[eleanor08]

Hey everyone... I am looking for some help, my gal and I are looking at going on a small vacation during the week after Xmas.. We both have the week off, and are looking to do something fun/romantic.. We have looked at staying in mountain lodges in Banff, Vermont, and also have looked at things like going to New York city, or San Fran. Also looked at the caribbean.. We are just kind of stuck..

We love out doors, and would enjoy skiing, either down hill or cross country.

We also are newly scuba certified.

We also love a good beach..

Looking to spend not much more then 5k, we arent' real up on doing a cruise either.. Other than that we are open to alot..

Also we would be coming from MSP (Minneapolis mn)
Would love to hear some thoughts and really appreciate your help.

Thank you!!

[BML99]

Hawaii? Caribbean is really awesome I hear, my mom went on a yoga resort cruise a few years back and ended up in Jamaica on B. Marley's birthday, said people were going nuts. Plus, Caribbean Jerk food is soooo good.

[ReverendDexter]

How much time are you willing to put up with travelling?

I mean, I'm sure Hawaii's nice, but out of a week of vacation do you want to give up two whole days to being grope searched and stuck in an aluminum tube hurtling through the air?

[1FastFox]

Have you ever been to Estes Park,CO? They have some AWESOME bed and breakfast places there. Highly romantic and plenty of outdoorsy things to do. Its also a smaller ma and pa type town where mainstreet is lined with small shops.

Theres also several of Colorados more known breweries within an hour so you could spend a day checking them out and drinking as well.

[eleanor08]

We think it would be standard to spend 2 days traveling, one day to where ever, and one day back...

I was in Estes as a kid and loved it, a co-worker was just there and he wouldnt' shut up about it too.. That sounds really good, Ill do some looking at this.. Thank you!!

We have both been to different parts of the caribbean, and we love it.. I would like to go back soon so I can do some more diving.. Only thing with the caribbean it seams like you either spend alot and get alot or try to go cheap and you get cheap.. I guess that goes with everything..

Oh, and we are try to stay away from Mexico..

Thanks for the great ideas already.. You guys are quick!

[mcqueen]

Originally Posted by ReverendDexter How much time are you willing to put up with travelling? I mean, I'm sure Hawaii's nice, but out of a week of vacation do you want to give up two whole days to being grope searched and stuck in an aluminum tube hurtling through the air?

Hawaii is the greatest place I've ever been and entirely worth all the airline bullshit Plus the flight from the west cost to Hawaii is something like 12 hours so you usually end up sleeping unless you bring a laptop (which will be inspected for bombs) and lots of movies because staring at an endless ocean from thousands of feet above it gets boring fast

[craigdavey]

The caribbean is really nice around December/January. My wife and I went to Jamaica a few years ago at the beginning of december and it was 80+ degrees the whole time there. We went cheap and didnt stay at one of the nice resorts but we stayed at a nice place in Negril. Seven mile beach is awesome if you dont mind being heckled to buy stuff constantly. We only spent a total of around $3000 for the whole weeks trip, too.

We are planning to go back around the same time in a few years.

[08GTCS Stang]

I never did hear how your Cozumel trip went last year. Hope everything worked out alright.

Anyway, I'd say go to Australia. (Might not work if you don't want a 14hr flight just from LA or San Fransisco.) I went there last year for Thanksgiving with my dad and I loved it. If you want tourism, you can go to Sydney, see the history, the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Sky Needle, as well as the Australia National Zoo/Aquarium thats located in Sydney. Sydney/Tourism is what my dad and I did. The trip was actually pretty cheap and everything was within walking distance of our hotel. You can stay near one of the harbors though or in the real touristy areas and have it be much more expensive.

If you want diving though, you can head north to Brisbane or Townsville and dive the Great Barrier Reef. It would be a beautiful time of year for diving as well since Australia would be in their summer season due to the hemispheres. I haven't personally dived the Great Barrier Reef but everyone in the diving community that I've talked to swears its amazing. Not sure of the cost for an Australian diving trip but you'd still have the long flight over there.

[chocolate]

I would suggest florida keys if its in your budget. There is a small beach there, even in winter the water is warmer then the warmest MD water gets, Lots of sand bars (islands slightly under water), plenty of places to go diving, charter boats (for a day go deep sea fishing), and other things.

I am actually going down from the 22nd of dec to the 2nd of jan. visiting my grand parents for the holidays.

I also find skiing LOADS of fun. I only wen't once last year (first time ever) but am already have another trip planned for this year.

[Mach1dmb!]

Were going on vacation too the week after Xmas. My parents gave my brother and I the choice of Florida, out west (like Colorado for snowboarding), or an island. We chose an island. Theres no better place to be in the cold winter than a warm beach.

Places I've been:

Puerto Vallarta- Crap.
Cancun- Crazy, but not that romantic
Bermuda- Boring, but the beautiful place I've ever seen, very romantic
Aruba- A perfect mix of fun and romance

Just some ideas..

Oh, and a 5k budget is plenty for 2 all inclusive. We usually get deals for 5 days

[08GTCS Stang]

Originally Posted by mcqueen Hawaii is the greatest place I've ever been and entirely worth all the airline bullshit Plus the flight from the west cost to Hawaii is something like 12 hours so you usually end up sleeping unless you bring a laptop (which will be inspected for bombs) and lots of movies because staring at an endless ocean from thousands of feet above it gets boring fast

I've been to Hawaii twice and I loved both times. A trip to Hawaii all depends on which island you go to though. In my opinion, Oahu sucks. That was my first experience with Hawaii and I thought it was great until I went to the Big Island after 3 days. Oahu's beaches suck in Honolulu, its flooded with tourists, and you just can't honestly relax there. I stayed on the Kona side of the Big Island for the remainder of the first trip and the entire second trip. Much more relaxed and laid back. Sunsets always right out your room window since you're on the west side of the Big Island. Diving is fantastic. There is still exciting stuff you can do on the Big Island though. You can go ziplining (which to this day is the most thrilling thing that I've ever done), or take helicopter tours over the erupting volcanoes (not sure if they're still erupting or not but they were when I was there), or kayaking, and plenty of other things.

Stacey, what the hell kind of a headwind did you have on your flight there though? I made it in like 6hrs and 45 mins from LA to Honolulu. Go look at a map lol. The flight to Sydney, Australia is much closer to 12hrs than the flight to Honolulu is.

[mcqueen]

Originally Posted by 08GTCS Stang I've been to Hawaii twice and I loved both times. A trip to Hawaii all depends on which island you go to though. In my opinion, Oahu sucks. That was my first experience with Hawaii and I thought it was great until I went to the Big Island after 3 days. Oahu's beaches suck in Honolulu, its flooded with tourists, and you just can't honestly relax there. I stayed on the Kona side of the Big Island for the remainder of the first trip and the entire second trip. Much more relaxed and laid back. Sunsets always right out your room window since you're on the west side of the Big Island. Diving is fantastic. There is still exciting stuff you can do on the Big Island though. You can go ziplining (which to this day is the most thrilling thing that I've ever done), or take helicopter tours over the erupting volcanoes (not sure if they're still erupting or not but they were when I was there), or kayaking, and plenty of other things. Stacey, what the hell kind of a headwind did you have on your flight there though? I made it in like 6hrs and 45 mins from LA to Honolulu. Go look at a map lol. The flight to Sydney, Australia is much closer to 12hrs than the flight to Honolulu is.

It's been a long time since I went to Hawaii so you're probably right, it's not 12 hours lol. I've been to Maui twice and it's beautiful. There's tourists like every other island but the beaches usually aren't crowded and if you like to explore (like me) then you can find some beautiful secluded beaches that very few people go to or even know how to find.

[1FastFox]

Originally Posted by mcqueen Hawaii is the greatest place I've ever been and entirely worth all the airline bullshit Plus the flight from the west cost to Hawaii is something like 12 hours so you usually end up sleeping unless you bring a laptop (which will be inspected for bombs) and lots of movies because staring at an endless ocean from thousands of feet above it gets boring fast

Like 06 said, 12 hours? I have made it from LA to Hong Kong with a layover in Japan for an hour in less time than that!

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by 1FastFox Like 06 said, 12 hours? I have made it from LA to Hong Kong with a layover in Japan for an hour in less time than that!

On what kind of aircraft? Newer planes are definitely faster than older ones...

[1FastFox]

Originally Posted by ReverendDexter On what kind of aircraft? Newer planes are definitely faster than older ones...

It was one of those planes with a second floor to it.

[ZenMGT]

as a newly cert'd diver myself I vote you come to FLORIDA! - one best places to dive. The water's always warm!,,,well,,i'm sure it cools down.

But hell, I went diving a couple weeks ago just in trunks, I've never used a wet suit - yet.

I'm a sunken ship/wreck diving fool! Love it,,,,there's like 60 wrecks right around Boca you can hit up.

[solidhadriel]

Originally Posted by ZenMGT as a newly cert'd diver myself I vote you come to FLORIDA! - one best places to dive. The water's always warm!,,,well,,i'm sure it cools down. But hell, I went diving a couple weeks ago just in trunks, I've never used a wet suit - yet. I'm a sunken ship/wreck diving fool! Love it,,,,there's like 60 wrecks right around Boca you can hit up.

Pffft, I go Spear fishing off the coast of California without a wet suit. lol

[king_Ahmet]

Dude. Jamaica...

It's a lil pricey but,

Fun fun fun

[08blkgt500]

I've been to hawaii from cali a few times, i don't think it was 12 hours...

[wtfcrunch]

Florida is definitely a must at least once.