Vacation Thread

[saabhutter]

It's getting to be that time of year where a lot of us are looking at vacations down south. I wanted to create this thread to accumulate information on vacations, i.e. place you guys suggest and places that you wouldn't recommend. Right now I'm looking at going to Phoenix early January. I've done Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Cuba in the last few years and want to save some money this year. Plus, there's a few hockey games at that time that I'd like to catch. Anyone have any experience with Phoenix?

[91wolfie]

Re: Vacation Thread

Drive down to the us (great falls) and catch a flight from there to pheonix. Way cheaper if you don't mid a drive

[saabhutter]

Re: Vacation Thread

Drive down to the us (great falls) and catch a flight from there to pheonix. Way cheaper if you don't mid a drive

I've heard that, I'll take a look. Can you book a vacation package with a Great Falls flight? The package from Calgary is only $750 for 5 nights.

[91wolfie]

Re: Vacation Thread

That doesn't sound that bad of a price. I think they only do flights. I also didn't mind Palm Springs when I went. Don't know what exactly you look for in a trip so hard to give appropriate examples.

[VW337]

Re: Vacation Thread

It's getting to be that time of year where a lot of us are looking at vacations down south. I wanted to create this thread to accumulate information on vacations, i.e. place you guys suggest and places that you wouldn't recommend. Right now I'm looking at going to Phoenix early January. I've done Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Cuba in the last few years and want to save some money this year. Plus, there's a few hockey games at that time that I'd like to catch. Anyone have any experience with Phoenix?

We went to Phoenix last month for 5 days. If you end up going there you need to check out the Penske Museum/Autoplex in Scottsdale.

[saabhutter]

Re: Vacation Thread

We went to Phoenix last month for 5 days. If you end up going there you need to check out the Penske Museum/Autoplex in Scottsdale.

Where did you stay? Would you recommend it?

[Canadian Turbo]

Re: Vacation Thread

I think I am in a different category than most of you I have however just booked my flights for my winter getaway, this year we are going to Malmo Sweden (flying to Copenhagen as it is 12 minutes from the airport to Malmo by train) for the Semis and Medal games of the WJHC and then continuing on to Stockholm for a few days, so a nice January week in Sweden and maybe a day in Copenhagen but we have already been there once so only a quick visit this time. No warm weather holiday at the moment but I think Phoenix would be a reasonable place to escape for a bit, maybe look at renting a house or something for a week versus a hotel?

[vteclol]

Re: Vacation Thread

I'd also suggest you go to the pensky museum. Goldfield was pretty cool, we did a mine tour which everyone seemed to enjoy except for me. They also have a snake museum. Id suggest you go there if all the attractions are open. It's free. Also, There's a bar downtown Scottsdale called r&r that has all you can drink Sundays as well.

[Kor]

Re: Vacation Thread

Since you mentioned down south, I'll run through some of the places on my to-do list.

One is definitely visiting St Lucia - Ladera, Anste Chastanet, or Jade Mountain if I can convince myself to trek it out to a Caribbean island... I think that would be a once in a lifetime experience.

In Costa Rica I would like to hit up Nayara Hotel as I've been told its awesome.

In Mexico I would love to visit San Miguel de Allende (inland) so some of the hotels I've bookmarked are the Rosewood San Miguel de Allende, as well as Casa de Sierra Nevada, Hotel Matilda and L'Otel.

I think a fun way to travel in Mexico is to rent a luxury villa and go down with like 3-5 couples (friends) and split it. Sometimes sick places come up on AirBnb.

Misc bookmarks around Mexico - I would very much like to stay at Rosewood Mayakoba @ Playa del Carmen. In Cabo, I would love to stay at Capella Pedregal. Or in Puerto Vallarta @ St. Regis Punta Mita.

When I travel I look for specific things though, sick of the all inclusives and the American Mexico experience. I like nice hotels, spend time with my wife, and relax, not really out to party hard... your trips may vary.

Also highly recommend Spain which is only a few more hours and I would say overall more fun than Mexico...

For a cheap-ish vacation I recommend hitting the cheap $500 flight to London if you've never been there. Vegas was so-so but definitely priced to compete. Hawaii is fun, stay at Paia Inn on Maui it was awesome. New Orleans is fun in the summer, if you can get a flight its worth it even for a 3 day trip. Portland makes a pretty fun week.

[PRY4SNO]

Re: Vacation Thread

It's getting to be that time of year where a lot of us are looking at vacations down south. ... Anyone have any experience with Phoenix?

I've enjoyed my Phoenix and Tucson experiences (3 separate trips). There's lots to do if you don't mind driving to get around, everything's pretty spread out.

People are very friendly on the overall. Prices/selection of goods and services is great and tax is low. TBH, Phoenix is kinda like Calgary (modern city, big skyline, corporate/business class) but tex-mex. 2 hours south, Tucson is kinda like Edmonton, same great people and amenities as the opposite city, but more low key skyline and Arms and Defence and manufacturing based (Davis Monthan AFB, Raytheon etc)... but only a 4h drive from Puerto Penasco in Mexico. All are awesome destinations, IME.

gourmet dining / cheap local eats
night clubs / entertainment (ASU has 60k students. Elite party school)
shopping (Fashion Square down to outlet and vintage stores)
gun ranges (full auto Uzi or M16 or .50 cal sniper rifle anyone?)
year round mountain biking (rentals are cheap!)
race school / road course (big motorgeek, audizine contingent too, like the lemons team ASR)
NHL (cheaper/better seats than home!)
MLB
NBA
NFL
NCAA
Golf (PGA anyone?)
hiking (year round, awesome terrain)

Grand Canyon (worth the drive_just_to_look, let alone stick around and explore). If not feasible time wise, Salt Water Canyon is closer and STUNNING at sunrise with the red rocks.
https://maps.google.ca/maps?client=s...ed=0CAoQ_AUoAg

Lonely Planet is handy and reliable, and Urbanspoon is invaluable over wifi

Finally, if you make it down there, consider looking into a vacation condo rental. Cheaper than a decent hotel ($75/night-$550/wk in high season), but comes with the laundry and kitchen. Craigslist offers a good point of reference for seasonal cost and availability.

[PRY4SNO]

Re: Vacation Thread

Otherwise Vancouver Island might be a good one before it starts glowing. :(

[VW337]

Re: Vacation Thread

Where did you stay? Would you recommend it?

We stayed in a hotel in Scottsdale called the 3 Palms. Pictures are deceiving and I wouldn't recommend it. We did check out a few other resorts while we were there. There are a lot of nice places to stay on Scottsdale Rd and they are all within 5 minutes of Oldtown Scottsdale, a huge shopping mall, riverfront pathways, restaurants etc. We chose to stay in Scottsdale because like someone else had mentioned Phoenix is more like an urban metropolis and Scottsdale is more vacation oriented (they are literally 10 minutes from eachother).

[vteclol]

Re: Vacation Thread

Also, I'd recommend going to So-Cal speed shop. They have some neat stuff out back.

[N'Syncro]

Re: Vacation Thread

Phoenix - Stayed with family in Scottsdale. Old Scottdale was awesome. Huge shopping mall, tons of street souvenier shops, art galleries, jewelery stores and restuarants within walking distance.

Jamaica - I would highly recommend staying in Negril. The natural beauty of the beaches there is amazing. I stayed in Montego Bay, which I thought was nicer than Ochos Rios, but nothing in comparison to Negril.

[liquid]

Re: Vacation Thread

For a cheap-ish vacation I recommend hitting the cheap $500 flight to London if you've never been there.

Looking at doing this in early 2014 - any suggestions on finding a $500 flight? Cheapest flights I've seen are around $750-$800 for a round trip.