My company gave me a vacation that I'm going to use in late April for a Monday through Friday trip. I have a 6k budget and can book wherever I want. It's just going to be my wife and I. I'm looking for suggestions because we can't really decide where we want to go. Where would you pick in this scenario? The only ideas I have are St John (been there before and liked it) or Costa Rica (never been, but the travel seems a little more tricky for just 4 nights).

What about Catalina Island or Florida keys?

Legendary wine mixers.

Domestic:

California:
- Napa/Yountville
- Big Sur
- Santa Barbara
- San Diego (Coronado Island)

Arizona
- Sedona

Costa Rica can definitely work if you pick somewhere that's within an hour or hour and a half of Liberia / San Jose.

I do love Costa Rica. They do have all-inclusive resorts if you want to do more of the beach (although beaches there are quite different). If I was doing non-beach there I personally would want more than 4 days to go see Arenal, Manuel Antonio, La Fortuna, etc. Not sure where you are flying out of, but IAH and DFW have direct flights.

The problem with anything Caribbean island wise, is everything would have a layover most likely. IAH only has nonstops on Saturdays (typically) to Jamaica and Dominican Republic.

What types of activities do you like to do? Do you like laying on a beach, or do you want to do more adventurous stuff? For US-based, I like Colorado Springs for outdoorsy stuff.

April is a time I would try to go somewhere that is normally hot. I hate being hot on vacation, but April is warm enough to be in and around the water, but not so hot you are sweating.
Save the mountains and pacific stuff for trips during the dead of summer.

My wife and I really enjoyed Washington DC mid-May last year. She had never been. Great food.

Vancouver was nice for a similar timeframe.

I have Boston (with maybe Acadia) planned as a short getaway (history, Fenway, food).

I don't need much time on a beach, so Grand Cayman has probably been our favorite for just lounging. (Although Florida can be really nice too without some of the hassle.)

We are out of Austin, so there aren't really any good nonstops for the Caribbean. I like the beach, but get bored sitting around on one all day. That's mainly why I like St. John. Drive the Jeep around, hit a few beaches and trails, and then walk around Cruz bay to check out some bars/restaurants at night.

My wife also got destroyed by the noseeums and mosquitos in St John last time, which almost ruined her trip. I'm not sure if that was a fluke, but it makes me a little tentative to go that route again.

savannah/Charleston

water, beach, food, drinks, etc

split your time between both....some great hotels in both towns with laid back pool vibes. super relaxing and romantic.

Perry Lane in Savannah is an awesome hotel. They also recently opened a new one by Forysth Park that is great as well. I'd return to either in a heartbeat.

That place does look cool. Is it worth the extra travel/drive for a 4 night stay? Looks like it's probably a few hours from an airport.

Honestly think four nights is perfect. The place is just spectacular. We've traveled a lot, and it's still a place my wife and I talk about many years later.

What about Banff?

Nice. Which airport did yall fly into? Just catch a shuttle to the resort from the airport?

My wife's Canadian so we'll probably be going to Canada this summer. Unfortunately she's not from Banff though.

Flew into Liberia and had a driver take us to hotel. We worked with a costa rican native who lives in BCS now, and she set it all up.

JMac03 said:

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What about Banff?

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Just a word of caution about Banff this time of year - by April it might be too warm for snow activities (Mt Norquay closes on April 20), but a lot of the summer activities won't be open, yet. For example, the tours of the Athabasca Glacier don't open until May. Lake Louise also stays frozen typically until late May/early June.

Still plenty of great hiking and self-directed outdoor activities, though.

For outdoors ideas....
Sedona
Moab
Marco Island florida
Miami beach

Charleston is always awesome
Savannah decent too

What about Boston if you want a city vibe

Vegas is always an option

Hey, I'm getting old and time flies. A month and a half might as well be tomorrow. Speaking of, I remember being a loyal listener to your radio show 25 yrs ago when I was in middle school. Unless I'm getting confused again..

Port Aransas.

09Ag said:

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Hey, I'm getting old and time flies. A month and a half might as well be tomorrow. Speaking of, I remember being a loyal listener to your radio show 25 yrs ago when I was in middle school. Unless I'm getting confused again..

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Why only 4 nights? Can you not include the weekends on the front and back end (at your own expense)?

Stretching this to a true 7 night opens this up tremendously.

Spain? South of France? Hawaii?

Getting old… with a 1 yr old at home? God bless. I'm in a similar boat.

I suppose I didn't notice the class of 09. We are same age

Cabo....should be directs from Austin. There are a plethora of nice hotels to chose from. Great food, great weather and plenty of action.

09Ag said:

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My company gave me a vacation that I'm going to use in late April for a Monday through Friday trip. I have a 6k budget and can book wherever I want. It's just going to be my wife and I. I'm looking for suggestions because we can't really decide where we want to go. Where would you pick in this scenario? The only ideas I have are St John (been there before and liked it) or Costa Rica (never been, but the travel seems a little more tricky for just 4 nights).

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The exact same thing here. We are doing Costa Rica. Actually, we are tagging along with my BIL who won a trip. Travel is not that bad. We land at 11:40 AM.

The Silverback said:

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Cabo....should be directs from Austin. There are a plethora of nice hotels to chose from. Great food, great weather and plenty of action.

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agreed. For that budget and amount of time... Mexico (Cabo or Playa) would be go to. Flights are probably $1500.

4 nights leaves you $4,500. That could put you in LeBlanc or any of the other really high end all inclusives

ChoppinDs40 said:

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The Silverback said:

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Cabo....should be directs from Austin. There are a plethora of nice hotels to chose from. Great food, great weather and plenty of action.

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agreed. For that budget and amount of time... Mexico (Cabo or Playa) would be go to. Flights are probably $1500.

4 nights leaves you $4,500. That could put you in LeBlanc or any of the other really high end all inclusives

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Le Blanc Los Cabos is my FAVE.

Interesting. Where at in CR?

Four nights, fly into San Jose airport and rent a car. Get the earliest flight in that you can and rent from Vamos Rent a car. Drive west to the coast and turn south. The scenery is pretty good along the way. Stop in Tarcoles and see the crocodiles and keep going south past Quepos. There is a small surf town to the south called Matapalo. There are two good restaurants in town and this is a good base point for excursions to Nayuaca waterfall, Manuel Antonio Natl Park or Dominical. Enjoy the waves and the sun (and the rain in late April). You might even be able to catch a whale excursion out of Uvita. Drink some rum and relax. Get an afternoon flight back from San Jose and you can make it if you leave by seven in the morning. Avoid Jaco unless you are into the seedier side of nightlife of prostitutes and cocaine.

That is almost my exact plan for our Costa Rica trip in late April and it is four days.

Of course you cannot go wrong with Liberia airport and Playa Conchal and Tamarindo for ease of travel and airport proximity.

I cannot wait for April 16th!!!

Pura Vida.

09Ag said:

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Nice. Which airport did yall fly into? Just catch a shuttle to the resort from the airport?

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Yes, it's an amazing place and 4 nights is worth it. You can fly to either airport but Liberia is smaller and easier to get in and out of than San Jose. I've rented a car both times I've gone to nayara springs and been happy I did. It was super easy to drive from Liberia and not that difficult to drive from San Jose.
I just liked being able to take a spontaneous 10 min drive to volcano's hike or into town for a meal. The service on bringing our car around to the front by staff was flawless.

That being said you will have a 10 of 10 experience without a car.

09Ag said:

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Hey, I'm getting old and time flies. A month and a half might as well be tomorrow. Speaking of, I remember being a loyal listener to your radio show 25 yrs ago when I was in middle school. Unless I'm getting confused again..

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That was indeed me!

Carmel/Big Sur/Monterrey- fly into Monterrey and rent a car. Stay in Carmel or Big Sur.

ETA- or Santa Barbara and Montecito.

San Diego would be another option

If you were in middle school 25 years ago you're young.