Baller Vacation Spots!?

OK, planning to take my significant other on a vacation for 1 week. First real vacation in a long long time. Need some top recommendations, specifics please on destination, where to stay. Need to impress!

 

Maldives, Cancun, Bahamas if your looking for someplace exotic and relaxing.

If your girl is the adventurous type, South Africa, South East Asia tour (Thialand, Cambodia, Vietnam), Brazil.

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Buenos Aires. I assume you'll be going sometime in the next 6 months, in which case the weather will be nice in the Southern Hemisphere. Buenos Aires has a good diversity of things to do. Big city with beautiful countryside nearby. Also, since you said "Significant Other" and I'm assuming you're a guy ... I'll throw in that Buenos Aires is very gay friendly (just legalized gay marriage).

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CompBanker:
Buenos Aires. I assume you'll be going sometime in the next 6 months, in which case the weather will be nice in the Southern Hemisphere. Buenos Aires has a good diversity of things to do. Big city with beautiful countryside nearby. Also, since you said "Significant Other" and I'm assuming you're a guy ... I'll throw in that Buenos Aires is very gay friendly (just legalized gay marriage).

I just moved down here for 6 months and the weather has been awesome. a bit cool at nights but sunny and 70 during the day...and it will only get warmer now.

 
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CompBanker:
Buenos Aires. I assume you'll be going sometime in the next 6 months, in which case the weather will be nice in the Southern Hemisphere. Buenos Aires has a good diversity of things to do. Big city with beautiful countryside nearby. Also, since you said "Significant Other" and I'm assuming you're a guy ... I'll throw in that Buenos Aires is very gay friendly (just legalized gay marriage).

I just moved down here for 6 months and the weather has been awesome. a bit cool at nights but sunny and 70 during the day...and it will only get warmer now.

Argentina is awesome - St. Johns and St. Thomas are also pretty sweet as was said...

if you're in Argentina for 6 months, make sure to go to a tango show, eat lots of meat, check out Boca if you can catch them playing, and maybe consider day trips / weekend trips to (1) Mar del Plata, (2) iguazu, (3) santa cruz or the patagoinia, (4) bariloche...

 

That yacht week looks sick!

As for vacation spots I'd recommend Bali, was there a few months ago with my better half and we absolutely loved it. There's alot of things to do there but you should definitely hire a van and tour all the temples. For eats try Poppies on Kuta and Mades warung in Seminyak.

Kuta beach was riddled with topless european girls when I was there too! Unfortunately a 70 year old Indonesian woman had the same idea and we happened to be right by her favorite path... Repressed and scarring memory aside I'd still recommend the place.

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If you're traveling in the northern summer, go to Dubrovnik in Croatia, charter a boat and sail up the Dalmatian coast. Beautiful islands and fantastic food. Who could want more?

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Argentina is at the top of my list...and no, it's not because Patrick is there, lol.

On a side note, I'm "debating" between New Years in NYC or Las Vegas. I've spent NYE in NYC before, not at Times Square, but at one of the baddest parties I've ever been to, so I've had a blast there and don't necessarily feel the need to try and replicate that. Sadly, I've never been to Vegas so the appeal of a new place is there and obviously there is a ton of fun to be had in Vegas so I'm thinking about going there instead of NYC. Any thoughts from the WSO crowd?

Anyone have a NYE, Vegas experience? If so, would you mind sharing?

Regards

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cphbravo96:
Argentina is at the top of my list...and no, it's not because Patrick is there, lol.

On a side note, I'm "debating" between New Years in NYC or Las Vegas. I've spent NYE in NYC before, not at Times Square, but at one of the baddest parties I've ever been to, so I've had a blast there and don't necessarily feel the need to try and replicate that. Sadly, I've never been to Vegas so the appeal of a new place is there and obviously there is a ton of fun to be had in Vegas so I'm thinking about going there instead of NYC. Any thoughts from the WSO crowd?

Anyone have a NYE, Vegas experience? If so, would you mind sharing?

Regards

If you don't mind me asking, where was the NYC party held at? NYC is generally not a good place for new year's eve since it's filled with tourists, and a lot of new yorkers are out of town to avoid them.

Definitely do vegas for new year's eve. Very expensive, and hotel rooms will be booked early, but it's a crazy time.

 

Yacht week looks crazy.

I recently got back from Nice, France. We spent some time in Monte Carlo... and it's by far the best place to go if you want to feel poor. Bentley Continental GT convertibles were peoples beater cars to say the least. If you want a relaxing vacation, Nice/Monaco have great beaches (albeit a bit crowded) and tons of romantic little restaurants up in the hills overlooking the ocean. Probably one of my favorite spots to relax so far.

 

Caneel Bay, St. John USVI. Very pricy and relaxing (I would never go on vacation to get into even more crowds--I live in New York).

If you had more time, I'd say check out the Seychelles, but the transit would fuck you.

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I've done NYE in Buenos Aires. Will very likely be doing it again this year. Good times to be had for sure -- but if you're the kind of guy who gets tired before 5:00am you're going to miss out on most of the fun.

Patrick, where in BA are you? I don't have my ticket yet but 90% sure I'm going down for Christmas.

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CompBanker:
I've done NYE in Buenos Aires. Will very likely be doing it again this year. Good times to be had for sure -- but if you're the kind of guy who gets tired before 5:00am you're going to miss out on most of the fun.

Patrick, where in BA are you? I don't have my ticket yet but 90% sure I'm going down for Christmas.

Hey man, I'm on the border of Palermo Soho and Villa Crespo -- about 10 blocks from plaza serrano. I may be in Mendoza with my parents over Christmas but I should be back in BA by the 26th so if you want to meet up the 26th or 27th for a drink just shoot me an e-mail once you have your dates booked.

 

If you want to shell out some cash, and really show her you love her, take her to the Atlantis in the Bahamas. Bad ass hotel, and I can personally vouch it is a great spot to vacation. Good stuff in the hotel, and basically a good place to vacation.

 
Investing.exe:
If you want to shell out some cash, and really show her you love her, take her to the Atlantis in the Bahamas. Bad ass hotel, and I can personally vouch it is a great spot to vacation. Good stuff in the hotel, and basically a good place to vacation.
I concur that Atlantis in the Bahamas is an excellent vacation spot. They've got beaches, water rides, casinos, entertainment, night clubs, etc. However, if you want to save a buck, I'd recommend staying at the Comfort Suites located right next door to the main Atlantis hotel (where the casino is). I priced out a vacation and my room at the Comfort Suites was only $200/night instead of $400/night at the Atlantis. The comfort suites is less than a 60 second walk from Atlantis and by staying there you'll get free, all-access passes to the Atlantis Resort. In addition, the Comfort Suites has its own, private pool with a swim up bar. Finally, if you're worried about going cheap on the room -- anyone who spends a lot of time in their hotel room during vacation is not taking advantage of the vacation.

I sound a bit like an advertisement, but I do believe that it's the best way to do a Bahamas vacation without getting raked over the coals by the hotel.

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I know tons of people who have been there. They say it is honestly one of the coolest and interesting places/vacations they have ever been one. Life changing.

But you have to be careful about the elephants. Sometimes in rivers they take baths, and you fall off. And get sick. True story, happened to a good friend of mine.

And yeah, I luckily stayed in the suites there. Amazing time at the Atlantis.

 

You could do SE Asia if you start hunting for cheap tickets. CoL is practically nothing, but I encourage you to spend a little: a $50/night hotel room will be a palace. I have never been, but a few friends have and really enjoyed it.

Alternately, go to LatAm or just Mexico. Buenos Aires is as good as everybody says. Do it. Virgin Islands are a bit touristy, but you'll be happy for two weeks.

Finally, if you are more into Europe, Prague is awesome. However, the weather will be pretty bad in December.

Australia, NZ, Hawaii, and Florida/SoCal are great too, but have a Western CoL.

 

check groupon. they have some good deals on airfare + hotel stays in places like costa rica, mexico, greece, prague, etc

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iamfromcanada:

Hey guys -- any suggestions on where to on vacation after the first year of banking? It'll be in August after bonuses come out (should be decent) and I should have 9-10 days to go anywhere. Not sure if this is enough time to go on an overseas trip or if it's even worth it with plane tickets being so expensive.

Thanks in advance!

I'd suggest Santorini/Mykonos, Costa Rica (more budget friendly), Rio (best city in the world, riots or not), Chile (fuck yea get on that wine, fish and meat son... plus Patagonia!) or Puerto Rico (cheaper option, don't need a passport or anything).

 
peinvestor2012:
iamfromcanada:

Hey guys -- any suggestions on where to on vacation after the first year of banking? It'll be in August after bonuses come out (should be decent) and I should have 9-10 days to go anywhere. Not sure if this is enough time to go on an overseas trip or if it's even worth it with plane tickets being so expensive.

Thanks in advance!

I'd suggest Santorini/Mykonos, Costa Rica (more budget friendly), Rio (best city in the world, riots or not), Chile (fuck yea get on that wine, fish and meat son... plus Patagonia!) or Puerto Rico (cheaper option, don't need a passport or anything).

agreed on all

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peinvestor hit a lot of my top suggestions spot on. Also: Buenos Aires Croatia Sweden (expensive as hell, but have friends there and heard in the summer is absolutely amazing) and Thailand (expensive airfare, but cheap as hell once you're there)

On a side note, I've always wanted to go somewhere original (i.e. off the beaten path). Trans-Siberian RR would be cool, but it is like at least a 2 week trip

"History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme."
 

If you want to blow money and have a group of friends willing to take a trip, look into Yacht Week. You'll pay through the nose (airfare, Yacht Week admission, and meals, drinks, and clubbing) but it's an absolute blast. I have a close friend who took three months off of work (pharma sales rep, the guy was an underwear model for four years during/after school) to attend the Skipper Academy and pilot one of the yachts around for the season. Absolute blast, I'm pretty envious.

If you're just going somewhere with a few others, I'd say that everyone above mentioned most of the popular spots. Would personally recommend either a trip through the Greek Isles (Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes), French Riviera, or Spain (Barcelona + Madrid).

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last_stop:

look into Morocco, Malta, Cinque Terre, Croatia (seconded). If you're flexible on dates, I've used GetGoing before (you plug in two locations and they'll spit it out steeply discounted airfares for one; think there was a review in NYT at some point).

Forgot Croatia, support that as well. Cinque Terre is great for a weekend, but given that you could literally walk between all of them in a day (and having spent time there), anything in the range of 7-10 days could be spent better elsewhere. Even more so given how infrequently we get to enjoy personal trips in this line of work.
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GrandJury:

Want to party? = Vegas.

Want to relax? = Hawaii, Carribbean, Australia

Europe? = Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy

Heard Ireland in the summer is absolutely incredible.

Depends what you're looking for. If you want to do touristy sight-seeing stuff then ye it can be very enjoyable, if you want to relax, get drunk and party don't even consider Ireland. The weather here can still be very poor in the summer, clubs are fairly average and there's no major holiday resorts. Good place to visit and travel around, if you want to visit and do nothing other than party I wouldn't recommend it. Ireland is a fantastic place to visit and travel around for 2 weeks with family or friends, not a place for blowing your first bonus at 23 years old.

OP if you're looking at Europe can't go wrong with the Greek Islands of Santorini, Ios and Mykonos. Pag and Havar islands in Croatia are also incredibly good, if you want to go clubbing the island of Ibiza is hard to surpass.

 
iamfromcanada:

Could you give any examples of "other discount websites" by any chance?

Jetsetter (4 and 5-star and higher properties for discounted rates), Kayak, CheapCarribean.com (plus they have travel insurance included in the package that protects against weather-related delays... saved me $1500 in undergrad when I was trying to fly back to NY and there was a blizzard in mid-March... had to pay for two extra nights of a hotel plus meals and a change fee to reroute myself).

There are probably a few others (Apple Vacations) but generally Groupon and LivingSocial's deals aren't that great if you actually look at the quality of the property, hidden taxes & fees, and restrictions.

 

My favorite vacation place is Hotel Hacienda Na Xamena in San Miguel, Ibiza. I was lucky enough to go there a few times and I love it.

However, if I do become an Ibanker, I don't see myself spending much time out of the office... :) (Yes, I'm actually praying for that to happen)

Dan, spot on!

 

I'm in the exact same situation here - was thinking of heading down to South America and parking my ass on a beach for a week. Don't know where yet, but ideas are welcome.

 

Where are you from and where will you be working? This might seem like a weird idea, but if you are down to just a couple of weeks before you start I would go to the city where you will be working if you don't live their currently and party it up there. Why? You can spend your time actually finding places where you like to go to and party at. This will save you time when you start working if you don't know the places to party at while working. You will have little time then, so why spend it wandering around looking for a place you like.

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Thanks for the suggestions. New job is in SF which is where I'm currently located so very familiar (maybe too familiar) with the local hot spots. We're honing in on Rio for the week getaway. Sufficiently exotic, great weather currently, beautiful women, and large enough to stay entertained for a whole week. Anything I'm missing?

 

I went here for my last spring break in school. Amazing place. Culebra, Puerto Rico is a small, 5x5 mile island off the coast of the main island. Only around some 1500 people live there. Flamenco Beach is the place to go: rated as one of the best in the world. There's not a ton of night life...actually, none. But it's quiet and has alot of places to explore. If you want a good quiet place with tons of opportunities for scuba diving, snorkeling, etc.

Quiet place, beautiful scenery, incredible beach, no nightlife.

 

Thanks for the recomendations and please add more if anyone has them.

I looked at Phuket, I can actually get a sweet place there for free. However, I'm not sure its worth the flight when I don't even have a full week.

I don't think the Maldives are an option for me and I will look further into Culebra. I don't care about a lack of nightlife as soon as there are decent places to have dinner and maybe a few drinks. We aren't looking to be clubbing until 4 am.

 

you know, you could go to Australia. That's always a nice choice. it's gonna be fall there, but take a week on the Gold Coast and enjoy. Also, what about finding a nice quiet getaway that's not beachy? A week in the mountains somewhere or something of the sort.

 

lol, junkbond. That sounds like a great time, but this one is a keeper so I can't do that.

Thank you all for suggestions - I've been looking into them. The main problem at this point is coordinating Marriott and american airlines to the locations.

I welcome any other suggestions.

Is Brazil still out of favor for US travel? I've heard some great things about the beaches and scenery there.

 

Hi Sonic, I was in Melbourne for a while and just wanted to highlight that if you are going to the Great Ocean Road - Try to drive there yourself. I went with guided tours and they were waaaaayyyyy too rushed - Get on that helicopter at the 12 Apostles. I paid under 100 AUD if I remember correctly and took a photo that til today remains my desktop wallpaper. Such wonderful memories. - Try the coffee, it rocks.

You can probably spend a week in Melbourne? I believe it would bemore than enough. Have fun.

 

Definitely go to Cairns if you want a real "vacation-" not a large town and a very holiday-ish place. Very easy to go to the Great Barrier Reef etc (which you should do) and it's got great nightlife/is packed with tourists (especially during the Australian summer, which is coming up). If you don't want the nightlife etc, and want a beautiful but quiet place, go to Port Douglas for a couple of days. I haven't been to Noosa but it's supposed to be beautiful- crystal clear water that you can see tiny (probably slightly larger than a quarter) turtles swimming around in etc.

Melbourne and Sydney are cool places to see too, and I've heard parts of Western Australia are beautiful. The city type of holiday experience would be Sydney/Melbourne etc, the more "vacationy" spots will be places like Cairns.

Disclaimer: Lived in Cairns and currently live in Melbourne, have been to and will be living in Sydney soon. Mostly speaking from experience.

 
notthehospitalER:

Definitely go to Cairns if you want a real "vacation-" not a large town and a very holiday-ish place. Very easy to go to the Great Barrier Reef etc (which you should do) and it's got great nightlife/is packed with tourists (especially during the Australian summer, which is coming up). If you don't want the nightlife etc, and want a beautiful but quiet place, go to Port Douglas for a couple of days. I haven't been to Noosa but it's supposed to be beautiful- crystal clear water that you can see tiny (probably slightly larger than a quarter) turtles swimming around in etc.

Melbourne and Sydney are cool places to see too, and I've heard parts of Western Australia are beautiful. The city type of holiday experience would be Sydney/Melbourne etc, the more "vacationy" spots will be places like Cairns.

Disclaimer: Lived in Cairns and currently live in Melbourne, have been to and will be living in Sydney soon. Mostly speaking from experience.

Fraser Island is amazing, but a bit hard to get to. Would definitely still recommend it though.

Whitsundays are awesome if you are into sailing/snorkeling.

OP, could make better recommendations with a bit more detail about what you are looking to do. Recommendations for nightlife will differ a lot from outdoorsy type stuff.

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Vacation in Chicago for 5-7 days? You might as well stay at a Holiday Inn in NJ, you know the fancy kind, with a hot tub and less than 3 cockroaches per square foot.

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onemanwolfpack:
Puerto Vallerta, MX. Looks like Hawaii for half the price. Excursions on the beach, in the city, and in the rainforest.

^this. Check out Velas Vallarta, you'll never want to leave.

 
International Pymp:
Colorado (Aspen, Vail, Beaver Creek, etc.). Beautiful this time of year (anytime in the next 3 weeks before it starts to get cold) and the hotels have big time summer/off-season discounts.

+1 on this

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Aspen would be awesome, I always wanted to go but I'm dirt poor (even with those discounts).

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International Pymp:
but you're an associate? hehe... well I guess you'll have to wait until VP for that.
I can't control my spending. I have a disease, like alcoholism or chronic sleepiness.
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OP - can you give more insight into your budget or what you are looking to do? Will you be going solo?

I've been to most of the places listed above (not Brazil or Argentina, but I REALLY want to) and all are good ideas. However, it really depends on what you want to do and your mindset.

One of the better vacations I've taken was just earlier this year when I was swamped at work and committed myself to going away and actually relaxing (I usually like to be active and hate laying on a beach). My wife and I went to Orange county for 4 days on the cheap and it was awesome. Rented a car and saw some cool stuff, but also relaxed a lot and ate at local places.

Another suggestion I'd have would be fly to miami, rent a car and go to the Keys.

Or there's always Vegas.

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accountingbyday:
OP - can you give more insight into your budget or what you are looking to do? Will you be going solo?

I've been to most of the places listed above (not Brazil or Argentina, but I REALLY want to) and all are good ideas. However, it really depends on what you want to do and your mindset.

One of the better vacations I've taken was just earlier this year when I was swamped at work and committed myself to going away and actually relaxing (I usually like to be active and hate laying on a beach). My wife and I went to Orange county for 4 days on the cheap and it was awesome. Rented a car and saw some cool stuff, but also relaxed a lot and ate at local places.

Another suggestion I'd have would be fly to miami, rent a car and go to the Keys.

Or there's always Vegas.

I basically have to have it booked in the next week. So anything I can pull together in the next 2-3 days. I'm trying to stay under $1,000.

Keys are a great suggestion. I went there last year and absolutely loved it.

 

Just an update! Today I impulse bought a ticket to Chicago. I'm going for a long weekend. Any recommendations of where to go / what to do?

I'm still looking for another mini trip, if there are any thoughts of another easily accessible place to visit. (No offense to Washington Island Illi)

 
xc48cross:
Just an update! Today I impulse bought a ticket to Chicago. I'm going for a long weekend. Any recommendations of where to go / what to do?

I'm still looking for another mini trip, if there are any thoughts of another easily accessible place to visit. (No offense to Washington Island Illi)

Expensive things that you should do if you can pony up the cash: (1) Go to Joe's Stonecrab and get a 16 oz Bone-in Fillet Mignon--- you're not going to regret it, trust me (2) Got to the nightclub "Underground" and say hello to Kanye and R Kelly for me.... actually tell them I said "sup" and I'll be home in a few weeks

Cheaper fun things to do since I know you're on a budget: (1) walk down the magnificent mile in the afternoon and take note of the magnificence - and the hot midwestern blondie situation (2) go to lincoln avenue and hang out at some fratty bars with a bunch of big 10 kids who love to pound beer and watch football (if you're into that kind of thing) (3) go to a cubs game (4) go the North Avenue beach and get a tan amongst the masses (5) go get some deep dish pizza at Giordanos or some place (NOT AT UNO!)

 

paris geneva milan monaco barcelona

i say fly into paris, go down to geneva, chill by the lake and mingle with the glitterati, continue south to milan, go clubbing with the fashion elite, head west to monaco, play roulette at the world's finest casino, and finally, push further west to barcelona, lounge on the beach by day and go to clubs at night

(all travel in europe can be done easily by train)

 

Depends on how you want to spend your vacation

If you haven't been to traveled through Europe, I'm assuming you probably want to see the typical cities like London and Paris

If you want to party-- I second French Riviera as well as Barcelona and Ibiza- Also beautiful beaches. I am currently abroad in Barcelona and would highly recommend it.

I just got back from a trip through Budapest and Prague which was also amazing.

 
4frnt:
Depends on how you want to spend your vacation

If you haven't been to traveled through Europe, I'm assuming you probably want to see the typical cities like London and Paris

If you want to party-- I second French Riviera as well as Barcelona and Ibiza- Also beautiful beaches. I am currently abroad in Barcelona and would highly recommend it.

I just got back from a trip through Budapest and Prague which was also amazing.

How bout that snow last week? I just got in to the damn city (from the snowy Midwest US), and it fucking snows on my first day there. So pissed, especially considering the rarity of snow there.

Anyway, I highly recommend Barcelona, as well. Beautiful place. I can't imagine how fun it would be during a warmer part of the year.

Oh yeah, and stay at Hotel Arts.

 

I lived on the French Riviera most of last year. It is indeed a fantastic destination to relax. With that said, the entire Cote d'Azur is extremely touristy in the summer and full of unattractive people. If you go, go as early in the summer as you can. Nice and Cannes are pretty boring... St. Tropez is overrated unless you have a yacht. I personally think Monaco is the best for nightlife, but I'm also female, so the view might be skewed (the male:female ratio was slightly more in my favor in Monaco vs. St. Tropez). Make sure, however, that any girl you're hitting up in Monaco is actually interested in you and not a hooker (there are many... they take public buses in from ghetto-ER towns). Jimmy'z is cool, as is Sass. Drink prices can be pretty absurd. The most scenic towns are Villefranche-sur-Mer and Beaulieu. St Paul de Vence is pretty surreal--it was the only town that legitimately shocked me.

My recommendation is to fly in to Rome, take the train to Milan (maybe spend a day in each city), and then go West on Trenitalia towards Ventimiglia. Once you're in Nice, if you're looking for something a bit off the beaten path, you can take a ferry over to Sardinia. You can also take the overnight train to Paris or the 7 hr-ish train to Barcelona.

Geneva is definitely not worth going to in the summer. However, I'd highly recommend St. Moritz or Verbier if you ski and get some free time in the winter... much more fun than any of the summer locations above, esp the Farm Club in Verbier.

PM if you have any specific questions. Have a ton of other suggestions.

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gorilla4sandracing:
I lived on the French Riviera most of last year. It is indeed a fantastic destination to relax. With that said, the entire Cote d'Azur is extremely touristy in the summer and full of unattractive people. If you go, go as early in the summer as you can. Nice and Cannes are pretty boring... St. Tropez is overrated unless you have a yacht. I personally think Monaco is the best for nightlife, but I'm also female, so the view might be skewed (the male:female ratio was slightly more in my favor in Monaco vs. St. Tropez). Make sure, however, that any girl you're hitting up in Monaco is actually interested in you and not a hooker (there are many... they take public buses in from ghetto-ER towns). Jimmy'z is cool, as is Sass. Drink prices can be pretty absurd. The most scenic towns are Villefranche-sur-Mer and Beaulieu. St Paul de Vence is pretty surreal--it was the only town that legitimately shocked me.

My recommendation is to fly in to Rome, take the train to Milan (maybe spend a day in each city), and then go West on Trenitalia towards Ventimiglia. Once you're in Nice, if you're looking for something a bit off the beaten path, you can take a ferry over to Sardinia. You can also take the overnight train to Paris or the 7 hr-ish train to Barcelona.

Geneva is definitely not worth going to in the summer. However, I'd highly recommend St. Moritz or Verbier if you ski and get some free time in the winter... much more fun than any of the summer locations above, esp the Farm Club in Verbier.

PM if you have any specific questions. Have a ton of other suggestions.

Sounds like a dream...

 

If you're on any sort of budget (which I doubt, but hey, ya never know), Portugal is easily the most underrated place in western Europe, and is unbelievably affordable. Lisbon is beautiful. Especially in the spring and summer. Not nearly as grimy/touristy as Spain. The women are also ridiculously hot.

 

Thailand (I'd planned to go to SE Asia w/ a friend, trip fell through bc friend had to start work early), Ibiza, or go home & sleep, depending on exactly when that week happens, whether it's exactly a week or I can push it, and how exhausted I am...

 

Dont mean to be the annoying one buy who actually takes a train to travel through europe? If you want to party i say London + flight to Amsterdam If you are with your significant other i rec: Santorini or Hydra in Greece also Tuscany in Italy (Florence is beautiful) off course Paris but I prefer it in the autumn not so much in the summer

I would personally go to a tropical island somewhere in the middle of the ocean but that is just me

 

The train is a very viable option for many parts of Europe... Central London to central Paris in 2.5 hours on the Eurostar is unbeatable. Then Paris to Switzerland (Zurich) for example on the TGV in just 4 hours.

Its far less stressful than flying.

 

Oh, and it probably takes less time to take the Eurostar from Paris to London given the overcongested clusterfuck that is Heathrow. You'll spend about an hour taxiing to the runway, another 20 minutes waiting for takeoff clearance, and 40 minutes flying.

"We are lawyers! We sue people! Occasionally, we get aggressive and garnish wages, but WE DO NOT ABDUCT!" -Boston Legal-
 

The EuroRail and similar options are only good if you are traveling for a month or more and are looking to use it A LOT + being flexible.

If you are only in Europe for a weekend, you can get ridiculously cheap flights to go to 3+ destinations, especially during the week that are a hell of a lot cheaper than the fast trains

 
4frnt:
The EuroRail and similar options are only good if you are traveling for a month or more and are looking to use it A LOT + being flexible.

If you are only in Europe for a weekend, you can get ridiculously cheap flights to go to 3+ destinations, especially during the week that are a hell of a lot cheaper than the fast trains

That is what I meant too , I have never heard of people using trains to travel within a span of 1-2 weeks. The people that do are the student/hippie/festival hoppers who backpack a month or so.

As you said flights are super cheap + have a rented car waiting for you at the airport and drive around a bit to little villages etc.

 
dew2229:
buenos aires

aruba

ibiza

I'll buy that list - just got back from a week in Ibiza - sooooo many brits, my friend and I were kind of sick of em by the end heh. But great beaches, clubbing, can stay at some nice places (hotel was all of $60/night or so and was very solid, you can do more/less ofc). As far as the girls go, maybe it's because we went in the early part of the season, but the girls were so-so, and mostly aloof. YMMV of course.

 

Keep it simple, JWM on Copa Beach, Rio. Believe rooms are about $100/night but they have deals. Club Help to your right and MonteCarlo to your left, one is for the sportsman, the other for sureshots, wink wink. Grub up and down the beach, tourist sites, laid back options too and very easy to hook up with chill locals for the down low spots, presuming you are not the type of retard who will make himself a target. 10 minute ride up the road from the inTRAnational airport, so flying to Sao Paulo first and then catching a local flight might be a fun way to stretch your trip out.

 

Rio arguably has the hottest babes but is also probably the most dodgy. A group of friends recently did the whole South America thing and the only place they had trouble in was Rio: 3 of them got held at knife point and robbed, 1 got bashed by an angry mob who mistook him for someone else, and all of them had their ATM cards scimmed. And these are normal, well-travelled guys. Made me think twice about it.

 

If you want a chill the hell out location in Asia, look no further than Bali. Nusa Dua is the wealthy area with good hotels/resorts. In fact, along that part of the beach there are some good resorts even in Kuta and Seminyak areas. Club life is active right into the early morning, topless beach (atleast Kuta-Seminyak, although not many girls are topless - it's just accepted), CHEAP BOOZE MAN - on Jl. Legian (the main street) look for a booze store which is pretty much right next to the Bintang supermarket (if any of you ever go - spirits were cheap when I lived there). The locals (bar hawkers) are generally friendly as hell - especially in the resorts. The weather generally rocks in the dry season (little to no wind, mostly sunny all day, although I forgot when the dry season is), oh - and the surf is pretty awesome for newbs like me + good surf for intermediates (don't know about the pros).

You can spend a lot money on GOOD food, drinks, and accommodation, and even if you're restricted on a budget a lot of stuff is so cheap there that you can still party it up in comfort and not blow massive dollars.

 

Coney Island.

No, seriously, how do you define a "legit" vacation spot vs. illegit. I think Door County, WI or Traverse Bay, Michigan are two perfectly legit vacation spots. Same with Cape Cod. There's no five star hotels, casinos with no-limit tables, or restaurants that have $100 bottles of wine, but it's a nice, quiet getaway, and Lake Michigan and Cape Cod are at least 1/2 as breathtaking as Hawaii.

Want something really amazing? I say go to Cuzco, Peru, take the train to Aguas Calientes, and climb Huyana Picchu (the mountain behind Macchu Picchu). You'll have to stay in a shady hotel and the hot water will be kinda shaky, but the view from the Temple of the Moon at the top- where you can see into Bolivia- is just breathtaking.

 
IlliniProgrammer:
Coney Island.

No, seriously, how do you define a "legit" vacation spot vs. illegit. I think Door County, WI or Traverse Bay, Michigan are two perfectly legit vacation spots. Same with Cape Cod. There's no five star hotels, casinos with no-limit tables, or restaurants that have $100 bottles of wine, but it's a nice, quiet getaway, and Lake Michigan and Cape Cod are at least 1/2 as breathtaking as Hawaii.

Want something really amazing? I say go to Cuzco, Peru, take the train to Aguas Calientes, and climb Huyana Picchu (the mountain behind Macchu Picchu). You'll have to stay in a shady hotel and the hot water will be kinda shaky, but the view from the Temple of the Moon at the top- where you can see into Bolivia- is just breathtaking.

Will you ever stop your midwestern trolling? The vast majority of the midwest is a wasteland and is not a desirable place to spend your vacation at.

 
IlliniProgrammer:
Coney Island.

No, seriously, how do you define a "legit" vacation spot vs. illegit. ... You'll have to stay in a shady hotel and the hot water will be kinda shaky, but the view from the Temple of the Moon at the top- where you can see into Bolivia- is just breathtaking.

See, bro, if it's "shady" it's not "legit." It's not "illegit" just "not legit"

What am I?

Too legit to quit.

 
youngblood:
Go to Australia dude. Or go on a rad safari in Africa and watch some lions chew on some wildebeest. Partying gets old, don't waste vacations on shit you can do at home in NYC or anywhere else for that matter.

great point. spending thousands of dollars just to go to a city where all you'll do is party and drink, is just a waste. spend it on some cool exotic place you've never been to.

 

^I second Dubrovnik. Seriously.

I lost my innocence there at age 17. Then I lost even more innocence there at age 21, the second time I went. I was 2/2 without even trying (the first time, at least). If anyone asks, I will go into more detail tomorrow.

In addition to how easily one may lose/continue to lose innocence in Dubrovnik, the architecture, and the sea is f'ing beautiful.

I've been to Acapulco as well. Though I'm not to sure about going right this moment...

 

A better idea is to do a cruise. Go to vacationstogo.com and find the last minute deals. Pick the right itinerary that allows you to hit multiple locations at one time. Cruises are so much fun and you can get to experience those tourist trips during the offshore excursions. When it comes to chilling at the beach, most of the cruise lines have their own private islands. They dock for quite some time and you could relax there. Then you could jump back on the cruise, where there are nightclubs, casinos, bars, and shows going on. There is pretty much unlimited food as well and it might actually be cheaper to do this than just staying on one island. I think this is a good option.

Array
 

Dominican Republic is an amazing option. Hotels are all-inclusive and there's a lot to do:

(For History buffs) Visit the colonial zone and all the new world architecture in the capital. (Hiking/Outdoor) The hotel that I was at recently,Grand Palladium, featured a four excursion. During the little trip, participants rode on quads, hiked, and got to see some of the local wildlife all for the price of 40 pesos per person (1 American dollar is a peso). (Singles) The Hard Rock Hotel in Punta Cuna is where most single people go. A lot of famous artists go there to perform. (Couples) Pretty much every other hotel on the island is geared towards couples and I saw many who were on their honeymoons.

I went to the Grand Palladium in Punta Cana and Bahia Principe in La Romana and they're great; I never thought a 5-star resort could be so cheap. It's great for someone on a limited budget too since a one week trip including transportation, plane ticket there and back, and hotel (which was all-inclusive) cost a little over a grand.

Good Luck with your search!

"I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse."
 
Green_Bananas:

Dominican Republic is an amazing option. Hotels are all-inclusive and there's a lot to do:

(For History buffs) Visit the colonial zone and all the new world architecture in the capital.
(Hiking/Outdoor) The hotel that I was at recently,Grand Palladium, featured a four excursion. During the little trip, participants rode on quads, hiked, and got to see some of the local wildlife all for the price of 40 pesos per person (1 American dollar is a peso).
(Singles) The Hard Rock Hotel in Punta Cuna is where most single people go. A lot of famous artists go there to perform.
(Couples) Pretty much every other hotel on the island is geared towards couples and I saw many who were on their honeymoons.

I went to the Grand Palladium in Punta Cana and Bahia Principe in La Romana and they're great; I never thought a 5-star resort could be so cheap. It's great for someone on a limited budget too since a one week trip including transportation, plane ticket there and back, and hotel (which was all-inclusive) cost a little over a grand.

Good Luck with your search!

Family has a house in DR... Just to clarify what you said and I agree DR is an awesome place (or else we wouldn't have chosen to get a vacation home there)

1 American dollar is certainly not a peso. The exchange rate at the moment is like 41 pesos for 1 US dollar. But you were probably just trying to say the excursion was $40 which is reasonable.

You can check out Casa de Campo as an alternative if you want something that is a little different than Punta Cana though, caters to a different crowd and not really all inclusive I don't believe although maybe the hotel has some packages that are it's really nice, and if you like golf the Teeth of the Dog is rated among the best in the World.

Good luck.

 

I am from PR, so you could definitely do what you are asking if you go there. They have the El Yunque Rainforest, which is the only Rainforest in the US under control by the US Parks Service, the one in Hawaii is not. There are 100's of species of flora and fauna that are endemic to the island.

As for beaches, they have some of the nicest beaches in the world you can look up which ones are blue ribbon beaches, or just go to any. Depending on what you are looking for dictates where you should stay. If you want immersed more in the cultural aspect then you should stay in San Juan, where they have El Morro and San Cristobal, which are in Old San Juan which is full of really cool history. San Juan features a lot more bars and nightlife then you would find in Fajardo, which is what your alternative would be. San Juan has, bars, casino's, beaches, history, and you can get to the rainforest in about 30-40 minutes if you rent a car. A lot of the hotels allow you to rent Jet Ski's or go para sailing etc., you also have a lot more dining options. If you are looking for hotel suggestions that are on the beach I can make a few recommendations, you can stay at the Hilton, although it is the most secluded of all of them so you may or may not like this option, by they have a private beach and its an especially large hotel. You can stay at La Concha which is in Condado. It's a newly renovated hotel, very nice, extremely modern, they have a casino, beach front, cool parties at night (usually for the 25-50 crowd that have lots of money), and its on Ashford Ave. which is the main street in Condado and there are tons of little restaurants and shops you can walk to, as well as being able to walk to other hotels or along the beach if you want. Miramar is a more touristy hotel location in that you are basically forced to stay in your hotel area or you need a car to go somewhere because the immediate area there is nothing to really see, and you would have to go to Condado or Old San Juan (which are right next to each other) to see or do things outside of your hotel). Having said that, I would recommend staying at El San Juan if you choose over there, a lot of people stay there, its a really nice hotel, there is a night club called Brava which gets really good a few days of the week, they have a casino and beach front just like all of the ones I am recommending. Also the beaches at El San Juan (blue ribbon) are probably a little nicer than at the others but just barely, and it really makes no difference. Obviously there are a lot of other hotel choices that could offer you a very similar experience and amenities, in Condado I speak of mainly the Marriott and second to that is the Conrad. In Mirarmar you have the Intercontinental and the Ritz as subsequent options as well.

If you want to stick to doing more beachy things only then Fajardo may be a better choice for you. They have a huge hotel, and I mean huge, that has an extremely nice golf course, they have their own island which they will ferry you to for free called Palomino - be warned that the beach here is kind of rocky but lots of people go there and its pretty fun. Also right there you can take a boat to any of the Virgin Islands. Closest to you you would have the Island of Vieques, and Palomino. Other main islands that are close for you to go to would be Culebra or Saint Thomas which are about a 45 min-1hr ferry ride away respectively. The ferry is really cheap to take last time I remember it being

 

If you really enjoy hiking and rainforests, Puerto Rico has a lot of that. Overall though, while technically not part of the Caribbean, I'd go to Bermuda. It is wealthier than all of the Caribbean Islands, and the beaches are just as nice, if not nicer. It may not have the mountains/hiking you are looking for, but it's a special place, in my opinion. Wherever you go, try to avoid going August-October, though. The area is very vulnerable to hurricanes.

 

Going to Jamaica next week at this awesome place. Girlfriend's family rented a private villa

I've been to DR before and it's beautiful.

Frank Sinatra - "Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy."
 

where to? my girl's from there and we have a lot of friends and family on the north side (montego/ocho rios)

yeahright:

Going to Jamaica next week at this awesome place. Girlfriend's family rented a private villa

I've been to DR before and it's beautiful.

If the glove don't fit, you must acquit!
 

Been to puerto rico, if you're interested on hitting on some hot chicks (they like it if you make an attempt at speaking spanish) too many tourists come to PR, be warned that night life only exists in San Juan from Thursday to Saturday night. Like others said, Yunque rain forest is there in Puerto rico, about a 90 minute drive. Marriot hotel is the nicest there, and I bet you can afford it.

 
zeroblued:

Been to puerto rico, if you're interested on hitting on some hot chicks (they like it if you make an attempt at speaking spanish) too many tourists come to PR, be warned that night life only exists in San Juan from Thursday to Saturday night. Like others said, Yunque rain forest is there in Puerto rico, about a 90 minute drive. Marriot hotel is the nicest there, and I bet you can afford it.

El Yunque is certainly not 90 minutes, its about 45 from San Juan. Take it from me I went to high school there. To put things in perspective, the entire island is 130 X 36 miles and that's no typo.

As for the nightlife, that's is completely false as well. Only day nightlife is non existent is Monday, because people are going out every other day of the week. You just need to know where to go, the hotel concierge only tells tourists super touristy places to go out, which naturally do not reflect what is actually going on.

 

I've been on a caribean cruise, to DR, Jamaica, Mexico and Belize. If beaches are your top priority PR is a good option (from what I've been told) and all but the cruise are good choices. If beaches are not your top priority I would do Belize.

My experience in Belize was amazing - private tours through mayan ruins, cave rafting, zip lining, swam with sharks, snorkeling, boating to remote islands, etc.... If you want all-inclusive or the best beaches don't go to Belize. Otherwse, Belize is absolutely amazing.

I would avoid carribean cruises. I've been on 2 and dont care for them. If you are happy being the protypical tourist for the 6 hours they let you off on the island and then drinking on the boat at night you may like a cruise. If you want to do your own thing and get away from "port" then a cruise is not for you.

twitter: @CorpFin_Guy
 

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The Auto Show
 

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