I won a trip anywhere in contintal US and am looking for the top 5 choices each pewrson can give for a destination..I will be bringing a female companion

My top 5 (in no particular order)...

New Orleans
Washington DC
New York City
Boston
San Francisco

But it would depend a lot on when you were going, and where you were traveling from. Sure wouldn't go to Boston in February, especially if you live in Connecticut

If you're a city person....

San Francisco
San Diego
New York
Boston
Chicago

My top choices:

New York (FAR and away the best)
Boston
Chicago
San Francisco (with side trip to Yosemite)
Denver (ONLY if you like driving and hiking in the mountains; otherwise, forget it)

During the wildflower season in May, San Antonio would make my list; if you're into party all night (I'm not), New Orleans would.

1) New Orleans
2) Key West
3) San Francisco
4) New York
5) San Diego

Hi, Seth,
Obviously it depends on taste and on where you are now. I'll break your rules and give 5 city and 5 country:

New York City. (Of course.)
San Francisco. (Coast, redwoods, Yosemite, gold country as plusses.)
Seattle (Gotta boost the home town... Vancouver a freebie, mountains, caffeine.)
Charleston. (History, romance, Southern cooking.)
Chicago. (Not given enough attention in this forum - easy to have a helluva good time.)

Or,
Yellowstone/Tetons
4 Corners - Monument Valley, other red rock national monuments/parks, history..
Maine coast
Cajun country
Olympic Peninsula - wild beach, mountains, big trees, oysters...

Where do you live and where have you travelled before??? Key info missing from this equation.

If you'd never been anywhere worthwhile in the US I'd recommend:
1) San Francisco (because there is such diversity in the area...visit Tahoe, redwoods, Carmel, maybe even Yosemite)

2) Boston with side trips to coastal Maine (a very short drive) and Vermont if time permits.

3) I'm a big Chicago fan, but getting there isn't too expensive from most places...I probably wouldn't waste a freebie ticket there

4) Seattle/Vancouver makes for a really nice trip, and if you live east, it's a good way to max out the value of your ticket

5) In summer, if you enjoy driving, flying into Spokane then driving thru Idaho and into western Montana will give you access to some of the most beautiful scenery in the US. Another good way to max out the value of your ticket and do something you might never otherwise consider. Some great resorts are situated along this route.

Let us know what you decide!

You guys have to be kidding! Seattle for a romantic trip with a female friend?

I'd call that asking for a "one-day-stand"--you won't make it to the night!

Here's my more sophisticated list (and I am talking from experience):
1. Sausalito, CA (Casa Madrona)
2. Glen Ellen, CA (Gaige House Inn)
3. Big Sur, CA (Detjen's resort--the wind whistling through the cracks in the walls will make her cling closer to you)
4. Coupeville, WA (Captain Whidbey Inn; ibid)
5. Langley, WA (The Inn at Langley, for the night after you get acquainted--she'll be so relieved to have returned to the lap of luxury, she'll cling to you ever after). On the other hand, if you're trying t0 get rid of her on this trip, try the Sooke Harbor House, west of Victoria, B.C.: "theme" rooms, strange food (fish oil, raw sea urchin, and unspeakables), and "theme" rooms a la Madonna Inn (in San Luis Obispo, CA).
But if you feel like making up (or out)and are looking for a truly romantic mountain retreat, check out the Durlacher Hof in Whistler, B.C.

Just a suggestion because it seems that the South is being underrepresented. Especially if you're going in the winter:

1. Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA (so much character and a short drive from each other)
2. Washington, DC (unlike any city in the world)
3. Key West, FL
4. New Orleans, LA (fun party city, GREAT food, and a surprisingly beautiful garden district)
5. Chicago, IL (It's not in the South, but a great city and the people are really friendly.)

Depends on when you're going and where you live. In general my top five would be
1. Big Sur/San Francisco (I consider this one trip),
2. Key West FL/Miami South Beach (I also consider this one trip),
3. New Orleans LA,
4. Charleston SC, and
5. New York City.
However, in the summer months when it's really hot I would kick Key West/Miami, New Orleans, and Charleston SC off the list and replace them with Maine (Acadia National Park/Bar Harbor), Chicago IL, and someplace cool in the mountains out west like Grand Tetons/Jackson Hole.

P.S. Too bad the tickets aren't good for Canada -- the Canadian Rockies around Banff/Lake Louise/Jasper would definitely be on my list.

Seth.....lucky you and your companion! My faves are.....

San Francisco
Chicago
St.Petersburg, FL area
New York City
Denver/Colorado Springs area

Have fun and let us know what you decide

I'd put Boston and San Francisco before NYC. Because you hear so much about NYC, you should see it, but I personally would get in and out in 1 1/2 days.


Also, even though Key West is kind of a neat place, it is not worth giving up some of the other GREAT places in the USA --IMO.


Elsa

Seth -- where are you starting from? And when (season), of course. But also, is your target a city because you have won plane tickets or can it be a national park. Our greatest treasures are, for the moment anyway, in our national parks, but most are at some distance from major airports.

I used to work with foreign (non-USA, sorry...) guests and scholars and usually recommended the following re:cities :

If you don't know NYC, then it's a must, but if you have any familiarity with it, go somewhere else.

1. San Francisco -- for taste of West Coast grace, liveliness, quirkiness and beauty.

2. Boston -- for its history, cultural intensity, and again, beauty (ignoring the Big Dig construction downtown) -- and Boston has to include Cambridge and ought to include the North Shore.

3. Chicago -- for its all-American flavor (diversity included), its cultural quality, lively arts and regional theater. Lots to do, but best in fall or spring, rough in winter and sometimes in summer, too.

4. Savannah -- for the unique Southern-ness of it, its beauty esp. in spring when all is in bloom.

5. Santa Fe -- to get a southwestern/desert flavor.

Let us know, please!, what you choose!

When I get free tickets I try to go someplace where I couldn't normally afford the airfare. Living on the east coast that means I go to the west coast. But since I don't know where you live I'll give my top five without regard to geographic location.
1.New York City-the world's most exciting city.
2. San Francisco-beautiful city with lots of options for excursions.
3. Boston-Lots of history and also a good place from which to take a side trip(the cape or New England countryside)
4. Charleston-Very picturesque-good walking city.
5. Chicago-another exciting city with fine restaurants, shops and museums.

Top 5: Charleston, S.C. (way out in the lead, so romantic), Camden,Maine (very beautiful), Chicago (good fun), New York City (has everything), Washington, D.C. (very interesting)