Planning a Surprise - 3 choices, need suggestions
 

I am planning a 30th b-day trip for my husband as a surprise. The trip is for mid-March during his birthday week. We will only have 4-5 days due to our schedules. We live in the NE part of the country, so time spent traveling is a factor. Here are the 3 destinations I have focussed on: San Fran (and Sonoma), New Orleans, Florida (Miami and/or Everglades). They are all very different - we like to hike and camp as well as see and go out in cities, so I am feeling very torn. HELP!

Why pull a surprise on something that major?? How do you know your choice will be what he wants? With time scarce, why not ask him where he wants to go? You do run a considerable risk that your choice might not at all be what he would like. <BR>If my wife has pulled that kind of surprise on me, it might have led to a divorce. Are you trying to surprise or control?? Why not cooperate and do something that you know will succeed? <BR> <BR>

I took my husband on a surprise trip for his birthday too, and he was thrilled. <BR>I found New Orleans a bit tacky (IMHO, of course) Haven't been to those parts of Florida. Loved San Francisco and Napa and Sonoma-- would also recommend driving down to Monterey instead of North to Napa/Sonoma. I think Sanc Francisco plus one of the two outlyiong areas would make for a perfect combination of city and nature oreinted activities

I'm assuming you know your husband well enough to know the places it'd like to go and the things he'd like to do. My dad just did a one week surprise trip for my mom, she loved it - he knew it was to a place she wanted to go. A big part of the fun for her was having someone do all the planning,reserving etc. That said my personal vote would be for New Orleans, great city and you can cover a lot in 4-5 days and feel like you've been somewhere really different. <BR>

BOB - I know my husband very well, and i KNOW that he will love a surprise trip. I also know that in the 6 years we have been together, we have talked about going to all of these places. I just thought asking some advice of some fellow travelers would be helpful. I am hardly trying to "control" my husband - romance him is more like it! chris and janie, you both point out the major reasons why i would want to visit Ca and N.O.! Does anybody think a 6-hour plane ride (to San Fran) for 4-5 days is too ambitious and/or tiring?

San Francisco!!!!!!!

I vote for San Fransico as well. I live in Nova Scotia and I went to SF for a weekend!(3 days) I loved every minute of it. Four-five days is PLENTY of time!

Good for you, this is a great plan. I kidnapped my husband once for a surprise trip to Las Vegas once and he LOVED it. Of your choices my vote is for New Orleans. I'm not sure there would be enough to do in the Evergaldes area for 4 days (though I haven't been there) and the weather in San Franscisco can be iffy in spring. The weather is very chilly there and drizzly. Coming from the NE I would think you might want to hit soem warm weather for a change of pace in March. spring and fall are the best time of year for NEw Orleans as summer if often too hot and sticky!

If you have 5 days I vote for San Francisco. <BR> <BR>If you only have 4 days then because of the travel time involved in getting to SF I would vote for my 2nd choice, which is New Orleans. <BR> <BR>Either would be great, but IMO 5 days in New Orleans is a bit much. On the other hand, you could spend weeks in San Francisco and vicinity and still not see everything there is to see.

In No. CA you could hike on the 17 mile drive in Monterey or in the redwoods in Muir Woods or Big Basin State Park.

I've been to NOLA and The Glades...never San Fran. <BR> <BR>I disagree with the previous poster thay (had never been to the everglades but) thought there would be nothing to do. BOY...IS SHE SMART!....Plenty to do in the glades.....if you like the bnack country as well as the city....the Glades and Miami are too close if you ask me (and I HAVE been there). 2 National parks and a National preserve and one of the coolest cities you'll ever meet. Don't stay in Miami....try FT Luaderdale or a nieghboring community. In the glades, one of my favorite things was the bicycle trail at Shark Valley...you get VERT close to the wildlife including the gators. In Miami...Vizcaya is not to be missed as well as cuban food. <BR> <BR>In NOLA...it's not tacky....it's built to be different.....It's New Orleans for crying out loud. Plenty to do in NOLA......more than I wish to type. <BR> <BR>My vote goes for the Glades cause its March and New Oreleans might be a little cold. <BR> <BR>Chris

No question...New Orleans is the IDEAL birthday town!

Everybody - thanks for all of the input!! I am glad that people see the fun of this. Keep the information flowing - all of the additional suggestions, along with what I already know, are helping. I think I am staring to narrow it down to florida or san fran. I like the opportunities in those places to mix nature/hiking with urban fun!

San Fran has beautiful weather in Nov--can homestead there and day trip to Napa or Monterey--but plenty to do in SF for four days.

The safer weather bet is NOLA for sure. It's still raining out here in San Francisco come March.

Surprise, <BR>You are missing half the fun of a trip. Go the the bookstore, take three books to the little coffee area, and read the overviews of each area. Buy a coffee (did you hear Letterman's joke; Starbucks newest flavor: Siprochino) and dream and plan. <BR> <BR>With Florida, you can take still have part of your travel day to do something with the right flight times. Everglades sound exciting to me, as this was once one of my travel-research topics. <BR> <BR>SF - not sure how you can lose on this, except the return from west coast always wastes the entire day. <BR> <BR>Note that you may be competing with school vacations in March, and could have flight 'problems' <BR> <BR>NO - I like hiking/outdoors. NO was an OK visit, but I would choose SF or Everglades first. <BR> <BR>Ever consider Southern Utah parks? Vegas is close, as is Salt Lake City (sort of). <BR> <BR>

GOL - Thanks for the advice - I, too, love to do my research at a coffee shop, but haven't had the time yet - soon I will MAKE the time! I did research the southern Utah parks, and wanted to camp/hike there, but the weather during March was not so inviting for sleeping outdoors - that is part of the reason I started looking at the Glades instead. (Hopefully, I will get to the west for some camping/hiking soon though!)

Sounds like you are getting some great input. The surprise is a great idea. My husband did that for me for my 40th birthday (San Antonio) and I loved it and him for thinking of it. <BR>I can't see 4-5 days in New Orleans. It's a fun place but I felt like I'd seen it all in 2 days (full ones at that). We once planned a trip to Sonoma and Napa area and San Fran. We did 3 days in each spot and that was very nice. Sonoma is very romantic and beautiful and I would like to return for a few more days there. <BR>I live in Naples, Fl and it is a wonderful place if you enjoy beaches plus you could do the Everglades from here. I really don't like Miami at all. Much too crowded and dirty, big city feel. Just not my style though some people love it. Note that our beaches in Naples are teeming with people from Miami on weekends and holidays so the beaches there aren't near as nice as here (if beaches even interest you). If you end up in Sonoma, The General's Daughter is a wonderful place for dinner. <BR>Have a great time! <BR>

Actually 4-5 days is the perfect amount of time for New Orleans. We went in June for a Wed.-Sun. trip, here is our itinerary. <BR> <BR>WEDNESDAY - flew in late afternoon 5p.m. - got baggage and tokk cab to hotel, checked in, freshened up and went for nice anniversary dinner. <BR> <BR>THURSDAY - took the street car to the Garden District ion the morning and did the tour of old homes there and wandered around. Had late lunch and came back to French Quarter. Spent afternoon in French Quarter and then hit some of the nightspots there that night, but not out to late. <BR> <BR>FRIDAY - morning we went to the Acquarium and walked around the park for a while; afternoon we did the jazz cruise and meal aboard the SS Natchez riverboat freshened up and then hit some more night spots in the evening. <BR> <BR>SATURDAY - did the all day plantation tour with Tours by Isabelle. Took a swim after the heat of the day and then went to dinner <BR> <BR>SUNDAY - leisurely breakfst at Cafe Du Monde with some people watching, then a little shopping before boarding a plane home in the afternoon. <BR> <BR>We were never rushed, everything was at a leisurely pace which is probably why we didn't tie of the Big Easy. In June it was hot, but I have been to this part of the country in MArch before and it was 60s and sunny (nice but so much for the swim) We had a great anniversary trip! <BR> <BR>

Hi Surprise, <BR>I'm with you when it comes to surprises! <BR>I saved my extra money on the sly to pay for a surprise cruise for myself and my husband for our 15 year wedding anniversary. <BR>He was not only surprised, but entirely psyched! I remember being a little nervous when I told him - I took him out to nice restaurant, my treat, to tell him of plans. I did know ahead of time that cruising was something he always wanted to do. So, if you and your husband enjoy travelling together, my vote is for New Orleans. Less travel time from NE than San Fran, and a whole lot of fun and romantic stuff to do! <BR>Have a great time!! <BR>