1jan1

I am planning a suprise trip for my step father and my mother for their 25th anniversary. They travel quite a bit, are very active, love to eat in wonderful & fun restaurants, shopping,farmers markets,like luxury. They live in Ark, plan to fly so any direction is fine, would like to spend 4 to 5 nights. Last of Sept or first of Oct 2007.

What would your favorite place be?

Thank you
1Jan1

BayouGal

San Francisco

New Orleans

amaclise

"very active, love to eat in wonderful & fun restaurants, shopping, farmers markets, like luxury."

CHICAGO! Absoulutely beautiful at that time of year.

highflyer

Great time of year to visit Boston, NYC or anywhere else in the NE.

I'd also suggest San Francisco or Santa Fe.

You're going to have to make some tough decisions!

jtrandolph

No contest....San Francisco.

1jan1

BayouGal,
Thanks! You know just what I am talking about. They did San Francisco for dad's 50th birthday and NO for honeymoon and about every 5 years since.
What do you think about wine country in Sept/Oct? Where would you stay ?
1jan1

DebitNM

Santa Fe...Durango/SW Colorado

It is beautiful here at that time of year...our favorite. And it's hard to pick a favorite, cause they are all so wonderful.

Debi

1jan1

amaclise,highflyer,jtrandolph,

Okay, you guys have hit all of their favorite cities....maybe I need some new suggestions for a hotel, resort, restaurant, etc

thanks so much
1jan1

LoveItaly

Hi 1jan1, San Francisco and the wine country (Sonoma and Napa) are just beautiful the end of September and first part of October). I "think" New York City is also from what I have heard.

DebitNM

SW Colorado hotels:

In Durango:

Apple Orchard Inn is a lovely B&B between the town of Durango and the ski area [which is about 30 miles north of town].http://www.appleorchardinn.com/

In town: although they are not B&B per se, there are 2 historic hotels that are really nice:
The General Palmer would be my first intown choice:
http://www.generalpalmerhotel.com/
Tie for second place intown would be:

The Strater:
http://www.strater.com/

Leland House B&B:
http://www.leland-house.com/

For Telluride --
There are lots of condos available. For small boutique hotels [these are intown]:
The Hotel Telluride-
http://www.premier-resorts.com/resor...URIDE/SPECIALS

The New Sheridan -
http://www.newsheridan.com/

San Sophia Inn -
http://www.sansophia.com/

big hotel in Mountain Village:
The Peaks Resort & Golden Door Spa -
http://thepeaksresort.comSecond group

{I've not had first hand experience with the following, but know of them:

Hotel Columbia-
http://columbiatelluride.com/

The Ice House-
http://www.icehouselodge.com/

For more info on Durango and Telluride [restaurants, activites]...use the search box at top of page and type in each town name.

Feel free to contact me directly if I can be of assistance.

And flying into ABQ will be the closest major airport. Both towns have small airports, but costly to fly into.

Hope this helps...
Debi

DebitNM

Santa Fe ideas:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34889063

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34895332
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34895115

Santa Fe restaurants & misc.:

CASUAL -
Tomasita's {new mexican w/ HOT chile so order on side}
500 S Guadalupe
505-983-5721

Cowgirl BBQ & Western Grill
319 S Guadalupe
505-982-2565

Tesuque Village Market {great breakfast and lunch}
Tesuque
505-988-8848
{A little north of town, but a beautiful drive. Stop at Shidoni Brass Foundry while there www.shidoni.com}

505-988-8848

Il Vicino Wood-Oven Pizza
321 W San Francisco
505-986-8700

Cafe Paris
31 Burro Alley
505-986-9162

French Pastry Shop
La Fonda Hotel, 100 E San Francisco
505-983-6697

For unusual SW items stop at Jackalope www.jackalope.com

FANCIER -
La Fonda Hotel [New Mexican -great brunch too at La Plazuela ]
100 E. San Francisco
Santa Fe, NM 87501
505-982-5511

For other ideas http://santafe.org/Visiting_Santa_Fe/index.html

Hotels in Santa Fe:
[I did a search recently for someone looking in in Summer so rates will be different than shown in these]
Picked these random dates -- 7/12 to 7/15 and found the following:

Inn of the Governor - AAA Rate, Traditional Rm 2 Queen Beds Free Breakfast, Plaza Location Free Parking Dataport Bathrobe $224

Inn on Alameda - AAA Rate Traditional Room With 2 Queen Beds, Southwestern Decor, Non Smoking, No Pets [AAA rate] (Deposit required) $185

Las Palomas Santa Fe [B&B] Hot Promotional Rate, Fireplace Studio-Private Garden-Kitchen-, Internet-Robes-Iron-Double Cont Breakfast $169

Hacienda At Hotel Santa Fe
Hacienda Fireplace King-Incl Breakfast-With Butler Service-Internet Access-Fireplace $289

And even Priceline has good prices [without even trying to do a name your own price] for Santa Fe at 3 & 4 star properties, so if you want...Santa Fe can be done under $300.


Hope this helps...
Debi



Hope this helps...
Debi

don512

Another vote for San Francisco, especially at that time of year. We stayed at the Argonaut earlier this year and really loved the place and location. I know a lot of people consider that area too touristy, but we found it very convenient. Also a great bonus would be a daytrip to Napa for the wine train. They pick you up right at your hotel and you take a bustrip up to Napa, have a great lunch on the train, then back to San Francisco through Sonoma and over the Golden Gate Bridge (around sunset). You stop for winetasting on the way to Napa, there is a winetasting car on the train,plus you stop by one of the vineyard on the way back. It made for a very memorable day (and we had been to the wine country a couple of times before). Not to mention, San Francisco has tons of fine restaurants and an old ferry building that has been turned into a market where they have a farmer's market on weekends. Sound like just what you are looking for.

aloha

There is lots to do in Portland, OR--plenty of restaurants and shopping, a very nice farmers' market downtown on Saturdays. They could also drive to the coast in less than two hours, or see the Columbia Gorge area, or the wineries in the Willamette valley area. Website to start your research is travelportland.com

My favorite place would be Hawai'i but that would be a long flight from AR for a trip of 4-5 days.

wtm003

Charleston and/or Savannah

artlover

My vote would be for S.F. and wine country.

iamq

Monterey/Carmel/Pebble Beach/Big Sur can be perfect for a romantic getaway.

Favorite places to stay in the area are the Tickle Pink in Carmel Highlands and Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur.

-Bill

TahitiTams

HI..
Santa Barbara, La Jolla or San Francisco/Napa..
How wonderful that you are doing this for your Mom and Stepfather!

panhandle

Ckalk up another vote for Portland. Side trips to the Willamette Valley for the Vinyards, Columbia Gorge and Cannon Beach for a few days as well. Still very nice in September as well.

1jan1

Thank you so much for all of the Great ideas! I am going to have so much fun working on this trip. What a nice start you have helped me with.
1jan1

happytrailstoyou

I would let them choose the destination, and I wouldn't surprise them. Rather, I would give them the opportunity to enjoy anticipating my generosity and thoughtfulness.