What's the best non-climbing vacation you've been on?

It recently occurred to me that all of the trips / vacations I've been on in the past 10-12 years have all been climbing trips (aside from a few weekend mountain bike trips).  I discussed this with one of my partners and he said the same thing.  The thought of going on a cruise, or sitting on a beach for a week sounds boring as hell (I can sit on a beach for about 2 hours, then I'm done with it).  

So what are the best non-climbing trips you've taken?

Heli/Split Boarding in the Adamants(Canada)

Belize: ATM cave, drive out to Caracol, sleeping in a jungle hut, snorkeling at Ambergris caye.

Galapagos: Las Grietas, Los Tuneles, Kicker Rock

Taking a "Midnight on the Orient Express" type train from Kiev to Odessa

Skiing or mountain biking all around B.C. and Alberta.

Extended weekend trips racing motorcycles. Between rounds there’s lots of down time to relax and hang out with friends.

Skiing in the alps; sailing in the Caribbean; live-aboard scuba diving in the Red Sea; visiting Petra, Jerusalem and Jaffa in Israel and Jordan.

If you are not a beach person but want the most relaxing vacation, the sailign trip in the Caribbean was tough to beat.  It was on a big catamaran with 4 guest staterooms, each with a head.  The boat was crewed and all the food and alcohol (except for 1 dinner and 1 bar visit ashore) was included.  Wake up, go swim, eat, nap, repeat.  The boat would drop anchor someplace new each day.

2 weeks skiing in Hokkaido. 

Surfing in Puerto Rico. Cheap travel and accommodation. Good food and great culture.
I could easily live there. There’s great hiking, riding and climbing if you fancy. I’d say go surf or snorkel!

*Puerto Rico is a US Territory so you don’t need a passport to travel to and from.

2nd surfing pow and gorging ramen in Hokkaido 

River trips, either in Idaho (Main or Middle Fork Salmon), Utah (Green River), or of course the Colorado in the Grand Canyon.

Was an extended family trip to Western Austria/Switzrland to do a lot of amazing hiking!

Private cruise in the Galapagos Islands. Diving with hammer head sharks, snorkeling with penguins, surfing with dolphins, hiking among animals that don't fear you, and other adventures.

Dylan B. wrote: You don’t have to do only one thing on a trip. My best vacations include some combination of hiking, climbing, museums, theater, canoeing, pub crawls, local cuisine, visiting historical and natural sites, cycling, art galleries, concerts, and any number of other things. 

Yes, this!

My favorite climbing trips are the ones where there is a lot to do on rest days. Europe is great for this. 

I had done one trip to an all-inclusive Caribbean resort back when my kids were little. It was nice, but mostly because we went with several other family friends. Otherwise, would have been quite boring. 

Pretty much all of my non-climbing trips have been for the sake of, and the benefit of, family members. I’ve enjoyed them, but would have enjoyed them even more if they had included a few opportunities for climbing. 

Skydiving Zephyr Hills for 5 days...averaged 7 jumps a day out of a Pilatus Turbo Porter or a free trip to Panama jumping out of a Casa 212 in '89, although that was a full gear dive at night...

#1: Scuba diving all day for two weeks doing reef conservation work from a 1-acre island ~30 miles off the coast of Belize.

#2: Surfing all day and keeping tabs all night on sea turtles (mostly leatherbacks, but also greens and olive ridleys) in Costa Rica.

honeymoon with my ex-wife in Playa de Carmen.  it's the only non-climbing vacation i've been on as an adult.

Buck Rio wrote: Skydiving Zephyr Hills for 5 days...averaged 7 jumps a day out of a Pilatus Turbo Porter or a free trip to Panama jumping out of a Casa 212 in '89, although that was a full gear dive at night...

You’ve got a mustard stain, eh?  Which unit?

I don't have to travel to have a blast.

I own high explosives.

Buck Rogers wrote:

You’ve got a mustard stain, eh?  Which unit?

7th sfg

Back when they were still at Bragg

Diving and kiteboard lessons in Dominican republic. Same thing in Florida, and also sailing lessons in key largo. And I just started skydiving last summer, which has been surreal. 

Allowing yourself some moments to just sit and relax completely recharges the battery to go at life (and climbing) hard. Wife and I can sit on a beach or patio with a view for hours and days listening to music, talking and drinking. 

Our favorites have been the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Belize/Guatamala and then we travel a lot to see concerts. In my experience, if you find something non-climbing that you love then you get a chance to step away from climbing and build up stoke

bruno-cx wrote: Hookers, Blow and Sin.

in his Sprinter van