Where to travel with my mom and sister?

March 5, 2009 11:15 AM

Where should I take my mom and sister for a week of family bonding and exploring?

For my graduation gift, my family decided to give me an all-expenses paid one-week trip to anywhere. They wanted me to invite a friend, but since it's my last chance to spend time with my family before accepting a full-time job on the opposite coast (in Boston), I've decided that I want my travel companions to be my mom and my 16 year old sister.

So the question is: where to go?

Some caveats:
1) with the added expense of my other family members going (instead of JUST me), the trip has to be a little bit less expensive, especially regarding airfare. Would like to keep airfare under $400 each, although trains and cars are also options.
2) Departing from Sacramento/San Francisco area. Trip can occur any time in June or July.
3) We have Hilton Points, so would be staying at a Hilton or Doubletree somewhere (I know these are all over, so it's not an issue of WHERE rather than just pointing out that accomodations are spoken for)
4) we are into food and quaintness, with an equal mix of relaxing and exploring.
5) some ideas we were considering were Costa Rica (mine), Montreal (my mom's) and North Carolina (my sister)... but we are still exploring other options!
6) If it were completely up to me and I was traveling alone, I would go somewhere like Morocco or Istanbul, but my mom is more of a coast-of-Maine or Carmel-by-the-Sea type.


Where can three women (45, 21, and 16 years of age) go for a unique week of bonding??

posted by brynna to travel & transportation (7 comments total)

Santa Fe/Taos? Great food, beautiful scenery, multicultural history/art/etc.
posted by scody at 11:25 AM on March 5

Santa Fe is great.

Maybe Vancouver, BC? Quaintness is easily available by taking the ferry to Victoria. There is an abundance of excellent food, interesting museums, and breathtaking scenery and hiking.
posted by rtha at 11:37 AM on March 5

I like your idea of Costa Rica. The airfare might be a little more expensive but it's so cheap otherwise to travel there (food, hotels, etc) that it would probably even out. We had a family Christmas there a few years ago and it was super fun. Oh, I see you've using hotel points. Anyway, the food is really inexpensive and delicious.

Be aware, however, that although all the food I had was really good, it wasn't super "special" so if you're looking for a culinary adventure, I don't think it's your best destination. Also, not so much on the quaint-ness quotient. Montreal sounds like it would be right up your alley.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 12:00 PM on March 5

New Orleans is quaint, has a great Hilton, has LOADS to explore from historic homes to ghost tours, has AMAZING food, and needs your tourism dollars.

It isn't Costa Rica but it does have its own culture and it's truly great. It's #1 on my list of places to get to as soon as we get to have a Real Vacation in our house.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:19 PM on March 5

"Get back to" I mean. (I've been, and I truly love it so I want to take the husband as well.)
posted by DarlingBri at 2:20 PM on March 5

San Diego? Miami?
posted by mmascolino at 2:41 PM on March 5

Montreal is ok, but I loved Alberta, around Jasper. Banff and Lake Louise are very pretty as well. There are a lot of places in the inter-Mountain West that have natural springs and spas, if you're more into relaxation than exploring.
posted by wowbobwow at 3:28 PM on March 5