Day Trip Destinations
 

With gas prices up and tourism down people are taking "day trips". I thought a thread with local destinations could be fun. This isn't meant to be a swanking idea thread (though if a swanking came of it all the better), just a thread of local destinations that you enjoy or would like to visit.

Places I'd like to further explore or find again:

Old Town Orange / Orange Circle
Newport Beach - there is a pizza place on the beach I'd love to find again
Crystal Cove
Hiking out in O'Neil park or other parks in the south county area
Old Town San Diego
Balboa Park

Places I'd like to go to (off the top of my head):

Griffith Observatory
Getty Museum
Catalina

Isn't a Staycation by definition mean that you STAY at home? I would think that going to all those neat places you mentioned would still fall under the "vacation" heading.

Maybe. I thought it meant you stay local.

I hope no one minds if I take this opportunity to bemoan the neologism "staycation." I heard it on the news a few weeks ago, and instantly hated it. I can't give much reason other than it just jangles my nerves, particularly to hear television "personalities" say it over and over again. (I think my annoyance factor is upped by the fact that these perky TV hosts giggled at what a clever word this was.)

If you leave your house, go to some place within a reasonable distance, then return home the same day, you took a day trip.

If you leave your house, go to any place at all (near or far) and stay in a hotel or other accomodation, you're taking a vacation. (or maybe a "getaway" if it's just the weekend or something.)

Kevy Baby is right. "Staycation" sounds like you don't leave the house. (And I've just demonstrated that if you do leave the house, our language is already well equipped to describe it.)

Okay, end of unsolicited rant.

I'll toss in a couple of good Florida day trip ideas, if you are starting from the Orlando area:

- Bok Tower Gardens and Sanctuary (very tranquil and relaxing)
- Fantasy of Flight - very cool aircraft museum and collection!
- Tarpon Springs, Florida - touristy Greek community on the west coast. Best Greek food you will ever eat.

Perhaps we should call it a Lo (as in local) cation?

I'd join you for those!

I'll join you in the moaning. I hate the "cutesy" words. I hate how everybody parrots it. Yeah, it's a day trip or a weekend getaway. Why coin something new and stupid?

I do enjoy the idea, though, since LA has so many cool places and those of us who live here rarely see much of it. I don't see much unless I have out-of-town guests. Gives me a great excuse to go see things.

My list of desired day trips:
Huntington (again)
Getty (the Malibu one)
Griffith Park
Catalina
some of the ethnic areas (Koreatown comes to mind)

My friend and I did a impromptu trip to the Bay. We went to the Ferry Building, got some good salami, great cheese from the Cowgirl Creamery and bread from Acme. We went to the beach to relax and eat our picnic lunch.

I've never stayed overnight in the City, so I really want to do that. Places I want to go are:

Foreign Cinema
Beauty Bar
Citizen Cake
Steinhardt Aquarium (opening up in a few months!)
Cable Car ride
Alcatraz night tour
Go see Wicked next year

Done.

If you find yourself at the Ferry Building again you can hop on the cable car in the financial district and take it to I think China Town then hop on another one to Union Square. You can catch a cable car in Union Square (I don't recommend getting on at the depot at the end, go up the street a bit close to the St. Francis and get on it there) down to Fisherman's Wharf and then walk back up to the Ferry Building and pick up the Bart. Or you could just get on the Bart from Union Square.

In Union Square I recommend getting some pastries and a coffee from this hole in the wall bakery. It's by an Italian restaurant and a neon red sign that says pizza. It's on the "mall" side of Gerry before Starbucks. It's so good.

[juvenile]

Every time I see this place listed somewhere, I always think it says Tampon Springs.

[/juvenile]

Only partially. You are stuck with the thread title ;)

Ha. I would call it a 'Low-Cation' as in low budget.

Which is what we are. So, we've done bike rides in Coronado and Mission Beach. We stroll about and find new little cafes, places to feel like we are somewhere new.

Old Town is awesome, different days mean different things to see. And, it is more than just the main park area.

We've riden the ferry across from Coronado to Seaport Village and strolled about.

I'd like to go to the Zoo, Balboa Park, and find some cool areas in San Diego {I forget what they are called} that are old and have great architecture.

I really want to go up to Julian and stay the night. It isn't horribly far away and they are always sending me offers...I just haven't had the time to go overnight. It is a nice place to go for a romantic evening. They have the Julian Grille, nice and romantic. There is also a bar, but, we've never been. Of course, the town basically closes at about 5 or 6.

I also want to go to Knotts. I know the Boy really isn't in to the roller coasters but it is a fun day.

Of course, Disneyland. The commercials are killing me.

The Projekt Revolution tour, and a lot of other concerts, for day trips.

And, we've been going to the movies more. To the early shows that are only $6. We're also bbcuing and cleaning. I think people are cleaning as a summer activity because I see a lot of yard sales.....

I know, we are complicated.

We're going to Encino this year.

Seriously though, we do not have a lengthy vacation planned for this year. Rather, we will be taking several extended weekend trips this year. We already have had two camping trips this year (including Camp Swank) and have a third planned for Labor Day weekend. Also, we have another extended weekend excursion planned for later in the year.

I like it this way: rather than having just one trip to look forward to, we have several.

I also have to remember and remind the Hubster that we've already been on a couple of trips. We did the CA trip in March/April. Then we went back to Yosemite in May. Until our passports expired, we went to Disneyland frequently.

It is a long time until our next scheduled vacation. But, just having the reservations is a good feeling.

I am a Hilton Honors member but my points still don't add up to a free night anywhere. They say you can book a free night for 7,000 points but that is rare. I have done it but it was way the heck up in Oregon and outside of San Jose. Well, maybe they were 10,000 each....but still I can't find a local one.

Oh, another place is Old Town Temecula.

If I'm going to be staying home for the time I'd rather just go to work. I enjoy my job and weekends (occasionally a long one) are more than enough for exploring the local area. But then I have no kids or major obligations on my weekend time so I do actually explore the local environs a lot.

I'd put all of my effort (if I needed to budget) into figuring out explore something new without it costing a whole lot more than staying home and doing things would.

I want to take Maddy camping but somewhere close. MouseWife or anyone else have any suggestions?

We're mostly home this summer which is fine.

Anza Borrego is one of my favorites down there, but you need to wait until fall when it cools down.

Staycation???? I just call it "what we normally do on weekends" or, otherwise, refer to the Swanking Ideas thread.

Oh well, I tried.

My friend and I were talking about playing tourist at home. I generally go to the touristy stuff when I have out of town guests. I can't wait until January when I'll have lots of time to do things again :D

I should use this AP thing I have

katiesue~ I don't know much about camping, except that I don't much like it. :D I also would wait for cooler weather, for mountain trips, since there is very little water up in our local mountains {right?} so it is mostly dry and hot. We usually stay up at Mt. Laguna, but, that would be in the winter months, for the crisp winter feeling and the hope of snow.

Oh, I'd also like to venture up to Universal Studios and check out the area up there, the museums up in L.A. are pretty cool. Love playing tourist.

Along the lines of 'swanky things to do'...anyone hear of '4 o'clock Fridays' at the Del Mar Racetrack? Again, something I'd love to do but probably won't {not just the money issue but school and work are right about then....}. But, there are a lot of interesting bands coming....one being Devo. :snap:

I don't really know how they would do at an outdoor setting like that, or, if there would be room to dance, but it sounds like a fun thing. If one had the day, they could start off with the races at 4 o'clock and then end up {either with more money or less} the evening with a concert. I've done it before but this summer sort of sucks.

And, Alex, you are right. Without kids, you can pretty much do what you want. Unless they are too young to complain or too heavy to carry and lock in their carseats. :evil:

katiesue~if you know someone with a self contained motorhome/camper, the Silver Strand is the place for summer camping. From what I hear. I think it has to be self contained, even though there are bathrooms there. It has definitely been packed.