My mom is visiting for two weeks which means DH and I could potentially go away for a weekend without kids. I'd love to just drive somewhere but we're in Atlanta so anywhere drive-able is going to be hot as hell. I'm ok with flying if it's not crazy expensive. So where would you go the last weekend in July? I've been trying to look up fun festivals but I'm not really finding much.
Driving: Highlands, NC (10-15 degrees cooler than Atlanta, only 2.5 hour drive!) Flying: I love Portland, Maine! It's not a bad flight, and obviously much cooler weather.
If you are flying, definitely Maine! It's so beautiful and fun and relaxing and breezy. The water is frozen in July, but I'm a tough canadian and get in anyway.
Post by urbancowgirl on May 4, 2016 10:50:46 GMT -5
New England! It's so amazing that time of year. DH's family is from Vermont so that's where we typically go, but we've also vacationed in Maine and the Connecticut coast.
We did this trip a few years ago, end of July. It was awesome. SF does not get that hot in the summer (it was mid 70s while we were there). Carmel and Big Sur (both fantastically beautiful) were even cooler, around high 60s. Napa was hotter - around 90 - but....wine.
Someone else had also mentioned the Smokies and we did that trip in July two years ago. In the lower elevations, it did get kind of muggy and like high 80s, but further up in the mountains, it cooled off nicely. Beautiful national park, especially if you like hiking.
ETA: While California can be pricey, I think you can make it more affordable. We did a ton of hiking in Carmel and Big Sur, and that made that portion of the trip a lot more affordable. For just a weekend away, you could just focus on one of these cities (either SF or Carmel or wine country).
I will also say that the Smokies was probably the cheapest vacation we ever took! Got a great deal on a cabin through VRBO, this national park is free, and we spent all our time outdoors exploring.
Is NYC miserable that time of year? I've never been.
If it's humid you won't like it, if it's nice you'll love it. NYC is great in the summer. A lot of people leave for the weekends, so the city isn't as congested.