Whenever we make vacation plans all I care about is getting to a beach. Just plop me on a beach with my family, sunglasses, sun lotion, and a good book, and I'm loving life.

What do you like to do best while on vacation?

Mountain hiking, walking on beaches, art museums, festivals. If travelling, I like to alternate one day of nature with one day of city stuff.

There are advantages and misadvantages to living in a vacation paradise like Las Vegas. The advantages are you never have to leave town to be somewhere completely different, I went to Paris for a week-end, then to Italy at the Venetian and rode the gondolas, went to New York and saw, smelled and tasted wonderous things, the steam coming out of the sidewalks in front of the delis etc. The street vendors selling hot dogs, pretzels. Last one this year so far was Egypt, spent a week-end touring the pyramids and such at the Luxor. Oh and not to forget the beaches and surfing at Mandalay Bay. Felt like I was in the Bahamas. The Tropicana has beaches and sandy coves just like Hawaii. They make them so realistic you believe you're there. The disadvantages are you never are really more than 10 miles from home. I still can't figure out if thats a good or bad thing. Next week-end I am going to watch the Knights jousting at the Excaliber, and attend the festivals and eat the food. (carefully) of days gone by. My Favorite is still Caesars Palace but then I haven't visited even half the Casinos yet. I don't think I'll live long enough to visit them all properly. NO, I am not wealthy but I've been here so long I get alot of comps from my buddies that work in the Casinos. These are my vacations. I also take the Princess paddle boat ride around Lake Mead. It takes a couple hours and you can go days for the scenery or nights for the dinner, dance cruise. Very romantic but probably won't be taking it now since I put the cruise mans donuts down the garbage disposal. Oh, well.

Hmmm... the best vacation I ever had was a couple years ago when my husband and I went on an all-inclusive vacation in Mexico. I thought hanging out at a hotel would be boring but it was so relaxing just sitting by the ocean, reading, body surfing, swimming, and taking walks along the beach. We did some site seeing too but that wasn't half as fun as just laying around.

Now that I have my horses at home, instead of boarding, it's tough to get away. My sister (who lives in California) wants me to come to Scottsdale, AZ in July because she'll be there for a week while her daughter's in swim camp and the rest of my family lives around Tucson so I could visit them too. But Arizona in July?!

Agate, all inclusives are great! We've done that with the kids before and never regret it. It's great, you can eat until your heart's content and not feel like you're getting ripped off.

Not a good thing to do while on the BWS diet though! I'm afraid I'd feel like I had to get my mneys worth.

I guess the best vacation I've ever had was going around the world though every trip I've ever taken has had a beauty all its own.
Around the world took a couple of months and included everything I could see. Early in the morning til late at night just looked and saw and experienced. Great trip.
A cruise is nice with lots of food and things to do and you're treated like a queen.
Most beautiful place I've ever been is Hawaii.
Best food, France.
Most beautiful art, Italy.
But the place I love is Mexico. Been there a lot and just love the people, the ocean, the inland, the food, those big hotels on the beach, even the dirty little border towns.
Of course, the best place to live in the whole world is, without doubt, America. I've seen a lot of it and love every inch. A great part of a vacation is always coming home.
So many places, so little time.
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P.S. And dotsie, I still think you need to see the desert. Agate, if you go to AZ in July, be sure to take a lot sun screen and drink a lot of water. Was there at July 4 a few years ago and boy was it hot-and dry, but beautiful. They used to burn down a mountain outside Tuscon every July 4.

Even though I like beaches, I would like to get to every state in the country. How many states have you been to? I've been to 15 and none of them are out west.

25 for me...and I too want to see the rest of them. One of the things I most enjoy about traveling (with no schedule) is stopping at the out of the way places, small towns, even smaller cafe's and meeting the townsfolks. I have always found them to be friendly, warm, and receptive. I try to find something I like in every town I visit. I loved the west, absolutely! My fav would have to be the hills of Tennessee though. The Great Smokey Mountains surrounding areas is just as beautiful as the GSM themself...

Though there surely is one, I can't think of a single state I've not at least been through. I used to travel often with my business and always tried to work a little vacation into every trip.

Dotsie, you absolutely must come west. It's so much Bigger. You'd love it.
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I have actually experienced 18 states and I am not counting the phooney baloney Casino vacations. Nice but not real. Smilinize is correct Dotsie, the West is so beautiful. Although I have found that all the states have something of beauty and wonder in them. I love traveling in a motor home. Jaw Jaw thats just the ticket for finding those out of the way places without fear of no comveniences, you bring yours there with you. Aren't we lucky to live in this wonderful, beautiful country of ours. I thank God every day for the USA.