Travel plans for 2018

[mommyoffive]

It is cold and I want to think about other things.

 

 

Where are you planning or hoping to travel to in 2018?

 

Do you have trips already planned? 

 

 

 

Go

[creekland]

So far two trips planned for two weeks each to Ft Desoto campground in St Petersburg, FL.  One is in Feb, the  other in March.  The March trip starts at the GA Aquarium and includes the week of my two younger boys' Spring Break.  Oldest might be able to meet us at the Aquarium.  There will be at least one extra week of travel there and back because we plan to hit sites we enjoy along the way.

 

Both trips are dependent upon my mom's health.  This is why we selected Ft Desoto for both.  It's only a $5 loss if we need to cancel or shorten and it's waterfront camping at my favorite Continental US beach (same park, beach is not in the campground itself).  In an ideal world, my mom wants to see the Aquarium with us.  I hope she can.

 

We do trips once per month usually, though not always as long.  Jan is sort of getting skipped, but is right after traveling for Christmas to both sets of parents, etc.

 

May has another trip to St Pete already planned since my youngest will be graduating.

 

Middle son is almost definitely going to Spain for research this summer, so we might plan a June or July trip there.  I'm not fond of that hot in summer, so we'll see.  I haven't been to Spain yet.  

 

Any other trips will be made later on as we see how my mom's health progresses.

 

I don't count Canada as trips... we go there pretty often, esp when visiting my mom.  There are restaurants, etc, there we enjoy, and she lives on the border.

[Ottakee]

We will do 4 days in Mackinaw City/Island with family as is tradition.

 

I hope to do 2-3 days at my friend's cottage in the lake.

 

A trip to Atlanta area might be on the list as well to see my sister but it is 12 hours of driving and I am the only driver (or navigator).

[Bluegoat]

My sister and I are going to the UK.

 

We are staying two nights in London at the Indian YMCA.  We're having a basic personality difference over the theatre though - she wants to see Phantom of the Opera and I want to see McBeth.  I think we'll go to the British museum, but we are keeping things pretty open otherwise.

 

We'll take the train to Oxford and stay there a night and do some walking in the day.  Then we drive to my Nana's home village for two days - we'll do some hiking and visit a famous garden, I think.

 

Then we are driving up to Scotland.  We are going to visit a nice restaurant, go on a pony trek, and I think visit Stirling.  Then into Edinburgh/Glasgow for a few days and fly out from there.

Edited January 2, 2018 by Bluegoat

[Rachel]

I’m taking my husband to San Antonio for his 40th birthday.

 

Other than that we have nothing planned. We will likely go camping a few times. I wanted to go somewhere for my birthday but I’ll be 9 months pregnant.

[MBM]

Going to Kauai this Sunday for two weeks! Goodbye cold, cruel weather. Hello rainbows and woo-hoo birds!

 

Possibly a 4-day trip to Miami/Key West in February.

 

In April dh and I are going to DC for his work. Staying near Adams Morgan.

 

That’s it so far.

Edited January 2, 2018 by MBM

[mommyoffive]

I’m taking my husband to San Antonio for his 40th birthday.

 

Other than that we have nothing planned. We will likely go camping a few times. I wanted to go somewhere for my birthday but I’ll be 9 months pregnant.

 

Can you go a month or two early or later? 

[mommyoffive]

Going to Kauai this Sunday for two weeks! Goodbye cold, cruel weather. Hello rainbows and woo-hoo birds!

 

Possibly a 4-day trip to Miami/Key West in February.

 

In April dh and I are going to DC for his work. Staying near Adams Morgan.

 

That’s it so far.

 

 

So jealous of both of those.   I think that is the key to winter is escaping it.    We have for the past 3 years, but can't this year.    :(

[sassenach]

Tahoe in Feb for dh’s 40th. Then sending him to spring training in AZ 2 weeks later.

 

Nothing planned for the summer, yet. That usually means we’ll end up going to Oregon. 2017 was a big travel year, so I’m not expecting a lot from 2018.

[Rachel]

Can you go a month or two early or later?

Possibly. This was such a surprise I haven’t been able to think travel plans.

[MBM]

So jealous of both of those. I think that is the key to winter is escaping it. We have for the past 3 years, but can't this year. :(

I hear ya. Years ago when we couldn’t escape, I’d put on one of those real-time cameras showing the ocean in Hawaii. A very small consolation, though.

 

I’d much rather live someplace warmer than Chicago but, alas, we are stuck here for 2.5 years.

[MEmama]

Northern Europe. Still hammering out details.

 

It's a great project on frigid days!

[purpleowl]

We are really not big travelers, but we happen to have two vacations planned this year. Next month, a cruise to the Bahamas for just DH and me - I won a cruise gift card in a drawing, and now we've saved up enough money for our free cruise. ;) And actually, we're adding a couple days in Orlando just beforehand, to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

 

Then later in the year, ILs decided to take the whole family to Disney World (whole family = the five of us, BIL and his wife and their two kids, plus MIL & FIL). 

[Laura in CA]

NY/NJ in April to see a German singer we love (he sings 1920s classics, w/his vintage-style orchestra), visit our old haunts in Princeton, and see the Colbert show being "taped" (or however they call that nowadays), visit Fraunces Tavern, & other touristy stuff.

 

Probably England in the summer (for work, but we'll play, too). We were there last month and I visited old friends, took a ballet class, visited Doc Martin's Cornish village, saw the excellent "Wind in the Willows" display at the River & Rowing Museum in Henley, etc.

I know I am ridiculously spoiled. :)

 

Oh, both boys graduate from university this spring, so trips to their unis, too, w/family and friends.

 

It won't be nearly as busy a year as last year was, but travel is clearly our hobby. That, and books. :)

 

Fun thread! I'm enjoying reading everyone's responses.

 

[creekland]

So jealous of both of those.   I think that is the key to winter is escaping it.    We have for the past 3 years, but can't this year.    :(

 

I fully understand this.  The one year we couldn't escape winter it was incredibly long and frustrating.  That natural Vitamin D intake seems to help us considerably.  Over the years we're morphing into snowbirding to avoid winter.  Normally we escape for all or a good part of Feb.  This year we're breaking that up into two shorter trips just to FL in order be back in between due to my mom's health and to include the boys' Spring Break.  I know when we leave in Feb it's going to seem "wrong" considering what we've gotten used to.  I'm thankful we still have it to look forward to, esp with the extreme cold we're getting this year.

 

But I also know we might need to cancel one or the other trip.  Time will tell.  My mom is all for us still taking them.

[creekland]

I hear ya. Years ago when we couldn’t escape, I’d put on one of those real-time cameras showing the ocean in Hawaii. A very small consolation, though.

 

I’d much rather live someplace warmer than Chicago but, alas, we are stuck here for 2.5 years.

 

I read (on here) that Southwest is planning to start flying to Hawaii in 2018.  It has me seriously thinking that next Feb we'll head back there!  I love seeing the Spinner Dolphins, Whales, and Manta Rays along with the gorgeous scenery and reefs.

[Amira]

We have an international move again this year that includes spending time on four continents over three months so that will use up a lot of my travel urge. I want to see as much as I can in Saudi before it gets hot again though, and I’m still hoping to go somewhere with just dh for our 20th anniversary (which already passed, but I’m giving us till the date of the 21st). Dh also wants to go to Dubai this year. We might drive there at the end of May if it doesn’t conflict with ds’s high school graduation plans.

Edited January 2, 2018 by Amira

[Sneezyone]

We’re going to do a NE college road trip over the summer. It’ll just be me, SIL, and the kids since DH is working. Should be fun tho. I haven’t decided on the schools yet. We just got back from three weeks of OCONUS travel and have two moves next year so we’ll definitely be sticking closer to home.

Edited January 2, 2018 by Sneezyone

[TravelingChris]

So far, short trip to Memphis TN, trip to Great Smokies NP and Gatlinburg for Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage, trip to Greece, Turkey, and someplace else - mostly in a tour from our church but a few days on our own, and that is all we have planned so far.  I know we will do other things too but not sure what or when.  I think we will go camping and kayaking in the spring and fall  someplace.  We also might do another city vacation someplace.

[mommyoffive]

I read (on here) that Southwest is planning to start flying to Hawaii in 2018.  It has me seriously thinking that next Feb we'll head back there!  I love seeing the Spinner Dolphins, Whales, and Manta Rays along with the gorgeous scenery and reefs.

 

Yep and the CP is going to work for those tickets. 

 

I wanted to jump at those crazy cheap flights to Hawaii I posted.   I don't feel a huge draw towards Hawaii and a lot of other warm places are a heck of a lot closer. 

[3 ladybugs]

We might go to Albuquerque NM.  :glare: However I am hoping to push that back till next year after we get a bigger van. 

 

My mom has a heck of a trip planned for April. She (and her DH) are going to the BVI's (British Virgin Islands) and renting a catamaran and sailing for a week. She has done this before and loved it. I guess the trip is still on despite the hurricane damage. 

 

My father (not married to my mother) is suppose to be going to Europe with my step mother and 2 sisters (both minors). My youngest sister is suppose to go to China for 2 weeks in April (school trip) and my older younger sister wants to either go to China for the summer (a semi school thing) or become a foreign exchange student to Denmark. So we will have to see what comes of that. 

 

Compared to my parents I seem to be standing still this year. However we hope to foster an infant (to hopefully adopt), so that would be our excitement for the year! ;) We will likely go to the NYC Auto show in April (we live in NJ) and the Hershey, PA RV show in September. We do both of these every year though. My boys would love if we would go to Fontana Resort in NC this year again (went for the eclipse last year). Still trying to figure out a way to work that out though. DH wants to camp more this year too... another thing that would be helpful to have a larger van for. 

 

Anyway we slice it, I am sure it will be a great year! :D

[mom31257]

My extended family is taking a trip to Disney this spring. 

 

Dd is traveling to Italy with her college this year. I'm so excited for her. She's never been out of the country. 

 

Do mission trips count? Dh and ds are going on a mission trip to Alaska, and they will have one day of site-seeing.  

 

We don't have any other travel plans as of now, but we usually try to do something in the summer since dh is off work. I'd love to go somewhere special next Christmas/New Year's, but I don't know if we'll have the budget for it. 

[Χά�ων]

We want to do a bike trip but will have to see about DH's vacation time to see how long we can be gone.

 

DS is planning on camps. Nothing else.

[Meadowlark]

1) Family camp

 

2) Minnesota (twin cities and up by Lake Superior)

 

And if anyone wants to talk large family travel, I'm all ears!

Edited January 2, 2018 by Meadowlark

[wintermom]

I would LOVE to go somewhere warmer with mountains for some amazing skiing, then somewhere hot with a beach. Sadly, neither of these will be happening, so I'll just have to keep dreaming. ;)

 

Back to reality, dh mentioned that if he can manage a work meeting in Rome we could go together. That would be amazing. I'd probably try to get a cheap local flight up to Norway while there. I have relatives and friends I haven't seen in 20 years.

[creekland]

Yep and the CP is going to work for those tickets. 

 

I wanted to jump at those crazy cheap flights to Hawaii I posted.   I don't feel a huge draw towards Hawaii and a lot of other warm places are a heck of a lot closer. 

 

CP?

 

For us it's a toss up.  We love Hawaii and it's been a few years now since we've been there (college costs!).  However, we also love new places and have plenty left to discover.  Will we want to reminisce or will we want to explore?  I've no idea.  For this year we're just saving money and camping (again) at Ft Desoto. It helps that we love it there too.

 

Ideally we'd be able to toss backpacks on and just wander, but our bank account would get drained before the apocalypse happened I'm afraid (sigh) so we pick and choose from old haunts and new wonders.

 

I still have Iguazu pretty high on my "want to get there while I still can" list too, but that will need to wait if we opt to go to Spain to visit middle son while he's there.

[medawyn]

Most likely a trip to visit my parents/hometown in March to show off new baby girl, assuming a healthy arrival this month. And a similar trip to CO in May for DH’s parents/siblings/grandparents.

 

My mom has a free week in June and wants to travel somewhere with me and the kids. We’re tossing around the idea of Macinac Island.

 

Definitely Santa Fe, Seattle, and Jackson Hole but we haven’t nailed down dates yet. I’m sure another trip or two will pop up, but not until fall.

[Ottakee]

 

 

My mom has a free week in June and wants to travel somewhere with me and the kids. We’re tossing around the idea of Macinac Island.

 

.

Mackinaw is great for families. We will be there mid June.

[medawyn]

Mackinaw is great for families. We will be there mid June.

My mom grew up going, and so of course we did, too. I’d love to take my kids!

[Jann in TX]

I have a family reunion in Colorado in mid July-- youngest dd wants to do a college visit U of C while there.

 

I'm also getting ready to plan a 2-week trip to Uganda for this summer-- probably end of June/first of July.  Not an official 'vacation' as I will do teacher training workshops while there-- but I LOVE being there and getting to see the children and teachers I've worked with for the past 10 years!  (Let me know if you want to come!)

 

 

[Alice]

Dh and oldest are going to Chile in March for a missions trip. I just bought tickets last week to take the other two kids (ages 11 and 8) to San Antonio and Austin. I’ve never been to Texas and we are getting excited to start planning. 

 

We go to the beach every May with my parents. 

 

We’ll probably do some other long weekend family trip in the fall but not sure where. 

[Elizabeth86]

Idk yet. We had plans, but are now expecting. It will depend on how well the baby travels

[SeaConquest]

We just got back from a 2 week cruise to the Caribbean. We went to St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Antigua, Curacao, Aruba, Bonaire, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. We're spending 10 days in Turks & Caicos in April, and hope to go on another cruise (this time with the kids) to the Western Caribbean in December or January 2019. We'd like to check out the new Symphony of the Seas that Royal Caribbean is building. It looks incredible for the kids. Maybe a long weekend in Tahoe or Mammoth before the snow melts too.

Edited January 2, 2018 by SeaConquest

[mommyoffive]

1) Family camp

 

2) Minnesota (twin cities and up by Lake Superior)

 

And if anyone wants to talk large family travel, I'm all ears!

 

Sure what do you want to talk about?

 

 

I always wanted to do family camp and never have.  Which one do you go to? 

[mommyoffive]

CP?

 

For us it's a toss up.  We love Hawaii and it's been a few years now since we've been there (college costs!).  However, we also love new places and have plenty left to discover.  Will we want to reminisce or will we want to explore?  I've no idea.  For this year we're just saving money and camping (again) at Ft Desoto. It helps that we love it there too.

 

Ideally we'd be able to toss backpacks on and just wander, but our bank account would get drained before the apocalypse happened I'm afraid (sigh) so we pick and choose from old haunts and new wonders.

 

I still have Iguazu pretty high on my "want to get there while I still can" list too, but that will need to wait if we opt to go to Spain to visit middle son while he's there.

 

Companion pass

 

https://thepointsguy.com/2017/10/companion-pass-more-valuable/

[mommyoffive]

I have a family reunion in Colorado in mid July-- youngest dd wants to do a college visit U of C while there.

 

I'm also getting ready to plan a 2-week trip to Uganda for this summer-- probably end of June/first of July.  Not an official 'vacation' as I will do teacher training workshops while there-- but I LOVE being there and getting to see the children and teachers I've worked with for the past 10 years!  (Let me know if you want to come!)

 

Um I do.  Dream trip.  

[mommyoffive]

Dh and oldest are going to Chile in March for a missions trip. I just bought tickets last week to take the other two kids (ages 11 and 8) to San Antonio and Austin. I’ve never been to Texas and we are getting excited to start planning. 

 

We go to the beach every May with my parents. 

 

We’ll probably do some other long weekend family trip in the fall but not sure where. 

 

Yay glad you picked a place to take the younger kids.

[mommyoffive]

We just got back from a 2 week cruise to the Caribbean. We went to St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Antigua, Curacao, Aruba, Bonaire, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. We're spending 10 days in Turks & Caicos in April, and hope to go on another cruise (this time with the kids) to the Western Caribbean in December or January 2019. We'd like to check out the new Symphony of the Seas that Royal Caribbean is building. It looks incredible for the kids. Maybe a long weekend in Tahoe or Mammoth before the snow melts too.

 

I have always wanted to try a cruise, but have worried I would feel sick the whole time.  Someday. 

 

Did you guys decide not to travel in the RV?

[wendyroo]

DS6 and I are flying to Florida in two weeks to visit my aunt.

 

At the beginning of September we are taking a three week trip to the East Coast.  Mostly Boston because we will have just finished studying the revolution in history and also that is where DH and I both went to college.

 

At some point we will also spend a week or so at my parent's cottage and a week or so at the in-law's lake house in South Carolina.

 

Wendy

[maize]

I guess we will go to California. My kids' dance school is booked to perform at Disneyland.

 

I do not like Disneyland.

 

The tickets are discounted but not free for performers.

 

Can you tell I am super excited about this :tongue_smilie:

[Zinnia]

I will do 3 day trips to DC with my 3 boys (one at a time). We are all excited about that.

 

My inlaws live at the beach, and we will visit them Mem. Day as a "vacation trip." We visit them more, but it's usually a lot of grandma/grandpa, a tiny bit of beach. Once a year, we flip it and use their house as a base camp.

 

We are going to see my SIL in Pittsburgh for 4th of July week. She is keeping my kids overnight for us to stay in a hotel, something we have never done (my oldest is 11). Excited about the road trip, seeing her, and the night alone with dh!

 

We won't go the year without getting to the smokies, I am sure. Dh has hotel points, and it's only 4 hours away, so that helps

Edited January 3, 2018 by Zinnia

[Ravin]

We are going out to visit family in Texas this summer, and I think we're going to take a side trip to Carlsbad Caverns on the way there. We will probably tent camp.

[SeaConquest]

I have always wanted to try a cruise, but have worried I would feel sick the whole time. Someday.

 

Did you guys decide not to travel in the RV?

We've been living in the RV since September 2016, and we take a lot of weekend/holiday trips. But, I decided to go back to school, so longer trips by RV are out for now. The boys have been super happy at our campground here in San Diego, and we stay on our sailboat over the summer when the campground reverts to daily rates only.

[chicagoshannon]

It's our year of Disney.  We're going in Feb, May, and Sept.  I'm going to look into a weekend trip to Macinaw.  We've mentioned wanted to go there.  Might be nice if we can squeeze that in this summer.

[Donna]

Between the end of February to the end of April, dd and I will be in South Carolina, Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Florida. This summer we'll be in North Carolina and Minnesota. All the travel is for music festivals.

 

Hoping to visit Thailand again later this year but may have to put that off until next January. Also, will probably make it to Ireland sometime but don't have that scheduled yet.

[Garga]

It’s so cold here today.

 

We’re going to Arizona at the height of summer. It’ll be so hot!

[creekland]

We just got back from a 2 week cruise to the Caribbean. We went to St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Antigua, Curacao, Aruba, Bonaire, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. We're spending 10 days in Turks & Caicos in April, and hope to go on another cruise (this time with the kids) to the Western Caribbean in December or January 2019. We'd like to check out the new Symphony of the Seas that Royal Caribbean is building. It looks incredible for the kids. Maybe a long weekend in Tahoe or Mammoth before the snow melts too.

 

How are the islands that were hit by the hurricanes doing?  Other than occasionally Puerto Rico, it seems like rebuilding is no longer news.

 

We are going out to visit family in Texas this summer, and I think we're going to take a side trip to Carlsbad Caverns on the way there. We will probably tent camp.

 

FWIW, I love Carlsbad.  It'll probably be more crowded in the summer than the fall when we went, but the caverns themselves are spectacular.  I hope you get to take your side trip.

 

We've been living in the RV since September 2016, and we take a lot of weekend/holiday trips. But, I decided to go back to school, so longer trips by RV are out for now. The boys have been super happy at our campground here in San Diego, and we stay on our sailboat over the summer when the campground reverts to daily rates only.

 

Tell me more about living on the sailboat - pros and cons you've found.  Hubby wants me to consider living on one instead of my dreams of a beachfront condo.  He's thinking catamaran, 30 someodd feet.  I'm not at all positive I want to live on a boat.  It's his dream.

[mommyoffive]

All I have planned thus far is Europe in Spring.  

 

Lots of other thoughts since we have so many miles to burn and places to see. 

[Um_2_4]

We just got back from 5 weeks in Lebanon and Egypt, but I'm already planning for this year. Hopefully Europe for 3 weeks in march or April to visit family. Then the kids want to visit Turkey, so maybe sept or Oct, have to see when the ticket prices drop.

Plus I hope to plan a few weekend trips in there to grand canyon, San diego, northern ca. The kids would love to see the redwoods.

[Meadowlark]

Sure what do you want to talk about?

 

 

I always wanted to do family camp and never have.  Which one do you go to? 

 

Mainly, how in the world to afford it :-) Or maybe just if we could pass onto each other really great houses to rent. I always say that I would go just about anywhere if I was guaranteed a great house in a great location-something that someone has actually been too. Or just ideas of cities that are relatively cheap-like St. Louis for example. I could tell everyone how to take a family there on low budget because there are all kinds of free things.

 

Family camp-we go to one in Northern Iowa. I actually found out about it here! I was commenting on a thread about one about 3 years back whining about how there were no family camps near us. Someone from CA said they were flying to one in Iowa! I was like, what? That's close to me! So now we go. It's a beautiful experience. They give you 2 counselors that are assigned only to your family. They come get the kids so we can shower, they take the little ones through the buffet lines at mealtime, they take them to archery, horses, the lake, etc. Plus, there's spiritual nourishment while the kids go off and get age-appropriate teaching. Plus, it's just beautiful up there. It's really a no stress "vacation" because I don't have to cook and it's all you can eat!