Mixture!
 

My boyfriend and I love the states but have yet to go together. He's very much into being busy and sightseeing on holiday and I like a bit of lounging by the pool in the sun drinking the odd cocktail! We'd like to escape this year for around 10 nights and do a bit of both. We are happy to drive ourselves around and base ourselves in one or two states or fly across the country.

We'd want to avoid Florida as I've recently been and we aim to go again it the future with children hopefully! We both love California except Los Angeles. We love New York but have both been there in the last 2 yrs so would avoid that too! We've considered driving route 66 but think we'll leave that until there's a group of us and would want to avoid the Caribbean I think...

Any ideas from you experiences travellers or locals would be much appreciated!
Abi

Oh, and we have to travel July/August as I'm a teacher!

First and foremost I have to emphasize that, when two people with different tastes want to enjoy a holiday, the BEST thing to do is to separate and do the things each of you enjoy.
I'm a person who, after seeing the Louvre and the Musee D'Orsay, will calculate how long it will take to run to the top of the Eiffel Tower in order to spend two minutes getting photos. My wife is perfectly content sitting in a hotel room reading a book or writing postcards. After 28 years of marriage, we have DEFINITELY realized the benefits of letting the other do what s/he wants to do while each of us do what WE love. The key is to end up at the same bedroom! ;^)

Anyway, you want to visit the USA in July/August and sit by a pool with a drink, while your SO goes sightseeing. Not Florida or NYC or LA or the Caribbean. Hmmmm...
One problem with summer is that most places are ridiculously hot and steamy. Anywhere in the South is out, as are many places in the North.
The New England Coast could easily be your place. Just across "The Pond," lots of variety of sightseeing, lots of high class lodging where you can relax during the day and, at day's end, you two can -- well, you know. Is there a specific type of sights your SO would be interested in seeing? Museums? Hiking? Scenery? Shopping? History? Charm? Wilderness? If you focus on what he would enjoy, we can probably suggest a place where you can enjoy it.

The New England Coast is a good suggestion but will be crazy busy. Another option might be the west coast of Michigan. There are wonderful beaches, wineries and hiking and you are just a few hours drive from Chicago to see museums, shopping etc.

They both sound like places well worth looking in to! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy scenery, culture and history too but he'd be happy to do that every day where as I like to break it up with a day or 2 by the pool/beach!

Unfortunately being a teacher, wherever and whenever I go on holiday it's heaving!

Again, thanks for your suggestions, definately food for thought!
Abby xx