Summer Vacation...

[princess]

In only 28 more days we'll be on a plane heading for DC, then 5 days later flying down to Orlando!!

It's time for me to start the lists & drag out the suitcases. I saw that it has already been doing the Summer storms back there. I love those storms!! I've been collecting shorts & capris out of that light weight, quick drying nylon type stuff. I got the nylon ponchos ready.

We'll be staying in "foggy bottom" while in DC. I'm hoping there's places to eat there. This is the first time for us in DC. We will NOT be renting a car since parking is a pain in that area. So public transportation & feet will be how we wander around. I'm looking forward to the Smithsonian stuff, especially the Spy museum! We'll fly into Reagan Airport & leave from Dulles. So we can see the newest Air museum too.

In Orlando we'll be in a Sheraton condo. A couple of miles from WDW. We'll have a car there, so we can also explore the gulf side of the state. We did the Atlantic side & Space center last time.

Anyone have advise for me as to what is a must see while in either area? We'll probably go to the Universal Parks too. Is there a particularly nice place to see along the gulf side?

What plans do you all have for Summer? I know BB650 is going out of the country. How exciting!

[in2it]

If you are taking I-4 West to the Tampa area you will pass a little airplane museum on the right. They have a plane out front by the interstate. I have never been, but since you mentioned the Air museums up in D.C.

Once you are over to the gulf coast you should head over either I-275 or the Courtney Campbell Causeway to, I believe it is Hwy 19. It should be a large north south corridor. If you take that south you will pass the stadium, continue south and you will start going over some small islands at the tip of St. Petersburg I believe. The are some nice views on the drive. You will then be coming up to one of the most interesting bridges I have EVER been on. In fact I started feeling a little vertigo while driving accross it the first time, but it is a must. It is called the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. It is an Extremely TALL bridge that has a steep grade up and down. It is a state of the art bridge, but it just has this strange feel to it when you drive accross it. It is also the world's longest cable-stayed concrete bridge. This bridge is 29,040 feet, in comparison the Golden Gate Bridge is 8,981 feet. My wife and I went accross it a couple times because the view is just Amazing!! I don't want to make it seem like it is the most awesome thing, but in Florida are mountains have an elevation difference of 100-300 feet as compared to a lot of Floriad being close to sea level. So this bridge was really something for my wife and I. However, I must say that the views while driving around on the mountains in California are much more spectacular. You can see a little info about the bridge at this site:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/...ne_skyway.html


If instead of heading south on Hwy 19, you head north. You will go to this little town called Tarpon Springs. It is a quaint little Greek history community. You can go to their website at http://www.tarponsprings.com.

One other thing you can do in the Tampa area is go to Busch Gardens. It is a very nice park also.

If you enjoy rides then Universal is the plae for you. If you enjoy culture, information, and a few rides then WDW is entertaining. If you have children with you, then the looks on their faces at WDW will be worth anything.

Temperatures in the Jacksonville, Florida area have been pretty high lately. Today our outside Thermometer said 102. Jacksonville is in the Northeast of Florida. I am sure you will enjoy your trip.

[princess]

in2it,
Thanks! That bridge sounds like something I'd want to see!! I printed out the info on the link to stick in a suitcase.

Nope, no kids....they're all grown & not invited. We'll probably take the local batch to Disneyland in August when go trek down there again.

We haven't been to Busch Gardens yet. Maybe we'll do that this time too. We'll have 10 days, so we should be able to see quite a bit.

When we were there before I couldn't believe how flat it is there! Even the Atlantic was flat! It was great to just park & walk on the sand to the water though. We don't have many paces that you can do that here. Lots of cliffs on our coast, & BIG waves. The Atlantic look like lase water to me. I did love how warm it was though!!

One of 5 days in DC will be just to see family, the rest will be for playing tourist.

Thanks again & if you think of anything else....pass it on! I'll do the same if you venture out to CA!

[BenjiBoy650]

The streets in DC are painfully idiotic. I knew a guy that lived there for years and he got lost for 3 hours trying to get to the White House.

[princess]

Another good reason for walking!

[Dave]

Originally posted by BenjiBoy650
The streets in DC are painfully idiotic. I knew a guy that lived there for years and he got lost for 3 hours trying to get to the White House.

having plenty of wheel time in Boston, i didnt find DC to be all that confusing myself.

no plans here for the summer. i usually take vacation in spring or the fall. better weather and smaller crowds. one of the advantages of not having kids

[jbuffethed]

Hey I'm am back home visiting Tampa this next few weeks. Now I remember why I didnt really like it here. The traffic ****S!!!! and people cant drive for crap. I saw like 4 accidents the first I got here. The good thing is, I am getting my tan back Enjoy it while you are here. I dont miss Minot one bit

[princess]

Have you all noticed how traffic manners are different for different areas? Here there's a routine way of merging, etc. then when we're in SF area, or Sac or LA... it's all different! I'm not talking about the occational exceptionally rude driver, the actually pattern & routine/flow.

Here, the biggest complaint is the using an only lane as a way to get ahead of the pack, just to slow everyone down to merge in later. In Sac, it's more the swooping lane changes. They want the exit on the right & are in the far left, they swoop across all the lanes. In LA, they seem to never use blinkers & make sure there's only inches between cars. SF seems to have the zig-zaggers, even if all the lanes are slow, they move form each one hoping to get there faster.

[princess]

Being one of those people that feel the need to have all my ducks in a row....I have started packing for the trip.

As I understand it, we're in for humid, hot, sticky & probably rainy weather while in FL. Is it the same for DC in mid July?

I don't mind the Summer storms at all, I just want to know if I should put some rain gear in the DC suitcase too.

While packing & planning the clothes to take I realized how few non Disney things we have! I will NOT wear Mickey while visiting memorials. It's just wrong for me! I feel that when standing at a site that is there to remember those that have given their lives for my freedom, I should be respectful.

So I HAD to shop.

[princess]

I can't believe that we're just days away from leaving! It's finally almost here!!

So I won't be around the last 2 weeks of July.... I may get the chance to check in though. We'll have the laptop with us & signed up for a dial-up for it. So now it depends on how well it works there.

There'll also be 2 weekends in August that I'll be away. One trip to Disneyland & one camping/skiing. At least I know he'll finally do the tranny update since he won't tow the boat without it done!

We're planning on drivng to the above mentioned bridge while in FL. We have such a regiment planned for DC that I decided to have a more "go with the flow" attitude while in FL. If it sounds like fun, we'll try it....but not a bunch of plans made in advance.

All the shopping is done....nearly everything is packed.... this week is last minute things. Like mowing, hair trimmed, throwing out parishables....

Only a few more days!!!!

[princess]

Time has really flown by! We'll be leaving in just 3 days!

[anysia]

Wow! 3 days! Enjoy your trip!!! Can you stop by western Pennsylvania and stick me in your suitcase??

[princess]

He's got a sister & brother in Penn. but they're supposed to come out to DC to see us. We'll all be meeting in MD on Sunday at another sister's. 7 out of the 8 in his family will all be there! There's 4 girls, 4 boys.... Sure glad he didn't expect us to do that!! Three was plenty, thank you very much! (sometimes too many)

My suitcases are BIG! He's been teasing about not paying the airfare next trip & stuffing me in one!

[anysia]

You mentioned Md and now I wanna go to Ocean city!! I haven't been to any beaches in awhile!!! Road trip???? Hmmm, wonder how much that would cost.

Oh, but I've been banned from driving from Pittsburgh to OC, MD after the last time.... I tried to make the trek after a wedding at like midnight. I had been up since 6 that morning. The results were scary. Nothing was good enough to keep me awake for the drive! I had to keep pinching myself. Thank god the PA turnpike is fairly empty in the middle of the night!

Sounds like you have a crowd for the time in DC! Your excitement about the trip is so contagious! I'm actually excited for you for your trip!

[princess]

We haven't seen many of these people in years! I think the most recent was 2 years, & some for 10 years! We didn't do for their mom's funeral (in Oct).....long, negative story...... I'm looking forward to seeing them all. I think my prince is starting to feel the excitment too. He wasn't too thrilled about adding his family to the trip....but I insisted. I'd be hurt if they came our way & didn't come by!

I can't remember the little town they live in Penn. but it's about a half hour from 3 colleges, 3-4 hours from DC, small town, which probably describes about a hundred places.... I'll ask when we're there & report when we come back!