Weekend Getaway Oct 17th-19th
 

Okay, I know this a pretty vague but I need some help decidng where to go for a weekend getaway. My husband & I have been working a lot lately so we're looking to get out of town and have a good time. We're both in our mid twenties and love adventure. I would love to go somewhere that has beautiful scenery, great weather, lots of activity choices and not too terribly expensive. I've been considering Sonoma/Napa area but I don't know how crowded it will be right now? I work for an airline so we're pretty much open for any locations. Any help you could provide would be appreciated.

I would suggest that you use the Dream Maps function at Travelocity.com
Anytime I want to see where I can go for the best deal I have a look at the Dream Maps to see what the fares look like to various destinations.
Have fun!

Tx, TravelGirl works for an airline so the travelocity function would be useless.

Where are you flying from? If the East coast, California might be a pain travel timewise.

We actually live in Houston so East or West coast would be fine.

Napa Valley might be crowded at this time. It is one of the peak seasons. I do think you will still find it to be beautiful. You might also consider Sonoma County for equally good tastings,restaurants and a bit more charm(IMO).

Since you all are in your twenties, how about Key West? I know it is the begining of Fantesy Fest but I just got an email zap from Doubletree Guest Suites for a Fantesy Fest Special at $129 per night. That, is a good deal.

TravelGirl, as anyone who regularly reads this board knows, when I post a reply to someone with a question like yours, it's usually to recommend the city where I live, Asheville, NC.

This time is no different, because I think Asheville would be perfect for you, offering as it does a broad range of activities, from seeing the art and sights of downtown and in all the cool old neighborhoods nearby, to visiting Biltmore Estate, a 255-room palace on 8,000 acres of parkland and gardens just south of downtown, to the arboretum and botanical gardens, to the great outdoors in the over-a-million acres of protected lands just outside the city.

You can have it all here! It's a hip and sophisticated, very urban and urbane little city set amidst some of the most beautiful scenery in the eastern US. You can drive on "America's most scenic road," the Blue Ridge Parkway, which passes through town on its way to places like Mt. Mitchell, the highest mountain east of the Mississippi, and Craggy Gardens, a natural rhododendron garden, both to the east of Asheville, not to mention Cherokee with its casino and Museum of the Cherokee Indian, to the west. There are natural hot springs and a spa in Hot Springs, north of town, plus there's also a world-class spa at the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa, one of the most unusual and beautiful buildings in America, just north of downtown. You could see a play, or perhaps an opera or a ballet, depending on who's performing, because Asheville's performing arts are unparalled in a city this size.

Heck -- you could go hiking and see waterfalls in Dupont State Forest, or take a gander at the unusual rock formations in Chimney Rock Park. You could walk the Asheville Urban Trail, which winds past 33 public art displays downtown and learn about the city, its amazing architecture, and its fascinating history by reading the interpretive plaques at each artwork.

You could do just about anything here, in other words, and because there's a direct flight between Houston and Asheville, you wouldn't have to spend much time getting here or back. If you'd like to consider it, a search for Asheville here will turn up plenty of info, or feel free to ask me anything.