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20 Jun 16, 09:37 PM |
#1
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Very Serious Dibber
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The Grand Tour...
Pre-Trippy…
I find choosing a trip name the hardest part of the trip! Anyway I came up with this one for many reasons, firstly its an anagram of our surname plus we purchased a new car called a Gran Tourer add that to the fact that this trip is pretty grand and BOOM our trip now has a name! So, DH and I are both 40 within 2 years of each other so we started to discuss a few years ago what we could do as a family to celebrate. It began as two separate holidays, DH’s choice first (as he’s the oldest) was whale watching in Boston. I wasn’t too sure what I would like to do, I had plenty of time to decide, so we started saving… It escalated quite dramatically and has somehow managed to turn into a trip of a lifetime to celebrate both our birthdays plus our DD’s 18th! Together we are a family of 4; Me (39) DH (40) DD (18) DS (14) DD is hoping to go off to Uni this coming September, this could potentially be our last ‘big’ family holiday. She will get her A Level results whilst we’re away which will decide her future… As a family we have been lucky to have experienced some fantastic trips together, I am also very fortunate to have a great group of GF’s who I also go away with. America is a firm favourite with all of us, especially Florida. As a family we visited NYC at Christmas in 2014 experiencing an awful delay so we promised the kids we’d take them back as we were so tired during our last visit we were unable to appreciate it as much as we’d hoped. Anyway back to our plan. As I work in a school I get the summer holidays off, DH applied for special leave at work for the same duration and it was granted. This was great news as it meant we could be flexible with time and duration. Whale watching was where it started so Boston was on the list, where next? After lengthy discussions we all opted to do a west coast road trip starting in San Francisco and ending up in Vegas. From here we would fly to Boston then go onto New York. It seems a lot but we had saved hard for it so why not Fast forward a few months and I had ‘booked’ the majority of the accommodation through Booking.com on a no deposit and free cancellation basis giving me the opportunity to look around. When flights came out we managed to bag a bargain with Westjet* for £1925, flying Gatwick-Vancouver-San Francisco then New York-Toronto-Gatwick. As we had paid a lot less than we had budgeted for DH suggested we plan Hawaii into our trip. I could see where he was coming from as we are over that side so we may as well look into it… *Since Westjet have started their international flights we do have concerns but nothing we can do now other than cross our fingers that all goes to plan. Flights to Hawaii were more expensive than our international ones plus a hotel was not the cheapest going, however including this it took us to our original flight budget so we booked it! The only thing we hadn’t booked to this point was a Vegas hotel. We decided on MGM Grand as the kids loved the look of the pool, we were advised to wait before booking. I kept an eye on the price which fluctuated significantly and once it was at a price we were happy to pay I booked it, if I see it at a lower price I can re-book so all good! Okay so our plan is this; San Francisco 4 nights – 1 night @ Dylan SFO/3 night’s @ HIE Fisherman’s Wharf • Dylans Tour ‘A day in the Bay’ • Baseball game @ AT&T • Usual touristy things Collect hire car and drive to… Yosemite-2 nights – Half Dome Village • Bike hire • Hikes • See the stars Monterey 1 night – Hampton Inn • Sea kayaks • Whale watching boat trip Drive the Big Sur and PCH down to… Santa Maria* 1 night – Travelodge * We booked here as it was part way to LA, we have since tried to change as someone mentioned it wasn’t a nice area. Prices are just too high and as it’s literally an overnight stop we’re going to stick it out and hope its okay. LA 2 nights – BWP Hollywood Hills • Universal • Warner Bros Tour • Touristy stuff Hawaii 4 nights – Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort • Pearl Harbour • Luau • Wedding vow renewal • Hanuama Bay Red Eye flight to LAX – Day room booked, collect car and drive to Phoenix. Phoenix 1 night - Best Western Metro Centre Inn Grand Canyon 1 night – Thunderbird Lodge • Sunset/sunrise • Hermit road biking tour Las Vegas 3 nights – MGM Grand • Battlefield • Water rafting/Hoover Dam • MJ One • Red Rock Canyon Fly to… Boston 2 nights – Battery Wharf Hotel • Bike the Freedom trail • Segway tour • HOHO trolley • Harbour cruise Pick up car and drive to… Cape Cod 3 nights – Bayside Resort, West Yarmouth • ‘Around the Sound’ tour to Nantucket and Marthas Vineyard • A level results… • Chatham • Cycle the old rail track • Crazy golf Driving part of the way to NYC stopping at… New Haven 1 night – La Quinta Inn Train to… NYC 5 nights – Radio City Apt • Central park picnic/bike hire • Apple Greeter (hopefully) – Highline/Chelsea market • One world observatory and 9/11 museum • Coney Island • Les Miserables |
20 Jun 16, 09:54 PM |
#2
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Imagineer
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Wow - sounds fabulous!
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Index of my trip reports 2016 Quebec - Kuala Lumpar - New York City 2017 Dubai - Eurocamps France - Ontario and Quebec - So-Cal 2018 Montreal - Bangkok - New England 2019 Argentina - Quebec City - Hong Kong - 2020 Switzerland 2022 Arizona - Costa Med Cruise - Oslo 2023 Hong Kong - Gothenburg |
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20 Jun 16, 10:00 PM |
#3
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Apprentice Imagineer
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Wow! What a grand trip indeed! Sounds amazing
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OKW August 2014 A Christmas Miracle - Port Orleans - December 2017 Summer Hols in Feb - Sapphire Falls 2019 |
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25 Jun 16, 11:41 AM |
#4
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Imagineer
Join Date: Jul 09
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Wow wow wow!
That just sounds fantastic and epic! I hope you will do a trippie! |
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30 Jun 16, 03:38 PM |
#5
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VIP Dibber
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Oh my what a fabulous adventure! Can't wait to read your report
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Index to all trip reports here https://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/sho...3#post15913083 Seattle to San Francisco Road Trip Florida 2017 New England Road Trip 2019 Florida Road Trip 2022 Canada/Pacific NW Road Trip 2022 Cyprus Chill week May 2023 Road Trip California & Arizona 2023 |
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6 Jul 16, 07:29 AM |
#6
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Thread Starter
Very Serious Dibber
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Thank you for the lovely replies. We are very excited!
Our Instagram for the Roadtrip is: grandtourers16 If you want to follow us? |
6 Jul 16, 07:38 AM |
#7
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Very Serious Dibber
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Wow I am exhausted just reading your trip report but would loveeeee to do it ,can't wIt for the actual trip !
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Somerset Laguna bay 2002 Quality inn 2004 Southern dunes 2006.highlands reserve2008 Celebration suites 2011 GKTW2013 Rosen inn pointe 2014 Bluetree 2016 Miami and the keys2018 |
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6 Jul 16, 07:43 AM |
#8
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Deck 4, Disney Wonder
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Wow, sounds amazing if hectic! I hope you have a fabulous trip!
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WDW:'03,'04,'06,'07x2,'08,'09x2,'10x2,'11x2,'12x2, '15x'2,'16,'17,'19. DLP:'02,'05.DLR:'05,'14. DCL:'10,'12,'13,'15x2,'16 Various hotels & villas onsite & offsite! Another Trip Home Pre Trip - October 2012 Our 1st DVC Stay - LIVE - March 2011 'But I don't want to go again... yet' Pre trip November 2010 'You're going to Disney AGAIN?!' Pre Trip March 2010 'And the old folks are coming again' Trip Report October 2009 Index 'It started out as a weekend in Spain! ' Trip Report May 2009 Index |
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6 Jul 16, 08:21 AM |
#9
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Helping Mickey
Join Date: Sep 09
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Sounds like a dream trip... so jealous right now!
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9 Jul 16, 02:25 PM |
#10
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Excited about Disney
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Looks like we are overlapping in San Fran and Half Dome. (Just done my pre-trip). What day are you doing Dylan's Tour - we are on the 26th? Your trip looks epic.
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Andrea July 2019. Dibb Villa booked😀 California July/Aug 2016. July 2013 - Orlando Star Dibb Villa. July 2010 - Dibb Villa Thousand Oaks. 3 other visits, staying twice on 192 and once on site in Dixie Landings Edited at 02:27 PM. |
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