What is Your Favorite Vacation Spot (and what is on your BBQ and in your glass)?
Mates,
Another summer weekend is here. We were swimming in a local lake and then I just had an ice cream cone, the kind you get up north, where a 'small' is the size of the Bell Tower down in AA. Vacation time is usually summer time and it got me to thinking, if/when you get to go on a vacation, what is your favorite place to do so? Is there a country/city/lake that has been your 'go to' spot when you could slip away? Is there a long-held family place that holds special memories and you want your kids to have some of that, too? Or maybe there's some exotic places you've been or are headed to that were dynamite.
Tonight's questions are:
1. What is your favorite vacation spot, and why, what makes it your favorite?
2. What is on your BBQ and/or in your cup, perhaps even an adult beverage in your vicinity?
Have a great weekend,
XM
Great Friday thread. To answer your questions:
1. My favorite vacation spot was somewhere typically where my family could all get together and hang. At this point, there is too much political division in that not everyone gets along so we gave up family reunions/vacations about 6 years ago.
2. I’m getting into the hard seltzer craze super late. That’s what I’m drinking now.
Sitting on the beach on Anna Maria Island, FL on the Gulf of Mexico drinking Tito’s and Sprite right now! 🥃🥃
I wish I had 10 travel vacays a year, for 20 years to have a true favorite destination. Alas, I don't have that travel history.
Door County never let's me down, though.
Heading to Outer Banks in 3 weeks. Here's to hoping it's a top-of-the list trip!
BBQ was last week. Smoked a nice pork butt. Turned out great. No beer yet but headed to a release 2 hours away after work (11p) to "camp" for bottles tomorrow morning.
I can't wait.../s
Where in the Outer Banks? Just got home from Avon.
Outer Banks are wonderful. Couple tips:
1. Traffic is horrible on Saturdays. If driving, book a room Friday night in Williamsburg, VA. Got to a pancake house Saturday (can't really go wrong, Yelp is your friend) early, then head to Outer Banks. You will get in before your rental is ready, but you will beat the traffic and you will be happy about it. If on the north end (Corolla) head to the lighthouse and park. If in Duck, hang out in Duck, if further South (Kill Devil Hills/Nagshead) enjoy putt-putt or many other activities.
2. Definitely worth paying a service to set up tent/chairs/cooler on the beach each day so you don't have to lug everything there and back. Mac Brothers are great. Pricey but worth it.
3. Northstar Bakery north end of Corolla.
4. Original Duck Donuts in Duck, get there early.
5. Village Tavern in Duck - fantastic restaurant. Also the tubing/skiing/jet ski rental place underneath Villager Tavern is a great time.
6. Take the kids to Kitty Hawk National Park, very cool.
7. Hike the sand dunes Jockey's Ridge State Park
8. Deep sea fishing out of Wanchese, plenty of providers
Have a great time.
Go Blue.
Thank you for this!
To: wolverine in the 216
We're staying in Kill Devil Hills (sound-side). From there....the trip is still being planned! Wanting to get in as much as possible with a 2.5 year old but also get that RELAXATION and little stress.
Avon is much further south than kill devil hills. You will have plenty to do in that area. Do journey north to Duck and eat at the Village Tavern - get a reservation. With a 2.5 year old go to see kitty hawk and the dunes. You definitely want an umbrella/shade on the beach in OBX. Wide long beaches, but sunny. Mac Bros. Are worth it. Happy to give you some more information on OBX if you want - been many times. We live in northern virginia (Arlington) and have been to OBX several times.
Much appreciated information guys. Thanks yugely! I may reach out again for more tips but this is great. Definitely would not have even thought of doing the Mac Bros service(s)...will be looking into that asap. Have a couple weeks before leaving (23-28th) but it really is fast approaching as summer always kicks into high gear post-4th of July.
Amsterdam, carne asada, Two-Hearted!
Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities. Munich during Oktoberfest, Scotland/Ireland in mid-July is phenomenal as well
1. Little town called Curtis on Little (South) Manistique Lake in the UP. Extended family has a shared cottage right on the lake and we used to spend about a week up there every year since I was 4 or 5. Lots of great memories with my brothers and cousins fishing and skiing on the lake, horseshoes, lawn darts (what genius came up with the idea of throwing spear shaped projectiles into the air and watching them fall near other people?). There are two great little bars, the Shipwreck and the Tally Ho, that I stumbled home from many a time.
I've only been there once since I left for Grad School in 2000, but hope to get back soon.
2. High Life. Ain't no good life. But it's my life! 😊
Blessings to you and your family, XM.
Jesus Blue … if I had a family spot like that that I’d smash my testicles in a mailbox and pay cash to get there every year.
gtfo of the career grind for 2 weeks. The job will be there when you get back.
Along with 344 unanswered emails.
1. as many times as i have been near curtis, i have never actually stopped there or even seen the lakes. looks like a great place and there's no reason for you not to book time there now - once every 20 years doesn't cut it.
2. reading what you wrote i can only hear that in willie nelson's voice.
blessings right back at you blue.
Willie Nelson's voice was exactly what I was going for. 😎
I agree with both you and the good Dr. Jaws. It's just hard making the trip up there during the limited time I'm back in Michigan. It seems like all of my time is accounted for in one way or the other. I did make it up there in 2016 but yeah, one time in 20 years doesn't cut it.
I love Sanibel Island - changed a bit over the past few years but great spot. Zombie Dust tonight. Cheers gang
Went to Sanibel in April,the wife loved the shells,but the noseeums were terrible.
Absolutely brutal and I believe it’s gotten worse the past few years. My wife and boys love it down there but we’ve noticed the same thing.
1. Haleiwa, Hawaii- God’s country. Gorgeous, untouched and peaceful. Great beaches and no one there.
2. BBQ- ribs and tri tip
Drinks- Coors Light at the moment. But I’d prefer a bourbon
Really? When is the last time you were on the north shore Haole!? It's overrun by tourists pretty much year around.
Signed, Wolverine in the 808
That’s sad to hear. 2010 was the last time I visited. That was one of the best thing’s about it.
Grand Haven in the summer / Vegas the rest of the year.
Labatt Light now, seltzer (non-alc) later.
Maui, Hawai'i, because it's a beautiful place and spiritually uplifting
No BBQ, milk
My favorite vacation spot is my wife's family's camp (cottage) on an inlet on the coast of Maine. Unfortunately, my mother-in-law couldn't afford to keep it up by herself after my father-in-law passed away a few years ago, and nobody in my wife's generation could afford to either, so it was sold. There's nothing like sitting on the deck watching a ten-foot change in the tide, and summer sunrises at 4 am are often spectacular.
Nothing on the grill tonight, but throwing together a few things for a Sunday family reunion picnic at my cousin's on the banks of the White River. Because I love to cook, and don't get enough opportunities to put forth a lot of effort, I'm making more than my share of dishes: gooey chocolate caramel bars, black-eyed pea salad, baked seven beans 'n' bacon, fresh cucumber dill salad. I talked my brother into smoking a couple racks of ribs, and he and I are heading up there tomorrow night to grill ribeyes, crack open a few brews, lie on the ground to see if we can see any satellites go by overhead, swat a few mosquitoes, and enjoy camping until Sunday when about three to four dozen of our relatives show up. The clan's been doing this for close on to fifty years now, the past two excepted, and it used to be six to eight families would camp there for the weekend. Now it's usually just me and one or both of my brothers, but that's alright, too.
Had this in my family. By Saturday there would be 40-50 people there. My grandma is getting old (98) and thinks this might be the last year. She’s been saying that for 11 years.
totally different now. All the “partiers” are in their 40s and their kids are out drinking and out smoking their aunts and uncles.
my grandma will soon see her first great great grandchild so there’s that. Love you Memaw
Don't have a family vacation spot. Cancun is the most exotic place I've been. A 16 year old being about to bar hop with his brothers.
Eating corn dogs and drinking Sam Adams Summer Ale
Cancun is a great spot. But if you like islands and beaches check out Turks and Caicos sometimes. Best beaches in the world. Beautiful place to relax and get away
1) Tijuana, no explanation needed if you've been there before
2) Bud Heavy as per usual.
have been to TJ, but maybe it's changed. what is the attraction these days?
Have you been after dark?
kind of? we were working the border some and it was pretty wild.
Former mayor, Jorge Hank Rhon, is an old friend.
Nothing like Mexican border towns. Wonderful cultural experiences, I believe it was called “Bride of the Burro”.
AA. Lived away since graduation. Relocating in Spring. Retired! Drinking Sweetwater Springbock. Great! Grilling ahi tuna and king salmon from Fulton Street Market. Go Blue!
Vacation day is at Greenfield Village, the DIA, or the Zoo. Even an engineer can end the day well by taking the significant other out to dinner afterward.
Vacation week is enjoying family in northern Michigan checking out the trails, history, and food in places like Ludington, Glen Arbor, St. Ignace, Marquette, Eagle River. Keweenaw Mineral Days next week.
Bell's Two Hearted Ale while eating pizza from Kruse & Muir. It has been a great day.
Bless you boys and girls.
Going out to a double feature drive-in tonight with the wife (the new Thor & Top Gun movies... I'm going in with low expectations since sequels usually disappoint, but hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised.) Thinking of the Saline Celticfest for tomorrow. So... no drinking tonight, at least.
can't comment on new thor, but the new top gun was a '10'.
The Thor movie was heavy on the humor and somewhat disjointed and inconsistent. Shoehorning in socio-political commentary as well. Overall an "OK" movie.
Top Gun Maverick was honestly much better than expected. The love story seemed a bit forced and inconsequential to the movie, Tom Cruise was doing things ~20 years younger than his character should, and there was a bit of "jumping the shark", but still... not bad (this could be the ~2:30am finish talking though).
1: Horse Neck Beach area in Massachusetts might be my favorite. So much amazing fresh seafood and I love the beach. Zion a close second.
2: Meatball calzones on the menu and Heady Topper in the glass.
cheers!
At first glance, MGoCue, I thought for the briefest moment that you had horse necks on the BBQ grill.
An underrated Midwest vacation spot is Breakers Resort at Cedar Point. It’s not cheap, but the drive is easy from anywhere in the Midwest. Spent 4 nights there this past weekend. Fireworks on the 4th. A gold pass is $159 and gets you waterpark included. Way cheaper than Disney and unlimited days. The boardwalk at night is hopping with bars and music. The balmy mornings hearing the waves (even though it’s Lake Erie) sounds like Florida or outer banks. We do this every year with a family of 16 people. Younger kids swim, older kids run off and ride coasters and meet girls/guys, adults sit and drink. Pinnacle of summer
Worked there for 4 summers while in school. Not for money, $3.45 per hour. 3500 seasonal college aged kids with a 3 to 1 girls to boys ratio back then. Everynight was a volleyball game or fire on the beach, bar hopping, scavenger hunts, crew parties, trips to Put in Bay, sneaking into kid arthurs court ball pit, climbing to top of Demon Drop with my favorite girl that season or going to top of the Breakers rotunda. Awesome hotel still, over a 100 yr old, modern now but still some neat nooks and the Surfs up lounge. That just may have been favorite vacation working there. Go back with family every few years and stay at the Breakers.
Sommieler and restaurat owner now in Texas so just off work and enjoying a Domaine Weinbach Pinot Blanc from Alsace.
Mine is pretty simple.
I love going to Tahquamenon falls in Paradise, MI. The lower falls you can wade the River and actually go up to them and go sit underneath them. Some good memories of me and my dad and my brothers going there and feeling the power of the water rush over you. Still love going there and excited for my kids to be able to try it in a few years!
My BBQ go to is a smoked pork shoulder on the pellet grill. I’ve got it down to a science now and it’s so delicious!
Playing in the falls is an amazing experience. Our dream is to own a few acres on superior west of whitefish point and have a small rustic cabin to unplug. Missed a really hoot lot last year. Not much better in life than rock hunting that shoreline.
North shore of Kauai, really anything north of Kilauea. No place on earth like it for me and nothing can ruin my day or bring me down while Im there. Threw my back out there last year and even that couldn't damped the joy of being there brings me. We do 2 weeks there every year and I live for it.
Gin(Hendricks) and tonic
1. Kaliningrad
2. Sausage and peppers, and a little redpop.
Reminds me of my dad. He likes red pop. But an odd thing he does is put peanuts in his root beer and popcorn in his kool aid. Anyone else do that?
guessing that's not the 'redpop' that vlady is referring to. he means 'redpop' as in some red wine. assumedly in a coffee cup. is possible i had some very near me earlier this same evening.
Never heard of that. But I do like a splash of tomato juice in my high life every once in a while.
Where's our Kahlua and tomato juice friend?
Vacation: tie between Hawaii and Italy
A nice velvety Barolo in my cup.
Go Blue!