[heather1979]

Summer in Vegas is very hot. May would be better. Its still gonna be hot but not as bad. Ive been twice both times around March-April and it was well into the 80's. You can find very cheap vacation packages to Vegas. Of coarse it takes some looking and depends where your flying from. But I never spent over $600 for both flight and hotel for about 5 days. You can get hella deals and if you wanna get free tickets you can go to those dumb seminars , i mean they take up a little of your time but hey you get something free out of it.
Ive never been to a spa, it sounds like it would be fun.
My first choice would be Vegas. My second is a spa resort.

I get motion sickness sometimes so im kind of lurey about the cruise.

I believe passports take about 6 weeks or so, so theres plenty of time for that if we were to go out of the country.

[JoyfulVegGirl]

This sounds like so much fun! Thanks for planning this

My vote would be for the beach or a cruise. I've always wanted to go to Puerto Rico, and I've never been on a cruise. Vegas is always fun, though.

Really, anywhere everyone decides would be fine.

[belinda245]

If we book a cruise as a group we can definitely get better perks & cheaper prices.. Also prices in May have already gone up. if you do it early march you can probably get an even better deal.

[JamieJo]

Have the people who are voting for cruises ever been on a cruise?

I REALLY love to travel and REALLY have not enjoyed cruising...

[Kim_Star060404]

I'd be completely opposed to a cruise, by far my worst traveling experiences have been cruises.

A beach vacation near a lot of attractions would be great.

[McKenziesmomma]

Originally Posted by fauxtini

Although spa is really exciting to me.. it would be great to get a bunch of girl stogether and head to vegas!! ive never been.. and it's def a more social place then all of us in seperate rooms getting massage

The spas I am talking about are actually a little different then you are probably thinking.....the days would be scheduled (a little but not hectic or anything) we would get up...have breakfast...some yoga....out door nature walks complete with waterfalls and beautiful scenery.....group aerobics classes....steam rooms.....and yes some massages and things...but surely we wouldn't be all in different rooms...I think the basic idea behind the spa one is to relax and reward yourself and refresh....and have a good time with each other all while remaining healthy and exercising and eating right!
I'm starting to lean more towards spa...there is a nice one right here in TN not far from you and me!

Originally Posted by belinda245

If we book a cruise as a group we can definitely get better perks & cheaper prices.. Also prices in May have already gone up. if you do it early march you can probably get an even better deal.

At first I ruled out the group thing because in order to get the group deal I thought you guys would have to send me your money cause to get the discount I would have to book the whole group at once....and let me just say NO ONE SHOULD EVER EVER send money to anyone they don't know or can not confirm is a valid business!!!!!!!! However....I have thought about going to a local travel agency to see about getting group deals and see if they can set up a group account for us and everyone here can send their money to the travel agency.....and I can give you guys the address and the web addess and tax ID number so you can investigate it and check with the better business bureau and such before you send your money so you feel comfortable!


I'm going to close this thread tomorrow evening by 5pm CST probably.....Hopefully tomorrow night I will post a new thread with the location and dates....so everyone get your votes in now....pass the word along throughout the other forums and threads....anyone you want to go tell them to come vote......

as it stands now this is going to be a short trip (3-4 nights) this is to keep prices low and make is so not alot of time from work would have to be missed so you can use vacation time for other things throughout that year....I wouldn't expect you guys to use it all for this.......

Once I announce a dates and location I will start posting hotels and prices (with links so you guys can view the pics) I will check for group rates as well......I will look for activies in the area with prices and post those as well.....I will also research restaurants, shopping in the area, and any other activities with price ranges.........Once everyone agrees on a hotel I will post a final thread that will detail hotel costs, food costs, activities costs, shopping and souviners or extras...etc....

I will then check with a local travel agent to see about the group deal....and if that doesn't work out everyone will be responsible for booking their own stuff...flights and all.

Hope everyone is okay with this!

Thanks
Melissa

[McKenziesmomma]

So far I have -

4 votes for cruise
4 votes for beach
0 votes for Spa
4 votes for Vegas
1 vote for Any

If you just said any...I put you down for Any....if you listed 1st choice / 2nd etc...I put your vote for your 1st choice, If you just listed several of them in a certain order...I put your vote for the first thing you listed.....

If the votes stay tied I will be choosing either Beach or Vegas for the simple fact that several people have been very anti-cruise and because it is the only one that people could end up being sick the whole time and not enjoy their vacation (due to motion sickness that is); however....if more people come in and vote cruise and cruise wins...then cruise it will be....and we will do one of the other ones later.....

trying to make this fair as I can so as many people that wants to can sign up!

[stacylambert]

2010 sounds good to me!

I'm not a cruise person myself either. My vote is for the beach or Vegas.

I live in San Diego so if we decided to do the beach one somewhere around here I would be more than willing to help out with the planning.

[PhotoChick]

Here's my concern with the beach - and for the record I'm a total beach person and can think of nothing more fun than to hang out at the beach and eat seafood all day!

But going to the beach automatically means one coast or the other. Which means that people on the other coast might be prohibited from attending because of cost. I know that living on the east coast, flying all the way to the west coast (as much as I'd love to) is outside of my budget. And I'm sure it works the other way for west coasters coming to the east coast.

Vegas is centrally located. It's a destination that is served by TONS of airlines including low cost ones like Airtran and Southwest. It's got non-strip type areas like Red Rocks and Lake Las Vegas where people can hang out. It's got the spa experience. It's got the food experience. It has close by lake-front beaches. It's got hiking. It's got touristy stuff and kids stuff and adult stuff.

That's just my take on it.

Also keep in mind that to get group rates anywhere you're going to have to GUARANTEE (as in be willing to pay for no-shows) a certain number of rooms or registrations. (I used to work in the tourist industry and now I plan workshops and events, so I'm familiar with how it works.) It's going to be hard to get reduced rates w/out committing money for rooms/venues.

I honestly think that the better idea would be to pick a location and a date and let everyone make their own travel arrangements. I know I can get rock bottom rates for myself through Priceline and I don't mind bidding on hotels and taking my chances. But I'd still be available for meet-n-greets and hanging out with everyone and going to dinner or a show or gambling or just sitting and chatting.

If it were me planning, that's what I'd do.

.

[yoyonomoreinvegas]

Originally Posted by kelly315

Summer 2010... by then I (and many others on this site) will have been able to save up AANNNDD reached their goals or mini-goals, so we can all celebrate together! A cruise would be wonderful, but it should be economic... maybe we can get group rates!

Some of the cruise lines do give you better rates for larger groups - we did a family cruise a couple of years ago that started out at $2500 per person but by the time all the cousins and in-laws started joining up we were down to around $900 per person in upgraded rooms with balconies....

Originally Posted by McKenziesmomma

2. Las Vegas - Not really a family friendly, so I would probably leave the kids at home. Also, many of the hotels are kind of expensive...but I'm sure we can all find one we agree with......Also many cheap buffets for eating out...LOL! And free drinks as long as your gambling...LOL!

Actually, it is way more family friendly than it used to be - depends on the ages of your kids of course, but there really is a ton of stuff to do that doesn't require a fake ID if you're under 21 There's the Shark Reef, The Secret Garden, the M&M Store, lots of arcades. The shows are a little pricey but really are worth it (If Mom wins a jackpot to pay for the tickets )

Originally Posted by McKenziesmomma

Hmmm....beach locations....I'm thinking white sandy beaches with clear waters.....without lots of crowds....maybe an all inclusive Sandals resort???? Passports shouldn't be a problem...I think they are pretty easy to get.

keep me informed....keep the opinions coming!

Now THAT sounds heavenly! I was going to ask what beach you were thinking of - we have how many miles of coast line in the U.S.?

[mountain mama]

melissa: I wanna go to a spa like the one you are talking about. One good thing is that in places like that most things are covered and your day is planned out.. and it's healthy choices. it seems like it goes better with the theme thanvegas. I mean.. it is 3FC!

[mxgirl737]

vegas, without a doubt.

[McKenziesmomma]

Fauxtini - that may be something me and you and a few others decide to do later...(or sooner..LOL!)

Photochick - I'm feeling you on the east coast /west coast and vice versa thing....however Las Vegas isn't really central...I mean it is practically right on California which is west coast....so if your coming from east coast or northeast your looking at cost flying to Las Vegas just like anything else with the beach.....

The Sandals thing is down the drain...it is wayyyyyy too expensive...like $4,000 all inclusive for 3 nights...I don't think so

Keep the opninons coming guys...d-day is around the corner!!

[PhotoChick]

Photochick - I'm feeling you on the east coast /west coast and vice versa thing....however Las Vegas isn't really central...I mean it is practically right on California which is west coast....so if your coming from east coast or northeast your looking at cost flying to Las Vegas just like anything else with the beach.....

Well, yes and no.

I travel a lot for my work and I go to Vegas every year for an industry convention. I can fly to Vegas from the east coast for a little over $200 round trip if I watch the airlines and catch the sales. I can't fly to SF or LA for double that, even tho it's only a state away. Vegas may be more west coast than east, but it's a destination location and there are tons of cheap flights there ... which was my point.

In fact, it's often cheaper for me to fly to Vegas than it is for me to catch a flight from Atlanta to NYC.

.

[JamieJo]

I still like the Mexico/Jamaica/Bahamas beach idea.

But damn, I love Vegas! One thing to think about with Vegas... Last time I went, we stayed on the strip for half the time and the other half in a hotel a block from the Hard Rock (which is about 2 blocks off the strip)...I THINK it was the Wyndmn (I know I spelled that wrong.) If we are interested I'll talk to my Aunt and see what the exact name was. SUPER DUPER cheap because they do not have a liquor license nor a gambling licence. They did have free round trip busses to the strip every half hour. B E A U T I F U L rooms...like the big rooms with full kitchens. I want to say that we spent like 75 bucks a night there and we went in March. It had two pools, one for families and one for adults...just NO nightlife or anything like that. Oh, AND, someone IS going to the Thunder From Down Under with me if we go to Vegas... hehe!!!