I'm saving up for a trip to Italy next year and am feeling deprived this year.

Has anyone "planned" a vacation in their own town or city - to see it as a tourist?

YES! YES! This year, because of scheduling conflicts, we are not taking our usual family vacation. This is difficult because our kids are grown and as parents, we consider ourselves lucky that they still want to go with us.

Anywhooo, we are going to spend time in New York City (we live in the suburbs). We plan to visit the Intrepid which, surprisingly, we have never visited before.

Of course, we are going to see a couple of Broadway shows (Spelling Bee is a request from the kids). Although my kids have walked the Brooklyn Bridge many times, their dad and I have not -- probably will stop and get ice cream at the famed Ice Cream Factory.

I thought about taking a trip on the Circle Line, but my sons gasped at the thought - so I think we'll ride the ferry, lol!

We may or may not stay in town one night (riding Metro North back and forth is not a big deal) - but we certainly do plan on eating our way around the city! Oh, and shopping is definitely on the agenda, lol!

Our kids are city savvy, so I expect we will learn some new things not only about NYC but about our sons as well!

I will be sure to post a trip report.

starrsville: Planning your trip will hopefully keep you from feeling too deprived

My husband and I do that nearly every Sunday afternoon. We live in the Chicago suburbs. On Sunday afternoons we go into the city and check out the neighborhoods. Because we have a daughter in college in Massachusetts and a son who will be going to college in two years, major trips are just not in our budget these days. It's amazing how satisfying it is to do our little mini-excursions on Sunday afternoons. It truly does make me feel less deprived. Of course, it helps a lot that Chicago is a major city with a never-ending supply of restaurants, bars, etc to check out.

I am doing this next weekend. I live in the Portland, OR area and several girlfriends from Seattle will come down. We have our hotel arranged in downtown and will have two days to do all we can.

In Arkansas we have little to do in our town, however, we stay in one of the local hotels with an indoor pool. Go to dinner and pretend we are from elsewhere. Try to look at our town from the eyes of a tourist.

Hi starrsville, I do a "mini trips" to SF during the year. I live in the southern end of Sacramento Valley, and I like the city I live in however I always feel the need to get away from time to time. And SF is the city I go to for a mini vacation. Rather like going home as have had family there since after the Civil War. No family there anymore, but having known SF since I was born it is always familiar and yet there are always changes so that is fun.

SF is not inexpensive but since I don't have to buy airline tickets it is a good way to have a vacation without a lot of expense and preperation.

BTW, I can't go to Italy this year either, so I understand your feelings of feeling deprived.

Yes. Every day we spend on the beach we thank God for how lucky we are that we get to live where we live. Because we live on a barrier island that is 99% weekly vacation rentals, we feel very lucky that this is our home.

We also spend tourist time in Charleston and go up to Myrtle Beach on occaision.