Planning our next vacation

Also thinking about going to the Carlsbad Caverns... the grandest caves in North America. Bat season is approaching in April/May. Visitors can catch the "Bat Show" every evening as the large group evacuates the caves in unison, in search of  their evening meal. I would love to see the caves and go on a guided hike with hand-held lanterns through smaller caverns or "rooms". I know this sounds super nerdy but I love me some stalactites and stalagmites. However, their elevator is broken! That means visitors must use the natural entrance which is a 750 foot steep hike down and back UP to get out. Aye caramba! Supposedly they plan to have it fixed by May 31, tentatively speaking. But I'll believe it, i.e. buy plane tickets, when I see it.
 
SoCal said:
irvinehomeowner said:
Since me and SoCal are basically twins, I don't think she will enjoy Hawaii as much as you all do.

Like I said, you can save the flight by just staying at a nice resort in Newport Beach or if you want an "island experience", Catalina.
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Ikr? Seriously! I met a couple on Catalina that were celebrating their anniversary. They had saved around $10k to go to Hawaii. When they were researching where to stay, they realized that most of the activities in Hawaii were available on Catalina, for example, zip lining, snorkeling, hiking, Jeep tours, biking, sailing, paddle boarding, golf, etc. They ended up, of course, going to Catalina instead and were really happy with their decision! I love Catalina and go there annually. Plus, Catalina doesn't have the humidity that Hawaii has, don't have to spend all day on a plane to get there, and no need to waste perfectly good money if you don't have to. There's no surfing for the kids in Avalon, of course. But I did see kids with boards on the other side of the island. The only real downside I can think of are the hotels. You are pretty much roughing it. Catalina has some of the oldest hotels in the state. The Glenmore Plaza is the 2nd oldest hotel in California. Sure, they "modernize" them but not very well. But like you said, you can just as easily pick any nice hotel property in Newport which also has some of the best surfing in the world (not that I'm really going to let my kid surf The Wedge, but you know...)

I've thought about buying a condo in Hamilton Cove! Not to be Debbie Downer, but, I also decided when I die I will be cremated and buried in the Avalon Cemetery or sprinkled in the water, depending on the availability of plots (they have not returned my messages). That way, it will encourage my sons to return to Avalon with their own families one day to visit my grave, remember the childhood memories they made with their momma when they were young, and create new ones with their own kids.
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So are you looking for a budget friendly coastal trip? Drive to Santa Barbara (beach, shopping, restaurants)


 
SoCal said:
Also thinking about going to the Carlsbad Caverns... the grandest caves in North America. Bat season is approaching in April/May. Visitors can catch the "Bat Show" every evening as the large group evacuates the caves in unison, in search of  their evening meal. I would love to see the caves and go on a guided hike with hand-held lanterns through smaller caverns or "rooms". I know this sounds super nerdy but I love me some stalactites and stalagmites. However, their elevator is broken! That means visitors must use the natural entrance which is a 750 foot steep hike down and back UP to get out. Aye caramba! Supposedly they plan to have it fixed by May 31, tentatively speaking. But I'll believe it, i.e. buy plane tickets, when I see it.
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The QwerCave.
 
eyephone said:
So are you looking for a budget friendly coastal trip? Drive to Santa Barbara (beach, shopping, restaurants)
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Any and all. I'm flexible. I joined this thread because we've recently been given a unique opportunity to pretty much go anywhere and do anything for the next 3 years, within reason. For personal reasons, I feel that I need to seize the opportunity while I can. However, despite being born & raised here in Orange County, I would like to think I'm a down-to-earth person. I believe fun can be had at any price point. Budget is unrelated to my enjoyment level. That said, because I am from here, we have already been up the coast to Santa Barbara as well as a lot of other places in the area. I was thinking of trying some place we've never been before. I prefer to keep it a week or under. I start to really miss my house and my routine by that point.
 
What about a small boat cruise to the Galapagos Islands? But you may need ~ 10 days for that. I don't think Quito was too impacted by the recent earthquake.
 
No other place like it. I worked in the Canyon kitchen for a couple months during college one summer so got to see lots of the park on my off time.

When I get my hubby to take lots of time off at work some summer we'll go back. Want to take our time seeing the park again........... lots to see and it's a very big park.
 
peppy said:
What about a small boat cruise to the Galapagos Islands? But you may need ~ 10 days for that. I don't think Quito was too impacted by the recent earthquake.
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SoCal would fester in the blazing sun.  There is no shade in the Galapagos (nor medical care).  It's great for island hopping though and not too humid.
 
peppy said:
What about a small boat cruise to the Galapagos Islands? But you may need ~ 10 days for that. I don't think Quito was too impacted by the recent earthquake.
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Thanks, it sounds nice. I just went to look it up on Google Earth. Right on the equator... I think I would get very sick & hurt. I mean, I'm not an albino, but still. I was thinking a safe distance away from the equator. I just need to find out if south of the equator is as safe as north of the equator, for ex: if New Zealand is similar to O.C. Due to the earth's tilt, I just don't know. Maybe Australia.
 
SoCal said:
peppy said:
What about a small boat cruise to the Galapagos Islands? But you may need ~ 10 days for that. I don't think Quito was too impacted by the recent earthquake.
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Thanks, it sounds nice. I just went to look it up on Google Earth. Right on the equator... I think I would get very sick & hurt. I mean, I'm not an albino, but still. I was thinking a safe distance away from the equator. I just need to find out if south of the equator is as safe as north of the equator, for ex: if New Zealand is similar to O.C. Due to the earth's tilt, I just don't know. Maybe Australia.
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Worst is Tropic of Capricorn (summer at closest proximity to the sun + exposure to ozone hole). In that sense you'd want to stay away from the Southern Hemisphere.
 
As it turns out, I just got invited to come to Panama City Beach by a good friend who announced they're moving back there at the end of the year from the east coast. I've never been to FL. Thinking about spending a couple days there, doing Pier Park, then flying to Port Everglades, ranked 2nd in ports worldwide, more homeported cruise liners than any other port. Thinking of disembarking on a cruise from there to who knows where... The Bahamas, Jamaica, or wherever. Although, at the moment I am lobster red and painfully swollen from a 1-hour field event on Friday. Don't know if I'm cut out to be a Bahama Momma! Shoot, I got burned just standing outside talking to my neighbor for 5 minutes!!
 
SoCal said:
As it turns out, I just got invited to come to Panama City Beach by a good friend who announced they're moving back there at the end of the year from the east coast. I've never been to FL. Thinking about spending a couple days there, doing Pier Park, then flying to Port Everglades, ranked 2nd in ports worldwide, more homeported cruise liners than any other port. Thinking of disembarking on a cruise from there to who knows where... The Bahamas, Jamaica, or wherever. Although, at the moment I am lobster red and painfully swollen from a 1-hour field event on Friday. Don't know if I'm cut out to be a Bahama Momma! Shoot, I got burned just standing outside talking to my neighbor for 5 minutes!!
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Here's one solution to sun damage although you may not qualify for TSA precheck at the airport because of it:
http://www.amazon.com/Muslim-Islamic-Women-Plain-Burka/dp/B00CMFLP4G
 
Yosemite should be good and green this year. White water rafting should be running well into summer. Try renting a house inside the park -http://www.4yosemite.com/ as it's better than the parks standard accommodations.

YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park is very kid friendly as well.
 
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