Travel Thread

[Gaucho]

Sint Maarten.

[tifosi77]

Malo Beach, yo.

[dodint]

How bad is Cancun. I know Mexico itself can be scary, but the resorts?

I haven’t been in 25 years

Cozumel is fun. Lots of stuff to do on the island, and you can ferry over to Cancun if you like.

[robbiestoupe]

Riviera Maya is nice. Not as packed as Cancun and can still see all the sights

[Dickie Dunn]

What are you looking to do? Dick around in a resort/lay on the beach or do things as well? I can't speak for Caribbean Islands, but as far as Mexico, which is not scary:
- If you're looking for all-inclusive, look higher end. All-inclusive 5 star isn't real 5-star, but the food and drinks will be good and the accommodations will be nice.
- Agree with robbie on Riviera Maya over Cancun. Venturing outside the hotel zone in Cancun isn't something I'd recommend; not because of any danger, it's just overrun with drunk idiots and locals trying to sell them ****. Downtown Riviera Maya is nice.
- Hurricane Wilma destroyed the shoreline in Cancun and Riviera Maya and they are very rocky with tons of seaweed.
- Plenty to do outside the resorts. Tulum and Chichen Itza are easy trips (look for tours through Viator), but I prefer the offerings of the Xcaret Experiences Group. Xcaret (ecological theme park), Xenotes (snorkling, zipling, rappelling into centos), and Xplor ("Xplor Fuego" if done at night; two miles of zip lines through the jungle, cave hike, river swim, and a Jurassic Parkian amphibious vehicle course).

We stayed at "The Fives Azul Beach Resort Playa Del Carmen, by Karisma" in May. Good food, lots of options, gigantic rooms, plenty of pools. Would recommend. Can find lots of good deals for it.

[blackjack68]

Yeah, I had suggested Riviera Maya. We looked at Occidental Xcaret. But we’ll look at The Fives as well.

Thanks.

[mamaemeritus]

I very much highly suggest Excellence Riviera Cancun. (Adults only)

[shoeshine boy]

have you considered Costa Rica? I've never been myself but I have several friends who have been and they all raved about it.

[robbiestoupe]

If you end up doing Cancun area, check out Edventure Tours for excursions. Granted this was 9 years ago when we used him, but it was top notch. The guy knew the local areas that were not full of tourists, including a restaurant on the beach which was pretty much just our excursion group. I believe we paid something like $75 per person and spent the better part of 8 hours doing cave snorkeling, swimming in a cenote, zip lining, visiting Tulum, and a boat ride to look at gigantic sea turtles (lunch at the restaurant was extra but well worth it).

[mamaemeritus]

If you end up doing Cancun area, check out Edventure Tours for excursions. Granted this was 9 years ago when we used him, but it was top notch. The guy knew the local areas that were not full of tourists, including a restaurant on the beach which was pretty much just our excursion group. I believe we paid something like $75 per person and spent the better part of 8 hours doing cave snorkeling, swimming in a cenote, zip lining, visiting Tulum, and a boat ride to look at gigantic sea turtles (lunch at the restaurant was extra but well worth it).

Holy crap - we did Edventure Tours back in 2011 too. It was AWESOME. We upgraded so it was just us two, and it wasn't that much for private tour. Totally amazing day. The cenote was the BEST. I believe for a few years, you couldn't snorkel with the turtles at Akumal because of environmental risks, but I believe that's open again.

[robbiestoupe]

If you end up doing Cancun area, check out Edventure Tours for excursions. Granted this was 9 years ago when we used him, but it was top notch. The guy knew the local areas that were not full of tourists, including a restaurant on the beach which was pretty much just our excursion group. I believe we paid something like $75 per person and spent the better part of 8 hours doing cave snorkeling, swimming in a cenote, zip lining, visiting Tulum, and a boat ride to look at gigantic sea turtles (lunch at the restaurant was extra but well worth it).

Holy crap - we did Edventure Tours back in 2011 too. It was AWESOME. We upgraded so it was just us two, and it wasn't that much for private tour. Totally amazing day. The cenote was the BEST. I believe for a few years, you couldn't snorkel with the turtles at Akumal because of environmental risks, but I believe that's open again.

Great to hear he's still in business. You never know with that area. He was pretty strict in making sure we used sunblock that was environmentally friendly.

We didn't do the private tour, but we were the only ones that did the whole package, so 2-3 of the excursions were just us.

I'd go back to Riviera Maya just to do this again.

[NTP66]

Source of the post He was pretty strict in making sure we used sunblock that was environmentally friendly.

I 100% support this, and hope to see more areas adopt this type of policy to help save the reefs. Hawaii recently banned sunscreens that contain known chemicals that bleach and kill the reefs, like oxybenzone. Nearly all sunscreen manufacturers now make reef safe sunscreen using zinc oxide. I used it in Maui this past summer and found that it was just as effective as traditional sunscreen.

[tifosi77]

I very much highly suggest Excellence Riviera Cancun. (Adults only)

Every time I see this designation, I can only imagine it's shorthand for the Hedonism resort.

[mamaemeritus]

It's actually code for "no screaming kids" and it's glorious.

[blackjack68]

It's actually code for "no screaming kids" and it's glorious.

I'll have my 19 and 16 year olds with me. Not screaming, but the son doesn't count as an adult...except at Disney where 10 year olds are adults. LOL

[tifosi77]

Source of the post He was pretty strict in making sure we used sunblock that was environmentally friendly.

I 100% support this, and hope to see more areas adopt this type of policy to help save the reefs. Hawaii recently banned sunscreens that contain known chemicals that bleach and kill the reefs, like oxybenzone. Nearly all sunscreen manufacturers now make reef safe sunscreen using zinc oxide. I used it in Maui this past summer and found that it was just as effective as traditional sunscreen.

I did not know this. Good on them, zinc oxide gives you that lifeguard-with-the-white-cream-on-their-nose look, which is actually a good look to have in Hawai'i.

[NTP66]

Good on them, zinc oxide gives you that lifeguard-with-the-white-cream-on-their-nose look, which is actually a good look to have in Hawai'i.

This is definitely the case for a lot of them. Thinksport sunscreen, however, goes on much smoother than the others that I've tried, and doesn't leave you looking like a ghost. I definitely recommend it.

[Orlando Penguin]

Public Service Announcement - if you’re planning a Paris trip, DO NOT use Air France. Both ends of my Ryder Cup trip were/have been disasters. First, they changed the flight mumber from JFK to Paris. The baggage handlers only paid attention to the flight number. As a result, the bags of mine and 3 co-workers didn’t get on the flight. They got on the same flight the next night so they were a day late arriving. It then took the baggage department 3 1/2 days to courier my bag to me at the hotel. My co-workers all received theirs the following day. I was without that bag until Thursday morning. Fortunately, I packed a carry-on that had 3 days worth of stuff in it.

Now as I try to leave Paris, the plane has a technical issue. They said they were getting a new plane. Apparently they didn’t because they eventually canceled the flight. Total cluster all the way around.

[OutofFoil]

Air France sucks and Charles De Gaulle is a place nothing good ever happens.

[Shyster]

Everyone I know who has flown through CDG hates CDG and tries to avoid it whenever possible.

[Orlando Penguin]

My adventures yesterday happened at Orly. Today, I try my hand at CDG. I may have to become Paris Penguin if this run of luck continues.

[tifosi77]

Ha..... travel site I follow on social posted one of those clickbait slideshow things for worst airports in the world.

Orly, #4.

Surprised Newark was the only US facility on the list.

[iamjs]

Things to do in Cleveland in December?

Signed up for A Christmas Story race on December 1st, and will probably hit up a Cleveland Monsters game the night before. I know I have relatives somewhere out there on my mom's side, but I have literally zero contact info on them. They may not be in the area anymore. They might not even be alive.

[nocera]

Things to do in Cleveland in December?

Signed up for [url=http://www.achristmasstoryrun.com/]A Christmas Story race on December 1st[url], and will probably hit up a Cleveland Monsters game the night before. I know I have relatives somewhere out there on my mom's side, but I have literally zero contact info on them. They may not be in the area anymore. They might not even be alive.

I was going to recommend the Christmas Story house. Though keep in mind only the exteriors were filmed there. Monsters games are fun. RRHOF is definitely worth visiting if you've never been. Tower City Center should be decorated I think, though last time I went there it was depressing.

[shafnutz05]

Great Lakes Brewery