Trip ideas please - Sept, Nov and December

[Anonymous]

Sept - 5 days
November- Thanksgiving week
December- week after Christmas

Total budget = $3000

I’m okay picking just one of those times to travel, just need help from you fabulous minds with ideas. It’ll be me and a tween. We have passports.

[Anonymous]

what do and tween you like to do for fun--outdoor activities, trying new foods, museums, shopping? do you prefer hot or cold weather? what level of luxury do you want in your accommodations?

[Anonymous]

We enjoy exploring and the outdoors. I enjoy history and leisurely strolls through new places. We both appreciate good food but it’s not a must have. We’re also not big shoppers.

We’ve stayed in VRBOs and hotels. Always clean and safe, well located to whatever the area has to offer. Lowest quality hotel we like is Marriott Courtyard/Drury Inn level accommodations.

We’re open to most weather but I don’t want to go anywhere that would require I drive in snowy or icy conditions. I have no idea how to do that.

[Anonymous]

September: Salzburg

[Anonymous]

Boston, some part of Canada if they'll still accept us, and Seattle.

[Anonymous]

How long do you suggest for Seatle? Is it a place a pre-teen would enjoy?

[Anonymous]

OP here. I thought about visiting one of the natl parks out west in September, but do you think 5 days would be enough? Which one would be a good fit for a quick 5 day visit?

[Anonymous]

Is it 3k for each trip or 3k for all 3 trips?

[Anonymous]

DH and I went to Arches National Park in October a few years ago. 5 days was enough, including a day in Salt Lake City.

I second the q above, is it $3k total for all of the trips or for each trip?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I thought about visiting one of the natl parks out west in September, but do you think 5 days would be enough? Which one would be a good fit for a quick 5 day visit?

I would consider Acadia if you think you'd be into that.
I think you'd get the most bang for your buck & least crowds taking the trip in Sept. vs. Thanksgiving or winter break.

[Anonymous]

I'd spend the bulk of the money on one nicer trip and maybe do Busch Gardens or Hershey park for the week after Christmas

[Anonymous]

ABC islands are gorgeous in late November - Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao

They have a desert climate so you don’t have to worry as much about hurricanes.

Tulum is also very nice that time of year

[Anonymous]

$3k is the total vacation budget I have for the rest of this year. What are your thoughts on:

Sept - 4 or 5 day trip to Universal Studios parks in Orlando, primarily to see the Harry Potter worlds.

-OR-

Thanksgiving- Week long Caribbean cruise

-OR-

Dec/wk after Xmas- Week long Caribbean cruise

I can only afford one option, can’t swing all of them (unless I hit the lotto!)

Which do you think a middle school age kid would prefer? I personally want the cruise but my kid is a Harry Potter fan. We’ve never been to Harry Potter world or a cruise, and he told me he’s interested in both. Wish there was a Harry Potter cruise to kill two birds with one stone.

What do you suggest?

[Anonymous]

Does he like roller coasters? If so, that might swing the balance to HP. If he’s not a rolle coaster fan, 4-5 days might be a bit much at unversal.
But I think a tween would love either!
If you do a cruise just pay close attention to the ship...they have very different amenities. Ship kind of matters more than ports because most of the ports have similar activities.

[Anonymous]

He’s not a fan of roller coasters, except the non-scary kiddy ones that don’t go very fast and no loops. Does Harry Potter have child friendly rides, or are they fast? He also doesn’t like big hills or drops. If HP world has any of that, then I may postpone the Universal Studios trip until he’s a few years older.