Where for my 30th Bday?
 

Ok so next year, exactly 12 months away I'll be 30. I have traveled before but I've NEVER had a single bday event so I kinda want to make this big. Here's where it gets depressing:

1. I'm single

2. I have a flexible job/life but my travel buddy (cousin) doesn't and already has a South Pacific trip planned for that time with her beau

3. All of my girlfriends live far/are married/kids/broke/whatever, etc.

So I'm thinking it may be a tad hard to find a partner to go anywhere. I mean I could go with my mom but that sucks right? Anyways, so in the event that this will be for me, by me, 'with' me...where do you suggest I go? And it can be anywhere.

BTW- I live in Northern New England and because of a relationship with a dude in the Bahamas, I've been there a bazillion times so those places are excluded.

Check out this site

http://www.gutsywomentravel.com/

Are you up for a spa vacation? Easy to do by yourself since the whole point is relaxation...

I've been in this position myself before and it is challenging.

I am turning 30 next month and like you am single and most of my friends are attached or are on a budget...I am going to Vegas for my 30th, just me and my oldest friend!

Think positive you will find someone to go away with and you will have a fabulous birthday...it's not a requirement it's a must!!!

need more info. how long do you want to go for? how much can you spend? do you want a beach/luxury/cruise vacation or adventure (i.e. experiencing the canadian rocky mountains; checking out the mayan ruins in belize and then relaxing on a beach on a caye; explore the greek islands?) what's depressing about being single, having the opportunity to go on a trip, meet new people, experience new things? many people travel solo and it's great. you get to meet new people...do what ever you want without consulting other people...not depressing at all in my opinion. if you want to travel in a group, i highly recommend contiki tours.

Well, Charlene, you might have invited kllh on your trip. That would be an education - although a wicked sense of humour would be essential!!

It's not "depressing" it's exciting! You can go anywhere YOU want to go and do anything YOU want to do. Where in the world have you always wanted to go, but were too busy/too poor/too afraid, etc.? Hawaii? Paris? Australia? Costa Rica? Make a list and then figure out what your time frame and budget will allow.

Well if the wallet god would permit, I'd be off to the Seychelles or South Korea in a heart beat. But I'm thinking that may not be 100% do-able.

My trip plans would be something like from Nov. 13, Thur, to Nov. 18, Tues. I've been to Europe, the Caribbean, going to Canada in a few weeks and several places in the US. I'd like Mexico but not sure I'd feel safe alone.

Budget? I'm willing to spend a grand. $500 for a first class seat, $500 pocket money.

And yes anyone who wants to invite me or something I'm open...I'm pretty funny, smart, nerdy, fairly attractive and likable. Hence, why I'm single.

<i>I'm willing to spend a grand. $500 for a first class seat, $500 pocket money.</i>

Are you planning to sleep on the beach :) ?

Ok, lol. no. But I am going to get a first class seat but should have enough skymiles to cover that anyway. So just leaving the flite out of it I'll have $1000 in my pocket.

So you've only got 5 days and a limited budget. That limits your choices to places that are a fairly short flight, imho. You can't really go to Korea or Australia on such a short time frame or budget.

You say you've been to the Caribbean but what about Bermuda? (Which is not actually in the Caribbean.) And you say you've been to Canada, but have you been to Quebec City and Montreal? I hear wonderful things about both cities, European feel, etc., but a much shorter flight than Europe.

When is your birthday? Might sound crazy, I celebrated last birthday at the GTG with Fodorites and it was great fun! (of course with the family too on another day)

Another suggestion: Costa Rica. A friend of mine just went there solo and loved it. She said it was nearly as beautiful as Hawaii, but much closer (from East Coast, anyway) and MUCH cheaper. And she felt perfectly safe and met lots of other Americans there so she wasn't too lonely either.

Okay, don't be depressed. I met my husband in my early 30s, and he's great, so there's hope. And the good news is you're not tied down by anything, so you have lots of options. Congrats on turning 30!

We just got back from our second trip to Costa Rica and loved it - might be a good option for you. The wildlife is amazing, and there are active volcanoes, waterfalls - food is cheap - guess it depends on how adventurous you're feeling, but we really enjoy CR.

Actually, I like traveling with my mom. My first trip to Italy was supposed to be me by myself, so I could visit friends who were there studying. But then I thought, why not bring my mom? We had a blast, and have been taking at least 1 trip together a year ever since.

So, if you ask me, traveling with my mom doesn't suck. It rules! (and I am my own person! I don't know why I have to justify that...)

As for destination, I think it would be interesting to take a trip up to Iceland. I've never been myself, but it's different, you can go to spa if you want to, and it'll be memorable.

You don't tell us where you've been in Europe, but I can see being in cities like Rome or Paris by myself. Or Prague. Your money will certainly go a little further there (in Prague).

I enjoyed my travels with my mom. We did Yellowstone, Alaska, Hawaii, CA coast, Reno/ Tahoe and Las Vegas (twice!). I was 40 to 47 when we were doing our &quot;trippin&quot;. I'm not sure if I would of enjoyed myself as much at 30 with my mom, although it's worth talking with your mom about it. FYI, my 23 year old daughter and I (I'm 50 ish) are going for a long weekend to NYC next month. :-)

Ok. Where I've been:

Canada: Montreal, Quebec City, PEI, Nova Scotia, etc.

US: The entire east coast from IL, onwards and MN and UT.

Caribbean: Bahamas, Jamaica, Grenada, Haiti, Trini, St. Kitts

Europe: Paris, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, GB


And I can put on more cash. I just wanted it to be short and sweet but really cool. I don't think I need to be away for 2 weeks. 5 days is good for me.

The CA coastal region is usually great weather wise in October. You can give it more of a city focus or a small town/ coastal focus. Let me know if you are interested and I (and others) can pipe in.

Short and sweet but &quot;really cool&quot;? I can think of several places I'd love to spend 5 days. If you've only seen the east coast of the US, there is a lot left to see.

Close(ish) to home: New Orleans, Charleston, San Francisco
City sights: Barcelona, Prague, Amsterdam, Rome
Scenery/adventure: Costa Rica, Santorini/Mykonos

Real quick: My feeling is that you MUST make your 30th SPECIAL...you only turn 30 once. Traveling alone is difficult but meeting new people is what travel is all about. There are certain musts: ITALY: you could see Rome/Amalfi/Capri in 5 whirlwind days); Venice, (Tuscany...wine harvesting in October)/ PARIS (you've already been)/MACCHU PICCHU (check weather then)/EGYPT (with a friend)/GREEK ISLANDS: many, Santorini/Mykonos if you only have 5 days/MORROCCO (with a friend--used to be like stepping into the Old Testament 25 years ago), Fez &amp; Marrakesh if you only have 5 days and it's easy to get there from N. England/COSTA RICA (reasonably priced, LOTS to do, easy from East). Of course there are many other spectacular places, but you might get some great ideas from the book &quot;1000 Places to See Before You Die&quot;. I've given that book to many people to inspire them. Happy planning!

Oops! Just noticed you were traveling in November. September/October are MUCH better months to travel weather-wise...more options. November's the doldrums &amp; the weather is more of an issue. Why wouldn't you be going on your birthday October 4th?!

In mid November the CA Coast may be iffy. Yes, early October would be much better.

If it were me, I would take myself off to San Diego and get PAMPERED!

I would book spa appointments for two days of beauty. I would get a makeover with a cut and color. I would shop for a sexy new outfit and go out to a trendy new hot spot to mingle and people watch. I would make friends with the bartender and allow several young men to buy me a birthday drink all the while dropping tidbits about my interesting and mysterious life back home.

I would stay in a glamorous hotel near the beach where I could stop for seafood lunch at a seaside shack. I would send postcards to my favorite people, shop some more and then have another deliciously decadent chocolate martini while looking hot in my new outfit, freshly buffed skin and shiny new do!!!

Man, I think I'm going to do that for my next birthday!!!

Why would going with your mom &quot;suck&quot;?
Without her you would'nt be turning 30 would you? I'am so glad my daughters(20 and 24) don't feel that way. They both are attractive and have boyfriends but we do lots of stuff together, just us girls ,including a yearly beach vacation.

Vegas, Baby. Vegas.

I hope your mom doesn't read this forum; that is really sad that you even bothered to mention that! Sounds to me like you are trying to escape realty: the insidious mom, the noncommital &quot;dude&quot; and the friends that can't be bothered to help you celebrate. So...you should do something fabulous and completely different from what you would normally do, even for a vacation. Shake it up a bit. You have plenty of time to save money. Buy or borrow a very warm, chic coat and go to Moscow. Believe me, you won't regret it.

Just because someone gave birth to you and raised you does not automatically qualify them to be in the 'mother daughter' club, some folks just aren't that close!

That said, I am in the club, my mum is my bestfriend and I love spending time with her, we laugh all the time....mum's rock!!

Then why even mention your mom? Saying it would &quot;suck&quot; to go with her is disrespectful no matter how close you are.

I second New Orleans!

I am in between relationships right now too, but I see nothing depressing about it (and I'm 38)!

I have traveled by myself to Spain, and next year I am going to Alaska (cruise with my aunt and uncle, but then touring for a week on my own).

Solo travel can be great fun. You can set your own schedule, do whatever you want, talk to whomever you want etc.

Also, check out the Thorn Tree over at Lonely Planet. Once you pick a destination, yuo can find other travelers there to meet up with.

Karen

I second the spa vacation. I did that once by myself (an amazing spa in Florida - I lived in CT at the time) - and I came back in great shape, completely rested (had a massage every day) and felt like a million bucks. I met lots of other women that were also at the spa alone, and it was fabulous. While I love Vegas - that would be more fun if you had someone to go with (I think) - the people watching is the best when you have someone else to talk with.... As for which spa (back to the spa thing) - there are some in New England, but you might want to go to Florida, Arizona or California (to make it more exotic)...

Why not fly to Europe? Go to Amsterdam or Paris for a week. That's fun and easy to plan. I travel solo often (since I'm single, and btw don't find it depressing in the least!).

I like to be out of the country on major birthdays. On my 40th I was in Vevey, Switzerland, on my 50th I was in Honolulu (ok Hawaii is not technically out of the country but you get the idea!).

In November, I was also thinking San Diego. Probably the warmest CA coastal spot in November. If you want a more spa-ish relaxing trip, Palm Springs CA or Tucson AZ would be good options.

I have absolutely been in this position. I had 6 weeks off between jobs about two years ago and no one could afford to come with me. I ended up traveling with a friend (whose ticket I bought) for a while, by myself and then with my mom. I echo the thoughts that traveling with mom isn't so bad. But, I think that really depends on the mom. I have traveled around Europe for about 3 weeks total on my own and its not depressing at all. There are lots of things to do that don't require others and I've met the best people from all over at dinners when I shared a table with them.

If you have the frequent flier miles, go international. The dollar isn't doing so well, but single rooms can often be more reasonable (and more plentiful) abroad. My favorite on my own places to go are Germany (super safe), particularly in Baden-Baden where the spas are nice and the Amalfi Coast. Five days is perfect for a Munich/Salzburg/South East Germany Tour or a Milan/Amalfi Coast trip.

I agree, you must do something great for your 30th! I went to DC for a weekend with a bunch of friends and although it's not exactly an exotic locale, it was memorable.

So I don't necessarily think you have to go to Europe to mark the event. If your cousin is willing to go somewhere with you but is on a limited budget, why don't you go somewhere within driving distance? You could share a hotel room to keep costs down.

You say you're in NE, how about Boston or NYC? Go to a fabulous restaurant and then bar hop the night away!

Fly to Las Vegas. Rent car. Drive to Grand Canyon. Contemplate your past, present and future. Return to Vegas after a day of two. Check into hotel. Visit a spa. Go to a Cirque du Soleil show. Fly home.

As mentioned earlier on this post,
I can think of no better place weather-wise than New Orleans in November. It also fits into your price range.

As far as things to do, New Orleans is a perfect place for single woman and there are many things to do day and night. Also, there are many excellent restaurants for your birthday dinner, and many places to party the night away.

I'd go on safari. I just came back from one and it's a trip I could easily have done alone and felt totally comfortable. Take a look at CCA's lodges as they don't charge a single supplement. I've finished about a third of my trip report on the Africa forum. But look for travelynn's report on Phinda. She went solo.

There are link's to a bunch of trip reports here, including Lynn's:
http://www.fodors.com/wire/archives/002737.cfm

I would do Rome/Amalfi, or Marrakesh/Fez or the Miraval resort (spa) in Arizona (#1 Spa in USA according to SpaFinder.com &amp; I agree--so many fun activities if you are on your own...do the adventure ones). I am world-traveled, and have traveled alone, with family, etc. I have been to so many boring 30, 40, 50th bday parties....expanding yourself by traveling is so much more memorable &amp; exciting!!!!! Nothing matters in life but family, friends, life experiences. Spend whatever it takes to make your 30th memorable...that comes with age &amp; wisdom from having already been there, done that...you can always see friends after...and share your fabulous experiences!!!

Interesting. There's a lot of opposition to me saying going on a trip with my mom would suck. I didn't mean in that sense, especially given my mom is over 60, doesn't party or drink, and turning 30 just doesn't sound conducive to senior discounts at all you can eat joints oversees. Calm down people.

I'm early 50's and do party and drink (okay a little). Do you want a surrogate &quot;mom&quot;? ;-)