US Travel - share your favorites

[spankswife]

I always here about awesome domestic vacations, that I would never think of, for example, Smokey Mountains, Montana, renting a house in the Cape, a cabin in the woods etc.

Can we share our favorite domestic trips, and the logistics of it? I'd love to brainstorm new ideas

[CloudBee]

Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii

Boulder, CO

[winterbride1220]

northern CA, way North of Sonoma, into Mendocino County.

[winterbride1220]

oh, and Yellowstone in Winter. Heaven.

[mx27]

maui, san francisco, and new york.

places i'd love to visit: yosemite, yellowstone, and maine.

[Deleted]

New Orleans
San Fransico
San Diego

[WOT?*]

Carlsbad Caverns NM, Petrified Forest AZ in conjunction with a Grand Canyon visit. Sedona/Red Rocks/Albuquerque (Albe-quirky - lol) as alternatives.

Oregon Coast.

Ditto on Mendocino. Beautiful. Check out the Redwoods and the coast at one trip. (Shoot, at one stop if you're in the right place.)

Spanish missions trip along the Cali coast. San Luis Obispo/Paso Robles/San Juan Capistrano (not necessarily as a trip to visit all the missions but the areas surrounding them are beautiful and it would be cool to do a "targeted trip" just to say you saw them all - or just pick one or two and visit the area) The same could be said for doing a lighthouse tour along either coast.

Yosemite/Kings Canyon/Sequoia Nat'l Parks.

Big Island Hawai'i. Of the 13 climate zones in the world, Hawai'i has 11 of them (all but Saharan and Arctic.)

Barrier islands/Keys, FL (weather permitting)

[travelingjen]

Some of my favorites in the PNW that non-locals might not be aware of include the San Juan Islands (Orcas Island specifically), Walla Walla wine country (over 100 wineries you can visit), Whidbey Island (several cute historical towns), and the Oregon Coast (Cannon Beach is my favorite town). I also love Olympic National Park (you could literally spend weeks exploring all it has to offer) and Mount Rainier National Park. Vancouver Island in British Columbia also offers endless sightseeing opportunities.

Most people who come to the PNW tend to only visit Seattle, Vancouver, and Portland. While all of these cities are wonderful the best parts of the PNW are located outside the major cities!

[WOT?*]

^^^^
Ditto on what Jen said. I was coming back to mention some of those specific suggestions.

We try to do Cannon Beach at least once/year. DH wants to buy there. Kids live on Whidbey and we're there regularly (I'll be there Thursday, actually.) We've hit several resorts on the peninsula. Port Townsend is a cute town to visit. You can also check the schedule for the tall ships that are generally stationed at Grays Harbor/Aberdeen as they travel the coast and you can go on a "tall ship" adventure as something not everyone gets to do. There is also winetasting in Woodinville (Chateau Ste. Michelle and some other labels as well as several hundred microwineries).

In addition to Vancouver, BC there is also Victoria, BC with its gardens and mansions.

[marytini]

Yellowstone is my favorite place on Earth. I actually have yet to go to the Tetons, but those 2 parks would make a nice trip. When we went to Yellowstone (as a vacation, after I moved away) we flew in to Bozeman and stayed in town there. We rented a car and made day trips around the area, including Yellowstone. The Paradise Valley is also beautiful. I have also camped in Yellowstone, but never stayed in one of their hotels. I would like to do that someday, or rent a house outside of the park for a week.

We also loved our trip to the BI of Hawaii. Absolutely beautiful. The landscape changes practically every time you turn a corner. Interestingly, I thought the landscape around Waimea area reminded me of Montana. We loved that it was so laid back there.

[MissusTexas]

Alaska! Fly/cruise/road trip to anchorage, rent a car and drive the Kenai peninsula, take a cruise out of Seward to see whales, then on another day drive to Denali National Park via Talkeetna. Breathtakingly beautiful everywhere!

[shorty20]

Deep Creek Lake, MD

Cape May, NJ

Long Boat Key, FL

Chincoteague/Assateague, VA

Gettysburg, PA

[Deleted]

San Francisco

Williamsburg

[mdgirl]

Napa/Sonoma - The logistics are figuring out which airport to use and getting up there, and figuring out which wineries to visit. It's just so indulgent, relaxing and beautiful and you can be as active or lazy as you want and still enjoy yourself.

Vegas - It helps that my husband can count cards and we usually end up winning enough to pay for the trip! We also like to rent a car and go hiking one day, and we never stay more than 3 days so it doesn't get too tiring. We had to take a break, though, because we were there 3 times in less than a year (plus my husband was there another time without me in that timeframe) and we got a little burnt out on it. But we're going back for Halloween this year.
ETA: It's also a great place to have reunions with friends who live all over the place since there are so many flights there.

Hawaii - Amazing for all the obvious reasons, plus it's just such a unique and interesting American subculture. Different holidays and traditions are the norm -- it can be like going to a different country.

[Susie]

We just got back from the Grand Canyon. It was too hot to do some of the longer hikes that I'd have liked to do, but it was beautiful.

[catsarecute]

I haven't really been on any "off the beaten path" vacations in the US although I would love to.

Washington D.C. has so many amazing things to offer. We were only there three days last summer but wanted to stay longer. We loved it there.

San Francisco Bay Area: Not just the city itself, but Berkeley down to Half Moon Bay. I feel blessed to live just a 90 minute drive away.

Hawaii: A little something for everyone, I think. I don't understand people who have no interest in going to Hawaii, except if they just aren't beach/ocean people. Hawaii is gorgeous.

[preppy]

Coronado, CA
Key West, FL
Block Island, RI
Bar Harbor, ME

[ILikeSloths]

This post is making me realize that I've actually traveled abroad more than in the U.S.

Places I've been that stand out:
Savannah, GA
Washington D.C.
Driving through the mountains in NC is beautiful

Places on my list that I'd love to visit:
Alaska
Yellowstone
Grand Canyon
Charleston, SC
San Francisco

[magdala9]

Jun 26, 2012 14:49:37 GMT -5 spankswife said:

Can we share our favorite domestic trips, and the logistics of it? I'd love to brainstorm new ideas

I honeymooned on the Big Island of Hawaii. We spent two weeks north of Kona at the Fairmont Orchid. We are saving up to go back one anniversary. I did not want to leave. The food (Hilo Bay Cafe, Tako Taco, sushi rocks!, and Thai Orchid) was amazing. The observatory at Mauna Kea was a personal favorite. The stars were like diamonds just out of reach.

DH & I spent a week in the Denver area. We spent two days in Boulder. I loved Boulder for its great restaurants and this city park that was actually more rock climbing than walking.

I had to go for Shepherdstown, WV for work and spent an extra few days (long weekend) canoeing and hiking in the area. It was a gorgeous place to spend a spring weekend. Great antiquing and great restaurants.

I also loved Fort Worth Tx. I had a month long project for work and spent the weekends exploring fabulous museums, taking in a game in Arlington, enjoying the zoo, great shopping, and having fabulous Tex-Mex food. Our hotel was near the zoo and you walked out at 7 to go to work and the lions were roaring for their breakfast.

[magdala9]

Jun 26, 2012 14:49:37 GMT -5 spankswife said:

Can we share our favorite domestic trips, and the logistics of it? I'd love to brainstorm new ideas

I honeymooned on the Big Island of Hawaii. We spent two weeks north of Kona at the Fairmont Orchid. We are saving up to go back one anniversary. I did not want to leave. The food (Hilo Bay Cafe, Tako Taco, sushi rocks!, and Thai Orchid) was amazing. The observatory at Mauna Kea was a personal favorite. The stars were like diamonds just out of reach.

DH & I spent a week in the Denver area. We spent two days in Boulder. I loved Boulder for its great restaurants and this city park that was actually more rock climbing than walking.

I had to go for Shepherdstown, WV for work and spent an extra few days (long weekend) canoeing and hiking in the area. It was a gorgeous place to spend a spring weekend. Great antiquing and great restaurants.

I also loved Fort Worth Tx. I had a month long project for work and spent the weekends exploring fabulous museums, taking in a game in Arlington, enjoying the zoo, great shopping, and having fabulous Tex-Mex food. Our hotel was near the zoo and you walked out at 7 to go to work and the lions were roaring for their breakfast.

[SJ]

I have a love affair with the US National Parks. We visited MANY as children and they are just wonderful.

DH & I spoil ourselves with international travel, but when we have kids we really want to make it a focus to explore the US and show them this country.

I love Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, Yosemite, Grand Canyon. East Coast in the fall. And on and on.....

[miss1180]

love all of the national parks. as a teenager, my parents took my sister and i our west a couple times. we did yellowstone, grand tetons, bryce canyon, badlands, zion, mt. rushmore, mesa verde... all very cool and i still remember those as some of the best trips i've been on.

about 3 years ago, DH and i did a CA road trip- 10 days driving from san francisco down to san diego. we stopped in santa barbra, hearst castle, muir woods, huntington beach, LA, etc. loved the views from the PCH.

we also just got back from another road trip in washington/oregon. 10 days- we saw north cascades national park. the columbia river gorge, olympic national park, mt. rainier, and then ended with 3 nights in seattle. again, some of the most amazing natural sights i've ever seen!

[Deleted]

Rent a cabin in the north Georgia mountains
Stay at a country Inn in Vermont and drive around to see all the old covered bridges
Alaska-- Anchorage, Denali, Kenai Peninsula