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Hello all, I have asked for travel advice before and had some really good suggestions so I'm just doing a re-run of things. I will be working this summer for 1 month (July) but I have Fridays and Mondays off. Because of the long 4-day weekends, I was thinking of doing at least one or maybe two trips in the States. Any suggestions? I haven't been around in the states much but I've been to Jersey, LA, VA, DC, Atlanta, NC.
I will also have the first week of August off and would like to try to get out of the country again for that week. The last place I visited was Japan for spring break. Mainly, I just want to relax and enjoy some peace and quiet, good food and think about things. I am a NYC teacher and the school year just ended so I've got lots of free time away from the kiddies. Thanks in advance to all who reply!
What are your interests? budget? restrictions?
Summer is the high season for travel in most places.
No restrictions. Again, I just want to relax and enjoy some peace and quiet, good food and think about things. Maybe enjoy the weather or breeze somewhere with nice scenery and take pictures.
Not really concerned about budget either, but I guess I am looking to spend $1000-$1500 on a round trip plane ticket somewhere.
No restrictions. Again, I just want to relax and enjoy some peace and quiet, good food and think about things. Maybe enjoy the weather or breeze somewhere with nice scenery and take pictures.
Not really concerned about budget either, but I guess I am looking to spend $1000-$1500 on a round trip plane ticket somewhere.
Use Cathay Pacific's great nonstops from JFK to Vancouver BC, maybe get a car and head up to the Sunshine Coast or up to Whistler - less crowded in the summer compared to ski season. Vancouver itself is wonderfully cosmopolitan, and the region is full of photographic opportunities. US dollar is also very strong at the moment.
Use Cathay Pacific's great nonstops from JFK to Vancouver BC, maybe get a car and head up to the Sunshine Coast or up to Whistler - less crowded in the summer compared to ski season. Vancouver itself is wonderfully cosmopolitan, and the region is full of photographic opportunities. US dollar is also very strong at the moment.
I have never been to vancouver before but I will keep this in mind. Also I don't drive. Tend to take a taxi if I have to which can be expensive. How about a place where I don't have to do much driving?
I have never been to vancouver before but I will keep this in mind. Also I don't drive. Tend to take a taxi if I have to which can be expensive. How about a place where I don't have to do much driving?
Vancouver could still work admirably, or San Francisco. Over the pond, Amsterdam or Edinburgh.
When you say you don't drive, I'm assuming that as you are in NYC you don't drive at all. Accordingly, my suggestions will be based on that.
WEEKENDS
While you've been to DC, you can make a relatively cheap weekend to the DC area from NYC. Vamoose Bus (Vamoose Bus - NYC | Maryland | Virginia) runs between Penn Station/Madison Square Garden and Arlington/Rosslyn, VA and it is cheap. The Rosslyn drop-off point is a 5 minute walk from Metro (our subway system). I've done inexpensive weekends between here and NYC, and Vamoose is great! (I have zero financial interest in Vamoose, other than the fact I like to save money.) Beyond the usual tourist spots in DC, there are many places to explore. Metro brings you to lots of places in the DC area so between that and walking, you can easily cover the city. (Honestly though, the NYC subway system is better (one relatively inexpensive fare to all locations at all times, express trains, 24/7 service for starters).) Dining options around the Mall are terrible, but you don't have to go far to find good fare.
Boston is also an option. I grew up in NH, but had lots of fun in Boston as a young adult. The T (their subway) is fairly extensive, so getting around should be pretty easy. You have the city, as well as Cambridge, on the T. Where DC is a hot swamp in the summer, Boston is more pleasant weatherwise, and is a fun and culturally rich city.
TRIP
I love San Francisco! It's a very walkable city. Getting from SFO to the city itself will require either a cab or some kind of airport limo (van) service, but once in the city itself you can get to places pretty easily either by cable car (early in the morning is better for longer distance travel), or by foot. Food is excellent, at least potentially. Use your NYC sense, and you should be fine.
For instance, my wife, daughter, and I went to SF a couple years ago and I saw this little place in Chinatown. I believe it was called House of Dim Sum. I ordered. It looked like a deli counter. I had no idea what we were getting, things looked good and I asked for them. What a meal! The funny thing was that we have a local friend whose mother lives in SF and later learned she knows and loves the place. It's nothing fancy, but the food is just excellent.
(Fwiw, when I'm in NYC, I almost never eat at any chain restaurants, Starbucks for breakfast notwithstanding. If it's got an A inspection rating and the menu looks good, I'm in.)
For instance, my wife, daughter, and I went to SF a couple years ago and I saw this little place in Chinatown. I believe it was called House of Dim Sum. I ordered. It looked like a deli counter. I had no idea what we were getting, things looked good and I asked for them. What a meal! The funny thing was that we have a local friend whose mother lives in SF and later learned she knows and loves the place. It's nothing fancy, but the food is just excellent.
Um, I absolutely would NOT recommend House of Dim Sum -- it's a dirty little tourist trap with bad dim sum.
OP, PM me if you go to SF and want recommendations.
Was going to suggest the spectacular scenery of Canadas maritime provinces and Quebecs Gaspe Peninsula but if you dont drive you are going to be relegated only to places with public transit..
heres a plan take a bus/plane or train and enjoy.=
For an overseas relaxing trip, I would suggest the Galapagos Islands (part of Ecuador) which would be nice for a week.
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