Pages

Monday, January 25, 2010

Dear God, Make Me a Bird...

Jim and I are going to fly far, far away from here.

Well, we're dreaming up a vacation. We haven't decided where to go. We're open to suggestions on the location of our little va-cay later this year.

Some guidelines:

Though we'd both hop a jet to another country in a second, this is going to be a domestic trip. I suppose Canada is a possibility...but not likely... sorry Canada. And, I'm dying to take the girls to PEI someday- so I think I can hold off on the land of the maple leaf until then.

We will be gone for about a week.

We are of course going sans children.

We're going to fly.

We would like to have a balance of scenic open space and beauty, and a major city. (See? It's getting tougher.)

We want a place that is historical, and culturally rich. (We don't want to go lay on a beach for 7 days- and cruises and the like are absolutely out.)

We don't want to go anywhere that is over-commercialized.

We're kicking around a few ideas. Right now Boston and DC are big contenders. We'd love to visit National Parks, see the Grand Canyon etc, but those are investments we'd rather make with our children there to enjoy it with us.

A week at The Smithsonian sounds amazing. Or The Met. But I don't want to go to NYC with only a week to spare. I know Jim and I would both love exploring Boston- which has a great balance of history and art and so much more... But would we have time to visit Concord? Let me rephrase...would Jim put up with a mandatory trip to Concord to see Orchard House and to sit by Walden Pond? (Putting some lifelong dreams out there for the Internets to see).

We're undecided. And open to suggestions.

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Chicago is great. The art museum, natural history museum and aquaium are very close together and are excelent. Lots to do and see!

Tara. said...

San Diego. I love it there. The weather is perfect, too. Not too hot. Not too cold. The ocean and lots of sightseeing, too. Sea World, The Zoo. Disneyland isn't too far away (you can take a train).

I also adore Chicago like Lara suggested above!

Megan O. said...

I was totally thinking Boston before you mentioned it. Its one of my favorite places we've been-especially because we went in the fall. And its so close to lots of other great places--Vermont, Maine, etc. I definitely want to go back sometime and spend more time there.

Lissa said...

Jesse suggests Portland, OR. He went there years ago and loved it. The coast, Seattle, mountains, music, art, are all close or not to far away. You'll get "culture" out the whazoo.

It's somewhere I've always wanted to go...when he came home from Portland, the pics and stories he told me enticed me to pick and move there right then. (this was before kids and had no inhibitions, oh how I long for those days sometimes.) So if you end up going there, can I hide in your suitcase?

~B said...

We went to Oregon 13 years ago and we loved it. We just bummed around--it was peaceful and incredible. ~B

anne said...

hmmm...I'd do Portland or Seattle.

but BOSTON...ugh...or even Baltimore, MD....soo many choices.

All I say is, maybe make a trip where you can swing by good ole' Kentucky. :)

Chicago is a WONDERFUL choice if you guys have not spent tons of time there..it is my FAVORITE! I can tell you all sorts of wonderful places to go...although if you are going in the next 3 months I'd wait...too cold still :)

Rachel said...

What about Charleston? Really charming, romantic, historic, and it has a beach if you wanted to do that for just a day.

Jenn Boerger said...

Have you ever heard of the Black Hills? I hear they're beautiful any time of year. You probably really don't need to fly, but I suppose you could charter a plane if it made you feel better. Just a thought. ;)

If that doesn't make the cut, then I'm in the Seattle pool - the ocean, mountains, big city, and yet I've never been there (but it's on my list). I can see your draw to the east coast, but I can also see you making a family trip there in the future as well to soak up the history and sites with the kids. Hmmm. Either way, I know you'll have a blast!

Natalie said...

I say DO NYC! A week will give you lots of time to look around and of course will make you want to go back. We only did A DAY and we got to see SO VERY MUCH and loved every minute. Next time we go we'll take a week in SoHo alone, or maybe just move there because it was that spectacular.

Jamie said...

How about San Antonio? The 7 largest city with quaint little towns nestled in the hill country! Lots to see and do and places to get away from it all as well! And NO SNOW!