Leslie

I'm the same. Dallas has a decent art scene but, in all honesty, Fort Worth blows Dallas out of the water. The Kimbell in Fort Worth has one of the most sublime permanent collections in the US. Don't even get me started on The Modern in Fort Worth - it is amazing!

Houston is having a great season though and tbh those two exhibits are what pushed me into booking a week at the coast.

Noorah101

+1

Or how about the Grand Canyon in Arizona? Flagstaff is nice in August, you could do Grand Canyon, Sedona, Flagstaff, lots of native American Indian ruins in the area to see, and the scenery is gorgeous for sitting outside doing nothing but soaking in the natural beauty!

Rene

N1cky

It is nice, we did that trip a couple of years ago

Steerpike

How about Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park (at least) in Utah? They are two of my favorite places. Utah is probably the last place I'd want to live due to the heavy Mor(m)on influence, but it has some of the most beautiful (and different, from a 'classic European' perspective) scenery in the world.

I'd also highly recommend Santa Fe, NM. Oldest city in the US, so I hear. The center is nicely 'preserved' (or re-built, but in a 'consistent architectural style'). I drove from PHX to Santa Fe last year and the drive was great (avoided the freeways).

Before I discovered (and fell in love with) the whole 'Southwest' scene, I used to love driving up I5 through Redding and into Oregon. Once you get past Redding, I5 turns into something nice. You can hang out in Ashland, take a look at Crater Lake, etc.

A simple trip that I should do again one day is to meander up to Mendocino, through Anderson Valley. You can then go up to the "Avenue of the Giants" and meander back through the small towns, staying at cozy B&Bs. Not cheap, but ... relaxing. I find that area more appealing than the similar inner-coastal areas of Oregon / Washington (and less wet!). Try to take in Weaverville ...

One of these days I'm going to go to Yellowstone ... some day ...

I'm going to Istanbul this year, which is going to be different!

penguinsix

Have you done Alaska yet? Take a cruise up from Seattle maybe.

AmerLisa

Well of course the big draw is Seattle. However, there are a lot of things to do around here. The weather is agreeable and as I said you can hop over to Canada (Victoria or Vancouver) if you want, its relatively easy.

Also, Mt. Rainier and Mt St. Helens are very close and make for great day trips.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...ashington.html
http://www.nps.gov/mora/index.htm
http://www.mount.st.helens.national-park.com/

Here's something we haven't done yet, but we are going the next time MIL is here....
http://www.visitsanjuans.com/san-juan-island/

SultanOfSwing

Vacations?

I think I've heard of them. Remind me what they are again

N1cky

Sounds nice, but I don't want to drive around on this trip, just to lounge around a great big pool at a resort.

Cruises are really not my thing, the thought of being couped up on a boat not being able to go where I want when I want does not appeal. I'm also claustophobic and get sea sick, so i'll pass on that one.

Again, sounds nice, but Seattle is a city, not somewhere I would sit around a pool all day drinking cocktails and the NPS don't have the resort stuff I want from this trip. If I go somewhere busy, I'll want to be busy and see all there is to see, I can't chill out and do nothing unless there is nothing to do.

Bob

throw something a bit different out there, that's not lying around a pool though...

Maine.

Bar Harbor if you want to go on a whale watch and if the CAT is back up and running a day trip to Nova Scotia. It's a pretty busy area during the summer hols though but lots of mountains, horse riding, golf, sea/lake activities and breweries.

Also have the whole coastal route 1A area going out through Belfast, Camden, Rockland. You could eat lobster at a different shack for break, lunch and dinner, including lobster ice cream and beer if you wanted

N1cky

Well I can rule that out then, I'm allergic to fish

coastieexpat

I would really consider a cruise, you have no option but to slow down and relax.

pretty affordable too.

N1cky

I'd be relaxed alright, I'd throw myself overboard after 7 hours and drown

Bob

There's a decent vodka brewery too in Freeport!

Great place to go if you like game meats too, deer, moose, venison...it's all good...don't have to be a fish, though it is a shame to be in Maine and not try the local cold water Maine shrimp and lobster, it really is so much better than most of the crap that gets sold in the grocery stores.

Why not Montreal or Vancouver?

Lola-Monmouth

Olympic National Forest is worth exploring. Lots of small towns such as Forks or Port Townsend. From Port Townsend you can sail across the Straits of Juan de Fuca to Friday Harbor and maybe spot a whale. Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens are interesting days out and you can be as active or non active as you like. Seattle is definately worth visiting. Pike St market, Space needle etc. Loads and loads of activities in summer usually involving water. Sail to Victoria island from Port Angeles and pop across to Vancouver, Canada. The capital, Olympia is also a good day out if a bit pedestrian. Summers are generally lovely and for natural beauty it is an area hard to beat. The Columbia river separates WA from OR which you could follow, visiting wineries or spending a day in Portland. Haven't mentioned the beaches along the Pacific ocean yet....some are OK!! Its fairly safe and people tend to be helpful and friendly. The 9 months of rain does make WA the "Evergreen State".

Jan Alaska

I'm pretty sure OP said somewhere warm ... and that wouldn't be Alaska nor the cruise to get here.
After last years attempt at summer, it rained for 30+ days stopped for 2-3 days then started again I've managed to persuade Ogg of Alaska (otherwise known as hubby) to take a couple of vacations to warmer climes this year. We are heading to Michigan in June and Hawaii later in the year.

Colorado sounds good, we visited Denver in October last year and the temps were in the 70s. Also the Carolinas are nice in July.

Jan