s/o - travel out west first before European vacay! Flyto Alaska, CA and drive home...

[sheryl]

In my thread from the other day I mentioned traveling to Europe.  We'd still like to do that but it is a huge jump from not traveling far from home to traveling to the other side of the world.  :)

 

I thought perhaps we'd get used to the idea by traveling out west first.  We live on the east coast so it would still be quite a vacation.  DH and I have both traveled out west a few times as kids growing up.  DD has not been out west. 

 

We'd love to go to Alaska.  DD has always wanted to go to LA.  Well, that's close to the ocean so.....

 

But, where to draw the line with travel time and budget?  We will go to Europe but it's deferred a bit.

 

My thoughts --

 

from east coast:

 

fly to Alaska (day1, days 2-4 visit)

fly to LA (day 5, visit 6, 7, 8)

rent a car and drive home (1 week)

 

*  I know CA is huge.  We do NOT intend nor have the interest to do it "all".  Just a couple or so highlights. 

 

That's a total of about 2 weeks.  I wish I could keep it to 10 days.  Is that possible?  How?  Thoughts?  Suggestions?

 

 

 

[Arcadia]

A friend and her family took the Amtrak from Chicago to LA. She and her husband prefer Amtrak to driving. Is there any places you plan to stop by on the drive home like Death Valley, Grand Canyon for example?

[mommyoffive]

Why are you not going to Europe? 

 

If you are on the east coast there are amazing deals there.  You could fly there cheaper than you can go to these other places.   Even on airlines that don't charge all the fees.

 

 

 

http://www.theflightdeal.com/2017/05/06/summer-fare-american-starting-373-san-francisco-newark-boston-miami-los-angeles-philadelphia-europe-roundtrip-including-all-taxes/?utm_source=The+Flight+Deal+Daily+DealsLetter&utm_campaign=423c1faa56-The_Flight_Deal_Daily_Deals_Letter9_29_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_eb7686b6a9-423c1faa56-175791001

[mommyoffive]

You could do that trip, but you are going to not be seeing a lot of what each place has to offer going that fast.  But if you just want to do a few things than go for it.  But I think the tickets are going to be so much more than going to Europe.  

[sheryl]

Why are you not going to Europe? 

 

If you are on the east coast there are amazing deals there.  You could fly there cheaper than you can go to these other places.   Even on airlines that don't charge all the fees.

 

 

 

http://www.theflightdeal.com/2017/05/06/summer-fare-american-starting-373-san-francisco-newark-boston-miami-los-angeles-philadelphia-europe-roundtrip-including-all-taxes/?utm_source=The+Flight+Deal+Daily+DealsLetter&utm_campaign=423c1faa56-The_Flight_Deal_Daily_Deals_Letter9_29_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_eb7686b6a9-423c1faa56-175791001

 

Oh, all 3 of us really want to go to Europe and other places too.  Europe will be our first visit abroad and like so many mentioned you can not visit the totality of Europe in a short time so it will be a few visits.

 

We need to get used to the idea of being away from home for a long time (will we be able to wash our dirtied clothes?).  I think it's logical to start west coast first to get a feel for it.  :) 

[Lanny]

If you are on the East Coast, depending on where in Europe, it might be closer (air miles), than going to Alaska (Anchorage or Fairbanks or Juneau?).   If you make a trip to Alaska, I would rather see you spend at least 7 to 10 days there. Or, simply go to CA and spend 7 to 10 days there. Spend enough time in one place to get an idea of what it is like, not just to know what checking in and out of hotels is like.  If you drive from CA to the East Coast in one week, what do you want to see? I did that once (L.A. to Boston in 6 days) and it was rather brutal and did not allow any time for sightseeing.   I would suggest that you fly to one place that your family wants to explore and then spend your vacation there and then fly back to the East Coast.  

 

Many examples: We went to Las Vegas. We scheduled some days away from there and were planning to go to S.W. Utah, to see 1 or 2 National Parks. Grand Canyon National Park is also near to Las Vegas. (At the last minute, we changed our plans, and spent those days in Southern CA, visiting family).   Or, if you went to CA, you could fly into San Diego or L.A. or San Francisco and there are lots of things to do and see.

 

Try to define what your family would enjoy doing while on vacation and then select a spot and study what you can do there. Enjoy your vacation!

 

ETA: One thing you might consider would be to fly to Seattle or Vancouver BC or wherever the Cruise Ships going up the "Inside Passage" leave from. I have not been on one of those cruises, but understand it is spectacular.

Edited May 7, 2017 by Lanny

[mommyoffive]

Oh, all 3 of us really want to go to Europe and other places too.  Europe will be our first visit abroad and like so many mentioned you can not visit the totality of Europe in a short time so it will be a few visits.

 

We need to get used to the idea of being away from home for a long time (will we be able to wash our dirtied clothes?).  I think it's logical to start west coast first to get a feel for it.  :)

 

Just saying that going to Europe on a deal of a flight is going to be cheaper than flying to Alaska and then to LA.  Also renting a car one way is usually a lot more expensive than returning it to the first place.

 

The deal I posted is going to Europe on an airline that doesn't charge extra fees for less than $400.    We are tempted to go back again soon because it is so cheap. 

 

If you are worried about budget I would look into what will fit in your budget.   You can wash clothes in Europe. Rent a home or some hotels have washers in the rooms at the ones I was looking at today.

 

Or just bring more.   

[sheryl]

OK, am I stubborn or what!???!???!  Clearly I'm trying to pack it all in.   Lanny and others, you are right.  We should just focus on Alaska.  Make a separate trip to west coast, etc.  And, then again, Europe, etc.

 

Watch out guy, we are all interested in S. America too.  I'll have to pick your brain, what country, etc. 

 

 

 

 

[Anne]

Don't come to Alaska for 4 days - you won't have time to do much of anything - everything in Alaska is very far away from everything else. :-). Don't spend a bunch of time and money practicing for the thing you really want to do.

 

It seems to me that your family needs a priority list - what would you all like to see or do MOST? Narrow it down to your top ten and then start at the top. Life is short and you never know what is coming your way. You want to see Paris? Go. You want to hike the Alps? Go. Accept the fact that you cannot do it all. If you're not quite sure What you want to see, go to the library and check out the travel books and start dreaming. Dreaming is half the fun, anyway! Most good travel books have sample itineraries in them - you will learn a lot by studying them.

 

Pick a timeframe.

Set a budget.

 

Then choose a trip which will work with your timeframe and budget.

 

Then come back here and you can get advice that will help you plan your trip...

 

Anne

[Um_2_4]

I would look at budget/time you have available.

Those one way flights/rental car would be expensive.

And I drove LA to the midwest in 3 days once, but it was BRUTAL. I would rather 4-5 days to the midwest, so we could have stretched our legs for more than the 5 minute bathroom stops.

If you want to fly and drive back, I would pick just LA, spend 5 days then rent a car to return and plan 7 days for that. Then you hit some highlights on your way back.

Or watch for a deal on a cruise to Alaska and fly out to do that and add a couple days on at the beginning or end. (I've always wanted to do that)

[Lanny]

I read once, many years ago, that for every day one has for a vacation (I think that was about Europe, but would IMO apply to South America or Japan or just about anywhere), one should read for one week, about what there is to do there. That would be true of Mexico., Peru, Colombia, almost anywhere where there are so many things to do that it would almost be impossible, for anyone to see them, if they lived in that country.  

 

Alaska would be incredible and there are different parts of the state that you should learn about, before deciding on where to spend your valuable vacation days and your money.  We listen, frequently, to an FM station in Anchorage (KOOL, http://www.kool973.com/)

 

Sheryl: This is what you should not do: We know a couple from Cali, Colombia, that went to Europe, a few days ago. On Facebook, I think the first I saw was that they were in London. Then, a day or 2 later, they were in Germany? Now, they are in Holland?  I assume that is supposed to be a vacation, but seeing 10 countries in 14 days (there was a movie about that?), just gets a lot of stamps in one's passport and a lot of memories of checking in/out of hotels.   I'm not sure what their plan is, but I would have suggested going to 1 or 2 places, had they asked me...

 

ETA: The one BIG plus for your family if you go to Europe this year is that the U.S. Dollar is extremely strong at this time. That helps greatly when you are outside the USA.  

Edited May 7, 2017 by Lanny

[JFSinIL]

With driving home, I would do either S. Ca, OR Alaska, OR....Italy or France or England.  Don't bite off more than you can chew.  We flew in and out of Milan, from Milan took train to Bern and saw it and nearby glacier before overnight train to Rome. Spent a short week in Rome (day trip to Pompeii) then train to Florence for short week before train back to Milan for flight home. Little over two weeks.  I'd pick one or two European countries and spend more time in a couple cities/areas in each than try and do Alaska AND Los Angeles area AND drive home.  Note - I am a native S. Californian.  Everywhere in Europe is closer than Alaska to LA to home.  And you need to plan for a LOT of time driving in LA - traffic can be brutal. 

 

PS if you do go to LA and want to see it, you need to make reservations for admission at the cool Getty museum in Malibu.  W/o a reservation you can not park or get out of a taxi there.  http://www.getty.edu/visit/villa/plan/parking.html  It is so worth going!

Edited May 7, 2017 by JFSinIL

[tdbates78]

We just got back from 2.5 weeks in Europe (Switzerland, Alsace region of France and Bavaria) and used VRBO to book apartments with washer and dryers. That wasn't an issue at all, and we always book apartments in Europe because we want the room to spread out and access to a kitchen.

 

Right now the exchange rate is low. That make as a huge difference over the duration of a vacation. A few years ago we were in Italy when the exchange rate was much higher and our vacation costs went up quite a bit compared to other Europe trips we've taken. Not trying to tell you not to go out west (although its a no-brainer to me) but it's really something you should consider because the exchange rate can go up again anytime. And with airfare so low... Our flight from Boston to Zurich was $400 pp roundtrip. ETA the flight was with Swiss Air, not a low budget airline. Very good deal!

 

I would choose Alaska OR California... not both. That seems way more hectic than a Europe trip, especially with the long drive back.

Edited May 7, 2017 by tdbates78

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I'm from CA... I wouldn't want to spend that many days in LA....   :lol:

 

I'd do just CA or just AK.  

 

If in CA, please, oh please, go to Monterey.  

[mommyoffive]

We just got back from 2.5 weeks in Europe (Switzerland, Alsace region of France and Bavaria) and used VRBO to book apartments with washer and dryers. That wasn't an issue at all, and we always book apartments in Europe because we want the room to spread out and access to a kitchen.

 

Right now the exchange rate is low. That make as a huge difference over the duration of a vacation. A few years ago we were in Italy when the exchange rate was much higher and our vacation costs went up quite a bit compared to other Europe trips we've taken. Not trying to tell you not to go out west (although its a no-brainer to me) but it's really something you should consider because the exchange rate can go up again anytime. And with airfare so low... Our flight from Boston to Zurich was $400 pp roundtrip.

 

I would choose Alaska OR California... not both. That seems way more hectic than a Europe trip, especially with the long drive back.

 

Yes!!

 

So true.  This airline prices are not normal.  You should take advantage of being able to go to Europe on a full service airline for $400 a person.  

 

 

And the exchange rate is on your side right now.  Europe is on sale.  Go there.

[Lanny]

Sheryl I would also like for you to consider going to Europe, now. Actually, to the UK, where they speak English (British) which can be readily understood by those of us who speak English (U.S.).  That would be a very simple way for you to get your feet wet, without any "language barrier".  Possibly 5 ot 6 days in London and then the rest of the time in other parts of the UK.

 

After that, there are so many wonderful places one might go in Europe. I think I would want to see Switzerland, a place I've never been to. My (late) Mother was on a flight that stopped there, and just from that stop, she told me how beautiful it was.  Everyone (?) In Switzerland speaks 3 or 4 languages. I worked with a guy from Switzerland, when I was a young airline employee.

 

It is not in the West, but beach was mentioned, regarding CA.  I went to the beach in CA, hundreds of times when I was young.  I think if Beaches are a priority at all, then I would suggest possibly going to Puerto Rico, which has amazing beaches, along with the Rain Forest, Old San Juan, and many places to check out. That is  very close and would give you a little bit of the experience of being somewhere where they speak a different language (Spanglish, but mostly Spanish) and yet under the U.S. flag (the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico), and you would not need a Passport to go there. Someone I know went there a month or so ago. They'd been there 1 or 2 years ago also.   It was a Senior trip for her DD and some friends.  They live in MI

 

One good thing about Cruises is that the ship is your hotel and your hotel goes to different ports and you do not need to pack/unpack/check in and out of hotels.

 

If you have only one place, like when we were in Orlando for a week, one year ago, then consider renting a Timeshare for 7 nights. Everything included. Taxes, service charges, etc. We had a 2 BR 2 BA unit with a Fully Equipped Kitchen.  My wife was not planning to cook on her vacation, but we went to the nearby supermarket and she cooked a quick Breakfast 6 of the 7 mornings which saved a lot of time (and money).  One morning we went to the nearby Denny's restaurant, which was not as good as my wife remembers other Denny's she had been to, in various places in the USA. because we'd run out of eggs and that night we went to the supermarket again to buy more things.  

 

SUGGESTION:   Have a family pow wow.  Ask each person, "What place is #1 on your list to go to on our vacation? and "What would you like to do on our vacation?"   Possibly more than one person will mention the same place or activities. See if you can come up with one place, during the pow wow, that all of you are enthusiastic about. Go from there with your investigation and planning. 

 

ETA: I remember when I was waiting for a flight in SEA-TAC airport (Seattle Tacoma), talking with a guy who was in the U.S. Coast Guard. He had been up and down the Inside Passage many times. He said it was incredibly beautiful, each trip. 

Edited May 7, 2017 by Lanny

[AK_Mom4]

Perspective on Alaska and Distance....

 

DD is going on a cool kayaking trip this summer. 6 day trip - 1 full day of travel, 4 days on the water, 1 day travel home. 14-16 hours in the car.

 

My inlaws came up a few years ago and we drove to Denali to see the park. 5 hours in the car and 5 more home.

 

We are in Anchorage. The next biggest City is 8 HOURS drive north. The third biggest city requires either ferry or plane access.

 

If you come to Alaska for four days and want to see more than one place, you need to plan to spend 2 of those four days driving.

[Laura Corin]

Europe had launderettes/laundromats.

[rebbyribs]

I wouldn't find driving across the whole U.S. pleasant, but doing some road-tripping out west is nice.  I'd look into visiting L.A. for a few days (my family especially enjoyed the La Brea tar pits), then renting a car to drive part of the way east.  Fly back from Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Albuquerque, or El Paso depending on what you'd like to do and see.

[Lanny]

I wouldn't find driving across the whole U.S. pleasant, but doing some road-tripping out west is nice.  I'd look into visiting L.A. for a few days (my family especially enjoyed the La Brea tar pits), then renting a car to drive part of the way east.  Fly back from Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Albuquerque, or El Paso depending on what you'd like to do and see.

 

I remember the La Brea Tar Pits...   https://tarpits.org/la-brea-tar-pits  

 

Interesting idea, now that the airline fares are often/usually/always one-way, rather than requiring a Round-Trip for a big discount.

 

For example,  they could fly to San Francisco, or L.A., or San Diego    or Sacramento,  tour around California, see Lake Tahoe CA/NV and then turn in the car (hopefully without a big drop charge) in Reno, and fly to the East Coast from Reno.  Picking up and dropping the car in Sacramento would eliminate a Drop Charge.   I lived in Reno for awhile.  If they live in the East, they may not live near high mountains and that would be a change for them.  

[PeterPan]

Jumping to the end here. We've done Alaska and we drove the West coast. I think your itinerary will form better once you figure out what you want to DO in Alaska. To me, personally, I would go spend the entire trip in Alaska and be done with it. That's what we did, and it was AWESOME. You won't regret it one bit. 

 

Look up RV rental in Alaska. You fly in, they pick you up, you have your stuff mailed there, buy your groceries, and off you go. Alaska is HUGE. 

 

It's such a huge cost to fly to Alaska, that it makes no sense to go for just a dab and then fly again to LA. Your dd can do CA any time. Gives her something to look forward to in life, something to work toward. :D

 

If you want Alaska, really DO Alaska. You will want the whole two weeks, promise. You won't get tired of it. You could spend multiple days just doing Denali National Park. It takes a day to drive across the Denali highway. You'll want to go up to the North Pole and do the Christmas store. You'll want to go to Fairbanks. You'll want to EAT Alaska, oh my!!  You'll want to fish and hike glaciers. We were there two weeks and there was so much we didn't get to do!! We didn't make it to Valdez. We didn't see bears. We missed the northern lights.

 

If you want Alaska, do Alaska. :)

 

I see now the prices are low on Europe. That makes sense, if you want Europe. Not everyone wants to go to Europe. We chose Alaska over Europe when we went. It's really just what you want. :)

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Edited May 7, 2017 by OhElizabeth

[Rachel]

I think you should pick one trip. Isn't it a 5 hour flight just from Seattle to Anchorage? If you are flying from the east coast you have another 5 or 6 hour flight on top of that. Alaska and CA are both huge and there is so much to do, soak in each one separately.

[Rachel]

Jumping to the end here. We've done Alaska and we drove the West coast. I think your itinerary will form better once you figure out what you want to DO in Alaska. To me, personally, I would go spend the entire trip in Alaska and be done with it. That's what we did, and it was AWESOME. You won't regret it one bit.

 

Look up RV rental in Alaska. You fly in, they pick you up, you have your stuff mailed there, buy your groceries, and off you go. Alaska is HUGE.

 

It's such a huge cost to fly to Alaska, that it makes no sense to go for just a dab and then fly again to LA. Your dd can do CA any time. Gives her something to look forward to in life, something to work toward. :D

 

If you want Alaska, really DO Alaska. You will want the whole two weeks, promise. You won't get tired of it. You could spend multiple days just doing Denali National Park. It takes a day to drive across the Denali highway. You'll want to go up to the North Pole and do the Christmas store. You'll want to go to Fairbanks. You'll want to EAT Alaska, oh my!! You'll want to fish and hike glaciers. We were there two weeks and there was so much we didn't get to do!! We didn't make it to Valdez. We didn't see bears. We missed the northern lights.

 

If you want Alaska, do Alaska. Don't do that frenetic itinerary jumping from place to place. It's a trip she'll never forget. She can go do LA and whatever she wants there another year.

Ha, we only went to Valdez and Anchorage, we did see bears and moose, but I still feel like we barely saw Alaska.

[PeterPan]

Ha, we only went to Valdez and Anchorage, we did see bears and moose, but I still feel like we barely saw Alaska.

 

Oh my, I feel your pain! We saw the pipeline. Like your whole perspective of the news changes when you actually SEE it for yourself. We boondocked. We camped within view of glaciers. We hiked a lot. We had perfect weather for Denali.

 

The food in Alaska can be quite good. Like you really wonder about their sanitation policies and who is checking stuff, but the fish and the reindeer is GOOD! Lotsa good eats. 

 

We went fishing on a charter boat. When you rent an RV, they'll rent you rods and tackle so you can fish. 

 

We even went to the state fair while we were there. Got introduced to salmon quesadillas, yum!!

Edited May 7, 2017 by OhElizabeth

[Jan in SC]

Isn't your dd close to college age? I would go to Europe before she leaves home.

[Lanny]

I like the idea of 2 weeks in Alaska or in California. Do it properly, whether you go there or to Europe or come to Colombia or go to some other place..

 

 

The flight time from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is: 3 hours, 12 minutes

 

 

The flight time from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is: 7 hours, 16 minutes

 

Those times are according to TravelMath.com   I assume those times are Gate to Gate and not Wheels up to Wheels down.

[lovinmyboys]

Not to keep pushing Europe, but don't let the language barrier stop you. We are in Germany right now for my dh's work. While we are "living" here I feel like people expect us to speak German. However, as tourists using English has been no problem for us in 9 countries (including Germany) I was nervous before we came (about lots of stuff) but everything has been easier than I expected.

[mumto2]

Dh and I actually took his dad to Anchorage for 3 nights from the midwest when we were first married. The 3 day part had to do with an incredible fare sale combined with the airline was giving quadruple miles for those flights. We went for it. It was a whirlwind of a trip. We drove up to Denali one day then south to a glacier the next. We saw a moose and a whale along with some sheep. Visited a reindeer farm and also saw muskox. Someplace along the way we found a giant cabbage for his dad to look at....it became rather essential somehow. ;) That pretty much sums it up. We did have fun. I had my lists and managed to successfully check things off. I got really lucky!

 

We had friends who were on an Alaskan cruise the same week we went. I felt like we had had a pretty great trip until I talked to them. They saw everything we did multiplied hugely and so much more. I will admit to being jealous but I did have an incredible number of airmiles which made me happy.

 

I don't think I would have wanted to add a quick coast of California onto my trip with a long drive home. We were tired after our Alaskan marathon trip!

[Lanny]

The nonstop mileage from JFK to London or to Anchorage is about the same. At the moment, the fare to London would possibly be less. Virtually all major U.S. airports have Nonstop service to London. Tons of flights.  Going to Anchorage, the fare on a Nonstop flight might be the same as on an itinerary involving a connection, or higher. It depends upon the competition for those seats.  If a connection is involved, I would want to allow a minimum of 3 hours between the scheduled arrival in the connecting city and the scheduled departure from that city and the elapsed time (origin to destination) would be much longer than on a Nonstop flight.  .  I don't know where the OP lives, in regards to the nearest major airport, so the fares and schedules will vary somewhat. There should IMO be very low fares from the East Coast of the USA to London at this time. I think there have been posts here on WTM about that.  Two weeks in Alaska, as has been mentioned upthread, would be incredible, if that's the type of vacation the OP and her family would enjoy.  If not, 2 weeks in the UK or CA or somewhere else.  

[sheryl]

ok, I appreciate each reply. thanks to each one of you. 

 

your responses and experiences have broadened my understanding of this whole process.   Lanny, you are right.   Our origination point departure city to Fairbanks is the same mileage (actually approx. 75 mi. longer) than departure city to Paris, France.  Just a perspective!!!

 

I'm not finding these "hot" deals.  For those of you who have traveled to Europe OR Alaska, when did you go and at what price?

 

Also, I would rather not fly at night which may require non-stop.  That is almost impossible. 

Back to Europe - how is the sanitation?  I'm not sure how to ask this.  My sister mentioned that going to the restroom in Italy means something different than what I'm used to - which is a toilet.  LOL!

[PeterPan]

Um, we flew overnight when we went to Alaska, and it was no biggee. Actually that's not true. Ds had, at the time, undiagnosed autism, and he wouldn't sleep or be still on the plane. I was so groggy and got off the plane missing one lens for my glasses, lol. So don't do that. :D  But yeah, just in general, they kick back the seats and give you blankets and dim the lights. It's really fine. The Anchorage airport is small and easy to negotiate, very charming. I wouldn't sweat it. The whole state is that way. Those would be really different trips, Alaska and Europe.

 

Yeah, in Russia they had holes in the floor. They had toilets in major cities, but not where I was, oy. I know that's not Italy, but nothing would be shocking. I have kind of a bad attitude about Europe. I really like America and the more I find out about how people live in Europe the more I like America. ;)

 

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Edited May 8, 2017 by OhElizabeth

[Rachel]

ok, I appreciate each reply. thanks to each one of you.

 

your responses and experiences have broadened my understanding of this whole process. Lanny, you are right. Our origination point departure city to Fairbanks is the same mileage (actually approx. 75 mi. longer) than departure city to Paris, France. Just a perspective!!!

 

I'm not finding these "hot" deals. For those of you who have traveled to Europe OR Alaska, when did you go and at what price?

 

Also, I would rather not fly at night which may require non-stop. That is almost impossible.

Back to Europe - how is the sanitation? I'm not sure how to ask this. My sister mentioned that going to the restroom in Italy means something different than what I'm used to - which is a toilet. LOL!

The extent of my European travel is Ireland and we went in December. Roundtrip airfare was right around $500. There were no sanitation or bathroom issues that I remember. There aren't public bathrooms in every single store like there are in the US, but I never had trouble finding one either.

 

When we went to Alaska it was for a job interview so we didn't have to pay.

 

From my nearest airports I don't really ever see fabulous deals to Europe or Alaska. However, I have found deals for San Francisco. If you aren't set on a particular destination maybe you should just see where you can go on your desired budget.

[tdbates78]

I've been all over Europe. I can assure you that in most of Europe the toilets are similar to what you find here. Even in Turkey we didn't come across any holes in the ground. Many public toilets are cleaner the ones I've seen around here, mostly because you pay a small fee to use them.

 

As for flying at night, trust me you will appreciate it when you arrive unless you love dealing with jetlag.

Edited May 8, 2017 by tdbates78

[mumto2]

UK no toilet issues. No paper seat covers. Generally clean an plentiful. They may flush funny but my kids used to think American toilets were weird. ;)

 

Belgium, Holland, Germany, you may pay to go. The good thing about paying is the toilets are freshly cleaned just for you.

 

France, we send the boys first and get a report. Generally museums and chain restaurants are fine. Sometimes no seat but fine if you really have to. We try to plan to return to the hotel midday for a bathroom break. There are holes but generally rural. We have only encountered one once. I plan carefully.

 

My Alaska trip with the great fare was decades ago. I was trying to point out what a three night trip actually looked like from personal experience. I'm sorry if I confused things.

 

For Europe play with your date combinations. Make sure you aren't planning to go over typical holiday times in both countries for lowest fares. August is bad in general for cheap fares. End of May, mid October, end of February, are frequently school breaks in UK most years. We aim for non Saturday departures.

 

Icelandair might be perfect for you because you have to land in Iceland. It's easy to spend a day or two there without extra airfare with them.

 

Remember flying to Europe does not necessarily mean flying all night according to your body clock. For instance a 6 pm direct flight from the east coast to anyplace UK will take roughly 8hours. You actually arrive around 2am est. You are far better off if you manage to sleep or rest for a couple of hours but in general flying east is easier than west adjustment wise. imo. By forcing yourself to keep going the first day your body generally adjusts pretty well. You might be going to bed a bit early but that's easier than being ready to go at 4am!

[Laura Corin]

If you want to go abroad, I would recommend at this point taking a deep breath and looking forward to embracing difference. Buy a guide book and read the practical advice section so that you'll have a vague picture in advance. Then just get into the adventure. Yes, some things (toilets, manners, language) will be different, but isn't that the point of travel? People live just fine in other countries and so will you.

 

In Tibet I once used a composting toilet as tall as a building that I had to access via a ladder and then squat over a hole. It was fine and the view was great.

Edited May 8, 2017 by Laura Corin

[matrips]

The only place with odd 'toilets' that I remember was the train station in Rome. They were just holes in the floor. Not dirt floors or anything like that though. Nothing else made an impression so the rest was probably normal. Though I do remember arriving in Switzerland and feeling so appreciative and relieved- so many things just seemed better or maybe just more familiar.

[Starr]

Don't forget to book in time for flights to be cancelled, late etc. If you are only going to be a place for a day or two it can really cut into your vacation. 

[importswim]

My DH was in the Coast Guard and we were stationed in Alaska so we've driven across the country twice. Taking a week to drive across is not going to leave any time to see anything other than the inside of your car and interstates. I would recommend what the PP's have suggested which is to pick a destination and stay there to explore. Alaska is a really neat state to visit. It's also very expensive, especially in the summer (which is when you'll want to go! LOL!) That would probably eat up most of your budget. It is definitely worth it, however.

[Lanny]

Always be sure to listen to the announcements at the Gate, in case they change the Gate for a flight.  In Newark,  United Airlines had a French passenger going to Paris. They changed the Gate.  She doesn't understand English. They allowed her to board a flight going to San Francisco and she ended up there.  Great for their Security and checking that the boarding pass was for the flight going to San Francisco, but that is not the fault of the TSA, that is on United Airlines. 

 

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2017/05/08/united-airlines-flies-woman-to-san-francisco-instead-france.html

Edited May 8, 2017 by Lanny

[KungFuPanda]

Flying to London and back would be a lot easier than flying to CA and driving home. That's a much bigger trip and seems like it would be harder on people not used to traveling very much. My daughter has been to England, but not California. Maybe it would be easier if you just rented an apartment wherever you are going and day tripped from this home base? In Europe you won't need a car to do that.

[Alice]

We are on a 10 day trip in California right now and having a fabulous time. We are also from the East Coast and it feels like a different world here. The landscape and flowers and wildlife are all amazing and not like home. If you want specifics of our trip I can share. We basically flew into LA, are driving to San Francisco and will then drive back to LA through Yosemite.

 

I agree with Laura that part of travel imeans being willing to experience things that are not like home. That said we've never had problems with toilets in Europe. Some were gross, just like public toilets in the US. in Paris they have open public urinals in some areas (not the most touristy areas) and using one was perhaps the highlight of the trip for ds10. He thought it was hilarious. We have also done laundry all over Europe and on longer vacations in the US. You can find places to do your own or if you are willing to pay you can drop off and pick up. One advantage of Air BnB or renting an apartment is having a washing machine.

 

It sounds to me like the scariest part for you is being away from home. Maybe pick a closer location and go there to practice travel without having to also deal with the logistics of the travel itself. Without knowing where you are or where you have been, Chicago, Washington DC, New York, New England/Boston, New Orleans could all give you experiences of being in an unfamiliar city but may be doable in a shorter amount of time. It sounds to me like you are nervous about being gone a long time so maybe doing a 5 day closer to home trip then seeing what you enjoy and making the jump to a farther away place.

[creekland]

OP, I'm in a hurry at this point, so have only read your posts and a handful of others.  If your DD is going with you, have you asked her what she wants most to see?  At her age, I'd concentrate on that.  You and your DH will have time to travel together to wherever you want in future years (assuming all goes normally with life progression, of course).

 

Once my kids were into double digits for ages, we let them have a huge say in where many of our trips were.  We had to stick to our budget, but some of our best trips were kid led (via their preferences).

[mommyoffive]

What airports are near you?  You can find full service flights to Europe for $400 or less getting a deal.   If you want to go on an airline that makes you pay for everything you can go for less than that.   

 

https://thepointsguy.com/2017/05/deal-alert-us-to-europe-354/

Edited May 8, 2017 by mommyoffive

[Lanny]

The best situation is if one has flexibility in the dates, then if/when there is a really attractive airline fare, pounce on it, immediately.   You can set up "Agents" to notify you, when the fare goes down, on an OTA (Online Travel Agency, such as Expedia).  Some of the ones I've clicked on allow one to check fares on a number of different OTAs, and usually those allow one to set up an "Agent".

 

The downside of that is that Summer in the USA is a Peak travel season, so low fares are less likely to be offered than before and after Summer vacations begin.

 

ALWAYS read the "Fine Print" before you click to buy AND ALWAYS have at least one other person check the information you input, before you click to buy.

 

Usually, we get the airline tickets first, but last year, I think the first thing we did was get the Timeshare in FL reserved and then we did the airline tickets, which we knew were available at an extremely low price. The last thing was the car rental. 

 

In this case, if a very low fare to Anchorage were to pop up, or, possibly, to London or some other destination, I would pounce on the airline tickets, immediately, and then look into where to stay.

 

On at least one occasion, I've told my wife, "I saw this fare at 5 A.M. and I wanted to wake you up, but I didn't want to wake you up" and her reply was, "you should have woken me up". 

 

If the airline shows 3 seats or 5 seats available, that's what they have, in that Fare Basis, at that moment. My wife once called a friend who wanted to go with us to Bogota, and by the time she got her friend on the phone and explained everything to her friend, when I checked again, the seat at that fare  had been purchased by someone else. 

 

I prefer to purchase directly on the airline web site, but sometimes (often) purchase from an OTA.  If you purchase directly from the airline, you are "their" customer and you can call them to change your phone number or something. If you purchase from an OTA or other Travel Agency, you are "their" customer and you need to go thru them, to make any changes or requests. That's the only reason I prefer to book directly with the airline.  

 

I have a number in mind that I am "happy with" on a certain route. For example, anything below USD $400 from Cali, Colombia to Orlando, Round Trip, I consider to be an excellent value. Last year, we went for USD$301.    Never try for the lowest possible fare, there is no way to know what the lowest fare is and when it will become available. And, fares do go up, as well as go down.

 

NOTE: After you know which airline you are going on, join their Frequent Flyer program (free) and then have them input your Frequent Flyer numbers into your reservation record. In addition to the Miles, there is preferential treatment for Frequent Flyers and that is one of the things they look at when a flight is Oversold (too many people at the gate) and they need to remove some passengers from the flight.

 

ETA to my NOTE: The Frequent Flyer programs send out emails. sometimes that is the first notice of a very low fare on a route we are interested in. I am signed up with Avianca, LAN Colombia and COPA. 

Edited May 8, 2017 by Lanny

[mommyoffive]

Just saw this on SD

 

Boston to Anchorage Alaska $378 RT on American Airlines (SUMMER travel) at American Airlines

American Airlines [aa.com] have round trip SUMMER airfares travelling from Boston (BOS) to Anchorage Alaska (ANC) for $379 including taxes and fees. Both outbound and return flight makes 1 stop and quite possibly enough time for you to go out and see the city. And it will stop in two different cities (Los Angeles and Phoenix). 

Travel Availability. 
Departs BOS: June 18; July 4, 15, 23, 27, 28
Returns BOS: June 19-22, 27; July 10, 11, 13, 17, 23, 24; Aug 1-8

Departs ANC: June 9, 10, 13
Returns ANC: June 18, 19, 22; July 4, 5, 15, 23, 27, 28

This one is a bit tricky to get because I tried going to the American Airines site directly and I tried Priceline, Orbitz....none working. To get this price of $378 roundtrip, use Google Flights Search [google.com], click on your preferred travel dates, scroll down and book it with American Airlines. It may or may not tell you that it requires a "separate ticket" purchase. Click on "$379" anyway, it will take you to AA.com. Book it. Otherwise this fare is over $600. 

 

[Lanny]

Flying to London and back would be a lot easier than flying to CA and driving home. That's a much bigger trip and seems like it would be harder on people not used to traveling very much. My daughter has been to England, but not California. Maybe it would be easier if you just rented an apartment wherever you are going and day tripped from this home base? In Europe you won't need a car to do that.

 

+1   Or, flying to Alaska and back, or to somewhere else and back.  IMO, driving from CA to the East Coast would be nice, IF one had 2 or 3 weeks to do it and could enjoy stopping in Grand Canyon National Park and going to other places one has probably never seen before.  To the National Parks in S.W. Utah, To NASA in Houston, to the Alamo.  To go from CA to the East Coast, in a car, in one week, is IME, not fun.  Doing it in a leisurely way, would be enjoyable.   

[sheryl]

 

Just saw this on SD

 

Boston to Anchorage Alaska $378 RT on American Airlines (SUMMER travel) at American Airlines

American Airlines [aa.com] have round trip SUMMER airfares travelling from Boston (BOS) to Anchorage Alaska (ANC) for $379 including taxes and fees. Both outbound and return flight makes 1 stop and quite possibly enough time for you to go out and see the city. And it will stop in two different cities (Los Angeles and Phoenix). 

 

Travel Availability. 

Departs BOS: June 18; July 4, 15, 23, 27, 28

Returns BOS: June 19-22, 27; July 10, 11, 13, 17, 23, 24; Aug 1-8

 

Departs ANC: June 9, 10, 13

Returns ANC: June 18, 19, 22; July 4, 5, 15, 23, 27, 28

 

This one is a bit tricky to get because I tried going to the American Airines site directly and I tried Priceline, Orbitz....none working. To get this price of $378 roundtrip, use Google Flights Search [google.com], click on your preferred travel dates, scroll down and book it with American Airlines. It may or may not tell you that it requires a "separate ticket" purchase. Click on "$379" anyway, it will take you to AA.com. Book it. Otherwise this fare is over $600. 

 

 

OK, thanks for this.   Clearly I don't know "how" to navigate for the lowest price.  My sister is a travel agent (she can NOT get "her price" for us - just a rule for TA's) and I don't want to tie up too much of her time.  I will have her help but THANK YOU FOR the above.  I've been going to kayak, Travelocity, another (forget name?) and the round trip is $7 - 800 or so for 1 person.  Ouch! 

 

[Lanny]

 

Just saw this on SD

 

Boston to Anchorage Alaska $378 RT on American Airlines (SUMMER travel) at American Airlines

American Airlines [aa.com] have round trip SUMMER airfares travelling from Boston (BOS) to Anchorage Alaska (ANC) for $379 including taxes and fees. Both outbound and return flight makes 1 stop and quite possibly enough time for you to go out and see the city. And it will stop in two different cities (Los Angeles and Phoenix). 

 

Travel Availability. 

Departs BOS: June 18; July 4, 15, 23, 27, 28

Returns BOS: June 19-22, 27; July 10, 11, 13, 17, 23, 24; Aug 1-8

 

Departs ANC: June 9, 10, 13

Returns ANC: June 18, 19, 22; July 4, 5, 15, 23, 27, 28

 

This one is a bit tricky to get because I tried going to the American Airines site directly and I tried Priceline, Orbitz....none working. To get this price of $378 roundtrip, use Google Flights Search [google.com], click on your preferred travel dates, scroll down and book it with American Airlines. It may or may not tell you that it requires a "separate ticket" purchase. Click on "$379" anyway, it will take you to AA.com. Book it. Otherwise this fare is over $600. 

 

 

WOW!    Good catch mommyoffive!   Yesterday, I spent a few minutes, looking at JFK to LHR (London Heathrow) and to ANC (Anchorage) and what I saw (I checked going on 06 June and returning on 20 June as I recall) was approximately USD $745. 

 

IIMO, USD $378, if that includes all of the service charges, taxes, etc., as it says, from BOS (Boston) to ANC (Anchorage) is a super low fare.    Not as fast as going on Nonstop flights, but probably a lot less money?

 

OP: I don't know where you live. If you are not near to Boston, before booking that, I would search that way, on those same dates, and close to those dates,  from airports closer to you. Possibly American, or, another carrier, will have a fare like that, from an airport closer to your home.

 

Outstanding low fare catch!

 

ETA: I will tell my wife and DD about Google Flights and ask them to remind me about it, for our next trips.

Edited May 8, 2017 by Lanny

[mommyoffive]

WOW!    Good catch mommyoffive!   Yesterday, I spent a few minutes, looking at JFK to LHR (London Heathrow) and to ANC (Anchorage) and what I saw (I checked going on 06 June and returning on 20 June as I recall) was approximately USD $745. 

 

IIMO, USD $378, if that includes all of the service charges, taxes, etc., as it says, from BOS (Boston) to ANC (Anchorage) is a super low fare.    Not as fast as going on Nonstop flights, but probably a lot less money?

 

OP: I don't know where you live. If you are not near to Boston, before booking that, I would search that way, on those same dates, and close to those dates,  from airports closer to you. Possibly American, or, another carrier, will have a fare like that, from an airport closer to your home.

 

Outstanding low fare catch!

 

ETA: I will tell my wife and DD about Google Flights and ask them to remind me about it, for our next trips.

 

Yes I always use google flights.  

 

So much easier than the other sites. 

 

 

Google Flights explorer is awesome too

 

https://www.google.com/flights/explore/#explore;f=ORD;t=r-Europe-0x46ed8886cfadda85%253A0x72ef99e6b3fcf079;li=3;lx=5;d=2017-06-28

 

 

 

But there have been incredible sales to Europe from the east and west coast on full service airlines for $400 or less.   Nuts.

 

 

This is also from SD

Great price, but it doesn't include much and you can end up paying the 400 or so when you add in the fees.  Maybe for some who don't want a bag, assigned seats, or food it is great.

 

New York to Stockholm, Oslo or Copenhagen $282-$297 RT on Norwegian Air Nonstop (travel Nov-Dec) at Norwegian

Norwegian Air, a low-cost, long-haul airline, have round trip airfares travelling from New York City (JFK) to Stockholm Sweden for $282; Oslo Norway for $283 and Copenhagen Denmark for $297. These are all nonstop flights.

 

Travel availability:

 

JFK-ARN $282 nonstop

Departs Nov 18, 20, 25; Dec 2, 4, 9

Returns Nov 20, 22, 24, 25, 27, 29; Dec 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13

 

JFK-OSL $283 nonstop

Departs Nov 9, 10, 14, 17, 22, 24, 28, 30; Dec 1

Returns Nov 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21, 24, 28, 30; Dec 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12

 

JFK-CPH $297 nonstop

Departs Nov 1, 10, 13, 15, 24, 29; Dec 6

Returns Nov 13, 15, 17, 20, 22; Dec 1, 6, 13

 

Use dates above and book it directly with Norwegian [norwegian.com]

 

Norwegian Air is a low-cost air carrier. Check on their baggage allowance and fees [norwegian.com] before you decide on booking.

 

 

[tdbates78]

Also consider creating a free account with airfarewatchdog. You can input which cities you are interested in flying to and you'll get emails when the fares drop in price.

 

When I know where I want to go, I stalk airline prices daily. When we went to Croatia years ago I checked for weeks. On a random morning the flights to Dubrovnik dropped by over half so we jumped on it. The next day they were back up. It pays to be diligent and flexible.

Edited May 8, 2017 by tdbates78