Looking to take a vacation in mid-September as my mother and I both have some days we have to spend or we lose them. Spare me the lameness of traveling with my mom for now.

Whenever I have traveled with family in the past (Charleston, Savannah) we end up going on tours or whatnot, eating (big foodies) and then my mom goes to bed early and I just get wasted at a bar by myself. I'd like to find somewhere where there is enough to do during the day that she's not just following me around on a bender.

She has suggested Santa Fe and Sedona. We would both be interested in seeing New Orleans, but I'm open minded to those places or others. As far as I know, the former two are only interesting to me at this point for the food as I have no idea what else there is to do around there and it seems like a hot desert. I could definitely get into New Orleans for the jazz, food, and nightlife.

My original suggestion was to go to Europe because we could spend a lot of time just walking around and exploring, but we might not be able to work that long of a trip out time-wise. Another thing I was thinking of was Napa Valley or Sonoma and doing winery tours. She doesn't give a shit how much I drink, but she'll get wasted off a couple glasses of wine. Also considered Nashville or Memphis.

She doesn't want to do NYC, Chicago, DC, Baltimore or Boston since we've been in the past but anything else is pretty much open, including Caribbean spots and/or cruises (but we've been on like 6)

Any ideas?

8/22/2013 4:02:49 PM

I think Sedona is good for a two day trip.
I was there for a day, and that was good unless you plan on hiking or similar activities.

8/22/2013 4:04:39 PM

I'd probably want to go back to NM for outdoors stuff. Lots of great hiking, Carlsbad caverns...

Great weather that time of year too.

8/22/2013 6:10:11 PM

I love new mexican food.

If you go to Santa Fe check out the Abiquiu area if you are ok with driving a bit... it's some of the most beautiful scenery i've hiked through and they have filmed many movies out there.

[Edited on August 22, 2013 at 7:16 PM. Reason : ]

8/22/2013 7:16:31 PM

should we go to new orleans or two shittier options?

hey guise, what should I eat tonight? ramen noodles, spam, or steak with lobster?

8/22/2013 7:59:03 PM

New Orleans is perfect for what you want. Santa Fe is cool, but there's not enough to do during the day unless y'all want to do a lot of hiking and stuff outdoors.

8/22/2013 8:29:12 PM

You will probably bored with your mom in Sedona unless she's really New Age and into that sort of crap.

I liked Sedona a lot, but it's more of a couples place or a place to get away and enjoy solitude than somewhere to bond with your mom.

Haven't been to Santa Fe, but Albuquerque is incredibly beautiful. I could see spending some time there and Taos if you'll be out that direction, but I don't have any specific suggestions.

New Orleans is obviously the more exciting choice of the three, but it's a party town and it might be weird being with your mom there.

If you can swing it, I'd actually suggest a CA wine country/Bay Area trip. September has the best weather and it's right around harvest time. You could fly into SF) or Oakland and spend a day or two in SF, then drive up to wine country for a day or two. Add in Lake Tahoe if you wanna make it a week or 10 day trip. Awesome restaurants, great wine, you won't be bored and your mom won't be over stimulated/uncomfortable.

8/22/2013 8:44:43 PM

^ He has some good suggestions.
Sedona would be my choice, but your mom may get bored. Not much to do in New Orleans in the day time and it would be awkward at night with your mom on Bourbon St.

8/22/2013 11:11:43 PM

^^thank you for the thoughtful response.

After speaking with her, I think we've decided to do San Francisco and Napa Valley. I've been to SF once when I was 13 but I think I'll appreciate it a lot more now, and there's some great deals for private wine tours in Napa. I think it's $125 a person for a limo for 6 hours and can avoid the crowded buses.

Quote :

"should we go to new orleans or two shittier options? hey guise, what should I eat tonight? ramen noodles, spam, or steak with lobster?"

yeah that's why I made the thread, in case there was something that I missed about Santa Fe or Sedona. Obviously New Orleans would be my choice among the three but given my company I wanted to consider all of the options...

[Edited on August 23, 2013 at 11:17 AM. Reason : thanks to everyone else for your comments.]

8/23/2013 11:16:18 AM

Quote :

"seems like a hot desert"

Santa Fe is at 7,200 feet the highest capital city. It is not hot there. Cooler than NC actually.

[Edited on August 23, 2013 at 12:20 PM. Reason : I'll second that Albuquerque/Sante Fe/Taos are very cool]

8/23/2013 12:20:00 PM

New Orleans is great, but September is not a great time to visit there. I like your decision; I think the Bay area and Napa are better choices for that time of year.

8/23/2013 12:57:35 PM

Don't think i've met anyone who mentioned going to New Mexico for vacation.

8/23/2013 1:07:06 PM

my mom is into places like that. last summer her and my grandparents went on a caravan tour to Montana, Utah, South Dakota and Wyoming. I opted out of that trip.

Also, she/we don't hike or camp. She likes taking pictures of pretty things and shopping. I'm more into historic sites and microbreweries haha.

I think SF and Napa will be a great mixture of all of those things that we can both enjoy. Now I've just gotta find out what breweries are in SF besides Anchor.

8/23/2013 1:48:13 PM

i thought this thread was about cars

8/23/2013 1:56:18 PM

I live in Oakland and work in SF, so if you need specific suggestions let me know. My parents are actually coming out here in late September doing something similar

8/23/2013 6:01:41 PM

Quote :

"Montana, Utah, South Dakota and Wyoming. I opted out of that trip."

I've never been to South Dakota, but have spent a good bit of time in the others mentioned and all of them are gorgeous. I personally think Utah is one of the prettiest states in terms of mountainous terrains. Gorgeous, red and purple deserts and cliffs, alpine like mountains, with a touch of California like mountains. Most parks have easily accessible places to photograph and walk around without having to get too far out of your air conditioned comfort zone.

8/23/2013 6:57:06 PM

Eh. Utah didn't blow me away. I thought Zion was alright, but it wasn't anything spectacular like Yosemite, Crater Lake, Grand Canyon, etc. It's a big state though and I've only seen the southern part and SLC, which I thought was a total bore.

8/23/2013 7:08:30 PM

Quote :

"I'm more into historic sites and microbreweries haha. I think SF and Napa will be a great mixture of all of those things that we can both enjoy. Now I've just gotta find out what breweries are in SF besides Anchor."

swap out napa for sonoma and you can hit up russian river brewing and/or bear republic for excellent beer in addition to the wine -- 21st amendment in SF is good, close to at&t park if you're gonna catch a baseball game too

8/24/2013 3:16:26 PM

totally agree. Sonoma is less touristy, pretentious, and expensive than Napa. Your mom will probably love Healdsburgh and like roberta said, there are great breweries there. The Giants are fucking awful this season, so you can probably score tickets for pretty cheap, although the A's are the better team this year.

8/24/2013 5:38:25 PM

I don't think I would want to go to New Orleans with my mom. It's great if you want to go with a bunch of friends.

8/24/2013 9:55:24 PM

I've seen all of Utah and every corner is drastically different. The BLM land around Moab is gorgeous.

Went to New Orleans in June with the inlaws. They out drank us, so it was a bit of a blast.

8/25/2013 12:25:25 AM

Quote :

"I've seen all of Utah and every corner is drastically different. The BLM land around Moab is gorgeous."

I've heard Arches NP is the best of the 5 in Utah, so perhaps I will have to check it out. I'm really itching to drive out to Montana and Wyoming to do Glacier NP and Yellowstone, but I guess it'll have to wait until next summer.

8/25/2013 12:52:23 AM

The french quarter is actually a lot more than just wild drinking on bourbon street. i actually avoid that street at all costs after my first visit to the city.

8/25/2013 3:16:53 AM

Going to Santa Fe for 3 nights mid-June. We've already got some restaurants, museums and hikes we're interested in. Any ideas from people who have been? It's only a 5-6 hour drive and we're thinking of stopping in Taos on the way down as I've heard it's a cool mountain.

Staying here as it was one of the best rated B&Bs and dog friendly:

http://www.turquoisebear.com/

5/24/2016 1:31:32 PM

Quote :

"Don't think i've met anyone who mentioned going to New Mexico for vacation."

Taos is cool. Santa Fe is worth visiting sometime.

Sedona, AZ is also really cool.

Quote :

"I've never been to South Dakota, but have spent a good bit of time in the others mentioned and all of them are gorgeous."

South Dakota is absolutely worth visiting sometime, mainly just to drive through it. Badlands and Black Hills are beautiful.

Mt Rushmore is also a whole lot cooler than I thought it would be. I thought it would be basically driving up and saying "Yep. There's a mountain with faces on it." It's an easy half-day attraction, though.

Quote :

"I personally think Utah is one of the prettiest states "

I would agree with that. Tons of natural beauty in UT.

Quote :

"The french quarter is actually a lot more than just wild drinking on bourbon street. i actually avoid that street at all costs after my first visit to the city. "

Agreed. I mean, I usually hit Bourbon St for one night when I go to New Orleans, but there's a fantastic food scene there, and other cool stuff to visit. Most of the city ranges between "fucking dump" and "weathered", but it has its own appeal.

Quote :

"we're thinking of stopping in Taos on the way down as I've heard it's a cool mountain. "

Taos is a cool mountain and a cool town.

5/24/2016 2:40:19 PM

Yeah I've heard Taos is great and for a 5 hour drive to spend an extended weekend Santa Fe is supposed to be really cool. It's a small artsy town with cool museums and restaurants. I wouldn't say fly to Santa Fe if you live in NC but it's one of those surrounding towns I'd like to knock off my list.

Quote :

"I would agree with that. Tons of natural beauty in UT."

+1 on that. After living in Colorado for almost 3 years I've probably driven to Utah at least 3 times (and rafted into Utah once). Canyonlands, Arches, Goblin Valley, Moab. The list goes on and on. Lots of cool stuff in Utah.

5/24/2016 2:57:00 PM

Quote :

"“Stop thinking of New Orleans as the worst-organized city in the United States,” writes author Dan Baum in Nine Lives, his post-Katrina book. “Start thinking of it as the best-organized city in the Caribbean.” Some folks think there is something distinctly foreign about New Orleans, a place where people’s priorities seem inclined toward enjoying life and relishing the moment at hand. Nothing says it better than the town’s unofficial Cajun creed: “Laissez les bons temp rouler,” or “Let the good times roll.”"

[Edited on June 3, 2016 at 2:04 PM. Reason : ]

6/3/2016 2:03:59 PM

If you are considering New Mexico then wait until early October when the International balloon fiesta is in Albuquerque.

6/3/2016 9:22:12 PM

That's what everyone keeps saying. Maybe we'll head back down in October. We're currently in Santa Fe the 16th to 19th.

6/4/2016 12:12:32 AM

Utah is so underrated! Zion national park is one of the coolest places
I've ever been

[Edited on June 4, 2016 at 12:14 AM. Reason : Apparently emojis confuse tww]

6/4/2016 12:13:21 AM

Quote :

"That's what everyone keeps saying. Maybe we'll head back down in October. We're currently in Santa Fe the 16th to 19th."

I have an entire 11 day trip through NM planned out During Balloon Fiesta week. Hopefully someday I get to take it. A three week trip through the Power 5 in Utah, the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, and the Petrified Forest is also on my bucket list. I'm guessing I go to my grave without either happening though.

[Edited on June 5, 2016 at 7:30 PM. Reason : .]

6/5/2016 7:29:34 PM

neodata,
did you end up doing the Santa Fe trip? How was it?

my gf and i have been thinking about planning a trip for next spring. We thought about flying into Denver for a few days and then driving down to Santa Fe for another few days before flying home. Any tips? Was there enough to do in Santa Fe for 2-3 days?

8/22/2016 9:24:19 AM

Yes!! Here are some pics I posted in the DSLR thread:













We had an amazing time.

We stayed here:

http://www.turquoisebear.com/

The two guys that owned the place were fantastic. They had wine socials every afternoon and we stayed in the detached carriage house. They were super pet friendly. Our dog was allowed to roam around the grounds and play in the fountain. The breakfasts were fantastic.

Sante Fe is a huge food and art town. If you're there on a Friday afternoon do the Canyon Road Art Crawl. It's where many of the galleries are. There's music, free booze, and lots of awesome western type art (think saddles, sculptures, western paintings, native american stuff, etc). I think Sante Fe has one of the largest art markets in the United States.

For food we went to Radish and Rye and La Boca. Both were very good. New Mexican food is very unique and there were a ton of options. I would check out Sazon if you want to make the investment. A couple we talked to at the B&B said it was awesome. Pasquals (http://pasquals.com/) is also very good for lunch and has great mole sauce.

If your gf is into turquoise jewelry or Native American crafts skip all the shops. Go straight to the vendors set up outside the Palace of the Governors. They're certified by the city and you know your money is going straight to them and/or their families. My gf picked up some pottery and earrings and we got the back stories behind each of the pieces from the vendors.

We went to many of the museums in the city (history, Georgia O'Keeffe, Palace of the Governors). They were all great. We typically hit up all the museums even if we only stop in for a bit because my gf gets us in for free as part of a co-op with her work. If I had to pick I'd say I liked the Palace of the Governors the most as I typically like reading about history over looking at art.

Also you HAVE to go here:

https://meowwolf.com/

Probably the coolest interactive exhibit I've ever been to. It's a huge art collaborative and the installation follows a crazy story about a parallel universe and this kid. It's basically like you're inside a trippy sci-fi story. You could spend an entire day there getting lost in the various rooms and reading the various clues. Get there when it first opens to avoid big crowds. If you can only do one art related thing in Sante Fe I'd say go to Meowwolf. If you do indeed go don't look at any pictures or videos online to spoil it. I went in without doing much research and the experience was much better because of it.

Lastly there are a ton of good hikes in the area. We did this one as it was close and dog friendly:

http://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/new-mexico/atalaya-mountain-trail

Shoot me a PM if you have any specific questions about Sante Fe or Denver. If you do drive from Denver I would go through Taos for lunch. It's a cool little mountain town. Otherwise the other route down 25 is kind of boring.

8/22/2016 11:55:13 AM

awesome shots.

8/22/2016 4:50:52 PM

Live from Albuquerque International Balloon Festival

http://www.kob.com/article/12148/

10/1/2016 10:23:30 AM

Down in Albuquerque Thursday - Sunday as my girlfriend has a yoga workspace and I've got nothing to do. Yesterday I did this:

http://www.nmcycling.org/rr_aroundthemountain.html

And as a result just want to sit around and drink beer all day.

Thinking of heading to the dog park before it gets too hot (it was 100 yesterday on the ride).

This town does have some cool neighborhoods and TONS of bike lanes.

Headed back to Santa Fe on Sunday for 3 nights.

5/6/2017 11:31:22 AM