My husband and I have 4 days away from the kids in August....trouble is, we're not sure where to go. We live in the Midwest, are willing to fly somewhere, but not sure what to do. We've done the beach quite a bit and since we'll be childless, want to avoid places with lots of kids. Any fun suggestions?

Your question leaves open a huge amount of possibilities but here is a crack:

For cities:

Seattle
San Francisco
Boston
Montreal
Quebec City

Small town/rural:

Maine coast
Black Hills
Saratoga Springs NY

Carolyn,

Tired of the beach thing? How about Santa Fe or Taos? I haven't been in August so I can't comment on the heat, although I know the altitude should contribute to cooler weather than say Phoenix. Perhaps someone else can comment on weather in northern NM in August. I can say that the area is beautiful and romantic, with lots of art museums and history. You can get more details with a search of this site, as I know a lot has been written in the last few months.

What about Denver? You could fly into Denver and stay in town or rent a car a make a trip to the mountains.

I just went to Savannah this year and loved it. We only had 4 days too. It is a beautiful city and the homes that you can tour are wonderful. We had some of the most fabulous food while we were there. We stayed at The Foley House and it was so great.
Another beautiful area is North Georgia if you like mountains, antique shops, etc.
San Antonio was fun too for a quick get away and not a place fun for kids, in my opinion.
Have fun!

For a great adult get away, I would highly recommend Montreal. It's got more great restaurants and cafes per block than any other city in North America. It's got a European feel to it, lots of night life, museums, parks, great shopping, very safe.There is some kind of festival going on nearly every weekend. Best of all, the US dollar is very strong, so everything is is quite inexpensive! Stay at one of the big, midtown hotels with a pool (Montreal can be surprisingly hot in August), or at a quaint b&b on a quiet tree lined street.

Someone suggested San Antonio in a previous post. I love SA and lived there for 4 years. However, I would not recommend it for an August trip. It is miserably hot and humid. Save this trip for a fall or the spring time. My suggestions: NYC, San Fran, or Napa/Sonoma.

I'd recommend New Orleans but be aware that August is pretty darn hot. The good news is that hotel rates are much lower in the summer.

The obvious - San Francisco. The weather will be perfect ... and travel to SF is realtively easy (you might even find a discount ticket). There are loads of ideas already posted about places to see and stay and eat, so your research and planning ought to be a snap. Enjoy SF. Ciao

If you live in the midwest you may find Arizona, Georgia, etc. unbeliviably hot (even though all cities suggested are great places to go). Toronto, San Francisco, Montreal might offer a more enjoyable climate and are really terrific places to visit.

If you just want to relax, and don't mind spending some money, I'd head to Mackinaw (or is it Mackinac? I always confuse the two) Island in Michigan and stay at the Grand Hotel. There are no cars other than emergency vehicles allowed on the island. You can see the hotel in the movie "Somewhere in Time." Very romantic spot, and while there are some kids around, there aren't a lot.

Carolyn,

As much as I love the South, I would avoid the area in the month of August unless you like heat and humidity. Sante Fe is a great choice, but again, really hot in August. We've done the 4day San Francisco weekend from Florida several times and love it. Aside from the great city, you can easily do a day trip down the coast to one of the nice beach towns like Half Moon Bay. YOu can also get up to the southern end of the wine country for a day trip. Seattle is another great city. We've only been once on a family trip but have vowed to go back there sans kids.
The coast of Maine is wonderful too, esp. the area between York and Kennebunkport, and Bar Harbor.

As a Southerner, I recommend almost anywhere South of the Mason-Dixon line! However, like many people have suggested, the heat may kill you. Since I'm used to it, I'd like to suggest Williamsburg, Virginia. There's so much charm and history, and it's within a day's drive from Richmond, Virginia Beach, or Washington, D.C. Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello, is also nearby and well worth a visit. If you're not a history buff and/or hate the heat, I'd vote for Colorado Springs (home of Pike's Peak), Toronto, Canada or San Francisco. Hope you have a great trip!

Thank you all for your suggestions!! I am really considering Maine, just for something different. Now for my next question: where to fly into and where to stay around Kennebunkport and/or Bar Harbour?