Scoop Airport/Hotel/Travel Thread

[BM1090]

I know the Scoop community is hanging on every word so....we decided against Dubai or Hawaii and settled on Croatia. Flying into Dubrovnik and planning on a couple nights in Split and Hvar. The hotel points worked well and seems like a nice mix of hiking, national parks, sightseeing and relaxation.

Has anyone been? We have 10 nights and are debating whether it's worth spending a day or two in Zagreb. Leaning no right now but could be convinced.

[MU82]

I know the Scoop community is hanging on every word so....we decided against Dubai or Hawaii and settled on Croatia. Flying into Dubrovnik and planning on a couple nights in Split and Hvar. The hotel points worked well and seems like a nice mix of hiking, national parks, sightseeing and relaxation.

Has anyone been? We have 10 nights and are debating whether it's worth spending a day or two in Zagreb. Leaning no right now but could be convinced.

Never been, but I've heard it's awesome, so enjoy!

And while you're in Split, say hi to the Kukoc family! (All I know about the place is that before every Bulls game he started, Toni would be introduced, "From Split, Croatia, number 7 ... ")

[StillAWarrior]

I know the Scoop community is hanging on every word so....we decided against Dubai or Hawaii and settled on Croatia. Flying into Dubrovnik and planning on a couple nights in Split and Hvar. The hotel points worked well and seems like a nice mix of hiking, national parks, sightseeing and relaxation.

Has anyone been? We have 10 nights and are debating whether it's worth spending a day or two in Zagreb. Leaning no right now but could be convinced.

Croatia has inched its way up my bucket list. Honestly, it's probably tops at this point. It looks spectacular.

[rocky_warrior]

+3 on Croatia interest.  We'll be expecting a full report!

[pbiflyer]

I know the Scoop community is hanging on every word so....we decided against Dubai or Hawaii and settled on Croatia. Flying into Dubrovnik and planning on a couple nights in Split and Hvar. The hotel points worked well and seems like a nice mix of hiking, national parks, sightseeing and relaxation.

Has anyone been? We have 10 nights and are debating whether it's worth spending a day or two in Zagreb. Leaning no right now but could be convinced.

There is an MU alum working remotely there now. He used to be in the travel industry and says Dubrovnik is his favorite place in the world.
Let me know if you have specific questions and I will pass them along.

[JWags85]

I know the Scoop community is hanging on every word so....we decided against Dubai or Hawaii and settled on Croatia. Flying into Dubrovnik and planning on a couple nights in Split and Hvar. The hotel points worked well and seems like a nice mix of hiking, national parks, sightseeing and relaxation.

Has anyone been? We have 10 nights and are debating whether it's worth spending a day or two in Zagreb. Leaning no right now but could be convinced.

Unless you’re REALLY craving a visit to an urban center, then don’t worry about Zagreb.  Dubrovnik is surreal (it would be a must visit and disigistingly picturesque place even without the GoT fame), Split is cool, and Hvar is amazing.  You’ll be thrilled with all of those.

Croatians are awesome people, the Dalmatian Coast is fantastic, and it’s still relatively inexpensive.

It’s funny, while it’s still inexpensive, the “cheap” stories about Croatia I get from my European colleagues are nuts.  My associates in Belgium vacation there in August 3 out of 4 years, more or less.  Drive down and bring their boat.  In the mid-late 90s, before the Euro took hold, they used to go to islands near Hvar and buy out the bar for the night for what they would pay for a normal round of drinks back in Antwerp.  They would joke that would pay more in gas driving down and for the boat than they would on food and drink for almost a month.

[Chili]

I know the Scoop community is hanging on every word so....we decided against Dubai or Hawaii and settled on Croatia. Flying into Dubrovnik and planning on a couple nights in Split and Hvar. The hotel points worked well and seems like a nice mix of hiking, national parks, sightseeing and relaxation.

Has anyone been? We have 10 nights and are debating whether it's worth spending a day or two in Zagreb. Leaning no right now but could be convinced.

Go to Plitvice Lakes National Park. In the north of Croatia. It's spectacular.

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/98/

[BM1090]

Go to Plitvice Lakes National Park. In the north of Croatia. It's spectacular.

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/98/

We definitely intend to take a full day trip to Plitvice from Split.

[Chili]

We definitely intend to take a full day trip to Plitvice from Split.

A tip I can offer is to head up one evening and stay the night at hotel in the area so you can get up early and get to the park. This way you can avoid all heavy bus traffic that shows up late morning. We did this and got to enjoy a lot of the park before it got slammed. This is of course if travel tours are a thing when you.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Been to Croatia a few times.  I like Split a lot. History, art, cafes, living again. Outside is a bit Soviet Industrial.

Dubrovnik is awesome but very touristic in normal times. I suggest staying overnight as it's two different cities day and night (tourists and non). I equate it to an analogy from my daughter who lived in Assisi. Two different towns with and without tourists. Guess which one was more interesting?

I'll also note:  There are a lot of great adjoining countries to see within miles of each other so just don't think Croatia.

Adriatic is crystal clear although rocky like most of Med.

[BM1090]

Thanks for all of the feedback and advice. We're planning 3 nights in Dubrovnik, 3 nights in Split, one night near Plitvice Lakes, and 2-3 in Hvar. For those who have been....any places you'd recommend that may be slightly off the tourist radar? It seems like you can get by with English, was that your experience? I'm going to learn some Croatian before the trip, but is it necessary or more of a courtesy?

Dr. B

Any recommendations for surrounding countries? What did you enjoy most? We're sticking to Croatia for this trip but planning on doing a more thorough tour of the Balkin Peninsula in the next few years.

[warriorchick]

Thanks for all of the feedback and advice. We're planning 3 nights in Dubrovnik, 3 nights in Split, one night near Plitvice Lakes, and 2-3 in Hvar. For those who have been....any places you'd recommend that may be slightly off the tourist radar? It seems like you can get by with English, was that your experience? I'm going to learn some Croatian before the trip, but is it necessary or more of a courtesy?

Dr. B

Any recommendations for surrounding countries? What did you enjoy most? We're sticking to Croatia for this trip but planning on doing a more thorough tour of the Balkin Peninsula in the next few years.

I had a co-worker who grew up in Serbia that always talked about Montenegro as a great vacation spot.

It looks beautiful.

[Goose]

I am 50% Serbian and my trip to Serbia in the 1990's is still in my top five all time trips. I was there for work, but had an awesome trip for the entire trip.

[cheebs09]

Going to be spending a few nights in South Haven and Traverse City, and wondering if anyone had any recommendations. We have a 10 month old, so that may limit options. I’ve already looked up some good breweries in the area.

I’ll have to double check BLM’s (I think) day trip post as I think these might have been mentioned.

[Chili]

Going to be spending a few nights in South Haven and Traverse City, and wondering if anyone had any recommendations. We have a 10 month old, so that may limit options. I’ve already looked up some good breweries in the area.

I’ll have to double check BLM’s (I think) day trip post as I think these might have been mentioned.

Virtue Farm & Cider in Fennville.

[JWags85]

Going to be spending a few nights in South Haven and Traverse City, and wondering if anyone had any recommendations. We have a 10 month old, so that may limit options. I’ve already looked up some good breweries in the area.

I’ll have to double check BLM’s (I think) day trip post as I think these might have been mentioned.

I spent a summer interning in TC but it was close to 15 years ago (SHEEESH) and I looked at Google Maps recently and a number of places I really enjoyed appear to no longer be there.

However, I highly recommend driving up to the Mission Point Lighthouse.  There are a number of wineries on the way along the Penisula, but at the very least its a cool drive that takes about 30 min each way and is very scenic, both wooded and lake views.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Anybody back to pre-Covid levels of business travel again?  I will be firing up on a limited basis (compared to pre-Covid) in August.  Full-bore in October. 

[JWags85]

Anybody back to pre-Covid levels of business travel again?  I will be firing up on a limited basis (compared to pre-Covid) in August.  Full-bore in October.

My domestic is pretty close to back.  I have a full on trade show in late August in Vegas that normally takes place in June, but otherwise it’s normal.  I’ve flown to NYC twice and have a West Coast trip planned for the fall.  I normally travel extensively abroad, but that’s still not back.  However, I may be headed to Paris in the next 2 months, depending on the progress of a project.

My colleagues in India are clamoring for me to come, but I’m not remotely cool with that yet

[pbiflyer]

Anybody back to pre-Covid levels of business travel again?  I will be firing up on a limited basis (compared to pre-Covid) in August.  Full-bore in October.

Our company just announced no in person corporate meetings through end of 2021. Business trips are on an as needed, pre approved basis.
That said, I am off to a conference in August. My first business trip since end of February 2020.

[DegenerateDish]

Anybody back to pre-Covid levels of business travel again?  I will be firing up on a limited basis (compared to pre-Covid) in August.  Full-bore in October.

I’m back to pre-Covid levels. By the end of July, I’ll have been to California 3 times, AZ once, Portland once, and NYC once, all since last week of March.

[cheebs09]

Thanks Wags and Chili! Both look like great recommendations.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Business for my company has been above pre-COVID levels since the first of the year.

I'm attending a trade show in Detroit in September and another in Atlanta in October.  I will probably try to visit some customers in both locations while there.  I don't see any international travel for me until 2022.  My industry's major trade show is in May 2022 in Dusseldorf.  The 2020 one was obviously canceled.  I have customers in Europe, India and Singapore to see but we'll play all those by ear come 2022.

FWIW, my wife flew to Poland last week to see her parents.  JFK was not letting non-passengers into the terminal, but apparently they are loose on the rule as the security officer "said, OK, use the bathroom, help your wife with the luggage to check-in and then get out!"
My wife was only asked to see her vaccine card when she checked in.  They were telling her she was supposed to fill out some health check paperwork that they would need to see when she landed in Schiphol.  We found something and she had digitally, but no one ever requested to see it.  As a matter fact no one asked to see her vaccine card the remainder of the trip.  In Warsaw, they just asked if you were vaccinated and did not need to see the card.  Yes, off to baggage - no, off to a COVID test line.     

[pbiflyer]

If she is still in Poland and is near Germany, they will turn her CDC card into a EU vaccine passport as of today.

[dgies9156]

Finally set our Italy trip. Going October 4 to 16. Two days in Rome, three in Florence, three in Tuscany two in Naples, a day back to Rome and home.

Back just in time for Packers vs.Bears.

The countryside looks incredible. Has anyone driven a car in Italy.

[real chili 83]

Finally set our Italy trip. Going October 4 to 16. Two days in Rome, three in Florence, three in Tuscany two in Naples, a day back to Rome and home.

Back just in time for Packers vs.Bears.

The countryside looks incredible. Has anyone driven a car in Italy.

Plenty of time to sneak in a bbq summit.