Boston
Chicago
Washington DC
Memphis
Austin
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Seattle
Montreal
Toronto
Vancouver BC

HTTY - yes I like Barcelona however I have already covered most of the European cities (and thoroughly enjoyed) and would like to try somewhere a little further afield.

Again it's a personal opinion about NYC not a general opinion. I live in Cardiff, Wales. I love it, it's a vibrant city, rich in Celtic heritage, has a quieter pace of life in comparison to some of the other cities i've lived in (including London and Amsterdam) however I wouldn't assume everyone should love it and certainly wouldn't take offence if they didn't.

Gardylou - Thank you for your suggestions I'll look into them, may have to raid the local book store for travel books.

Boston: scale, history, setting, museums, shopping, very walkable, good subways, youthful vibe, clubs galore, riding stables near public transportation but expensive lodging

Washington, DC: museums mostly free, excellent Metro, hotels cheaper on weekends because business travelers are gone, great food all price ranges, lots of club and concert action because of massive numbers of youthful government employees but very hot and humid, expensive lodging during week, terrible male to female ratio. Does anyone know if she can ride in Rock Creek Park?

I think someplace in the west might fit the bill:
Pacific Northwest - cover a couple of places, maybe Seattle and Vancouver
Santa Fe is a great idea
San Diego
San Francisco

What about Denver? City but small town feel, has great trails and shopping, Boulder is brief drive away, great little town with trials and hiking and shopping the main street.
then you could drive to Aspen or Vail or Breckenridge and have shopping trails adn horseback riding.

I'd also throw Savannah or Charleston into the mix.

HTTY - yes I like Barcelona however I have already covered most of the European cities (and thoroughly enjoyed) and would like to try somewhere a little further afield.

The reason I asked is that we don't have any city that vies with NYC in the way Barcelona does with Madrid (or Milan does with Rome).

HTtY

HTTY - yes I like Barcelona however I have already covered most of the European cities (and thoroughly enjoyed) and would like to try somewhere a little further afield.

The reason I asked is that we don't have any city that vies with NYC in the way Barcelona does with Madrid (or Milan does with Rome).

HTtY

How about New England? Maybe base out of Boston, then visit the coast of New Hampshire and Maine. Head inland to Vermont. Beautiful part of the country!

San Francisco will eat up more time and money just because it's so much further for you to travel, then if you stick to somewhere on the 'east coast' US.

Washington DC
Memphis
Austin
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Seattle
You should visit these places within your budget and time availability. You will enjoy a lot by visiting these places....

I'll second DebitNM's Santa Fe recommendation. It's especially lovely in the fall (late September-October). You could visit some Indian pueblos, do some hiking, shop, etc. The International Balloon Fiesta is in Albuquerque in early October, and it is really worth seeing. www.balloonfiesta.com

Lee Ann

suze's right about Boston. That might fill the bill, with possibly a train ride down to NYC for an overnight--please don't rule it out just because there may be some (other) British tourists there. It's so big, with so many people and so much to do that you would probably not run into any anyway.

San Francisco might fit also as there are a number of parks and other scenic areas for hiking within reach: Monterrey Peninsula, Napa Valley, Muir Woods, etc.

But I agree the East Coast would be better because of the cost and time it would take you to get to the West Coast.

Colorado!

California!

Wow, so many possible places. Yes, Boston might be good, with walking and subways getting around, an area we are appreciating after moving from Middle America. Ackislander has Boston (and Washington) and would surely add also boat trips and cruises...including out to Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket. Up the coast in Maine are many destinations.

And yet lots of place have an appeal. For example, New Orleans with its music and eating...St. Louis incl. wonderful zoo, Missouri Botanical Garden as good as Kew Gardens, float trips on rivers, caves not far distance...and many more cities or areas.

Ditto on Santa Fe, New Mexico for something you are definitely not used to seeing, plus the riding opportunities. Nightlife is not the big draw, but it does exist. With your time frame you could take in surrounding areas like Taos, where you could visit the famous Taos Pueblo.