Trip anywhere in U.S. - where should I go? (price, Santa Fe)
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Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Originally Posted by J-CityRelo
Thanks for all the suggestions!!!!! ...
I am curious about Portland too.... hmm
...
Do Northern CA (Napa) for March (one of the best times to be there) Hills are GREEN, not wildfire (or TX) brown
Portland; depends what you want, but I consider Aug the best for dry weather (free concerts EVERYNIGHT in the parks, decent Roses, often 100% dry weather, nice at coast (1hr west) hug point - Google Search
AUG is also a good time to flee Houston.
October would be my next favorite (Fall colors in the Gorge), very nice COLORFUL sunsets at the coast
If you do go to Napa, stay at the Silverado Resort. We go to Napa twice a year and always stay there, it's a really nice place. We've been there in March and it's not as nice as September. The grapes are on the vines in September and you can smell them as you pull up to the wineries, one of our favorite times to visit!
OK I'm definitely going to see if we can go in September instead of March... not sure if there's a deadline on using up our SW points. We also have a bunch of Hilton points saved so we may go that route. But that resort looks really nice! Good to know we have a lot of options...
OK I'm definitely going to see if we can go in September instead of March... not sure if there's a deadline on using up our SW points. We also have a bunch of Hilton points saved so we may go that route. But that resort looks really nice! Good to know we have a lot of options...
There are both a Hilton Garden Inn and an Embassy Suites in Napa. I prefer the Garden Inn, it's a little further upvalley and a significantly newer property. I also prefer to go in march when it's quiet and you can get into almost anywhere either without an appointment or with only a days notice. In September you need to plan months out. Also there are a ton of discounts in March, September is high season.
There are both a Hilton Garden Inn and an Embassy Suites in Napa. I prefer the Garden Inn, it's a little further upvalley and a significantly newer property. I also prefer to go in march when it's quiet and you can get into almost anywhere either without an appointment or with only a days notice. In September you need to plan months out. Also there are a ton of discounts in March, September is high season.
We were there for Labor Day, and were told it's high season. What a lie! The wineries were deserted, the flights were cheap (we only planned a month in advance, when our East coast friend said she'll meet us there) and we got a better deal on the Silverado resort than we did in March! Not to mention, the hotel wasn't fully booked!
In March, it was so crowded, we didn't visit all the wineries we planned on. Just because they tell you it's high season doesn't mean it will be. We personally had a much better experience over Labor Day than in March, or even February the year before.
We were there for 10 days early last October and it was a madhouse. Every hotel was sold out. Thank goodness that I had planned it out months in advance, but even with that planning I was still too late and one event we had hoped to attend was sold out.
My SO and I have Southwest points to use so I want to get opinions on good places to take a trip. We want to go this March and stay for a long weekend. The first places that came to mind that I've been meaning to visit were Napa Valley and Maine. But I'm very open to suggestions. We're looking for a fun place and we don't have any other specifics!
We were there for 10 days early last October and it was a madhouse. Every hotel was sold out. Thank goodness that I had planned it out months in advance, but even with that planning I was still too late and one event we had hoped to attend was sold out.
I think October is when most of the wineries have all the harvest festivals. I'm a fan of quite a few wineries on FB and they all posted pictures of the parties in October. September they aren't even harvesting yet, so from our experience it's the best time to visit. Not only was is not crowded, nothing beats the smell of grapes as you pull into the wineries.
I think October is when most of the wineries have all the harvest festivals. I'm a fan of quite a few wineries on FB and they all posted pictures of the parties in October. September they aren't even harvesting yet, so from our experience it's the best time to visit. Not only was is not crowded, nothing beats the smell of grapes as you pull into the wineries.
It depends on how the weather affects the vintage as well as the varietal of grape and the individual winemakers decision. Some years they begin pulling in the chardonnay in Carneros in late August, in 2010 it was mid-September. Generally the further upvalley the cooler it is and the later the harvest is. Most of the higher elevation Howell Mountain vineyards didn't even begin to harvest until the thrid week of October 2010--a good three weeks later than usual.
If you haven't had the opportunity, try to get someone to take you into a vineyard about a week before harvest--put a couple grapes in your mouth and chew on them, crushing the seeds between your teeth. (Spit it out, you'll get an upset stomache if you eat too many of these grapes--they aren't like table grapes.) Then do the same thing--in the same vineyard block-- as they are harvesting. You'll be able to tell that the grape got sweeter and the seeds are no longer green and bitter. It's pretty cool seeing the change in the fruit--both the brix levels in the juice and the tannins in the seeds and skin--over the space of just a week.
By the way, if you go in March before bud break, Phelps will still have the "rent-a-sheep" in the vineyards.
Location: Living near our Nation's Capitol since 2010
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If you want to stay in the US, I suggest the following as options:
1) San Antonio, TX. It is an absolutely wonderful city, warm, inviting and friendly. River walk is all that it is talked up to be. GREAT food and atmosphere and not terribly expensive. The weather in late March should be ideal.
2) Charleston, SC. Another absolutely breathtakingly beautiful city. Great restaurants, plantations, nice people, great tours. Even their cemetaries are gorgeous! Savannah would be a close alternate, fabulous!
3) Natchez and New Orleans. Close enough that you can tour by car once you get there. NO is fabulous, of course. Natchez is a lovely old Southern town.
Bon Voyage!
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