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Old 02-16-2009, 10:08 PM
 
144 posts, read 595,610 times
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Hi, hope some of you can help me out.

Here is the situation I am in vet med school, I have 69 classmates, we are ALL together from 8 am until 4 pm every day. I am older than most of them and they are wearing me down mentally. I REALLY NEED TO GET AWAY. Spring break is the 1st week in March. I have ONE (1) week. I want to go some where I can just be at peace. I am in Alabama.

About me, I have traveled solo many times but always moving cross country by car or going to a destination to do something not vacation like. I am a good navigator. I love the outdoors, would love to hike ( in a safe area), am an avid amateur photographer who shoots and develops black and white. (I'm breaking out the color film for this). I also like historical scenery.

What I would like, to find is some place to go that is not going to cost alot of money. Less than $500 would be nice, but I REALLY need a break so I will contemplate $1000 or less for the right place. Will let me get outdoors. I would like to do some wildlife or scenic nature photography during my week of respite. I want to find some place that I can get to with in a day if it is only 1 place where I will spend my week ( I am willing to fly for the right price/right distance) or somewhere I can drive to that won't take up all of my break just to get around.

Please help, I had a rough day then I came up with a photographic/solo road trip idea and I got sooooo excited but I can't come up with anyplace to go.

Last edited by mekia02; 02-16-2009 at 10:55 PM.. Reason: to clarify
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Old 02-16-2009, 10:11 PM
 
4,271 posts, read 15,222,212 times
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Have you ever visited Sedona, AZ? You should google it. Beautiful area just north of Phoenix (about a 3 hour drive).

Alaska's got some great outdoorsy stuff to do but I think it will cost more than $1K. (and it's probably still pretty dang cold this time of year)

Good luck on your search!
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Old 02-16-2009, 10:24 PM
 
144 posts, read 595,610 times
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My first thought was Alaska, I have always wanted to go. But I could not find any tours until May or June. Also when I go to Alaska I may need 2-3 weeks. Now that I think of it I only searched for a tour, maybe I will just see if the Parks are open and check in the Alaska forum to see how the weather is.

I will google Sedona, thanks.
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Old 02-16-2009, 10:35 PM
 
16,368 posts, read 30,102,520 times
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Some ideas:

1) You cannot afford Alaska on the budget you have noted. No matter what deal you find, you can easily blow through $1500 per week.

2) Gulf Shore, AL - closest beach destination.

3) Townsend, TN - a small town outside of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It is away from the touristy Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

4) McMinnville, TN - Fall Creek Falls State Park. A lot of great hikes and a couple of waterfalls.
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Old 02-16-2009, 10:37 PM
 
4,271 posts, read 15,222,212 times
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When I visited Alaska, I learned that a lot of locals actually head out for the winter and don't return until spring so I wouldn't be surprised if there's not much going on right now. There's also some pretty neat train rides that go from coast to coast in Canada (and within Alaska). You'll definitely have fun but since you are planning 2-3 weeks, it's definitely something you want to save up money for!

You can also go to the Arizona and Phoenix forums here and just type in "Sedona" in the search box. I know that there are some threads about the area.
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Old 02-16-2009, 11:52 PM
 
Location: Cosmic Consciousness
3,871 posts, read 17,060,517 times
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It's very expensive to get to, and stay in, Alaska from most of the lower 48.

But it's not so expensive to get to northwestern Montana with similar beautiful, snow-covered mountains (Kalispell, Whitefish), cold weather, quiet serenity, beautiful country, friendly people. If snow and mountains appeal to you, there's also Wyoming (Jackson Hole where the Grand Tetons are, or Yellowstone National Park, an amazing experience in winter). If you already have a valid passport, you might want to go to Vancouver, B.C.; even if you don't ski, going up to Whistler (Canadian Rockies) is life-changing, and Vancouver has dozens of the best (most authentic) Japanese restaurants outside of Japan.
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Old 02-17-2009, 12:32 AM
 
Location: Not where you ever lived
11,535 posts, read 30,137,217 times
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You will love Grove, OK. Its in NE OK on Grand Lake. It ha everything you want from the first Catholic Church -built before the state was organized, LenDonwood Japanese garden, Harbor Village - a recreated turn of the century town and antique museum on he shore of Grand Lake, a hot rod museum. awesome BBQ at tomcat corner, reasonable motel rates, sailing, and some great photo opportunities from the bluffs overlooking the late.

Having said this, Bernice Honey Creek State Park offers full service camping that includes lights and water. Primitive camping too. Showers, toilets and phones on premises. Also pump-out and fresh water for RV shower and loo. Very cheap. Lots of places to hike right in the park.

The world's largest multiple arch dam is at the south end of the lake around Disney. It is an awesome sight when the doors are opened to lower the lake. However, itis impossible to predict when it might happen. .

If you leave early and drive all night you'll get there in 18 hours or less. Depending upon where you are, I would shoot across 1-20 to LA and head for Shreveport. At that point I would go West to the MO side of ARK and pick up the highway that goes into 59N. This road goes through Little Kansas, Jay and into Grove, OK on the sourth side of town..

You can also pick up 1-71 in Arkansas and follow it to 412 at FAyetteville. . Go West on 412 to 59 N. The danger her is if you miss your turn you will be on the Indian Turnpike, It isn't free. The workaround is to turn N in Siloam Springs Higway 69N to the AR/MO border. and follow it to the end. You have to turn left. You will be N and West of Gravette. Turn left and follow the road. do not turn off. You'll go to Jay. When the road ends at Jay, turn right. You're 15 miles from Grove.

Both are great raods. I like the Siloam Springs thing better at night becuse there are more towns and less steep hills. They are both beautiful routes. Buy a truckers map. It has all the small county roads not on other maps. And truck stops too You will enjoy the trp because the sceneery is awesome. Grove Walmart has an terrific film developer there. Clay is a pro photog, and keeps good stock in that department.

To give you an idea of time, I drove from Shreveport to Carthage MO is about 10 hour if you don't count the time I stopped for dinner and that stuff. Carthags is NE of Grove about 74 minutes.

You can also take I-71 all the way to Anderson, MO and go the back way ito Grove, It's about 30 miles E of Grove.. I-71 is faster, but it isn't nearly as pretty a drive.

If you are interested IM me. I can give your greater detail s to where to go and how to get there, food, etc. I drove I=10 from Biloxi to Tx too. My memory is much better than my eyes when it comes to maps.

You will fall in love with Grove. There is a lot of wonderful old architechure and a Romanesque courthouse in Carthage complete with a 100 year old elevator still in use. And a hardware store that takes all day to see it all. Lots of surprises in the foothills of the Oxark Mountains. Take bottled water.

Last edited by linicx; 02-17-2009 at 12:34 AM.. Reason: edit
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Old 02-17-2009, 08:16 PM
 
144 posts, read 595,610 times
Reputation: 115
Thanks for all the ideas! I almost fell in love with Sedona after doing some research and I like the idea of going to the NW, especially in the fall maybe.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jlawrence01 View Post
Some ideas:

1) You cannot afford Alaska on the budget you have noted. No matter what deal you find, you can easily blow through $1500 per week.

2) Gulf Shore, AL - closest beach destination.

3) Townsend, TN - a small town outside of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It is away from the touristy Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

4) McMinnville, TN - Fall Creek Falls State Park. A lot of great hikes and a couple of waterfalls.
Jlawrence01 really made a lot of sense and made me think, I can explore places closer to me and likely I'll have more time and save money. I am going to the Desoto state park where they have many hiking trails and I can even hike to the nearby national forest with waterfalls, several montain overlooks, canyons and I think I will stay in a cabin.

I am so excited. I am definetly going to make a solo trip a part of my routine a few times a year.
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Old 02-17-2009, 09:43 PM
 
16,368 posts, read 30,102,520 times
Reputation: 25416
Mekia,

I have been a broke student for a number of years while my wife and I were getting through graduate schools. One thing that we NEVER gave up was the opportunity to take a trip or two. When you are in graduate school and working 2-3 part time jobs, you have to get away.

There are so many places that are relatively inexpensive and visually stunning in your neck of the woods. One place to look for these is to head down to your local library and find the local AAA magazine as they generally have great one day trips.
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Old 02-17-2009, 10:15 PM
 
Location: USA
15 posts, read 30,893 times
Reputation: 14
Go to mystic mountains of Alps or Himalayas
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