# Great/fun trips you would have never taken without RCI/II?



## elaine (Mar 27, 2014)

We have had almost 20 years of family vacation timesharing. Prior to online access, I picked Welches, OR out of the RCI book for a family vacation. Great trip, never would have considered it other than there being a TS there. 
So, what trips have you gone on b/c of seeing a RCI/II TS that you would not have done otherwise? Elaine


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## sue1947 (Mar 27, 2014)

Here are a couple:
  Kelowna, BC:  I've driven through several times on my way to the Canadian Rockies and wasn't impressed.  Last spring,  I needed to use a dog deposit in II and booked Manteo Beach resort and loved it.   There was lots to do in the area and the accommodations were great.  
  Fairmont Hot springs, BC:  the week above was paired with a week in Eastern BC because II was offering an XYZ there.  It was the second week in May with snow still on the mountains on either side, lots of water in the river/lakes; really gorgeous.  I took my mother to Emerald Lake Lodge in Yoho National Park for mother's day; pretty darn nifty.  


Sue


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## Passepartout (Mar 27, 2014)

We had a great pre-cruise week at a small TS- actually part of a residential condo in Cambrils Spain, about a train hour from Barcelona. We certainly would not have either booked a hotel room there, or even known that that very interesting (and tasty- 2 Michelin starred restaurants in town) area exist. First century Roman ruins literally across the street, street fairs and wonderful food.

Two thumbs up even though the TS itself was far from deluxe. Clean and functional. What 'd' ya want?

Jim


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## sfwilshire (Mar 27, 2014)

England, Scotland and Wales in 2007. Rented a week at the Allen House in London. Spent another week at the Osborne Club. Cameron House in Scotland. Laugharne Park in Wales.

Three weeks, three islands in Hawaii in 2006. Two weeks on Maui last year.

Lots of great weeks in the Northeastern USA, Canada (loved White Point), Florida, and the west. 

Sheila


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## chriskre (Mar 28, 2014)

I have lots of places I would have never thought to go to without owning a timeshare.  

Branson, MO,
Marbella, Spain
Alpine Bay, AL
The Berkshires, MA
Palm Springs, CA
Flagstaff, AZ
Sedona, AZ
Santa Fe, NM
Longboat Key, FL
Pompano Beach, FL
Carlsbad, CA
Cayman Islands

and I'm sure I'll add alot more.


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## csxjohn (Mar 28, 2014)

Just about every trip we've taken in the last 15 yrs or so was because we saw a unit offered by an exchange company.  Not RCI or II but you're not really limiting us to those two, are you?

Sam Clemente Cove, San Clemente CA

Grand Central Hotel, Eureka Springs AR

Swiss Mountain Village, Blowing Rock NC

Tropic Shores Resort, Daytona Beach Shores FL

Lake Placid Club Lodges, Lake Placid NY

Royal Harbour Resort, Thornbury ON, Canada

Just to name a few.  We would never have gone to any of these place and we had a wonderful time at all of them.

I used DAE and VRI*ety exchange for all of these.


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## Icc5 (Mar 28, 2014)

*Almost all*

Used to cruise about once a year before timeshareing.  Since owning we have taken aprox 120 trips compared to 26 or so cruises we would have done.  We feel we have seen the world by both and wouldn't want it any other way.


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## suzanne (Mar 29, 2014)

Without our timeshares we would never have been to all the wonderful places we have gone to thru RCI. Things like Dog Sledding in Jackson Hole, WY or a snow coach ride thru Yellowstone on my birthday in February. Swimming with turtles in Barbados or learning to scuba dive in the Bahamas. So many other wonderful memories come to mind that we would never had had without our timeshares and RCI.

Suzanne


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## senorak (Mar 30, 2014)

Almost all of our great family trips would not have happened if not for RCI & timesharing.  We return to Hilton Head every summer for a week, (and often bring along a friend or two for our children).  During our week in Sedona, we took a side trip to the Grand Canyon, (staying overnight in El Tovar).  We've done family trips to Vegas, Orlando, Myrtle Beach and Smuggler's Notch.  This past summer, I took my daughter, (along w/ my father & his wife), on a 2 week trip to  London & Paris, that included a week long stay at the Royal Regency outside of Paris.  Never would have happened w/o the timeshare!  I've visited NYC & San Francisco numerous times, taking friends and/or family members along.  Can't wait to return to San Francisco this summer.....hoping my oldest son will come with me.  Even "short trips" to Hershey or the Poconos are made more enjoyable when staying in a larger unit in a timeshare.  If I can't stay the entire week, there is usually a family member or friend who can make use of the remaining time.  

Deb


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## ronparise (Mar 30, 2014)

cant say its better than trips I take to resorts I own. but I could never take my dogs with us except for the exchanges into Vacation Village at Parkway


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## JulieAB (Mar 30, 2014)

We might have made it to the location, but certainly not in such wonderful accomodations and for an entire week!  Four Seasons Aviara 1 bedroom, Disney's Grand Californian 2 bedroom with a paradise pier view, and Disney's Boardwalk 2 bedroom stand out the most.  But really, ANY timeshare we've stayed in thus far has been 20x better than the motels we used to stay in (and cheaper too!).


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## KarenP (Mar 31, 2014)

Kilconquar in Scotland
Narrowboats in England
Beautiful estate near London that is now no longer a timeshare
Paris, France timeshare
Umbrella Beach Club on Anna Maria Island in FL
Cottages at South Seas, Captiva Island in FL
3 bedroom on Hilton Head (got to take extended family)

and the list seems to just go on and on


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## vacationhopeful (Mar 31, 2014)

It has been history making for most of the last decade in the extended family travel tales:
NYC Hilton Club with my brother - who after 100+ visits to the Big Apple did THE ROCK tour and then, the Architectural Rockafellar Center Tour. He has comment several times - best stay ever in NYC. Really, it was a FREE STAY for HIM with free food and drink in the CLUB. Duh?

Chicago with my brother & his wife in an exchange to a hotel room at the foot of the loop on the river by Navy Pier over 4th of July - lunch on a lake cruise boat on July 4th, Institute of Art, Sears Tower, Wriggle Field game and White Sox park game, House of Blues Show etc .. first trip for me to Chicago; 30th trip for brother & SIL. 

I stayed at the Manhatten Club and recommended a rental for my TX sister's family trip between Xmas & NYE. The arrived on the last plane to land at Newark Liberty Airport and enjoyed the 12 inches of snow - which shutdown the Big Apple. Unique trip for them and 12-14 inches of snow - the city was so different.

Kauai with 2 sister's and their spouses - a 7 night trip where I enjoyed the one difficult BIL. He love the ocean view from his unit and 6 months later, he unexpectedly passed away at age 52. Best memories I have of him and the most personable he had been with me - I figure it was the spirit of the islands chilling him out with Aloha spirit. Am glad now that he went on the trip ... helps dealing with my sister that I try to picture him on that trip.

WDW - AKV with my youngest nephew at age 12. Got to see what MK looked like with snipers on the rooftops of Main Street. And Main Street had 10 foot walls at both ends. And after 10+ trips thru the Haunted Mansion, my nephew agreed, "it's not scary; it's funny!". I pity his future children ... lol..

WDW - VWL & AKV with my widowed sister. The 1st trip was for her, but I was sick and a couple days away from major surgery. The 2nd trip was so much better - F & W, AKV savanna unit and I was healthy. We had to get lots of use out of those APs. Sis agreed that AKV views are unique and she spent hours on that balcony - naming her favorite critter "Dinner" - she lives in Texas.

Ft Lauderdale with the nephews - solo trips with my 2 oldest nephews. The middle boy was just 13 after a horrible flu which had him on life support for 5 days - he tried & loved snorkeling (as he does not swim in the ocean). The older nephew had a daytrip to Key West; he decided to go to England the following Spring with a HS group - figured nothing could shock him (or his mother) after KW.

My 18yo niece & Pompano Beach - eye opening trip for the girl. Got herself a black Greatful Dead rose spray hoodie in Key West on NYE night - my sister was calling me 3 days later, politely (not) asking about, WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER? Asked her, "She still wearing the hoodie nonstop? Doesn't it look good on her? Isn't she happier and more confidant about herself? So, what is the problem?" the girl learned to do stuff by herself because I wasn't going to be her shadow and to wear a great looking piece of clothing her MOTHER would never wear or approve of.


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## Quiet Pine (Mar 31, 2014)

*Great Trips Through II*

Hotel Santa Clara, Cartagena, Columbia--outstanding history & 5* luxury
Royal Savoy Resort, Madeira, Portugal--we never would have gone if not for the timeshare through II
Other terrific weeks as well, but these two were the best.


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## abbekit (Apr 1, 2014)

Many of our timeshare times might have been to areas that we wouldn't have picked if we had to book hotels. But a few stand out as a reason to travel to an area that we would not have gone to at all if not for RCI availability.  



We inherited our timeshare from my dad and our first trip was while he was still alive and he offered to help us with a trip to Hawaii. We liked Kauai but had only stayed in a hotel Poipu on our previous trip, in fact we didn't care for the Princeville area when we drove up there during that vacation. But the only place available that my dad could find to gift us was at the Cliffs Club. It was our 20th anniversary, 1998,  and we took his offer, perhaps not as grateful as we should have been. We LOVED the condo and the area. Now all our trips to Kauai are timeshares in Princeville. 

https://picasaweb.google.com/vinolover78/HawaiiKauaiPrincevilleCliffsClub1BRLoftUnitSept1998

https://picasaweb.google.com/vinolover78/HawaiiPrincevilleKaEoKaiUnit32CMarch2004Kauai

https://picasaweb.google.com/vinolover78/HawaiiPrincevilleKaEoKaiUnit32CMarch2004Kauai

https://picasaweb.google.com/vinolover78/HawaiiPrincevilleShearwaterUnit2022005Kauai

https://picasaweb.google.com/vinolover78/KauaiWestinPrincevilleResortStudioUnit3120Oct2009

**************************
The very next year, 1999,  we took his gift of a timeshare in Arkansas for our 21st anniversary. Even though we live in Texas we didn't consider Arkansas a vacation destination. We enjoyed that trip to the Ozarks and have been back several times to different timeshares in that part of the country. But now we've found a pet friendly cabin resort (non-timeshare) that we prefer so we can take our dogs.

https://picasaweb.google.com/vinolover78/ArkansasTableRockLandingHolidayIslandEurekaSpringsSept1999

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Onward to our ownership of my dad's timeshares after we inherited them...

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We love Europe but had never considered a trip to Switzerland, but found this exchange via RCI in the charming village of Muerren. Sadly this place has been closed since 2011.  It was a hotel, not a traditional timeshare.

https://picasaweb.google.com/vinolover78/SwitzerlandMuerrenAnfiPalaceUnit202Sept2004

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My husband had been trying to get me to agree to a vacation in Vancouver, but I wasn't crazy about spending an entire week in a big city (other than New York!). So our compromise was that I managed to find a week in Vancouver and paired it with a week in Banff (my preference for hiking and scenic beauty). This was our 30th anniversary trip. Needless to say he was right, we both loved Vancouver and if I could EVER find an exchange to this place again I would snap it up!

https://picasaweb.google.com/vinolover78/VancouverClubIntrawestVancouverStudioUnit2855Sept2008

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As much as we love Bavaria I'm pretty sure we would not have gone to a small village like Oberstaufen if it weren't for the RCI timeshare I was able to book there.  This was our 33rd anniversary trip.

hathttps://picasaweb.google.com/vinolover78/GermanyMondiHolidayOberstaufenBuilding5Unit524September2012

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My dad passed away in 2000, we actually thought he, my mom and his sister and her husband had boring vacations because they took so many timeshare trips using their RCI exchanges for so many years.  Once we inherited his weeks and I found TUG our exchanges were much better than whatever they managed to do. TUG did change our lives and our way of travel. Our love of slow travel and the trips we've taken over the past 16 years by using his initial purchase have been wonderful. We just booked a trip to Bend Oregon via a very unexpected RCI find that may be our introduction to our retirement location.  

**********************

Yes my dad bought from the developers because he didn't know any better. And once we inherited our weeks he had paid them off. But we thank him and have a toast to his memory on every trip we take.


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## PassionForTravel (Apr 2, 2014)

New to the exchanging game but would include Park city Utah, beaver creek co. If you include the mini systems then angels camp ca, clear lake ca, Oregon coast, Puget sound wa, Taos nm. That's one thing I love about TS's are getting to visit places I never would have dreamed about going.

Ian


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## 1st Class (Apr 2, 2014)

What a nice tribute to your dad!  Thanks for sharing.  



abbekit said:


> Many of our timeshare times might have been to areas that we wouldn't have picked if we had to book hotels. But a few stand out as a reason to travel to an area that we would not have gone to at all if not for RCI availability.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Lisa P (Apr 2, 2014)

We really enjoy the relaxing space and affordability of timeshare vacationing.  Without our timeshares and exchanging, we probably would have still visited many of the same places but the trips would have been MUCH shorter due to the high cost of feeding a family of 5 in restaurants.  Also, we would have brought fewer guests (our kids' friends) and we probably would not have treated so many friends and relatives to gift accommodations over the years.

So, for many of our vacations, our timeshares and exchanging have greatly improved upon already-likely trips:
Grand Canyon, AZ
San Francisco, CA
Walt Disney World, FL
Lake Lure, NC
Outer Banks, NC
Manhattan, NY
Poconos, PA
N Myrtle Beach, SC
Smoky Mountains/Sevierville, TN
Washington, D.C. area
Williamsburg, VA

On the other hand, our interest in exploring some areas was definitely spurred by discovering that there were timeshares located there.  We figured the developers had a reason for thinking they'd be able to build and sell timeshares in an appealing area.  So we checked them out when we didn't know where else we'd like to go.

Some were simply lovely places to unwind and enjoy family time - and we _would not have gone_ without timeshares.  Others (#) turned out to be among our favorite memories.  Without our timeshares, I doubt we would ever have seen them:
Fairfield Bay, AR
Flagstaff/Sedona, AZ (#)
Ventura, CA
Daytona, FL
Bradenton Beach, FL (#)
Marco Island, FL (#)
Pompano Beach/Ft Lauderdale, FL
Branson, MO
Sapphire Valley, NC (#)
Hilton Head Island, SC  (#)
Fairfield Glade, TN
Nashville, TN

 :whoopie:


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## Passepartout (Apr 2, 2014)

abbekit said:


> We inherited our timeshare from my dad and our first trip was while he was still alive and he offered to help us with a trip to Hawaii. We liked Kauai but had only stayed in a hotel Poipu on our previous trip, in fact we didn't care for the Princeville area when we drove up there during that vacation. But the only place available that my dad could find to gift us was at the Cliffs Club. It was our 20th anniversary, 1998,  and we took his offer, perhaps not as grateful as we should have been. We LOVED the condo and the area. Now all our trips to Kauai are timeshares in Princeville.
> 
> 
> The very next year, 1999,  we took his gift of a timeshare in Arkansas for our 21st anniversary. Even though we live in Texas we didn't consider Arkansas a vacation destination. We enjoyed that trip to the Ozarks and have been back several times to different timeshares in that part of the country. But now we've found a pet friendly cabin resort (non-timeshare) that we prefer so we can take our dogs.
> ...



Edited a bit for brevity.....

We are so used to hearing from timeshare owners who either got the timeshare in an unwanted inheritance, or 'How do I refuse an inheritance', or "How do I shelter my kids from these timeshares and their never-ending fees".

It is refreshing to hear a report from someone who is happy to have received a TS from the parents, and is getting use from it. And even more refreshing to hear that a love of travel was also passed to the next generation. And even MORE refreshing to hear that the memory of the departed parent is honored when the TS is used.

Bravo! 

Jim


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## MuranoJo (Apr 2, 2014)

I also thought your post was so touching and positive, abbekit.

Your Dad would have been happy to know you've continued with the family memories.


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## 4Reliefnow (Apr 7, 2014)

*Exchange - where's the Beach?*

I posted a thread "what is your favorite beach" and took some abuse because I only owned Marriott Canyon Villas ( Phoenix) and Orlando.

Three years later with exchange, purchases, and some rentals from TUG we found some wonderful times at these resorts on the beach:


Royal Mayan - Cancun. TUG ad Christmas for $1,000
Royal Sands - Cancun exchange
Royal Haciendas - Riviera Maya
Marriott Playa Andaluza - Spain exchange
Marriott Ocean Pointe ( see thread on bad views) exchange
Marriott Surfwatch HHI 3BR - friend w 3 girls exchange
Marriott Oceana Palms - tour promotion called Encore
Hyatt Carmel - tour promotion
Hyatt Regency Sarasota ( 2 free nights w credit card )
Hyatt Coconut Plantation - Bonita Springs

How many ways can you say Beach?


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## talkamotta (Apr 8, 2014)

When my 5 kids were young, the only trips I could afford were either camping trips or  hotels exceeding the occupancy rates. I would come back home very tired.  

Since timesharing, I own 3 resorts we stay often but all my other timeshares I trade.  1 timeshare I stayed once and 3 I have never stayed in.  Not a good financial move but it makes me look for new places to stay.  Never would have gone to Mexico without the trades and wouldn't have been able to afford Canada without the kitchen.  This year 10 weeks of timesharing and the only one I own at is Longboat Key.   

RCI and II love people like  me.


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## Bxian (Apr 10, 2014)

While researching timesharing on TUG, we won a stay at the Marriott on Marco Island via a silent auction.  We went for a walk and stumbled upon the Charter Club (HGVC) down the street-we asked to see a unit and fell in love with the jaw dropping views of the Gulf of Mexico.  In the next couple of years, we picked up our first timeshare week there and then picked up a second week when the HOA sold off some units that were close to foreclosure.  Have had a number of great weeks at a place that feels like a home away from home. We never would have discovered the place if we had not bid in the silent auction or taken that walk.....

Favorite places that we might not have visited without timesharing:
1.  HGVC Craigendarroch Scotland-we traded here and used it as a foundation to tour Scotland.  Had a wonderful stay at the Caledonian Hilton in Edinburgh to start and ended the trip with a magical stay on the Isle of Skye.  While at the timeshare, we walked along the River Dee, shopped for meals in the lovely Scottish town of Ballater, and attended the Highland Games in Braemar on the same day as Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip and Price Charles.
2.  Meadow Lake Resort in Montana-used our week long stay there to tour Glacier National Park and had a couple of really nice days wandering around Whitefish and enjoying the resort's cabin on Flathead Lake.  Also enjoyed our nights in the wonderfully quirky college town of Missoula and the gorgeous town of Coeur D'Alene, Idaho.  Best of all, my husband got to re-connect with an Idaho cousin and his wife who visited the timeshare and took us on a spectacular drive through Glacier.  It was fun to see my husband and his cousin laughing and clowning around like 2 long lost brothers! 
3.  We stayed at the HGVC on South Beach.  Although we live in the Northeast, we had never spent any time in the Miami area.  Since we took that trip, we discovered that it is not a far drive from our home timeshare on Marco Island, and have added a night or two at the end of our timeshare week to extend our vacation a bit.
4.  Up next: Smuggs in Vermont in a couple of weeks and Powell Place in San Francisco in June (our first SFX exchange).


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