Where should we go on vacation?

December 29, 2009 12:49 PM

We (girlfriend and I, ages 24 and 26, respectively) are looking to go on vacation late this spring (around May, though we could change the timeframe if there were specific events to go see) and would like suggestions. We would like to spend no more than $4000 on this trip but can swing $5000. If we were to travel later, after we receive our bonuses at the end of May, we could spend $6000, but really would prefer not to. We can both take up to three weeks off from work, though we are thinking 10-14 days is plenty long enough. We will be leaving from NYC, so any local airports will do in terms of departure, but where should we go?

We both love photography, so a place with a mix of city (architecture) and nature/countryside would be great. We're interested in history and local culture, and would be visiting local museums and tourist attractions. We're up for moderate discomfort--all day walking or biking trips and tiny hotel rooms are fine, but we're not interested in hiking through mountains, camping, or dorm-style hostels. We would like at least, a private bedroom and bathroom wherever we go, but understand we will have to pay more for that luxury.

We're not interested in a relaxing vacation on a beach, cruise or tour (we'd actually like to SEE the places we are visiting!). We're not interested in shopping or clubbing. She's a vegetarian (well, pescatarian), and I'm just a picky eater, but we're willing to suck it up for an otherwise awesome vacation.

posted by Brian Puccio to Travel & Transportation (22 answers total)

Do you have any preference as between the US, Europe, etc.?
posted by Jaltcoh at 12:52 PM on December 29, 2009

I travelled to Costa Rica last year for about that price and duration. Even if you don't go there, I highly recommend the group I used: GAP adventures. They have a variety of trips to suit your style and budget. Plus you tour with a local guide who can translate, find cool spots, and explain cultural phenomena.

My girlfriend just suggested Florence for photos.
posted by Popular Ethics at 1:06 PM on December 29, 2009

If I had that amount of time and money, I would go to either Spain or Italy. Two weeks is a good amount of time to visit two cities and spend a few days in the countryside as well. I would estimate around $2000 in travel costs (flights for 2 people, plus train fare or rental car between cities) which leaves you $2000 for hotels, food, and other expenses.

A little more info might help- as to where you've been before, are you leaning towards Europe or the Americas, do you want somewhere English speaking, are you planning to rent a car or do you want to avoid that, etc...
posted by emd3737 at 1:07 PM on December 29, 2009

My girlfriend and I went to lovely Barcelona in October and had an amazing time. I cannot recommend it more, the food is stunning and since it is seaside the seafood there is incredible. There are plenty of places to venture outside the city if you wish, and Madrid (and many other locations of course) are only a short, fast trainride away. With the internet, copious planning, and some luck, we actually managed to fly into Madrid, train to Barcelona, stay in a nice 4 star hotel for 6 nights, train back to Madrid, stay in a 5 star airport hotel, and fly back all for $1000 dollars each. This included a ridiculous plane fare which you normally couldn't find, but still, that was all hotel, metro, train, plane, food, alcohol, museum, bus, etc, etc, etc everything! If you spend a lot of time seeking out the best deals and use sites like Hotwire and Priceline along with sites like biddingfortravel and betterbidding you can save a ton on your hotel stay. $4000 dollars should be PLENTY for a trip like this if you're smart about how you spend your money (and don't pay full price on your hotel! You don't have to skimp on quality to get a good deal!)

I'd never thought much about Spain either way before going but it was beautiful, the people were friendly, the architecture was stunning, the food was AMAZING, the wine was tasty, I could go on and on. Barcelona struck us as a wonderful mix of old Europe with modern comforts (the Metro is so fast and so clean!). I'd also say it seemed to be one of the most "authentic" places we'd visited. The ratio of local businesses to chain stores was far better than other cities we've been to.

We didn't want to leave. I want to go back.
posted by haveanicesummer at 1:12 PM on December 29, 2009 [3 favorites]

do you want somewhere English speaking

It'd also be useful to know if either of you has any ability to speak languages other than English. Even if it's just, say, dimly remembered French from high school, that could be a factor.
posted by Jaltcoh at 1:14 PM on December 29, 2009

Response by poster: We can go anywhere, really. Safe would be nice. Europe, Americas, Asia, Africa, Australia looks to be expensive by the time we fly all the way there, so maybe some other time when we have more money.

We're OK picking up a phrase book, though she knows some French and I've got four years of not so well remembered Spanish under my belt, plus a tiny bit of German that I could brush up on (thanks to my family being fluent) before we left.

She's been to France (as a student twice) and Italy, I was in the northern end of Germany once as a very young child and spent two weeks in Hawaii three years ago.

We could rent a car, but I think to keep things simple (and cheaper probably) mass transit is preferred.

Thanks again for all the answer so far.
posted by Brian Puccio at 1:23 PM on December 29, 2009

Don't know how much you've traveled in the US, but you could easily do a trip to San Francisco and the California coast for that price. Lots of cool nature stuff to see both north and south of San Francisco, and then you have the city for all of your urban hankerings. I would just recommend staying in bed and breakfasts, and just traveling into the city when you want, to save money.

As far as places to visit, Point Reyes, Napa/Sonoma, Santa Cruz, and Monterey all have great stuff to see. :-)
posted by Allenthar at 1:27 PM on December 29, 2009

I don't think you need more than $4k to have a decent trip to Europe., especially since you'll be flying out of New York. Apply for your passports now, even if you are just going to Canada or Mexico.

4K and 14 days will take you to two or three European cities with some countryside in between. You probably don't want a tour that dictates every day for two weeks, but a single day tour that explores one city on your first day in that city can be valuable. It gives you your bearings, gives you a nice historic overview and can even bring you out to that one sight that is miles out of town and hard to get to on public transport.

My suggestions:
Berlin, Dresden, Prague
Brussels, Amsterdam, The Hague
London, Paris
Sorrento, Rome, Florence
Munich, Vienna, Budapest
Barcelona, Madrid, Granada
Barcelona, Marseille, Turin
posted by soelo at 1:36 PM on December 29, 2009 [1 favorite]

Rome, Florence, Venice. Spend only 2-3 days in Venice, 3-5 in Florence and the rest in Rome. Rome is huge and packed with things to do and see. Excellent food too.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 1:54 PM on December 29, 2009

Go to Venice before it sinks into the lagoon. Stay here.
posted by Joleta at 1:57 PM on December 29, 2009

I spent about 5 years in Bavaria as a kid, and we vacationed around there and near Salzburg. I have to highly recommend that area as ideal for taking pictures. It is so beautiful.

That said, I really think you should explore the US. With your budget and timeline you could really have your pick of destinations (except maybe Hawaii). The islands off the coast of the Southern US are supposed to be really lovely, the California coast is breathtaking, and there are a thousand stops in between.

I highly recommend that you go to Yellowstone. You don't have to camp, there are a couple of really nice lodges, and there are also private cabins. May or June won't be too busy, and you can try to time your visit to see (and photograph) the wildflowers blooming. You may even see baby animals. You can hike if you want, or you can just relax and take in the sights. The Grand Teton National Park is pretty close, and if you want a little more nightlife you can visit Jackson Hole, Wyoming. You will need a rental car, and other than the lodges there isn't much by way of architecture.
posted by TooFewShoes at 2:16 PM on December 29, 2009

I'd recommend going Greek island hopping. This book is full of detailed schedules of ferries, reviews of the islands, with their attractions and amenities, suggested itineraries, and so on. It's dead easy to fly to Athens, spend a day looking at the sites, then hop on ferries from island to island until you get back. You don't need to plan it all out in advance, which provides a wonderful sense of adventure, and you'll see a lot. I had a wonderful vacation that way.

Berlin, believe it or not, is probably second place in my "best vacations ever" sweepstakes, especially if you're a modern history buff.
posted by Clambone at 2:25 PM on December 29, 2009 [1 favorite]

I'll suggest: rent a car in Vienna and drive through Moravia (Google map). Stop in Valtice, Lednice, Mikulov, Znojmo, Moravský Krumlov, Telč — beautiful towns and castles and fairy-tale landscapes in-between. Then skip up through Brno to Prague and the architecture there. I've done it as far as Telč on a bicycle which I remember taking about 2 weeks — there's a greenway that isn't all drivable.

Vegetarianism might not be easy there — the local diet is mostly pork and beef with dumplings and cabbage. I had to explain the whole salad concept.
posted by nicwolff at 2:59 PM on December 29, 2009

Forget Europe in the summer - your money will evaporate.

Instead, use your Spanish - which will come back fast when you're there - and do the central heartland of Mexico, in a circle from Mexico City. Head northwest to Morelia and Guadalajara, then east to Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende, looping back to Mexico City at the end. You'll be under $1000 for both of you for airfare, the weather will be mostly tolerable due to the high altitude, and you'll travel by awesome long-distance buses, which are more comfortable than anything we've got in the States.

For a shorter/cheaper trip, stay in Mexico City for six-seven days and do side-trips for a few days to Puebla, Cuernavaca, and Taxco. The Moon guide was our main assistant - we saw a live lucha libre match, visited Frida's house in Coyoacán, went to Teotihucán, visited heaps of museums, had a whole building of Diego Rivera murals to ourselves (look inside the Ministry of Education!), and ate like kings for comparatively little - a ten day trip came to around $2500.

We stayed here, which was great, included delicious breakfasts, and we had a huge bathtub in our room - and just $45 a night!

And best of all - no jet lag, so no lost days! Central Mexico is on the same time as Chicago.
posted by mdonley at 3:54 PM on December 29, 2009 [1 favorite]

Cuba! I'm assuming you're both US citizens travelling on US passports but it is still possible to get there. You'll need visas (cant help on that one, i'm British) fly in and out from Mexico, the Cubans will not stamp your passport. Was there for 4 weeks in '07, the whole country is a photographers dream. Do some research into it, it's a good one. Viva la revolucion!
posted by thesunumbrella at 4:55 PM on December 29, 2009

I think you could have a lovely and exciting vacation visiting Spain and Morocco, and maybe Portugal. Visit Barcelona (architecture, culture), two other cities in Spain, take a three-day walking/biking trip (more below), and take the fast ferry to Morocco which will be an absolute change of pace and scenery. These are all pescaterian-friendly places. I recommend Spain because I think everyone should have the opportunity to fumble around in a language they spent years learning. It's fun!

You mentioned countryside and all-day-walking so I would be remiss if I did not recommend walking a few days of the Camino de Santiago. It's an ancient pilgrimage route to the city Santiago de Compostela in Northern Spain, where St. James is said to be buried and the site of a dark and quirky cathedral. But it's also a crazy and delightful experience with people (majority non-religious) from around the world. If you speak bits of Spanish, French, German, and Italian, I think you will have a very entertaining time communicating with your fellow travelers. As a bonus, 2010 is a holy year and if you make it to Santiago with at least 100 km or 200 km biked, you'll get a full indulgence from the Church pardoning all your sins, which is a pretty awesome piece of paper to have.

Camino routes pass through many major cities in Spain such as Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, Sevilla, and Salamanca. Santiago is in the province of Galicia which is the northwestern bit of Spain with a lot of cool Celtic influence. I would recommend choosing one of those cities and spending around 3 days walking to or from it. I stayed in pilgrim hostels, but many towns had hotels. I can offer specific suggestions if I know more about your interests and what kind of terrain you like, PM me (anyone else, too). This is a great way to see some luscious countryside and a few villages that are absolutely untouristed but plainly marvelous.

I also think the ideas to stay in the US or see Mexico are good. Or maybe South America, but I've never been. Have fun!
posted by acidic at 5:23 PM on December 29, 2009 [1 favorite]

there's always new orleans jazz & heritage festival. two weekends of music with somewhere around 11 stages doing simultaneous live performances from 11am until around 8pm. the first weekend conflicts with Festival International de Louisiane, which is nowhere as big as jazz fest, but is one fine francophile festival w/lots of local color & culture. you can always take a side trip to the swamps to see the gators, and dine at a world-renown restaurant that evening.
posted by msconduct at 5:26 PM on December 29, 2009

I did a great trip to Paris plus a road-trip through the Loire valley, then down to Cognac, then cutting back across the Perigord region to Paris. This was a number of years ago, and I don't recall quite how much the trip cost, but I think you could do something like that within the range you specify.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 8:26 PM on December 29, 2009

If you dive go to the Mayan Rivera. You can fly into Cancun fairly inexpensively. Rent a car in Cancun and stay in Playa del Carmen. There is a least a week and a half worth of stuff to do there. Night life, Coba, Cenote Diving on Cozamel, etc. Then fly to Belize. Spend the next week and a half there. Phenomenal diving, great culture.
posted by Mr_Zero at 8:33 PM on December 29, 2009

Europe is great. But you sound like an adventurous sort, so I'll go a bit further afield and suggest a trip to Laos. Plane tickets are on the pricey side, but once you're there the (quite decent) hotels, food, and local transport (bicycle, dirt bike, bus, taxi) will be very cheap. Center your trip around Luang Prabang, not Vientiane. Watch the saffron-clad monks processing through the streets every morning at dawn receiving alms of rice from their shopkeeper neighbors. Bicycle around the city to see the dozens of gilded temples and chat with the teenage monks trying to learn English. Hire a long boat to take you on trips along the Mekong river to ancient holy sites, or venture out into the countryside to visit Hmong and Yao and Akha hill tribes and haggle for hand-woven textiles or sample the local rice whiskey. Take public transit up to the north country and ride through the thatched villages of the mist-wreathed mountains hanging off the back bumper of a fancied-up pickup truck with benches and a roof. I went there as an American fluent in nothing but English and stuck with severe food allergies. Everyone is really friendly and willing to work with you even if you have no common language. Learning a few phrases like "no meat" in Laotian isn't too hard. If you want to extend the trip, Hanoi and Bangkok are both wonderful cities and excellent places to take oodles of photos. There aren't so many places left that can make you feel like a visitor in a genuinely different world - it's worth it to go find them when you can.
posted by unsub at 9:02 PM on December 29, 2009 [1 favorite]

I'll add to unsub. Europe will always be there. Tourism is such a huge source of its economy, you'll have many chances to go. As nice as Europe can be too, I felt it was "too easy" -- hard to get lost in, and felt like a really big Disneyland. A really nice one, but just a really big one.

That being said, if you could swing a good airfare deal, Southeast Asia would be perfect to go at that point. Bangkok, Cambodia, Laos, Hong Kong, China -- etc. are all pretty cheap. You can go quickly from nature to urban to beach resort (Phuket type place) and you might even want to lengthen your trip to do it.

If you want photo shots/history Siam Reap is an absolute underappreciated gem of architecture -- putting some curvy Gaudi buildings to shame. The food is excellent (lots of vegetarian options) and cheap in most of these places and the people tend to incredibly warm and friendly -- especially in Thailand.

It's good you guys are young as it you can hike and walk in lots of these countries. Hopping between these countries is not that expensive -- if you can get there for about $1200 return or so. We used Bangkok Airways (they have a great country hopper thing) and Jetstar for low cost flights between the countries I mentioned. Bangkok Airways has a 4-flight thing for $270 and it was one of the best run airlines I've ever taken.

And, it's THE TRIP to do when you guys are young. To go hiking near Chiang Mai, getting into all the temples at Siam Reap, battling the heat, the crowds -- it's not something easier to do when older. ......more anti-Europe.....but I took my Mom there a couple months ago and I felt she had the same appreciation for it I did -- Big Cathedral, nice art, voice guided self held microphone tour, etc. That's a good thing I guess.....but we saw lots fewer older people on our Asia trip.
posted by skepticallypleased at 9:56 PM on December 29, 2009

Have you guys considered India? The flights won't be cheap but it's one hell of a place (and I admit, I'm biased) especially from a history/culture point of view. The rupee isn't doing so well against the dollar right now so you should be able to get decent accomodations for cheap, and either North or South India is reasonably doable in two weeks. Food won't be a problem, either- for religious/cultural reasons, a good chunk of the population is vegetarian.
posted by Tamanna at 7:25 AM on December 30, 2009