2021 Vacations?

[MamaLema]

I read the title as 2021 vaccinations. Shows what’s on my mind....No vacations for me until a vaccination. I’m booked end of November. Fingers crossed, but it’s not looking good given my province’s abysmal vaccine rollout.

I think we live in the same province. I’m so frustrated and confused how we are doing so badly with vaccination rollout.

 

[StephMK]

My parents rented the annual beach house in July. My brother/family, parents, and my family are going. All of the adults will be vaccinated, just one teen probably won't be yet. We order groceries and it's pretty much just us any year that we go.

 

[sk!mom]

I read the title as 2021 vaccinations. Shows what’s on my mind....No vacations for me until a vaccination. I’m booked end of November. Fingers crossed, but it’s not looking good given my province’s abysmal vaccine rollout.

I’m completely agree. We would not be planning or going anywhere if we hadn’t both been vaccinated already.

I think we live in the same province. I’m so frustrated and confused how we are doing so badly with vaccination rollout.

I’m so sorry, and I agree that it’s confusing. I’m in a small city (100,000.) I’m a teacher and was fully vaccinated by mid January. DH is a college admin and was about 2 weeks behind me.

Just this week, the city health department started letting anybody (no qualifying conditions) over 18 make an appointment. And the hospital system here announced Thursday morning that anyone over 16 could schedule. By Thursday afternoon, friends were posting pics of their teens getting the vax.

Yet, unless my DD24, and in a large city, comes home to get it, I’m sure it will be May for her.

 

[Colleen27]

we cancelled Italy in 2020 but with European destinations still a no go we are considering Michigan for summer. We’ve never been and the cooler weather is enticing. Mackinac Island has been on my list for years.

We’re thinking that we’d like to fly into a larger city(not sure which one) and do a bit of road tripping with a few days on Mackinac at some point.

As you can see, this is far from a fleshed out idea but I’d love suggestions from Michiganders or anyone who has visited the state.

As far as flying in, Detroit and Flint are really the only major airports (and that's being generous to Flint) but also the places you're likely to find the best rates on a rental car so it really isn't an awful place to start. Metro Detroiters weekend "up north", so it isn't as though there's a prohibitively long drive involved even if you fly into the city - about 4 hours from Detroit to Mackinaw City, where you can catch the ferry to the island. Beyond that, Michigan has a bit of everything so where you go would depend a lot on what you're into - hiking or shopping or wine tasting or history or watersports or whatever.

If you go to Mackinac, I second MIGrandma's suggestion of staying on the island overnight. It is just different after the day guests leave. The buffet at the Grand Hotel is amazing, well worth the price, and the dress code is looser at lunch than it is in the evenings. The hike (more like a nice walk - the trail is paved and not strenuous at all) out to Arch Rock is lovely, but go early or late because it does get crowded in the middle of the day. I've heard sunrise up there is incredible, but not being a morning person I've never seen it myself.

Other things worth a mention: Again, seconding MIGrandma's suggestion of Tahquamenon Falls. It is one of the most beautiful places in the state and well worth the drive. The hike between the falls is nice as long as the shuttle is running so you only have to go one-way (last summer, there were no shuttles so you'd have had to make the 8 mile round trip trek; I haven't heard if things will be more normal this summer). Renting a boat at the lower falls is a lot of fun too; you can row out to a little island with nice views/trails as well as pretty close to the base of the falls.

If you like wine, you might want to carve out a couple days for the Traverse City area, which is Michigan's wine country. There are a bunch of wineries with tasting rooms along the gorgeous Leelanau Peninsula, and Traverse is a neat little town in its own right with some good restaurants and cute shops. There are some very nice waterfront hotels on the bay, where the water is warmer and better for swimming than the open lake. I personally like Cherry Tree Inn, but we often go in the relatively early spring so I do like to splurge on lodging with a indoor pool even with the bay just steps away. There are cheaper places that are just as nice and get good reviews that I'd probably check out if we ever made it up there during the summer.

 

[sk!mom]

If you like wine, you might want to carve out a couple days for the Traverse City area, which is Michigan's wine country. There are a bunch of wineries with tasting rooms along the gorgeous Leelanau Peninsula, and Traverse is a neat little town in its own right with some good restaurants and cute shops. There are some very nice waterfront hotels on the bay, where the water is warmer and better for swimming than the open lake. I personally like Cherry Tree Inn, but we often go in the relatively early spring so I do like to splurge on lodging with a indoor pool even with the bay just steps away. There are cheaper places that are just as nice and get good reviews that I'd probably check out if we ever made it up there during the summer.

Wow, thanks for your great reply. We are definitely the winery easy walk type at this stage. We would absolutely spend a couple of nights on Mackinac as I’ve wanted to visit for a long time and I have such a long list that I might not make it back.

We have a ton of SW points and could fly free into Grand Rapids or Detroit.

 

[pens4821]

Thinking about a trip to Niagara Falls for a couple days in early June. Was reading through some reviews from last year and seems like maid of the mist was hard to ride. Hopefully this year they will let more people on and run multiple boats and going early in June should help with crowds. Many reviews mentioned couple hour waits and a few said they waited hours to be told they had no more availability. I doubt I’ll wait hours to get in.

Will also walk around the parks, cave of the winds, a jetboat ride, maybe fort Niagara. Will check out the naval park in Buffalo. Just a little few day getaway to see something I haven’t seen in many years.

 

[MischaOz]

I love reading these posts! It gives me so many ideas!

We are blessed to have lots of domestic travel planned this year. We already did a short trip to St. Augustine in February. We’re leaving on Sunday for Zion and Grand Canyon (flying in and out of Vegas). DH & I have a couples trip to Disney in mid-May for our 20th anniversary, and then we have a cabin reserved in the Smokies for a bigger family group in late May/early June (I already have my annual pass for Dollywood - yay!). Late June it’s back to Orlando with DH & DD - no Disney though. We’re doing Discovery Cove and Seaworld, and will probably take a day trip to the Kennedy Space Center.

We always go to the Wis Dells several times, but I don’t really pre-plan that. I also usually take DD(9) on a mother/daughter end-of-summer trip before she goes back to school, but haven’t decided on that yet. We used to do Disney but I think masks in August would be hard for her. We did Seaworld last August but since we’re going in June, that’s out. I’m open to suggestions!

 

[LadyBeBop]

I thought I replied to this. But I guess I didn't.

My husband and I are definitely going to Houston this May to visit my daughter, son-in-law and new granddaughter. This is actually the fourth time we scheduled. First time was in December 2019 to help them move into their new apartment. But we couldn't get the time off. Then we were scheduled for July, then December 2020. However, Covid numbers surged both times. This will be the first time we've seen our daughter in nearly two years. And the first time seeing our new granddaughter, although she was born last month.

My other daughter (who lives a mile away from me) and my other granddaughter are supposed to cruise with me to the Bahamas in June. But I don't think that's going to happen.

 

[Colleen27]

I love reading these posts! It gives me so many ideas!

Me too, and that's a dangerous thing! I ended up booking Traverse City for a long weekend next week after sk!mom's post got me thinking about it. My youngest goes to winter camp up there with her school (in normal years) and loves Sleeping Bear NP, so we're going to spend a few days up there hiking and enjoying the spring weather.

I would love to do Zion and the Grand Canyon in the spring one of these days. It was August when we went and while it wasn't awful, the heat was enough that we stuck to shorter and less strenuous outings than we would in more moderate weather. This seems like it would be about the perfect season for the desert.

 

[neverlandsky]

We found out after our first and only visit to WDW with cancelled FPs, plans, & ADRs our vacation pace is sloth mode. We like to resort stay, rest, take in the scenery, play games, and enjoy family time. Traveled to Cannon Beach, OR. and just happened to be there during The Kings Tides mid-January. Highly recommend going during The Kings Tides. Was an awesome sight to see. So relaxing. Soon we'll be traveling to Newport, OR. Other considerations for this year: Laughlin, NV. , North Lake Tahoe/Incline Village, NV., San Diego, CA. Scottsdale, AZ. Our dream would be to resort stay at WDW. We were suppose to go back for our 20th anniversary last year and cancelled all plans in April of last year.

 

[Skippy918]

Leaning towards a domestic trip this year, possibly a road trip out west. Dh and I will be vaccinated but the kids are too young to get their shots. Plane flights might still be too risky for them.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

We have a long weekend planned at the end of April to celebrate daughters 16th birthday. It's local. We're booked for WDW in October, we're DVC so had to use points. Really want to go visit family (in another state). My husband and I will be fully vaccinated by end of this month and then need to work on getting daughter vaccinated. Haven't seen our families in almost 2 years, it will be two years in November. My Mom is 81 and has a lot of health issues and I really want to see her.

 

[Tattylou]

We rented a cottage on the beach down the Cape in August (Cape Cod). That will be low key - just go to the beach that is literally right behind the cottage and maybe take a drive to some other beaches to see seals. It’s only an hour drive from my house so it isn’t exactly a major trip, but the Cape is nice and it feels like a vacation. We did it last year and it just really relaxing.
We usually do a weekend In the White mountains in New Hampshire in October. I’m sure we will still do that bc we did it last year.
We also booked Disney for Feb 2022. Hopefully my husband will come around the the idea of being vaccinated by then, but if not then we are still going either way. He can just sanitize extra lol.

 

[Immadismom]

I just booked a condo for a week in July in Santa Rosa, FL. We have been twice before, and our family really enjoys this area. We should all be fully vaccinated by then. It will be DH and I, DD20 and her boyfriend, DD18 and a friend, and DS17. We will do beach time, fishing, and likely board games and movies in the evening. I will cook all lunches, most breakfasts, and probably 4 dinners. We may venture out for seafood dinners 2 or 3 times, as that is one meal I do not cook and we know several places we can dine outside.

Definitely lower key than our normal vacations. But DD18 graduates next month and we won’t have a grad party for her, so we told her we’d do a family trip to celebrate.

 

[sk!mom]

We have a long weekend planned at the end of April to celebrate daughters 16th birthday. It's local. We're booked for WDW in October, we're DVC so had to use points. Really want to go visit family (in another state). My husband and I will be fully vaccinated by end of this month and then need to work on getting daughter vaccinated. Haven't seen our families in almost 2 years, it will be two years in November. My Mom is 81 and has a lot of health issues and I really want to see her.

My 24 year old DD (Texas) and 17 year old niece (Arkansas) got their first shot yesterday. Fingers crossed that it’s available for your DD, in your state, soon.

After posting, getting responses here and in my own thread. We’re super excited to explore the west side of Michigan this summer. I honestly don’t know why we never did this trip before. For Texans, the weather alone is enticing.

Hawaii was another consideration but I didn’t want the stress of Covid testing.When travel there becomes available with vaccine, we may book it for December.

We have milestone birthdays in October so we’re thinking of Boston as a base with some leaf change drives. Again, for Texans, that is something we do not have here. I’m a teacher and DH is a college admin so a long vacation in October is discouraged.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

My 24 year old DD (Texas) and 17 year old niece (Arkansas) got their first shot yesterday. Fingers crossed that it’s available for your DD, in your state, soon.

After posting, getting responses here and in my own thread. We’re super excited to explore the west side of Michigan this summer. I honestly don’t know why we never did this trip before. For Texans, the weather alone is enticing.

Hawaii was another consideration but I didn’t want the stress of Covid testing.When travel there becomes available with vaccine, we may book it for December.

We have milestone birthdays in October so we’re thinking of Boston as a base with some leaf change drives. Again, for Texans, that is something we do not have here. I’m a teacher and DH is a college admin so a long vacation in October is discouraged.

My daughter has asthma so she will qualify for the vaccine when she turns 16. It's the dose that I'm concerned about. I don't know if an adult dose is appropriate for her. We saw her doctor a month ago and she said "they" are still working on the dosage for her age group. And said that they're on the list to receive the vaccine to give to their patients. Plus my daughter is very much on the petite side, 5 feet tall (she's done growing) and 79 lbs. (she was a micro premie). On I'm another forum and on it is a poster who lives in Hawaii. She keeps us up to date to all the happenings in Hawaii and said they were open for visitors on 10/15/2020.

 

[Miromesnil75008]

I have two weeks booked in Paris/London for early September. I figure at this point, it’s 50/50 that trip will happen. I had planned to spend the first week of June in Montreal, which I cancelled last week, and instead changed to New Orleans. I had my 2nd shot yesterday, and I’m ready to travel!

 

[sk!mom]

My daughter has asthma so she will qualify for the vaccine when she turns 16. It's the dose that I'm concerned about. I don't know if an adult dose is appropriate for her. We saw her doctor a month ago and she said "they" are still working on the dosage for her age group. And said that they're on the list to receive the vaccine to give to their patients. Plus my daughter is very much on the petite side, 5 feet tall (she's done growing) and 79 lbs. (she was a micro premie). On I'm another forum and on it is a poster who lives in Hawaii. She keeps us up to date to all the happenings in Hawaii and said they were open for visitors on 10/15/2020.

Yes, Hawaii is open but requires a negative test in a short testing window. I just helped a friend get their to meet her new grandson. I’m not interested in that complication.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Yes, Hawaii is open but requires a negative test in a short testing window. I just helped a friend get their to meet her new grandson. I’m not interested in that complication.

My neighbor has been in Exumas. He and his wife have been fully vaccinated but still required a negative Covid test. He said he was able to get it done with no problem, just the results took a while.

 

[sk!mom]

My neighbor has been in Exumas. He and his wife have been fully vaccinated but still required a negative Covid test. He said he was able to get it done with no problem, just the results took a while.

My friend went in March for Spring Break. At that time (not sure now), Hawaii was requiring a negative test from a “trusted testing site” no more than 3 days before your last departing flight from the mainland. She had to drive 2 hours to find the nearest place on Hawaii’s list that could guarantee results that quickly. Add in the cost of testing since there are no free tests for travel and I’m just not interested in it. To meet a new grandchild, sure. For vacation, no. I’ll wait until a vaccine is enough.