30

I would use the extra day for Yosemite. It's really not that complex to get to and around the park without a car. See this page on the park service website.

31

First off, congratulations on your impending marriage. For what it's worth, that's how I look at it regardless of what word the State of Florida or the Republic of Ireland might use. Now, please get back to us in 25 years if you can still tolerate each other. (In case affectionate joshing doesn't translate to the Internet, that was affectionate joshing. I wish the two of you nothing but the very best. May the road come up to meet you and all that, or whatever they say back there.)

Now for some further thoughts:

1. A buffet restaurant? In Florida? What, you want to eat out of a petri dish? To quote an old Americanism: It's your funeral.

2. I've never heard of "New York Pass," but that doesn't necessarily mean anything.

3. Whatever you do in New York, please trust someone who's been there a zillion times both on business and as a tourist: Take the Circle Line boat. Yep, it's touristy. But you are a tourist, and the Circle Line is fun, relaxing, educational, and very New York. .

4. Niagara. Okay, you want to go, I guess. But -- as someone who's been there three times, maybe four, always on the way to somewhere else -- this is not a recommended destination. But if it's something you've just gotta do, I won't rain on your parade. Have fun, and remember that the best views are from the Canadian side.

5. If you can get from Niagara (Buffalo or Toronto, I presume) to Vegas for $182 each, grab it. That's a really good price.

6. $108 pp from Vegas to S.F.? Grab it. In both this case Niagra-Vegas, I won't fall on my sword and promise these are the lowest rates anyone will find, but you're a whole lot closer to the bottom than you are to the top.

7. Don't do a day trip to Yosemite. You can't do it justice in a day. You will spend just about all your time on the bus. Word to the wise from a very, very experienced traveler is this: You cannot do it all.

8. I've got real problems with the L.A., San Diego, Scottsdale part of your trip. Boy oh boy, are you ever (in the opinion of someone who knows the American West like the back of his hand) cheating yourself on this. But I'm going to wait until you come back here to say more.

32

Here is a link to the Circle Line website

HAVE A GREAT TRIP

33

Thanks for your reply and your best wishes! I'll respond to what you said below and maybe get some clarificatino :)

1. A buffet restaurant? In Florida? What, you want to eat out of a petri dish? To quote an old Americanism: It's your funeral.

I'm not sure what you mean by this, but I'm not pushed whether its buffet or not I just want somewhere nice that relitively inexpensive as we'll be paying for 15-20 people.

2. I've never heard of "New York Pass," but that doesn't necessarily mean anything.

It's on www.newyorkpass.com, it looks pretty good but I think we've decided not to go with it so we won't be committed to doing certain things.

3. Whatever you do in New York, please trust someone who's been there a zillion times both on business and as a tourist: Take the Circle Line boat. Yep, it's touristy. But you are a tourist, and the Circle Line is fun, relaxing, educational, and very New York. .

We have been looking at the Circle Line it looks great so I think it'll be a definite, thanks!

4. Niagara. Okay, you want to go, I guess. But -- as someone who's been there three times, maybe four, always on the way to somewhere else -- this is not a recommended destination. But if it's something you've just gotta do, I won't rain on your parade. Have fun, and remember that the best views are from the Canadian side.

Yes we've been told the best views are from the Canadian side so we'll definitely be heading over there.

5. If you can get from Niagara (Buffalo or Toronto, I presume) to Vegas for $182 each, grab it. That's a really good price.

6. $108 pp from Vegas to S.F.? Grab it. In both this case Niagra-Vegas, I won't fall on my sword and promise these are the lowest rates anyone will find, but you're a whole lot closer to the bottom than you are to the top.

They seem to be quite good prices, we're going to wait a couple weeks for SouthWest to release prices and hope they don't go up but hopefully we'll get them around this price anyway.

7. Don't do a day trip to Yosemite. You can't do it justice in a day. You will spend just about all your time on the bus. Word to the wise from a very, very experienced traveler is this: You cannot do it all.

I appreciate your opinion, people seems to be saying similar things so we will look into whats best.

8. I've got real problems with the L.A., San Diego, Scottsdale part of your trip. Boy oh boy, are you ever (in the opinion of someone who knows the American West like the back of his hand) cheating yourself on this. But I'm going to wait until you come back here to say more.

If you could elaborate I'd appreciate it!

Thanks.

34

They seem to be quite good prices, we're going to wait a couple weeks for SouthWest to release prices and hope they don't go up but hopefully we'll get them around this price anyway

In my experience, plane fares bounce around a lot. You could lose out by waiting to save that last 10 bucks. Or maybe you'll do better. It's impossible to say.

I'm not sure what you mean by this, but I'm not pushed whether its buffet or not I just want somewhere nice that relitively inexpensive as we'll be paying for 15-20 people

I'm not sure how to answer, because I'd have to explain my snobbish disparagement of everything Florida and my paranoia about shared food. But these are my own personal quirks, so maybe best ignored. As for the last part of your trip, I re-read everything and saw that you don't drive, so I'd withdraw what I wrote before.

HAVE A GREAT TRIP

35

Ok well thanks for your response!

36

As I wrote in #19: There is wide-open availability all the way until September for $121 with United. For two people, that's a $122 saving. I would strongly suggest waiting another month.

37

I won't argue hard on the airfare thing. When I see a low fare I jump on it, but if you want to try and wait for a lower fare then maybe it'll work out.

HAVE A GREAT TRIP