NCEP: vacation destinations? (Brief @ mention)

[StrawberryBlondie]

Anyone want to help me brainstorm?

Planning a vacation for the summer. 5 people, ages 10-75. Looking to be away for about 5 days. Not particularly picky about destination, but needs to be somewhere that would appeal to everyone. Looking to keep hotel + flight costs at or under $5k.

So far we have Seattle and San Diego on the list.

Here's some criteria:

Within about a 4 hr plane ride from the midwest

International is fine

No beachy all-inclusives (doing that next winter)

No San Francisco (one member of our party nixed)

No Chicago (too close, go there regularly)

One party member has some mobility issues so the main activities can't be walking unless something like scooter rental is readily available.

[fernweh]

If less than 4 hour flight is a sticking point Seattle and San Diego are probably too far. They are both (at least from my midwestern airport) 5+ hours.

I don’t know where you are coming from but H and I really enjoyed Milwaukee (though we primarily did brewery related stuff so maybe not for your group), Philadelphia and Cleveland.

[Velar Fricative]

I always recommend Montreal, I think that's about 4 hours away? If not, Toronto is great too. Lots of walking but they're big cities so I'm sure scooter rentals would be available.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Nov 21, 2023 10:30:47 GMT -5 fernweh said:

If less than 4 hour flight is a sticking point Seattle and San Diego are probably too far. They are both (at least from my midwestern airport) 5+ hours.

I don’t know where you are coming from but H and I really enjoyed Milwaukee (though we primarily did brewery related stuff so maybe not for your group), Philadelphia and Cleveland.

They're both about 4 hrs from MSP. Basically anywhere in the lower 48 is 4 hrs or less. Seattle is almost exactly 4 and San Diego is just under 4.

Milwaukee is fun but it's close enough that's a long weekend drive away. So similar reasons to nix it to Chicago.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Nov 21, 2023 10:42:23 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

I always recommend Montreal, I think that's about 4 hours away? If not, Toronto is great too. Lots of walking but they're big cities so I'm sure scooter rentals would be available.

Yeah, walking would absolutely be a sticking point depending on circumstance. Basically, the main mode of transportation can't be walking and the main activities can't center around walking, though something like Disney World would be fine because of scooter availability. Or if we could drive or take public transport to the activities, and then rent a scooter while there.

[Scout'sHonor]

We are planning on San Diego next spring and stuff like the zoo and museums would be scooter accessible. Seattle felt like much more walking and public transit.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Nov 21, 2023 11:03:04 GMT -5 Scout'sHonor said:

We are planning on San Diego next spring and stuff like the zoo and museums would be scooter accessible. Seattle felt like much more walking and public transit.

Yeah, we've done Seattle before (like 10 years ago) and would 100% rent a car if that's the winner.

[shauni27]

With it being summer, would a beach vacation work? I know some beaches now have wheelchair friendly "ramps" that go out really far (we use them for my mom). Or would you prefer a city?

What about New England?

[StrawberryBlondie]

Nov 21, 2023 11:34:46 GMT -5 shauni27 said:

With it being summer, would a beach vacation work? I know some beaches now have wheelchair friendly "ramps" that go out really far (we use them for my mom). Or would you prefer a city?

What about New England?

We'd been talking about maybe Outer Banks but generally want to stay away from beachy stuff since we're going to be doing a tropical beach vacation less than 4 months later (this vacay is likely to be July or August and our family vacay will be October or November).

We'd be fine with beach being one of the things we do, just prefer not the main attraction.

[Velar Fricative]

Nov 21, 2023 10:50:42 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

Nov 21, 2023 10:42:23 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

I always recommend Montreal, I think that's about 4 hours away? If not, Toronto is great too. Lots of walking but they're big cities so I'm sure scooter rentals would be available.

Yeah, walking would absolutely be a sticking point depending on circumstance. Basically, the main mode of transportation can't be walking and the main activities can't center around walking, though something like Disney World would be fine because of scooter availability. Or if we could drive or take public transport to the activities, and then rent a scooter while there.

Disney was going to be my next recommendation. I don’t have mobility issues but I was floored when I went for the first time a few months ago at how accessible they seemed. Now I get why people go there lol.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Nov 21, 2023 12:56:38 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Nov 21, 2023 10:50:42 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

Yeah, walking would absolutely be a sticking point depending on circumstance. Basically, the main mode of transportation can't be walking and the main activities can't center around walking, though something like Disney World would be fine because of scooter availability. Or if we could drive or take public transport to the activities, and then rent a scooter while there.

Disney was going to be my next recommendation. I don’t have mobility issues but I was floored when I went for the first time a few months ago at how accessible they seemed. Now I get why people go there lol.

Honestly, Disney would be on the list except we just got back from there 3 weeks ago. 😉

My dad can walk fine, it's just distances or long periods of time standing he has issues with. So, we couldn't take him hiking around Mt. Rainier, but he'd have no problem wandering through Pike Place Market, for example.

[waverly]

San Diego is probably more car friendly. I think I would pick it over Seattle. We did both Seattle and the northeast and we liked the vibe of the northeast a bit better think Portland, Maine/ New Hampshire etc. If you want a big city you could add in Boston. Avoid driving through beach towns as there will be traffic in July/ August.

[heyyounotyouyou]

What about Belize? The main mode of transportation around ambergis Caye is a golf cart. Food is pretty inexpensive as well.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Nov 22, 2023 10:51:31 GMT -5 heyyounotyouyou said:

What about Belize? The main mode of transportation around ambergis Caye is a golf cart. Food is pretty inexpensive as well.

Too similar to the vacation we're in early planning stages for that we'll be taking 3-4 months later. But officially adding Belize to the list of possible destinations for that one.

[redheadbaker]

Philly! Lots of public transportation for getting around.

[gemini79]

Nov 22, 2023 11:33:32 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

Nov 22, 2023 10:51:31 GMT -5 heyyounotyouyou said:

What about Belize? The main mode of transportation around ambergis Caye is a golf cart. Food is pretty inexpensive as well.

Too similar to the vacation we're in early planning stages for that we'll be taking 3-4 months later. But officially adding Belize to the list of possible destinations for that one.

My husband has been to Belize in the winter (lovely!) And summer. (Gates of hell hot, buggy and humid!)

Just something to consider. Central America in summer is the equatorial jungle lol.


If you are considering San Diego or Seattle, what about Boston, Maine and Vermont. They are awesome in the summer and offer a variety of activity options for adaptation to mobility needs..plus there are directs to Boston from Chicago.