I am soliciting ideas for a weekend trip in mid January to celebrate my wife's 50th birthday. I live in San Jose, California. Thanks,

Do you want cold or warm weather.

If the former, Tahoe could be nice. The latter, perhaps Santa Barbara.

How about a nice spa weekend at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay? Or you could go to Bodega Bay and enjoy the spa at the Bodega Bay Lodge and spend one day visiting wineries in the Russian River/Dry Creek area.

We live in San Jose too - our weekend trips have been: Monterey, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Nevada City, Cambria/Morro Bay/San Simeon, San Diego (works better with a long weekend), Half Moon Bay, Big Sur. We've got a trip in the works for the north coast, considering that in May for our anniversary.

You could go to:

*Napa or Sonoma wine country

*Guerneville or Healdsburg

*Drive across GG bridge and take Hwy 1 through Marin up as far as Mendocino or stop anywhere along the way

*Yosemite

*Weekend in SF, see a play or Beach Blanket

*My personal favorite I've yet to try but really want to is a weekend at Nick's Cove in Tomales Bay

Here's a nice spa-lodge just across the Golden Gate Bridge that might fit the bill....

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/11/23...=5070&emc=eta1

Or north of there, near Point Reyes, is this nice inn....

http://www.theolemainn.com/

I think I'd pick Mendocino... so many beautiful choices.

Want to give more details on budget, interests and all that?

That would give us inspiration to plan mini trips for you!

Congratulations and have fun!

Where's the thank you?

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions. I am able to plan a trip because of it. Happy New Year!