Plans fell through, where to go now?
 

Hi, My plans to travel to eastern Europe with some relatives this summer fell through, and now I have no place to go on vacation. What's worse, I have no idea where I'd like to go.

I am a single woman/solo traveler in my late 30's. I live in Philadelphia and travel frequently for work. I enjoy the energy of cities, hate most athletic endeavors, and will burn to a crisp if exposed to the sun (so the beach is out of the question). Oh, and I *gasp* hate to drive. Knowing only that much about me, can anyone suggest a vacation venue I might like? I know I'm asking a lot of strangers, but my friends/family have been zero help, and I'm concerned that I'll be vacationing on my front lawn.

Thanks.

I'm a west coast person, so I will list my faves:
San Francisco
Portland
Seattle
San Diego
Public transit is best in San Francisco, and October is usually very nice (not hot, not too foggy). I don't drive myself. FYI, I was in Portland last week and transit as well as the downtown areas have really improved since I was there 10 years ago.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, however you want to look at it), vacation '06 was spent in SF, and '05 in San Diego. Those places were great, but it's a bit soon to go back.

I feel like I'm peeling away the layers of an onion -- exposing more of the informational core. Or something like that.

Does USAirways still operate a nonstop to Glasgow from Philly? It's a vibrant, fun place with a lot of art, history and architecture. Very good nightlife/music scene. You won't need a car and I'll wager you won't get sunburned.

How about either Iceland (Reykjavik) or Buenos Aires? Both have great night life/culture..weather will be cool too.
Vancouver is a great city too.

London or Glasgow/Edinburgh

Neither would require driving and both have non-stops from the east coast . . . .

Paris might be a nice vacation for you. Get a Metro card, as you are never more than 1/2K from a metro station anywhere in Paris. You will not need a car there. There is a lot to see and the city has the energy you are looking for.

Iceland has great nightlife, but its an "outdoorsy" place. If you hate athletic endeavors you might not have much to do during the day, and it will be daylight most of the time!

I found Berlin to be a very walkable city. I liked the Egyptian Museum and there was a lot to see and do there.

Toronto, Montreal, Quebec...

Good luck!

I second Buenos Aires. I went there last August and fell in love with the place. In fact I am going again this August just because. You could fly to BA and also travel around to Iguazu Falls, Mendoza (wine country), Salta (I think there is driving involved but most people hire a driver, check out the Latin America section of this board). Argentina rocks and is totally cheap. It is winter there but it was not that cold-in the 50s when I was there but not like up here in the north (I'm in NYC). It is a vibrant and beautiful city, and I have an excellent travel agent who can hook you up with tours and anything else you need. I can recommend a great boutique hotel that I stayed in (Home Hotel) and also others that I hear are great. The food scene is amazing and again, it's so cheap that I ate at all the "trendy" "hip" restaurants and nothing costs more than $35 with tip. Trust me, it's an AWESOME place.

Otherwise I'd go back to Australia. I love it there more than BA. You could do a tour or bus it up and down the East Coast. I lived in Sydney for a month and didn't have a car. You can survive with the bus and subway. It's also winter there but in Sydney it was never really that cold. In Melbourne at that time (July) it was freezing but no snow. I too don't like much sun so you will not burn or anything.

I just got back from Prague and while that was fascinating and beautiful I was told do not come back in summer with the huge crowds. I was there in early May and it was teeming with people. I'd stay away from Europe in the summer and it's also very expensive.

Good luck! You can email me at [email protected] if you want more BA info. Or Australia. Happy to help.

If you're traveling alone, I'd stick to somewhere you can speak the language so you can strike up conversations with locals. So... unless you want to practice your French or German, I'd go with something in the UK. I'd definitely still go to Europe, though. If you've already been to London, then consider Scotland or Ireland.

Vancouver and Victoria, BC.

To go anywhere you wld be travelling alone. So, why not follow through w/the original plan & simply go to Eastern Europe on your own?

Edinburgh Festival.

Persdonally, I wouldn't go south of the Equator in our Summer.

Take that USAirways non-stop to either Milan or Lisbon and stay out of the sun.

How about Amsterdam? Everyone speaks English. it's a beautiful city, there's lots to do. lots of cafe's, museums. Only about a 6 hour flight from the East Coast.

Amsterdam's a great idea! What a fabulous city! I went there on the only trip I took alone and had a great time! The Dutch are so friendly and will be quick to start a conversation with a woman traveling alone.

My other recommendation would be Venice. One of the most beautiful cities in the world and, best of all, no driving! No cars are allowed! And it's very shady because of the narrow streets/taller buildings!

Good luck! Let us know what you decide!

Why can't you go to Eastern Europe -- Prague, Krakow, St. Petersburg, etc. -- many people (myself included) have visited these places by ourselves. I don't understand the link between your relatives abandoning the trip and you abandoning the trip. Pick up the Lonely Planet and go -- it couldn't be easier, or more fun.

I have a world map hanging in my bedroom just over my desk. That's how I choose my destinations, I look at the map and go to the countries that catch my eye.

At Christmas I went to London, Rome (I highly recommend it), Munich and the Rhine river area. This August I'm headed to China.

US Airways at PHL has non-stops to Lisbon, Venice, Barcelona, ...

Where have you already been?

Thanks for all of the suggestions! I would love to go to Argentina, but I don't think it's in the cards fir right now. As for why I'm cancelling my original plans -- we're still going to do the trip, just not this summer. It's a matter of economics for some concerned.

I had not considered Amsterdam or Glasgow. My dad was both places a couple of years ago, and loved Amsterdam -- less thrilled with Glasgow. We don't always share the same tastes, though. He's more sport and sun, while I'm museums and shopping.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

What about a cruise to European capitals or major cities?

Hmmm. Museums and Shopping? You love the energy of cities but hate to drive. Rome, Florence, Paris, London, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Madrid all have tons of museums, great shopping, and are all energetic cities.

Stateside Chicago is great for museums, shopping and city energy. I excluded NYC and DC since most Philadelphians daytrip there often.

Canada - Toronto or Vancouver or Montreal + Quebec City

Buenos Aires!

I look in my bank account and then decide where I'm going, LOL.

I also would suggest Buenos Aires. It is like many European cities without the high costs. The museums, culture, nightlife, food, wine, shopping and people are wonderful. The exchange rate makes Argentina a real bargain compared to Europe! BA is a great walking city, but the taxis are very cheap if you need them. English is very common so even if you don't speak any Spanish, it is easy to get around. Check out the Argentina posts to see why it is so highly recommended.

Amsterdam for sure. Its wonderful!

Amsterdam was a great walkable city. But I choose Paris as my favorite, the food is great , lots of museums and it is both walker friendly and has easy to get around public transportation. Also you will enjoy the shopping. No problem with the language;as most people speak English if greeted with a Bonjour.

Jane, I would absolutely vote for Paris -- but don't you think its a special city that should be shared with someone? I fell so in love with Paris and would have hated being there alone the first time. A friend, a lover, just anyone to hear you say <i>WOW!</i>

Paris would be the first on my list, especially if you have never been. I also loved Copenhagen and Stockholm. Never been to Oslo but I hear it's great. Prague is another great one-there are so many options!

A couple of missing things...

When? How long? Budget?

Parsing through your likes/don'ts (urban energy, no car, no hot sun - does that mean no hot weather or humidity? Since you live in Philly I assume you're okay with those...)

Do you have the time or budget for Sydney? In late (northern) summer it's late winter there. We were there in August and had sunny days in the 70s, and for an urban destination it's near the top.

Amsterdam is good, so is Vancouver. Dublin? Copenhagen or Stockholm? Hokkaido?

But I still think Edinburgh for the festival is a good pick - more energy than you can imagine, great walking city, and theater, film, music... more than you can handle. Great for solo travelers too. If you want to visit Glasgow, the trains run every half hour and take 40 min.

You are an extremely helpful lot. I'm a librarian, and it's refreshing to have someone answer my reference questions for a change!

Someone in this thread mentioned Chicago, which is one of my favorite US cities. If it weren't for the cold, cold winters, I'd seriously consider moving there. But I digress.

Someone else asked where I have already been. In the US and Canada, you name a city with a convention center and I've been there. Sometimes I even go back on my own time to check things out more throughly. I have also had the privilege of traveling to several cities in Germany (East and West), Prague, Vienna, Japan, and Hong Kong.

Buenos Aires is another place &quot;on my list&quot; to visit. My SIL's family is from there and she and my brother have been 2-3 times. I don't think they would go again in our summer either (as someone here mentioned). But they will definitely go again -- loved it.

As for Paris, I do speak some French, so I could probably get around. However, that is someplace I'd like to experience with another person. Preferably not a relative.

As stated before, I could do E Europe on my own, but the trip was planned as a &quot;family roots tour&quot; and I'd like to respect that. Or perhaps I just value my life.

Now that I've rambled on [forever], I have a question about Amsterdam. Is there a particular section of the city in which I should look for a hotel? Places to avoid? In my preliminary research, I've seen some conflicting info.

Thanks again.

In Amsterdam, stay at the Canal House. It is wonderful and has an excellent location (near the Anne Frank house) for walking nearly anywhere. While technically a boutique hotel, it feels more like a B&amp;B with breakfast in the dining room overlooking the garden and evening cocktails in the small lounge. You will have opportunities aplenty to meet other travelers. It is our favorite place and we return often.

http://www.canalhouse.nl/

I second the recommendation for the Canal House in Amsterdam. It is located in the Jordaan district, which is well situated for shopping, museums (Anne Frank is around the corner) and dining. There is a lovely organic market on Saturdays that is a short walk away -- also a wonderful flea market. Everyone in Amsterdam speaks impeccable English. Day trips to Delft, Haarlem, etc are easy by train or bus. If you dare, rent a bike!

Paris is a natural for shopping and museums. Lots of wonderful areas to stay (my favorite is the Marais) and day trips to Chartres and Versailles are easy.

Barcelona is another excellent spot. I think it looks like a slightly shabby Paris --but still extremely beautiful. Great shopping, food, museums. I believe USAirways has seasonal non-stops to BCN during the summer. I know USAirways flies non-stop to Amsterdam from Philly.

All of these cities are extremely popular in the summer, so you may be late to find accommodations.

PHL has direct flights to Amsterdam, Athens, and Munich now...any of those might be fun. :)

I agree with Paris and Amsterdam - even Germany because alot of Germans speak english -- it is required in their educational curriculum.
I don't think anyone has mentioned London yet. I found it alot of fun. Loved the theaters!

If you're settling on Amsterdam, you should probably head over the Europe board for more advice. I've never been so can't really comment. While London looks really expensive right now given the poor exchange rate, it's really loaded with GREAT museums if you haven't been. You can get a hotel using Priceline for around $100/night.
http://p070.ezboard.com/England--Lon...abiddingfrm215

Many of the museums are free. You can take the train to Paris for a day or two (and save a big trip there for later). You can also do daytrips to various places quite easily. London Walks (http://www.walks.com/) has some great Explorer days as well as good in city walks. When traveling alone, I find the evenings the biggest challenge and there's really plenty to do in London (theater, concerts etc.)

There is also a great report on Amsterdam on travelerstogo.com