with those places.

[DMac]

Wow, sounds like a ton of fun. Got no tips..am envious.
Oh, and FYI:

Is Marijuana Legal in Washington?
Yes, marijuana is legal in Washington for both medicinal and adult (recreational) use.

[youthathletics]

Picking up an RV tomorrow for our first ever visit to the Olympic National Park area...any advice or POI to visit appreciated...have a bit of an itinerary planned out so far, but interesting Blue Highway-type places are what we like the most...

..

Enjoy the trip, was supposed to go hiking there in 2020, cv19 fugged that up. Parents just spent two days in Seattle before doing an Alaskan cruise.....said the place reeked of weed everywhere you went and people walking around like zombies.

[NoLeft]

Picking up an RV tomorrow for our first ever visit to the Olympic National Park area...any advice or POI to visit appreciated...have a bit of an itinerary planned out so far, but interesting Blue Highway-type places are what we like the most...

..

If you have a few days in Seattle: Ray's Boathouse for great fish. Seattle is full of breweries....and Pike's Place Market; it's very touristy but It's fun to walk through, check out the craft vendors and food items and the people....
The Hoh rainforest is a special place. Have a good hike there...

[molo]

I’m nearing the end of a two week stay in BCN now. September weather is ideal, warm but not hot. My two year old grandson is leading me in a study of urban transportation. After almost two months in Baltimore he couldn’t wait to get back to his beloved metro.

[Andersen]

Thoughts on Italy, perhaps just a bit off the beaten path? We in the planning stage for early next June.

I've been several times and not really interested in the large crowds at the famous tourist meccas. We'd love to do as much by train as possible and may save Southern Italy and Sicily for the next trip.

[OCanada]

Thoughts on Italy, perhaps just a bit off the beaten path? We in the planning stage for early next June.

I've been several times and not really interested in the large crowds at the famous tourist meccas. We'd love to do as much by train as possible and may save Southern Italy and Sicily for the next trip.

Off the beaten path but i do not know about train service. We spent a week in Puglia a few years ago. The biggest city and capital is Bari, Conversano ( cite dell’arte) we hit at a good time Italians flock the beaches in August. We went at the end of September. Appian Way begins there. It is the heel of the boot.

Southern Italy the Amalfi Coast and Capri are as beautiful
as their reputation. The train from Roma ends at Sorrento or did when we were there

Sicily is fascinating for us. My wife’s grandfather was born there. We spent a week. It needs more than s few days. I learned it is not Mt Etna it is simply Etna or maybe The Etna. It is a presence. When we were there the nesrby airport was closing about every few days, i think it is quiet
now. The Palermo Opera House ( Godfather part lll) has a room on the second level that has perfect acoustics. Of course all the tourists wanted to talk do who could tell. Our guide ( small group) walked to a stone in the middle of the floor snd held her hand up and when the room quieted began to sing. The only sound in the room. Itslian opera? It is just prior to covid and she breakd into Aquarius. She had terrific voice.

A few thoughts

[Andersen]

Thank you. Let me know if you'd travel tips for Denmark.

[OCanada]

I should add i was in Rome last Thanksgiving. Very off season usually but it was still touristy. Americans were plentiful in the off season. I wonder how long that will last.

I have not been to Denmark. Iur don spent a summer in Austria and traveled there. After he returned to Austria he emailed to assure us he had not made amy pirchases

[FannOLax]

Wrapping up our vacation in Spain. Granada (the Alhambra), Madrid and from Madrid we took a day trip to Toledo. Great food everywhere, different types of European ( and Arabian) charm, and very good museums in Madrid, so I recommend Spain.

As for Italy, Venice is unique and magical; I'd highly recommend it.

[bmorelax]

It's been over 30 years since I was in italy, but we had the most fun in Tuscany. Spent a day walking around Siena. Stayed at vineyards: San Felice and Lilliano. Spent time in Milano, Pisa, Florene and Rome, but small towns were the most fun.