How's The Economy Affecting Your 2009 Vacation?

[C-Dawg]

Hasn't really affected me yet....I'm fortunate that I'm leaving tomorrow for Tampa, for the second time this winter. I'm so happy to be getting out of the snow and cold for a few days

[flipflopgirl]

As long as the OT continues here at work it will not affect my travel too much...i am going to do less shows this year. the only long vacation i have planned at the moment is MOTM which is not until November!!! I am planning a few long weekends at the Malyn!

[Lightning Bolt]

I've been out of steady work for 6 months now, and I had to forego Vegas last Oct.
Finding a decent job is #1 goal for now; vacations will have to wait...

[pbans]

We've got a cruise planned in May.....and we were actually able to get airfare to Orlando cheaper than we did in 2002....probably just got lucky.

With gas prices being down over last summer (knock wood) I think we will be doing more bike trips/camping trips than we did last year. Fuel prices kept us home more last year.

[popcornjack]

Haven't even planned my vacations yet. Looking to do a west coast trip this year, I have friends in LA and SF that I haven't seen in a long time, and I haven't been back to SF for over ten years, so it's long over due. Other than that and maybe MOTM, the rest of my travels will be day trips.

[flipflopgirl]

Haven't even planned my vacations yet. Looking to do a west coast trip this year, I have friends in LA and SF that I haven't seen in a long time, and I haven't been back to SF for over ten years, so it's long over due. Other than that and maybe MOTM, the rest of my travels will be day trips.

You'd BETTER be at MOTM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Brown Eyed Girl]

Haven't even planned my vacations yet. Looking to do a west coast trip this year, I have friends in LA and SF that I haven't seen in a long time, and I haven't been back to SF for over ten years, so it's long over due. Other than that and maybe MOTM, the rest of my travels will be day trips.

AND you have other friends in Cali that you haven't met yet...

Let me know when you're headed this way.

[popcornjack]

Haven't even planned my vacations yet. Looking to do a west coast trip this year, I have friends in LA and SF that I haven't seen in a long time, and I haven't been back to SF for over ten years, so it's long over due. Other than that and maybe MOTM, the rest of my travels will be day trips.

AND you have other friends in Cali that you haven't met yet...

Let me know when you're headed this way.

Oh definitely. Where in Cali are you? While I'm there I'd like to make a trip to San Diego for a night as well having never been there.

[buffettbride]

We've been pretty fortunate/lucky so far. We are going to Aruba in October with my FIL who has a time share there. We just have to pay for our airfare and food while we're there.

Plus, we'll spend our usual honeymoon weekend in Winter Park, CO come May.

We're due for a good vacation--haven't had one in going on 3 years.

I'll spend my 35th birthday flying HOME from Aruba.

My good friend just built a house in Winter Park and is on the resorts ski patrol. Let me know when your going out and I'll see if he can hook you up with a few things.

There's not much going on in mid-May in Winter Park. We go every year. We usually sit in the hot tub, play in the pool, cook good food, watch cable, get drunk, grill food, have raunchy sex.

We go to the same condo every year. It is where we conceived our son.

[Brown Eyed Girl]

Haven't even planned my vacations yet. Looking to do a west coast trip this year, I have friends in LA and SF that I haven't seen in a long time, and I haven't been back to SF for over ten years, so it's long over due. Other than that and maybe MOTM, the rest of my travels will be day trips.

AND you have other friends in Cali that you haven't met yet...

Let me know when you're headed this way.

Oh definitely. Where in Cali are you? While I'm there I'd like to make a trip to San Diego for a night as well having never been there.

Depends on the week...or lately the month. I could be in either part of the state. And luckily we have fun BNers in both parts!

i like the idea of a San Diego phlocking...I'm thinking there's a few folks who'd be up for that.

[flipflopgirl]

Haven't even planned my vacations yet. Looking to do a west coast trip this year, I have friends in LA and SF that I haven't seen in a long time, and I haven't been back to SF for over ten years, so it's long over due. Other than that and maybe MOTM, the rest of my travels will be day trips.

AND you have other friends in Cali that you haven't met yet...

Let me know when you're headed this way.

Oh definitely. Where in Cali are you? While I'm there I'd like to make a trip to San Diego for a night as well having never been there.

Depends on the week...or lately the month. I could be in either part of the state. And luckily we have fun BNers in both parts!

i like the idea of a San Diego phlocking...I'm thinking there's a few folks who'd be up for that.

i wanna come!!!! It's been too long since i have seen you Kat!!!!

[chippewa]

Haven't even planned my vacations yet. Looking to do a west coast trip this year, I have friends in LA and SF that I haven't seen in a long time, and I haven't been back to SF for over ten years, so it's long over due. Other than that and maybe MOTM, the rest of my travels will be day trips.

AND you have other friends in Cali that you haven't met yet...

Let me know when you're headed this way.

Oh definitely. Where in Cali are you? While I'm there I'd like to make a trip to San Diego for a night as well having never been there.

Depends on the week...or lately the month. I could be in either part of the state. And luckily we have fun BNers in both parts!

i like the idea of a San Diego phlocking...I'm thinking there's a few folks who'd be up for that.

She a fine Cali host, Jack...I can vouch for that!

[popcornjack]

Thursday June 11th to Thursday june 18th--$401 hartford to La to Sf to Hartford. And the flight gets in early enough on that first day to make a trip to San Diego for the night. This looks promising. (Just need to coordinate it around tour dates. )

[Cobi0613]

I'll have to get back to you, have a couple that are in the planning stages not sure how it's all gonna play out just yet...

[Bfan53again]

vacation.... hmmmm... I know I've HEARD the word before - I mean itrings a bell and all.... but I just can't put my finger on it ......

Actually it was more a lack of a job that was hurting us!! But our wedding in May was a blast and was a WHOLE WEEKEND LONG!!! I could seriously handle all weekend vacations if I had enough of them!!

PS... I FINALLY GOT A JOB!!!!!!!! I start next Monday with an engineering firm in Ybor City!!
WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I could really use a week in the keys!!!!!

Megan,

Congratulations on your new job! Best of luck......

Ed

[Bfan53again]

I've been out of steady work for 6 months now, and I had to forego Vegas last Oct.
Finding a decent job is #1 goal for now; vacations will have to wait...

Hey 'Bolt,

Best wishes on your job search. Hope you land something you want real soon.......

Funny how last April in Key West my wife, 2 best friends, and me had such a wonderful time there. Not a care in the world. All was right, then.......the run-up in gas prices (don't worry, those high prices will be back.... ), then the market crash. Our 401(k) accounts are down about 40% from December 2007. Depressing as Hell......

Ed

[TommyBahama]

Staying more local doing things!!!.....it's actually hit me hard!!....My work expenses per Month..were almost double on what i get reimbursed. Mostly gas!!....with the Construction Market down and new home building way down...i worry every day of not having a job.......No plane rides or warm weather winter trips ...until i sell my condo!!....it's been a tough year. But i keep saying...IT HAS TO GET BETTER!!!

[alaura1974]

interesting topic to me...... I have been a travel agent for over 8 years, and my company recently consolidated our stores from 3 down to 1 "super store" and I have been SO busy that I could work 80 hours a week and not get caught up. You would never know that the economy was bad from my desk. People arent spending as much, so that is where I DO see the difference. So I am working 10 times as hard for the same sales I was getting 3 or so years ago......... be careful with on line bookings though.......... I have been hearing stories of people having nightmare things happen, as well as most online booking engines are the equivelant of outsourcing US jobs.... someone is getting paid, making commissions... but not in the US. And most travel agencies will match or beat online prices..........

[big john]

Rum! It's a vacation in a bottle!

[PetalMel]

Well, the hubby and I are headed out on a cruise in March to celebrate our 10th anniversary. We typically do "impulse travelling", motivated by my intense need to get out of the cold weather. We had originally planned a trip to Tampa in February but decided against it after kids were doing really lousy in school. Not gonna reward poopy behavior. So now they get to stay home with a baby sitter while we lounge around on a boat in the Caribbean

Anyway, as far as eonomy impacting our plans, not much. I earmark a certain amount for travel each year, and as long as we can find something that interests us under that amount we go. The amount earmarked has dropped so that we have more in our "slush fund" so I guess that may be an impact, but to be honest, with the deals out there I'm not sure that we are doing any less vacation-wise.


The other thing that we have done is moved "travel money" if you will into "home improvement" funds. Meaning that we have used cash we would typically use for weekend getaways into funds to make the house more fun to stay home in. We have added a home theater system so that movie nights are more fun, got a nice air mattress so that we can have "sleep overs" in the living room, etc. We may add a pool in the summer so that trips to the beach, etc. aren't as desired.