Metafilter plans my travel, once again? April 18-27, 2025 edition.
June 30, 2024 2:55 PM
We were about to head to Roman because some of us are itching to see Roman ruins despite NOT enjoying a whole week in big cities. 2025 school vacation falls during Easter so we changed our mind about Rome and will do it 2026.
So now we are looking for a not-cold, with beautiful scenery, not hard to get to from Boston, vacation.
I've considered Portugal, Utah, San Fran/Big Sur, or San Fran/big trees? Wanted to do Osa Peninsula but it's too hot in April but also feels like a lot of schlepping to get there.
Totally fine with a couple nights in a big city, but hoping to have 4-5 days NOT in a big city.
We like easy hikes with big payoffs, good food, history and don't enjoy long flights and destinations that take A LONG time to get to.
We also like reasonable flights but liking direct/shortest-flight-possible trumps cheap.
Also like local festivals.
FYI I LOVED the Dordogne and Paris so much that I wanna go back, but in the summer when we can devote 2 weeks to France. Prehistoric caves! Castles! Gorgeous country sides with amazing food? So good. You folks really helped us have a great trip!!!
I've considered Portugal, Utah, San Fran/Big Sur, or San Fran/big trees? Wanted to do Osa Peninsula but it's too hot in April but also feels like a lot of schlepping to get there.
Totally fine with a couple nights in a big city, but hoping to have 4-5 days NOT in a big city.
We like easy hikes with big payoffs, good food, history and don't enjoy long flights and destinations that take A LONG time to get to.
We also like reasonable flights but liking direct/shortest-flight-possible trumps cheap.
Also like local festivals.
FYI I LOVED the Dordogne and Paris so much that I wanna go back, but in the summer when we can devote 2 weeks to France. Prehistoric caves! Castles! Gorgeous country sides with amazing food? So good. You folks really helped us have a great trip!!!
Just popped into say that you are wise to change your Italian plans for next year - it’s a “Jubilee” year, and Rome especially will be *packed*!
Re: SF and big trees - it is at least a two hour drive (more like 3-, depending on traffic) to get to big trees in Humboldt county. The food there is good, but not Napa/Sonoma/SF good, and lodging is hit or miss without an unlimited budget (IME, anyway).
I’d suggest a visit to western Washington’s Olympic peninsula and possibly Vancouver Island for big-ish trees, excellent hikes (the Hall of Mosses is a fave of mine in the Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park). There is excellent dining in Port Angeles, and one can take a car ferry to Vancouver Island , where your US Dollar will go further. It’s a big island, and well worth exploring. There are varied lodging and food options on Vancouver, with some great produce, depending on the season.
Have a great trip,wherever you go.
posted by dbmcd at 4:22 PM on June 30
Re: SF and big trees - it is at least a two hour drive (more like 3-, depending on traffic) to get to big trees in Humboldt county. The food there is good, but not Napa/Sonoma/SF good, and lodging is hit or miss without an unlimited budget (IME, anyway).
I’d suggest a visit to western Washington’s Olympic peninsula and possibly Vancouver Island for big-ish trees, excellent hikes (the Hall of Mosses is a fave of mine in the Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park). There is excellent dining in Port Angeles, and one can take a car ferry to Vancouver Island , where your US Dollar will go further. It’s a big island, and well worth exploring. There are varied lodging and food options on Vancouver, with some great produce, depending on the season.
Have a great trip,wherever you go.
posted by dbmcd at 4:22 PM on June 30
After perusing Boston flight routes on Google Flights, I suggest (in order, given your thoughts on cities):
Azores (PDL)
Iceland (KEF)
SF+trees/Sur (SFO)
Portugal (LIS, not OPO)
...I put PDL on there first because, being in MA, you have exceptionally speedy access to PDL that isn't found anywhere outside Portugal itself (Azores Airlines flies direct!!) so why not take advantage of it? KEF is second because the food is great, the city is great (and small) and the countryside is remarkable (and easily accessible!).
If none of you have seen the giant redwoods then you may want to put SFO higher, because they are pretty amazing and there's like eighty billion places to stay that are not in the city itself. Napa, Sonoma, Carmel, whatever. There's stuff all over the place, and [on preview] I'd suggest Muir Woods (not Humboldt) as it's practically next door to the city (like a 45min drive across a bridge, and there are lots of tours so you don't have to deal with parking reservations and the like).
I like Lisbon, but it is a big city so you'll want to get out and explore the country a bit as well. Head north (IMO); I said LIS not OPO based purely on the flight times I'm getting for random days in July/August -- if you stumble on a decent flight maybe do OPO instead of LIS. Also, random observation btw but: two of the best sandwiches I've had in my life were in Portugal. Like holy shit good.
posted by aramaic at 4:26 PM on June 30
Azores (PDL)
Iceland (KEF)
SF+trees/Sur (SFO)
Portugal (LIS, not OPO)
...I put PDL on there first because, being in MA, you have exceptionally speedy access to PDL that isn't found anywhere outside Portugal itself (Azores Airlines flies direct!!) so why not take advantage of it? KEF is second because the food is great, the city is great (and small) and the countryside is remarkable (and easily accessible!).
If none of you have seen the giant redwoods then you may want to put SFO higher, because they are pretty amazing and there's like eighty billion places to stay that are not in the city itself. Napa, Sonoma, Carmel, whatever. There's stuff all over the place, and [on preview] I'd suggest Muir Woods (not Humboldt) as it's practically next door to the city (like a 45min drive across a bridge, and there are lots of tours so you don't have to deal with parking reservations and the like).
I like Lisbon, but it is a big city so you'll want to get out and explore the country a bit as well. Head north (IMO); I said LIS not OPO based purely on the flight times I'm getting for random days in July/August -- if you stumble on a decent flight maybe do OPO instead of LIS. Also, random observation btw but: two of the best sandwiches I've had in my life were in Portugal. Like holy shit good.
posted by aramaic at 4:26 PM on June 30
Puerto Rico is nice in April. If you haven't seen historic San Juan, you should.
posted by BibiRose at 6:26 PM on June 30
posted by BibiRose at 6:26 PM on June 30
Porto was just delightful for the week we spent there last summer. A lot smaller and more accessible (and less touristy) than Lisbon - probably also felt less touristy/specifically American because it’s harder to get to which is a consideration for travel time but imo worth it.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 7:03 PM on June 30
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 7:03 PM on June 30
Azores was my first thought. I did have the longest flight delay of my life waiting in Boston for the plane to leave, but the flight is direct. Like, I got a hotel it was that long. Anyway, the islands are beautiful and quiet. I found prices to be low in 2017 and the food was great. It might not be hot in April, but it won't be that cold during the days.
posted by soelo at 8:27 PM on June 30
posted by soelo at 8:27 PM on June 30
San Fran/big trees?
Do you mean SF and Big Trees State Park, or SF and redwoods generally? If it's coast redwoods generally, then Muir Woods is a 40 minute drive from the City, across the Golden Gate Bridge. Lots of other places to see coast redwoods at carious distances from San Francisco.
If it's Big Trees State Park (giant sequoia) it's just under a 3 hour drive from SF to there, there's all kinds of lodging. No idea about the quality of food.
posted by oneirodynia at 8:58 PM on July 1
Do you mean SF and Big Trees State Park, or SF and redwoods generally? If it's coast redwoods generally, then Muir Woods is a 40 minute drive from the City, across the Golden Gate Bridge. Lots of other places to see coast redwoods at carious distances from San Francisco.
If it's Big Trees State Park (giant sequoia) it's just under a 3 hour drive from SF to there, there's all kinds of lodging. No idea about the quality of food.
posted by oneirodynia at 8:58 PM on July 1
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posted by ReluctantViking at 2:55 PM on June 30