My BF and I would like to go on a adult getaway this coming January. ( So no Disneyland etc).

We have the option of leaving for about 1-2 weeks. We have a budget of $5000 total for the trip.

We were thinking about Las Vegas, Miami, Hawaii etc. We were even thinking about Australia.

Can you guys help us plan our trip?

The only limitation is that I have a hurt hip, so I won't be able to take part of anything "active" like hiking.

We went to a "couples only" resort in Jamaica once and it was nice. (It was all inclusive but my husband tips anyway, which made the service WONDERFUL!) The beach is beautiful, the food was OK and we didn't have to do much thinking about anything...which was a great vacation for us after the stress of Christmas, both with the dance studio and his business.

We spent a great deal of time in Hawaii years ago and we liked it there. However, it isn't very restful and it is expensive. Then again, one of the things we like about Jamaica is that it is a short plane ride from New York. For you, Hawaii is about 5 hours, I think, which isn't too bad. Jamaica might be just as far.

Have fun.

Keep On Dancing*

Ah, keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel
Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel
Yeah, we're goin' to the roadhouse, gonna have a real
A good time

Yeah, back of the roadhouse they got some bungalows
Yeah, back of the roadhouse they got some bungalows
And that's for the people
Who like to go down slow

Let it roll, baby, roll
Let it roll, baby, roll
Let it roll, baby, roll
Let it roll, all night long...

Mark

Look at Sandals resorts, they don't allow singles or children. It's couples only and all inclusive. My sister went there for her honeymoon and they loved it.

Here is a website to look at: www.childfreetravel.blogspot.com

While we honeymooned at Disney, we stayed at the most luxurious resort there and while we saw kids, the ones in our building weren't too bad. We also dined at the higher end restaurants, including one that doesn't allow children under 10. We'd also eat later in the evening around 7-8, most people with kids eat around 5-6pm. While we still saw our fair share of bratty kids (it was about 50/50), it wasn't too bad and we both, as a whole, can't stand children. Plus, we could always go back to our room for quiet time, which we did do, several times as I am hypersensitive to certain sounds and sometimes crowds, so we'd go back to our room if I got anxious/overstimulated due to excessive noise or crowds. Soaking in the hot tub at like 10-11pm also was quite nice and relaxing.

I definitely recommend Sandals, from what I hear, it's really nice and the food is great.

If you don't want to leave the country, check out Key West down in FL. There are a lot of bed and breakfasts that don't allow children under 12, 16 or of any age, some are strictly adults only. One thing about Key West is that there is a week in Key West that caters to "alternative lifestyles", so it'll be a ZOO with the parades, drag queen races, etc.

I think there are some cruises that are adults or couples only, so also look into that.

Just be careful of how things are worded because some places that advertise "adults only" cater to couples who are into swinging or other alternative lifestyles.

Also, my husband says stay out of Mexico at all costs, it's not a safe place to be.

I just wanted to clarify that I don't mind a place with kids. I just don't want to go to a place like Disneyland and have the be the main attraction. I also don't mind having a place where single people go.

My perfect vacation would be exploring the place, then relaxing with no stress, getting dolled up like a sex kitten to go out at night. I guess I would love a mix of relaxation with the fun of going out in the evenings.
My boyfriend and I will spend 50/50 time between us and also as "alone" time. We are both the type to get on each others nerves after we spend 48 hours together. We would go explore parts of the place on our own.

Therefore I want it to be relatively safe for a single woman to be walking around.

What about a cruise? I had a really good time on my cruise to the Bahamas with friends. I recall very few kids on the boat since it wasn't a school vacation time. I'm sure it would be even better on your side of the country since it would be warmer (I left from NY in March).

YumYumDoughnut wrote:

I just wanted to clarify that I don't mind a place with kids. I just don't want to go to a place like Disneyland and have the be the main attraction. I also don't mind having a place where single people go.

My perfect vacation would be exploring the place, then relaxing with no stress, getting dolled up like a sex kitten to go out at night. I guess I would love a mix of relaxation with the fun of going out in the evenings.
My boyfriend and I will spend 50/50 time between us and also as "alone" time. We are both the type to get on each others nerves after we spend 48 hours together. We would go explore parts of the place on our own.

Therefore I want it to be relatively safe for a single woman to be walking around.

Then definitely stay far away from Mexico, with everything that's going on there, places even in tourist spots can't be trusted. And no, you won't find that on websites, the news, etc.

With my above lines said.....I'd look at Sandals or a cruise. While cruises have things that cater to children, they also have night clubs and "quiet" pools that are 18+ only. Cruises also have "kids clubs" that most parents put their kids in during the day. Also, some shore excursions are age restricted. While Sandals is couples only, I don't think they'd hassle you if you were lounging at the pool by yourself.

ETA:

Moonlitefairy06 wrote:

What about a cruise? I had a really good time on my cruise to the Bahamas with friends. I recall very few kids on the boat since it wasn't a school vacation time. I'm sure it would be even better on your side of the country since it would be warmer (I left from NY in March).

This. If you decide on a cruise, go when it's not school holiday time be it elementary, middle, high school or college.

Dancing_EMT wrote:



Also, my husband says stay out of Mexico at all costs, it's not a safe place to be.

Actually, that just depends on where you go in Mexico. My sister and I went on a trip there in January for 2 weeks, and it was amazing. We spent most of the time just wandering around the towns, which were beautiful. It was one of the safest places I have ever been to. Obviously if you go to Tijuana you're just asking for it, but please don't stereotype Mexico, because I had an amazing trip there and would definitely recommend it!

Paris!

^ I am actually going to Europe with him this Spring and the Summer. I would consider going to Paris with him on a later trip. ( When I have already paid for the flight to be there)

I am hoping to keep it pretty close to me this time, because I am only going for 1 week or so. What is the weather like in Florida this time of year? I would love to go swimming.

^ right now in FL, still mostly in the 80s. Colder weather is coming soon, lots of cold fronts all around the country. Last year at this time it was much colder. Where I am (Tampa) I wouldn't be making a trip to the beach anytime soon, but I don't know about down south. I remember being outside at the park with just a flimsy jacket on Christmas last year, then the day after we went to a Bucs game and I had on 3 shirts, a coat, hat and scarf. You could always leave on a short cruise from Cape Canaveral or Miami/Ft Lauderdale out to the Bahamas or Caribbean where it may be a bit warmer. There is still no telling what the weather would be like, it is not a terrific season for cruises atm. Best bet is to just skim over last minute deals www.expedia.com . . . until you see something you like.

mandakp wrote:

Dancing_EMT wrote:



Also, my husband says stay out of Mexico at all costs, it's not a safe place to be.

Actually, that just depends on where you go in Mexico. My sister and I went on a trip there in January for 2 weeks, and it was amazing. We spent most of the time just wandering around the towns, which were beautiful. It was one of the safest places I have ever been to. Obviously if you go to Tijuana you're just asking for it, but please don't stereotype Mexico, because I had an amazing trip there and would definitely recommend it!

Then why have 3 major cruise lines stopped going there or greatly scaled back their trips there?

If you want to go to Mexico, that's fine, but I'll pass. Listening to what people have said even about going to Cancun, Cozumel, etc. my husband and I will not be going to Mexico anytime soon. What we've heard, will not be reported on the news. But people involved in anti-terrorism and emergency services, like he is, know what's really going on.

I am hoping to keep it pretty close to me this time, because I am only going for 1 week or so. What is the weather like in Florida this time of year? I would love to go swimming.

Depending on where you go in Florida it's hit or miss. We just came back for almost 2 weeks in Florida and while it was chilly the past couple days of our trip, we spent most of time in shorts (It was in the 60's and 70's during the day, got cooler at night) and spent some time lounging by the pool. Down by Key West, it'll be really nice. They say they've never had frost down in Key West.

If you have questions on Florida, PM me. I was born and raised in the Tampa/Clearwater area.

St. Augustine is a really cool place to go, tons to do, very safe and not too expensive. My best friend lives there, so I can ask her some questions if you'd like.

Thailand!

The flight may be expensive but everything else is ridiculously cheap. It is also very tourist friendly.

Personally I'd go to Vegas. I went in 2008 and LOVED it. Plenty of the casinos have indoor pools and it's definitely geared toward adults. It can be as expensive or cheap as you want depending on where you wanted to eat. I'd go back there in a heartbeat if I had the time/cash.

A few years ago Mark and I went to Ft. Lauderdale in January. One of the days the temperature hit about 85, and I'd say it was probably high 70s the rest of the time. Except for that one day, I thought it was a bit chilly for swimming, but Mark handles cold temperatures better than me, and he did fine with it as long as the sun was out. Key West probably would be an even better bet though.

I think Vegas could be fun for you guys. Plenty to see and do, but plenty of opportunities to relax too. I went there for work earlier this year and spent a lot of my free time just walking around Las Vegas Boulevard by myself. I stuck to well-populated places and didn't wander off down any side streets or anything, and I felt perfectly safe.

What about an all inclusive?

We went to Dominican a few years ago and it was nice.

I was going to suggest Cuba, but than remembered you were American, boo urns, because it's actually quite safe from what I remember.

It really all depends on what you want to do, sightseeing, relaxation etc?

With $5000, you can stay somewhere beautiful and tropical, so no way would I stay in the States, personally. The problem with Australia is that you'd be wasting so much of your time on travel- I'd never go that far just for a week. If I were you, I'd head straight for the Caribbean, pick a nice hotel, and spend my days on the beach and my nights in the hotel bars.

I adore Cuba, but that's not an easy thing for you guys to do in the States, right? But somewhere like Negril in Jamaica, Barbados, or St. Lucia?

I have no idea where you are located, but my favorite vacation ever without kids was St. Barthelemy. Gorgeous beaches, wonderful French restaurants.
www.st-barths.com . . .

Dancing_EMT wrote:

Then why have 3 major cruise lines stopped going there or greatly scaled back their trips there?

Because they have to be paranoid about keeping their customers? Of course a major cruise line is going to stop going to a place if it has ANY negative press or stereotypes, because it knows that many of its customers will probably believe that stuff without any further research. Doesn't mean every single stereotype is true.

Obviously some areas are less safe than others, and obviously whenever you're traveling, you should consider your safety first. But isn't it possible that the things you've heard, although they "won't be on the news" and seem to be "what's really going on," are not the norm in every single part of Mexico?

My BF has said that Mexico is totally out of the question for going. He knows some law enforcement officers down there, and they are highly recommending staying away for the time being. This isn't to say that all of Mexico isn't safe, but it would just be a lot easier to avoid it as a whole for now.

I have gone to Vegas 3 times, but never after the age of 21. In your guys opinion is there a huge difference going to Vegas once you turn 21 besides the gambling and drinking?

You guys are coming up with such great suggestions. Please keep them coming!
My bf and I will sit down and actually start planning in about 1 week.

If you are up for sightseeing and beaches St Miguel in the Azores is beautiful.

Mostly my BFF and I saw shows, went to the spa, and ate a lot while we were in Vegas. We played the penny slots if we had some time to kill, but mostly we spent our time doing other things. We walked down the strips. She sat by the pool a lot. Not sure if any of that appeals to you, but that's what we did.

Costa Rica! It's incredibly safe, and if you go all-inclusive, you can sit and relax. I also hear that Buenos Aires is incredible beyond words.

Bahamas! I'm not sure about the weather and what not at this time of the year but I went there a few years ago and stayed in an all inclusive resort and it was amazing. There was so much to do and see.

Yes, there's a difference in Vegas when you're old enough to drink, because you're old enough to be all those places. You don't get hounded like white on rice while you're walking through places anymore.

And I have to say that I did LOL when you said you wanted to stay close to home, and then asked about the weather in Florida. So thanks for that.

I've got a soft spot in my heart for big cities (I think it stems from growing up in the country), and I've always wanted to go to NYC. I begged Jim to take me before they rebuilt Ground Zero, but that ship has already sailed. :/ I've wanted to go to Chicago for a long time too, I'm hoping to get him to take me for my birthday. Ooh, and New Orleans! And I've never really gone to like, St. Louis, or Dallas. I've been to Dallas for dance, but never had a chance to just go see the city. And I've always wanted to go to Phoenix. Don't know why, haha. St. Louis, there's no guarentee on the weather though.

I wouldn't leave the country, if you're only wanting to do it in a week - because of the layovers and time changes and all that, a flight to Australia takes two days (Jim has a chance to go to Australia next year for work, so I pretty much just looked that up). If you've only got seven days to do this in, you don't want to spend four of them on a plane.