Summer vacation time

[Nomad]

I'm looking for a place to travel to with another couple within the US. They have really tough jobs, so when they travel, they often like to drink and be wined and dined at very nice restaurants...so that factors into locations. Over the many years we have known them, she has often found lovely locations...so I am pass due to find them for us. We are fortunate to have such lovely friends and travel companions.

One wish for me is that the place is not too hot as where I live it gets to like 99 degrees every summer. I don't mind lower 80s at all...but would definitely prefer to avoid upper 90s.

Top places I have thought about for us for a variety of reasons, include:
Chicago, Illinois
Charleston, SC
Can anybody comment on these two places in particular? Favorite hotels, B&B's, restaurants, cool things to do?

Anybody know anything about New Hampshire or Vermont in the summer?

MANY many thanks!!!!!

 

[RN0441]

Chicago is my hometown. I can tell you anything you want to know!

Great food. Lots to see and too. Lots of great restaurants too.

 

[Crayola13]

I'm looking for a place to travel to with another couple within the US. They have really tough jobs, so when they travel, they often like to drink and be wined and dined at very nice restaurants...so that factors into locations. Over the many years we have known them, she has often found lovely locations...so I am pass due to find them for us. We are fortunate to have such lovely friends and travel companions.

One wish for me is that the place is not too hot as where I live it gets to like 99 degrees every summer. I don't mind lower 80s at all...but would definitely prefer to avoid upper 90s.

Top places I have thought about for us for a variety of reasons, include:
Chicago, Illinois
Charleston, SC
Can anybody comment on these two places in particular? Favorite hotels, B&B's, restaurants, cool things to do?

Anybody know anything about New Hampshire or Vermont in the summer?

MANY many thanks!!!!!

Charleston is very hot and humid. There is a lot to see. It's a lot of walking if you're up for it. There are a lot of old buildings, houses, churches, historic cemeteries etc. A lot of Civil War history, including sailing tours and ghost tours. Folley Beach is nice. Normally, I don't like flea markets, but the one in downtown Charleston is good. There are a lot of good restaurants.

 

[Crayola13]

Chicago is my hometown. I can tell you anything you want to know!

Great food. Lots to see and too. Lots of great restaurants too.

We might go near that region this summer. What would you recommend for us to see in Chicago, and what side of town should we avoid?

 

[RN0441]

Chicago is like any large city, there are very rich and very poor.

The magnificent mile is where the hoity toity shopping is. Expensive but you can window shop! LOL I'd definitely stay in the city.

Navy Pier is right on Lake Michigan (which is massive and looks more like an ocean) and there is a lot to see and do there and you can catch a lot of boat rides.

Lincoln Park Zoo is in the city and free.

There is also the Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, the aquarium is lovely, Millennium Park is a must see also. If you google things to do in Chicago you will find all kinds of things to see and do.

Of course if you like heights you can go to the top of the Willis Tower - Skydeck. It is on the 103rd floor.They have a glass balcony 1,353 feet off the ground.

If you have any questions about anything specific, let me know.

 

[Crayola13]

Thanks. It sounds like a place we might go when in a nearby state in a couple months.

We're a little concerned about going to Chicago because of everything that has been in the news over the past couple of years. Sometimes the news media has a way of making things sound worse than they are. I don't know if the shootings have been in a certain section of town or if it's the whole city. Just recently, the news started reporting about other types of murders that seem to be targeted towards prostitutes. The police say there is no serial killer, but the public seems to think there might be 1-3 killers. I don't live there, so I don't know if all this news about homicidal violence is accurate.

 

[ahhjeez]

I live in MA. and my absolute favorite place to vacation is the coast of Maine. The white mountains in NH are gorgeous as well. If you are looking for high end restaurants Boston fits the bill. Good luck and enjoy the vacation planning. That's part of the fun too!

 

[RN0441]

Thanks. It sounds like a place we might go when in a nearby state in a couple months.

We're a little concerned about going to Chicago because of everything that has been in the news over the past couple of years. Sometimes the news media has a way of making things sound worse than they are. I don't know if the shootings have been in a certain section of town or if it's the whole city. Just recently, the news started reporting about other types of murders that seem to be targeted towards prostitutes. The police say there is no serial killer, but the public seems to think there might be 1-3 killers. I don't live there, so I don't know if all this news about homicidal violence is accurate.

Most crime is in the bad neighborhoods which is typical for most states/cities. I think you'll be fine if you stay in the touristy areas since you don't know your lay of the land. It's a great city though.

 

[Copabanana]

Vermont in the summer?

I have been to Vermont in the summer, a private island near Burlington. I went related to a wedding. Near the water it was beautiful and very relaxing. This is where somebody would go to have quiet and calm and natural beauty. As far as a bar scene and great restaurants I am not sure.

s the coast of Maine.

I would love this, too. I have heard that upstate NY is marvelous now. I have heard there are great old hotels in areas like the Catskills that have been restored and renewed (think Dirty Dancing) that might have all-inclusive type arrangements.

Do you prefer and urban, big city vacation of hustle and bustle and great shopping, museums and sites or do you want low key, natural beauty, a laid back retreat? These would be two very different vacations.

Honestly, this post is making me very, very envious. (If you were traveling in Spring or Fall I would recommend Las Vegas.) M and I had a very good time there. And I don't gamble. There is no place like it, that I have ever been.

As far as big cities that would be cool (both cool climate and cool), there are Seattle and Portland. Both are beautiful, have marvelous restaurants, and natural beauty. So this kind of place would combine urban with beauty. I would have suggested San Francisco but it has changed. It is geographically beautiful but has been taken over by tech.

As far as vacation areas that would have great restaurants and a great scene, but be relaxed, laid back, and beautiful too, I would think of Martha's Vineyard, the Napa Valley, specifically Calistoga, or the Hamptons on Long Island. I have not been to Martha's Vineyards but would love to go. I have been to both Napa and the Hamptons in the summer. I recall that it was warm but not insufferable. Napa has dry heat.

Calistoga is a hot springs town but there are regular pools too. It is wonderful. I've been going for almost 60 years. There are vineyards, and wineries, and great restaurants. You could really, really relax. It is laid back and about 80 minutes or so to San Francisco.

 

[ahhjeez]

Martha's Vineyard is lovely. Oooh and Cape Cod too. So many awesome little towns.

 

[recoveringenabler]

Hi Nomad. I live in Sonoma County in Northern California, also known as Wine Country......The town of Sonoma is beautiful, is known for pairing food and wine and has many, many high end restaurants to choose from. Many B&B's, local motels and The Sonoma Mission Inn if you want more style, it has a wonderful restaurant and spa. Sonoma is less than an hour from San Francisco, about 45 minutes from the Pacific Ocean, a couple of hours to Lake Tahoe, relatively close to the Redwoods, lots and lots of hiking trails, parks, Wineries and 30 minutes from Napa County, another Wine Country area. The weather has no humidity, is generally in the 80's from now until October and quite cool in the evenings. Calistoga, as Copa mentioned, is about an hour from the town of Sonoma.

If you're traveling to Charleston or anywhere in the south, I would not consider that between late June and early September because the heat and humidity is intense. I loved Charleston, there's a lot to do & it's beautiful. My favorite southern town is Savannah.....again, not in the dead of summer......but I just loved the whole place, lovely parks on almost every corner, great restaurants, much to do and see. Plus you can check out Tybee Island right outside of Savannah.

 

[Nomad]

Perfect timing.
Charleston is out.
I’ll mention Sonoma.
Curious about Calistoga and Lake Tahoe.

New one’s my fiend mentioned:
Seattle
Santa Fe

Please keep the input coming. Very appreciated.

We personally might go briefly to Charleston in October. Went to Savanna in April...just lovely.

 

[Copabanana]

Santa Fe will be hot. Google Calistoga!

 

[Nomad]

August in Calistoga : 91-52. That means daytime can get very hot. ???
Per google.

 

[recoveringenabler]

Another coastal town that has many amenities here in California is Santa Barbara, one of my favorite towns. Temperature in August is perfect, probably low eighties. It is on the ocean and yet there are mountains in the backdrop. There are fabulous restaurants, beautiful shops, all kinds of lovely places to stay and it is truly a beautiful location. My granddaughter went to college in the area so we've spent a good amount of time there..... There is a long path along the ocean which is so typical of California, folks biking, skating, all kinds of water sports.......it's such a nice walk after dinner.....the main road in town, State Street, is extremely long and it's fun to walk it, shop, eat, people watch......it's relatively close to L.A. if you wanted to get a city hit....

Portland, Oregon is also a wonderful place....and it's cool in August. Again, very nice restaurants, hotels, B&B's.....a lovely Japanese Tea House and a remarkable rose garden with over 10,000 rose bushes. There's a lot to do, it's a fun city to play in without being too congested. The temperature may work for you there, I don't think it ever gets hot.

A kind of out of the way destination is Mendocino.....on the Northern California coast......it's a quaint little village, with fabulous views, known for it's artists, cozy B&B's, hiking, beaches, parks, good food.......it's small, not a big city, more about relaxing, kicking back, meandering around town and checking out the local art. A really good chocolate shop or two too!! And, it NEVER gets hot, it's right on the Pacific. The sunsets are gorgeous.

 

[KTMom91]

My daughter lives in Portland - it has lots of things to see. The zoo is beautiful!

 

[Copabanana]

Gosh. I never experienced Calistoga as hot. Warm in the summer, yes. There is no humidity. There are coastal breezes. It cools off at night. You're in the pool. There's trees. It's so cool.

Santa Barbara

What about Santa Cruz? It's fun. It's beautiful. It's cool. It's got beaches. Good food! Culture. I lived there 5 years. It's kind of younger, more new Age or left wing Santa Barbara. More like Portland. Half an hour to Silicon Valley and an hour to San Francisco taking Highway One along the Pacific Coast, which is beautiful country. If you have a week, between Santa Cruz and San Francisco and Sonoma and Calistoga, it's no more than 3 hours.

 

[Nomad]

It’s leaning now toward Santa Fe.
Anybody been there?
Thank you.

 

[Copabanana]

Santa Fe.

I thought this was hot but I just checked, it's not. It must be higher altitude. This sounds great. I know nothing about it but I will look it up.

All that history! And art! And it is so beautiful. And if you go to a resort type place, you can lounge in the sun. It sounds marvelous.

 

[Nomad]

Ironically, their summers seem to be much more moderate than where I am. It was 90+ degrees today in my area with a heat index of 105. Wt heck? I’m anticipating pure hades this summer. Last summer temps in my area were like 90-100.
Allegedly, Santa Fe has a high altitude that keeps them away from temps in the 90s.
Summer temps tend to be in the lower to mid 80s dipping much lower at night.
Summer temps according to google:
Highs: 85
Lows: 50
Sept is lower like 81.
Right now (evening) in Santa Fe it is 63 going down to 36.
Right now in my area (evening) it is 90 degrees. Omg.
There is a bad heat wave in the Southeast as is evidenced by today's Wacko SE temperatures.