Twin Cities folks: Where do you vacation in the winter

[Tipsy McStagger]

We traveled a bunch throughout the Caribbean when we lived in Minneapolis and it's amazing how much bigger a pain in the arse it is to get down there from PDX. Same with Cancun. It almost makes more sense to head to the South Pacific from here than somewhere like Grenada, Roatan or Bonaire given the amount of travel time.

Meanwhile we now have six hour direct flights to Hawaii whereas that was a half day (or more) affair from MSP previously and so a less attractive option. Sounds like Delta is starting direct flights again to Honolulu. So you still have to connect on Hawaiian to the other islands but it's better than a layover at LAX.

If you're in NYC, Miami or ATL you have 3.5-5hr direct flights to places like Grenada. You can leave your house and be standing on Carriacou with a few hours as opposed to entire day of travel from the west coast. If Americans took German style vacations (month instead of a week) people would be less limited in their options. It's harder to justify an entire day of travel on either side of a week stay, imho.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by ellysbelly

^Agreed. Midwesterners do vacation in FL, but tend to go to the West Coast-- and people from NY/NJ and New England tend to visit (and retire to) to the East Coast of Florida.

I have heard that it's because the driving routes, and now established historic patterns, i.e. East Coasters come down via 95 and so ended up on that side of the state, while Midwesterners came in from the west. no idea if that's accurate, but it made sense.

[Minntoaz]

It usually seems to be Florida and then Mexico... but Florida seems to be where EVERYONE is going in the winter.

This year we will go to Arizona for Christmas (in laws down there this year) and then Palm Springs in March for a wedding but if we could choose...oh wait that never happens because we are always going across the country to see one of our families...LOL

Hawaii though... safe, clean, hospitals... relaxing