10-day vacation. Where do you go? (1 Viewer)

[Apple Jack]

San Francisco 1-2 days, Napa for 4-days, Vegas for 3 days.

That was an awesome vacation. Should have budgeted a couple of recovery days though.

I would add at least a couple of days in Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur. All of the charm of SF but none of the crap.

Wut?

Big fan of the autumn SF vacation. That's summertime there, when you are least likely to encounter the marine layer and it's when most of the killer festivals are planned. The best city in the country at it's best time of year. And you have an all-world golf course right there in the city limits in Harding Park. Best pro-tip for SF...a light dose of mushrooms and walk Golden Gate Park end to end on a sunny day, followed by sushi dinner in the Sunset.

There are bad parts of SF that are right up against the other stuff. Tenderloin, Portrero Hill, etc. Just saying Monterey feels like all of the good stuff of SF without the crap parts.

Don't take this the wrong way, but that sounds like a super-paranoid, terrified-of-cities take on SF. The TL and PH have no impact on an experience in SF if you don't want to go in them. Monterrey is nice and all, but outside of being on the Pacific coast it's nothing like SF.

ETA: And the TL has some of the best people watching on the planet.

 

[Mad Cow]

San Francisco 1-2 days, Napa for 4-days, Vegas for 3 days.

That was an awesome vacation. Should have budgeted a couple of recovery days though.

I would add at least a couple of days in Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur. All of the charm of SF but none of the crap.

Wut?

Big fan of the autumn SF vacation. That's summertime there, when you are least likely to encounter the marine layer and it's when most of the killer festivals are planned. The best city in the country at it's best time of year. And you have an all-world golf course right there in the city limits in Harding Park. Best pro-tip for SF...a light dose of mushrooms and walk Golden Gate Park end to end on a sunny day, followed by sushi dinner in the Sunset.

There are bad parts of SF that are right up against the other stuff. Tenderloin, Portrero Hill, etc. Just saying Monterey feels like all of the good stuff of SF without the crap parts.

Don't take this the wrong way, but that sounds like a super-paranoid, terrified-of-cities take on SF. The TL and PH have no impact on an experience in SF if you don't want to go in them. Monterrey is nice and all, but outside of being on the Pacific coast it's nothing like SF.

ETA: And the TL has some of the best people watching on the planet.

OK. I lived in the Bay Area and specifically SF for 2 years in the early 90's and have returned to visit several times, but I clearly do not know what I am talking about.

 

[AAABatteries]

My personal situation - Looking for max relaxation. November.

Beach - next question is where do you live and how much travel time/cost do you want.

 

[Apple Jack]

San Francisco 1-2 days, Napa for 4-days, Vegas for 3 days.

That was an awesome vacation. Should have budgeted a couple of recovery days though.

I would add at least a couple of days in Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur. All of the charm of SF but none of the crap.

Wut?

Big fan of the autumn SF vacation. That's summertime there, when you are least likely to encounter the marine layer and it's when most of the killer festivals are planned. The best city in the country at it's best time of year. And you have an all-world golf course right there in the city limits in Harding Park. Best pro-tip for SF...a light dose of mushrooms and walk Golden Gate Park end to end on a sunny day, followed by sushi dinner in the Sunset.

There are bad parts of SF that are right up against the other stuff. Tenderloin, Portrero Hill, etc. Just saying Monterey feels like all of the good stuff of SF without the crap parts.

Don't take this the wrong way, but that sounds like a super-paranoid, terrified-of-cities take on SF. The TL and PH have no impact on an experience in SF if you don't want to go in them. Monterrey is nice and all, but outside of being on the Pacific coast it's nothing like SF.

ETA: And the TL has some of the best people watching on the planet.

OK. I lived in the Bay Area and specifically SF for 2 years in the early 90's and have returned to visit several times, but I clearly do not know what I am talking about.

If you think the TL and PH should impact a decision whether or not to go to SF, you are extremely paranoid. That's all I'm saying. Neither neighborhood is going to have the slightest effect on a vacationer who does not go into them. And even those who do, they are hardly Hunter's Point or SE DC. I used to live at Sutter and Hyde, like a block from the TL. Never once had a problem. Been to Bottom of the Hill in Portrero Hill 15-30 times. Never had a problem. And where exactly do you think these tourists are going to be that they are going to be exposed to those neighborhoods?

And just curious, where specifically did you live in SF 20+ years ago?

 

[Chaos Commish]

My personal situation - Looking for max relaxation. November.

I read this and I think Mexico. There's some wonderful off the beaten path beach locations where all you can really do is max relax. Zihuatenejo is everything Andy Dufresne hoped it would be.

 

[Mad Cow]

San Francisco 1-2 days, Napa for 4-days, Vegas for 3 days.

That was an awesome vacation. Should have budgeted a couple of recovery days though.

I would add at least a couple of days in Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur. All of the charm of SF but none of the crap.

Wut?

Big fan of the autumn SF vacation. That's summertime there, when you are least likely to encounter the marine layer and it's when most of the killer festivals are planned. The best city in the country at it's best time of year. And you have an all-world golf course right there in the city limits in Harding Park. Best pro-tip for SF...a light dose of mushrooms and walk Golden Gate Park end to end on a sunny day, followed by sushi dinner in the Sunset.

There are bad parts of SF that are right up against the other stuff. Tenderloin, Portrero Hill, etc. Just saying Monterey feels like all of the good stuff of SF without the crap parts.

Don't take this the wrong way, but that sounds like a super-paranoid, terrified-of-cities take on SF. The TL and PH have no impact on an experience in SF if you don't want to go in them. Monterrey is nice and all, but outside of being on the Pacific coast it's nothing like SF.

ETA: And the TL has some of the best people watching on the planet.

OK. I lived in the Bay Area and specifically SF for 2 years in the early 90's and have returned to visit several times, but I clearly do not know what I am talking about.

If you think the TL and PH should impact a decision whether or not to go to SF, you are extremely paranoid. That's all I'm saying. Neither neighborhood is going to have the slightest effect on a vacationer who does not go into them. And even those who do, they are hardly Hunter's Point or SE DC. I used to live at Sutter and Hyde, like a block from the TL. Never once had a problem. Been to Bottom of the Hill in Portrero Hill 15-30 times. Never had a problem. And where exactly do you think these tourists are going to be that they are going to be exposed to those neighborhoods?

And just curious, where specifically did you live in SF 20+ years ago?

Mission District to be exact. I was all over. Hunters Point, near the Cow Palace, Tenderloin a fair amount. I know or at least knew the areas fairly well. And I never at any time said that those areas should keep anyone from SF. Please take a look at what I said. I said Monterey has the charm of SF without the crap that you can find in SF. That is it. You seem to have read a lot more into that statement. If you visit both, you can see what I am saying.

 

[Apple Jack]

I would probably do Zihuatenejo (not Ixtapa), PV, or Playa del Carmen. PDC probably the best bang for the buck if you live on the east coast.

 

[ffldrew]

Because of Aloha time - 10 days in Hawaii is like 20 elsewhere

 

[phatdawg]

Italy ... fairly easy answer because my wife and I are planning a 10-day trip there!

 

[Mad Cow]

Italy ... fairly easy answer because my wife and I are planning a 10-day trip there!

We went last Aug/Sept and rarely a day goes by I don't think about it and want to return.

 

[MAC_32]

San Francisco 1-2 days, Napa for 4-days, Vegas for 3 days.

That was an awesome vacation. Should have budgeted a couple of recovery days though.

I would add at least a couple of days in Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur. All of the charm of SF but none of the crap.

Monterrey was a cool town, but we weren't impressed with the other two. The drive to Big Sur is as advertised though.

 

[Mad Cow]

San Francisco 1-2 days, Napa for 4-days, Vegas for 3 days.

That was an awesome vacation. Should have budgeted a couple of recovery days though.

I would add at least a couple of days in Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur. All of the charm of SF but none of the crap.

Monterrey was a cool town, but we weren't impressed with the other two. The drive to Big Sur is as advertised though.

17 mile and Pebble Beach were cool. Los Lobos Nature Reserve also very cool for an afternoon. Carmel Beach was a pretty nice beach, esp if you like dogs and white sand beaches. Tons of fun restaurants, etc.

 

[Pipes]

Maui

 

[Pumpnick]

australia

 

[Chemical X]

very open ended question, but I'd throw a cruise out there. for me, more than 4-5 nights in the same location is overkill, especially the Caribbean where it's all the same IMO. royal caribbean has about every damn thing available on board, including private dining. you can see different locations and explore each, but you get a bang for your buck with what's included. no matter, I would go somewhere where I can fly direct, I am not wasting a day changing planes and traveling all day.

edit to say not just Caribbean, you could fly to Barcelona and take a great Mediterranean cruise, etc.

 

[Spike]

Aruba for me. My wife and I went the year before we got married and we loved it. Would (again) do the all-inclusive and would just be there to relax, be at the beach, have good food/drinks and ease my mind.

 

[Apple Jack]

Aruba for me. My wife and I went the year before we got married and we loved it. Would (again) do the all-inclusive and would just be there to relax, be at the beach, have good food/drinks and ease my mind.

Everybody I know who has been to Aruba has said they wouldn't go back because of the wind. How was the wind when you were there?

 

[Dentist]

Aruba for me. My wife and I went the year before we got married and we loved it. Would (again) do the all-inclusive and would just be there to relax, be at the beach, have good food/drinks and ease my mind.

Everybody I know who has been to Aruba has said they wouldn't go back because of the wind. How was the wind when you were there?

This has been my #1 fear of Aruba also. I have had a trip compromised by wind and have known others who's trip was severely limited by wind.

Picking the windiest island in the Caribbean seems like a risky choice to me. I've heard accounts of the sand whips there. And it sounds horrible.

Honestly regardless of his response, I doubt I ever visit this island due to wind. I really really hate wind

 

[jamny]

Went to Aruba on our honeymoon and there was some wind but I don't really remember it being an issue. Loved it and would go back anytime.

 

[Spike]

Aruba for me. My wife and I went the year before we got married and we loved it. Would (again) do the all-inclusive and would just be there to relax, be at the beach, have good food/drinks and ease my mind.

Everybody I know who has been to Aruba has said they wouldn't go back because of the wind. How was the wind when you were there?

There was always a breeze but it felt great to me. The temperature was always mid-80s and it was always sunny.

I'd never heard anyone say anything bad about the weather there.

 

[Spike]

Aruba for me. My wife and I went the year before we got married and we loved it. Would (again) do the all-inclusive and would just be there to relax, be at the beach, have good food/drinks and ease my mind.

Everybody I know who has been to Aruba has said they wouldn't go back because of the wind. How was the wind when you were there?

This has been my #1 fear of Aruba also. I have had a trip compromised by wind and have known others who's trip was severely limited by wind.

Picking the windiest island in the Caribbean seems like a risky choice to me. I've heard accounts of the sand whips there. And it sounds horrible.

Honestly regardless of his response, I doubt I ever visit this island due to wind. I really really hate wind

It's more of a constant breeze than "wind". You're not on the beach, covering your eyes because of it.