<p>Looking for a fun place to visit between Sept. 15 and Nov 15th (not flexible with the time.) It needs to be in the continental US and we can stay for 5 days. We live in New England, so something in another part of the country is appealing. Have been to NY, Philadelphia, LA, San Francisco, Napa Valley, Sedona, and DC in the last three years. Looking for something that would involve more activity than not–hiking, biking, touring interesting sights, visiting museums, art galleries–all that would be fine. Have a decent budget; no need to go low-end. (H won trip as a prize.)</p>
<p>I think this sounds fun.
[Outdoor</a> Odysseys-Sea Kayaking & Whale Watching in the San Juan Islands](<a href=“http://www.outdoorodysseys.com/]Outdoor”>http://www.outdoorodysseys.com/)</p>
<p>San Diego - good weather, lots of activities, sightseeing, beach, resort hotels (and regular hotels), etc.</p>
<p>How about Charleston, Savannah or Ashville, NC? Or San Antonio? So many fun places- lucky you!</p>
<p>Sounds like you’d like a lot of outdoor activities - agree with GGD that San Diego would give you everything you’re looking for. Biking is a way of life out there, tons of beaches and hiking areas, tour the USS Midway, visit the 17 museums and 18 gardens in Balboa Park (not to mention the zoo), try surfing, tour the La Jolla galleries, etc.</p>
<p>If you haven’t been to the northwest, Seattle or Portland would be good options too.</p>
<p>I agree with Asheville. With only five days total, going to the west coast from new England will gobble up a chunk of your time.</p>
<p>What about Nashville?</p>
<p>Asheville plus a drive (and/or bicycle ride) on the Blue Ridge Parkway. If you time it right the leaves will be beautiful. Don’t ask me exactly when that is… :D</p>
<p>Asheville would be nice. Also, the Outer Banks, New Bern area. Annapolis, the Eastern Shore of Maryland . Savannah and Charleston are quite nice. Oh no, so many possibilities! Have fun wherever you go.</p>
<p>We went to the Columbia River Gorge area of Oregon this summer for hiking, biking and white water rafting and LOVED it. We spent a couple of days on the Oregon coast, and a couple of days in Portland, and we enjoyed the entire trip. There are tons of outdoor activities around Portland.</p>
<p>Chicago? Stay in the magnificent mile area right on the lake, where you can rent bicycles etc. and take in all the museums, theaters, restaurants, architectural tours (including one from the lake). Great shopping, wonderful restaurants…and so many museums all within walking distance of one another.</p>
<p>^^ I was in Chicago once around Thanksgiving and it was miserably cold and dreary. I can’t see why anyone would go there purposely for a vacation at that time of year. If anyone’s considering it then Sept is better than Nov for Chicago unless they enjoy miserable weather.</p>
<p>No offense to Chicagoans intended - just the way it is there.</p>
<p>I thought the OP said they could go between Sept. 15th and Nov. 15th? Have only been to Chicago twice but loved both visits.</p>
<p>Fly to Portland, tour the cool city and bike, hang out downtown for a day, drive to the Dalles, windsurf, find a whitewater tour or whatever you like, either head out to the mountains for camping or speed up to Seattle for a couple of days. Search former threads on CC for good ideas about where to spend time in these areas.
Most of all, relax and have fun!</p>
<p>Spent our anniversary weekend in Asheville this summer. Beautiful. With 5 days you can go to Hendersonville and ther are lots of day hikes around the area.</p>
<p>I would go to New Mexico, Santa Fe, Taos…in the fall for the light and the activities.</p>
<p>How about Skyline Drive in Virginia and some of the caverns around there like Luray? I like western New York, too. You could do Niagara Falls and the Finger Lakes…wine tasting cycling through Letchworth State Park. I would stay in the eastern U.S. otherwise you travel two of your five days.</p>
<p>Sign up with a tour company doing something fun and outside in a place you want to go. One outfitter is here: thhttp://<a href=“http://www.rei.com/adventures/trips/namer/namerreg.html”>www.rei.com/adventures/trips/namer/namerreg.html</a> But there are others, Sierra Club, and many others. There are some shorter trips. Add on as interested in the area. </p>
<p>Colorado might be good. Rocky Mountain National Park is very pretty as are so many places in the Colorado Rockies. YMCA of the Rockies is a great place with many outdoor activities and you can stay in luxury or go basic. Or, go to Boulder, stay at Chautaqua, do hike right out the door, and explore the area</p>
<p>Agree that east coast might be best because of travel time involved in going somewhere out west. </p>
<p>What’s there to see/do at Skyline Drive? Asheville? Savannah? H. is a foodie–so any place with good food experiences is a plus.</p>
<p>Also in New Mexico is the International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, early October in Albuquerque. Hundreds of hot air balloons. Weather is great. Best Mexican food in the country. Also Santa Fe, Taos as previously mentioned.</p>
<p>Asheville has Biltmore. Savannah is just a neat town, as is Charleston. History, shopping,antiques,good food ,etc. Beaches nearby.</p>