DH and I are in desparate need of some alone time away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
We've got a lot going on in the next few months, but November will be our 2 year anniversary, and we're thinking of going away for a bit.
We don't want to spend anymore than about $600-700 on the trip, so we need to keep it pretty local.
We've done Baltimore/D.C. to death, and can't stand Philadelphia.
Any other thoughts on fun places to go? We're not really "clubbers" or anything like that, but we like doing activities, museums, biking trails, etc.
Re: Help Me Brainstorm? Re: Travel
My family lives near Pittsburgh, so we already spend a lot of time out that way.
What exactly IS there in Deep Creek? I hear a lot of people go there but no clue what's there to do.
I agree with pp on the finger lakes. another possibility is check out travelzoo.com or other websites for that for great deals on different trips!
DH's grandparents used to live in the deep creek lake area- I know they do a lot of boating/water skiing type things, and there are a lot of gorgeous nature trails and mountain hikes, if that is the kind of thing you like. When DH gets home today I'll ask him what else is there and let you know
I feel like I recommend this trip alot, but we LOVED our trip to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and talk often about going back. You can rent your own cabin w/ fireplace, pool table, hot tub, jacuzzi, etc. for a pretty decent price and around that time of the year would be beautiful!!! We went in late October and the mountains were spectacular! It is about a 9-10 hr. drive, but it's easy, pretty much on 81 the whole way. You could definitely do a 3 (maybe 4) night trip with your budget. We booked through Sunset Cottage rentals and I highly recommend them, very easy process.
This is the cabin we rented and I see the price per night has come down since we were there in '06...it looks like they're offering some specials in Nov. too:
http://rentals.sunsetcottage.com/rns/search/propertydetail.aspx?ID=51
You ladies are awesome
I sent your ideas onto DH, and found a few of my own:
Berkley Springs, WV
Alexandria/Mt. Vernon, VA
Jamestown/Williamsburg, VA
I also highly recommend the Finger Lakes. We go almost every year for a long weekend and we always hike some new trails. We usually stay in a B&B but there are cabin rentals too.
http://www.nysparks.state.ny.us/regions/finger_lakes.asp
The Smokies are really pretty too. MIL lives down there and I never mind going to visit because it is so pretty. If you go earlier in the fall Maine is really nice. We rented a cabin on Mt Desert Island a few years ago and had a really good time.
I also enjoy Boston, Newport, RI, Niagara Falls/Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Toronto.
I agree with PP. We just returned from the Smoky Mountains on Saturday and we really enjoyed. The cabin was a great deal and there are so many of them. We rented from vrbo.com
The same goes for the Finger Lakes. We have also rented a house while there and go back almost every year. Letchworth (sp?) State Park is really nice and nearby. Watkins Glen is also really nice. We ususally stay near Hammondsport.
Enjoy the planning!!
Alexandria, VA is a great town especially Old Town. I had a friend who lived there for a while and I actually almost moved there before meeting DH. My parents just went to Mt. Vernon in May and had a great time too.
I've also heard great things about the Finger Lakes during that time of year since my boss goes there periodically and I want to go sometime as well.
Alexandria, VA is a very nice area. We've had fun going there. You also might like Annapolis, MD.
I really like Virginia though for a little trip, such as the Williamsburg area or Charlottesville and go on a wine tour.
Thanks gals!
I think we're going to pass on the Finger Lakes (we don't do wine, and it seems like most of their stuff revolves around wine), and the Smokey Mountains (9-10 hour drive is going to leave us cranky and irritated when we arrive, so we're thinking keep it closer to home to make it more relaxing this time around).
We're going to keep them both in mind for future trips, but since we're kind of trying to just throw this one together, and only go for a few days in a limited budget, I think we're going to go with a weekend in Berkley Springs, WV.
They have a bunch of spas that are based around the mineral baths in the area, and DH has even agreed to have a massage and a mineral bath. LOL They also have some beautiful hiking trails, and a little town with a one-movie-depression-era movie theater, and tourist-y shops as well.
They have a weekend package deal at one of the hotel+spa locations, it's only 130 miles from home, and it'll give us a few days of quiet away from home without breaking the bank.
So I think that's the plan for November -- and we'll be keeping the other ideas in mind for next year!