A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

[thebrain]

Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

I've done Amtrak a fair amount, you're never on time...I think the food can get expensive...But it is something I'd like to do.

[amherstblackbear]

Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

I'm shooting a friend's wedding near Rockland (or is it Rockport?) Maine in August (21st) and am looking to finally spend a few days in Acadia National Park (either before or after). Looking for advice on how to best spend a couple of days there, relatively inexpensively. I'd like to at least do some hiking (not too far, yet) and photograph some good scenic stuff...

I've casually begun to browse some websites for some ideas, but if anyone here has spent some time there and has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it!

Bring a bike or rent one and check out the carriage roads. If falcons are done nesting, check out the precipice trail.

Neither of those are "insider" suggestions. They're not secret. But there's a good reason that they're popular things to do @ Acadia.

[amherstblackbear]

Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

USA/Canada:

Exceptional:
Chicago, Montreal, New York, San Fran

Enjoyed:
Acadia, Boston, Burlington VT, Detroit, Quebec, Los Angeles, Research Triangle, San Diego, Toronto, Washington/Baltimore

Lukewarm:
Buffalo, Cincinnati, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St.Paul, Nashville, Pensacola, Philadelphia, Williamsburg(historic triangle)

Not a Fan of:
Atlanta, Charlotte, Gainesville (FL)

Europe:

Exceptional: Berlin, London

Enjoyed: Aberystwyth, Munich, Zurich

Lukewarm: Oxford

[Beer Pong Horn]

Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

Has anyone done Amtrak??

Here's the dream trip (with the wife, of course)

Fly to Chicago
Empire Builder to Seattle -- jump off in Glacier National Park
Pacific Coastline to LA -- jump off in SF
Sunset Limited to New Orleans -- jump off @ San Antonio
Crescent back to Washingon DC

Anywhere from 2/3 weeks to a month on the rails.

Expensive, yes. Scenery should be great and with a sleeper (with or without shower???) we'll have some privacy.

I've done Amtrak a fair amount, you're never on time...I think the food can get expensive...But it is something I'd like to do.

What thebrain said. I've never done a sleeper trip, but as for those legs in order:
-the Empire Builder is great, and usually on time. Also, North Dakota is flat and boring, and you get to travel the length of it. Glacier, the Rockies and the Cascades, as well as the Mississippi, make up for it though. Try to get a bedroom on the right side of the train, so you see the most of the scenery.
-never ridden the Coast Starlight, but from what I hear, it has the second best scenery anywhere on Amtrak (first being the California Zephyr from Denver to Oakland.)
-while you're in Seattle, maybe you could take a Cascades train to Vancouver?
-the Sunset Limited... be prepared for it to be late. Actually, prepare for that on all the legs, but the Empire Builder and Crescent are generally better taken care of, than the other two. still, don't plan anything for right after scheduled arrival. I have no idea about scenery, but there's a LOT of Arizona desert, west Texas flatlands and Louisiana bayou.
-I rode the Crescent once, and it was alright. Scenery was okay, but you'll probably find yourself underwhelmed as compared to the western trains. It has single-level cars instead of dual-level, so bedrooms are in shorter supply.

There used to be a railpass available where you could ride something like 10 trains in a month around the US, so I'd suggest going to Washington Union Station and inquiring about that (Amtrak's site is okay, but a ticket agent will probably be more knowledgeable.) All your meals are included if you have sleeper accommodations, but I'd still suggest bringing some pop and snacks. There are some sample menus on Amtrak's site if you poke around. You can check darn near as much baggage as you want with no fee on all of these trains (minus the one to Vancouver), but I'd pack my luggage in such a way that I could just have 2-3 days' worth of clothing in my room, as well as other incidentals.

As for the accommodations themselves, it depends on what you can stand. For two smaller people who can stand each others' company and don't mind cheaping out, a roomette should be alright (two bunks, I think the lower one is a bit bigger than a twin bed.) If you don't fit that description, try for a bedroom. Bedrooms on all trains (single- and dual-level) have a full bathroom - roomettes have a toilet on single-level trains, but not on dual-level, and the showers are down the hall for both types of roomette.

[shameless plug] If you're looking for more information, check out the RAILROAD.NET forums, both in the Amtrak subforum and in Trip Reports.[/shameless plug]

[huskyfan]

Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

love traveling by train. its so relaxing. agree with pretty much all BPH said.
Amtrak is usually late and the service is usually poor. the food is ok. if you get a roomette or a bedroom meals are included. Canadian trains are much better. we had a great time taking one from Winnipeg to Churchill. surprisingly trains can be very convenient - going to New York or Washington DC pops you out right in the middle of the city - unlike the airports. the Coast Starlight is nice. haven't been through Glacier - would bet that is amazing especially going east to west, the mountains come up fast.

[Patman]

Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

Here's travel advice:

Screw volcanoes.

i'm at a conference all week (in DC so I'm home right now) there's some really anxious britlanders right now.

[Un_Poco_Lento]

Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

When I went with some friends, we dressed nice in the evening (although I was dressed up 100% of the time): business casual minimum, but that was just us. We like "old-style" Vegas.

Must hits:
Bellagio fountains. At night, they are gorgeous.

Venetian/Bellagio/(I hear) Wynn. Beautiful beautiful casinos. Just walk around, maybe play a table or two, but everything about them is awesome.

Take in a "lounge" show at one of the nicer casinos (like the ones mentioned above). These aren't your Wayne Newton/cheesy shows. It's usually a cover band, but it's nice and relaxing.

Have no plan. You walk by a place you want to check out? Check it out. We found a couple nice clubs/places to eat because of it. One of my faves was Rumjungle. Trapeze artists were flying over the dance floor, and they have a HUGE wall of rum. Huge.

Word of note: places don't really get hopping until at least midnight. At least. Adjust your schedule.

Try to eat somewhere expensive at least once. Do some research to make sure you're paying up for good food.

For good food in an old-world Vegas showman type atmosphere I like Hugo's Cellar in the Four Queens casino. Get the salad to go with your steak.

-while you're in Seattle, maybe you could take a Cascades train to Vancouver?

Highly recommended. Vancouver is a beautiful city, and the Cascades train is a great ride. It leaves Seattle in the morning and leaves Vancouver in the evening (when I rode it the other schedules were all bus-only). Bring your passport and relax, and plan to spend at least one night in Vancouver (the train ride is several hours long).

[Beer Pong Horn]

Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

Highly recommended. Vancouver is a beautiful city, and the Cascades train is a great ride. It leaves Seattle in the morning and leaves Vancouver in the evening (when I rode it the other schedules were all bus-only). Bring your passport and relax, and plan to spend at least one night in Vancouver (the train ride is several hours long).

They've added another train for the time being, though I don't know the details. It'll specify on Amtrak's site whether it's a Thruway bus or a train.

Also, if you go to Vancouver, pay a visit to Victoria. Beautiful little city, about as close to England as one can be on the opposite side of the world. The ferry ride is fun too (though when I went, it was from Port Townsend, WA.)

[The Rube]

Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

Try to eat somewhere expensive at least once. Do some research to make sure you're paying up for good food.

We did have a meal at the Samba Brazilian Steakhouse at the Mirage one night, thanks to a buddy winning a couple grand at craps the night before. THAT was some tasty food. In hindsight, I made a bad decision and didn't go with the unlimited food option, I chose a filet mignon, along with another buddy of our group, which was *ing heaven in the form of beef. You could cut it with a straw, I swear.

I did sample another buddy's selection of the buffet, and I can't say that was anything of less quality.

In fact, that was also the night we smoked fine cigars by the Bellagio Fountains, got a front'n'center table at their lounge (I'll just say we made sure we got that table, I think you all can take it from there), and it ended up being a "Hangover" sort of night.

For stateside, I'd love to see Vancouver, NY, Boston, and probably some CA city.

For true foreign, put Russia, Ireland, Italy, Germany, and Brazil on my list.

[huskyfan]

Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

I wouldn't worry about dress in Vegas. Just hang out and enjoy the show. Bellagio is definately worth the visit as is Caesar's. (check out the changing sky in the shopping mall) the giant aquarium behind the Mirage check in is cool. sportsbooks are usually fun to see the "local" action. great place to have a drink and watch the events on TV. a drive or walk down the strip after dark is a must.

[hockeyplayer1015]

Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

Anybody ever been to Malaga, Spain; Piraeus, Greece; Dublin, Ireland; Valetta, Malta; or Brest, France? I'm going there on our school's ship in a few weeks, hoping to get some insider information. Really looking forward to everywhere, but especially Greece, Ireland and Malta.

[Un_Poco_Lento]

Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

I wouldn't worry about dress in Vegas. Just hang out and enjoy the show. Bellagio is definately worth the visit as is Caesar's. (check out the changing sky in the shopping mall) the giant aquarium behind the Mirage check in is cool. sportsbooks are usually fun to see the "local" action. great place to have a drink and watch the events on TV. a drive or walk down the strip after dark is a must.

Also, if you're there before it gets too hot (or really any time between November and March) and you want to get away from the strip for a while, consider a hike in Red Rock. It's amazing - beautiful, isolated, a totally different experience from typical Vegas, and only about 20 minutes from the big casinos on Las Vegas Blvd. The park at Red Rock has a variety of hikes ranging from easy 2-mile round trips designed for families with kids to moderate 5-10 milers to difficult hikes with intense elevation changes. If you stick with the easy ones you don't even need hiking shoes, although comfortable walking shoes/sneakers are still recommended.

[huskyfan]

Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

Also, if you're there before it gets too hot (or really any time between November and March) and you want to get away from the strip for a while, consider a hike in Red Rock. It's amazing - beautiful, isolated, a totally different experience from typical Vegas, and only about 20 minutes from the big casinos on Las Vegas Blvd. The park at Red Rock has a variety of hikes ranging from easy 2-mile round trips designed for families with kids to moderate 5-10 milers to difficult hikes with intense elevation changes. If you stick with the easy ones you don't even need hiking shoes, although comfortable walking shoes/sneakers are still recommended.

agree. and a visit to Hoover Dam is pretty cool. we did the "hard hat" tour where you actually went into the dam and could look out the face of it and see the river below. Downtown is something else to do. Laser light show. gives you a look at the seed side. our favorite breakfast is at the Egg and I on Sahara (you'll need a car) - not unusual to see some Elvis impersonators in there.

[jmh]

Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

agree. and a visit to Hoover Dam is pretty cool. we did the "hard hat" tour where you actually went into the dam and could look out the face of it and see the river below. Downtown is something else to do. Laser light show. gives you a look at the seed side. our favorite breakfast is at the Egg and I on Sahara (you'll need a car) - not unusual to see some Elvis impersonators in there.

Heh, yeah I, I just have a question, umm, heh: Is this a god dam? Hehehe. God dam.

[The Rube]

Re: A Thread for Travel: Trips/Advice/Ideas

Heh, yeah I, I just have a question, umm, heh: Is this a god dam? Hehehe. God dam.