Pink and Green Mom Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 We have an Alaskan cruise planned for the last week in June. DH and I have been, but the kids have not. I also have a summer girls trip with 5 high school friends in July. Not sure where we are going yet but the top 3 choices are: Chicago, Savannah, or Key West (never been to Chicago and only did an overnight in Savannah). DH and I usually go away for our anniversary the week after Thanksgiving. This past year we went to Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao and I would love to go back there again, or spend a week in Bonaire instead. I also have to go to my inlaws in PA for a week, and go on about 6 or so travel baseball tournaments with DS16 but I don't consider these vacations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 (edited) 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! Um your family camp sounds like heaven. Can I ask the name of it? Well I think there are all sorts of ways to afford large family travel. It depends what your budget is and what you like. Some people have a line item in their budget just for travel. Some people camp. Other people cut back in other areas to afford travel. Drive old cars, not give presents but experiences, work extra jobs. We travel hack a little. We could afford to pay for the domestic and international trips that we take the kids on, but why when we can get them for less or free? You can drive to destinations, sometimes that helps. Although you have figure in the cost of that too. I think great houses are all around. Have you ever rented a timeshare on Ebay. That is crazy cheap and a lot of them hold bigger groups 6, 8, 10, or 12. We have done it and it is worth it. Plus some of the places are really really nice. Even little things about how doing things with a big family is key. Like going to free museums or events. Getting a membership that can get you into other places for free. Flying doesn't have to be expensive either. If you don't want to travel hack you can still fly for cheap. There are a lot of domestic airlines that offer low fares Frontier Spirit JetBlue Southwest The big ones have low basic fares too And flying international you can go for cheap on basic economy too on airlines. Often traveling for $300 or so to Europe. Also catching sales is a great way to fly for cheap. I tempted to buy tickets to Hong Kong right now that are $357 RT. Good places for deals on flights scott's cheap flights airfarewatchdog secretflying google flights Edited January 5, 2018 by mommyoffive 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaConquest Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 How are the islands that were hit by the hurricanes doing? Other than occasionally Puerto Rico, it seems like rebuilding is no longer news. 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. 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. The islands were very hungry for tourists and super happy to have visitors. The hurricanes have done a number on tourism, which is one of the reasons why we went. We were so upset by the response by our government, and voting with our dollars was the only way we felt we could help. We ate at the most amazing restaurant in Old San Juan. Seriously, one of the best meals I've had in my life (and I am a serious foodie), and the owner told us that he was just breaking even (they had 5X the business last year). The name of the restaurant is Marmalade, and if you ever are in Puerto Rico, it is worth the trip. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g147320-d792961-Reviews-Marmalade_Restaurant_Wine_Bar-San_Juan_Puerto_Rico.html The islands were definitely hit hard, particularly some of the wildlife and the reefs, but the human devastation was not as bad as we had worried. We had TMobile data on every island we visited, and people were definitely quick to rebuild things like roads -- especially those used by tourists. Certainly, the more remote areas are the slowest to recover, but we rented cars almost everywhere we visited, so that we could break away from the cruise ship mobs and see more real island life. It was a fabulous trip. Definitely encourage people to go! Re the sailboat, that is a longer tale. I am jaded because I have gone through two pregnancies, babies, and then toddlers aboard. So, it's very different from life as a couple. I am happy to talk to you more about it, but a catamaran is the way to go, if you do it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 (edited) Jackson Hole, Wyoming this winter. No firm plans, but I also want to go to one of the springs in Florida so we can see manatees. Edited January 6, 2018 by trulycrabby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbelle Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 We are going to Paris! I traveled all through Europe and even France, but I have never visited Paris. We are staying in an airbnb accomodation. My mom also wants to go to the beach with everyone, which will be awesome, except she wants to go the weekend that U2 will be at the closest city near me. AGHHH...What to do? I could leave kids with them, but they are getting older and they orient towards tending the cousins more than my kids. It's ok for my olders but I worry about my little guy being safe. Maybe everyone can just come home. Maybe she will want to do another weekend instead. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 We will be doing a week on Martha's Vineyard for sure. Another week we will either camp at Acadia NP (our fav) or do a week on the AT somewhere, which we've never done. If anyone has any tips on the best part of the AT to hike if you only have a week, I'm all ears. I also have a free timeshare week and lots of credit card rewards points, so I'm trying to sneak in a week in Florida/Disney as well. It would literally have to be free to get dh on board, but I'm up for the challenge :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theelfqueen Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Taking our kids (including Oldest and his fiancee) to Disneyland in February. Going to spend a week in the mountains between their graduation and wedding. Not really looking forward to that one... mother-in-law is wedding crazy and I hate that stuff so it's not sounding fun to me. Going on a scrapbook retreat in Seattle in July. Not sure what else. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Unless I can significantly speed up the "pay down credit card debt" portion of my not-quite-New-Year's-Resolutions goals, travel is not in the cards for us this year. Because of my recent promotion to full time, I am not entitled to any vacation time for another five months, anyway. The one possibility might be going up to NYC to visit our daughter in the second half of the year. She would very much like us to come, so we'll see how that goes. Therefore, I guess I'll have to live vicariously through all of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 So glad my dh's company is starting to make money. The last few years have been super tight, and we have only traveled because of the genoristy of my in-laws. We have a trip planned to Chicago that was the kids' Christmas gift, but also for me, as we will go see Hamilton. DH and I never did our 25th anniversary trip last year as funds were too tight. We are planning a trip to Germany using frequent flier miles!! I am so excited. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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