Romantic Getaways - Help!

[odoreater]

As you guys know I just got engaged last week. My fiance and I are now planning on going on our first vacation together after many years of just dating. I was wondering if any of you guys had any suggestions for somewhere romantic and memorable for a newly engaged couple to go for their first vacation without completely destroying the bank. It doesn't have to be super cheap, but we don't have enough money to do a whole tour of Europe or anything like that. Also, it doesn't have to be in the United States, but feel free to suggest places within the US as well as other places.

We were initially thinking about a week in Paris, but as expensive as the flights are right now I think we would end up having to stay in a cheaper hotel and when I go to Paris I want to do it right (nice 4 or 5 star hotel, nice dinners, a car, etc.) so I think we're going to hold off on that.

 

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by odoreater

As you guys know I just got engaged last week. My fiance and I are now planning on going on our first vacation together after many years of just dating. I was wondering if any of you guys had any suggestions for somewhere romantic and memorable for a newly engaged couple to go for their first vacation without completely destroying the bank. It doesn't have to be super cheap, but we don't have enough money to do a whole tour of Europe or anything like that. Also, it doesn't have to be in the United States, but feel free to suggest places within the US as well as other places.

We were initially thinking about a week in Paris, but as expensive as the flights are right now I think we would end up having to stay in a cheaper hotel and when I go to Paris I want to do it right (nice 4 or 5 star hotel, nice dinners, a car, etc.) so I think we're going to hold off on that.

Eastern Europe. Czech Republic is said to be beautiful. Or Budapest maybe?
(Nothing to do with Vass but you could drop in

)
You coudl even do something different. How about Iceland? Stunning landscapes. Or if tropical, maybe Azores.
How about a cruise in the Mediterrannean? Several ports of call, could be nice.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Where do you live? When are you planning on going? What do you like to do?

I think quite highly of Charleston, South Carolina, although it is oppressively hot this time of year. I have heard good things about Montreal -- Europe without the expenses. Ditto for Buenos Aires. If you two like the outdoors, you might want to go to Costa Rica for some eco-tourism.

EDIT: changed "with" to "without"

 

[odoreater]

Originally Posted by Ambulance Chaser

Where do you live? When are you planning on going? What do you like to do?

I think quite highly of Charleston, South Carolina, although it is oppressively hot this time of year. I have heard good things about Montreal -- Europe with the expenses. Ditto for Buenos Aires. If you two like the outdoors, you might want to go to Costa Rica for some eco-tourism.

We live in New Jersey and we are planning on going very soon (my fiance has a vacation until September 4, so we are probably looking at the last two weeks of August or so). We didn't want to go anywhere where it's going to just be a hotel and a beach because neither one of us is really fond of just sitting on the beach, so we were looking for some place with some history or at least some breathtaking scenery or whatever.

I'm looking at different cruise offerings right now (thanks for the suggestion skalogre), but I also really like the idea of Montreal. Thanks for the great suggestions and keep them coming.

 

[chorse123]

I would second Montreal. You can take the train to Quebec (City) for a day or two as well, which is nice.

Buenos Aires is nice, and inexpensive when you get there. But the cheapest you could expect to get a ticket now is around $800, and it's winter now. Not terribly cold, but still winter. Also, the flight is 12 hours.

 

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by odoreater

We live in New Jersey and we are planning on going very soon (my fiance has a vacation until September 4, so we are probably looking at the last two weeks of August or so). We didn't want to go anywhere where it's going to just be a hotel and a beach because neither one of us is really fond of just sitting on the beach, so we were looking for some place with some history or at least some breathtaking scenery or whatever.

I'm looking at different cruise offerings right now (thanks for the suggestion skalogre), but I also really like the idea of Montreal. Thanks for the great suggestions and keep them coming.

A little more pedestrian perhaps but I have been told that cruise packages to the Bering (sp?) straits/Alaska go past some beautiful scenery.

Again a little pedestrian, how about Hawaii? Or Thailand?

 

[RJman]

New Zealand is gorgeous, and there's all kinds of different things you can do there.

Maybe Sonoma... bed and breakfasts, wine, good food...?

Vienna ought to be cheaper than Paris and is wonderful, wonderful...

 

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by RJman

New Zealand is gorgeous, and there's all kinds of different things you can do there.

Maybe Sonoma... bed and breakfasts, wine, good food...?

Vienna ought to be cheaper than Paris and is wonderful, wonderful...

Cheaper? Seriously? Vienna sounds like a grand idea.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Seattle/Vancouver/Whistler would be a great choice as well. You would also get the opportunity (should you choose to take it) to meet The Man.

 

[LabelKing]

Rumania.

What could be more romantic than Ceausescu's monolithic, rambling and tacky People's Palace?

 

[RJman]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

Rumania.

What could be more romantic than Ceausescu's monolithic, rambling and tacky People's Palace?
Ooh, plus you get hot and cold running Negrila!

Vienna was cheaper than Freedom back when I was there. Certainly I can't imagine hotels and restaurants are quite as wrenchingly high as they are in Paris (particularly hotels). Wonderfully romantic parks, museums, palaces, cafes, Konditoreis (dessert cafes, roughly), good wine, French beauty and German efficiency.

 

[Broadway]

Some of the out islands in the Bahamas are very romantic. Somewhat deserted, no casinos or any of that nonsense. Depending on what kind of connection flight you can get out of Miami, you can fly direct (skipping Nassau) and save a few bucks.

We were in Buenos Aires earlier this year, and it's very nice, although not terribly "romantic." Very European, and surprisingly touristy.

The most romantic is the Amalfi coast in Italy (1 hour south of Naples), but it's not cheap getting there. But if you can get a package deal, go!

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by RJman

Ooh, plus you get hot and cold running Negrila! Vienna was cheaper than Freedom back when I was there. Certainly I can't imagine hotels and restaurants are quite as wrenchingly high as they are in Paris (particularly hotels). Wonderfully romantic parks, museums, palaces, cafes, Konditoreis (dessert cafes, roughly), good wine, French beauty and German efficiency.
Be wary of sophisticated night porters.

 

[drizzt3117]

Having lived in Vienna for a year or so, I can attest that it's cheaper than Paris, but accomodations are relatively expensive if you want to stay somewhere nice... Food, drink, scenery, etc, are top notch, and the city is steeped in history. Check out the rates for the Intercontinental and see if they're out of line, it seems to be a decent hotel that's not on hotel row that is still quite nice.

 

[Matt]

Id second Thailand and can probably dig up some suggestions on places to see n stay if you do it, but theres a lot of flying between Jersey and Bangkok.

Presumably an expensive flight (although Thai does it direct and is a very good airline) but everything dirt cheap once you get there.