One week - in October - where?

UserX

I am keen to go somewhere special this October Half Term. Have a max of one week. Don't like beach holidays. Best ever trip was New York but as we only went 3 years ago, too soon to repeat. Can budget up to about £2.5K for 3 people (me & kids 17 and 11). Happy to self cater or hotel. Very flexible but looking for something especially memorable.....Any suggestions? I think I'm especially keen to head beyond Europe but bear in mind the week limit on the trip. Will also consider a cruise but probably prefer a land-based holiday.

cte1111

Las Vegas or Dubai might suit.

jackieblack

Washington DC
Flight not much longer than to NY, loads to see and do that your kids are old enough to appreciate.

Shimrod

How about going in search of the northern lights in Iceland or Norway? Even if you don't see them, you'll remember all the standing around in the cold!

richardw

Petra http://www.vjv.com/destinations/middle-east/jordan-tours/discover-jordan/index.html but DIY the trip yourself.

John259

Just a suggestion, assuming you're happy to hire a car:

Fly to Washington DC and see the sights there using public transport, then pick up the car and drive west to Front Royal, Virginia. Drive south down Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park, continue on at least a little way on the Blue Ridge Parkway as much as time allows (certainly as far as Humpback Rocks Pioneer Farm), then back to Front Royal via US340 the Shenandoah Valley road west of the park, and finally back to Dulles Airport.

Map:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Front+Royal,+VA,+United+States&daddr=38.7722982,-78.2155514+to:Lee+Hwy%2FUS-211+E+to:Skyline+Dr+to:Skyline+Dr+to:Skyline+Dr+to:Skyline+Dr+to:Humpback+Rocks,+Blue+Ridge+Parkway,+Lyndhurst,+VA,+United+States+to:E+Main+St+to:US-340+N%2FEastside+Hwy+to:US-340+N+to:US-211+E%2FUS-340+N+to:US-340+N%2FStonewall+Jackson+Hwy&hl=en&ll=38.565348,-78.214417&spn=1.55693,3.348083&sll=38.856285,-78.216476&sspn=0.38766,0.837021&geocode=FRfYUQId89hW-ynDiLgttMW1iTF4Tul0g-os2g%3BFUqeTwIdgYZW-yndATWnnsu1iTFwfPtPelNoiQ%3BFTfqTQIdkuxU-w%3BFXS3SwIdkw1T-w%3BFStKSQIdRX5R-w%3BFbMlRwIdd5ZO-w%3BFc9sRAIdyclM-w%3BFXdrQwIdnxdM-yHNfR5Am3hYnikjZgUTkWWziTHNfR5Am3hYng%3BFezURAId1HFM-w%3BFVOIRwIdaCxN-w%3BFcr-SQIdkV5Q-w%3BFXUYTgIdGsVS-w%3BFfWDUQId3kJW-w&oq=hump&mra=mi&mrsp=12&sz=11&via=1&t=m&z=9

Information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenandoah_National_Park
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Ridge_Parkway
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenandoah_Valley
http://www.nps.gov/shen/index.htm
http://www.nps.gov/blri/index.htm

Photos:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_Ridge_Parkway_BLRI9250.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_Ridge_Parkway_BLRI9244.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_Ridge_Parkway_BLRI9233.jpg

John259

Another idea, which would also require a car: fly to Las Vegas and combine it with southwestern Utah (Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, and Cedar Breaks National Monument). Split your time between the two depending on which you prefer.

Information about the parks and pictures on Wikipedia and the US National Park service web site, and videos on YouTube.

This is a video of the most extreme hike in Zion, but the lower part up the first set of zigzags while somewhat strenuous is totally safe. It's only the upper section which is dangerous. The park also has a number of much easier trails.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CIN-N5cNwk

UserX

Oooohhhhhh some great ideas there.

We've not long come back from Iceland - Best.Place.Ever!

I really like the idea of Jordan. Is it safe/do-able as a lone female travelling with daughters?

Las Vegas probably out as I think the kids are prob too young. But maybe as a fly-drive destination. I'll have a think.

Very interested in Washington. Will do some more research.

I've never been drawn by Dubai. Is it all shops and beaches??? I'm open to being persuaded though.....

John259

UserX wrote: »

Las Vegas probably out as I think the kids are prob too young. But maybe as a fly-drive destination. I'll have a think.

The fly/drive concept is certainly worth considering. It's totally possible to just use Las Vegas as a place to fly in to and out of, and largely ignore it otherwise. However, a drive down the Strip once it's getting dark to see the lights is a good experience, plus maybe a quick visit to a casino and a ride on the monorail. Once you're off the Strip it's very similar to any other US city, except for the one-armed bandits in every retail establishment.

It's also possible to visit the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, By road it's a long drive via the Hoover Dam involving at least one overnight stop near the canyon, or you can get helicopter flights from Las Vegas (quite expensive though I guess). Personally I'd prefer Zion and Bryce Canyon, even though they're less well known.

You might like to have a look at these short videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfGDSfujnLk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvtzCE7hfkA

John259

Two more ideas:

1) Combine San Francisco and Yosemite National Park. However, October might be a bit late in the season for Yosemite. The world and his wife and his children have made videos of Yosemite, but these are some of the best I've found that convey how wonderful it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GyzrybDWSg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXiB4wre6xk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUHO-_Ls6F8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APxCtZ76JY4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ7RgMNbrzc

2) On the basis that you said somewhere special, how about Big Bend National Park in Texas? It's a long way from anywhere but spectacular and huge. Possible airports, all of which would involve a long drive to and from the park, include Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and El Paso. You might be able to get an internal flight a bit closer. There's some accommodation in the park but you'd need to have a reservation because there's no fallback anywhere near. We've always stayed in Alpine but that's over a hundred miles away.

Map: https://www.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=San+Antonio,+TX,+United+States&daddr=29.4637531,-100.9837643+to:Chisos+Mountain+Lodge,+Chisos+Basin+Road,+Big+Bend+National+Park,+TX,+United+States&hl=en&ll=29.964453,-102.260742&spn=6.897324,13.392334&sll=29.592565,-101.645508&sspn=6.922929,13.392334&geocode=Ffr5wAEdRBsh-imvDtAEr1hchjG8FqAQO-FWCA%3BFcmUwQEdLBz7-SnBVx9keML1hjF-8g3YoL4UFw%3BFRKivgEd-cbX-SG7E9x6BdBGNSnJUymVWBryhjG7E9x6BdBGNQ&oq=chisos&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=7&via=1&t=m&z=7

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bend_National_Park

US National Park Service: http://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm

Obviously_the_best

Prague, Budapest, Tallinn. All beautiful cities, beat NYC in my opinion.

Other than that, Dubai, Singapore are all within reach.