HELP WITH A VACATION...ANY IDEAS? THANKS!

mgspooky · Nov 9, 2003

Hey Guys,

Just a change of pace post. With the diversity of people here was wondering if anyone had any ideas for a vacation.

Looking to book a Trip of a Lifetime for 7-10 days for my son who is having his bar mitzvah next year. He wanted a vacation instead of this big party (smart kid).

We have done the cruise and carribbean vacations for years.
We are going next November 2004.

HE IS LOOKING FOR

RAIN FORESTS AND RUINS.

He does not want to go on another cruise since we are going on one in February. This is his vacation and he just wants to go somewhere to party and explore some sites.

ANYBODY HAVE ANY IDEAS?.

Hope nobody minds me posting this here, just thought a few ideas may help us give him some ideas.

Thanks again.

spooky

WildBill · Nov 9, 2003

Chiapas is the best choice, Palenque ruins are great and easy to get to. Bonampak is a lightly visited site, ruins in the middle of the jungle. I haven't been myself, but have seen pictures. Fly into San Cristobal de Las Casas, a beautiful colonial town in the mountains and then you are a 4 hour or less bus ride from all the sites.

DickyW · Nov 9, 2003

One of the Grand daddy's of em all as far as ruins

Machu Picchu, at an elevation of 8,000 ft/2,450 m (much lower than nearby Cuzco), has the most spectacular setting of any ruin in the world -- even those who aren't normally excited by archaeology will be impressed. This "Lost City of the Incas" is a place everyone must see at least once.

Have'nt been but I will be going. Several people that have travled the world say it is a magical place

mgspooky · Nov 9, 2003

Thanks WildBill and Dicky.

Not familiar with either of those places.
They would be okay for a family vacation?
Hotel, Good Food and Excursions?

Appreciate your time and input.

UWinSports · Nov 9, 2003

Stlouis

Buzzsaw · Nov 9, 2003

Ruins?
Piedras Negras, Nuevo Laredo & Manila... Those places ruined me a few times

WINNINGHAND · Nov 9, 2003

Take your family to Costa rica and spend the entire week at the Del Rey. I hear there is a world class casino across the street called the Horseshoe. The del rey is a great "family" hotel with lots of immenities for children. You will have a blast!

WINNINGHAND · Nov 9, 2003

MGspooky, just kidding. Stay far away from the Del Rey. Tahiti is the greatest place on earth. Go to Bora Bora and relax. You will love it.

Sorry for the bad joke.

BuckNaked · Nov 9, 2003

your son is smart. i would pick a cool trip over party any day. i agree with the machu pichu idea. i been to machu pichu, its so cool you can't even imagine. this is a must see for everyone imo. if you go be sure to stay at the machu pichu pueblo hotel (my favorite hotel ever). if you have time, i would also make it iquitos, you will have to go back to lima and change planes but it is as rain forest as it gets.

another place that should be considered is the Pantanal in sw Brazil. not really rainforest, more of a wetlands/savana but really cool. i have not been yet but i know of many that have and say it is kickass. check out this ecological refuge in the pantanal:

http://www.caiman.com.br/

GreenDoberman · Nov 9, 2003

THe VIP room at Sapphire, Rain will dance for him and leave him in Ruins.

RIOSHILL · Nov 9, 2003

Green, what about the VIP at the Deuce?

mgspooky · Nov 9, 2003

Hey Buck...Thank you and everyone else.
Just dont know if going to PERU is too far for only 7-8 days though. Tuff to take kids out too long from school, plus wife likes nonstop flights. Gonna check it out though. SO used to going to Sandals Bahamas, Beaches in Turks and cruises to Carribean.
Love some of these ideas though.

Keep em coming.

Appreciate everyones thoughts even winninghand. Should probably just send my 17 year old to Del Ray.

jorzavfa · Nov 9, 2003

If ur son havent been yet to Costa Rica I can tell you that there's a lot of nice places rain forest, beaches, volcanoes and more, not to much ruins but nice hotels and parties ...
And if he already came down here well maybe machu pichu would be a great place!!!!

mgspooky · Nov 9, 2003

Never been to Costa Rica. Wanted to go on a cruise, but they are too long to take kids out of school. It has to be 7-8 days pretty much, maybe we can extend.
Coming from New Jersey and dont want to waste too much time on the flight, travel, layovers etc.

TheGeneral+ · Nov 10, 2003

Wherever you choose mgspooky, hope all goes well.

Chadster · Nov 10, 2003

Belize

ericdixon · Nov 10, 2003

If I am not on a surf trip, I love Europe!

WildBill · Nov 10, 2003

Well 7-8 days is tough for even Chiapas. From Jersey it is easy to fly into Cancun and then venture out from there. One thing about the deep rainforest in Chiapas is that it isn't the safest place, still have a lot of people very resentful of tourism. If you start in Cancun and work south you can see Tulum, which is hard to beat, it is ruins on a beach! You sleep in tents or cabanas and wake up to see the sunrise shining on ancient Mayan ruins. Going further south you can make it either Bonampak or Belize, both of which will take care of the rainforest requirement. Before you get back to Cancun go and see Chichen Itza, some of the most famous ruins in the world. Considering your location and timeframe I am certain this is the best you can do, easy flight in and plenty to see for a week. Peru and Macchu Pichu are once in a lifetime sights, no doubt, but you are right it will be a long trip both ways. From LA it took almost 14 hours to get there when you have to stop along the way. And Peru is pretty much a desert except for a small piece of Amazon rainforest far to the north of the country. The main city of Lima can go 5 years without measurable rainfall, not exactly what someone searching for a rainforest would want!

mgspooky · Nov 10, 2003

Yeah tell my wife that it isnt the safest place and You sleep in tents or cabanas and wake up to see the sunrise shining on ancient Mayan ruins. I am sure she will go with that.
After 20 years, she is used to late sitting and a show and maybe taking a nap on the cruise ship at 5 pm prior to that.
Maybe sitting by the beach and doing some aerobic excercise in the pool.
SOunds great though, if my wife wasnt going.

How bout HAWAII???
Nobody mentioned there. Some nice caves, sightseeing and tours there and still time to soak up the sun at the beach.
Never been, but going nonstop and maybe extending trip to 9-10 days may be do able.

Think I may have to wait till kids are out of school b-4 getting to South America and such.

Really appreciate the info Bill and learning lots by looking up on the internet everyones ideas. Also stopping off in Belize in February on our cruise Mr. Leno so any thoughts would be appreciated as well.

THANKS!! Appreciate the thoughts General.
Still lots of time and a couple of trips ahead of us looking forward to before that.
Gotta go away on my down time with my business.
Too busy in season.

UncleMoneybags · Nov 10, 2003

I would suggest Jumby Bay for the wife. Very nice, serene and was not crowded at all last time I was there. It's been a while so I went to www.jumbybayresort.com and they claim to have a cave with bats but you need special permission to visit and I don't know how difficult it is to get that permission.

I would agree with WildBill about Chiapas. The undesireables there will smell you coming a mile away. A much safer alternative would be going to Guanajuato. It's well-known for it's mystical history particularly mummies.

However, if you don't speak any Spanish you might encounter some difficulties away from your hotel.

Good luck and happy traveling!