Take the train from Vancouver to San Francisco...awesome scenery!

TheUncleSam

YEEHAW!

Hi Mrs (and Mr) AR

I suggest New Orleans for the birthday party.

I never picked up on whether you were thinking about summer 06 or December 06 for the actual trip. While we'd love to have you visit here in Memphis, if it's planned around December for AR's birthday, I'd go so far to suggest Australia for something new (or have you been?)

As much scenery and history as N. America, but not already on the list - and in summer mode in December. Sydney(scenic +), the Great Barrier Reef, Melbourne, the Great Ocean Rd, Wine country, funny animals. It's another place with no language barrier and there you get to stay on the correct side of the road when driving.

Then there's New Zealand...
have only been to Auckland, but the views in the LOTR movies has me interested in seeing more someday.

A motoring tour down the west coast needn't be too expensive; depends on your hotel tastes, etc. of course. At today's £/$ exchange rates (which I frankly hope will improve, i.e., worsen for you - sorry - by 2006) you could figure around £35 a day for a car, around £40 a night for accommodation (higher in Seattle and SF, use Priceline, thus lower in Vancouver); and food and miscellaneous about 20% less than comparables in the UK. Gas/petrol for the car right now is around £1 per US gallon, i.e., around 25p per litre (I know, ha ha) so motoring is a real bargain compared to Europe. Figure 7-10 days of unrushed motoring from Vancouver-SF, longer of course if you stop for several days at a time.

Another very affordable holiday option in our part of the world is an Alaska cruise. Several alternative routes, departing Vancouver or Seattle, some round-trip through southeast Alaska, some one-way to/from Anchorage (requiring more airfare, but providing land-based touring opportunities at the northern end of the tour.) The cruises mostly are 7 nights, and cost, depending on accommodations, anywhere from £500 to £1000 per person, with 3rd pax in cabins (i.e. your 10yo) discounted or free. Remember that includes all meals as well, so quite a bargain on a per diem basis.

We have numerous British pals who've done versions of this holiday and have raved about it.

Another alternative is to look at timeshares or house exchanges. Are you familiar with www.homelink.org? If not, become so.

Happy planning.

I'm with ira in endorsing a trip to New Orleans, MRS_AR. Three nights in the Big Easy for great food and GREAT music, then another 2-3 mights touring Cajun Country with a stop at Avery Island to pay respects to Tabasco!

If it's a warm weather trip you're thinking about, here's a vote for the East coast. Start of in Quebec or Montreal if you want a bit of Canada, then meander down to Boston for great museums and lots of US history. Go to Tanglewood for the Boston Symphony, or maybe out to Cape Cod for a bit of beach and a lot of art. Newport, Rhode Island, with its great houses, gives a look at how we'd all like to be able to live. Old Sturbridge, Massachusetts, shows how we colonials lived when we were still in your thrall.
Another advantage of the East Coast: we're unlikely to fall into the Atlantic any time soon.
So come one over and croeso.

Diolch am y croeso, vcl Sounds like a fab trip for us.

Do you have any links for the cruises, Gardyloo? I can't find prices anything like that. Also, yes - have considered house swops. While I love the idea, the thought of having to sort out things this end is too frightening - where would all my things go to make space for the new family?!

If AR continues to poke his nose in on this thread, the trip could end up a girly twosome for me and daughter. Now THAT would be full of possibilities!!!

If you are thinking about coming back to the USA, Charleston is a fabulous city and don't discount Chicago. It has beautiful lakefront parks and some of the finest museums in the country. The Museum of Science and Industry would delight any ten year old. Discount old gangster movies. I remember a visiting British woman my mother met on the train saying she thought the city was charming and she was surprised that during her stay, not a single shot was exchanged!

HI if you like to try a cruise its definately a wonderful one to start cruises in citaveccia or genova/italy dwon to sicily round the maltese island
up to venice or start inpiräus through the kyklade islands (tiny vulcano islands) to crete cyprus alexandria!
need more info ?

Thanks everyone for all your ideas
I'm now waiting for the windfall to materialise before making any firm plans, so will be back when the cash in my hands!!

I vote for Toronto and Niagara Falls.I was there(Toronto) for the International Film Festival in September,and it is so much fun. The people are so lovely and friendly and the city has plenty to offer culture mavens. Add a trip to the beautiful Niagara Falls and you'll have a memorable vacation.

Mrs AR - Summer 2006 is too far out for many cruise schedules to be posted, but you can get an idea of prices by looking at www.cruise.com or similar sites, even Expedia or Travelocity. Specify Aug. 2005 for Alaska cruises, and you'll see a number of sailings with cabins in the US $700-$1500 range (prices per person), i.e., £400-800. Some cruise lines are pricier than others, balconies cost more then inside cabins, etc. Visit the boards at www.cruisecritic.com for a bazillion posts on various destinations and cruise lines.