Need ideas for a last minute summer trip!

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05/04/2023 10:15

Subject: Need ideas for a last minute summer trip!

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Anonymous

DH just found out he gets 60 hours of additional comp time for working weekends on a project that just wrapped up. So we are thinking about combining this with one of the upcoming federal holidays (Juneteeth or 4th of July). - so essentially we could work this into a week and a half or two weeks away.

I'm leaning more towards the 4th of July timeframe as it gives me more time to plan. I'm looking for suggestions of where to go. We could do a road trip or we could fly somewhere (we are in Wisconsin right now and have the MSP airport as the closest one, which is great as it offers tons of domestic and international destinations).

Here are my thoughts:

- I absolutely love hiking in the mountains but I've been out west more times than I can count - especially since 2020, as international travel was too hard. I traveled extensively out west during summer 2020 and 2021 (plus in previous years as well). Not sure if I really want to go this route again, being there are just too many other places to go. And when I say "out west" - I mean I've visited every National Park west of the Mississippi (including most in Alaska), I've been all over California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada. You name it, I've probably been there!
- We just did Banff / Jasper last year
- I've been to Yellowstone/Tetons/Glacier so much, rather not do that again, even though I love those places
- LOVE hiking in Colorado, but this is still a wee bit too early in the season for the high elevation hikes I want to do. Ideally, they're more of a mid-July to Sept kind of thing...I don't like snow!
- We don't like AI or cruises
- We have family in the SW (Southern California and Arizona) but it's just too hot this time of year

- If we fly, prefer it to be a direct flight. I don't want to go any further east than somewhere in Europe, since it might be only 1.5 weeks and as I have a lot of difficulty with jet lag.
- We love hiking, beautiful landscapes. DH has been all over Europe. In Europe, I've only been to Portugal and Spain (and I loved it!)
- We are going to Japan in November.

A few places I'm thinking of:

- Maine and then drive up through Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia, PEI, etc). Always wanted to do this!
- Vancouver Island/Whistler (but worried there isn't as much to do, not enough hikes, etc as it was in Jasper/Banff. Please correct me if I'm wrong; I haven't started much research!!!)
- Iceland - I've always wanted to go, (I practically have a trip already planned out!) but I want to drive the entire Ring Road. If we can only swing 1.5 weeks, it's not enough time. Anyone spend less than two weeks here? Was it worth it? Also worried I'm 'too late' to plan this. The cheapest flight is actually to Iceland.

I'm sure there are many other places that I just can't think of - but DH just dropped this on my last night and I'm pretty excited!