I'm looking for ideas for a trip in the fall for a suprise 40th birthday trip for my husband. We live in the midwest, willing to fly, for a 4-5 day trip.
Any ideas?

He enjoys history, cities, books, movies....

Definately OUT: Vegas (been there, hated it)
NY, SF (been there, loved it)
Beaches (been there, done that)

Have considered Quebec.....any thoughts of what it's like there in the fall?

Interesting question with the exclusions. I was thinking Door County but it is not very city like.

Things that jump to mind are: Toronto, Calgary or Victoria, BC. St. Louis is chock full of history as is Chicago but you may have been there or live there. How about Boston or Philadelphia? Going West perhaps San Diego?

Really broad, just kind of throwing darts with some experiences.

You might want to head South in the fall for beautiful weather. Lots of history in Charleston perhaps? There have been several nice trip reports on Savannah and Charleston.

Old Town Alexandria is a nice place to stay- all the preRevolutionary War townhouses are cool. Safe, quick, and easy to ride the metro from there to DC for all the history you can stand.

I agree with your taste, although I am not as fond of San Francisco as I think I would be.

When in the fall? September and early October are supposed to wonderful in Montral and Quebec City. My wife has been to Quebec City and loved it.

What type of history is he interested in? What types of books does he like to read? Do you want one place or do you want to drive around a bit?

You could do a Revolutionary war theme around Boston and/or Philadelphia. Civil War could be Atlanta or New Orleans or even Charleston,SC. Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia (Williamsburg, Mount Vernon and Charlottesville) has a lot to do over a 4-5 day period for history lovers.

The Wine Country is always a nice 4-5 day excursion. If he is a Steinbeck fan, Monterrey/Big Sur mught be a good time.

New Orleans is the backdrop of numerous writers. I am assuming that since Chicago is not on the list, either you live there or spend a lot of time there. If not, you should consider it as well.

I think the fall is by far the best time to travel to the north east. I was going to suggest Quebec City, we did that in early October and it was lovely...actually it was unseasonably warm and sunny, but the trees had started to change.

And if you've never been to Boston, then September or October is a great time to come. You can see some history...walk the freedom trail, see the USS Constitution, visit the Museum of Fine Arts, hear the Boston Symphony, take a harbor cruise, hang out having espresso and cannoli in the North End, take in a play. Lots to do.

September is also a gorgeous time in the Northwest - either Seattle or Portland. In 4 or 5 days you could spend time in the city (check out the new library) and the country (Seattle: Mt. Rainier, Snoqualamie, nearby wine country; or Portland: Columbia Gorge or nearby wine country). My husband went to the Dominican Republic for his 40th and while he had a good time I think he might have been just as happy doing a domestic trip like this one or the other ones suggested so far.

How about Boston or Charleston?

Boston!!!!!

How about Charleston AND Savannah? If you don't like one, you'll surely like the other. You can do them both in a 4 to 5 day trip.

We live near Chicago and enjoyed a wonderful trip for our 20th anniversary to Carmel, CA, exploring the area, Big Sur, Monterey, numerous state parks, San Fran... just a perfect trip. If your interested this is the link to our trip report. http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...1&tid=34452270

I agree that Charleston and Savannah are lovely, and they're near each other. If you go to Savannah, read "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil First." Four to five days is probably a bit long for either city alone, so if you do it, you might consider combining them.

Also agree about a D.C.-area trip -- you could even rent a car for a day trip to Harpers Ferry, W.Va., (or is it Va.), which is quaint and historic.

Philadelphia is good for history, Colonial Period and Civil War, and Gettysburg is a day trip. The countryside would be beautiful in the fall. The site where Washington crossed the Delaware is about an hour's ride away, too. Philly has good restaurants and entertainment, too. If four or five days seems too long, you might combine it with a side trip to NYC, only an hour by Amtrak.

For something really special, if you have the time and don't mind an international flight, why not try London or Paris?

Or, your own excellent suggestion, Quebec City. Went there last summer, it's beautiful and very European. You could take a day trip to Baie St. Paul or one of the other towns in the breathtakingly beautiful area of Charlevoix, about an hour away. Don't know what it's like in the fall, but I imagine it's nice.

Good luck!

P.S. Philadelphia has three Ritz arthouse theaters in the historic district (see ritzfilmbill.com), and you can tour local sites where famous movies were made, including "Rocky." The Italian Market area is fun, too, speaking of "Rocky," Visit gptmc.com, the regional tourism web site, for info on the area. No, I don't work for them, but a friend of mine does.

I totally agree Charleston! We recently celebrated our anniversary there and had the best time. So much to do, great shopping, dining, lots of history etc. Easy to visit without a car, although we had one. I posted a report if you're interested, or do a search for many recent charleston threads.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34589707

How about Santa Fe?

Lee Ann

since you mention "cities", i assume that you want something urban. not just a big city but a real urban city...where you can leave the car behind and walk, getting lost in masses of people, etc.

this leaves just a few choice in the US, IMO. I agree with Boston as a good choice as it has a lot to offer for those wanting to experience history, urban landscape, books, movies, music, etc. early sept is not the ideal time to visit due to university activity (like about a million students moving back at the same time). however, if this is your time frame and you can book a hotel and flights with no problem then i would do it.

montreal and quebec city are good choices. i have been to both many times in autumn and it is great (cold, however). i prefer montreal over quebec (although quebec is a prettier city) for its more cosmopolitan feel. i would choose montreal if i were you.

Here is my in depth Charleston trip report.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...vel+Charleston

Wonderful city.

Perhaps a combo of Montreal and Quebec?

New Orleans or DC would fit the bill too.

If I had to pick one out of the four I just mentioned, I would have a hard time!

Have a great time.

I love Quebec in the summer, but it gets cold fast come fall. Depends on your tolerance.

New England is gorgeous in the fall. I think Boston would fit the bill nicely, as would Philadelphia.

If you want a warmer climate, Charleston seems wonderful, although I can't recommend it from personal experience.

Sounds like a great surprise!