My husband and I are taking a 1-week vacation in October and we are looking for suggestions. I have 1 free rountrip ticket on Northwest, so I am limited to the states, Canada and Alaska. Here is what we aren't considering because I have done a lot of business travel there lately: NY city, Denver and Orlando.

Here are some of our ideas thus far:
1) California coast - SF, wineries, maybe down to LA - too much in one week?

2) Toronto- what is there all to do there?

3) Albuquerque - Balloon Festival

4) Key West

So, Fodorites, where do you suggest. Do any of these sound good, or where have you been that you had a great time? Our last trip was to Paris in March, so it will be hard to top. We enjoy outdoor activities, beautiful scenery, museums, golf, fishing and tennis. Thanks.

Whow! You ask a whopper of a question!
My wife and I travel extensively and we both can personally vouche that the following destinations have most of what you like:
Charleston S.C. (lean on museums)
San Antonio, Texas & the West Texas Hill country.(not really for fishing)
Seattle,WA
Banff, Canada
San Fransisco, Carmel CA. Monterey CA. Napa/Sonoma Wine counties, Hearst Castle, & the Pacific Coast highway to LA.(If you and your husband are incurable romantics this our favorite.)
Boston, MA. (everything but the fishing, nearby Salem MA. for witches & Plymouth MA. for history)
New Orleans (a great unhrealded fun vacation city! It has it all & excellent antebellum plantations)
Hope I haven't made your decision harder.
good luck - have fun!!

Oh, how I envy your "dilemma"!
Both you and the previous poster have come up with some good possibilities. I would add one to the list: Vermont. It's a perfect time to see the fall foliage at its peak.

Thanks to everyone so far. Above I listed some activities we enjoy, I don't need a destination to fulfill all, it was just to spark some ideas. Bernard, do you think we can see a little of San Francisco, wineries and the Hearst castle, and LA in one week? Or should we skip LA?

Teri, if you choose California my advice would be to skip LA. There's just more interesting things to see and do in the northern part of CA, in my opinion. The best part of the coast drive is the part down as far as Big Sur. You could easily do an itinerary that was something like 3 nights SF, 2 nights Monterey or maybe 1 night Monterey, 1 night Big Sur, then come back north and do 2 nights Napa or Sonoma. Fills a week and barely scratches the surface of northern California.

I don't know where you're starting from, so maybe New England is too close for a free plane ticket, but October is the best time to go there. You could do a really nice trip with a few days in Boston, and a few days in the White Mountains of New Hampshire enjoying the foliage.

I like Bernards New Orleans suggestion too. I just loved NO, and was only there for about 4 days.

Don't even think about the Wine Country, SF, Monterey, Big Sur, Hearst Castle AND LA in a week. You'd go crazy! I think you have to come to SF and decide to go north to Napa and Sonoma or south to Monterey and Big Sur. Either way, that's a week. But, it's the best time of year--very little change of rain/fog--blue skies and sunshine. One thought about Florida--it can still be hurricane time (we've been caught twice!)

October is a perfect time for Key West!! And if you're wildly daring and open-minded you could go for Fantesyfest, which is Key West's version of Mardi Gras...wild partying galore. As for hurricanes, the season has already begun and I think it's over the first of October.

Can you use this ticket to Hawaii? One week isn't long- but it is so wonderful!

October is the best month to vist California. You will have the best weather of the year. Very little coastal fog and warm days. One week is really too short to include both The SF Bay area and Southern California. I would Skip Los Angeles. Unfortunately you won't have time to see San Diego which is the real gem of California. However you will have plenty to do and the scenery is great in Northern California from San Francisco to San Luis Obispo. Include a day for Napa Valley.

I think you've gotten the message - don't try for S.F. AND L.A. in one week. Kam's suggestion is good , plan SF and north to the wine country or SF and south to Monterey and Big Sur. You'll leave wishing you had more time either way. I do and I go once or twice every year!

New Orleans was GREAT for a week. My husband and I just went last October and had a wonderful time. If you go, DON"T rent a car. We did and barely used it.

The California coast is a beautiful and worthwhile way to spend your vacation.

If you love wine, definitely go to Napa -- can't be beat... although a little town in central CA called Paso Robles is an up and coming star.

Of course, go to Carmel and Monterrey. These coastal towns are gorgeous. You may find it a bit chilly (depending on what you're used to) in these little coastal towns in Oct., so bring a sweater.

If you can, I'd try to go to Santa Barbara, too. It's beautiful. (That's about 2 hours north of LA.)

I'm a California native and have traveled all around this state. I can honestly say that you can live here for a lifetime and never get tired of its beauty.

Have fun!

Teri I have two suggestions for you. San Francisco for a couple of days, then take Highway 1 down to Monterey and Carmel for a couple of days, then on to Hearst Castle for the tour, then cut over to Sequoia and Kings National Parks for a couple of days. I'm surprised no one has mentioned the parks. If you have never seen the giant sequoia trees, you are missing one of the wonders of nature! Then back to SF for the last day or two. I can provide you with detailed itinerary, including sights to see, if you wish. The second suggestion would be Phoenix, Ariz, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon. You can easily spend a week between these places, and the weather in Oct. is great. Again, I can provide you with detailed info on a trip here. If your interested in my detailed plans, E-mail me and I would glad to share my ideas with you. Good Luck!!