Where Would You Go, With the Following Info?

Austin, TX
Key West, FL
Nashville (but may be colder)
Charleston/Savannah (but not sure of music)
New Orleans

www.hereinfranklin.wordpress.com

New Orleans immediately comes to mind. Particularly if music is important.

Well, I was thinking of the same places as HereinFranklin (!), but had San Antonio on my list instead of Nashville (which can get pretty chilly in Jan).

Puerto Rico

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

California wine country? Or is that too cold in Jan?

Even though I have not been there, the first thing that popped into my mind was San Antonio. That is because it is a place that I have wanted to visit & for the reasons that you have listed.

Austin, Tx. also comes to mind.

San Francisco

San Miguel Allende, Mex

I third Austin.

Either Austin;
and/or Fredericksburg & Texas Hill Country

I've lived in the Bay Area and I've lived in Austin -- if you want to avoid "not too cold" in early January, then the former is NOT your choice. Could be glorious, but more likely will be dreary. Yes, the temps will always be above 60F, but the Bay Area in winter just FEELS colder than the temps.

If "live music" is your thing, then Austin is clearly your choice. It has some theater, nice walking, and you can explore nearby towns.

If you haven't been to Oaxaca, in Southwestern Mexico, I heartily endorse it as a place to wander and discover - there will be music, but I don't think it's so great, but everything else will be. (does anyone disagree about the music?)

Wow, I am always so amazed at the helpfulness of Fodorites...it's been only about 8 hrs. since my post and here are 14 responses! Thank you all so much!

Looking forward now to further researching the suggested places, especially Austin/San Antonio, which seemed to get many votes.

I know I mentioned that my frequent flyer miles include Mexico, and I loved my one trip there some years back (which was to Melaque) but now I'm thinking with just the one week, I don't want to spend quite that much time getting there and back (am in the Phila. area).

But that still leaves me with quite a few places to explore more...definitely a part of the fun!

I'll second San Miguel Allende. We even saw Doc Severnson(sp?) perform his frequent gig with some very talented locals. We stayed at Las Terrazas which was lovely.

Lots of wonderful restaurants and art galleries.

A beach community in Mexico, but not one of the resort after resort after resort cities in Mexico. Maybe an island or somewhat remote area. There's quite a few places south of Puerto Vallerta.

Another vote for Key West!

Palm Desert/Indian Wells in California would match your needs.

Philly to San Antonio is about a 6 hour trip, with a connection. Puerto Vallarta is only 2 hours longer. Guessing that your miles are on USAir, then they have a nonstop to Cancun that takes only 4hr 6min.

But I will suggest Phoenix and Sedona. Fly to Phoenix and visit there, then drive to Sedona. Maybe even go to the Grand Canyon. Fly home from Flagstaff, which I assume USAir still serves (connecting in Phoenix to a nonstop to PHL).

I think we had nine days, but we flew into JAX and went to St. Augustine, then rental car to Savannah and Charleston, flying home from Charleston. Of the three, we were happiest with St. Augustine, which was really geared for the tourist.

I suggest an open jaw flight landing in Miami and renting a car and driving the Keys. Stopping in the Everglades and walking the Anhinga trail http://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/anhinga-trail.htm
continue driving and stay at Key Largo spending the next day at Camp Penekamp State Park,snorkeling http://www.pennekamppark.com/
Continue driving and stay a night at one of the Keys close to Bahia Honda State Park http://www.bahiahondapark.com/
Drive on to Key West for the remainder , turn in your car rental you will not need it in Key West. Stay in Old Town and you can walk everywhere. Fly back home from Key West.

Another plug for New Orleans, especially in January. Stay in the French Quarter and walk everywhere!

My vote is fly into Miami rent a car and drive to Key West. Stay a couple of nights. Then start driving back up the keys stopping in Bahia Honda (sp) and spending the night in Marathon or Islamarada. Then onto Key Largo spend one day in the Everglades and one day at Pennekamp.

Two of the trips on my wish list include Charleston/Savanah and New Orleans.

I've done San Antonio and really liked it too.

I'll be the naysayer: San Antonio and Austin are fine, we enjoyed our trip there last winter, but IMHO they are great places to go for a long weekend - I would not spend an entire week's vacation there, two days in each would be plenty.

I'd split ithe week between LA and San Diego.

I'd also consider Santa Fe/Albuquerque

I'm not a big beach person, but if you are, then you might prefer San Juan or some of the Florida locations.

Southern California, South Florida and Mexico would fit your criteria.

My husband & I went to Hilton Head in December and enjoyed very much. Great restaurants and beautiful walking/biking trails all over the island. Close to Savannah for other sightseeing.

Depending on where you live and if you "have the miles", would suggest a week in Barbados or St Lucia for a change of pace and scale but with decent music and food (but certainly not high end USA). If you like country music, have found Austin is an interesting alternative to Nashville in January....

San Antonio is easily a day trip from Austin(1-1.5 hours away tops) and has great history and exploration. You can loop back to Austin from the West and see interesting countryside and tiny towns. Austin better for live music of MANY varieties. Check out Lost Pines Resort for performance schedule.

I agree with dmlove and can't see spending an entire week in Austin/San Antonio. Don't get me wrong I love the area and livid in Austin for three years just can't see that there would be enough to do for a whole week. I think NOLA, south Florida or San Diego would be best. Haven't been to Charleston but is high on my list to get to.

We have been to all of those cities mentioned except Nashville & my vote is for Mexico. We are in the tourism business along the NJ Shore so we take our vacations in the winter also. This year we are going for 2 weeks in February to Playa del Carmen, near Cancun. San Migel de Allende was also on our short list.

Again, thanks for the continued replies! I am now enjoying researching many of the options suggested, and with such a wealth of suggestions, we'll now have ideas for future trips as well as this one!

Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Go Laura,
Please let us know which destination you choose. I agree that you've been given lots of great suggestions, so I think we'd all be curious to find out which one you decide on. Enjoy the research and enjoy the trip!

How about Naples, Florida? I have been to Naples twice and I am sure I will come back one day. There are hundreds of web pages on Naples. My favorite http://www.citiesandvillages.com/city-Naples-Collier%20County-FL-115461.aspx provides detailed travel and vacation resources on Naples, Florida. Hotel Mariott off the Vanderbuilt Blvd. is the best place to stay there - right on the beach. There are two Mariotts in Naples, the other one is not on the beach, near golf courses. Make sure you rent a car so you can see Everglades, Sanibel Island and ... of course downtown Naples. Let me know what you decided.

I wonder why nobody has mentioned Santa Barbara, California which has all of your requests in spades!

I'd also say somewhere in S. California - I'd make the base LaJolla and explore coastal towns to the north.

CHARLESTON -- You wont't be disappointed.

Newport and Providence.

Washington, DC

Southern California definitely! My DH and I did a 2-wk road trip last Jan and traveled between San Diego and Monterey. The weather was fine - a little cool in Monterey (low 60's) but fantastic everywhere south of there.

Sedona, Arizona.....It matches everything you are talking about. It's only 1 1/2 hours north of Phoenix in the middle of gorgeous Red Rocks. There are quite a few vineyards, microbreweries, and amazing restaurants. I'd recommend Savannah's.

Just a reminder - Laura wants to go somewhere in January that is likely to have temperatures in the 60s or higher.

Most any beach resort in Mexico.

Key West!

Use your frequent flyer miles and go to Maui. See a luau, take a helicopter ride, go to the top of the volcano and best of all, take a catamaran sail to watch the humpback whales that migrate to Maui from Alaska every winter.

Just want to warn you all...I am a thorough researcher and slow decision maker, so while I *absolutely will* report back to share my decision, it will not be right away Also, I'm simultaneiously detouring in my research to find us a good place to stay for a long weekend 2 weeks from now!

Please check out the Palace Resorts in Cancun area. These are beautifully maintained all-inclusives with great food (several restaurants on site), extraordinary staff, and lots of things to do in the area. We went to Adventura Palace (which was extraordinary, but even though the pool was amazing, you may want to choose one with more of a beachfront as well. We chose this b/c it is close to Tulum and other sightseeing and Playa del Carmen for music. I did a lot of research and this resort highly exceeded my hopes and expectations. There are several sites along the Mexican Riviera. Have fun wherever you go!

I said I'd come back to report our choice after so many of you were kind enough to reply....and it might be 3 months later, but here I am! The trip had to be postponed from early January to the second week in February, so we haven't taken it yet...our choice was Austin, Texas.

We got a vrbo in Travis Heights walking distance to SoCo there (the place looks great and I've emailed back and forth with someone who stayed there and loved it), and are making it "home" for the week; we'll day trip to San Antonio and to Fredericksburg/Hill Country.

Although a couple people didn't think there was enough to do there for a week, we are slow people who get going late and can while away an entire afternoon or evening in just one independent bookstore. We also love hearing live music and taking walks around lakes...so I think for us it'll be fine. It'll be even finer if the weather is warm enough to use the outdoor hot tub at the place we're renting!

Thank you all again for the input, I have great ideas for future trips, and am excited about this one!!

If you like history, I found a visit to the Alamo very interesting. It's in near downtown now compared to being in the countryside during the attack but the sense of history compares, for me, to some of the civil war battlefields.

As far as I know, this is the only battle in American history where three hugely famous men, then and now, perished in the same fight: William B. Travis, Davie Crockett, and Jim Bowie.

My last visit there was several years ago beginning on the Friday of the weekend of the anniversary of the battle (1st weekend in March). As I walked from behind the Alamo toward the front just before sunset to get photos in the good light, a lone Mexican bugler played El Deguello in front. The sounds of that haunting historical challenge reverberated in my soul. For a history buff, it just does not get better than that.

(Deguello should have an accent mark above the u but I don't know how to do that on my computer).