Vacations

[BrianGSDTexoma]

Alaska

I have some friends taking cruise to Alaska next year Sept. If I start planning now could go. I new to this having time to go and realizing you have to plan months ahead of time.

 

[Brokenhandle]

We just got home from 5 days in Deadwood S D ... been going out there for eight years now during The Days of 76 Rodeo. Of course we did miss last year. Met some awesome people out there from all over the U S so now we go visit every year. Little bit of gambling and alot of drinking and eating! We will book our hotel room for next year as soon as Sturgis rally is over! But we are lucky, our son comes stays at the house while we are gone and takes care of our dogs.

Ryan

 

[forktender]

Am I the only one that has a hard time spending money for vacations? I recently retired but even before that other than going to see family I have not took a vacation since 2002. Every time I add up the dollars just can't to it. Be easier if had someone to go with. I am ahead of my budget for the year and trying to talk myself into something. Actual trying to talk myself into Mexico. I have had my shots but looks like still need to be tested before return trip.

Heck, just walk across the boarder with the rest of them, Brian.

 

[forktender]

Great advice. I had been thinking of going to San Antonio river walk where I can also drive. When I look at $250 a night for Hotel I change my mind. That what got me thinking about Mexico. Can stay there cheaper. I have good memories of there but I guess thinks change in 20 years.

Instead of hotels look on AirB&B for a small house, condo or apartment to stay in, you can save up to 50% and get something really nice and close to things you want to do..

 

[forktender]

I have some friends taking cruise to Alaska next year Sept. If I start planning now could go. I new to this having time to go and realizing you have to plan months ahead of time.

Alaska is sweet, but there in nothing cheap about the place, damn near double you'd pay down here, if not more. If I ever go back, I will rent a cheap motel or bring a tent (no joke) there are some great camp sites, instead of staying at a lodge for fishing or hunting.
Rental cars are priced crazy high up there, as well as food and drinks.
No way in hell would you catch me on a COVID cruise until we have a much better handle on this crap.

 

[chopsaw]

kennels where full.

I hate leaving the dog . When I had 2 GSD's it wasn't as bad , because they stayed together . We left them at a kennel that was ran by the St. Louis GSD club .

came home to a sick dog

Been there . I'm down to one dog . Got hooked on cattle dogs after the shepherds died . We left her at a kennel 3 years ago , damn dog didn't talk to me for weeks after that .
So this year she got to go to the Smokey Mountains with us .

 

[Fueling Around]

...
Been there . I'm down to one dog . Got hooked on cattle dogs after the shepherds died . We left her at a kennel 3 years ago , damn dog didn't talk to me for weeks after that .
So this year she got to go to the Smokey Mountains with us .
...

That made me chuckle about the dog.
My wife had a house cat for nearly 19 years (got put down after Easter for health issues).
Every time we left her in someone's care (and she was picky about the "someone", too)
I, repeat I, got hissed at for about week after we returned.

Instead of hotels look on AirB&B for a small house, condo or apartment to stay in, you can save up to 50% and get something really nice and close to things you want to do..

The "hidden" costs of Air B&B can make it more expensive than a hotel for short term stays.
We have Time Share and the rental through that is very reasonable for weekly stays without hidden costs.

 

[sandyut]

The "hidden" costs of Air B&B can make it more expensive than a hotel for short term stays.

100% agree! for a week or so these are great deal, but the cleaning and other fees take a high % for a night or two.

 

[gmc2003]

Just got back from a week in Georgia visiting the daughter and SIL. Scouted out a few places for retirement pruposes , but also witnessed a guy taking down a few of her very old oak trees. MAN, was that dude crazy!!!

Chris

 

[Kiniavelly]

Saw this old thread and couldn’t resist adding a question for anyone who’s stayed recently. I’m curious how the place is holding up after the last update on their site in 2025. Were the rooms quiet at night, and how were the pools and lifts in terms of wait times? Any tips on which floor or room type gives the best experience?

 

[TimboBBQ!]

I'm retired as well, living on a fixed income, and I am always worried about spending money on anything. But all my life, I was taught the importance of family and about family being together. I only have one sibling, a sister and she is married, but they never had any children. My wife and I had 2 children and currently 4 granddaughters. All of my family lived within maybe 15 minutes of each other and my parents wholeheartedly believed in doing things as a family. We took at least one vacation every year and everyone of us would go. My father paid for it because it was that important to him for family to be together, not to mention that the rest of us didn't have much money. My parents are gone now and my situation has changed somewhat to the point where I can afford to pay for us to go on vacation together as a family, maybe not every year, but every couple of years and that's what my father would be most proud of. I'm not rich, just comfortable, but I will spend the money for our family to be together and I would never attempt to make someone feel bad about what they can or can not do, it's just what I do and believe in. At the end of the day, I live by the 3 F's: Faith, Family, Friends. Well there may be a 4th F, Fishing ...

That's enough about me, so let me tell you about my granddaughters.....

Great way to live sir

 

[chef k-dude]

I live on 10 acres of forest in a rural area of central Virginia. We can shoot, burn fires, etc.. My neighbors are peaceful and I can barely see them in the summer even passing by on the road.

I work from home as well. Nothing about here says "I need to escape". That said, the wife and I have the mentality that updating and keeping our home and property in good shape is more important than sightseeing. We dont have the money to do both home upgrades AND travel for "vacations", which to me is more stressful than staying home.

Some people HAVE to always be going somewhere, thats not me. Peace and quiet are my preferences...until its time to listen to my music, then the squirrels, birds, wife and neighbors get an earful, but only for a while.

If or when I retire, if we have nothing but time and money to burn, we would like to travel around the U.S. a bit. There's plenty to see and do here, I dont need to leave the country. I dont even need to go to Hawaii or Alaska. Both are way too expensive for anything nice and we hate flying. I used to fly for business back in the good ole pre-911 days when I could carry my buck knife and my own liquor on the plane. These days...not a fan.