Vacation Destination and trip planning help: US

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Forum -> Vacation and Traveling

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DVOM

Sun, Apr 28 2019, 7:46 am

Good morning and a very happy post-Pesach to all!

My wonderful husband will be graduating in one week Cool

. I had planned on a very large, very elaborate surprise graduation party for him... thankfully, one of my kids spilled the beans and my husband found out. This gave him the chance to tell me (over the chag, very tentatively and sensitively, poor guy was worried I'd be dissapointed) that he doesn't want a party; he doesn't like being the center of attention and really wants a party with a guest list that consists of just him and me. While I was planning my surprise for him, he was planning his surprise for me: a graduation trip for the two of us. He's supplied the budget, I'm happily taking over the planning!

It's been a very long time since we went on a vacation together. This will actually be the longest time we will be seperated from our kids, ever. We're planning on going for 5 days (wed, thurs, fri, shabbos, sunday). I'm a little nervous about leaving them, but I think they're going to do just fine. We hope to hire an overnight babysitter for wed and thurs night, and they will be going to my sister for the weekend.

Now for the trip itself, I'm hoping some of you well traveled mamas out there will be able to give me some good ideas. We are happy to fly anywhere, but don't want to spend the whole trip traveling, which I'm assuming limits us to the US (correct me if I'm wrong). We'd like to be in a stunning and romantic location, but within walking distance (1 hour or so is fine) of a shul for Shabbos. Is there such a thing as a Chabad shul where you can also buy into a communal shabbos meal? I would find that really interesting and fun. Not a deal breaker though. We would love if there were some kosher restaurants. We'd also love ideas of cool stuff to do. My husband is sensitive about what he sees, so no beach destinations.

All ideas welcome! Thanks girls!

mommy3b2c

Sun, Apr 28 2019, 7:50 am

I’m so happy for you! You deserve this!
Have you ever been to Arizona? It fits a lot of your criteria.

doctorima

Sun, Apr 28 2019, 8:20 am

Off the top of my head, Colorado, Arizona, Canadian Rockies, San Diego, and Palm Springs all deserve a look. If you want someplace international, you can't beat Venice, which conveniently has a Chabad with meals right in town. For a shorter flight, you could also consider Paris, which is also very romantic.

amother

Pink

Sun, Apr 28 2019, 10:16 am

I got so excited reading this! I like hearing about mamas that are finally getting the break they deserve.
NIAGARA is international so to speak and your not wasting a lot of time traveling . You have everything there. Toronto has great restaurants and minyanim. The attractions are nice and at this time of year it's still slightly cool so tznius is better.
I found that in the summer any place you go is all the same regarding tznius. You'll find skimpy tank tops on the Brooklyn bridge.
And now is the best time, you have pleasant weather and not such heat.

doctorima

Sun, Apr 28 2019, 10:49 am

Niagara Falls is nice, but it's about 7 hours from Lakewood, where OP is presumably coming from. I'd much rather her spend that time (or even less) flying to a more exotic locale that she won't easily be able to go to another time, while Niagara will always remain an option for a road trip with the family. Also, Toronto is 1.5 hours away from Niagara, not exactly around the corner in terms of getting to the restaurants.

amother

Pink

Sun, Apr 28 2019, 10:57 am

I thought she should fly there. 50 min. flight is a breeze.

Sebastian

Sun, Apr 28 2019, 10:58 am

Newport is lovely but no kosher restaurants

amother

Mistyrose

Sun, Apr 28 2019, 11:08 am

amother [ Pink ] wrote:

I thought she should fly there. 50 min. flight is a breeze.

What I'm assuming doctorima meant is something that is only 7 hours traveling by car is doable any other time, so why not save that for a family trip or sometime else. Not as a long awaited vacation trip. Rather use the time now to go somewhere more exotic, that is not really travelable (yeah I know it's not a word) by car.

amother

Emerald

Sun, Apr 28 2019, 11:21 am

What an New Orleans? That would be my dream vacation

tichellady

Sun, Apr 28 2019, 12:50 pm

What month

tichellady

Sun, Apr 28 2019, 1:03 pm

It depends on the time of year but I would suggest Mexico City ( affordable, lots to do, lots of kosher, easy to travel) scottsdale/Phoenix/Sedona ( relaxing, lots of Kosher, nice nature), Vancouver ( beautiful and there’s Kosher and lots to do), Seattle ( interesting and Kosher and lots to do ), Los Angeles ( could go to Malibu or Santa Monica or Santa Barbara or another more beautiful area), San Diego, or Northern California ( could do a road trip on pacific coast highway or go to Yosemite or sequoia

DVOM

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 6:56 am

mommy3b2c wrote:

I’m so happy for you! You deserve this!
Have you ever been to Arizona? It fits a lot of your criteria.

Good morning everyone!! Sorry I couldn't answer yesterday... the boys were so overtired and overstimulated and the house was a tornado!

So... It's hard to even focus on the trip itself, since I'm till struggling to figure out what to do with my boys. The overnight babysitter I'd been counting on can't do it, and neither can the two backups I would have been comfortable using. I hate the feeling of trying to farm out my kids... but I really do want this vacation badly. Because it's not coming easily, my instinct is to give it up. I think because I'm not so comfortable leaving them in the first place. Ok, deep breath, they can manage without us for a few days! going to keep working on it!

Regarding the vacation itself:

Did a little googling. Arizona looks amazing. So does Seattle. But most amazing of all is Venice (Gondolas! 'nuf said!). And once I was looking overseas, another one that sounds appealing is Scottland (I want to sleep in a castle!). Anyone actually visit these places? What sorts of things are there to do around there? Is it totally ridiculous to fly so far for only 5 days? I'd love to hear more about these places!

33055

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 7:11 am

DVOM wrote:

Mazol Tov on your husband's graduation.

We often fly for 5 days because of DH's work schedule. Can you go longer? Will you be vacationing over Shabbos?

Eureka!

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 7:19 am

If you're going already to Europe, I wouldn't suggest Scotland. It's nice but nothing major.
Swiss Alps is beautiful and you have all the comfort there if you're in a kosher hotel. Davos is stunning!!!
Paris is nice but it's a real city trip. And not a lot to do there.

SuperWify

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 7:42 am

Eureka! wrote:

I’ve done Paris in 4 days but Switzerland needs more time- we were there for a week.

33055

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 7:47 am

SuperWify wrote:

I’ve done Paris in 4 days but Switzerland needs more time- we were there for a week.

We've done Switzerland with a side trip to France in one of our 5 day trips.

Eureka!

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 7:50 am

SuperWify wrote:

I’ve done Paris in 4 days but Switzerland needs more time- we were there for a week.

Of course if you can stay for longer it's amazing but in 5 days you can do a lot of things there. People go for weekends and some people for weeks and everything in between.

HonesttoGod

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 7:56 am

Caribbean.
Beat relaxing and fun vacation this side of the world that doesn’t take forever to get to.
Bahamas, Dutch Caribbean (abc islands) Cancun, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, so much to do and to chill. And 5 days is perfect because the flights don’t take too long.

Europe is beautiful. Every single country there. But honestly of those 5 days 1.5-2 will be traveling.

Amelia Bedelia

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 8:26 am

Cancun fits all your criteria.

SuperWify

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 10:32 am

What about London? Lots of kosher food. Maybe a London imamother can have you for meals.

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