Flight money to spend, where to go?
January 20, 2019 5:48 PM Subscribe
I have $211 to spend with Southwest by April 11. It is usable in my name only. I welcome any outside ideas, as I am fresh out! Details and mitigating factors inside.
I would be flying out of Portland, OR, and it would need to be over a long weekend, or during spring break (first week of April.) I could travel solo or with my 14 year old son. In the last few years we have been to Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, Disneyland, Victoria BC, Vancouver BC and the Grand Canyon/Sedona. I am not opposed to revisiting these locations, but would love to find something new. I've wracked my brain and studied the map, but I cannot think of a fun/interesting/relatively close location to spend a few days. I am willing to spend a reasonable sum for a (brief!) adventure. Any ideas??
I would be flying out of Portland, OR, and it would need to be over a long weekend, or during spring break (first week of April.) I could travel solo or with my 14 year old son. In the last few years we have been to Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, Disneyland, Victoria BC, Vancouver BC and the Grand Canyon/Sedona. I am not opposed to revisiting these locations, but would love to find something new. I've wracked my brain and studied the map, but I cannot think of a fun/interesting/relatively close location to spend a few days. I am willing to spend a reasonable sum for a (brief!) adventure. Any ideas??
Phoenix could be nice for a weekend. The desert botanical garden is lovely and there's a musical instrument museum that is fun to look around.
posted by that girl at 5:54 PM on January 20, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by that girl at 5:54 PM on January 20, 2019 [4 favorites]
Denver! Or, buy a ticket. Cancel ticket. Voila, extra 12 months.
posted by 2soxy4mypuppet at 5:55 PM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by 2soxy4mypuppet at 5:55 PM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]
I've never flown there, but my favorite long weekend destination is St. Louis. Hit the City Museum, the zoo (free and considered the best in the nation), and/or the Cathedral Basilica and you're golden. If you've got enough advance time, a show at the Fabulous Fox sounds like it could be awesome (I have never planned well enough to make this happen so I can't actually vouch for it myself).
posted by brook horse at 7:22 PM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by brook horse at 7:22 PM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]
If you've never been to southern Arizona, why not direct flight to Tucson? Would be warmish by early April (same would be true of Phoenix of course) but not brutal, and there are all sorts of things to do with a 14-year-old (or without).
posted by Creosote at 7:24 PM on January 20, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Creosote at 7:24 PM on January 20, 2019 [1 favorite]
From Portland, you can fly nonstop on Southwest to Burbank, Chicago–Midway, Dallas–Love, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Ontario, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Sacramento, San Diego, San Jose (CA) and St. Louis all year round and to Albuquerque, Austin, Baltimore and Kansas City 'seasonally'.
I like the idea of Chicago over spring break - you'll probably dodge the last blast of winter, and you won't need to rent a car since Midway Airport is on the Orange Line. Architecture, history, great food, and very different vibes to Portland if you bring your son with you. You could catch a White Sox or Cubs game if you're in town that first week of April, too.
posted by mdonley at 8:01 PM on January 20, 2019 [4 favorites]
I like the idea of Chicago over spring break - you'll probably dodge the last blast of winter, and you won't need to rent a car since Midway Airport is on the Orange Line. Architecture, history, great food, and very different vibes to Portland if you bring your son with you. You could catch a White Sox or Cubs game if you're in town that first week of April, too.
posted by mdonley at 8:01 PM on January 20, 2019 [4 favorites]
Albuquerque and road trip up to santa fe /taos.
posted by brujita at 9:20 PM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by brujita at 9:20 PM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]
Seconding Tucson, with a visit to Kitt Peak Observatory. And get some proper southwest food.
posted by Sunburnt at 10:53 PM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Sunburnt at 10:53 PM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]
Spring training in Arizona.
posted by AugustWest at 11:27 PM on January 20, 2019
posted by AugustWest at 11:27 PM on January 20, 2019
Albuquerque and then up to Ojo Caliente for a few days of hot springs and hiking.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 8:23 AM on January 21, 2019
posted by Lawn Beaver at 8:23 AM on January 21, 2019
brujita: Albuquerque and road trip up to santa fe /taos.
Lawn Beaver: Albuquerque and then up to Ojo Caliente for a few days of hot springs and hiking.
Thirded! :)
What are you looking to do and/or see? Albuquerque has plenty (official city tourism website), from historic Old Town ABQ and newer-but-still-old Route 66 attractions to the Museum of Nuclear Science and History and the funky Tinkertown Museum, at the base of the Sandia Mountains. On the Sandias, you can ride to the top in a tram, which has the world's third longest single span.
Ojo Caliente is an hour north of Santa Fe, which has its own variety and range of options, from the historic Santa Fe Plaza to Museum Hil. Keep heading north, and you'll get to Taos and the Enchanted Circle.
And there are hikes and natural sites everywhere, from the Petroglyph National Monument on the west side of Albuquerque, to Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, between ABQ and Santa Fe.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:19 AM on January 21, 2019 [1 favorite]
Lawn Beaver: Albuquerque and then up to Ojo Caliente for a few days of hot springs and hiking.
Thirded! :)
What are you looking to do and/or see? Albuquerque has plenty (official city tourism website), from historic Old Town ABQ and newer-but-still-old Route 66 attractions to the Museum of Nuclear Science and History and the funky Tinkertown Museum, at the base of the Sandia Mountains. On the Sandias, you can ride to the top in a tram, which has the world's third longest single span.
Ojo Caliente is an hour north of Santa Fe, which has its own variety and range of options, from the historic Santa Fe Plaza to Museum Hil. Keep heading north, and you'll get to Taos and the Enchanted Circle.
And there are hikes and natural sites everywhere, from the Petroglyph National Monument on the west side of Albuquerque, to Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, between ABQ and Santa Fe.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:19 AM on January 21, 2019 [1 favorite]
Oh, and in Santa Fe, you can go to The House of Eternal Return, the original Meow Wolf.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:02 AM on January 21, 2019
posted by filthy light thief at 11:02 AM on January 21, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Sassyfras at 5:50 PM on January 20, 2019 [2 favorites]