The Caribbean would be my choice. Plenty of places to go there which should fit the bill.

My pick: New Orleans.

I don't know what a couple of the posters are talking about when it comes to South Beach unless you were there 10 years ago.

South Beach is all the rage, VERY upscale with lots of Boutique hotels and fine dining, sexy bars. It has become the American Riviera. The shops of Ball Harbor and the new Mall in Gables rival NYC 5th Avenue.

Lincoln Rd has become the latest trendy pedestrail mall, a kind of Grenwich village.

It is the prefect fit for your description. Check out the Shore Club on Collins Ave, The Tides, and I believe the W just opened up 2 new hotels on Sobe!

The whole South Beach area all the way to Bal Harbor has been torn down and rebuit with gleaming condos, restaurants and clubs.

If you want a sexy week in the fast lane, then Sobe is one of the few places to go in the US.

Most of the dance clubs are on Washington, and again rival Manhatten and LA. The Washington area has its share of Tatoo parlors so meaby thats where you drove by.

But within the South Beach area, you could not possibly get bored for a week!

Keep in mind if you are conservative, this will not be your cup of tea, but if you have a bit of a wild side, then you will love it here. Sobe best caters to the AMEX gold card/platinum card crowd. If your on a budget then this is not the place to be.

Laughlin, Nevada.

Of all the places spoken about this is the best. Not overun by tourists. Beautiful scenery. Value geared food. Can drive to Vegas if need be. Friendly people. Great weather.

Paris would put a smile on my face as would Venice. Two of the most romantic places. ;o)

Your time is too short for long flights. If it is March, why not fly nonstop to Vail and ski....you guys sound athletic, there are some wonderful cozy restaurants, tons of shops and very nice hotels. I would recommend the Sonnenalp among others. Alternatively Aspen, even better restaurants and even better shopping and even better star-spotting, stay at Little Nell right at the base of the mountain and have cocktails next to Kevin Costner and that group. Plenty of people in Aspen never ski! but it is beautiful then. A third choice would be Deer Valley, Utah. All of the above are replete with gorgeous hotels, spa treatments, many sports, fab food and comaraderie and lots of jewelry shops ....a big important pieceof jewelry is the key to a woman's happiness on her 40th birthday. What about Los Angeles...stay at the Bev Hills Hilton right central to everything, rent a showy convertible and drive around, shop, day trip to Laguna Beach, the best restaurants in the country, sun, lots of jewerly and other stores and running, blading or biking on the various beaches.

David, lets talk. You know your wife better than any of us complete strangers. There must be a place she has mentioned she would always like to go if the opportunity arrived. Think about it Dave. Then you decide which would be the best place. Consider the time you have, I think Vegas might be to much from NY for 3 days. Just my opinion. Think the nicest destination, with the shortest amount of travel time. Try and stretch it to 5 days if possible.

I live in Scottsdale and my husband is taking me to NY for my 40th birthday, funny! San Francisco is fun, romantic and easier to get around in than Scottsdale. Scottsdale is great for spa type vacations, swimming, golf, dining and shopping. My favorites places are the Royal Palms and T. Cooks restaurant or The Phoenician. What a nice husband you are!

David, you (like my husband) are a gem and I think it's great you're taking all this time to try to come up with a place. What I really suggest is simple--ask her where she wants to go! (My husband doesn't have to ask me--he knows I want to go back to Spain, but everyone is different and certainly she must have a place she'd like to go.)

David, Great idea, travel is my favorite gift. What's the budget like? Without even considering a budget, and thinking warm, how about Ikal Del Mar or Marooma in Playa Del Carmen? Very romantic, classy spots with swimming. Non stop flights from NY to Cancun are $325 right now.

You could also go to The Caves or Rockhouse in Jamaica (my husband and I are going there in January for a long weekend). Rockhouse looks very cool and is very reasonable - check out the website. Also neither allows children, which is something to think about if you're not bringing yours.

I also LOVE Charleston. It's warmer, very romantic and beautiful. Lots of great inns and restaurants to choose from.

And Bermuda is also a great spot. We went last October for 4 days and the flight from NY was an hour and a half. You may not be able to go in the ocean in March, but it should be in the upper 60's. Ariel Sands and The Reefs are great Romantic spots, as are Waterloo house although Waterloo's a bit stuffy.

What a great present!

3-4 days?
exercising?
swimming?
nice restaurants?
shopping?

Nawlins! Hands Down!

I like the Bermuda suggestion too. It's a quick and easy flight and my all time favorite island. My first visit there was in March, and it was fine--we lay on the pink sand beach, got the requiste tan, and swam. It's all relative. If you've lived all your life in MA, as we had at that point, it felt like heaven and looked even better. Coming from NY in March, it'll feel like heaven too.

Zip around via moped (fun in itself) on narrow little roads, many bordered by flower covered stone-walls, passing by incredible views of bays and cliffs over turquoise water. No commercialism, no billboards, just absolute beauty. Nice shopping with plenty of English goods in Hamilton. Atmosphere galore. Take your pick of hotel or small white tile roofed, pastel colored cottage. It's expensive but money well spent, we feel. We've made 3 trips, just me in college, my husband and myself leaving the kids at home a decade later, then with our kids when they were teens (who name this as their best vacation ever) yet I could easily go back for 3 more--and I live at a gorgeous beach stateside, so that's not the draw. It's a unique experience.

As I recall, as much as I loved to ski, by March I was so sick of eternally dreary gray days, dirty brown melting snow banks, that more of that stuff was the last thing I wanted. Give me a little rejuvenating warmth and sunshine!

I suggest a suite in The Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City. Romantic, wonderful spa, great shopping, great restaurants,(I don't remember if it has a swimming pool) and low Canadian dollar. I believe there are direct flights from N.Y.

Carmel. Or better yet, if she or the both of you golf, Pebble Beach.

Quebec City, ohh ya I forgot about that!

That is most romantic! Paris in North America!

But when are they going....Dec - March is normally bone chilling COLD !!!!

I've been there skiing, and it was so cold (-40) in January, that I never saw the hill.

Chateau Frontenac is THE place to stay or if that is booked the Le Concorde just outside the old Quebec city wall.

This is one of 7 (?) world heritage sites, and the oldest settlement in North America late 1600s I believe!

June - Oct is the best...August is super hot and humid.

If you go be sure to eat at "L'Ancient Quebecois", but much like New Orleans hard to go wrong on food here,

David:

Definitely go to Charleston,SC. It is such an attractive city and the bonus is that the ocean beaches are very close if you want the option of taking a nice walk.

I love Quebec too, but it's too cold still in March. My sister was there one February and it was -40. they had to dart from one place to the next so the tears didn't freeze in their ducts. Save it for summer.

Laughlin NV?
Laughlin NV!
Laughlin NV???
Laughlin NV!!!

That is one of THE funniest replies I've ever read on this board. For someone from NY?
Ohmygosh....David's wife would absolutely CRUCIFY him.

Laughlin is the Arkansas of southern Nevada. The low rent part of the Nevada trailer park. The elimination portal of the Nevada dung beetle.

Ouch!!!

Definitely skip Vegas. However...you can fly there and rent a car and drive less than 2 hours to a wonderful destination spa that you both would have a great time at! The Red Mountain Spa is an adventure spa...all sorts of exercise stuff to do...hiking, mountain biking, various classes, all the food is included and of course a wonderful spa You can check out their website at www.redmountainspa.com. I was there recently with a bunch of girlfriends and it was heaven!