A couple weeks ago, after the pee meltdown, I told my husband all about my dreams for a vacation. I presented him with some fabulous options, including a weekend in Sonoma, complete with limo rides and wine tastings (this was before the positive pregnancy test).
His response? “Isn’t that all a little too fancy for Kendall?”
::head explosion::
“WE ARE NOT TAKING THE CHILD!”
I showed some all inclusive beach resort type things to him, ones that include all the pina coladas you can drink on a beach.
“You know, we don’t have to go somewhere and just drink all day, ” he said. “We need to find something that we enjoy doing, just the two of us, and make a vacation out of it.”
“Uhhh…. that’s the problem. We haven’t done anything ‘just the two of us’ in a REALLY long time, and back when we did, it mainly consisted of drinking,” I replied.
“What about cheese?” I suggested. “We like cheese. We could go to Vermont and do cheese tastings.”
That’s how lost we are when it comes to taking a vacation. It took me less than an hour to become desperate enough to suggest cheese tastings for our romantic getaway.
We have NEVER been on a vacation that doesn’t involve visiting family. And I’m not counting our “mini moon” after our wedding because it still wasn’t long enough or far enough away from family (nothing against family!).
After the miscarriage last week and all the other stress that came with it, I brought up the vacation to Scott again. I don’t think he really took me that seriously the first time around, so this time the request came with lots of tears, some yelling and phrases like “I don’t think you UNDERSTAND,” and “My life is the same EVERY DAY, ” and “I know it’s work for you, but at least you get to get out of here!”
It was a long day/night, but we finally came to an agreement, an understanding. My husband, forever frugal, is petrified to spend money on a vacation that might suck. And all the vacations he knows will be amazing are out of our budget.
I, on the other hand, feel like 1. there are sacrifices we can make to make a vacation happen and 2. an amazing vacation (or at least one that doesn’t suck or revolve around cheese) doesn’t have to be expensive.
So here’s where I need your help. I need suggestions. I need you all to tell me about places you personally know don’t suck and won’t suck up our budget. It can be anywhere in the country (with a few exclusions). We’re pretty open to all suggestions. We were really close to booking a 3 day weekend in San Francisco, but I thought I’d do a little more research before we do.
What are we looking for?
We hope to travel at the end of April for 3 or 4 nights. We’ll be coming from Dallas. I really don’t want to do anything in TX, since we live here. Nor do I want to do anything in DC or Chicago since we also lived there. There *can* be drinking involved. That’s MY executive decision. Like, if we go to SF, I’d still really love to take a semi private tour up to Napa for some wine tastings. The budget is max $1,500, and that needs to include everything.
I don’t need you all to go surfing Priceline for me or anything. Just give me some suggestions of areas/specific places in the country you think totally rock for a romantic vacation for 2, and I’ll do the rest. I really, really appreciate it!
Kendall is one week shy of 23 months and I can’t believe it’s taken us this long to commit to a kid free vacation
83 comments
Vegas? Sedona? But I’d have to say my vote would be wine country.
Unless you have a fear of boats? Screw Vegas and take a cruise. Most of them you can get a small one that leaves from Galvaston or similar for a few hundred dollars apiece. Rates are REALLY low because no one has any money for vacations. When we were going to go on a baby moon (before my husband got a new job and all hell broke loose), we were going to go on a 2 or 3 day cruise and ALL inclusive, it was cheaper than a holiday inn, around 100$ per night.
Delurking (hi!) to suggest you do go to Vermont! I grew up there & there is so much to do besides cheese tasting (though a visit to Cabot in Stowe is a must). If you fly into Burlington, you can take a nice daytrip to Stowe (Cabot, Ben & Jerrys Factory, beautiful spas, mountains, etc). Then spend a day in Burlington – shopping along Church Street, Lake Champlain, great restaurants, etc. Then if you’re really up for a fun treat, grab your passport and drive just 1.5 hours north to Montreal for the day (or a night)! It’s fabulous! I am full of recommendations so if you go – email me 🙂
I vote for New Orleans–short cheap flight from Dallas on SW. Lots of yummy food, historic things to do/see, and of course drinking! My husband and I went back in the fall and left our kids with the grandparents–it was perfect!
Love how you throw Chicago right out the window. Anywho. Ever think of Vegas? I don’t drink/smoke/gamble and we had a short get away there and I was just so in awe of the shear effort that is made there with tourism. Every place felt like a different part of the world except for all the background “ping, ping, pinging” so maybe not. I loved Charleston, SC. How about Salt Lake City, Utah? Park City is near there and it is beautiful, quaint, and romantic. Really anywhere you go will be awesome. Just you two being alone will be so refreshing. Don’t focus too much on the where and what, remember this is for YOU and your relationship.
Vegas would be fun! But why in the Country? Mexico is fantastic! What about the Keys?
San Francisco is a wonderful choice! It has some great restaurants, colorful people, and fresh ocean air. You can walk around the pier for free and take a walk through the Golden Gate Park. Plus, Napa Valley is only 50 miles away (about) and they have some cute bed and breakfasts you can stay in for a a night or two, if you don’t want to do SF the whole time. I wish I could give you the name of the one I stayed in in college but it’s out of business. 🙁 However, a quick glimpse on the Interwebz reveals many decently-priced bed and breakfast packages that include wine tours. I think a $1500 vacation to SF is very do-able and should be fun, relaxing and romantic … but that’s me. And I’m biased when it comes to California.
If you don’t have anything against travelling to Canada, Victoria BC will rock your world. You can get a ferry from Vancouver BC or Seattle, and it’s a really beautiful trip. The town itself is somewhat small, but there’s such a chill vibe, seeing as it’s by the ocean, and also an “old England” type feel which I think they try to play up for tourists. There are some amazing hotels, museums, Butchart Gardens, wineries, etc. I went to college there, and took my husband for our anniversary trip last June, and it was one of the best vacations we’ve ever had. Victoria in the springtime is like heaven.
May sound random but SAN LUIS OBISPO california would be perfect for you!!
There are AMAZING vineyards and wine tasting in San Luis Obispo and in nearby Paso Robles… but is WAY CHEAPER than Napa. And this time of year it is BEAUTIFUL!!!
Also, SLO offers so many romantic options. There is a natural hot spring day spa and hotel that is amazing called Sycamore Mineral Springs. Even if you don’t stay at the hotel, you can reserve private hot tubs, soak, drink wine, and enjoy relaxation sans baby!
Another cute hotel is the Apple Farm Inn. Very nice and not very expensive. I could go on and on for days about things to do in SLO…
hiking Bishop Peak, walking along the pier in Pismo Beach (home of worlds best clam chowder), strolling downtown San Luis Obispo with very cute main street, shopping, and WINE TASTING. There are also fabulous restaurants and places to eat.
I think the wine tasting is seriously underrated and ranks right up there with Napa (without the high price tags of the Napa Valley). My favorite wineries: Claiborne & Churchill, Edna Valley, Baileyana, Tolosa…
Additionally… You can fly into Los Angeles and drive the scenic 3 hour drive along the coast line (through Santa Monica, Santa Barbara) or even take the train along the coast. Or, you can fly directly into SLO (SBP airport).
I would highly recommend at least looking into Savannah, GA. It’s right by the beach, there’s lots of drinking (Lulu’s Chocolate Bar!), it is the most beautiful city you will ever see, and that is the perfect time of year when the weather is just right. Azaleas and crepe myrtles are blooming, and it’s not 90 degrees. Check out http://www.savannahvisit.com/. Good luck! 🙂
Have you thought about a 3-4 day cruise?
There are GREAT deals for Vegas on costcotravel.com. We just went last week (spring break) and the weather is beautiful! Just looked up 3 nights @ NYNY $689.68 4/24-27, flight and hotel from DFW.
My husband and I have had spent great long weekends in Montreal, Portland (Oregon) and New York. We like exploring cities and there is always new stuff that interests both of us.
And we had a great time in Aruba on our honeymoon. We didn’t do an all inclusive because there are so many great places to eat and drink and the island is fun to explore in a rented jeep.
Good luck deciding!
Hmmm… Yeah, I love San Francisco. Nice weather, fun things to see and do. Also high on my list of happy fun and relaxing places is Maine. But the flight could get pricey from Texas. I’m also VERY partial to the mountains and coast of North Carolina. The Outer Banks are gorgeous but can be a pain to get to and the mountains…. *sigh* love them. But would recommend going in the fall if you do the mountains b/c of the Blue Ridge Parkway being so stinking fabulous in the fall.
Am I over sharing? I’ll stop.
Florida!
Small bed and breakfast on Anna Maria island.
Or!
Beach getaway in Fort Meyers with a trip on the Key West Express to the Keys for a day.
Honestly (it might seem low-brow) but going on a short cruise was one of the best vacations we’ve ever taken. And since you’re in Texas, you could drive on over to one of the boats that leaves out of Galveston. With your budget, you could get an amazing balcony room on a nice ship for 3 days. That’s my 2 cents.
Okay, you all are AMAZING. Thank you, thank you!! I wish I had time to reply to each suggestion with questions and stuff, but I have to head out to the doctor for one final blood draw. I really look forward to looking into all your suggestions tonight. Seriously. Love you guys.
If you haven’t done the Sonoma thing before then I highly recommend that. However, be prepared to want to spend some $$ on wine to take home.
What about Colorado Springs? Or Santa Fe? Or Palm Springs? Santa Barbara (also wine country)? Nantucket?
I do not advise going to NY or any big city where you’d be pounding the pavement being a tourist. You sound like you’re in need of adult beverages, a spa day, and gourmet local cuisine.
Oh, also saw a GREAT deal for villas in Cabo through travelzoo.com (look for the top 20 deals of the week if it’s not sold out).
i suggest savannah, ga. we went there about two years ago in april. the weather was gorgeous. and you can walk everywhere. it’s hip and trendy, but also seriously laid back. you can even hit a nearby beach for a day. if you decide to go there, i can give you a few suggestions on places to hit up (one of which does include drinking)…
When I was in my 20’s and on a very tight budget I went to St. John, USVI and stayed at the maho bay campground. It was absolutely amazing, and definitely less than $1500 for two, for a week. You rent a hut-like tentish thing on the side of a mountain that leads down to the water. There are beds and a little camp kitchen. It’s truly amazing. Last year one of my closest friends went for a “babymoon” and had a better time there than on her ultra-expensive honeymoon. Maybe I’ll go look at airfare now…
I vote cruise! It’s a perfect first kid-free vacation for 2 since you aren’t locked in to any activities. You can do nothing but drink and sleep in, or you can be all early-bird getting out there and kayaking and sightseeing or both!
Mackinac Island? No cars are allowed on it.
Miami? Beach and drinking?
Charleston, South Carolina. Stay downtown in a Bed & Breakfast, rent a car so you can visit Folley Beach and Isle of Palms. Eat some of the most amazing food in the entire world. And then just wander around the gorgeous, walkable city taking pictures of houses from the 1600’s. The shopping is also amazing. This is the perfect time of year weather-wise. Seriously, I got married there and will show you the most gorgeous wedding photos ever if you need more convincing.
Riviera Maya near Cancun! It is a hop, skip and a jump for you. We stayed at the excellence-something and it was all inclusive and amazzzzing food and drinks. You could totally do that on your budget with play money left over 🙂
Have you been to NYC… maybe so because you were in DC before… I love a long weekend in Manhattan.
San Fran sounds amazing too.
My aunt & uncle have an awesome B&B in North Carolina…it’s absolutely gorgeous & there’s TONS to do outdoors or shopping or whatever you want. Here is the link: http://www.lazy-bear-lodge.com/Home.aspx
Otherwise, Sedona, Portland, Vancouver, and Santa Fe are all fun choices. Good luck!!
I live in wine country – Healdsburg – and highly suggest it. Amazing wine, of course, but also a very relaxed atmosphere, delicious food and beautiful places to walk or hike (for free), or head to nearby Lake Sonoma or the Sonoma Coast for a picnic (with yummy cheese and bread). The end of April is beautiful around here and being only an hour or so from San Francisco, you can take a day trip to do touristy-type things as well. Good luck!
I’d suggest a cruise. It includes all food (but you do have to pay seperate for drinks). We went on one for our honeymoon and it was awesome. Oh, and definately use Royal Caribbean NOT Carnival (I’ve been on both and did not care for Carnival at all).
I vote vegas, it has every adult indulgence you can think of, although it may not be as fun on a budget, and money goes fast there..san fran is great, i like san diego better though, maybe bc we did san fran in december and san diego in august.. cruises are aways fun, new orleans is a great idea too. other weekend trips we’ve enjoyed were seattle and albuquerque/santa fe for the hot air balloon festival, this was my fav wknd trip, but it’s in october. We may try to the one in plano this year..
My husband and I went to Europe in October for $2000….which included our plane tickets and hotels. We went to Paris and London and spent 3 nights in each city. These was a deal we found on Travelocity. I hope you find an amazing deal like that!
I did SF and Sonoma on my honeymoon and we loved it. It can be pricey, so you’ll have to do some serious research for the best deals, but it is do-able. We booked a day trip to Sonoma and Muir Woods through Incredible Adventures (http://www.incadventures.com/), and I highly recommend it!
Have you thought of New Orleans? I know its close to TX, but it can offer a nice mix of adult vacation and drinking for reasonable prices.
Jim and I went to Hot Springs Arkansas when we were dating and loved it. We had a great time and a drive out to Lake Ouchita was FABULOUS and beautiful. It’s a four hour drive and the prices are great.
[…] & Churchill, Edna Valley, Baileyana, Tolosa… Additionally… … Read the original: Please help me get out of here | Baby Rabies […]
We’ve taken many long weekend trips to the SF area, and it’s perfect for that, great public transportation, and LOTS to do there, walk around the pier, get some great food, just enjoy the area, you can also rent a car and take a day trip to Napa/Sonoma which is a ton of fun, and tastings are relatively cheap :).
Florida Panhandle has some great places that are inexpensive. Pensacola Beach, Perdido Key, Appilachacola(sp), Ft. Walton Beach. It’s not a far drive from Dallas.
My husband and I went to the north rim of the grand cannon. The cabins aren’t fancy but cheap and there is no TV and great hiking. Really good get away.
We’re planning a trip to San Fran & the wine country for our fifth anniversary. I say go with that plan.
Also, we went to Tahoe for our honeymoon it was gorgeous & the hotels with casinos are reasonable. You can drive over to the northern wine country in CA- we did that one day.
Mackinac Island is amazing. It is on the northern tip of Michigan…no vehicles allowed- transportation is bicycle, foot or taxi (horse drawn carriages). 🙂
I’m voting for a cruise as well. I’ve been on two and neither was hugely expensive, and I know they’re even cheaper now. Basically you don’t have to worry about anything, and you have tons of options for things to do. If you want something more relaxing you can go hang out on deck and have a few drinks. You can go dancing, go to the spa, go to a show, and have a nice dinner each night. You also have the option of doing excursions that vary as well, or if you want to do nothing you can go lay on the beach. Not to mention you don’t have to do any of the driving, etc.
We went to Lake Tahoe on our honeymoon and loved it. There’s a ton of outdoorsy type stuff to do, great food and shopping in the nearby towns and gambling if that’s your thing. We found a house on VRBO (with a hot tub!) so we had a nice mix of going out and nights at “home.” And it’s a quick and easy plane ride away – SWA flies into Reno.
I vote Charleston, SC, too. Amazing food that can be really casual (a seafood shack right on the water) or incredibly fancy (courtyard of a mansion). Drinks at a dive, Irish pub, or wine bar. It covers the whole spectrum. A great city for walking around and exploring and shopping, full of so much history and culture. And if you venture twenty minutes out of the city, there are tons of plantations, beaches, etc. Late April should be nice enough to lounge on the sand (though maybe not in the water). We lived there while Husband and I were still in the dating phase, and it was a great, romantic city. Bonus points if you combine it with a night in Savannah – they’re only two hours apart.
Jill, I just read the miscarriage post and wanted to say how sorry I am for your loss. You NEED a vacation. People think I’m crazy but seriously, I think vacations are a necessity sometimes. It helps to reconnect with your partner in life. After all, you were a “we” before Kendall and it’s hard not to lose that in between all the conversations surrounding, barf, poo and money!
I highly recommend Santa Fe, New Mexico. My husband and I drove there and spent 4 days at an amazing resort. It’s romantic. Amazing restaurants and art shops. Day trip to Taos. We did a couple’s massage, drank lots of wine, hiked. I would love to go back. Scenery was gorgeous!
http://www.bishopslodge.com/
Wouldn’t be too far and doesn’t have to be too expensive. We booked the cheapest room and were instantly upgraded without even asking!
Have you ever considered Boston or Cape Cod? Early april is a beauitful time in Boston and on the Cape and since it if off season you still get great prices and not tons of crowds. Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard are also very nice and private and romantic. Also might be a nice change of scenery 🙂
Maaan I was hoping you wouldn’t say in country because I’m from Bermuda and was soooo going to hook you up. BUT I actually think you should take a cruise. Take one that leaves from somewhere in Florida ( Orlando, Maimi, Ft.Lauderdale) and go cruise the carribbean. The prices right now are ridiculously cheap. My friends and I are going to take a weekend cruise to Bahamas for $200 each.
check out Carnival cruise line..they’re the cheapest.
I vote cruise..you need it
i JUST got back from a trip to san clemente, california (1 hour south of l.a., right on the coast.) it was an INCREDIBLE trip, the beaches are amazing, the weather is delightful and you can find good hotel rates (although i stayed with family.)
i definitely think a california vacation can be amazing. beautiful weather, tons of things to see, and of course drinks on the beach are always amazing. san fransisco is an amazing city, too – i would LOVE to go there with my husband!
best of luck with whatever you decide! you can check out my blog & flickr for photos & details if you feel inspired!
cheers & happy planning,
~em
i’d agree with a short cruise, i loved the ones i’ve gone on.
other places i’ve enjoyed: Charleston SC; Savannah GA; Key West FL(we camped so it was cheaper);Gatlinburg TN; NYC; Niagara Falls
Mackinac Island is a fabulous option. But I vote for Seattle. Stay downtown in an eclectic little hotel, spend a whole day exploring Pike’s Place Market (free unless you buy stuff), there are places to hike, you can drive up to Mt. St. Helen’s, there are waterfall and a thousand other things to do. I spent 10 days there and would move in a heartbeat if it were an option.
My husband and I went to Honolulu (Waikiki Beach) over Thanksgiving last year for 6 days and spent only $1200 for everything. We found an awesome flight deal, used a pick-your-price-site to find our hotel, which was right on the beach, brought our own bottles of wine to enjoy at dusk during sunset and ate happy hour many nights. It was so fabulous and relaxing. Also a great place to run! Very touristy typical vacation I know, but they have great deals right now.
Every year my husband and I go to the Asheville, NC/Great Smoky Mts area. We generally map out a few cheaper hotels that might have good deals on rooms w/ jacuzzi tubs! We’re outdoor-sy people, so we try to plan horseback riding, hiking, etc – cheap, but fulfilling activities. We also usually hit up Gatlinburg, TN while we’re out there. I don’t know how expensive flights would be, so that would be a major factor, but generally we only take $1000 with us for activities, hotel rooms, food, gas, etc. It lasts us a good 3-4 day weekend.
When are you planning on going? Of course I am going to suggest NOLA. So much to see and do and eat. I’d be more than happy to help you figure out where to eat and what to do.
I will say, if you are going in July it will be hotter and more humid than hades, so I will retract my suggestion. If you can get there anytime between April 23rd and May 2nd Jazz Fest will be going on and it will still be the end of crawfish season. That might make hotels a little more $, but still totally worth it and w/in the budget. http://www.nojazzfest.com/
I also suggest NOLA – great Jazz Fest line-up this year!
I ALSO suggest a cruise! Last minute deals are great – and you don’t ever have to get off the boat if you don’t want!
HIGHLY recommend San Francisco! The food is fabulous and the scenery is beautiful! The drinking doesn’t hurt either, but even if you’re PG, still lots of fun!
Can I also HIGHLY recommend San Fran?! Love that city! DH & I went there on our honeymoon. We stayed at the Hyatt in Fisherman’s Wharf…I think they might have some good deals going on right now even. It was within walking distance to some sights. We did the whole bike tour and biked across the GG Bridge…into Sausalito..which has some great romantic restaurants. So many different things to do and see there. Can’t wait to hear what you decide!! 🙂
Michael and I went to San Diego right before we got pg with Taylor and LOVED it. There is so much to do there, the weather is gorgeous, it was so fun. We went to Catalina Island, the Zoo, Padres Baseball game, tour of the city and a couple of wineries. LOVE it.
i have to vote san fran and a trip to napa. right before we got engaged we took a trip and it was fabulous! napa was my favorite part of the trip. my husband is not the biggest fan of wine but had a great time on the trip. the coppola winery was so great, they have a museum with memorabilia from his movies and the wine was excellent. napa has a great tapas restaurant, it was one of the best dinners we have ever had (it may have to do with the two bottles of wine we drank, but i am not sure;). the culinary institute of america offers cooking classes, and i believe they have a restaurant as well.
um, i am jealous and want to go back. good luck deciding.
This depends on what kind of vacay you want. Laid back and relaxed is Napa – a long weekend(3-4 days, this includes travel) is NOT enough time to hit San Fran and Napa in a relaxed fashion. San Fran is big city, lots of walking, sight seeing and restaurants. You MUST go to Golden Gate Park if you go – soo amazing and there’s a super cool Japanese garden, a cool greenhouse, and not to mention Modern Art museum just inside one of the main gates. you can spend an entire day there and still not see it all. There is also an amazing garlic lover’s restaurant – The Stinking Rose down by Chinatown.
If in Napa, you can get a mud bath(if NOT PG) and do the hot springs thing in Calistoga, see the wineries(V.Sattui is a great one) and drink and eat at your leisure, then get up WAY early one morning and take a hot air balloon ride over Napa(Bonaventura). AMAZING – one of the coolest things we have ever done.
Another option is Monterey – absolutely gorgeous seaside, wonderful aquarium there(MontereyBayAquarium), then head down to Carmel for some window shopping and finish the day off with a nice sunset on the beach, watching the surfers. It is cooler here, especially in April, but sooo nice to run along the coast there(the best run I’ve ever had, seriously) in town. Fly into San Jose and rent a car to drive down. Drive along Pebble Beach golf course -beautiful as well, lots of scenery and relaxed just getting out in nature.
I have also been to San Diego a bunch – got married there. It is a lot of driving to a spot, then getting out. The other places are a lot more walking and sightseeing kind of places.
Can’t wait to hear what you decide – have suggestions for lodging, etc at each place if you are stuck……. 🙂
St. Simons Island Georgia – easy day trips to Savannah, St. Augustine – couple really nice resorts – we got married at the King and Prince – very nice and doable with a budget
Check out Santa Barbara, CA. Gorgeous beaches, shopping, wine tasting…
C-R-U-I-S-E!!! Ask Val…I swear by it!!!
Come to Portland, OR. You’ll love it here. Stay downtown (try the Ace Hotel or the Nines) Awesome food, wine and beers. We have tons of “farm to table” restaurants and a farmers market that will blow your mind! The Oregon coast is about an hour and a half from downtown and is rugged and beautiful. An hour in the other direction is the Columbia River Gorge – take the historic Columbia River Highway for some gorgeous views. Wine country is within an hour – some of the best Pinot Noirs in the country are grown in oregon. There’s also Mt. Hood within an hour of town if you want to do some hiking. Or just stay in town and eat and shop. There are great shops and restaurants plus gorgeous old houses in NW Portland. Plus PDX airport has free wifi!
LOVE San Francisco, but don’t do Napa, do Sonoma County instead. More homey, less touristy, fewer people, less expensive, fantastic wine and wineries and people.
Monterey is also a great idea, but would guys like it as much as girls do? Not sure, I only went with girlfriends. Lots of cute shops and such.
I second the SF/Sonoma combo. Sonoma is smaller and cheaper than Napa. Love it.
What about Albuquerque. Old Town is fun to wander and eat dinner. I love the zoo there. The museum of natural history is also fun. Take the tram up Sandia Peak to see gorgeous views. Sante Fe isn’t too far either, but I’ve never been there.
I also agree California has some ideal getaways. San Fran, Santa Barbara (GOR-GEOUS), Napa/Sonoma, San Diego, etc. And no one has mentioned LA yet, but as an Angeleno I can tell you with certainty it’s super fun, there’s tons to do (sights, restaurants, parks, music, etc.) and the weather is always beautiful!
VEGAS. Do it. I’m trying to talk Jacob into taking me to Vegas. We need a baby-free vacation too!
The Florida Keys are awesome. I also really liked San Diego. What about Niagara Falls?(no bias there right? 😉 )
I would highly suggest Hawaii. It can totally be done less than $1500. Waikiki is more glitz and glamour, packed beaches, drinks, high end shopping or north shore is more country, relax enjoy the ocean. Or there’s tons of great outdoors stuff on the Big Island and you can drink and relax too. If you chose Hawaii drop a line and I’ll suggest more.
Otherwise, I’d wait on San Diego until your kiddo is older, it’s a fun city as an adult but there’s TONS of kid friendly stuff to do there too. San Fran would be great, Portland is also amazing. Vancouver BC was really fantastic. Seattle was a ball! Tons of touristy stuff to do and also tons of nature stuff (hiking, beach, etc)- which I really enjoyed.
Good luck! Can’t wait to hear your decision!
Wherever you decide to go, check out VRBO.com (vacation rentals by owner) for accomodations. You can find great little apartments all over the world for a fraction of the cost of a hotel. Plus, you get a kitchen, so you don’t have to eat out every meal, which is a huge money saver. Hubby and I have used it for vacations in Italy, Kauai, Chicago, etc and have always been pleased.
I lovelovelove Anna Maria Island, Fl. We have been almost every year since I was 14 (I’m 30) You can fly in to a larger city and rent a car. The car part rocks because there are about five islands within 10 minutes of each other. St Pete’s Beach is also in that group and a great island to stay on. It’s a bit more popular so you may find better deal there.
I agree with some of the people above. Napa and SF cant be done in three days if you want relaxation. I have lived in CA all my life, and if I had three days right now, I would whisk my hunny away to the Ritz Carlton, Half Moon Bay. Hands down, the most beautiful place ever. Not a kid in sight. Just spa treatments, ocean-front views, cocktails, wine tasting, museums, a quaint town… oh, I want to go back right now.
For a nice, quiet, relaxing trip, my personal recommendation would be Asheville, NC and go see the Biltmore Estate (biltmore.com). Not a bad drive from RDU airport, and even closer to Charlotte Douglas (best would be Asheville Regional, but not sure what kind of flights they have). You can easily spend a day+ touring the Biltmore Estate – they have a winery with free tastings daily (INCREDIBLE wines…), all kinds of activities all over the estate, and the house itself to tour (I personally recommend the rooftop tour – awesome!). You can stay on the Inn on the property (biltmore.com/stay/inn/ – look it up on trip advisor too) and be pampered to the fullest extreme (they have lots of deals going on – make sure you have the breakfast buffet! – they even have a spa, plus the Inn itself is just gorgeous and so relaxing), but the Sleep Inn right outside the gate is a really nice hotel too for a much better rate (and they still have a good breakfast, complete with waffle machine). And Asheville is a really cool city too – very eclectic and interesting, lots to do, cool places to eat. Anyway, we make an annual trip out of this because it is so laid back – no deadlines, only as much to do as you want to fill the schedule with. If you have any questions, I’d be glad to help – I got married at Biltmore with just my family and it was the MOST relaxing time and best service I’ve ever had, bar none.
We love Savannah. There is lots to do and it doesn’t break the bank.
I seriously suggest flying to the Caribbean. I go to a different island every time, and I have never had a bad experience. I’m not a fan of cruises, but I love me some fruity drinks on the beach with clear blue waters. I suggest Jamaica, the Bahamas, St. Lucia, Antiqua, or Aruba. For the best deals, check out cheapcaribbean.com. I’ve never spent more than $500 for a long weekend. Heck, I’ve spent a whole week at an all-inclusive for under $600!
Puerto Rico? No passport required and it’s not too hot yet.
For the record, I love Vermont. We honeymooned there and have been back 4 times in the last 5 years. We want to move there someday. That being said, This is NOT the time of year to go. From a cost standpoint, maybe. But, it’s mud season. So, no.
Dangit. I meant to mention the rum, but I may have had too much wine… Anyway, you can tour the Bacardi factory for free or cheap and get tasty samples and buy a crap load of awesome flavored rums for less than you would pay here. I don’t even like rum and we brought home you don’t want to know how much. We went to ‘Rico for a wedding and had an awesome awesome time.
Well, I’m a Minnesota girl, so I’m going to suggest a Minnesota place…Duluth! My husband and I took a baby-free long weekend there last summer. We camped, but there are loads of nice little places around there to stay. Tour the pier, shop the shops, go to the state park and see the falls. It was truly the most relaxed time I’d had in ages and it hardly cost us a thing. Sometimes just picking someplace 4-5 hours away (so you’re just far enough from family) and winging it is the way to go. Have fun planning you vacay!
Colorado. Spring Break is over. The resorts are having a sucktacular year so there are amazing deals to be had. There is snow on the ground and sunshine in the sky. Usually. Rocky Mountain National Park is gorgeous. Breckenridge has a bunch of packages for cheap that include massages. If you’re at all interested, let me know and I can do a bit of research for you based on our experiences.
Whatever you do, have a good time!
Vegas BABY!! Can be super cheap if you look for deals….also the adult fun capitol of the world!! You can take a break from being a Mommy and have some quality adult time!!
We live in California, so we go on lots of weekend trips to the Central coast. My favorite places to visit are Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz/Capitola, Carmel/Monterey. We’ll be in the Santa Cruz area the first week of May.
I LOVE San Francisco, but there’s so much to do that I usually feel stressed out instead of relaxed. Sonoma is beautiful. You can’t go wrong there, especially now that you can drink the wine! 🙂
Because you have state the you NEED to do something different. And by what I have ready you both seem healthy. Perhaps you shoud head to a state with hills and take a camping hiking trip. Do the camping hiking thing for the first night second day then move it to a hotel to get cleaned up.
Make certain you choose a place with beauty. I suggest Arkansas or Missouri. AR has some real nich INNS that you could stay at as well.
The hiking will give you the alone time to reconnect. I will not hurt to have the beauty around you to take in for reflection.
If you hate the outdoors then I say forget the hike and head to New Orleans. You can eat great food, get some good live music, take in art, and drink it up. I am sure if you look the prices will still be low because they are still rebuilding.
BTW, my BF and I are buying a timeshare. It is the kind with a points system. We get about a full week at a resort of our choice every other year and we can roll over the points (days) for up to 4 years to take longer vacations.
We found for us it is the best deal we could have gotten. The payment is equivilant to a used car payment and the property tax and maintenance fees are low too.
We are happy with it and I am surprised more people do not buy timeshares.
It’s not in the U.S., but if you’re at all thinking Caribbean, check out Couples resorts in Jamaica. http://www.couples.com Boutique all-inclusives without the typical crowds, commercialism or prices. Drinks flow endlessly, and they’re as romantic as all get-out.
We’ve been to two of them, and they both rocked. If you do the “Secret Rendezvous” they trim the price considerably and pick the resort for you. It’s a surprise you learn just before you depart!
I’m a little late, but…
St. George Island, Florida. It is gorgeous, you can rent a small beach house, it’s not a “tourist” spot.
Trust me, it’s our main vacay spot 🙂