Help me pick a vacation spot!

tengounnombre

Ignoring the Blackfish propaganda supporters, I'm from Orlando and I vote against it. I love it here, don't get me wrong, but the fact that you've been here before and have thoughts that you'll be back with kids make me say to wait until then. Orlando doesn't change that much over a few years' time and will still be just as good -- if not better -- when you're able to experience it with your offspring.

I think the cruise would be your best bet. There's something going on almost every minute of the day there, plus all of the excursions (which are often extra costs, but there are things to do for 6-8 hours that are only $10 or so a person), and the shows... And the food is so varied that even the pickiest eater I know (seriously only eats 4-5 dishes and cereal / bread. Yeah.) found enough to eat that she gained 15lbs in 5 days lol.

Plus, cost inclusive makes things a lot easier to budget for.

bugaha1

Be careful with the cruise, the drinks are very expensive and you can’t even walk onboard with a bottle of water.

maz504

Cabo! Just sounds the most fun to me.

rachelg145

100% cabo - you'll be fine with the food and the all-inclusives are awesome. When my husband and I went to Riviera Maya we spent NO extra money.

Orlando = save for the kids and you've already been there, Cruise = went on one FOR FREE once to great destinations and was SO annoyed with all the trashy people on the boat. I was a few years younger than you and everyone was much older than me, constantly stuffing their faces and there was a lot of skeet shooting - all the time - which does not make the pool deck relaxing and nobody to hang out with because everyone else was with groups. Go to the Ocean in Mexico while you can without kids - drink mudslides and lounge in the pool and dip in the ocean. If you can go to an adults-only resort I would highly recommend it.

HAVE FUN - you look great and you're going to rock a bikini!!

poorbikrchick

Cruise! You will NOT be bored, plus the food is amazing!

As for Sea World, I've had an annual pass to the San Diego Sea World for at least 15 years. The cruelty to animals thing is PETA talking. Sea World rescues and rehabilitates more sea life than most people will ever know about.

cardbucfan

I vote for the cruise too. The theme parks are great and I've been to all of them in Florida many times but you've been there, done that. And you will do that again with kids (although a MUCH different experience!)

Never been to Cabo but I've done all inclusives in Jamaica and been to Mexico several times. I tend to be "frugal" so if I've already paid for something I'm sure as heck not going to go somewhere else and pay again (such as leaving the resort for dinner or other activities). So if the food isn't good, I'd still be eating it rather than going elsewhere! I think you'd get bored at an all inclusive especially since you do live in the South. It would be one thing if you were from Minnesota and recovering from this past winter and all you want to do is chill on the beach, snorkel and lounge but you guys sound more active than that.

I've been on a bunch of cruises on most of the major cruiselines and do think that would be your best bet.. Carnival is NOT bad. It has a bad rap because of the issues last year (and I was on one of those cruises and would still sail with them again) and because it does such a huge volume of business you get quite the cross section of folks. (makes for some great people watching!) Additionally, if you go on one of their shorter sailings or over a school break (doesn't sound like your window though) it can be quite the party scene.

Go to cruise.com and enter your dates. Then pick an itinerary that has places you want to go and few sea days (although I love the sea days for the relaxation part!). Check out Cruisecritic.com for recent reviews of the ships you are looking at and go on the forums there for every piece of information you would ever want about cruising. I really suggest you try and at least get an oceanview if a balcony is out of your price range but I've got a friend who fits their entire family of 4 in an inside cabin and saves her money for excursions! (somebody in my family would die if we tried that!) Once you've chosen an itinerary, find some cool, unique excursions to do. You do NOT have to do them through the ship and that's where cruiscritic can come in handy.

Food is very subjective on a cruise but what I found was the "better" cruiselines were trying to give Top Chef quality food experiences for 2-3000 people and it didn't take. Carnival on the other hand just made good food. I'd say Outback level vs. a high end steakhouse. I have never gone hungry on any cruise I've been on and neither have my picky kids or complaining husband. Some of the food is absolutely delicious!

Can you tell I love cruises and think you should go on one lol?!

Come back and let us know what you decide!!!

cardbucfan

Be careful with the cruise, the drinks are very expensive and you can’t even walk onboard with a bottle of water.

Not true and most cruiselines I've been on allow 1-2 bottles of wine per of age passenger. I think Royal Caribbean may not but Princess, Carnival and Holland America allow it as well as soda. Mixed drinks are expensive though (unless you find a way to smuggle your own.....)

dreawest

now I want to go on a cruise. But really I already have kids and we do our trips camping with family, at a lake cabin, or to cool places for kids and such right now (and Egypt every couple of years to visit my husband's family).

But...

When my kids are old enough to dump on my folks for awhile my husband and I are off to Rome without them as the only time we were there we had my daughter and I was expecting my son and we both loved it so much that we said we will be back without the kids. Probably can do it in a couple of years so I should start saving

cwolfman13

I would opt for Cabo. Cabo is great...lots of fun. I like traveling to Mexico and Central American countries (I love Belize just as a side note).

I personally find cruises to be boring and I don't like the fact that you pull into port and just have a couple hours or whatever...I like to spend a lot more time at actual destinations and taking in the culture and seeing more than just the tourist boardwalk where you dock. I know a lot of people who cruise and they're all, "yeah...I've been to Roatan, Honduras (another of my favorites)...and I'm like, "yeah, no...you pulled into port for a couple hours and then were off...you saw about 1/100th of the island and witnessed very little of the culture...so you really haven't "been there." To that end, I would also not opt for an all inclusive resort that I would likely never or rarely leave...I like being out and about.

Hold off on Orlando until you have kids and they're a bit older...that'll be fun; we're looking forward to that in another 2 years or so.

elusive_design

OPTION TWO
Location: Cabo San Lucas
Things to do: We'd be staying at an all-inclusive resort on the beach.
Significance: We've never been out of the country on vacation and it seems like a pretty popular vacation spot.
Pros: It's a new experience for both of us, a nice resort, food and flight included in the price. It would be about $2200 for the package. Unlike Orlando, it's a place we probably won't go with kids.
Cons: We'd have to be really careful what we spend while we're there, because $2000 was our original budget. We're worried we won't like the food at the resort, but we'd be stuck with it. We're concerned about other costs that we may not be considering. I'm also worried about being bored - I'm not a "go on vacation to relax" type of person. I want to go do fun stuff!


This, right here. Keep in mind though.. just because you have kids doesn't mean you can't travel out of the country. It might be so for the first year and a half or so for convenience sake but introducing a child to other cultures at a very young age will do nothing but benefit them as they grow up. I have many, many friends who travel every year and bring their kids with them, just a thought!

dreawest

This, right here. Keep in mind though.. just because you have kids doesn't mean you can't travel out of the country. It might be so for the first year and a half or so for convenience sake but introducing a child to other cultures at a very young age will do nothing but benefit them as they grow up. I have many, many friends who travel every year and bring their kids with them, just a thought!

Good point! In fact for the first few years it is cheap to fly so my daughter did quite a bit of travel. Both of my kids are great on planes and have made some international trips, including one last year where they flew just with their dad for 20 hours and it went well (5 and 2 at the time).

You will enjoy a trip before the kids, you will be able to leave your kids behind when they get older as well, but don't limit your thinking to not being able to travel with them. I'm in a cool spot in Canada (snow yesterday) and many people family trip to Mexico and such for amazing rates just watching for sales. My one friend was $2700 Canadian flights included for her family of four in February. So it can happen.

RunsOnEspresso

I always try to go somewhere I haven't been yet. There are so many places I want to visit that I think it's pointless to go somehere I've been and do things I've already done. But... that's just me.

I stayed at an all inclusive in Cancun. Food and drinks were great. We did leave the hotel and do activities (parasailing one day and snorkeling another) but it was nice to have a couple of days just to relax, swim and enjoy the sun/whether.

I've never been on a cruise but know many people that have. They all have loved them and the food. According to them you will only get bored if you choose to be bored. Cruise ships are just floating cities these days. I think I have seen just about every activity advertised for, from learning to surf (on the ship) to gambling to rock climbing.

jc1229

I would pick Cabo or a cruise. I was in Cabo this past October at an all inclusive and loved it. A taxi into downtown/marina area was $10 each way or you could be adventurous and take a bus for $1 each way. I would go back in a heartbeat!

Was on a cruise several years ago and it was great to visit a few different islands in a week's time and see different cultures. Let us know what you decide!

acpgee

Thailand. If you are spending two weeks it is cheaper than anywhere in the western world even after the fights due to the exchange rate.

xmarykaterose

Go to Cabo. Cruises are too crowded, you've already been to FL, and Cabo will give you space, the ability to explore and have fun, and have a little bit of a romantic feel. I loved Cabo. (: Leave florida and the whole Sea World scene for when you have kids. have fun!

Bruceapple

Saint George Island, FL, rent a Beach house and relax.

You can also bring your dog.

HerbertNenenger

What's with all the Sea World hate? I've been wanting to go since I was like eight years old!

We may just be big kids, but Sea World is a blast. It's all the PETA folk that have a problem with it.

All of the "romantic" vacation ideas bore the hell out of me. If we wanted to lay around and have sex all day, we'd do that at home. We don't have children, so we go on vacation to do stuff, not do each other.

Not a PETA member, just an animal lover, and a person with compassion.

Sarah4fitness

Go for a cruise. Absolutely, cruise 100%.

kansasbelle

Just cruised to Jamaica and grand cayman. we went on carnival. It was crowded. I love cruises but I preferred NCL, nicer boats, more relaxed, better quality. Went to Belize, Cozumel, another place in mexico, and Guatemala. out of New Orleans on that one, but didn;t have to pay airfare because I lived 45 minutes away. I would fly in a day before the cruise or leave a day later. We only got to spend two hours in South Beach Miami. Wished we had more time in port. It was so pretty. you definately want to see the port the boat is docked in. I recommend going the day you leave cruise because youre off the boat at dawn

ilfaith

I would choose Cabo...or an all-inclusive elsewhere in Mexico or the Caribbean...but make sure that the all-inclusive includes things you enjoy (if you aren't big drinkers, no point in paying for an unlimited bar tab). My only all-inclusive experience was Club Med in my 20s, and I had a blast...the food and accommodations were not super luxurious, but there was plenty to do in the way of water sports (snorkeling, sailing, windsurfing, waterskiing) and other activities (tennis, trapeze, fitness classes). I did take some off-site excursions as well (a horseback ride and a trip to Tulum). I don't know that I would have enjoyed a resort that was in the middle of nowhere (as some all-inclusives can be) since it was nice to be able to get a taxi to leave the resort and experience the city a bit.

I am not a cruise person. I have been on two. My first cruise I ended up with the Norovirus. I was sick as a dog (thought it was food poisoning, until the media started reporting on people getting violently ill on cruise ships). The only saving grace was that any weight I might have gained on the first five days was lost the last two. I swore I would never do another cruise, but my parents decided to take the kids and grandkids on a trip over Christmas last year. Nobody got sick, but cruising still isn't my cup of tea. I think what i like least is that while you may visit a variety of places, you don't really get to experience them. You just see nearly identical ports with the same shops selling tanzanite jewelry, watches and duty-free rum, and then you rush back to the ship. The cruise-run excursions are pricy...much better deals can be found if you are willing to do some research on local tour companies...but beware, if anything delays your return to the ship, nobody's waiting for you. If you do choose a cruise, a room with a window (or at least a porthole) is much nicer than an interior cabin. On our first cruise we had an interior stateroom (if this is a stateroom, that state must be Delaware) and it felt like a crypt. I hated waking up and not knowing if it was the middle of the night or late morning.

My ideal vacation would combine something active, something cultural, and something totally relaxing...which is why my husband and I went to Greece on our honeymoon. I also like visiting cities...NYC (where I lived for most of my 20s), Chicago, San Francisco, New Orleans all have lots to do, great restaurants, music, museums, shopping, and beautiful architecture (if you're into that).

And we live in Florida and do go to Sea World...in fact we were there a few weeks ago. Please note that the Shamu show has been suspended in the wake of the trainer death a while back, and even the dolphin show is not as dolphin-full as it once was. Now it's more of a Cirque du Soleil-style aerialist show with a few dolphins jumping around the pool. Entertaining, and likely kinder to the dolphins, but not as awe-inspiring as it once was.

beccag28

Go anywhere outside of the US!

robinkelly25

I vote cruise Neither one of you have been outside the U.S and this will give you the opportunity to visit more than one place.

leslisa

Modified #1. Orlando and central florida. I live in Central Florida. There is so much to do here (unless you are really, really set on the amusement park scene).

Some things to check out within 1 hour of Orlando:
Canaveral National Sea Shore - very secluded. Do not go to the end - nude bathers hang out there. Since it's a national park there is no restriction on nudity. Don't go nude. You will burn places that will not appreciate being burnt :embarassed: .
Cocoa Beach - Take some surf lessons or just play in the ocean!
Blackpoint Wildlife Refuge (don't feed the alligators!)
Blue Spring State Park (swim with the manatees if they are in the spring - if not with the fish - or go into the boil and look for prehistoric artifacts) - you can rent cabins there too. $80 a night. Central heat and air. 2 bedrooms, 1 bath. Bike paths, rent canoes (again - don't feed the alligators )
Kennedy Space Center (take the bus tour - there is a lot of history and there is also a freaking huge eagle's nest that has been there about 20 years)
Charter a fishing boat. Seriously. This is fun even if you don't fish!
Rent a boat on the river.
Go to OWC (Orlando Watersports Center)
You can still do Sea World, Aquatica, or whatever, too!

I'm sure you guessed but I love, love, love where I live. Things to do every weekend and nature really combines with man with nature. If you decided to go this route and you'd like ideas, send me what you enjoy and I'll send suggestions (and restaurants - we have some kick *kitten* restaurants here!)

the_dude00

Outside the us if possible

JBfoodforlife

I love vacations! But then who doesnt?? ... From my limited experience here is what I have to offer... Cruises are great if you can make friends with strangers or you dont mind being part of a crowd and joining in... It is true there is always something to do, it just may not be what you want to do! As far as Carnival goes, I was on a ship out of Galveston, Tx. and although it was a great cruise over New Years Eve to Mexico, the ship was old, dingy and under kept... I took a 5 day cruise to Bermuda on Royal Caribbean and I cant say enough about that ship, it was relatively new and spotless... One thing to remember is alcoholic beverages are not included in the price of a cruise... Between alcohol and other small purchases, I left the ship with an additional $700.00 charge... Still worth it to me
As far as going to where you have been, it is nice to go to places you have been before and enjoy what you know... It really depends on your sense of adventure... I am one to want to see as much of this world as I can in the short time we are here... You can always do more research into what there is to do at the locations you are thinking about...
My choice would be Cabo... I think all inclusive is the way to go as you dont have to think about money at all... Everything is already paid for... You get to explore places you have never been and as far as food goes, generally there are numerous choices and your sure to find several things you will like... You can always search for a menu online to get an idea of what they have...
What ever your choice is, I hope you have an amazing time together!...

dcresider

While I love the gold old U. S. of A., you are young enough to get out and experience the world. Go to Cabo. You will enjoy it and it will be something new.