Your Go To Place (Apart from Vegas)

Hi guys would be interested in visiting some new places whether in the U.S or Europe. Obviously we all love Vegas but where would be your 2nd choice (or even 1st).

So many great cities and places in the world, I haven't scraped the surface. Obviously being in The UK most of my holidays have been in Europe. London, Barcelona, Rome, Venice, Amsterdam etc etc.

Guessing one of my favourite places so far would have to be Gibraltar. Small British enclave on the southern tip of Spain at the entrance to the Mediterranean where everything is really British but with great weather.

Just really want some new ideas for upcoming breaks/holidays really.

 

We had a great time at Breathless last year - http://www.breathlessresorts.com/

At the top of the page, click on Our Brand Collection - they have 6 or so types of resorts - some adults only, some kid friendly.

If we can get there again this year, we'll probably stay at http://www.secretsresorts.com/maroma-beach-riviera-cancun?_ga=1.267268296.731223564.1488552774

 

Reno?

 

That does look fantastic will have to check that out. Love the Caribbean.

 

@kevin853 Look for the rooms with the swim up / swim out pool - their a bit more expensive, but where the main hotel pools close at 5 or 6pm, the pool outside the rooms are open 24 / 7 - you literally walk out the back of your room through patio doors and into the pool - midnight swim with a beer or drink? fan tas tic.

These are one of the few chains that have rooms like this that i've found.

 

MONTAUK POINT. A different kind of MECCA

 

Excluding easy-to-reach, quick weekend getaway spots like the Bay Area, Coachella Valley and San Diego, these are spots we get to anywhere from a few times a year to every few years, in some rough order from outright unadulterated lust to simple old-fashioned love ...

Bend, OR
Hawaii, notably Kauai followed by the Big Island
Vancouver and Whistler, BC
Seattle and Portland (two quarrelsome twin sons of different mothers easily done together)
Scottsdale and environs
Southern AZ
Hwy 395, Mammoth and the Sierra

Love this spot but we don't get there often enough: Southern Utah.

 

Bermuda. It has that British feel along with amazing beaches.

Hawaii is amazing, although I have just scratched the surface. It's just tough to get there.

Iceland has amazing people and spectacular scenery. I need to get back there.

I cruise a couple time of year, and for me, that feeds the need for seeing new places and/or getting sunshine depending on what itinerary i choose.

 

Ha Ha - I was going to say Bossier City, Louisiana - I don't get much
time off from work - I'm a workhorse - so when I do - it is Vegas or nothing.
Unless I do sneak off to Bossier for a weekend at the Horseshoe .

 

I travel quite a bit for work, so honestly my "go to" spot for relaxation is often the back deck on our house! We're fortunate to live at N. Lake Tahoe, so relaxing and unwinding here is pretty convenient. The wife HATES to fly, so San Francisco or Monterey/Carmel is often a weekend getaway for us.

 

Home is a nice getaway, too. When I've reeled off a bunch of trips, nothing is better.

 

Lived out there for the better part of six years (my early twenties). The Mrs. & I went out there, I'd guess over a decade or so back. There's no place like it. We love the Central California Coast, from Big Sur up to Monterey and on up to San Francisco and Napa over to Santa Rosa.

Truthfully, Vegas is the only return-trips venue for vacation. There's no other place we use for secondary vacations, assuming you exclude a few days here and there at Siesta Key (just over two hours south). Our vacation objective is to always travel to someplace new. Now, there are places that we want to go back to (eventually...see above), but we do not have a recurring non-Vegas vacation destination.

 

San Francisco was my next go to place but not anymore. They just overpriced themselves. I can't find decent rooms for under $150, even the "dumpy" rooms are going for $100.

I have to look for another go to place. A decade ago I used to visit Orlando and Tampa (free on business trips) but now that I have to pay I haven't been to the area in over a decade. My bro goes to Japan more than vegas, he actually saves money because the airfare to Japan (from Honolulu) is similar to going to vegas and he spends less because there is no gambling. While the room rates are higher it costs less for a Japan trip versus a vegas trip.

I visited Europe in 2013 but right now with all the terrorism going on I will wait to go back. I wouldn't mind visiting Europe again but on my own instead of taking a tour. I want to spend more time in some of the cities (like Amsterdam). Didn't have a lot of time while I was on the tour so I want to take my time the next time I visit.

 

I'd say Kauai.

 

Terrorism is random, and I personally can't see that as a reason not to go to Europe. Syria? No. But the numbers likely are stacked against us to a higher degree day to day in the states than just poking around Europe.

 

Is cost the bottom line for many folks?

 

Not so much, for us. It really does come down to interest....destination driven decision making.

We decide where we want to go and budget accordingly. What with all this new fangled interwebbary you can do some very detailed research about your destination. We have no burning desire to see Tokyo or Seoul ...so that's not an issue. Central and South America are off the agenda, much in the same way Africa and middle-east are. If it's not in Western Europe (been to Boris and Ivan land, not going back), I probably wont be using a passport. There's a lot here in the US of A and The Great White North that we want to see. Probably the next vacay, in 2018, will be the Pacific Northwest.

 

Sounds like us, dr. We certainly aren't jet-off-privately-whenever-we-want folks, not overspending just to overspend is key. We typically have a broad period of time and a geographic area or three, then work it back from there based on access, interests, whether it is fresh and new or evergreen, whether we have a week or three, bang-for-the-buck, cost. And being able to sell articles plays in, of course.

 

All personal preferences. I know some people (including my parents before dad passed away or mom went to the care home) who only travelled to Vegas. I have other friends who never go to vegas, instead they want to see the world or parts of the US.

As for terrorism, there are some areas that are more prone to terrorism. I would like to go to Egypt and visit the pyramids one day but that area is also an unsafe area (same with some areas in eastern Europe). I visited Nice and walked the promenade where many people were killed. I also walked the areas in paris where there were terrorist activities. Many of us just don't want to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. You won't have to worry about that if you go to Kauai or the Big island. Same thing with Japan, you won't have as much chance of being in the wrong place as you would in Europe.

And while I may be wary of a visit there are millions of other that aren't as wary. But part of the problem for me is the travelling, easier to go to vegas (5 or 6 hour flight) than to take a 14 or so hour flight to go to Europe (esp with the time differences). Even going to Japan, it is a direct 9 hour flight so no worries about stopovers.

 

Access/proximity. That could be the prime factor. Big picture: East Coasters go to Bermuda and the Carib, West Coasters go to the islands. Now when everything starts with five hours just to find something dry ... Man, we love the islands but that right there would be reason enough for us not to relocate. Sure, the fun, diverse West Coast is within that window, but it's still five to even start. And the whole driving thing?

As a white mainlander there are places on most of the islands I know to avoid.