Travel

[stan_5150]

If you ever happen to make it to Amsterdam, avoid the Red Light District on a Sunday morning - seriously, they have the B Squad/Junior Varsity working. There are things that you simply can't un-see.

?

"C'mon, she wasn't THAT bad. She had DD's! Yeah, ok, they were on her back, but still!"

Beer.Out.Nose.

You guys are the best!

[davescharf]

For those of you into extremely picturesque (and sometimes horrifying) drives, I would highly recommend Hwy 82 over Independence Pass into Aspen and US 550 from Ouray to Durango. The 25 miles from Ouray to Silverton might possibly be the nicest drive in the continental US, but you need to pull over frequently to see it if you're the one behind the wheel.

[Dances With Gophers]

For those of you into extremely picturesque (and sometimes horrifying) drives, I would highly recommend Hwy 82 over Independence Pass into Aspen and US 550 from Ouray to Durango. The 25 miles from Ouray to Silverton might possibly be the nicest drive in the continental US, but you need to pull over frequently to see it if you're the one behind the wheel.

That drive IS gorgeous! When you mentioned horrifying drives, Beartooth Pass in Montana immediately came to mind. That was the one time I almost pooped a chicken while driving. I'm guessing Gator probably knows a other drives that puts both Indy and Beartooth to shame, though...

[Golden FE Ranger]

When you mentioned horrifying drives, Beartooth Pass in Montana immediately came to mind. I'm guessing Gator probably knows a other drives that puts both Indy and Beartooth to shame, though...

MLK ave Chicago. What a nightmares .

[Snowcool08]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions on what BBQ places to go to in Kansas City. We only had time for one and it ended up being Smokin Guns. It was very good and we were trying to find time to go again, but it just didn't work out.

Downtown KC had a great outdoor hangout called the Lamp and Power District. It was an outdoor stage at the end of an oval that was surrounded by about 10 bars. It was an awesome place to hang out, especially when they have live music playing. I really wish they would have something like that up here.

Also had the chance to go to Kauffman stadium. Besides the heat and rain delay we had to sit through, it was a great experience. It's a unique stadium and it's surprising more people don't go to the games just for the stadium regardless of how the team is playing. The best part is we bought outfield tickets for $9 and never sat in our seats. We ended up sitting right behind the third base dugout under the cover of the upper levels. Best $9 seats I've ever had.

[Chris83]

Hi All,

Leaving this Saturday morning to head to Toronto to see my new Granddaughter

I know it will be a LONG haul, but my wife and I would like to try and get their in one day. We drove up in 2004 for my Daughter's wedding, but did that in 2 days. Anyway...

I know the "fastest" route is down around Chicago and then to Detroit, cross into Canada and at Windsor and go through London to Toronto. Any advice on the toll highways in Illinois (or elsewhere)? As noted, I haven't done that route since 2004.

I also looked at heading east thru WisSTINKson, thru Green Bush, up to the Soo and then Sudbury to Toronto. Distance wise isn't much different, but I figure it adds several hours due to highway driving instead of Interstate.

Any advice or opinions are MOST welcome! Thank you!

[Superstar]

When I went there a couple years ago we took I69 thru Flint rather than go the Detroit way....that was the way Google Maps directed us so that's why we went that way. It looks at though it is supposed to save you 2miles, and 20mins going that route. It was about a 9hr drive from Chicago....but I forgot about the added hour when calculating our stops. So don't forget that! But otherwise, you can definitely make it in one day (we drove all the way back in one day).

[WPoSforever]

Look into getting an ipass for the toll roads if time is the most important thing. Will allow you to bypass the tolls. There are ways to get around them, but it will add time.

[Hobey Baker]

If you haven't experienced Colorado in the summer, you are missing out. I am specifically talking about the moutains. It is absolutely gorgeous. The old saying is people go to the Mountains in the winter to ski but end up staying for the summers.
Spent some time in the Aspen / Snowmass area. It is tough to beat .. white water rafting (Roaring Fork), Maroon Bells (gorgeous hikes), the town or Aspen (food, night life, shopping), Aspen Mtn (top of moutain gondola lunch) and great golf (public and private courses).

If you get the chance, you wont be sorry. It is an awesome trip!!

[g_manpucker]

If you haven't experienced Colorado in the summer, you are missing out. I am specifically talking about the moutains. It is absolutely gorgeous. The old saying is people go to the Mountains in the winter to ski but end up staying for the summers.
Spent some time in the Aspen / Snowmass area. It is tough to beat .. white water rafting (Roaring Fork), Maroon Bells (gorgeous hikes), the town or Aspen (food, night life, shopping), Aspen Mtn (top of moutain gondola lunch) and great golf (public and private courses).

If you get the chance, you wont be sorry. It is an awesome trip!!

My in-laws live 10 miles from Estes Park and we took a trip there in late June. I would second the sentiment that summer trips to Colorado are worth their while. It was fun to visit but I could never live there, I miss the things that are Minnesota!

[davescharf]

If you haven't experienced Colorado in the summer, you are missing out. I am specifically talking about the moutains. It is absolutely gorgeous. The old saying is people go to the Mountains in the winter to ski but end up staying for the summers.
Spent some time in the Aspen / Snowmass area. It is tough to beat .. white water rafting (Roaring Fork), Maroon Bells (gorgeous hikes), the town or Aspen (food, night life, shopping), Aspen Mtn (top of moutain gondola lunch) and great golf (public and private courses).

If you get the chance, you wont be sorry. It is an awesome trip!!

+1.

We spent a few days in Aspen then went to Durango the first couple weeks in August.

[Slap Shot]

If you haven't experienced Colorado in the summer, you are missing out. I am specifically talking about the moutains. It is absolutely gorgeous. The old saying is people go to the Mountains in the winter to ski but end up staying for the summers.
Spent some time in the Aspen / Snowmass area. It is tough to beat .. white water rafting (Roaring Fork), Maroon Bells (gorgeous hikes), the town or Aspen (food, night life, shopping), Aspen Mtn (top of moutain gondola lunch) and great golf (public and private courses).

If you get the chance, you wont be sorry. It is an awesome trip!!

I was a camp counselor at the YMCA in Estes Park for three summers. Absolutely glorious!

[Tee09]

If you haven't experienced Colorado in the summer, you are missing out. I am specifically talking about the moutains. It is absolutely gorgeous. The old saying is people go to the Mountains in the winter to ski but end up staying for the summers.
Spent some time in the Aspen / Snowmass area. It is tough to beat .. white water rafting (Roaring Fork), Maroon Bells (gorgeous hikes), the town or Aspen (food, night life, shopping), Aspen Mtn (top of moutain gondola lunch) and great golf (public and private courses).

If you get the chance, you wont be sorry. It is an awesome trip!!

I was a camp counselor at the YMCA in Estes Park for three summers. Absolutely glorious!

A buddy and I worked for a summer out in Boulder...It was beautiful, and we had a blast. Did a ton of hiking and trout fishing, and rafting was sweet too. Pretty much every weekend, we were either touring breweries or doing mountain stuff. I only wish I had a vehicle capable of doing more exploring in the mountains at the time. The ol' Saturn sedan didn't have the clearance for some of those rougher roads with the big rocks sticking up in the middle. Colorado is definitely a place I could live, and there aren't many of those outside of WI or MN.

[The Rube]

Have visited CO in April, August, January, and will be back in Sept. Always awesome weather, and great sight-seeing. I've been 50/50 in CO Springs and Denver, and I prefer the Springs. Hiked some mountains there, and it is indeed glorious. Also did a loop in northern CO, in the Rocky Mountain National Park, and while I detest heights (couldn't look out the window on those roads), it was a beautiful site.

The lakes on the mountainsides.....my God.....you just don't have the words.

[gopherguy06]

Planning a family trip to Hawaii. Anyone have any suggestions on:
1. Which island to go to?
2. What to do there?

I am not sure if it is easy to jump between islands or better to just stay at one. Looking at about a week. Saturday to Saturday.

[george]

Planning a family trip to Hawaii. Anyone have any suggestions on:
1. Which island to go to?
2. What to do there?

I am not sure if it is easy to jump between islands or better to just stay at one. Looking at about a week. Saturday to Saturday.

I've only been once so take with a grain of salt. My thought is the trip is so long I wouldn't go for just a week - you burn a full day each way at least. Given the cost of airfare I want spend more than 5 days there. We did two islands, Oahu and Maui. I would not miss either one. Oahu has history with Pearl Harbor and Waikiki. Maui is gorgeous with lots to do.

[Gopherguy05]

Looking to do a long weekend in San Fran over MLK weekend. Any advice on where to stay? Whats easier, by the airport, or downtown near Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf?

Any absolute must see spots...looking to do the usual stuff, Alcatraz, the wharf, cable cars, etc....

[eddieshore]

Looking to do a long weekend in San Fran over MLK weekend. Any advice on where to stay? Whats easier, by the airport, or downtown near Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf?

Any absolute must see spots...looking to do the usual stuff, Alcatraz, the wharf, cable cars, etc....

My wife and I took a California vacation years ago that took us up the coast where we ended in SF.

We had reservations at the Radisson in the Fisherman's Wharf area and were pretty excited but I would avoid staying in that area. There are nice spots down there and you should certainly checkout the boardwalk area and such but it isn't the cleanest or safest area. Between the homeless, panhandlers and people trying to get you to buy timeshares or go to presentations, I would find a room closer to downtown as there's a lot more to do in terms of restaurants and bars as well. There's a strip there that has many bars and restaurants.

We stayed one night at the Wharf, cancelled the second and ended up finishing our stay by the airport. Which was nice, but there isn't much to out there in terms of nightlife... that we found anyway.

However, a favorite spot we found just off of Fisherman's Wharf was the Buena Vista: http://www.thebuenavista.com/irishcoffee.html .

Never got into Chinatown but it looked awesome.

Hope that helps.

[Zwak]

Looking to do a long weekend in San Fran over MLK weekend. Any advice on where to stay? Whats easier, by the airport, or downtown near Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf?

Any absolute must see spots...looking to do the usual stuff, Alcatraz, the wharf, cable cars, etc....

Do NOT go to the wharf. Complete and total tourist trap IMO. I would recommend seeing Alcatraz and taking a ride on the cable cars. If you take the daytime tour of Alcatraz, you get some great views from the boat on the way there.

[psych]

Looking to do a long weekend in San Fran over MLK weekend. Any advice on where to stay? Whats easier, by the airport, or downtown near Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf?

Any absolute must see spots...looking to do the usual stuff, Alcatraz, the wharf, cable cars, etc....

Do NOT go to the wharf. Complete and total tourist trap IMO. I would recommend seeing Alcatraz and taking a ride on the cable cars. If you take the daytime tour of Alcatraz, you get some great views from the boat on the way there.

Wharf is very average, although the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory Tour that is on/near the Wharf is pretty cool, IMO. Not sure if they do that anymore or not. Alcatraz is amazing. Seconded on doing it during the day. Although it is just a street, going down the zigzagging Lombard Street was pretty fun, and it offered some gorgeous views.

[Luckygirl#13]

Looking to do a long weekend in San Fran over MLK weekend. Any advice on where to stay? Whats easier, by the airport, or downtown near Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf?

Any absolute must see spots...looking to do the usual stuff, Alcatraz, the wharf, cable cars, etc....

Do NOT go to the wharf. Complete and total tourist trap IMO. I would recommend seeing Alcatraz and taking a ride on the cable cars. If you take the daytime tour of Alcatraz, you get some great views from the boat on the way there.

Wharf is very average, although the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory Tour that is on/near the Wharf is pretty cool, IMO. Not sure if they do that anymore or not. Alcatraz is amazing. Seconded on doing it during the day. Although it is just a street, going down the zigzagging Lombard Street was pretty fun, and it offered some gorgeous views.

I guess I'm alone in this.....but Alcatraz at night was AWESOME!!! Being in there at night added a creepy factor that I loved. I think it's better than the day time tour. I do agree on going down Lombard street if you get a chance. It's pretty cool and the view at the top is priceless. I also recommend Chinatown. The Wharf really isn't that exciting.

[Sioux/Bucky Hater]

Looking to do a long weekend in San Fran over MLK weekend. Any advice on where to stay? Whats easier, by the airport, or downtown near Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf?

Any absolute must see spots...looking to do the usual stuff, Alcatraz, the wharf, cable cars, etc....

Yes, Alcatraz is cool.

Wharf is neat, but not a must see.

The Fog City Diner is a great restaurant and a San Francisco landmark of sorts. It is very near the wharf. The idea behind it was derived from Mickey's diner in Saint Paul. The clientele and food is nothing like Mickey's. Napa/Sonoma is sweet if you can make it.

The folks at Dudley Perkins Harley-Davidson are wonderful to work with. I rented a bike there for a few days.

There are more pan handlers in SF than any other city in America. It's the weather.

I'll second Ghiradelli.

Lots of deep sea fishing charters if you are in to that.

Just North of SF across the Golden Gate is Sausalito and then Mill Valley. Very cool towns to walk around and shop. YOu may see some old hippies in MV as that is where Jerry Garcia lived if I remember correctly. David Crosby, Greg Allman and also Huey Lewis live/lived there.

Mount Tamalpias is in or near Mill Valley. Sweet views from the top. The Buckeye Roadhouse is a great lunch/dinner spot in Mill Valley.

Carmel, CA is a couple three hours south of SF. That's where Clint Eastwood was the mayor. Cool place. Pebble Beach is located there. I believe the Hearst Castle is a little soulth of there yet. Absolutely incredible. You would want to take a full day to get there, tour and get back to SF. Tough to do in one weekend.

Have a great time!!!

[Thomps]

If you have a car, head across the Golden Gate to Saulsalito (Sp?). And if you like wine, drive about an hour north into the napa or sonoma valleys.

Just did the wharf thing for fleet week last month. Cool to see the aircraft carriers, but the wharf was very touristy, but still worth a stop for a short time.

[Zwak]

If you have a car, head across the Golden Gate to Saulsalito (Sp?). And if you like wine, drive about an hour north into the napa or sonoma valleys.

Just did the wharf thing for fleet week last month. Cool to see the aircraft carriers, but the wharf was very touristy, but still worth a stop for a short time.

If you decide to go to the wharf, you'll find that most of the restaurants are chains. The local place we went to by the wharf was Scomas. It was very good.

http://www.scomas.com/

[Zwak]

If you have a car, head across the Golden Gate to Saulsalito (Sp?). And if you like wine, drive about an hour north into the napa or sonoma valleys.

Just did the wharf thing for fleet week last month. Cool to see the aircraft carriers, but the wharf was very touristy, but still worth a stop for a short time.

If you decide to go to the wharf, you'll find that most of the restaurants are chains. The local place we went to by the wharf was Scomas. It was very good.

http://www.scomas.com/

Edit: One other place we really liked was the farmer's market. Looks like it is open year round. They have things for sale there you don't typically see in a midwest farmers market (fresh almonds, plums, pears, etc.) It was one of our favorite places. (can't believe I forgot this )

http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com ... market.php

[Bertogliat]

Planning a family trip to Hawaii. Anyone have any suggestions on:
1. Which island to go to?
2. What to do there?

I am not sure if it is easy to jump between islands or better to just stay at one. Looking at about a week. Saturday to Saturday.

I've been a couple of times and I have done some island hopping. I spent just a couple of days in the big island and on kauai. A few days on Oahu Pearl Harbor, North Shore, etc. Most of my time was on Maui.

I LOVE Maui. There is a lot to do. Golfing, whale watching (in winter), fishing, hiking. We biked down Haleakala volcano (takes most of a day). I recommend it. I drove to Hana (whole day).

If you are going for a week I do not recommend island hopping (unless you stay on Maui and want to head to Lanai or Molokai which are close). The other islands are far enough apart that it won't pay. Another option is to head back to Oahu a day before you return to see Pearl Harbor.

Maui is scenic, has plenty to do, has a great night life, great restaurants and great beaches. It is the best overall experience. I highly recommend the Lahina/Kaanapali Beach/Kapalua part over the Kihei/Wailea area.

The little that I saw of Kauai, it is extremly scenic (Jurrasic Park opening scene) and very quiet . There is not much to do (some hiking), but the towns and bars close early (6 or 7 pm in winter). Lots of churches and chickens. If you go you'll see what I mean.

Oahu. I liked Pearl Harbor, but not so much that I needed more than a half day. The Mighty Mo was not fully open when I was there. I enjoyed the north shore. I don't need to ever go back to Waikiki beach. Waikiki is expensive and crowded- a polynesian Miami.

I can't help you too much on the Big Island. I would say just pick an island. Fly through Oahu rather than go direct. Fly back to Oahu a day before you return home and check out Pearl Harbor and either the North Shore or Waikiki just for the experience. And like the other poster said, do what you can to give yourself more time. The 8 hour flight doesn't seem long, but by the time you change planes and get your car and check in it will already be dark and one day is lost.

[eHo]

Planning a family trip to Hawaii. Anyone have any suggestions on:
1. Which island to go to?
2. What to do there?

I am not sure if it is easy to jump between islands or better to just stay at one. Looking at about a week. Saturday to Saturday.

I LOVE Maui. There is a lot to do. Golfing, whale watching (in winter), fishing, hiking. We biked down Haleakala volcano (takes most of a day). I recommend it. I drove to Hana (whole day).

If you are going for a week I do not recommend island hopping (unless you stay on Maui and want to head to Lanai or Molokai which are close). The other islands are far enough apart that it won't pay. Another option is to head back to Oahu a day before you return to see Pearl Harbor.

Maui is scenic, has plenty to do, has a great night life, great restaurants and great beaches. It is the best overall experience. I highly recommend the Lahina/Kaanapali Beach/Kapalua part over the Kihei/Wailea area.

Oahu. I liked Pearl Harbor, but not so much that I needed more than a half day. The Mighty Mo was not fully open when I was there. I enjoyed the north shore. I don't need to ever go back to Waikiki beach. Waikiki is expensive and crowded- a polynesian Miami.

I can't help you too much on the Big Island. I would say just pick an island. Fly through Oahu rather than go direct. Fly back to Oahu a day before you return home and check out Pearl Harbor and either the North Shore or Waikiki just for the experience. And like the other poster said, do what you can to give yourself more time. The 8 hour flight doesn't seem long, but by the time you change planes and get your car and check in it will already be dark and one day is lost.

Agreed, a week is not long enough to island hop. We went last year for a week and spent 4 days on Maui and 2 days on Oahu. Loved Maui, but Oahu was ok (too crowded). We did do Pearl Harbor and the Missouri had just (re?)opened. Mighty Mo was pretty neat to see and you may even see some Navy ships/subs coming in to port or heading out to sea.

In Maui, we did the Sunrise bike ride down Haleakala volcano. Awesome experience. They don't start inside the Volcano park anymore so it's not as dangerous as you may hear about. If you decide to do this I recommend finding an outfitter that lets you go on your own, rather than needing to stay with your tour group. PM me if you want the name of the outfitter we used.

You may also want to look into doing a helicopter tour.

[Greyeagle]

San Francisco - My wife and I went a few years ago, got a great rate at the Omni, easy walk to Chinatown and to Union Square area. There is a cable car line right outside the hotel so it's easy to get anywhere and it's also an easy walk to Market Street, which seemed to be a hub for streetcars & other public transportation - the streetcars are just as cool as the cable cars IMHO. We bought a 3 day public transit pass, which was good for everything but BART and used the hell out of it.

If you stay at the Omni they do an Architecture walk/tour on Saturday mornings, one of our trip highlights. I believe it's contracted out from a SF company so you might be able to do one through them if interested. Based on our guides suggestion we ended up walking up the Filbert Street steps to Coit Tower. Very cool and Filbert St. starts on or near the Embarcadero not too far from the Ferry Building. The houses along the street....er...steps are only accessible via the steps. We walked up then took the bus back to the Embarcadero (IIRC) and then took the streetcar to the Wharf for a couple hours.

I'd also suggest the Buena Vista - the home to Irish Coffee!! Not too far from the Wharf and pretty cool.

Golden Gate Park is awesome. The Japanese Gardens are beyond description.

[gopherguy06]

I worked out there and yeah Fisherman's Wharf is very touristy and not convienent to get to. I would recommend staying in the Union Square area. Great shopping for the Mrs. and easy access to the BART. Easy to get to some of the touristy areas. I would say rent a bike from the wharf and bike across the bridge into Sauslito. You can stop there for lunch and take a ferry back. Or you can continue to bike a total of 30 miles. The shorter one is super easy. I would recommend going to Alcatraz. It is very touristy, but still super interesting. If you can make it to Golden Gate Park, check it out.

[gondo]

Planning a family trip to Hawaii. Anyone have any suggestions on:
1. Which island to go to?
2. What to do there?

I am not sure if it is easy to jump between islands or better to just stay at one. Looking at about a week. Saturday to Saturday.

Hawaii is wonderful. We go every 2 years. Mostly Maui, but we combo sometimes with a few days in Oahu.
George is right. 7 days is very brief. My wife's minimum is 12-14 days. (She doesn't have to twist my arm)

Maui:
take a boat day trip to Molokini. Great snorkeling.
Hookipa beach has world class windsurfers all the time. Very fun just to watch.
Hana - It's an all day trip. Take your time. The fun is truly enjoying getting there. Take the road all the way around. The rental car maps say you can't, but you can and it's very beautiful. Charles Lindburgh's grave is just past Hana.
We spent a few days in Hana one year. Very relaxing. I recommend starting the vacation there. Hana is beautiful but rainy. It's better to finish a vacation on the sunny side of Maui.
Whale watching season is Nov-Mar. We usually go to Hawaii in Oct, but did it in March 1 year. You will see whales breaching from just about any place on the island. A whale watching cruise is a must.
We usually stay in Napili, just to the north of Lahaina and Kaanapali, in a condo. My in-laws have gone there for 40 years on an annual basis, so it's just a logical choice for us. Kaanapali is my recommendation if you want a hotel, Napili is great for a condo. Napili Bay has fun snorkeling. We always see lots of sea turtles and sometimes seals.
Wailea and Kihei are more deserty. Wailea hotels are more expensive and you pay more, yet you are further from the water. Kihei is mostly very close to the water, but many of the hotels/condos are on the inland side of Kihei road. We stayed once at Hale Pau Hana. I could underhand a rock into the ocean from our lanai. Kamaole Beach in Kihei has very calm water, a real plus if you have little ones.


On Oahu - Waikiki is overcrowded, the hotels are blocks deep. Not our style. We love the beaches on the north shore and around Laie. There are ones that are absolutely pictureque and completely deserted but for us and occasionally a few others. So much preferable to the hubub of Waikiki.
Pearl Harbor is a must. Don't miss out on going to the Punchbowl WWII cemetary. A wonderful visit.
Haleiwa is a surfing town on the North Shore. We've gone on boat tours from there to go shark watching in cages (10-12ft galapagos sharks were all around us - a favorite activity of the kids). In the winter the waves get huge. A fun place to watch some serious surfers.
Haunauma Bay is a snorkeling treat - all kinds of tropical fish and sea turtles. It's very crowded. They are closed 1 day of the week (I forget which) for cleaning. There is also a daily limit on people, so it's best to arrive early. It's where Elvis was hanging out on his surfboard in Blue Hawaii.
Laie is where the Polynesian Cultural Center is. It's an all day event. Lots of fun.

[bigpoppa]

Planning a family trip to Hawaii. Anyone have any suggestions on:
1. Which island to go to?
2. What to do there?

I am not sure if it is easy to jump between islands or better to just stay at one. Looking at about a week. Saturday to Saturday.

I've only been once so take with a grain of salt. My thought is the trip is so long I wouldn't go for just a week - you burn a full day each way at least. Given the cost of airfare I want spend more than 5 days there. We did two islands, Oahu and Maui. I would not miss either one. Oahu has history with Pearl Harbor and Waikiki. Maui is gorgeous with lots to do.

Been to all the islands except Maui. Oahu, Big Island, Molokai and Kauai. My favorite and the one we now go to each year is Kauai.

Oahu is nice, but I don't really like Honolulu, kind of like NYC with a beach, although I agree that Oahu has great history.

Big Island is just that...big. One of the advantages of the smaller islands is that you can get all the way around in less than a day, not so much with the Big Island.

Molokai is very much the least traveled and doesn't have the great beaches like the others, but if you're looking to get completely left alone and have virtually no other tourists, it's a great spot.

Kauai is our favorite because of the beaches and laid back culture (although most of the islands are like this). It's easy to get around the island and depending on your mood, you can do just about anything you want. If you're looking to jump in the ocean and get thrown around by some waves, it has Poipu Beach (best for fun, IMO) and many, many other beaches of similar ilk. No skyscrapers either, which are plus in my book. Plus, we usually go spring break time which is kind of rainy, but you can always drive down the coast one way or the other and find the sun in 1/2 to 45 minutes. We always rent a house rather than hotel via vrbo.com or homeaway.com because we're kind of homebodies and like to cook for ourselves and stretch out.

PM me if you want details on where we stay and airfare tips depending on where you're going.

Fortuntately for our vacation the Gophers have stunk up the last few years and I haven't had to miss any games as Spring Break is usually right around tournament time but this year methinks I might miss something.

The year we lost to HC is the first round, I just landed in Oahu to catch one of the puddlejumpers to Kauai and logged into GPL to see that the unspeakable had happened.

[Loc85]

Looking to do a long weekend in San Fran over MLK weekend. Any advice on where to stay? Whats easier, by the airport, or downtown near Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf?

Any absolute must see spots...looking to do the usual stuff, Alcatraz, the wharf, cable cars, etc....

Went to SF and Napa/Sonoma for my honeymoon last month. Napa/Sonoma is incredible! both sights and tastings were awesome. Can get to be very expensive if you are not careful with where you choose for tastings. I would strongly recommend checking the area out if possible.

SF was cool, but even more expensive than Napa. Don't plan on renting a car if you are staying in a tourist area. We stayed at the Sheraton in Fisherman's Wharf and had to pay 30/day parking on top of the $350/night hotel for a standard room and that parking was the cheapest we could find. Recommend not doing the cable cars as they are pretty pricey as well, but to each their own. Otherwise, I would recommend checking out the walking trails in the NW corner near the ocean, beautiful views! Pier 39 is very similar to Navy Pier in Chicago if you have been there. We also checked out Golden Gate Park which is free until you want to check out some of the surrounding attractions.

Food is pretty good no matter where you go.

[HockeyBum]

Looking to do a long weekend in San Fran over MLK weekend. Any advice on where to stay? Whats easier, by the airport, or downtown near Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf?

Any absolute must see spots...looking to do the usual stuff, Alcatraz, the wharf, cable cars, etc....

When my wife and I went to SF back in 2004, we took a tour of the Giants ballpark (I think it was called PacBell at the time). Got to go into the locker rooms, dugouts, down on the field, etc... I really enjoyed it. Call ahead. We went in the Springtime. I'm not sure if they give tours in January.

Alcatraz was wonderful. I also liked Muir Woods (a little ways across the Golden Gate Bridge).

Disliked Fisherman's Wharf immensely. Complete tourist trap.

We stayed by the airport (in the town of Millbrae, I think) and rode the BART into the city. Saved a few bucks, but probably wasn't worth it. IIRC, it took about 45 minutes to get downtown from our hotel.

[Greyeagle]

SF was cool, but even more expensive than Napa. Don't plan on renting a car if you are staying in a tourist area. We stayed at the Sheraton in Fisherman's Wharf and had to pay 30/day parking on top of the $350/night hotel for a standard room and that parking was the cheapest we could find.

There is no need for a car in SF.

When my wife and I went had actually started in LA and drove the PCH to SF - wonderfull drive and I want to do it gong south as well. Anyway, we drove into town, checked into the hotel than I dropped off the car at a National location near Union Square (6-7 blocks from our hotel). On our last day we checked out of the hotel, I ran back to National and got a car for the day and we spent some time north of SF and in Napa & Sonoma and dropped it at the airport.

We actually took the cable cars all over the place, they were very convenient and cheap if you by a 3 or 5 day transit pass.

[HockeyBum]

Anyone been to Atlantic City, NJ? Any suggestions for things to do there? I'm aware it's "Vegas East", but gambling/casinos aren't really my thing. I'm going out there for work in a few weeks and I'll have 4 nights to kill.

[Greyeagle]

Anyone been to Atlantic City, NJ? Any suggestions for things to do there? I'm aware it's "Vegas East", but gambling/casinos aren't really my thing. I'm going out there for work in a few weeks and I'll have 4 nights to kill.

If you're looking to drive somewhere Cape May - very southern tip of the Jersey shore - is really cool but I suspect probably more of a summer place.

[dxmnkd316]

I'll echo everyone's thoughts about going across the bay to Sausalito, Tiburon, and Muir Beach. Love those areas.

[psych]

I'll echo everyone's thoughts about going across the bay to Sausalito, Tiburon, and Muir Beach. Love those areas.

I'll echo your echo. Tiburon is gorgeous (so is Sausalito, but I spent little time there). Go eat at Sam's Anchor Cafe in Tiburon and look across the bay at San Fran. Legen- wait for it- dary views.

[Jrman]

Anyone been to Atlantic City, NJ? Any suggestions for things to do there? I'm aware it's "Vegas East", but gambling/casinos aren't really my thing. I'm going out there for work in a few weeks and I'll have 4 nights to kill.

I spent 7 months there for work the winter of 07-08 so I will try to give you some ideas.

I don't know which nights of the week you would be there, but some of the casinos usually have shows or music. The borgata and tropicana usually have either comedians or musicians several nights a week. There is also a large shopping "pier" attached to ceasars that has some higher end food on the top level. One of the places along the boardwalk has started hosting MMA fights. Don't know the place as that hadn't started yet while I was there but you could look into those if you are interested.

You could also take the train into the Philly area to either see a flyers game or just some of the historical stuff. The train takes about an hour to get you to philly. If you have a car you could do the same thing but parking in philly can be tricky at times and the road from phily to AC is tolled.

For a night where you might want to relax or take it slow, I recommend just walking the boardwalk near the casinos. You get to see the types of shops they have at the beach without the large crowds. I liked to listen to the ocean as I people-watched on the boardwalk. I wouldn't suggest a "massage" parlor unless you are into that kind of thing. Although the borgata has a nice spa that is on the up and up.

The suggestion by Greyeagle of Cape May is still a good one this time of year for a place to see some of the shore history. It will be pretty deserted but the buildings are fun to look at. Pretty much any of the towns to the south with a boardwalk would let you see it without all the people. I considered that somewhat of a good thing.

[HockeyBum]

I spent 7 months there for work the winter of 07-08 so I will try to give you some ideas.

I don't know which nights of the week you would be there, but some of the casinos usually have shows or music. The borgata and tropicana usually have either comedians or musicians several nights a week. There is also a large shopping "pier" attached to ceasars that has some higher end food on the top level. One of the places along the boardwalk has started hosting MMA fights. Don't know the place as that hadn't started yet while I was there but you could look into those if you are interested.

You could also take the train into the Philly area to either see a flyers game or just some of the historical stuff. The train takes about an hour to get you to philly. If you have a car you could do the same thing but parking in philly can be tricky at times and the road from phily to AC is tolled.

For a night where you might want to relax or take it slow, I recommend just walking the boardwalk near the casinos. You get to see the types of shops they have at the beach without the large crowds. I liked to listen to the ocean as I people-watched on the boardwalk. I wouldn't suggest a "massage" parlor unless you are into that kind of thing. Although the borgata has a nice spa that is on the up and up.

The suggestion by Greyeagle of Cape May is still a good one this time of year for a place to see some of the shore history. It will be pretty deserted but the buildings are fun to look at. Pretty much any of the towns to the south with a boardwalk would let you see it without all the people. I considered that somewhat of a good thing.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be in AC on a Tues-Fri. No car, so the Cape May thing is out. I'll really only have free time after 6PM, so it would be too dark to see anything anyway. I'll look into taking the train to PHI, but I suspect I won't have enough time for that. I'll probably stick to the boardwalk and hope there is a show worth seeing at one of the casinos.

[gopher6]

I want to go to Hawaii, the only drawback is the worlds worst airline Delta refuses to have direct nonstop flights from MSP to HNL

[Golden FE Ranger]

I want to go to Hawaii,

You are not the only one. Hawaii is the only state I have not been to. The wife and I have been planning on going for awhile now but she is hesitant to leave the little ones so it might take some time .

[Thomps]

Delta must have dropped the direct MSP to HNL recently. We took that flight less than two years ago. Been there, done that, no need to go back for a while...

[george]

I'll echo everyone's thoughts about going across the bay to Sausalito, Tiburon, and Muir Beach. Love those areas.

I'll echo your echo. Tiburon is gorgeous (so is Sausalito, but I spent little time there). Go eat at Sam's Anchor Cafe in Tiburon and look across the bay at San Fran. Legen- wait for it- dary views.

If you have the time, you can take the commuter ferry across from the ferry building. Cheaper that a tour boat and you get to see some of the bay on the way across.

[gopherguy06]

ANyone ever been to Steamboat? Headed there to ski this weekend and looking for must sees and places to eat.

[davescharf]

My wife and I are thinking about going to Vegas for 5 nights in Feb to just get a trip away from the bitter cold (and I'm not a fan of the beach).

Does anyone have any experience with shows or restaurants they'd recommend? We're probably going to to stay at Venetian given the deals we're seeing, but are also willing to travel around as much as needed to catch some stuff we want to see.

[The Rube]

My wife and I are thinking about going to Vegas for 5 nights in Feb to just get a trip away from the bitter cold (and I'm not a fan of the beach).

Does anyone have any experience with shows or restaurants they'd recommend? We're probably going to to stay at Venetian given the deals we're seeing, but are also willing to travel around as much as needed to catch some stuff we want to see.

The breakfast buffet at the Bellagio is awesome, and there is (was?) a Fogo-type restaurant at the Mirage that is awesome. Cannot speak on shows, though.

[Zwak]

My wife and I are thinking about going to Vegas for 5 nights in Feb to just get a trip away from the bitter cold (and I'm not a fan of the beach).

Does anyone have any experience with shows or restaurants they'd recommend? We're probably going to to stay at Venetian given the deals we're seeing, but are also willing to travel around as much as needed to catch some stuff we want to see.

It will definitely be warmer there than here, but the average high in Feb. is "only" 61 so don't expect high heat.

[davescharf]

My wife and I are thinking about going to Vegas for 5 nights in Feb to just get a trip away from the bitter cold (and I'm not a fan of the beach).

Does anyone have any experience with shows or restaurants they'd recommend? We're probably going to to stay at Venetian given the deals we're seeing, but are also willing to travel around as much as needed to catch some stuff we want to see.

It will definitely be warmer there than here, but the average high in Feb. is "only" 61 so don't expect high heat.

Yeah, I had looked that up already. That doesn't bother us.

[Dances With Gophers]

My wife and I are thinking about going to Vegas for 5 nights in Feb to just get a trip away from the bitter cold (and I'm not a fan of the beach).

Does anyone have any experience with shows or restaurants they'd recommend? We're probably going to to stay at Venetian given the deals we're seeing, but are also willing to travel around as much as needed to catch some stuff we want to see.

Jealous!! The all-you-can-eat buffet at the Rio is usually a good bet (esp. if you like seafood!) You'll need to take a shuttle to the Rio (not on the Strip, just on the other side of the freeway, IIRC).

Another place that's right off the strip: Battista's Hole in the Wall. Right behind Bally's, it's a great place for Italian. My only complaint about the place: a guy with an accordion visits each table and asks where you're from, then he'll play a song from your state. We said we were from Minnesota...he shrugged his shoulders and started to play the Michigan fight song as if it was "close enough".

[fake shemp]

My wife and I are thinking about going to Vegas for 5 nights in Feb to just get a trip away from the bitter cold (and I'm not a fan of the beach).

Does anyone have any experience with shows or restaurants they'd recommend? We're probably going to to stay at Venetian given the deals we're seeing, but are also willing to travel around as much as needed to catch some stuff we want to see.

I had the best steak in my life at the Delmonico Steakhouse (Emeril's) located in the Venetian.
It's been a few years but I assume the quality would be the same considering the competition in Vegas.

The bone in ribeye was so good I actually went there two nights in a row to have the same steak.

It's not cheap, but you already knew that when you saw Emeril's name attached to it.

http://www.emerils.com/restaurant/5/Del ... teakhouse/

[Norm]

My wife and I are thinking about going to Vegas for 5 nights in Feb to just get a trip away from the bitter cold (and I'm not a fan of the beach).

Does anyone have any experience with shows or restaurants they'd recommend? We're probably going to to stay at Venetian given the deals we're seeing, but are also willing to travel around as much as needed to catch some stuff we want to see.

The wife and I really liked the buffet at Paris. Lots of interesting items. Also we took a bus trip from the strip to the Grand Canyon. Kind of a long ride but relaxing to leave the driving to them.

[gopherlax9]

My wife and I are thinking about going to Vegas for 5 nights in Feb to just get a trip away from the bitter cold (and I'm not a fan of the beach).

Does anyone have any experience with shows or restaurants they'd recommend? We're probably going to to stay at Venetian given the deals we're seeing, but are also willing to travel around as much as needed to catch some stuff we want to see.

Might I suggest less than 5 nights? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Vegas, but imo the perfect Vegas trip is 2-3 nights. That said, for shows: "O" at the Bellagio and "Mystere" at Treasure Island were my favorite Cirque shows. Ouside of Cirque I'm usually at a blackjack table or playing video poker at a bar... Food: Japonais is probably my favorite restaurant, next is Joe's (steak/seafood). If you're familiar with Yelp, we've had real good luck there and in NYC - lots of foodies equals better luck on yelp!

Have fun!

[Zwak]

I've read great things about this Thai restaurant.

http://www.saipinchutima.com/#/HOME-01-00/

It's in a strip mall but apparently is one of the best restaurants around and some say it is one of best in America.

[Bertogliat]

My wife and I are thinking about going to Vegas for 5 nights in Feb to just get a trip away from the bitter cold (and I'm not a fan of the beach).

Does anyone have any experience with shows or restaurants they'd recommend? We're probably going to to stay at Venetian given the deals we're seeing, but are also willing to travel around as much as needed to catch some stuff we want to see.

The breakfast buffet at the Bellagio is awesome, and there is (was?) a Fogo-type restaurant at the Mirage that is awesome. Cannot speak on shows, though.

We had the lunch buffet at the Bellagio in October. We paid $40 per person and the food was just fine. The atmosphere is like a cafeteria. You can spend your money more wisely. The breakfast may be better. I have been to the Paris breakfast buffet a couple of times and I think it is the best. If you arrive 20-30 minutes before lunch you'll get the breakfast and lunch options for the breakfast price. I don't eat seafood but my buddy gobbled the crab legs for $15. I love the crepes.

The brazilian Steakhouse at the Mirage was good. Our whole party was well into the drinks by the time we ate though.

I noticed they have a Carnege Deli in the Mirage and a Pink's Hotdogs at Planet Hollywood. Both are famous restaurants at other locations. I wanted to try them but did not.

We watched Beatles Love Cirque du Soliel show at the Mirage. I thought it was WAY better than I was expecting. I bought the CD and still listen to it frequently. Great show.

The bellagio is maybe the last place to get free drinks in the sports book. Grab a chair and find a hockey game.

[NYC Gopher fan]

Agree that 5 days in vegas is way too much. I can't do more than 3. But I guess if you spent your days outside at the pool and had shows lined up for night time, you could do it.

My group went to two pretty pricey restaurants last time we were there. Tao was great so if you like Japanese food it's worth a try (though most people go there for the nightclub). Michael Mina's steakhouse in Mandalay Bay was fantastic. 8 of us had a $1400 bill there, though I blame the boys at our table for ordering scotch flights

Edit: my favorite nice restaurant that is not too pricey is Fiamma in MGM Grand. Always a tad cheaper than the other fancy places, always delivers a good value. I've asked around a found others who feel the same way about Fiamma.

[davescharf]

We opted for 5 because we'll arrive in the evening and we're really there only 4 full days. I'm not a pool guy but I do think there will be plenty for me to see and shoot on the Strip. We are planning at least 3 shows as well so I'm not too worried about it.

I'll have to look into Love. We're definitely seeing Ka and I'm a really big Cirque du Soleil fan. I'd actually like to see Penn and Teller as well but I'm not sure my wife will be into that kind of thing.

[Neely]

We are travelling to DC for spring break. Will have a car but hope to park it for the time we are in DC. Can anyone recommend a hotel (or at least a general vicinity) where we should try to stay to see the sights?

[Zwak]

I won't bore everyone with the details of our recent W. Caribbean cruise (I have Facebook for that ) but I will say this, I can't tell you how invaluable my waterproof point and shoot camera was. I took it everywhere and was able to get shots I normally would not have been able to get. If you travel, I highly recommend it (in case you're wondering, mine is a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS2)

[gopherguy06]

I won't bore everyone with the details of our recent W. Caribbean cruise (I have Facebook for that ) but I will say this, I can't tell you how invaluable my waterproof point and shoot camera was. I took it everywhere and was able to get shots I normally would not have been able to get. If you travel, I highly recommend it (in case you're wondering, mine is a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS2)

Is your camera itself waterproof or did you get a special case for it?

[gopherguy06]

Headed to Oahu next week. Anyone have must sees or suggestions on some off the beaten path places for food or to see?

[Zwak]

I won't bore everyone with the details of our recent W. Caribbean cruise (I have Facebook for that ) but I will say this, I can't tell you how invaluable my waterproof point and shoot camera was. I took it everywhere and was able to get shots I normally would not have been able to get. If you travel, I highly recommend it (in case you're wondering, mine is a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS2)

Is your camera itself waterproof or did you get a special case for it?

It's waterproof down to 33 ft. without any special case. I don't ever plan on taking it down that far, I just like knowing that I can take into the water.

[bonesaw]

We are travelling to DC for spring break. Will have a car but hope to park it for the time we are in DC. Can anyone recommend a hotel (or at least a general vicinity) where we should try to stay to see the sights?

There's quite a few hotels in the Rosslyn area (actually in Arlington) that are pretty good, if a little far away from the "main attractions". It's only a 5-10 minute Metro ride to everything you probably want to see, and there's plenty of restaurants & shops in Rosslyn and Georgetown (just across the river, a 5-10 minute walk). Really anything close to the Orange or Blue Metro lines should serve your purposes just fine, so if you're looking to save money, don't hesitate to get a hotel that's not in the downtown area.

[Slap Shot]

Headed to Oahu next week. Anyone have must sees or suggestions on some off the beaten path places for food or to see?

-There's the beach from the movie, From Here to Eternity and it's never busy for some reason.
-I would rent a car, get yourself a six-pack of Kona (be advised that Oahu completely lacked a proper brew-pub when I was there) grab a map and just drive. You'll want to get out of/away from Honolulu or Waikiki for at least one day. Even if you get lost you can't really get lost. Drive around the island to the other side and cut back through the middle if you want - through the fields etc.
-Rent wetsuits and boogie boards if you don't want to surf, but find the right beach. My wife and I picked the wrong one and got the snot beat out of us by the waves.
-Go to the Shorebird restaurant at dusk and grill your own surf and turf on a huge outdoor grill. They provde dozens of spices, have modest prices and it's just fun.
-Stay away from Diamond Head and unless you really like coffee don't do one of their tours - boring.
-If you like German we went to a fantastic place with a wonderful outdoor patio that jetted out from an array of glass doors - unfortunately I cannot recall the name.

[Bladepuller]

I won't bore everyone with the details of our recent W. Caribbean cruise (I have Facebook for that ) but I will say this, I can't tell you how invaluable my waterproof point and shoot camera was. I took it everywhere and was able to get shots I normally would not have been able to get. If you travel, I highly recommend it (in case you're wondering, mine is a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS2)

Is your camera itself waterproof or did you get a special case for it?

It's waterproof down to 33 ft. without any special case. I don't ever plan on taking it down that far, I just like knowing that I can take into the water.

33 ft? WOW! I want to say my Olympus Stylus 1050 is good to 10 ft for water & most importantly 5 ft for shockproof. Seeing it spends half the year on the drivers dash of my fishing boat both features are nice.


For those looking to fly to the Tampa bay area we have found some very good prices by driving to Cedar rapids and flying into St. Pete.
The other well used option is to fly into Orlando.
Now if I can only swing both the 1st week in March & the FF!

[Norm]

We are travelling to DC for spring break. Will have a car but hope to park it for the time we are in DC. Can anyone recommend a hotel (or at least a general vicinity) where we should try to stay to see the sights?

It's so much more congested there than around here. A lot of the hotels don't even have a place to park your car. Last year we stayed at the Capital Hilton, 2 blocks N of the White House and within walking distance to most of the sights. The subway system is fantastic, even I could figure out how to use it. Was glad we didn't have a car.
You should be able to find something with parking farther out, but near a Metro station.

[Bladepuller]

For those looking to fly to the Tampa bay area we have found some very good prices by driving to Cedar rapids and flying into St. Pete.
The other well used option is to fly into Orlando.
Now if I can only swing both the 1st week in March & the FF!

NO! NO! NO!..Once you go to book the baggage & other fees make it much less attractive. Not to mention the scenic 5 hr. Iowa drive.

[eHo]

Headed to Oahu next week. Anyone have must sees or suggestions on some off the beaten path places for food or to see?

- Pearl Harbor
- Beaches: Spent a few hours on the beach watching the surfers on Sunset Beach, but I'd imagine any of the North Shore beaches would be good places to watch surfers. For a more quiet beach, Lanikai Beach, just south of Kailua Beach was very quiet and the sand was like powder. The ocean was pretty calm by Lanikai as well.
- If you want to try something new, try Stand Up Paddleboarding. I did it in Waikiki and it was a pretty good place to learn as you go out past the surf and it's not very busy out there.

[Hobey Baker]

Headed to Oahu next week. Anyone have must sees or suggestions on some off the beaten path places for food or to see?

- Pearl Harbor
- Beaches: Spent a few hours on the beach watching the surfers on Sunset Beach, but I'd imagine any of the North Shore beaches would be good places to watch surfers. For a more quiet beach, Lanikai Beach, just south of Kailua Beach was very quiet and the sand was like powder. The ocean was pretty calm by Lanikai as well.
- If you want to try something new, try Stand Up Paddleboarding. I did it in Waikiki and it was a pretty good place to learn as you go out past the surf and it's not very busy out there.

Island hop if you get a chance ..

[davescharf]

Agree that 5 days in vegas is way too much. I can't do more than 3. But I guess if you spent your days outside at the pool and had shows lined up for night time, you could do it.

My group went to two pretty pricey restaurants last time we were there. Tao was great so if you like Japanese food it's worth a try (though most people go there for the nightclub). Michael Mina's steakhouse in Mandalay Bay was fantastic. 8 of us had a $1400 bill there, though I blame the boys at our table for ordering scotch flights

Edit: my favorite nice restaurant that is not too pricey is Fiamma in MGM Grand. Always a tad cheaper than the other fancy places, always delivers a good value. I've asked around a found others who feel the same way about Fiamma.

Thanks for the Fiamma recommendation. It was really good and a great place to eat before seeing Ka. If you want a new place to try the I would recommend China Poblano in the Cosmopolitan. It is Chinese/Mexican fusion and is really good.

If anyone needs a fantastic show to see in Vegas then I highly recommend Le Reve. It has some similarities to O since they were created by the same person but it is still pretty different. It is a fabulous show

[Tee09]

We are going to a wedding in Chicago this July, and my wife's sisters are trying to figure out a bunch of stuff to do to make sure I spend as much money as humanly possible. One of their ideas is taking the boat tour of downtown. It's something like $45/person. Has anybody gone on this? Is it worth the money? My gut feeling is "no", but I'd love some firsthand info to either change my mind or give me some ammo to shoot it down with.

[Idontknow]

We are going to a wedding in Chicago this July, and my wife's sisters are trying to figure out a bunch of stuff to do to make sure I spend as much money as humanly possible. One of their ideas is taking the boat tour of downtown. It's something like $45/person. Has anybody gone on this? Is it worth the money? My gut feeling is "no", but I'd love some firsthand info to either change my mind or give me some ammo to shoot it down with.

We did a spur of the moment cruise from Navy Pier along the lakeshore at sunset last summer...not quite the same as you're talking about though. We had thought about doing the canal cruise like you're talking about but it just ended up being easier for us to take the cruise from Navy Pier (we have two small kids so convenient is good). I don't know if our cruise was really worth the price...pretty cool view of the skyline but it was probably one of the more forgettable things we did on our trip.

[Kelly Red]

We are going to a wedding in Chicago this July, and my wife's sisters are trying to figure out a bunch of stuff to do to make sure I spend as much money as humanly possible. One of their ideas is taking the boat tour of downtown. It's something like $45/person. Has anybody gone on this? Is it worth the money? My gut feeling is "no", but I'd love some firsthand info to either change my mind or give me some ammo to shoot it down with.

I did one about 2 years ago and truthfully was bored out of my skull. You are either outside being windblown or inside looking through water spotted windows. Some cruises have a buffet lunch which is exactly what you would expect. I'd suggest just visiting the waterfront area instead. The area is beautiful, wide water front sidewalks, lots of food and drink options. Visit the Millennium Park with it's weird/cool sculptures like the "Bean" and this water fountain with peoples faces projected on it that spouts water out of their mouths. Kids and adults are drawn to it like honey.
http://explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/attractions/dca_tourism/Crown_Fountain.html

[Tee09]

We are going to a wedding in Chicago this July, and my wife's sisters are trying to figure out a bunch of stuff to do to make sure I spend as much money as humanly possible. One of their ideas is taking the boat tour of downtown. It's something like $45/person. Has anybody gone on this? Is it worth the money? My gut feeling is "no", but I'd love some firsthand info to either change my mind or give me some ammo to shoot it down with.

I did one about 2 years ago and truthfully was bored out of my skull. You are either outside being windblown or inside looking through water spotted windows. Some cruises have a buffet lunch which is exactly what you would expect. I'd suggest just visiting the waterfront area instead. The area is beautiful, wide water front sidewalks, lots of food and drink options. Visit the Millennium Park with it's weird/cool sculptures like the "Bean" and this water fountain with peoples faces projected on it that spouts water out of their mouths. Kids and adults are drawn to it like honey.
http://explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/attractions/dca_tourism/Crown_Fountain.html

OK thanks for the info. I was thinking that it would be stupid to pay $90 or $135 to be trapped on a boat with a toddler who may decide he doesn't like boats. Also, what happens if Dave Matthews is in town?

[sunbone]

We are going to a wedding in Chicago this July, and my wife's sisters are trying to figure out a bunch of stuff to do to make sure I spend as much money as humanly possible. One of their ideas is taking the boat tour of downtown. It's something like $45/person. Has anybody gone on this? Is it worth the money? My gut feeling is "no", but I'd love some firsthand info to either change my mind or give me some ammo to shoot it down with.

I did one about 2 years ago and truthfully was bored out of my skull. You are either outside being windblown or inside looking through water spotted windows. Some cruises have a buffet lunch which is exactly what you would expect. I'd suggest just visiting the waterfront area instead. The area is beautiful, wide water front sidewalks, lots of food and drink options. Visit the Millennium Park with it's weird/cool sculptures like the "Bean" and this water fountain with peoples faces projected on it that spouts water out of their mouths. Kids and adults are drawn to it like honey.
http://explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/attractions/dca_tourism/Crown_Fountain.html

OK thanks for the info. I was thinking that it would be stupid to pay $90 or $135 to be trapped on a boat with a toddler who may decide he doesn't like boats. Also, what happens if Dave Matthews is in town?

DMB, literally a crappy band. I took a cruise a while back on the river mostly that focused on the history and architecture of the city. It was interesting but if you have kids with you I definitely would not recommend it. They would be bored senseless.