What's a sea-level San Miguel de Allende?
June 23, 2010 5:25 PM Subscribe
My Dad can't go to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, any more. Where should he spend January?
My Mom and Dad, hearty professional New Yorkers in the their 70's, used to spend every January in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuata, Mexico. It's a beautiful colonial town that's safe for Americans, with a thriving expat community, lovely architecture, chamber music, and nice places to walk. They've been able to rent biggish places with lots of help (cook, housekeeper) for not too much money, so they can enjoy the local culture in a low key way and get a bit of writing done. Alas, my Dad can't stand the altitude any more.
Now that they have to stay down at sea level, where should they go, in Mexico or elsewhere? They don't want a big city (we tried to sell them on Miami) or more than 12 hours travel from NYC (Sri Lanka is out).
My Mom and Dad, hearty professional New Yorkers in the their 70's, used to spend every January in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuata, Mexico. It's a beautiful colonial town that's safe for Americans, with a thriving expat community, lovely architecture, chamber music, and nice places to walk. They've been able to rent biggish places with lots of help (cook, housekeeper) for not too much money, so they can enjoy the local culture in a low key way and get a bit of writing done. Alas, my Dad can't stand the altitude any more.
Now that they have to stay down at sea level, where should they go, in Mexico or elsewhere? They don't want a big city (we tried to sell them on Miami) or more than 12 hours travel from NYC (Sri Lanka is out).
Miami was the wrong place in FLA. That is a city and suburbs, not a quaint with nice places to walk. One of the Keys is more like it. Key West is my favorite, the most famous - but they are pretty nice, including Key Largo.
Or, if not FLA, one of the Virgin Islands, like Saint Croix.
Or Bermuda, which is a beautiful place, and an easy flight from New York.
posted by Flood at 5:50 PM on June 23, 2010
Or, if not FLA, one of the Virgin Islands, like Saint Croix.
Or Bermuda, which is a beautiful place, and an easy flight from New York.
posted by Flood at 5:50 PM on June 23, 2010
From NY, I second the Caribbean in general. Gulf coast Mexico doesn't have too much to offer other than the Yucatan, and it's pretty touristy.
I have friends who travel to Belize a lot, and the general rule seems to be Belize city is hell on earth, but the rest of the country is really nice, and affordable.
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:25 PM on June 23, 2010
I have friends who travel to Belize a lot, and the general rule seems to be Belize city is hell on earth, but the rest of the country is really nice, and affordable.
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:25 PM on June 23, 2010
Puerto Vallarta, or nearby? There are lots of towns scattered up and down the coast.
posted by Gilbert at 8:35 PM on June 23, 2010
posted by Gilbert at 8:35 PM on June 23, 2010
San Carlos. Near Hermosillo on the sea of Cortez. It is a great little, sleepy fishing town.
posted by nestor_makhno at 10:15 PM on June 23, 2010
posted by nestor_makhno at 10:15 PM on June 23, 2010
If your dad can't stand the altitude, can he fly? Since SM de Allende is about 6300 feet above sea level and planes are pressurized to be basically between five and seven thousand feet above sea level, I am wondering whether or not he can fly (The 12 hours mentioned I assumed is the limit for being in a metal tube, not being in thinner atmosphere.)
Maybe one of the Bay islands of Honduras? interesting mix of Spanish and Caribbean English/Garifuna, more like Belize than Central America. Touristy, but not in a big fat 'maircan way, but rather backpackers and scuba divers, but Roatan is big enough for hiking & horseback riding. Plus a ferry to the mainland. Utila is also nice.
posted by xetere at 9:56 AM on June 24, 2010
Maybe one of the Bay islands of Honduras? interesting mix of Spanish and Caribbean English/Garifuna, more like Belize than Central America. Touristy, but not in a big fat 'maircan way, but rather backpackers and scuba divers, but Roatan is big enough for hiking & horseback riding. Plus a ferry to the mainland. Utila is also nice.
posted by xetere at 9:56 AM on June 24, 2010
Response by poster: Oh, my dad has no trouble flying. He just can't take days at altitude.
posted by musofire at 1:20 PM on June 24, 2010
posted by musofire at 1:20 PM on June 24, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by ambrosia at 5:38 PM on June 23, 2010