Hi! My husband and I want to go somewhere for 4 days in late August. I'll be almost 7 months pregnant, so we need a location where we can just sit and relax, maybe do some light sightseeing. Here's the kicker: it has to be somewhere American Airlines flies (or nearby) as we have free tickets that expire at the end of Aug. We live in California, so I was thinking of someplace in the southwest or south, but I'm very unfamiliar with both areas. Does anyone have any suggestions?

How about British Columbia? I would assume American Airlines flies to Vancouver. It will be lovely summery weather then - warm during the day, and it cools off at night. You'd need to book it soon, though.

I agree, the Pacific Northwest might be the ticket. The south and southwest will be very hot!

Seattle

Check rules for flying - you may need an MD letter, especially if you look more pregnant than you are.

Definitely avoid ths south, as the humidity is quite high year round, but the effects are especially felt during the summer. Last summer I spent in Mississippi we had over a month where humidity didn't go below 85%. (If you ever do want to visit the south, go in early spring or late fall--they're the easiest times of years there for sightseeing.)

We were in Flagstaff last August and the weather was very nice. We also went to the Grand Canyon, north and south rims, and Sedona for one day, and the weather was very pleasant, though you could imagine that it could get very hot. Perhaps a trip to Sedona's Enchantment Resort would be a good choice. You'd need to fly into Phoenix then rent a car and drive an hour to Sedona.

Better yet, how about San Antonio's Riverside? I was there once quite awhile ago and I recall that the river running through the area, and the trees and shade from the buildings, kept temperatures relatively cool -- but being in the TX desert, it was not humid at all. Maybe someone else has more accurate recollections about San Antonio in August.

Not sure if American flies there, and it would be quite a long flight from California, but how about Bar Harbor, Maine? (You could fly into Portland and drive to Bar Harbor.) It would be perfect for sightseeing and relaxing. Acadia Nat'l Park is very scenic and you can do most of it via the car with stops along the way to view the different sites. The town of Bar Harbor is great to stay in.

Otherwise, if you don't want to fly that far east, how about a mountain get-a-way, i.e., Vail/Beaver Creek, Aspen or Jackson Hole? (I know that American flies right into Vail airport.)