15 Year Anniversary Trip?

[ssramage]

The wife and I are celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary next year (March 2024). Hard to believe it's been that long already. A bunch of folks thought we were out of our minds getting married as young as we did, but so far so good!

We've done and seen a lot in our years together, but I want to do something really special this year to celebrate the milestone. I've started brainstorming some ideas now, so that I can put wheels in motion for further out things that could need to be reserved depending on where we go.

So far, I'm considering the below options but would be open to considerations for "bucket list" type trips that I may not be considering. All of these would be a huge surprise for my wife because I'm notoriously cheap LOL. Our honeymoon was in Pigeon Forge.

1. 8-10 days traveling Italy (Venice, Florence, Rome): timing would be either April (Spring Break) or July
2. Alaskan cruise with pre-cruise land tour (July 2024)
3. Hawaii cruise with pre-cruise land tour (July 2024)


Thoughts on other trips that I'd be crazy not to include in the consideration? Thoughts on the above options from those that have done it before?

 

[oldfella1962]

The wife and I are celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary next year (March 2024). Hard to believe it's been that long already. A bunch of folks thought we were out of our minds getting married as young as we did, but so far so good!

We've done and seen a lot in our years together, but I want to do something really special this year to celebrate the milestone. I've started brainstorming some ideas now, so that I can put wheels in motion for further out things that could need to be reserved depending on where we go.

So far, I'm considering the below options but would be open to considerations for "bucket list" type trips that I may not be considering. All of these would be a huge surprise for my wife because I'm notoriously cheap LOL. Our honeymoon was in Pigeon Forge.

1. 8-10 days traveling Italy (Venice, Florence, Rome): timing would be either April (Spring Break) or July
2. Alaskan cruise with pre-cruise land tour (July 2024)
3. Hawaii cruise with pre-cruise land tour (July 2024)


Thoughts on other trips that I'd be crazy not to include in the consideration? Thoughts on the above options from those that have done it before?

Do you already have passports if Italy is one of your trip choices? Are you planning on renting a car in Italy and driving to these cities yourself, or is it a "guided tour" type of trip?

 

[ssramage]

Do you already have passports if Italy is one of your trip choices? Are you planning on renting a car in Italy and driving to these cities yourself, or is it a "guided tour" type of trip?

We already have passports. This would be for spring/summer of 2024 though so we've got time. Mainly starting to plan now in case we are booking a cruise and because I've got a fairly extensive work project that I have to work this around.

Plan if Italy would be to fly into either Rome or Venice, then utilize the high speed rail system throughout the country.

Initial thoughts would be:
Rome 3 days
Florence 3 days (day trip to Tuscany and Cinque Terre)
Venice 2-3 days

 

[oldfella1962]

We already have passports. This would be for spring/summer of 2024 though so we've got time. Mainly starting to plan now in case we are booking a cruise and because I've got a fairly extensive work project that I have to work this around.

Plan if Italy would be to fly into either Rome or Venice, then utilize the high speed rail system throughout the country.

Initial thoughts would be:
Rome 3 days
Florence 3 days (day trip to Tuscany and Cinque Terre)
Venice 2-3 days

Warning! Italy shuts down in August because that's when pretty much everybody in Italy takes their vacation. And when they go on vacation that means they go into relax and do-nothing mode. Vacation season is not a time to make money with American style high-octane recreation.
Google this and they explain it better than I can.

Florence is in Tuscany, so I guess you mean other places in Tuscany?

If so, San Gimignano is interesting, and not too "touristy". The whole city (pretty much a town really) has an insane amount of old towers packed into it. And of course Pisa and the leaning tower which is very "touristy". And if you go to Cinque Terre I think you have to take a ferry to get there from La Spezia, but that could have changed.
Up the coast from La Spezia is Genova (Genoa in English) the city where Columbus departed to the Americas. It's about a 90 minute car drive and a train ride would be about the same I would think. Venice is unique to say the least! They have different kinds of water taxis commuter boats other than gondolas to get around, but walking is the most fun. One of the first official Jewish "ghettos" is in Venice, going back to 1516.

Regardless, plenty to see and you will have a ball if you make the Italy choice.

 

[cracker4112]

Working on the same kind of thing for our 20th next April. We went to the BVIs and my wife wants to go back. Flew into Tortola and took a ferry to Virgin Gorda. Rented a villa and skiff and hung out at the bars, restaurants and deserted beaches. Rented a larger boat one day for a trip to The Baths National Park. Not sure if we will do the exact same but along those lines…

 

[Milkman]

Yellowstone or Alaska(land) in early September. Or both to make it the trip of a lifetime.

 

[4HAND]

We're doing an Alaskan cruise summer 2024. That's gonna be an anniversary trip for our 27th, 28th ,29th & 30th anniversaries.