NEED ADVISE on land based vacations

[JimVrhovac]

Ruth and I are considering several land based vacations and would like to pick the brains of the board members.

 

We alooking for information on hotels, travel guides you may of used, and any general advise on these areas.

 

Some facts to consider:

We are smokers.

Ruth uses a walker all the time and has a severe mobility problem.

We are not big on night life.

We do like room service.

We are not fancy gourmet eaters.

 

Tours considering:

1. Five (5) plus days in Washington DC possible with some grand kids to visit the Swinsonian (?) Museum and some monuments. Will fly up.

 

2. Yukatan Peninsula five (5) days. 2 days at Touum, 2 days at Tikal, 1 day deep sea fishing. We would like to stay at a beach type resort. Will fly down.

 

3. Gettesburgh, Pa. 5 or 5+ day driving vacatyion to visit some of the major battlefields of the civil war.

 

4. Visit USS Alabama or other battleships. Does anyone know where these ships are birthed at.

 

We know that these are widely diverse but we need a break from cruising and any other land based vacations that you would recommend will be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank everyone in advance for your assistance.

 

Ruth & Jim

 

 

PS:

Yes I will leave my slippers at home during these vacations

[richwmn]

Ruth and I are considering several land based vacations and would like to pick the brains of the board members.

 

We alooking for information on hotels, travel guides you may of used, and any general advise on these areas.

 

Some facts to consider:

We are smokers.

Ruth uses a walker all the time and has a severe mobility problem.

We are not big on night life.

We do like room service.

We are not fancy gourmet eaters.

 

Tours considering:

1. Five (5) plus days in Washington DC possible with some grand kids to visit the Swinsonian (?) Museum and some monuments. Will fly up.

 

2. Yukatan Peninsula five (5) days. 2 days at Touum, 2 days at Tikal, 1 day deep sea fishing. We would like to stay at a beach type resort. Will fly down.

 

3. Gettesburgh, Pa. 5 or 5+ day driving vacatyion to visit some of the major battlefields of the civil war.

 

4. Visit USS Alabama or other battleships. Does anyone know where these ships are birthed at.

 

We know that these are widely diverse but we need a break from cruising and any other land based vacations that you would recommend will be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank everyone in advance for your assistance.

 

Ruth & Jim

 

 

PS:

Yes I will leave my slippers at home during these vacations

 

I can answer #4 for you. The USS Alabama is berthed in Mobile Bay. Here is a link to their visitor information.

http://www.ussalabama.com/

 

Rich

[Krazy Kruizers]

Hurry to see the battle grounds of Gettsburg before it is taken over by commercial interests and high rises.

[kryos]

Jim,

 

I'm not an expert on land vacations, so I don't know how much help I can be. But I would imagine Washington, DC is gonna involve a lot of walking to see the sites. Probably a similar situation in Gettysberg.

 

True, you can take a comprehensive tour through a tour company, and would go to most of the sites by bus ... but you would still have to do a lot of walking once inside the venue ... such as the Smithsonian.

 

I haven't met you yet, so I don't know how your mobility is, but Ruth might want to consider using a wheelchair for touring, and maybe you could push her around.

 

Just a suggestion ... because I know I have bad legs (from my accident) and these types of tours, while doable if I take my time, would be a challenge.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[JimVrhovac]

Hi Rita,

 

Thank you for the information on USS Alabama.

 

Since you seem to be familiar with that area what else is there to do around that area to fill up a week. Do they have a memorial for Genewral Sherman for him doing his march across the south??????

 

Trying to put Ruth in a wheelchair is impossible. I have tried but no way. I do pamper her and as long as we take frequent breaks she is ok. Her walker has a seat built in so it makes it a lot easier on her.

 

Time is not a factor on any of the tours. We are figuring one day of travel on each end and 5 days in the area....

 

Ruth & Jim

[DFD1]

There are some great beaches along the Alabama, northwest Florida Coast. There's always New Orelans nearby. Good food in both NO and Mobile. Gambling and large casinos and new hotels along the Mississippi coast. All these are within easy driving distance of Mobile. It's a lovely area, but hot as H--- in the summer time. Best in spring or fall.

 

DC takes a lot of taxi, tour buses, or walking, but the museums and especially the Naitonal Gallery are superb. Lots of kids in summer. Best in spring or fall. Some of the best hotels in the country, The Mayflower, Hay Adams, etc. There may be special tours for those with mobility problems. Ask the DC visitors bureau. Ask your congressman for a White House Tour.

 

Gettysburg is a driving tour or a tour bus, but it is fabulous and beautiful.

 

Think about the Mayan Riveria south of Cancun if you like the beach. There are some great values in all inclusives down there right now. Also Merida, lovely colonial capital of the Yucutan. Slightly inland, but Progeso with it's pier and beaches is 20 miles away.

 

Hope you and Ruth have a great time.

[Big Al B.]

You can also get a taped narration and drive around the Gettysburg park, getting out when you wish. The new visitor's center is open and it's supposed to be very nice. They have completely refurbished the cyclorama.

 

You are not all that far from the Pennsylvania Dutch country. It's touristy, but great food and some good places. Hershey chocolates, Strasburg Railway, several model train museums, all within day travel range.

[sapper1]

We have toured the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, which is berthed in Charleston. It was most interesting but it was so large that it took an extremely long time to get around it all. I was exhausted.

The battleship USS North Carolina is berthed in Wilmington. We have always intended to visit during one of our Myrtle Beach stays, but never quite made it.

 

 

Myrtle Beach is a wonderful vacation area. It is the home of the Carolina Opry and the Alabama Theatre which put on great shows. There is also a Legends in Concert and the Palace Theatre which puts on a variety of shows.

The Broadway at the Beach is a very accessible entertainment and shopping area with lots of places to stop and rest.

Lots of good places to eat. I love having lunch at Margaritaville. It is too busy in the evening.

The Brookgreen Gardens are just 15 minutes south of Myrtle and it is just about 90 minutes to Charleston.

We stay at timeshares when we go there so I can't help much with hotels.

[topspot]

The USS New Jersey is berthed in Camden NJ, across the river from Philadelphia. You can also goto Independace Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Constitution Center and Valley Forge is also nearby.

[wingit]

A website that I find very helpful when researching any potential vacation spot is tripadvisor.com. Information about hotels, restaurants, sights to see, attractions, etc. Plus community forums where one can ask/answer questions. Very helpful I think.

[chloes nana]

You can also get a taped narration and drive around the Gettysburg park, getting out when you wish. The new visitor's center is open and it's supposed to be very nice. They have completely refurbished the cyclorama.

 

You are not all that far from the Pennsylvania Dutch country. It's touristy, but great food and some good places. Hershey chocolates, Strasburg Railway, several model train museums, all within day travel range.

I second the Gettysburg trip! you can access alot from the comfort of your car and a radio station you can tune in to to follow the path of the battle. And there is always handicapped parking at all the sites. Hershey PA is also alot of fun and of course you can hit Bird in Hand and other Amish areas in PA. MY DH and I spent an entire week in PA and still went back again to pick up alot of what we missed. We also stayed in Intercourse PA for our anniversary!

[Taxguy77]

We also stayed in Intercourse PA for our anniversary!

How appropriate!;)

It may take a couple of trips to see all the above, but the coastline north of those spots is very interesting also.:)

California has more things than can be seen in 5 years and is beautiful! Go in late spring or fall, when school is in session, or most places are packed.

Sign me "Glad to have seen it 50 years ago."

[jimmy2x]

Another plug for Gettysburg here - and it should be noted that it is only a three hour drive from Philly via the PA turnpike.

 

Am also a big user of TripAdvisor to try to avoid crummy hotels. Try some B&B's especially at those places where you will spend a few days. The internet has some great sites for those of us who still want to see America.

 

The wife and I are planning a trip to South Dakota in September - Rushmore, the Badlands and Black Hills. From our bedroom window at the B&B we will stay at we will be able to look out and see the back side of Rushmore. For those who watched HBO's Deadwood, it is only about a 20 minute drive from our destination. Can't wait.

 

Cruising is fun, but there are plenty of other places to go and see right here in the USA.

[chloes nana]

Another plug for Gettysburg here - and it should be noted that it is only a three hour drive from Philly via the PA turnpike.

 

Am also a big user of TripAdvisor to try to avoid crummy hotels. Try some B&B's especially at those places where you will spend a few days. The internet has some great sites for those of us who still want to see America.

 

The wife and I are planning a trip to South Dakota in September - Rushmore, the Badlands and Black Hills. From our bedroom window at the B&B we will stay at we will be able to look out and see the back side of Rushmore. For those who watched HBO's Deadwood, it is only about a 20 minute drive from our destination. Can't wait.

 

Cruising is fun, but there are plenty of other places to go and see right here in the USA.

I second that also! there are beautiful places to see in our lovely country! My DH and I have spent 30 years with and without our kids traveling the country. seen all the states except Alaska. We plan on doing a roadtrip to see Canada and Alaska at the same time. Ahh the great thing about being retired is you have all the time you need to see what you want and at your pace! ;)

[kryos]

Trying to put Ruth in a wheelchair is impossible. I have tried but no way. I do pamper her and as long as we take frequent breaks she is ok. Her walker has a seat built in so it makes it a lot easier on her.

Well, then ... it sounds like Ruth is a lot like me. I can walk as long as I can stop whenever I need to. In fact, I did just fine in Europe a couple of years back. Rome and Venice especially involve a ton of walking if you really want to see everything. If time is not a factor, then you and Ruth should be fine. In fact, I've often talked about doing a Washington, DC tour myself. As disgraceful as it is ... because I live so close (Philadelphia) ... I've never been there and would love to take three or four days to spend in our Nation's capitol. A niece and I have talked about it and one of these days, we just might do it. I've heard that the Smithsonian alone is worth at least a good three days.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[cb at sea]

Washington DC is going to be hard with a mobility issue. The Smithsonian is HUGE and will take a couple days to see all of the museums.. And the smoking thing---you won't find many places that allow it!

[kryos]

The USS New Jersey is berthed in Camden NJ, across the river from Philadelphia. You can also goto Independace Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Constitution Center and Valley Forge is also nearby.

Another "trip" my niece and I are planning to do one of these days ... take a long weekend and actually check into a center city hotel and do all of the tourist attractions.

 

I've lived in Philly all of my life, and ... of course ... like most people in their home towns, I haven't been to the major tourist sites in years. And that's sad considering that I work within a square mile of most of them.

 

There is so much to see and do here ... historic sites (the Constitution Center, Independence Hall, the Seaport Museum, Liberty Bell, etc.), not to mention wonderful museums (Franklin Institute, Philadelphia Museum of Art), and entertainment options (Penn's Landing with all it's nightclubs, restaurants, etc.).

 

One could spend a week in Philly and barely scratch the surface.

 

Definitely worth a trip.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

Washington DC is going to be hard with a mobility issue. The Smithsonian is HUGE and will take a couple days to see all of the museums.. And the smoking thing---you won't find many places that allow it!

You can't smoke indoors in most cities these days, so that shouldn't be a problem. I know Pennsylvania went smoke-free last September 11th and now you can't smoke in any restaurant nor in most bars. I can't imagine Washington, DC could be any more restrictive. You just have to catch your smoke outside ... like you probably do in your home town anyway.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[JimVrhovac]

You have presented us with a lot of information and some good ideas on other spots to visit.

 

We know there is no smoking inside annything and respect the laws. That comment was more geared to hotels that are completely smoke free. We will not stay there.

 

We are coing to make a hard copy and then start researching.

 

Most of the time we will fly to the destinations if more than a days drive and then rent a car there. It is easier on both of us. If we spent more than that driving we would both be miserable.

 

Time is not an issue at any spot. We are both from the DC area and realize that we will spend 4 days in the Smisonian (?) and one day touring the monuments and still not see it all. We will do it when congress is not in session so I am not tempted to voice my opinion - Which I have been none to do.

 

Again, thank all of you for your efforts and comments.

 

Ruth & Jim

[kryos]

That comment was more geared to hotels that are completely smoke free. We will not stay there.

Same here. If the hotel is totally smoke-free, then I just don't stay there. I can deal with not being allowed to smoke in their on-site restaurant or bar, but no way am I going to deal with not being able to enjoy a smoke in the privacy of my room -- a room I most likely paid top dollar for too!

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Modern_Viking]

For more information on the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, try the web site www "dot" SI "dot" edu. www.si.edu

 

 

For visiting the battleship USS Texas, you would need to travel to Houston, TX. Much of the ship won't be easy to reach via someone using a walker (lots of stairs, narrow halls, etc.), however. The tours were all self guided when I was on board. In downtown Houston, is the museum district (zoo, science museum, art museum, etc.). About a 45 minute drive south is the NASA Johnson Space Center visitor center. About another hour further south is Moody Gardens on Galveston Island (only decent beach in the area, Imax theater, tourist attractions, etc.). There is also a Schlitterbahn water park and the Lone Star Flight museum ( www.lsfm.org ) with many WW-II era aircraft, near by. (I'm listing most of these ideas assuming you would want to bring grand-kids with you).

 

Houston might be a bit more smoker friendly than the average US city. But, everything is spread out, people drive everywhere, so you will need a rental car. Summer is not the best time to visit, of course, due to the heat, but many/most of these activities are indoors or in the water.

 

I'd be interested in any other land vacation ideas. I have been to Washington a few times and am wondering what might be fun in December (that isn't a ski/snow-filled type place).

[Loves to dance]

I can speak to Tikal. My husband and I spent 2 days there in '03 and it is an absolutely fantastic place. If you go, you must stay at the hotel that is right there- it isn't fancy, but being at Tikal and listening to the sounds of the jungle as night falls was incredible. However, I would be hesitant to take someone who has mobility issues to Tikal. In order to see anything, you have to walk there over very uneven paths. I don't believe that any of the paths inside the park were paved- at least not in '03. The courtyards with the pyramids are all grass- can Ruth's walker handle grass? Also, the best views are from the tops of the pyramids, which simply would not be possible for Ruth.

 

I adored Tikal, however I suspect that it wouldn't be the best choice for you two. :(

 

On the up side- the smoking laws in Guatamala are a lot less strict. ;)

 

- Corie

[michmike]

For the trivia fans in the group...

 

Intercourse is only 10 miles from Paradise.. *S*

 

( I did stop and take some pics of the back of the town limits sign in Intercourse.. that baby is WELDED to the sign post with large gauge support brackets to discourage college age kids like I was at the time, from liberating the sign and hanging it in their dorm room.. *L*)

 

As for destinations, we love Sanibel when not cruising, but being from Orlando, you've likely been there before. If you do the Mobile area, try to include a stop at Bellinngrath Gardens..well worth while but a bit of walking.

[catl331]

There is a book from Fodor's called "Great American Vacations for Travelers with Disabilities". The photo on the cover is the Capitol in D.C. & the book covers hotels, tours, and vacation spots in the U.S. and answers quite a few questions about getting around with wheelchairs, walkers or just slow people. I toured an aircraft carrier a few years ago and I must say it was exhausting and challenging for me without disabilities. The Mayan ruins I have been to have not had evenly paved paths for accessibility and even the tour buses have not been comfortable. I am wondering if there are travel agents who specialize in this type of travel and I know that many senior citizens use one of them for TripTixs for road trips.

[kyriecat]

If you elect to visit DC my recommendation is to skip renting a car and find a hotel close to the subway route. DC has a great subway system and it's much better than trying to drive! Plus it's cheap. Also, DC has a tourist trolley system that will take you on a narrarated tour of the city and you can get on/off as you want to visit the sights. Check out trolleytours dot com for information on the tour and stops. One thing I really enjoyed in DC was a visit to the National Cathedral which is one of the stops on the trolley tour. We spent 3 hours there just looking around.