Where are we travelling to this year?

We(hubby and two youngest kids ) are going to Hawaii in 2.5 weeks, very excited as we are really looking forward to some sunshine and warmth! We will also be taking our usaul motorhome trip this July, but may venture down into Western States ( California or Arizona) for a change.

I( solo) am also going back to Paris this year, but we have not figured out when exactly, since hubby will be on his own with 2 kids we want to pick best time for him.I am considering visiting London again fro a few days this time also.

After six big trips in the past seven years (the most recent being just last month), I am taking a break from foreign travel this year. Well...unless I find a deal I just can't pass up! :)

We are currently debating. At first we were considering Munich, Beijing, Singapore and LasVegas. Then thought about a big UK trip (it has been more than a year since we've been there and we both are having withdrawal symptoms) but are now talking about London, Salzburg, and 1 to 3 other places in central Europe. I would love recommendations from "experts" (see my post).

After a few stateside trips in the last few years (Virginia and New York) my wife and I are finally going to make the BIG trip across the pond. 28 days in Spain with 8 of them in France. We'll be driving a lease/buy back Peugeot that we will pick up in Paris, then drive out to Normandy, Bordeaux and on to Spain. We've covering a lot of territory and are looking at this as our familiarity trip. Next trip will be much shorter (probably 2 weeks) and concentrated in a particular area. 120 days and we're off!

My husband and I are off to Munich for 3 days and then London and southern England for 8 1/2 days. We leave in 66 days and can't wait!

I'm going to Paris in November and if I can swing it, I hope to go to Rome either before or after Paris for at least 3 days.

We have already booked a spring break vacation in the US (NY, Washington DC, Philadelphia) and will spend a week during summer in the Okanagan Valley.

No vacation in Europe planned at this point. However, I really really hope that we can spend Christmas in Germany. Haven't celebrated with my family in 15 years! It depends on the cost of airfare at the time. For the US trip our points work out well but for Europe using points is not very efficient for us.

Just back on the 6th from ten days in Spain and are currently planning for mid Sept to end of Oct in and around the Med. Working on an open jaw, business class FF ticket in sometime in early Sep and home sometime in late Oct. Don't care where it lands or takes off. Just get me in and out and we will worry about getting between the two points. Total flexibility. We will plan our trip once we know our entry and exit points and time available.

Going back to Belgium again to visit family this spring, with perhaps a side trip to Amsterdam.

I'm considering Paris & the Loire Valley, Barcelona & Carcassone, Cortona,Italy and Ireland. Still doing a lot of research.

I'll go to Paris & London in a couple of months and that will be it for me this year. I think . . .

Ireland for 16 days.

We are taking our two boys (12 and 15) to the UK, Italy,Switzerland, and Paris for 45 days. We have been saving up and luckily had the money in a CD and not in the market this year! We will be staying mostly in apartments and traveling with one bag and a daypack each. We are hoping this will be as great an adventure as our 6 week cross-country trip three years ago.

Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Croatia and Slovenia for 17 days in late June, early July. My son just informed me that he is planning on us going to London, Paris and Amsterdam this year. Hope the airfare comes down.

Off from April 28- June 1st to see Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Transylvania region, Krakow and Prague. Can't wait! First time travelling by myself and I am looking forward to it!

We are going back to Europe again this May for 20 days this time (about a week longer) - Italy (Varenna/Venice), Budapest, Prague and Switzerland (Lausanne/Murren). Italy and Budapest are new to us since we went to Switzerland and Prague last year. This time we're taking his parents so it should be a lot of fun!

Such fun trips. I am reading them all and smiling. Thanks for sharing. Makes me want to get back to Europe. My husband "might" have the opportunity to go to Brazil on business in July and asked if I wanted to come along...heck yes! But it's not definite so no plans yet. He does have to present a paper in Hawaii in May I believe, so I may go along.

Pat, would you like company in Paris and London? :-)

Eli, of course you should meet me.. it would be fun,, I am much nicer then you may think,, LOL

I would love a chance to see Brazil,, actually,on a slighty different note, I would really like to see Buenos Aires, Argentina one day.. I have heard it described as the Paris of South America,, enough said there!!

Our family (including 17 year old and 21 year old daughters and one's boyfriend)is planning our first home exchange this year. We have decided to trade houses with a family in Amsterdam over the Christmas holidays. While there, we will visit Brussels and Brugge for a few days, then fly to Madrid for a week to spend New Years with our former exchange student and her family. My husband and I will also fly with several other couples to Maine for a week in Bar Harbor. My older daughter will fly to Indiana for an internship in design and historic restoration, plus visit all of our family and friends. This year our trips will definitely be very budget friendly, and we are hoping the home exchange works out well and is something we will want to do in the future as a way of vacationing almost free for life!

Renting a gite in Burgundy for Easter week! Got a cheapy airfare to Geneva then we will rent a car and drive. I am looking forward to doing a little shopping at the weekly outdoor village market and cooking up a feast for friends and family.

Sadly, no trip last year, but Paris (again) in March and Montreal for Christmas.

Excited about both trips.

This is so much fun to read...although I'm jealous! No Europe for me this year, but a long weekend in Vegas and maybe a trip to the eastern provinces is in the offing...

Last year we took a "break" from Europe and went to Jamaica instead. We didn't have the extended time that we needed to get across the pond - but this year we do. So it is looking like Germany, Austria, Czech Rep, Solvenia and Croatia.
Germany will be the first European country I have ever been to twice and Munich the first city.
We did Oktoberfest in 2006 and we are going back. I dream almost daily about getting back to Paris though!

Our family will be going to Paris, Inverness, Edinburgh, and London in June-July. We're probably doing to much, but I can't convince my wife of that.

Last May I spent two weeks in southern Germany and I'm planning an 18 day trip to England (Lake District and then London for the Design Festival), Scotland, and a few days in Paris in September.

I'm lucky enough to have three consecutive conferences in Europe this summer, so will be spending about a month there--beginning in Northern Italy (Bergamo, Verona), continuing on to Poland (Krakow, Wroclaw, Poznan) and finishing in Amsterdam (with a final week spent touring the Low Countries--Bruges, Ghent, Brussels, Utrecht, Delft, and the Hague.)

I've been invited to deliver a paper at a conference next winter in Hong Kong, but I don't think I can get the funding to go. Still, I can't complain at all!!

Maienfeld is my first destination in May to visit a friend, then meet up with hubby and another couple in Paris. We'll also go to Bayeux (Battlebus tour), then Bruges and Haarlem. I then fly to Milan to meet up with our daughter for a few days in Varenna, then Florence and Paris for a total of 35 days for me.

Eli,

My wife and I are starting to plan a Fall trip to either Portugal or Wales and the lake Country in UK.
We usually plan at least two weeks and less than three weeks. Anyone wanting to share Portugal logs or whatever with us, would be deeply appreciated (OFF [email protected]) Thanks for starting this conversation. George Werner, Pittsburgh

We are going to do a week in Napa Valley, California in March. I can't wait. We went to Florence last month and will probably return to Europe in 2010.

Hello Eli, What a good question. Its never to early to start planning. We are thinking about going to Germany late in summer/early fall, and also extending it to a few days in Austria. Mostly Bavaria
and a few days along the Rhine. I have been seeing some really good fares out of SFO to Frankfurt this March but that much too early for us. Hopefully the airfares are more reasonable this year for summer/fall travel.

I'm constantly planning our next trip. This summer, it depends. My sister's family (including her 5 kids) may go with us, and if they do, we'll either go to Germany or Ireland. If they decide not to go, we'll probably take the kids to the Dordogne.

We stayed in the US last year and the 2 years before that, so I'm just itchin' to go.

Hi Eli!
We're leaving for Paris, Beaune, and Lyon on Wednesday! We usually go over the Christmas/New Year holiday but found better airfares for January.

Hi Eli, I hope you are doing well. We have thought about you a lot. This year in September my sister and I are going back to the UK. Our first night will be spent somewhere near Oxford, I hope in Woodstock. We want to explore Wales before heading to the Lake District via Blackpool. After that we are still undecided. My first choice is to go east and then drive down to Constable Country. We have four weeks this time and no real fixed schedule but you know how quickly one can run out of time. We also plan to spend a couple of days in London before we come home. Oh yes and my husband wants to take all of us enc. his 2 sons and their families on the train from LA to Chicago.

I'm going to Spain and Portugal for two weeks in July, then flying to Paris for 4 days after, my 6th visit to La Belle Ville in four years.

We just returned on New Year's Eve from Germany. If I don't get laid off this year, it will most likely be Disneyland over Christmas break and then trying for Germany/France spring of '09. If I get laid off, well then, it will be trying to keep a roof over our head and our kids insured and fed!

I am so much looking forward to this April. It's a FUN business trip to Carmel Ca. I'm performing in a private party at the Cypress Inn, owned by Doris Day! It's a nice gig, and I'll still have time to relax on the beach!
My trip in Europe could either be in Paris or Barcelona.

After numerous trips to Europe my wife and I are celebrating our 50th by taking our 3 adult children and 2 of their spouses to Italy in June for 11 days.

Wow, can you adopt me???

Leave this Thursday for Washington D.C. to witness history and to return to a city I haven't seen in 30 years. Later this year either S. America or Africa.

I'm going to Ireland in June with our grown daughter while my wife goes to Disneyworld with her sister.

I am gladly stuck on Italy. I toured Venice, Florence and Rome last spring and frankly, you just can't beat that combination: the food, sightseeing and Italian people are wonderful.

Going on a Southern Caribbean cruise in March (can't wait)! Getting out of the military in June and figure it will be the perfect time to travel while I am between jobs. In late June-July, I want to go to London, then Brugge, Amsterdam, and Paris for a total of 2-3 weeks. I have 2 RS tours booked for a month Sep-Oct (GAS and Adriatic). I also want to take a cruise of Australia and NZ in Dec!

We are going to Greece (mainland, Mykonos & Santorini) for 2 weeks the latter part of Apr and early May and then to London for several days since our flight to Athens connects in London.

Went to Switzerland and France in Apr/May of 2008.

We're flying to Venice on some bargain airfare that cropped up (Yee-HA). From Venice to Cinque Terre for 3 nights. To Rome for 1 night (been there many times) to catch a cheap flight to Prague on SkyEurope. Staying in Prague for 5 nights to show my teenagers that beautiful city. Hopping on SkyEurope again for a cheap flight back to Venice for last 2 nights staying down at the tip of the island in St Elena. We really love that area of Venice.

Eli,
If you have the chance, go to Brazil! You'll love it. (We lived there for a few years.)

Otherwise, we are going to England, France, and Spain in September/October. And maybe a mission/volunteer trip earlier in the Summer.

My friend and I are planning a trip to Italy. We've been there before a couple of times along with Sicily and the last time we were there was in 2005. Went to Greece in 2006. We are now having withdrawal symptoms and need to feed our love of Italy. We'll be going for the month of April and part of May and are in the process of planning now. Maybe Apulia, then Avellino, San Donato (our ancestral homes), Rome then on up to Colli which is outside of Siena, and onto the Lake area. We're energetic seniors who like to go off the beaten path. Through trial and error, we've learned to pack very little. However, somehow we usually take more back home than what we brought. We both love Italy and know a little of the language (enough to get by)which makes it fun to talk to the locals (who probably laugh at us). We have had a few funny experiences in the past and are looking forward to our trip again.

Mary and Loretta

Chaperoning a wonderful bunch of teens to Paris and Barcelona, then off to Peru with my husband: jungle lodge and camping in the Amazon, then a trip down the coast and a flight over the Nazca lines. Of course, after reading all of your exciting plans, I may change my mind.

With evryone's help last year, we (inexperienced seniors) planned two RS tours (Paris & Ireland) and we rented an apartment in Paris, too. Although we had to cancel 6 weeks before departure, I kept my sanity during recovery by mentally planning another trip in 2009. We rebooked the Paris tour, the apartment, and got FF tickets on United again. We decided to do the Loire Valley and the Dordogne on our own. I used this site's recommendations to book accommodations in the Loire. I found my dream stone house rental in La Roque-Gageacm which is a town featured on the cover of a 2008 Budget Traveler magazine. Hopefully we will see some RS travelers floating by on their canoes!! We went to Maui in October, but it is not the same as revisiting France. It's been 40 years since I was last there!!!

Gladly looking for any recommendations (Loire, Paris, Dordogne, Toulouse) that are not in any guide books.

Last 4 years of vacations spent in the US. This year I will spend 4 Days in Normandy before joining the Rick Steve's (GAS) tour in mid Sept. Will spend a total of 18 days in Europe this year. Can't Wait!

We are expecting our first grandbaby this summer, so that's our adventure this year. In addition, we have a family wedding to attend in Indiana in the fall. Daydreaming all the time, however, about another trip across the big pond. Would like to see Scotland, Ireland, and more of England.

Spain in the spring....then Spain and the Czech Republic in the fall. Like the others, I never stop planning....it's just sometimes the goalposts get moved a bit :)

Me and my grandson, niece and 2 cousins will be going to Switzerland and Germany this year in June. We will spilt our time in Switzerland between 2 places, Gspon and Visperterminen in Wallis. We will make a side trip to Munich for 3 days. I have been in Switzerland and Munich before, but everyone else in our group, this will be their first time to Europe. We are looking forward to our trip!

Madrid to southern France then up to Paris.

I was in Italy in October of 2008 and it was the best trip yet. Greece or Australia next, mmmmmm. If there are any of you down under that have any helpful information, I would really like to hear from you.

Last year we had planned to go to Lake Como, Torino, and Milano but had to cancel at the last min. due to the illness of a travel party member..........Bummer!!! God is good, live is good, everyone is well now so in March we are off to Florence, Orvieto, and Rome. Our niece is studying in Rome for a semester and we're going to visit. We feel like we're living a NASA Mission. Last mission got scrubbed only hours before liftoff. Now six months later we're strapped in the space craft counting down to another launch.

Last year we managed both a 2-week trip to the US Rockies [daughter had seen more foreign countries than US states] and, for Mom and me, a river cruise from Budapest to the Black Sea. It was really great, and my office was giving me a very hard time about all my travel... This year daughter and I wanted to do some kind of volunteer vacation with extra sightseeing added on. We looked at the Habitat for Humanity Global Village builds, but they are fairly pricey [you are covering the leader's cost plus materials plus some contribution to the local chapter], so I kept looking and found BTCV, British Trust Conservation Volunteers. We have signed up for a week in August rebuilding a drystone wall around an old church north of Lincoln. I think it will be tons of fun - and only 130 GBP per person for the week, including housing and food. I think we cook it ourselves, but that's fine too. We will add a few days at the beginning and end for sightseeing. The National Trust for the UK and for Scotland [not sure why they are different organizations, but they are] have a number of working holidays, but they are either for 16-17 yr olds or for people over 18, which didn't work for us this year. Again very reasonable cost, and we may well try them out in a year or two. I'm interested in any other recommendations for this kind of volunteer vacation - has anyone else out there tried it?

It looks like I'll be going to Oahu for a week at the end of May with hubby. He has a meeting there! Of all the places to have a meeting.

The last time we were there (when I was pregnant with my son), I thought the island was way over developed. Has anyone been lately? Sure wish he was going back to Abingdon instead...sigh.

Last year we did Washington D.C. and colonial Virginia. This year it's Yellowstone for a week in July and then it's Great Britain for 3 weeks arriving in the last week of September.

Further off the beaten path this year for us

Bosnia-Serbia-Hungary-Slovakia-Ukraine.

Start in Sarajevo and end in Kiev.

Eli, I just got back from 10 days on Oahu. Where is Abington??

Lucky you,, my hubby never has meetings in Europe or Hawaii!!

Waikiki is very built up and very touristy, but you just have to go with that ,, the tiki torches and mai tai specials.. lol . A MUST do is rent a car and drive the circle of the island to see the North shore beaches, the drive up the east shore is pretty amazing also.. incredible scenerey, drive east then north so you can stop easily at view points along the way..

Paris and the Alsace region in Sept 09. That will be about 2 weeks. Then Sept. 2010. We will be doing Oktoberfest for the 200th anniversary. Both of these trips the tickets will be free.

Eli, when I was at Oahu, I did not see many people at any place other than the city Honolulu, and at Waikiki. Very many people are residents on that island, but they stay at home all of the time. And Waikiki felt relaxed, in the first week of May. It did not look like a place that Millions of people go to. I did not think of Honolulu as being a touristy place. I had a feeling of emotional well being there, the moment I walked into an apartment (a small, plain apartment that has painted cinderblock walls). I felt so good there, I did not feel motivated to go out of the apartment, for seven days. And there was no Television there. A place at Hawaii that is "touristy" is Kailua-Kona at the Big Island. But that place has a low - keyed and quiet environment.

We leave in 2 months for

Bulgaria...Sofia, Plovdiv, Rila Monastary and Veliko Turnovo

Greece...Athens, Delphi and Meteora

Turkey...Istanbul, Ephesus and Cappadocia

2008 was Sweden; 2009 will be England, Wales and Ireland - leaving in August.

Pat, Abingdon is in Oxfordshire. That's the area I visited twice last year. I didn't know you went there recently. Was the ocean warm enough for swimming?

Glad to hear it's not too bad for a week or so.

Last year Victoria & Ottawa... but this year...My husband and I are going back to Slovenia in September. I have seen most of Europe over the years. Began in 1965.. backpacking and hitch-hiking around for 6 months... but I left my heart in Slovenia in 2007! We are taking his sister & brother-in-law with us ...they have never been to Europe, so should be fun. We plan on seeing the areas of Slovenia we missed in 2007. Then go to Hallstatt for a little R&R and finish up in Vienna for 4 days.

Eli, the water was very warm to us, we snorkled and swam in the sea everyday.

This year looks like no Europe. Belize, Mexico and some forays along the Carolinas and Georgia coastline are the planned vacation trips. Business may include some pleasant surprises that can always change my plans.

Back to Italy & Greece for 3 weeks in April/May, then Eastern Europe in September, including our first visit to Russia.

We're heading to Munich for 3 days and then 9 days in London and southern England next month. We can't wait. Our September vacation will probably be to the Vegas/Utah/Northern Arizona region with my inlaws.

I will also be travelling to Brazil this summer. Has anyone been to Brazil recently? Any advice?

We will be in a small town outside of Rio for two weeks.

I really prefer a trip to Europe, but this does not seem likely for 2009 :-(

Such a great question!

My husband, along with two friends, just returned from 2 weeks in London, Edinburgh and Paris. It was a fabulous trip!

I'm always planning some kind of a trip in case the situation presents itself and we can take off. I work in a funky industry and I can't always plan a trip 6 months in advance - we have to be flexible and spontaneous. I'm not complaining though. :-)

Next out of country trip, which may be later this year, will be either Ireland, Italy or Israel. Also this year will be Arizona to see my parents, Florida to see my kids and Cannon Beach, Oregon to see the Pacific. :-)

We were in Europe, primarily Paris, for a couple of weeks over New Years. Next month we will spend a week in Ireland and in October we will have 3 weeks in New England.

Booked for Paris, July 22- August 4th ,, yippee.

I am so jealous of you all! I am not going anywhere this year :o( My job is looking insecure and my rent has just gone up so I am cutting back in all areas of my life. A lot of people I know are putting all travel on hold until the recession lifts (which could be a while) so I guess we can all be miserable together at least!

After a year off we have tentative plans (as the economy will ultimately dictate) for 2 trips. Our 25th will be celebrated in Santa Fe in another month, and if all goes well, Munich-Vienna-Salzburg will follow in July.

We feel fortunate to take two trips each year to Europe. In the fall we visited Budapest, Prague, Vienna, and London. In seven weeks we leave for Italy--Rome, Tuscany (1 week for the beautiful countryside), Florence. From Florence we will train to Switzerland for a week and fly home from Zurich. This trip will be our longest thus far--3 weeks.

Laura, I hope you can at least take a mini-trip closer to home. Hubby is going to Brazil on business and I'm tagging along, LOL

Not sure what I will be doing while he's busy though.

I'm leaving in late April for 35 days in Southern Germany & Austria! Next year I'll be heading back for another month to catch Northern Germany and the Benelux countries. I've finally caught the travel bug and I could kick myself for waiting so late in life to get started!

Better late than never Shawn! :-)

I loved Austria. Such a beautiful country and the people we met were truly wonderful. What part of Austria will you be visiting?

Eli,,
Brazil sounds wonderful,, have you been looking at the Brazil travel forums,, I too wouldn't have a clue what to do there!

At last my friends and I have come up with a final itinerary. We are flying into Madrid, spending three nights there, then taking the fast train to Barcelona for two nights, then flying to Paris for four nights. After I leave, my friends are going on to Provence. Too bad for me, I'll have to see Provence on another trip.

This is my first trip to Spain and I am very excited. It will be my fourth trip to Paris and I am excited about just hanging out in Paris without worrying about seeing the big sights. I do plan to go to the Rodin museum though.