US Destinations For Couples
When is the best time for couples to travel to US destinations?
I think couples actually have an advantage if there aren't kids involved. You might want to involve the peak summer destinations, because that's when kids are out of school and places are going to be more crowded. If I were a couple, I would consider travelling to the U.S. in October or maybe early November, or I would travel in the winter. I would try to avoid travelling at times when there are school vacations. I would make sure that I know when the Spring Break schedule is and try to avoid those destinations that are particularly attractive to High School and College students. Couples do have flexibility that families with children do not, and they should take advantage of that.
What are popular East coast destinations for couples?
There are lots of great East coast destinations in the U.S., and it depends a little bit on what you as a couple want. Leaf-peeping in the fall in New England obviously is a huge, enriching, wonderfully fascinating vacation because it exposes you not only to great natural beauty, but also to lots of historic places that are part of the fabric of the United States. Washington, D.C. is a terrific East coast destination for couple travel simply because it's very stirring to see where our government works and see our government at work. New York City is a great couples place in the U.S. There is so much to do. A lot of it can be free - museums and so forth - or you can hold your costs down if you need to by going to half-price ticket booths to see Broadway plays. The East coast is absolutely riddled with places that are terrific for couples and you shouldn't hesitate to explore.
What are popular West coast destinations for couples?
California, obviously, has a variety of places that are just terrific for couples. I can't imagine that if you were coming to California as a couple, you wouldn't want to go San Francisco and explore the central coast, Big Sur. Amazing places for couples, amazing places to see, things to do. All along that central coast of California there are really lovely resorts. There is also some modest accommodations, so if money is an issue, you don't have to spend a huge amount of money. I think anything along the that coast in the U.S. is terrific.
What are popular Midwest destinations for couples?
I think the Midwest is one of the really underrated places. In the United States, we tend to dismiss the Midwest and the Upper Midwest, but they're terrific cultural opportunities. Minneapolis has an incredibly vibrant theatre scene. Kansas City has an amazing Art Museum, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, which has just opened a new wing. St. Louis has incredible architecture, beyond just the Arch, and lots of hidden places to visit, that you might not think about at first glance. Omaha and Nebraska, actually have fairly interesting places that you would want to visit and lots of history. I think that we do ourselves a disservice by dismissing some of these places out of hand. Obviously, Chicago has fantastic architecture. There are architectural tours that you can take of the city of Chicago because it is so varied and so rich. Consider that Midwest destination, too, because it tends to be a little less expensive than San Francisco or New York, and can be very rewarding.
What are popular southern destinations for couples?
There are great southern destinations for couples in the U.S. Obviously, South Beach and Key West can be terrific couples destinations. Hilton Head Island and any of the Carolina beach resorts can be fantastic. I also find places like Savannah, Georgia, Charleston, South Carolina and any place in North Carolina that's along the coast, really romantic and really great for focusing not only on each other but also the history of the region. I think the South deserves more appreciation and attention as there are really fantastic places to see a part of the country that you may not be as familiar with.
What are popular US beach destinations for couples?
Probably the number one beach destination for US couples has to be Hawaii, where the beaches are simply amazing. I say this with all due appreciation and, as a former resident of Hawaii, I think the beaches are really second to none. I am not just talking about Waikiki, because even though that is a terrific beach, there are some that are off the beaten path that are fantastic. Hawaii, Maui - all of those places have amazing beaches. California is blessed with some terrific beaches. Certainly anything in Southern California has a tremendous appeal. Do not dismiss either the Gulf Coast or the East Coast. I think that the beaches of North Carolina are beautiful and fantastically fun. Kill Devil Hills, Duck NC, fantastic Ocracoke Island - all of those. Hilton Head, South Carolina also provides amazing opportunities to go to the beach. There are lots and lots of places. The last one that I would recommend would be Cape Cod in Massachusetts which I find endlessly fascinating. It is very New England, very different from the West Coast experience. Cape Cod has terrific lobster and is just a lot of fun.
What are some safety tips for couples traveling through the US?
Couples travelling through the U.S. need to be engaged in a safety assessment a couple of times a day. The U.S. is not any more or any less dangerous than any other place in the world, but I think, with a couple, the issue is focusing on your surroundings and making sure that you are not just focused on each other. Being aware of your surroundings is really the best way to avoid trouble on the road and that's true whether you are a couple, whether you're a person travelling alone or whether you're a family. You need to make sure that you avoid areas and you need to take advice from your hotel or from people you know about places you should not go and then studiously avoid going there. Using a GPS system is a great help, and if you have a portable GPS, I would recommend that. Stay away from places in the U.S. that you know are trouble, and be aware of your surroundings, making sure that you do a personal safety assessment. Ask: am I wearing too much jewellery? Am I carrying too much cash? Am I flashing money? All of those things are important for couples when they're travelling.
What are some money-saving tips for couples traveling through the US?
I think one of the things that couples travelling through the U.S. should take a look at is whether their hotel price is based on one person or two. Make sure that you know going in whether you're paying for double occupancy. If the price is the same for one person or two, that's one thing, but if it's per person then you could be in for a rude surprise. The other thing you might want to think about is that you don't necesarily have to eat every meal out. You can do picnics, you can go to the local deli and buy a loaf of bread, some cheese and some drinks, and go sprawl out in a local park and have a perfectly pleasant meal. The other thing you might want to consider is staying at a condo or an extended stay hotel which have small kitchenettes and allow you to have a cup of coffee or some juice and a bowl of cereal in the morning, so that you're not going out and spending money on an expensive breakfast. All of those are ways that couples can save money when they're traveling together in the U.S.
What are some lesser known US destinations for couples?
I think there are some really amazing U.S. destinations that are good for couples. I think anything that involves a national park is a fantastic destination for couples. I think some of the river rafting experiences that are available - Utah, Colorado, Oregon - are all terrific couples vacations. I think there are places that we tend to overlook that are great for couples like Austin, Texas, which is a really amazing music capital of the world. Also, places like Scottsdale, Arizona, which in the summer can be very, very thrifty, and has some amazing resort hotels that can be really good value because obviously it's hot in the summer. Those can be incredibly relaxing U.S. vacations if you just need to relax, play a little golf and stay by the pool: great opportunities at not a huge price.
