I am planning a trip mid-May to Barcelona (4 nights) and then to Costa Brave, to the Dali museum and some hiking/biking along the coast (3 nights). We're traveling with our 2 college age sons, is that a good choice for outdoor activities and good food?

I think that its going to be a great trip for you. I really enjoy Barcelona and just got back from a trip last month with my 22 and 25 year olds.There is so much to see and do along with eat and drink in Barcelona . Costa Brave will be beautiful at that time of the year for the outdoor activites-last month BCN was in the 50's and gorgeous sun.Have fun and enjoy the memories!

What sort of things did your kids enjoy in Barcelona? Is there one town in Costa Brave that would make a good base for exploring area?
Thanks!

Do you mean the Costa Brava?

Not being picky but the correct spelling helps with searches.

Hi, read my trip report:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35086408

We stayed exactly in Barcelona and in Cadaques (Dali) and included many restaurant reports.

Although we did not hike and bike (we had elderly people in our party), especially Cadaques/Cap Roses will be very good for both. (And also for snorkeling)

Pete R: thanks for the spelling correction, I'm a little zoned out on travel planning!
traveller1959: what a wonderful and helpful trip report!

On the Costa Brava part of my trip I stayed in Platja D'Aro. I visited Girona and Figures (Dali Museum). I took the boat taxi to Tossa Del Mar which leaves from the beach and enjoyed that town. S'Agaro (next to Platja D'Aro) was beautiful. I'll leave others to comment on Barcelona. I was in Spain for a month and my personal favorite section of the trip was in the Basque Country where I based myself in San Sebastian. www.Maribelsguides.com can be your best resource. Travelers report was very good and better written than I could do.

I don't know much about Metallica, but I do know that traveller1959 hit the nail on the head! My all time favorite Costa Brava route is Llança (good restaurants), Port de la Selva/Sant Pere de Rodes, Cadaques, Cap de Creus. LOTS of winding roads though. Don't know how experienced you are at hiking/biking, but maybe these websites could give you some ideas.

http://www.gironagreenways.org

http://www.santacristina.net/turisme...cloturisme.htm

http://www.ddgi.cat/espais/eng/espais000.html

You might be interested in my trip report from Barcelona last February:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34955177

yourguide:

The Metallica story was indeed kind of funny. I am out of the age where you listen to heavy metal rock music, but I have sons who are 17 and this turned out to be helpful with a taxi driver. That's globalization.

bluepie:

I like this thread, because here on this forum you find a zillion threads on Barcelona, and most of the travellers are not aware that a few kilometers north you find a most beautiful stretch of coastline. The coast around Tossa is very beautiful, also Cap de Begur and Cap de Roses.

We selected Cap de Roses for several reasons:

- Cadaques is strikingly beautiful. Everything that you expect from a destination.

- Portlligat is THE Dali place. The Teatro in Figueres is spectacular, but Dali's private mansion in Portlligat beats it.

- There is much to see in the area. We especially liked Sant Pere de Rodes.

- The landscape at Cap de Creus is spectacular, "a giant geological delirium", as Dali put it.

The area is excellent for hiking. The trails are extremely scenic and not too steep.

Biking is also very good. Small, winding roads and hardly any traffic.

We did a similar trip in April and if you can find my trip report, you're more technically savy than I am, but I know it's here somewhere.

And check maribel's guides (goggle it I think)