Vacationing in the US without kids...where would you go?

[bcla]

LOL. Fake news. I've been there many times and never have seen any but my own. I've seen more excrement at Disneyland.

I've never actually seen this claim of excrement on the street, but I've seen plenty of homeless where I've nearly walked into someone sleeping on the street. A friend owns a condo (it's only a few units where every unit has its own ground-level garage door) in SoMa and says occasionally she has to worry about running over someone sleeping right in front of her garage.

I won't pretend it's not there to some degree, but it certainly doesn't stop me from going to San Francisco. For the most part the homeless leave everyone alone. Most seem to be mentally ill but aren't terribly confrontational. I get that it's unpleasant.

However, I don't see it too much in the more touristy areas.

 

[T.G.I.Friday]

Asheville - The Grove Park Inn has a really nice spa and the downtown area is really cute and has a great craft beer scene.

Vermont - Burlington and Stowe are so much fun with so many different types of outdoor recreation.

 

[anniemae]

I would say AZ. What an absolutely gorgeous state. We flew into Phoenix and stayed in Scottsdale. Did a day trip to Sedona. We want to go back and see Tucson, which you could do as a day trip from Scottsdale. The beauty of the American SW is just amazing.

 

[Toolulu22]

Nashville- big love for lower Broadway and all the great music. We enjoyed the tourist sites, wineries, breweries, and a distillery in the day time. We put it off way too long as we aren't big country music fans. It was one of our best trips. It was also our first trip once vaccinated and after 14 months at home due to Covid.

Any recommendations for hotels in the downtown Nashville area? I’m meeting my husband there next month for a short stay. It’s both our first time in town. He’ll have his truck, but if we are walking distance to restaurants, shopping, touristy things that’s preferred.

 

[Praying Colonel]

New Orleans was a lot of fun! Spent 4 nights there right before the pandemic. Would love to go back!
the food was just amazing.

napa Valley is on my bucket list as well.
Sedona looks beautiful too

Yes--New Orleans was my first thought. History, food, shopping, partying (not necessarily in that order!)--if one or more of those things suit you, you'll love New Orleans.

 

[sk!mom]

Any recommendations for hotels in the downtown Nashville area? I’m meeting my husband there next month for a short stay. It’s both our first time in town. He’ll have his truck, but if we are walking distance to restaurants, shopping, touristy things that’s preferred.

We stayed at the Moxy. I think it has the best location of all. It's in the 100 block of 3rd so steps off lower Broadway. That is ideal for us since I want any easy close walk at the end of the night. Tons of restaurants are an easy walk- we loved The Stillery for dinner. The Sun Diner is across the street and had a good breakfast. The Johnny Cash museum is also across the street. The Ryman and the Hall of Fame are easily walkable.

We also walked to Yee Haw Brewing which also houses Ole Smokey distillery. The beer was great and the tasting at Ole Smokey was fun.

We used Lyft to get out to Belle Meade and to the Opry. Belle Meade was just OK as a tour but I highly recommend the the Bourbon tasting. It was worth every penny. Next time, I'll do the bourbon dinner.

 

[WVMomof3]

I would love to hear a little more about this trip. Where did you fly into? We are on the east coast and want to do this exact itinerary. Considering last 2 weeks of April and we would fly into Vegas.

We did this trip back in 2017, highly recommend it! We flew into Vegas and then headed to Grand Canyon. We did 2 nights at Grand Canyon, 2 nights in Page, Arizona (Lake Powel), 1 night at Monument Valley, 2 nights in Moab, 1 night in Bryce Canyon and 2 nights in Zion. Would have loved longer at most places. We spent the night in Vegas on both ends but only walked the strip briefly, did not spend much time there at all. This was one of my favorite trips we have taken.

 

[Toolulu22]

We stayed at the Moxy. I think it has the best location of all. It's in the 100 block of 3rd so steps off lower Broadway. That is ideal for us since I want any easy close walk at the end of the night. Tons of restaurants are an easy walk- we loved The Stillery for dinner. The Sun Diner is across the street and had a good breakfast. The Johnny Cash museum is also across the street. The Ryman and the Hall of Fame are easily walkable.

We also walked to Yee Haw Brewing which also houses Ole Smokey distillery. The beer was great and the tasting at Ole Smokey was fun.

We used Lyft to get out to Belle Meade and to the Opry. Belle Meade was just OK as a tour but I highly recommend the the Bourbon tasting. It was worth every penny. Next time, I'll do the bourbon dinner.

Thank you so much for your recommendation. We’ve been looking at hotels online- and would like to book something soon. The places you mentioned are things we’re interested in, so I appreciate this information

 

[moniqueand2]

Again for Nashville. Food scene, bar/drinks scene. I have done Nashville with kids but did not do all the country music attractions because they only know so much about country music. So, this is a place that I think is visiting without kids.

 

[_19disnA]

Depending on where you live, any resort that has a casino which are now all over the country. Casinos are really for adults, so a good vacation option if something you like when the children are left at home.

 

[MillauFr]

Depending on where you live, any resort that has a casino which are now all over the country. Casinos are really for adults, so a good vacation option if something you like when the children are left at home.

Really? I thought casinos were only good for people that are bad at math.

 

[bcla]

Really? I thought casinos were only good for people that are bad at math.

It's kind of weird, but when my BIL's wife was pregnant, they went on a last couple's only trip to Vegas. Didn't do any gambling at all, but wanted to see a bunch of shows and to eat. I don't know about dealing with all that smoke which still permeates everywhere even though there's theoretically no smoking outside of the gaming floor, but I guess she dealt with it.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Conrad Hotel in FLL...

I wouldn't leave the hotel except to get the wife off the beach, just sit on the balcony and listen to the waves.... and the hot tub, well and dinner

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Hawaii

 

[Darcy03231]

Some of the places DH and I have gone to without children and had a great time:

San Diego
Nashville
New Orleans
Savannah
Toronto

 

[sasywtch]

My son and DIL just did a 3 day adult only trip to the Napa area visiting wineries and spas and the springs. You could fly into SF, rent a car, drive over the Golden Gate, go to Napa for 4 days, drive to Lake Tahoe on 50 (there is an In and Out and Chik Fil et at the Sunrise exit after Sacramento) take the cruise to Emerald Bay to see the sapphire blue lake. Take a drive to Virginia City and then return your car and fly out of Reno.

 

[dvcgirl67]

We are a childless couple (for now) and want to plan a trip for May. Our original plan is Italy, but we're not sure if that will work.

We are looking for a place that you wouldn't really want to take kids. Vegas is out; we've been there and it's just not our thing. Beach vacations are out too. We find them a bit boring,

We love good food, wine and really nice resorts. We live on the East Coast and are willing to fly anywhere.

I mean, you can't go wrong with Napa....there are some great 5 star resorts/spas there. There's amazing restaurants, wine, hiking...gorgeous. But you said May...so you'd better get started in booking something. Everything is super crowded/busy these days. Also, as others have said the PCH drive is great fun. Start down in San Diego...stay in Coronado...head up the coast, and yes...definitely see Hearst Castle. It's very cool. You could also stay at a lovely resort/spa in Big Sur or Carmel...then head up to Napa for a few nights....fly out of SFO. Rent a convertible. We owned a convertible when we lived out in California and did this drive a few times....really great memories.

Honestly, though it pains me to say it, I'd avoid San Francisco. While I haven't been there recently, my sister and family went last year. The homeless population is so overwhelming there that it can feel dangerous at times. It's also super depressing. And while we all need to know that this problem is growing and we need to come up with a solution....it's just a real bummer to spend a lot of money on a hotel and walk out your front door to such a demoralizing scene.

 

[aprilgail]

I would love to hear a little more about this trip. Where did you fly into? We are on the east coast and want to do this exact itinerary. Considering last 2 weeks of April and we would fly into Vegas.

My daughter and I did a two month road trip around the US- we really liked Utah but didnt get to spend enough time there so the next year we flew into Utah from NY for 2 weeks and visited all the national parks there- was fabulous- we went in the beginning of May and it was so cold at some of them- still snowing then which we were not prepared for! Utah has the best parks! We did dip down in AZ a little and went to antelope canyon which is a place not to miss!

 

[tvguy]

We have had a good time with visiting State Parks. But we both like history.

 

[Colleen27]

Cities are my go-to when I'm traveling without the kids (or with only the adult kids). Especially cities with good live music scenes. So I'd lean towards New Orleans, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis.

For more of an all-around, bit of everything city, I adore San Francisco. Great shopping, food, culture, outdoors, really something for everyone. The reports of human excrement are terribly exaggerated here on the DIS; I made the mistake of mentioning that to my kids before one of our trips and that visit turned into a (unsuccessful) tongue-in-cheek poop scavenger hunt. I've been four times in the last three years, two of those trips post-pandemic, and my experiences have not lined up at all with the comments that the city gets every time it gets mentioned as a destination here on the CB.