We also are avoiding family dinners this year. However, our misfortune is that we are held to the midwest area. While coasts would be nice and Europe -- well...any ideas for get away locations in midwest would be great!

By all means, check out Chicago. All sorts of things to see and do that can fit anyone's pocketbook. Marvelous dining, great sights, friendly people. Dozens of great museums. A marvelous exhibition of the works of Mary Cassatt recently opened at the Art Institute. Look on the web for the Chicago tourist information bureau.

I would second Chicago as my first choice, and for all the reasons you just mentioned. Two other suggestions: Kansas City and Saint Louis. Both have good nightlife, shopping, museums, and food (Kansas City's barbeque is second to no one's). One thing to know, if this is important: Chicago is about the only city in the Midwest (indeed, one of the few in the US!) with a sufficiently good mass transit system that you could see most of the good places without a car. Saint Louis is catching up, with its light rail system, but Kansas City has no mass transit worth considering.

Kansas City is a good choice if not interested in Chicago. Stay on the Plaza. The only catch is that the entire Plaza shopping district is lit with Christmas lights on ThanksG. night. Hotels may be booked or high rates. Have you thought about some of the historic towns on either the Mississippi - Hanibal in Missouri, or on the Missouri River - Hermann. Some of the towns along the Missouri are historic and have wineries and quaint B & Bs. Don't know about restaurants.

I have to add another vote for Chicago although I'm a bit partial since I live here. The city, by Thanksgiving, is decorated for Christmas. You don't mention if you have kids, but Navy Pier has a ton of stuff for kids to do around the holidays. There are wonderful museums, great restaurants and several places you can have a nice meal on Thanksgiving day.

If you're looking for something a little more quaint, you might try Galena, Illinois (about 2 hours north of Chicago) or Frankenmuth, Michigan (an hour or so north of Detroit)

Another vote for Galena, Illinois, and the Galena Territory, a resort complex which includes the Eagle Ridge Inn. Galena itself is quaint and lovely and the preChristmas decorations and special weekends start at Thanksgiving.

You can't go wrong visiting Chicago but Door County, Wis., is another suggestion. Lovely area. Great food and lodging and very scenic and artsy.Many year ago we visited Hotel DeNord (sp) in Sister Bay in Door County. I've never been to Macanac Island in Michigan but lots of my midwestern friend have. There's a Grand Hotel (I think it's called) and very expensive but worth the money I've heard.