Ideas, Experiences, Likes, Dislikes

[mandaz000]

My friend and I are planning a trip for October. I'll be 30 in Nov and she will be 30 in Jan. We have been friends since we were 5 and we thought this would be a great time to have one final blowout celebrating being in our 20's. Originally i thought Vegas. Then I thought about a cruise. One of my friends just got back from a cruise and loved it and another friend took a cruise about 5 years ago and would never do it again. I've been researching different avenues but would love to hear ideas/experiences. I realize vacations cost money but we can't afford anything too extreme. The only requirement I have is that is warm and sunny, especially with the awful weather we have been having.

[maloneandme]

ha! Crazy! Amanda, I turn 30 in december and it just so happens that one of my best ffriends (who is actually now living in Chicago!) is getting married in Florida! Near Fort Myers, off the coast. Anyways, I am a bridesmaid and I've decided that the Florida trip will double as my 30 celebration party!~!!!!!!!!!!!! yeeeehaww!

So.. I vote FLORIDA! It's cheap to fly there and the beaches are some of the best in the world, I hear. :P

[maloneandme]

oh and i have always been very 'meh' about cruises. from what i hear its mostly all about eating and eating. which i DO agree can be wonderful. but i don't know if i'd want to gain 10 lbs from a vacation... but that's just me. :P

[mandaz000]

That's so cool, so when is the wedding? I live 3 hours south of Chicago I thought about Florida, but now I'm looking into Cancun possibly. I don't know. I guess I should see what my friend wants to do and not just keep coming up with ideas huh?

[maloneandme]

Wedding is late October, it's going to be in Punta Gorda
Cool! Yeah, we visited Chicago 3 years ago and had a blast. we stayed downtown and also in Batavia, which is somewhere in C-land... can't remember where.. how often do you get into the city?

[mandaz000]

Late October is when we are planning our trip too. Surprisingly I don't go to Chi Town to often. I went more when i was a kid. Too much traffic and people for me. I think i feel that way because it's rather close. However I would love to visit L.A. or something where there is too much traffic and people. I actually need to get up there sometime soon though, I have a friend who has been trying to get me to come visit forever now.

[Sams Mom]

Hmm. I don't like cruises because I get seasick, gravol/dramamine knocks me out and I don't care for haute cuisine. Give me a good curry, pasta dish or pizza.

Places that I've been that I've liked:

Myrtle Beach, SC lots of shopping and mini-golf. Not sure about October weather.
San Diego, CA (well Del Mar). I think it's pretty expensive though.

I can't recommend Long Beach, CA. We stayed at a nice enough hotel, but were warned off going past a certain street after dark for fear of being mugged and/or shot. We took the train into LA in the middle of the day. I was the only white person on the train and my friend was the only Asian. We were sexually harassed on the way into LA by 2 punks. They moved on when my friend threatened to push the emergency stop button.

[mandaz000]

Thanks Sams Mom, Long Beach is out

[Retriever Mama]

I've been on several cruises and have always had a great time, gorgeous weather and made long lasting friends. We've only travelled Royal Caribbean.

October, huh? Just at the end of hurricane season. Should be fine.

Also, being a former New Yorker I have to throw out the obligatory trip to NYC. Not sunny beaches and boat drinks, but definitely a trip you will never forget.

[Jinx]

my mom went on her first cruise last year in october. she went to the bahamas and cant stop raving about it.

*ETA - food and drinks are all inclusive but you can rack up quite a bill if you want alcoholic beverages(ie. $10 per drink.)