where to take soon to be 16 year old for a few night getaway to celebrate?
May 13th, 2009, 03:00 PM
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where to take soon to be 16 year old for a few night getaway to celebrate?
Greetings,
I am toying with the idea of taking my soon to be 16 year old stepdaughter to Seattle to celebrate her 16th birthday. The trip would be only 3 nights. I would be traveling on a Thursday and returning on a Sunday.
She is a wonderful young woman and I would love to take her some place more exotic but the budget and time factor does not work out right now. Her birthday is Sept 6 but I would be taking her at the end of August in between my class schedule.
I have been to Seattle a few times but not in a few years.
My stepdaughter is a great traveler, easy to get along with. She has not been to Seattle since she was a toddler.
I live in Southern California so am not looking for a place that is too far to fly to. We have been to NYC many times due to family living there so am trying to think of some place new. I have also toyed with San Francisco.
She likes to shop, eat sushi, see theater, enjoys museums to a certain extent but at times i think tolerates them for my sake ;-). She is easy to please. It would just be she and I traveling.
I have from a Thursday - coming home on a Sunday.
Open to suggestions about Seattle and SF as well as any place else.
Thanks so much!
Dawn
I am toying with the idea of taking my soon to be 16 year old stepdaughter to Seattle to celebrate her 16th birthday. The trip would be only 3 nights. I would be traveling on a Thursday and returning on a Sunday.
She is a wonderful young woman and I would love to take her some place more exotic but the budget and time factor does not work out right now. Her birthday is Sept 6 but I would be taking her at the end of August in between my class schedule.
I have been to Seattle a few times but not in a few years.
My stepdaughter is a great traveler, easy to get along with. She has not been to Seattle since she was a toddler.
I live in Southern California so am not looking for a place that is too far to fly to. We have been to NYC many times due to family living there so am trying to think of some place new. I have also toyed with San Francisco.
She likes to shop, eat sushi, see theater, enjoys museums to a certain extent but at times i think tolerates them for my sake ;-). She is easy to please. It would just be she and I traveling.
I have from a Thursday - coming home on a Sunday.
Open to suggestions about Seattle and SF as well as any place else.
Thanks so much!
Dawn
May 13th, 2009, 03:28 PM
#2
hi Dawn, While I dearly love Seattle (live here) for a 3-day getaway personally I find San Francisco MUCH more exciting & exotic.
But I can help you with either city for some of my favorite activities and restaurants, just let us know which one you pick!
suze
But I can help you with either city for some of my favorite activities and restaurants, just let us know which one you pick!
suze
May 13th, 2009, 03:41 PM
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See the locks, Olympic Sculpture Park, take a ferry ride, visit SAM, go have coffee and a croissant at Le Panier and watch the Pike Place Market vendors set up then visit the market, visit Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, take a float plane ride or at least check them out on the lake, visit Tillicum Village, visit EMP, and of course the Space Needle. These are all things our kids enjoyed when we lived up there or when we go back now.
May 13th, 2009, 05:17 PM
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Well..... I talked to her since posting this and she would like to go to S.F. - so once again Suze - you were on the money 
Dayenu - I had not actually thought of Portland. I have not been there in almost 15 years or so -
So S.F. it is ....
I know there are experts here!
Let the suggestions begin:
Hotels
Area
What to do!
Dayenu - I had not actually thought of Portland. I have not been there in almost 15 years or so -
So S.F. it is ....
I know there are experts here!
Let the suggestions begin:
Hotels
Area
What to do!
May 13th, 2009, 06:38 PM
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How fun MomDD!
Some great deals on Expedia..
Mark Hopkins Inter-Continental and the Huntington hotel..
4* Westin is $104 a night..flight and hotel some deals from OC around $300 pp..you can really rock it for a lot less..imo
Scottsdale/Phoenix at the AZ Biltmore is $80 a night.great resort..hot but fun and nice..4.5*..hit up Sedona for a night or two..road trip and it would be cheap, fun with luxury..off season 5* hotels are the way to go..
Palm Desert after Memorial Day is some great deals at Rancho Las Palmas or La Quinta..water slides and heat are a great combo pak.
I also love Avalon/Catalina for a couple of days either at Hamilton Cove to rent a home or BW in Avalon..
We love taking the boat over or the Cat Express..
All the best to you and your family!
Some great deals on Expedia..
Mark Hopkins Inter-Continental and the Huntington hotel..
4* Westin is $104 a night..flight and hotel some deals from OC around $300 pp..you can really rock it for a lot less..imo
Scottsdale/Phoenix at the AZ Biltmore is $80 a night.great resort..hot but fun and nice..4.5*..hit up Sedona for a night or two..road trip and it would be cheap, fun with luxury..off season 5* hotels are the way to go..
Palm Desert after Memorial Day is some great deals at Rancho Las Palmas or La Quinta..water slides and heat are a great combo pak.
I also love Avalon/Catalina for a couple of days either at Hamilton Cove to rent a home or BW in Avalon..
We love taking the boat over or the Cat Express..
All the best to you and your family!
May 13th, 2009, 06:48 PM
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Ronda - I think you are right... dh and I want to go to Sedona (not in August)... but I think my stepdaughter was pretty excited about SF. I mentioned Seattle or SF and offered if she could think of any place else that she has read about or thought about - but that we did not want to spend all the time flying there if we only had a few days - as she is a great traveler and I had really wanted to take her to London...
May 13th, 2009, 08:43 PM
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Either works fine. If you fly into Oakland, you have to take a shuttle to the BART station (which isn't actually on-site at the airport). If you fly into SFO, you can walk or take the airtrain to the BART station (which is actually at the airport). Go with whichever is cheaper.
May 13th, 2009, 08:54 PM
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Sf - thank you - which is less time? I remember taking a bus from Oakland over by the stadium and then taking the BART - I like the idea of the BART being right there but will see if it makes a big difference. I am also thinking driving might be fun. I have only driven twice...once was a blast a long road trip dh and I took. The other was not fun - ds was VERY sick - and could not fly. I ended up renting a car and driving him home to Oc.
May 13th, 2009, 09:01 PM
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i don't know about seattle or portland but i think she will like s.f.
as far as airports, i would look at the cheapest fare because both oakland and sfo have bart service to s.f.
i think swa generally has good prices out of oakland.
i would probably stay around the union square area. lots of shopping and restaurants and you can walk to a lot of places from there.
i think you will also be well served by the bus and bart in that area.
besides the tourist things like the crookedest street or fisherman's wharf, some of areas that dd and her friends like to go to besides union square area:
haight st - still has the old hippie vibe with great people watching, vintage stores, amoeba records and dd's favourite restaurant cha cha cha
china town
north beach
taking the ferry from the ferry plaza to sausalito or tiburon
golden gate park - california academy of sciences, the de young museum and shuttle to the legion of honor, japanese tea garden.....
i will ask her for more ideas.
as far as airports, i would look at the cheapest fare because both oakland and sfo have bart service to s.f.
i think swa generally has good prices out of oakland.
i would probably stay around the union square area. lots of shopping and restaurants and you can walk to a lot of places from there.
i think you will also be well served by the bus and bart in that area.
besides the tourist things like the crookedest street or fisherman's wharf, some of areas that dd and her friends like to go to besides union square area:
haight st - still has the old hippie vibe with great people watching, vintage stores, amoeba records and dd's favourite restaurant cha cha cha
china town
north beach
taking the ferry from the ferry plaza to sausalito or tiburon
golden gate park - california academy of sciences, the de young museum and shuttle to the legion of honor, japanese tea garden.....
i will ask her for more ideas.
May 14th, 2009, 05:26 AM
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Dawn, Flying to either SFO or OAK will work. SFO is a bit easier to use BART. Time wise maybe a bit faster too.
As for a hotel, I HIGHLY recommend The Mosser. It is on 4th, a short walk from BART stop. It is just off Market and a few short blocks to Union Sq. We stayed there last year and loved it. Small rooms, but you can get a great price.
I just got an email from them that they still have a $69 a night special. I'll find it and forward it to you.
It is a cross between a hostel and a boutique hotel. Very clean, modern lobby, coffee and muffins in morning. They have rooms with private baths and some that use a "hall" bathroom. We had a room with private bath, but I did look in the hall baths when it was being cleaned. VERY clean. They keep them constantly cleaned. You can get a room with 2 twin beds I think.
For the special you have to call direct to book; this is not prepaid, so you can cancel within a few days of arrival.
TheMosser.com
Deb
As for a hotel, I HIGHLY recommend The Mosser. It is on 4th, a short walk from BART stop. It is just off Market and a few short blocks to Union Sq. We stayed there last year and loved it. Small rooms, but you can get a great price.
I just got an email from them that they still have a $69 a night special. I'll find it and forward it to you.
It is a cross between a hostel and a boutique hotel. Very clean, modern lobby, coffee and muffins in morning. They have rooms with private baths and some that use a "hall" bathroom. We had a room with private bath, but I did look in the hall baths when it was being cleaned. VERY clean. They keep them constantly cleaned. You can get a room with 2 twin beds I think.
For the special you have to call direct to book; this is not prepaid, so you can cancel within a few days of arrival.
TheMosser.com
Deb
May 14th, 2009, 06:22 AM
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Thank you everyone!
Deb - I will check that out - I am not up for shared bathrooms. Draw the line there
I had planned on surprising her but am glad I did not - I thought she would want to go to Seattle more but she was very excited about SF.
There are some GREAT deals through Expedia - I am going to try booking it out separate and see what prices I come up with and also see if anything is available with Starwood points or Marriott points, or Hilton.
I am very excited to go with her. She is SO low maintenance in this family - we will have a party for her but want this time with her. More questions I am sure to follow!
Deb - I will check that out - I am not up for shared bathrooms. Draw the line there
I had planned on surprising her but am glad I did not - I thought she would want to go to Seattle more but she was very excited about SF.
There are some GREAT deals through Expedia - I am going to try booking it out separate and see what prices I come up with and also see if anything is available with Starwood points or Marriott points, or Hilton.
I am very excited to go with her. She is SO low maintenance in this family - we will have a party for her but want this time with her.
More questions I am sure to follow!
May 14th, 2009, 08:08 AM
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Travelzoo shows specials running right now on the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins and a couple of the Kimpton Properties. www.travelzoo.com
May 14th, 2009, 08:16 AM
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If you can get a good deal on a flight, do it as you really do NOT need a car in SF. The public transportation is awesome, assuming you can't just walk wherever you are going (and often you can). A car is a big liability there--you will have to pay (a lot!) to park it at most hotels, then many places you will drive to will also make you pay to park it there! Bummer! Save that money for shopping and eating!
Have fun!
Have fun!
