Travel plans for 2026?

[chachalaca]

I can relate with an aging parent. For many years I did not want to venture more than a 1 day car drive from my mother's house. As an only child I was the only person to look after her.

I think you will love the ice hotel. We visited the one near Quebec City twice. Both times were at Christmas time and the hotel didn't open until the first week of January, but several rooms were available to view. Fortunately for us, the ice bar was open. The block of ice glasses were free to take home as long as you kept them below freezing! View attachment 49569View attachment 49573View attachment 49577

Do you still have the glasses, NoSpin??? LOL!
It's so bittersweet, getting older. A lot to be thankful for, but watching parents decline is devastating. Each trip is preceded with almost full of more angst than excitement, and for the first time in our lives we're buying travel insurance like candy.

Even still, it is wonderful to get away. I'm excited about this hotel, north of the Arctic Circle, and the possibility of seeing amazing Auroras.

 

[Pauline]

Pauline I already finished putting 10 reports in the other countries section also, I noticed I put 2100 "miles" on this, it was kilometers....I keep doing that!!

I should have noticed that!! Thanks!

 

[Amy]

We are just back from three very enjoyable weeks in Mexico City and Oaxaca. Next month we will spend a week in Sanibel Island with family.
In the Spring we will be in Vienna for a few days, then return to Venice for the Biennale.

Mulling over possibilities for the Fall, perhaps Morocco with friends.

 

[jan]

We'll be leaving here on March 1.
5 nights--Bilbao
3 weeks-- Venice
2 nights --Pesaro
1 week--L'Aquila
2 nights--Ostia (flying home from FCO

I'm a little nervous about being cold, but I gathering my appropriate gear.

 

[NoSpin]

Do you still have the glasses, NoSpin??? LOL!

Regrettably, no. Actually, they have special bins to dispose of your ice glass, recycling at its finest!

 

[chiaro di Luna]

Just back from Florida and Caribbean.
Waiting for passport.
April Rome 5 days & cruise to Greece.
October UK, Baltic & Northern Capitals cruise.

 

[BryanS]

Plans so far...going up to The Netherlands in April to see the tulips and then over to the US to visit family.
Sicilia in September for a wedding.
The year is still young so who knows, Italian style is not to plan too far in advance for vacations.

 

[NoSpin]

We'll be leaving here on March 1.
5 nights--Bilbao
3 weeks-- Venice
2 nights --Pesaro
1 week--L'Aquila
2 nights--Ostia (flying home from FCO

I'm a little nervous about being cold, but I gathering my appropriate gear.

Oh wow, this means you are there now. I hope you are staying warm!

 

[sophia_williams]

Where are you going this year?

We are doing the same May/June trip that we did last year - driving to Germany and Switzerland. 10 nights in Baden-Baden staying in the town center in the apartment complex we stayed in on our first visit two years ago followed by 3 weeks in Lenk in the apartment we stayed in last September.

Maybe a week in Cornwall in April. This is an easy destination for us - a 3 hour drive.

Summer at home.

Still working on September-October. I think we will return to the northern Perigord where we were last October. Instead of staying near Brantome I think we will stay closer to Perigueux. I found an estate with 3 cottages that looks nice. I loved where we stayed in Brantome but I want to try a slightly different area.

La Chartreuse du Maine : Gîtes de prestige en Dordogne Périgord avec piscine chauffée

> Location de belles demeures de vacances en Dordogne Périgord. La Chartreuse du Maine, gîtes de caractère avec piscine chauffée près de Lascaux et Périgueux. Charme et tradition pour des vacances haut de gamme.

lachartreusedumaine.fr

That's sounds nice!! I’m still planning my trips for this year. I’m thinking about exploring the Netherlands and some of its quieter regions beyond the main cities. I’m currently looking into the Netherlands Schengen visa options so that I can plan my travel smoothly. Hopefully, I’ll be able to finalise everything soon.

 

[Tery]

We'll be leaving June 12th on another cross-US road trip from Orange County, California to Richmond, VA where our 2nd son and his family have lived since 2020. We'll be spending several days in Albuquerque and Memphis on the eastbound drive. Our 12 1/2 year old granddaughter, Evelyn will be with us on the westbound drive for her early 13th birthday trip with us. We'll drive 3 days/nights straight, then spending a day/night on an alpaca farm in Silt, Colorado, then 4 days on a farm in Montrose, CO, 2 days on a cattle farm near Cortez, CO and then 3 days on a sheep farm in Cornville, AZ , west of Sedona (an animal-themed trip at Evelyn's request!). We'll be going to several national parks on that leg of the trip - Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Mesa Verde, Grand Canyon. Then, Italy in late September for a month - a week in Massino Visconti on Lago Maggiore, several days in Trieste (with a day trip into Slovenia), a week in Cagli, Marche then 8 days just outside Ostuni, Puglia. Last 2 nights will be in an apartment in Fiumicino not far from the airport. It will be a busier travel year for us than usual!

 

[artnbarb]

We'll be leaving June 12th on another cross-US road trip from Orange County, California to Richmond, VA where our 2nd son and his family have lived since 2020. We'll be spending several days in Albuquerque and Memphis on the eastbound drive. Our 12 1/2 year old granddaughter, Evelyn will be with us on the westbound drive for her early 13th birthday trip with us. We'll drive 3 days/nights straight, then spending a day/night on an alpaca farm in Silt, Colorado, then 4 days on a farm in Montrose, CO, 2 days on a cattle farm near Cortez, CO and then 3 days on a sheep farm in Cornville, AZ , west of Sedona (an animal-themed trip at Evelyn's request!). We'll be going to several national parks on that leg of the trip - Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Mesa Verde, Grand Canyon. Then, Italy in late September for a month - a week in Massino Visconti on Lago Maggiore, several days in Trieste (with a day trip into Slovenia), a week in Cagli, Marche then 8 days just outside Ostuni, Puglia. Last 2 nights will be in an apartment in Fiumicino not far from the airport. It will be a busier travel year for us than usual!

Those trips sound amazing! Enjoy!

 

[TomandKathy]

Sounds good Pauline, that's a fine start! We were near Perigueux back in 2019. It is a beuatiful area. I like that you are spending some time close to home. My wife and I are thinking of spending more travel visiting the US rather than traveling abroad.

Christmas week we spent in old Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It is as close as you can get to a European town without crossing the pond.

We will do a local trip to New York State in late June. Our big trip will be to Sardinia the last 2 weeks of July. We stayed at a villa on the sea last April and now with friends we are staying at the same villa. In April it was too cold for the beach or the pool. This vacation will be just to chill out on the beach.

Since we will already have spent the money to get there, we are thinking about where to spend 1 or 2 more weeks. Currently we are considering Sicily. We have been all over Italy, but never Sicily. And since the Sardinia weeks will be mindless, a cultural and historical sites tour of Sicily will make sense. We are open to any all suggestions.

No plans yet for autumn. We had considered the Royal Scotsman train trip, but amazingly they are mostly booked already so I'm looking at 2027.

I highly recommend Sicily! We've been there twice now, once alone and once with friends from Portugal, and loved it both times! We always have a car outside Palermo and Catania and spent a total of five weeks each time, without seeing everything at all. The ancient sites are some of the very best in the world and there is such variety in the landscape and the many lovely towns to visit. Both times we flew into Catania and took different routes to end up in Palermo. Always loved out accommodation, but book early, the best places will be snapped up, especially at that time of the year!

 

[coleyfagiole]

I was in Guatemala last month, am planning Italy in September: Milan (possibly Monza!), Mantua (research), and Bolzano and/or Venice (Biennale).
December: Belize and Tikal.
Trying not to think too hard about all the things that could get in the way...

 

[Pauline]

We leave in a few weeks driving to Baden-Baden, Germany for 10 nights, the on to Lenk in Switzerland for 3 weeks. We didn’t do a week in Cornwall this spring as I had hoped.

Our fall trip is booked. Back to Switzerland for 4 weeks (2 weeks in Zweisimmen then 2 weeks in Lenk), then on to Brantome, France for 2 weeks, just like last year and staying in the same rental. I had thought of trying something new in the area but the location of last year’s place was perfect.

 

[NoSpin]

Trying not to think too hard about all the things that could get in the way...

Yea, I hear you! It's like whistling past the graveyard thinking about our upcoming Sardinia and Sicily trip.