ok, here's the deal - you all have always been a great source of ideas in the past....
Our oldest is at NCstate this fall and we want to plan our traditional weekend getaway. Limitations are that we need to leave after 3pm friday and be back in Raleigh about the same time on Sunday. We can drive or fly. We've taken them to Chicago, NYC, Atlanta, Charleston and they've been to Boston fairly recently. We're thinking about driving to Charlottesville but could use some other driving possibilites or maybe flying to Philadelphia, NYC(again) or Toronto/Montreal/Quebec. They are into theatre, museums, shopping and moderate amounts of activity. We'd like to keep the cost at around $2500 for all of us for the weekend.

leah, I'd go back to NYC.

I went to college in Lynchburg about 40 minutes from Charlottesville and spent quite a bit of time there (at UVA) and just don't see it measuring up to the others on your list.

I love Philly but it reminds me so much of Manhattan that I'd rather be in Manhattan.

GoTravel - I think what we may do is give them 2 or 3 options and let them pick. I'd be up for NYC again. So much to see and a weekend there 2 yrs ago w/ them wasn't enough to even scratch the surface. The reason I was even considering Charlottesville is our other daughter tossed out the idea of seeing the campus and I looked into some other activities in the area...caving, hot air balloon ride - which would make it a fun but different experience.

I adore C-ville, but a getaway for a college student to a college town (with parents) doesn't seem like the best vacation idea.

I'd pick NYC or DC.

I guess I should add DC to the list of possibilities. Even though they've both been there for high school trips it's just been the Smithsonian type deal and we could go to the Corcoran, the theatre and maybe even out to Annapolis...

ttt anyone have any other ideas/suggestions?

I think you'd really enjoy toronto/quebec/montreal! I've only been to Toronto, it had lots to do with great shopping, and I've heard great things about both Quebec and Montreal.....Ask over at the Canada board!

Do you like hockey? If so, how about flying to Atlanta on October 13th and going to see the Carolina Hurricanes play the Atlanta Thrashers. The Hurricanes play Sat, Oct 14th at Pittsburgh if you would prefer going there. There are also some other Friday & Saturday games that you can choose from, but I thought I would throw those two cities out as options first.

Edit above. I just reread your post and you have already taken them to Atlanta so the Pittsburgh option would work.

Option 2: Take the Amtrak from Raleigh to Charlotte and stay in downtown. You can go during a Panthers football weekend and the downtown area should be exciting.

while the sports idea is interesting I should have pointed out that both are girls. The one would be interested in the ice hockey/football but the other decidely not.

Have you ever seen a Cirque du Soleil performance? Here is a link to their website: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/Cirque...en/default.htm

Click on Shows & Tickets at the bottom. You could fly to one of the cities where they are performing and take in a show. Possible options: Cincinnati, St Louis, Boston, D.C., or Orlando (Disney World).

So, your husband takes the sporty one to hockey, and you take the other one shopping (or the other way 'round)

I'll check into the Cirque performaces - that's a good idea. Yeah, maybe splitting up wouldn't be such a bad idea - even if just for a couple of hours, though I think the older one and I would enjoy museum-ing more.

alas, cirque won't be anywhere at the right time for us.