Help - one last hurrah before Baby
 

After many travel adventures DH and and I are expecting our first child. We'd love to plan one last trip before baby sometime in Aug or Sept. The game plan is to spend a week on vacation.

We love great food, I would love a nice spa and a day or two of golf for DH would be nice too. I'd prefer not drive more than a couple of hours in total after we arrive, prefer not to go anywhere too hot (I know it is Aug/Sept) and I would like to stay some where nice but probably not more than $400/night.

I was thinking of splitting time between San Francisco (we've been many times) and somewhere else nearby ... any thoughts? I also thought about Santa Barbara - we've not been here before. We'd also be open to going to destination resort ... anything you can recommend? Is there any place else we should consider?

I know the W and Ritz have "babymoon" packages - has anyone done these or know of any other hotels with good packages?


Thanks in advance!

You didn't say where you live but what about Lake Tahoe?

I would say the Wine country..>Healdsburg......but it can be hot then. Other than that, why not in the Carmel, Pacific Grove area just south of S.F.? They have golf, its near the coast, and its relaxing.

The Ritz marketing group should be ashamed of themselves.

I guess it depends what you want to do, but I personally can't think of too many places I'd want to stay an entire week without driving much, that would be that interesting -- other than a big city. Even then, like San Francisco, I can't imagine not wanting to drive anywhere nearby for a week as part of that vacation.

I would definitely not want to just stay in Santa Barbara itself for a week, it's not that interesting in itself, although okay for a day or two. But to never drive anywhere nearby for an entire week? I wouldn't do that. Lake Tahoe would get really dull if you didn't go anywhere for a week, I think, especically in the summer. I go there in the winter to go skiing, but without that -- I'd get pretty bored just being in Tahoe for a week and not going anywhere.

I think areas near the coast in California shouldn't be too hot, but if you were going to add in Big Sur, Monterey, Carmel or something to San Francisco, I still think you'd want to be driving somewhere -- well, you'd have to.

What about Aspen, a lot of people go there in summer and I'm sure it has upscale spa, etc., things. I don't golf so don't know anything about it, but would assume they must have some golfing nearby.

Once I went to a dude ranch resort near Durango, COlorado about that time of the year, and that was really enjoyable. I like riding, though, but it wasn't too hot in the mountains, and there were things to do nearby that were enjoyable, but they would involve some driving -- the mountains are beautiful just to drive through, Durango is fun for a day or so, and there are wonderful Indian ruins nearby (like Mesa Verde) -- but again, you'd have to do some driving. There must be some golfing around there, I imagine.

Oh, along with that last thought -- I've also been in Albuquerque and Santa Fe at that time of year and enjoyed it very much. It was fairly hot, but not opressive, and it doesn't seem that bad because it is dry. It gets cooler at night. There would probably be upscale things to do in Santa Fe, they do have nice hotels and I'm sure spas there as they are all the rage.

First, congratulations!

Second, re-think the spa. How pregnant will you be in August/Sept.? It's now been 19 years since I was pregnant, but I still remember a lot of the ground rules, and I remember spas (because of the temperature) were OUT, as were certain kinds of fish, no sushi at all, and, uh, well Napa or any wine country trip would have been met with disapproving looks!

Also, if you're going to be "very" pregnant at that point, you need to think "comfort". If it's 80 outside, your body's going to feel like it's 120 degrees. Prior to pregnancy, I was always cold -- always had tons of clothes on and the heat turned up -- never needed a/c. Then that pregnant summer came, and I couldn't find a freezer that would be cool enough for me. I literally slept next to the a/c unit.

Further, while SF is perfect weather-wise in that condition, all that walking up hills might be tiring.

Soooo, I'd pick Monterey, Carmel, Santa Cruz, if up north; or San Diego if south. Or even Catalina. You could stay at the Wrigley place and have a golf cart take you up and down the hill, relax on the pebbly beach, swim, have a great time! Oh -- and your husband can have a day or two of golf.

Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay near San Francisco, Spanish Bay Carmel on 17mile drive, or Seascape Aptos.

These are all within an easy drive of each other so you could split your time between two.

Congratulations!

Catering to pregnant women has become BIG business -- but that's another thread that I won't bring up. Many spas offer pregnancy packages. When I was pregnant I would get prenatal massages. They put down pillows (some beds have drop out sections for your belly to slip into, like the one for your face) so you can lie on your stomach. After months of laying on my side I told the masseuse I would pay to just lie on the bed, never mind the massage.

You don't say how pregnant you'll be, but check the spa policies. I found that spas prefer the 2nd trimester and may even prohibit treatments in the 1st or 3rd. Even manicures and pedicures may be out towards the end because there are pressure points in your feet and hands that can induce labor.