40th birthday trip - need help/suggestions please :-)
 

Since you all are fantastic with advice and suggestions I am putting this out there.

I will be the big 4-0 in December and my husband has offered to take me on a trip to any place I want to make it special...

Here is what I am wondering would love hotel/resort/destination suggestions based on this:

1. It would be the first week in December for 4-6 nights depending on how far we travel.

2. We would be departing out of LAX and I do not want to include a prop plane as a part of the trip. See: even Xanax doesn't help me that much :-X

3. I do not want a city trip - looking for beach/warm destination

4. Like more scheduled - not into the party scence - loved Canyon Ranch Tuscon for example - love Kaui - enjoyed parts of Cancun not sure if after the hurricane how much of the beach is left - I have not been in several years. Was even toying with the west coast of FLA - but not sure it is warm enough in December.

5. Budget for 2 people - I am thinking about 4-8 thousand for the air/land/hotel/ transportation -
Would prefer to fly on AA so we can use miles/earn miles; am open to other airlines of course.

Considered staying in OC but the weather is not warm enough during December (consistently)

I hope I provided enough information to give suggestions - I know who irksome it is when someone says "so where should I go?"

Belize?

http://belize-guide.info/weather/december/

hummm.. Bluestar I have always wanted to go to Belize - I will do more research - thanks for the suggestion!

Ixtapa/Zihuetenejo, Mexico

Costa Rica?

For that kind of money (appx $1K/day for meals, lodging, activity for 2 people), couldn't she go to somewhere fabulous in Hawaii? I'm not familiar with Pacific warm spots, but it seems to me I'd look for luxury there.

Thanks for all the responses - I have been to Hawaii several times and love it there - I am definately considering it.
Belize is not as warm as I would like actually after I looked at the average temps.
I looked into Costa Rica and it seems to confuse me - where to go/stay et does not seem very "simple"
I am definately wanting something relaxing - but have been known to get bored just sitting on the beach - in

Hawaii I have enjoyed horseback riding, snorkling, kayaking and hiking.

In Cancun I liked going to the ruins - I tried horse back riding there but was upset by the conditions and treatment of the horses.

I am leaning towards Cancun - but am concerned about the conditions of the beachs since the hurricane.

Dec 1 week is one of the cheapest ever for travel.
Fly to St Thomas and take the water ferry to the British Virgin islands. Gorgeous. Not all the tourist stuff as Cancun. Pure, beautiful, safe. Stay at the long bay resort in Tortola, or a resort in Virgin Gorga. Ferry to Jost Van Dyke. It's all good, it's all beautiful. We got married at 45 and 49 and went there for 14 days. It was awesome!

Linda - you do not have to take a prop plane? My desire would be to go to the Caribean but I HATE prop planes. Even for a short time. We were in the Bahamas last year and as silly as it sounds I spent almost 45 mintues so stressed out as we fly from Fort Lauderdale over...
where do you like to stay?

linda...sorry you DID suggest where to stay..off to check it out!

I'd suggest Molokai, but I'm not sure if you can get there without a prop plane. Ferry from Maui, maybe.

The best "paid" horseback riding I've ever done in my life (meaning not on my own or a friend's horses) was at Molokai Ranch. Well-trained, well cared-for horses, riding through knee-deep grass with views out to the ocean. There are some nice beaches and snorkeling at various places around the island.

thanks for all the suggestions - we are tabling this trip. We are having to cancel a long planned trip and both of us are frustrated with how often we have to cancel plans due to our family -we have 4 children - it is to be expected in many ways we travel a lot for someone with kids because I am not happy if not on a trip or planning the next one (sick I know).
We agreed to wait and just do something more local that required less planning, less brain damage if canceled...
thanks though!

I totally understand what you are going through as my husband and I both love to travel but haven't been able to as much now that we have kids. We've taken many trips with and without the kids, but not as much as we'd like to.
Here's what we do when we can't take off but want to getaway...With the money we save from not buying airline tickets, we use that money and check into a luxury hotel (spa ones are even nicer), and spend a weekend as tourists, enjoying all of the amenities that we normally wouldn't do in our own town. It's easier to find a sitter for one or two nights. We would take the kids and utilized their kids camp when they were younger, but now they are teenagers they now rather be on their own in the game room or pool.

In 5 years we will be empty nesters, and we already have trips planned for then!

Four Seasons Costa Rica

offlady,
I hear ya! I think that is what we will end up doing - perhaps the Montage here in OC - or we go to Vegas and enjoy the spas,food, and shows.. but for now it is going to be planned a lot closer to December then buying tickets et..

Hummmm...I like "Offlady's" suggestion of saving on airfare and doing a luxury So Cal trip. December is the perfect time to do a Palm Desert or surrounds trip. Run in that direction...

barb - I LOVE Palm Desert! We go usually a few times a year... :0)

If you should change your mind about Belize, Delta inaugurated a nonstop flight from LAX to Belize yesterday. It is about 5.5 hrs. flight time I think -- definitely not a prop. Right now it's only one day per week each direction: departs LAX every Saturday, returns every Sunday. They might have some introductory low fares if you care to check. Guess you're looking for a warmer clime, but average high temps of 80 day with average low of 71 sounds near-perfect to me.

I too suggest Palm Desert, Palm Springs or Desert Hot Springs for a 3 night close to home trip.

Head to Playa del Carmen. If you liked Cancun, the beaches in Playa are still very nice and it's a fun town. There are great restaurants and trendy lounges. You can do as many or few tours as you want to stay busy. AA goes there. You'd have plenty of extra $ for spa treatments/tours or another trip later.

I love Las Vegas - Spas, relativly nice weather, but not the Caribbean. Shopping, great food, good entertainment and always something happening.

40th anniversary, eh? Want it to be something truly romantic & exotic? Off the beaten path? Ok. Dont do Hawaii=its played out, everyone's been there, everyone's got something to say about it. Mexico? kind of a trick, depends upon what city you go to. some are known as party towns, others are good for romantic retreats. I would honestly recommend Bora Bora in Tahiti. A lot of people recommend Moorea in Tahiti, its a bit cheaper than Bora Bora and rooms in Moorea are usually available more often than Bora Bora.

thanks again for all the suggestions - I know Vegas sure is not the beach but it is close and a different kind of fun.

It is not a 40th anniversary - I am only currently 39 :-). It is a birthday :-)

my husband and i just retired and rented a condo in puerta vallarta,mexico.... it is the finest, classy, lot of arts, great restaurants(very fine dining) and the water is amazing.. in dec. is whale watching season and thats a trip within its self i recently bought a sailboat (50ft) and am now chartering it.. first class operation.. not a booze cruise. we also have sunset crusing with romantic music wine and cheese and a few other things the chef might cook..check it [email protected] or my email is [email protected]

Sweet - that is so awesome! Where were you all from? I have been to P.V. - not in about 5 years though - way to go! I will check out your website.

You have probably done Cabo...but if not, what about a private home/villa? We did this for my husband's 50th (Mr. active) and he enjoyed the property as well as the view -- walks through the neighborhoods, etc. We used Earth, Sea & Sky Vacations. So if you have to bring the children, a villa is the way to go. Plus, the company offers many services -- we had an inhouse catered dinner that was excellent as well as massages and manicures. If you table for now, I would also second the Virgin Islands (British) but try to see if you can do a bareboat trip. Lovely and memorable -- so different from staying at the usual hotel. One other thought is Vieques in Puerto Rico -- some nice properties and a quite scenario if you enjoy beaching and relaxing. My husband took me to Tahiti on a yacht cruise but that is a long trip....and maybe one for your 50th!

I know you said that you're going to table the trip, but if you change your mind, definitely 2nd Playa Del Carmen area (Since you enjoyed Cancun) or the Tulum area. Just do some research, because they have actually done some beach replenishment and a lot of the hotels are back, better than ever.