Hey - I figure this is as good a place as any to throw this out for suggestions...
Ever since taking my wife to Maui for our 20th anniversary, she has been intent on taking our two grown sons and our hope-to-be-eventually daughter-in-law on a vacation. Late spring to autumn of 2014 should be a good time, as the 43-year-old bachelor doesn't look like he'll be changing that status in the foreseeable future, the 22-year-old and the hoped-for daughter-in-law don't yet have a family or serious career obligations, and she will be graduating from U of M next April.
So we're trying to figure out where to go. Things we've discussed so far:
- A Grand Tour road trip through some western national parks, including some hiking and maybe some mountain biking
- Snorkeling, sailing and such in some place like Key West
- River rafting on a western river, though the 21-year old (an Eagle Scout and assistant scoutmaster) scoffed at the tours where you're just a passenger
- A visit to some Central- and/or South-American archaeological sites - the wife is particularly interested in Machu Picchu, and my son went to Mexico on a mission trip once and was appalled that no-one wanted to visit any Aztec or Mayan sites...
- All five of us are museum freaks, so any concentration of cultural/scientific/historical institutions would be a big draw. The younger son and GF visited London over the Christmas holidays last year and tried to take in all the local museums during the 5 days they were there (they failed, but had a good time nonetheless).
- Marcy went to Barcelona as a guest of her father several years ago, loved it, and would like to take us all back there
We're all in reasonably good shape. The youth of the younger son & GF kinda speaks for itself. The older son lives in Portland Oregon, and commutes frequently by bike. Marcy, my wife is kinda the physical weak link - she'll join me for the occasional 25-mile tour ride, but she considers coasting as a perfectly acceptable way to cover ground on a bike, considers the stops at various shops, gardens and interesting venues the best part of the ride, and hasn't been near a gym in years!
That said, she's usually up for moderate exercise, has done some pretty good day-hikes with me on Maui and the Smokey Mountains, but she's no athlete. If it was solely up to me, one of those bike tours through northern Italy would be just the ticket - ride about 50 miles each day, stuff myself with vino and italian food every night - what more could I ask for?
So anyway, anyone have any ideas for something that a diverse group such as my extended family would enjoy?
Thanks!