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Boston's my favorite city ever so I'm going to nominate it. There's great public transportation. It's beautiful and historic. It's close to other picturesque places like Salem (by rail) and Cape Cod (by ferry). And there's plenty of art and culture. You can go see the Boston Ballet (Sleeping Beauty will be on from April 23 to May 3). The Museum of Fine Arts is fantastic. There's also the Harvard University Museums. The Harvard Museum of Natural History has the world famous glass flowers, the Fogg Museum has a great collection of European art and there's many others.
You'd be 30 minutes by commuter rail to Salem (yes, the place with the witches) and you can take a ferry from Boston Harbor to Cape Cod that gets you there fast (1-2 hrs more or less).
$200 or less in food, lodging, and transportation might be a little hard in Boston. But there's lots of hostels you can stay at that will charge a decent price per night and are much better than a cheap hotel at that price. You can get rooms in hostels from $25 a night. And for food, if you eat in cheap places you can easily eat for $20-$40 a day. And the T (subway) is cheaper than New York. It's $1.70 a ride if you get a Charlie Card (a plastic card you can get for free at a bunch of stations like Harvard, South Station, and Downtown Crossing.) The airport is close to downtown and you can get to and from it on the Silver Line in about 20 mins give or take. I think in general it's a budget friendly city contrary to what some people may think.
Boston's a great destination. It's beautiful, you have Cambridge right across the river and Harvard is a landmark, extremely photogenic. MIT is cool too. And most importantly Boston's small but packed with things to do, so you can enjoy a lot of the city in a short time. I think it's the best, funnest city ever. I <3 Boston!
Source(s):
http://www.starthereboston.com/
http://www.bostonusa.com/
http://www.mbta.com/ (Mass. Bay Transportation Authority - T and commuter rail)
http://bostonballet.com/default.html
http://www.artmuseums.harvard.edu/home/index.html
http://www.harvard.edu/museums/index.php
http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu/on_exhibit/the_glass_flowers_collection.html
http://www.mfa.org/
http://www.salemweb.com/
http://www.capecodchamber.org/
http://www.hostelworld.com/
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dumblonde
Reason:
It has a good combination of restaurant, tourism events, and scenic view. It has skiing and a similiar look and feel to Park City Utah.
Source(s):
http://www.jacksonhole.com/
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Corpus Christi is beachy but not as expensive as other places. It has beautiful scenes and fabulous sunsets. not sure if what all your looking for and its been a couple years si9 I don;t know the transportation .
Source(s):
been there and loved it
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Something different...
I'm also thinking Alexandria, Virginia. Close to DC (historic). Great public transportation and Alexandria is beautiful. Great food and drink there.
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Source(s):
http://www.travelsalem.com/Attractions/Attractions-Overview
http://www.salemoregon.com/silverfallsstatepark/
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http://www.littlerock.com/
http://www.hotsprings.org/
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There are plenty of musical, cultural and artistic activities to keep you busy for 3 days (and much, much longer)! The Seattle City Pass is a great deal that gets you into 5 major Seattle attractions: the Experience Music Project, the Sci-Fi Museum, the Pacific Science Center, the Woodland Park Zoo and a harbor cruise, for one flat fee (around $40). It's both a time and money-saver. One of the best museum experiences we had in Seattle was seeing a Roman art exhibit on loan from the Louvre at the Seattle Art Museum. It was great!
Seattle also offers a host of outdoor activities. You're as close as a ferry ride to several beautiful little islands perfect for exploring by bicycle. Or, if you'd prefer to go a bit further, you're just a day trip away from Mt. Rainier, the Olympic Peninsula and many other great outdoor destinations. You can hike, camp, fish, etc.
There are plenty of little restaurants and eateries in Seattle that offer great deals on good food so it shouldn't be too hard for you to keep within your budget. As far as hotel rooms go, they can be kind of spendy in Seattle...I found a great deal on a website called Quikbook.com. They offer great deals on nice hotel rooms in big cities, and even better, they let you pay on arrival rather than in advance!
The public transportation system in Seattle was great! We parked our car at the hotel and used public transportation the entire time we were there. I even called the helpline a couple of times to figure out how to get to various destinations and both times the CSR that helped me was really pleasant and worked hard to make sure I was happy and satisfied with my service. I almost fell over from the shock. It was great!
Hope some of this helped! Have a great time on your vacation, wherever you decide to go!!!
Source(s):
http://www.seattle.gov/html/visitor/
http://www.citypass.com/city/seattle.html
http://www.quikbook.com/
http://transit.metrokc.gov/
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Hope that sparks your interest! Come and see us!
Source(s):
I am from this area!
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If you're into a cities culture, I would recommend Santa Fe, New Mexico! Go during Christmas time if you can, as it's especially beautiful. There's such great culture (this extends towards food too) and it's a small, cozy capital where you can walk to any destination you want (or take a bus). There are breathtaking hikes in Native American ruins, but those often about a 45 minute drive out of the way. But you can still have fun in the city! There are even some museums! If you're lucky there will be snow, very photogenic!
http://wintercenter.homestead.com/SantaFeDec2006-7.jpg
Boulder Colorado has beautiful walks, all within walking distance of the city center. Once again, great food too!
Another place where you're GURANTEED to have fun is in San Francisco! It's confined and has great public transportation system, so you will not need to have a car for anything. You could spend weeks there. Just China Town alone is an amazing, and if you ask around there are some really good chinese places serving cheap food.
Source(s):
Hope this helped! Best Answer?
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Still, one of my favorite events is coming up which might come close to fitting the bill.
That is the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans. It is a free outdoor music festival with bandstands scattered around the historic French Quarter and beside the Mississippi. It goes without saying that there is plenty to photograph.
While public transportation is not great, you can get a shuttle from the airport to your hotel. What there is of public transportation in the city include historic and scenic in their own right streetcars as well as free ferries to and fro across the Mississippi (more photo ops). The French Quarter is suitable for pedestrians.
It is not at a really prime date so you might get a hotel or bed and breakfast for a reasonable price. You won't get two or three nights for enough less than $200 to leave you anything for food and beer though. But if the date is good for you it may come reasonably close to what you are looking for.
It is April 17 to 19 this year (2009).
Source(s):
http://www.fqfi.org/
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You should also try the lemon sorbet at the Big Sur Bakery and restaurant. http://www.bigsurbakery.com/ If you visit places like the two above mentioned, you should be able to stay within budget and have delicious meals!
Here are a few links to camping and a couple bed & breakfasts
http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/camping.html
http://www.bigsurcamp.com/
http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/big-sur-california.html
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~Joey V.~
Source(s):
http://www.lascrucescvb.org/
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Answered Question
M$1
March 30, 2009 11:56 PM
Where should I go for vacation? America destinations only.
I work for an airline so the travel is easy and free. What I want specifically is a place that you can spend no more than 3 days at and still get a lot done and have fun. Spend less than $200 total (hotel, food and amenities). I don't like the touristy spots very much, I much prefer the outdoors type things and cultural stuff like music and art. The place I go also must have great public transportation. I also want to be able to take photos for my blog so it must be a photogenic destination.
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| March 31, 2009 02:44 AM |
You'd be 30 minutes by commuter rail to Salem (yes, the place with the witches) and you can take a ferry from Boston Harbor to Cape Cod that gets you there fast (1-2 hrs more or less).
$200 or less in food, lodging, and transportation might be a little hard in Boston. But there's lots of hostels you can stay at that will charge a decent price per night and are much better than a cheap hotel at that price. You can get rooms in hostels from $25 a night. And for food, if you eat in cheap places you can easily eat for $20-$40 a day. And the T (subway) is cheaper than New York. It's $1.70 a ride if you get a Charlie Card (a plastic card you can get for free at a bunch of stations like Harvard, South Station, and Downtown Crossing.) The airport is close to downtown and you can get to and from it on the Silver Line in about 20 mins give or take. I think in general it's a budget friendly city contrary to what some people may think.
Boston's a great destination. It's beautiful, you have Cambridge right across the river and Harvard is a landmark, extremely photogenic. MIT is cool too. And most importantly Boston's small but packed with things to do, so you can enjoy a lot of the city in a short time. I think it's the best, funnest city ever. I <3 Boston!
Source(s):
http://www.starthereboston.com/
http://www.bostonusa.com/
http://www.mbta.com/ (Mass. Bay Transportation Authority - T and commuter rail)
http://bostonballet.com/default.html
http://www.artmuseums.harvard.edu/home/index.html
http://www.harvard.edu/museums/index.php
http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu/on_exhibit/the_glass_flowers_collection.html
http://www.mfa.org/
http://www.salemweb.com/
http://www.capecodchamber.org/
http://www.hostelworld.com/
| Asker's Rating: |
• I liked this suggestion for a couple of reason for one it had everything I was looking for, for instance the public transportation broken down for me very nicely. Two it had a lot of break down of sites to see and things to do that are very cultural. I have been to Boston a couple times and even though I have been there this suggestion makes me feel like I have never been. You incorporated pretty much every aspect of what I wanted in a trip.
My choice falls down to yours and the Santa Barbara trip that the other person recommended. So thank you for your suggestion.
My choice falls down to yours and the Santa Barbara trip that the other person recommended. So thank you for your suggestion.
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dumblonde
April 01, 2009 04:30 PM
Thank you for picking my answer. Enjoy yourself! I miss Boston so much!
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Other Answers (13)
March 31, 2009 12:28 AM
Jackson Hole Wyoming Reason:
It has a good combination of restaurant, tourism events, and scenic view. It has skiing and a similiar look and feel to Park City Utah.
Source(s):
http://www.jacksonhole.com/
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March 31, 2009 04:42 AM
okay, not sure about all the costs and what not, but Jackson Hole is a blast. LOVED the antlers around the square.
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March 31, 2009 05:23 AM
http://travela.priceline.com/deals/vacationpackages/dest-United_States_Wyoming_Jackson_Hole-1700133.html
The hotel prices in Jackson hole are expense. Jackson Hole is more of a rich mans vacation place.
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The hotel prices in Jackson hole are expense. Jackson Hole is more of a rich mans vacation place.
March 31, 2009 05:26 AM
We enjoyed the Bar - J ranch cookout , entertainment, show, and food. I'm my own grandpa was hilerous.
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March 31, 2009 12:30 AM
Well- Corpus Christi is beachy but not as expensive as other places. It has beautiful scenes and fabulous sunsets. not sure if what all your looking for and its been a couple years si9 I don;t know the transportation .
Source(s):
been there and loved it
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March 31, 2009 12:43 AM
We're heading to Santa Barbara, CA in a few weeks. My wife an I love to go there. You can pretty much walk to all the nice places if you get a hotel near State Street. It's low-keyed and laid-back. Something different...
I'm also thinking Alexandria, Virginia. Close to DC (historic). Great public transportation and Alexandria is beautiful. Great food and drink there.
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March 31, 2009 04:45 AM
An aside on Alexandria -- you can check out the maximum security jail there, which will likely be housing some of the Guantanamo Bay detainees.
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April 01, 2009 04:31 PM
Well even though I did not choose this as my best answer, I do want you to know that it was a tough choice. I like your concise but very clear answer of SBA as my trip. You gave me another reason to think of California as a fresh new trip again. I work for the airlines and since I live in Arizona when I dont have much time I travel to Cali or Nevada and so I have been there many times. Although I have never been to SBA and from the looks of it I am going to enjoy it. Thank you.
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March 31, 2009 01:10 AM
Three days at a hotel for less that $200 dollars? Good luck. I guess what I would do would be to stay at a hotel in South San Francisco. You can probably get something for less than $50 through Expedia. Then I would see San Francisco. There is a lot you can see and do cheaply. Get a rental car for one day and you can spend a day traveling along Highway 1 toward Santa Cruz which is very scenic, and maybe travel across the Golden Gate to Mendocino and see Mount Tamalpias and Muir Woods. Then you can use BART to get into San Francisco and take the trolley, bus and cable car system to get around. Be sure to see Coit Tower, Fisherman's Wharf and Ghiradelli square. Have sourdough bread and scrimp cocktail at Fisherman's wharf. It's not too expensive. Then indulge and have a hot fudge sundae at Ghiradelli. There use to be an interesting Mosque on Geary St. You can take the bus to Golden Gate park. There is a lot of things to do in the Bay Area. Take BART to Concord and without getting off, you can see a lot of the country.
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March 31, 2009 02:03 AM
I second this answer. San Francisco has everything you're asking for (except 3 days in a hotel for $200). The public transportation system there is the best. You can get a 3 day pass for $18 that is good for buses and cable cars (BART not included). The scenery is great, the highlights are great, and the food is great, but the best part is that the people are amazingly friendly for a large city.
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April 01, 2009 04:29 PM
Thank you for your suggestion of SFO, the only reason I would not choose to go here is just for the fact that I have been here so many times, I am in search of new trips all the time. I love your suggestions a lot of them I have done and completely agree with you on.
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March 31, 2009 02:18 AM
I've given this suggestion before, but Silver Falls State Park is an awesome place to check out in central Oregon. 10 waterfalls, great views, nice cabins. Plus I'm sure there are some cool festivals to check out depending on the time of year.
Source(s):
http://www.travelsalem.com/Attractions/Attractions-Overview
http://www.salemoregon.com/silverfallsstatepark/
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March 31, 2009 02:43 AM
Come to Little Rock, Arkansas. There's tons of stuff to do downtown, and all the outdoors you can handle. The art museum and Clinton Library are both very cool places. There's also several Mountains and places to hike around here. Hotels are very affordable in this area. You could also check out Hot Springs (it's about an hour from Little Rock), it's got a lot of art and music related things to do. Here's a few links for you. http://www.littlerock.com/
http://www.hotsprings.org/
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March 31, 2009 03:35 AM
My husband, brother and I took a really enjoyable 3-day vacation to Seattle last May. My husband was interviewing Michael Akerfeldt of Opeth so our original reason for going was to see them in concert. I was surprised how many different types of activities Seattle has to offer! There are plenty of musical, cultural and artistic activities to keep you busy for 3 days (and much, much longer)! The Seattle City Pass is a great deal that gets you into 5 major Seattle attractions: the Experience Music Project, the Sci-Fi Museum, the Pacific Science Center, the Woodland Park Zoo and a harbor cruise, for one flat fee (around $40). It's both a time and money-saver. One of the best museum experiences we had in Seattle was seeing a Roman art exhibit on loan from the Louvre at the Seattle Art Museum. It was great!
Seattle also offers a host of outdoor activities. You're as close as a ferry ride to several beautiful little islands perfect for exploring by bicycle. Or, if you'd prefer to go a bit further, you're just a day trip away from Mt. Rainier, the Olympic Peninsula and many other great outdoor destinations. You can hike, camp, fish, etc.
There are plenty of little restaurants and eateries in Seattle that offer great deals on good food so it shouldn't be too hard for you to keep within your budget. As far as hotel rooms go, they can be kind of spendy in Seattle...I found a great deal on a website called Quikbook.com. They offer great deals on nice hotel rooms in big cities, and even better, they let you pay on arrival rather than in advance!
The public transportation system in Seattle was great! We parked our car at the hotel and used public transportation the entire time we were there. I even called the helpline a couple of times to figure out how to get to various destinations and both times the CSR that helped me was really pleasant and worked hard to make sure I was happy and satisfied with my service. I almost fell over from the shock. It was great!
Hope some of this helped! Have a great time on your vacation, wherever you decide to go!!!
Source(s):
http://www.seattle.gov/html/visitor/
http://www.citypass.com/city/seattle.html
http://www.quikbook.com/
http://transit.metrokc.gov/
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March 31, 2009 05:04 AM
I am from the Shreveport, Louisiana area and the Shreveport-Bossier area is a lot like Vegas, only with alligators. There are a lot of casinos here and if casinos are not your thing, there is the Louisiana Boardwalk - an outdoor mall which is a like a small city. It's conveniently located on the Red River and has a beautiful view. Shreveport is also known as "Hollywood South" so running into a celebrity or two in a store is very likely. Hotels are fairly affordable, we have a variety of food choices like Superior Grill or Ernest's Orleans Restaurant. Downtown you will see the artistic influence and the public transportation is good. There is a bus system in which all the buses have been painted by local artists. The taxi system is good. You have to CALL them. I recommend Casino Cab or Action Taxi. Shreveport is surrounded by a lot of nature parks. There is Caddo Lake State Park in Uncertain, Texas and Williamson Park in Oil City, LA. Cross Lake is absolutely beautiful and located in Shreveport. Cypress Lake is near Benton, just outside of Shreveport, and there is a nature trail, swimming area, camping area, cabin area, and a petting zoo. You will see A&E's Billy the Exterminator out there quite often because he takes the baby animals he catches to them to care for. If that's not enough, Jefferson, Texas is not too far away and if you like history and river tours, that would be of interest to you. They even have horse drawn carriages that carry you around town. Hope that sparks your interest! Come and see us!
Source(s):
I am from this area!
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March 31, 2009 07:53 AM
Spending $200 on a hotel, food, and amenities will require some sacrifice, so you will have to be careful with your budget. If you're into a cities culture, I would recommend Santa Fe, New Mexico! Go during Christmas time if you can, as it's especially beautiful. There's such great culture (this extends towards food too) and it's a small, cozy capital where you can walk to any destination you want (or take a bus). There are breathtaking hikes in Native American ruins, but those often about a 45 minute drive out of the way. But you can still have fun in the city! There are even some museums! If you're lucky there will be snow, very photogenic!
Boulder Colorado has beautiful walks, all within walking distance of the city center. Once again, great food too!
Another place where you're GURANTEED to have fun is in San Francisco! It's confined and has great public transportation system, so you will not need to have a car for anything. You could spend weeks there. Just China Town alone is an amazing, and if you ask around there are some really good chinese places serving cheap food.
Source(s):
Hope this helped! Best Answer?
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March 31, 2009 12:23 PM
I think your requirements are impractical. If you go to a city, the hotel bill will be more than your budget. If you go to the country, there will be little public transportation and you will have to rent a car, again going over budget. Still, one of my favorite events is coming up which might come close to fitting the bill.
That is the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans. It is a free outdoor music festival with bandstands scattered around the historic French Quarter and beside the Mississippi. It goes without saying that there is plenty to photograph.
While public transportation is not great, you can get a shuttle from the airport to your hotel. What there is of public transportation in the city include historic and scenic in their own right streetcars as well as free ferries to and fro across the Mississippi (more photo ops). The French Quarter is suitable for pedestrians.
It is not at a really prime date so you might get a hotel or bed and breakfast for a reasonable price. You won't get two or three nights for enough less than $200 to leave you anything for food and beer though. But if the date is good for you it may come reasonably close to what you are looking for.
It is April 17 to 19 this year (2009).
Source(s):
http://www.fqfi.org/
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March 31, 2009 09:04 PM
I need to apologize to everyone. The price stated in the question is low but it is meant as a guide for a low price. For instance I paid $210 for 6 nights in London in a pretty decent hostel. So let me restate this I am looking to spend as little money on the trip as possible. The $200 is hotel then $200 for food then $200 for amenities. Those would be split amoungst each other as $200 each as a max with a rough edge for all like $200-$300. I know that is a bit confusing but I mainly wanted to try to find an inexpensive trip. With barriers on what I spend.
As for the rest of it public transportation I only mean to say for the larger cities, I know that if I go to some small town that I will have to get a car or rely on other forms of transportation (which is fine like Bicycling or boating or walking)
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As for the rest of it public transportation I only mean to say for the larger cities, I know that if I go to some small town that I will have to get a car or rely on other forms of transportation (which is fine like Bicycling or boating or walking)
March 31, 2009 09:42 PM
Why not take a trip/drive up the coast of Big Sur. You can stay at a bed & breakfast or even camp out. There are plenty of outdoor activities to do. You can even take a drive (45min) up the coast to Moss Landing - the place where Cioppino was created (if you like seafood). Here is a link to the most famous place to get cioppino http://www.philsfishmarket.com/ You should also try the lemon sorbet at the Big Sur Bakery and restaurant. http://www.bigsurbakery.com/ If you visit places like the two above mentioned, you should be able to stay within budget and have delicious meals!
Here are a few links to camping and a couple bed & breakfasts
http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/camping.html
http://www.bigsurcamp.com/
http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/big-sur-california.html
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April 01, 2009 12:57 PM
Last year i spent some time in Southwest New Mexico and that was a nice area to visit. Hotel cost was not high, the food and culture is something that is very unique to the area. there is many things to do in the area just as hiking the mountains, checking out the farm and ranch museum, going to historic old messia, as well as camping, fishing, white sands national monument, and the checking out the art of the area. ~Joey V.~
Source(s):
http://www.lascrucescvb.org/
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