The Travel Thread

[Back2Lawrence]

But I want all-inclusive (for the kids anyway) for mostly my own sanity - I do not want to have to think about every half-drank $14 slushie by the pool, etc.

think of them as streaming services. only order the ones you know you'll watch. I know that doesn't work with kids, but it should.

Exactly - should, but doesn't. And I will also, personally, enjoy/relax a LOT less if everything is a transaction.

just make sure to remind the mrs what all-inclusive means pre trip to avoid any realtime confusion.

lol

[pdub]

Summer in Maine is here.
It simply can’t be beat.

[Sparko]

Summer in Maine is here.
It simply can’t be beat.

I think cruise ships should dock there and disgorge folks for weeks at a time. Having lived in Alaska, that was summer.

[pdub]

Tourists are a necessary evil.
I like how they keep our local businesses thriving but I do not like how they drive, walk or generally present themselves in public.

[RainbowsandUnicorns]

Tourists are a necessary evil.
I like how they keep our local businesses thriving but I do not like how they drive, walk or generally present themselves in public.

You're saying Maine "can't be beat" in the Summertime doesn't get a rebuttal from me, but my guess is MICH begs to differ.

I laughed when you made the post above because it makes me consider 2 things.

1. I feel there are BIG differences between tourists and locals in many if not most places, but there are a few places where I feel the tourists are an improvement over the locals and many of the locals are often assholes/douchebags/etc.

2. I can't help but wonder why people buy homes in places such as Nantucket and the Hamptons, chose to make that their primary residence, and then during "tourist" season/s, get inundated with a cluster fuck of people to the point where they can't enjoy what makes Nantucket and the Hamptons nice places to live.

[pdub]

Portland proper has gotten pretty rough in the summer to the point I avoid the peninsula. Too many cars fighting for parking. Crowded bars and restaurants. And unwalkable because tourists are awful at walking.

This is not different than say Times Square ( I mean obviously to a lesser degree ).

The other spot that tourists have spoiled for me is Acadia. When I moved here it was busy in the summers but not so much to where you couldn’t enjoy the park. Now? Oof. I still try to make it there once a year but used to try to go two to three times. Also Bar Harbor is a shit show.

Otherwise the other parts seem appropriately sprinkled with tourism to where it’s still very much awesome.

[RainbowsandUnicorns]

That's unfortunate pdub! As you said, the "tourists are a necessary evil" but I sincerely feel bad you suffer in ways because of it.
The nice thing is you seem to have alternatives and are still able to enjoy and appreciate the area in which you live.

In my next life if I can choose 5 places in the USA to have a home, one of those choices would be somewhere somewhat remote in Maine or the "Upper East Coast".

[TDub]

your top 5 places in the US to live/have a home...thats a good question.

I'm no order

1. somewhere in Alaska (this should take up 2 spots, one for coastal ish and one for interior)
2. upper Montana near the kootenai/glacier
3. NW Wyoming near cody
4. somewhere vaguely in the 4 corners area....I dont know, northern new Mexico or nearish Ouray Colorado or northern Arizona or parts of Utah
5. middle of the state idaho, like somewhere between Salmon/north fork and the clear water river...I guess broadly that'd be the frank church wilderness area


6. bonus. Lawrence. Just for basketball season.....until it goes full pro sports then nevermind.

[KUTradition]

do i have to interact with neighbors?

if no, the Black Hills would be near the top of the list

otherwise, CO and NM for sure

[jfish26]

your top 5 places in the US to live/have a home...thats a good question.

I'm no order

1. somewhere in Alaska (this should take up 2 spots, one for coastal ish and one for interior)
2. upper Montana near the kootenai/glacier
3. NW Wyoming near cody
4. somewhere vaguely in the 4 corners area....I dont know, northern new Mexico or nearish Ouray Colorado or northern Arizona or parts of Utah
5. middle of the state idaho, like somewhere between Salmon/north fork and the clear water river...I guess broadly that'd be the frank church wilderness area


6. bonus. Lawrence. Just for basketball season.....until it goes full pro sports then nevermind.

If I had "buy a Supreme Court justice or two" money, I would have places in (in no particular order):

Kansas City
Coeur d'Alene-ish
NW Arkansas or NW Georgia
Manhattan (the good one)
Maui or Kauai, I guess

Pains me not to have something in the southwest, but, water is a problem. And as much as I don't love the travel or the time zones, I have to pick Hawaii for beach/winter/etc., because (1) water is a problem in the southwest, and (2) ain't no fucking chance I'm spending a dime more in Florida than I have to.

[Shirley]

your top 5 places in the US to live/have a home...thats a good question.

I'm no order

1. somewhere in Alaska (this should take up 2 spots, one for coastal ish and one for interior)
2. upper Montana near the kootenai/glacier
3. NW Wyoming near cody
4. somewhere vaguely in the 4 corners area....I dont know, northern new Mexico or nearish Ouray Colorado or northern Arizona or parts of Utah
5. middle of the state idaho, like somewhere between Salmon/north fork and the clear water river...I guess broadly that'd be the frank church wilderness area


6. bonus. Lawrence. Just for basketball season.....until it goes full pro sports then nevermind.

If I had "buy a Supreme Court justice or two" money, I would have places in (in no particular order):

Kansas City
Coeur d'Alene-ish
NW Arkansas or NW Georgia
Manhattan (the good one)
Maui or Kauai, I guess

Pains me not to have something in the southwest, but, water is a problem. And as much as I don't love the travel or the time zones, I have to pick Hawaii for beach/winter/etc., because (1) water is a problem in the southwest, and (2) ain't no fucking chance I'm spending a dime more in Florida than I have to.

^^^

/thread

[MICHHAWK]

bellaire, mi
sedona, az
islamorada, fl
annapolis, md
sicily, alaska

[Shirley]

bellaire, mi
sedona, az
islamorada, fl
annapolis, md
sicily, alaska

I don't know how long it's been since you were there, but I went mountain biking in the Sedona, AZ area about 10 years ago and it seemed like a nice place. (Too touristy for me, but my threshold for that sort of thing is low.) Recently, I think it was on NPR, I heard a report about Sedona that said the tourists and traffic have pretty much ruined the place. If so, that's very sad.

[pdub]

1. Maine coast
2. North or West of Seattle - at least 45 mins outside of city
3. Southern Germany
4. Inverness Scotland or surrounding
5. Wolfeboro or somewhere inbetween Wolfboro and Conway NH

[TDub]

that's outside the parameters....

also, having lived for 2 stints north of Seattle (both greater than 45 Mins. though you kust define by miles because 45 mins north of Seattle drive time may barely get you across the bridge).

It's a beautiful and great area, and incredibly crowded and growing worse yearly. Even the not populated places are populated. Want to go hiking? the swarms of Seattle will be with you every weekend.

[pdub]

Oh, has to be US.
OK, then i'll swap Germany with Wisconsin/Green Bay area.
And Scotland with New Paltz NY area.

And I haven't been to Seattle in I think 10 years now but I used to go every year.
Love the city ( and I know the traffic is out of control ) so I think I could deal with some of the hordes knowing that I was close to a metro area I really enjoyed.

Central Midwest is out. Been there done that.
Southwest is out. Beautiful but doesn't do it for me. Some parts are going to have major water issues in the future.
Colorado might be on the list but I'm not a big skier and I can get mountains in some of the areas I've listed without the entitlement.
South is way out. Sorry, ya'll definitely not ALL like the stereotypes but your general politics is kinda in a dark zone right now - and also pretty humid with meh winters.
Texas is also way out - even Austin, which is a cool town, has no winters, so that's a very hard pass.
Northern California is gorgeous but I don't want to live in that state and be involved with what they're all about.
Love Montana/Wyoming area but haven't spent enough time in the actual cities/towns to make a call there.

[ousdahl]

I’ll add Eugene, Oregon.

Good weather (half the year,) mild but drizzly winter instead of actually cold. Mid size city big enough to have pretty much everything you want but small enough to still ride your bike pretty much everywhere. Funky progressive culture. Within a day trip of mountains, oceans, rain forests, wine country, Portland. A few hours drive/quick nonstop flight from Seattle and the Bay. Serviceable sports culture if you can stand the Ducks, but also has a KU alumni chapter for game day watch parties.

[ousdahl]

Also, shareholders approve $33 million pay for outgoing Boeing CEO

[KUTradition]

bellaire, mi
sedona, az
islamorada, fl
annapolis, md
sicily, alaska

I don't know how long it's been since you were there, but I went mountain biking in the Sedona, AZ area about 10 years ago and it seemed like a nice place. (Too touristy for me, but my threshold for that sort of thing is low.) Recently, I think it was on NPR, I heard a report about Sedona that said the tourists and traffic have pretty much ruined the place. If so, that's very sad.

i was there last summer

awful compared to what it was 15-20 years ago

[jfish26]

bellaire, mi
sedona, az
islamorada, fl
annapolis, md
sicily, alaska

I don't know how long it's been since you were there, but I went mountain biking in the Sedona, AZ area about 10 years ago and it seemed like a nice place. (Too touristy for me, but my threshold for that sort of thing is low.) Recently, I think it was on NPR, I heard a report about Sedona that said the tourists and traffic have pretty much ruined the place. If so, that's very sad.

i was there last summer

awful compared to what it was 15-20 years ago

Not remotely similar vibes, but this is how I'd describe Nashville, too.

I have a feeling that I would describe Nashville a whole hell of a lot like how the dubs (P and T) would describe college sports!