Women Travelers - Need A Vacation Suggestion (or Twenty)

I need to get away, go on a vacation alone. In fact I am really looking forward to a week away alone. I need a week or 10 days away from work for a stress relief and relaxation.

I live in Dallas so it's fairly easy to get where ever.

Some information.

American Airlines points - enough to go anywhere, anytime, any class and then some or can buy a ticket. I would prefer to use points though.
Hilton points - quite a few, enough for several nights but very willing to pay for hotel, Hilton hotel or chain hotel not a requirement.
Reasonable amount of cash budgeted to spend for 7 to 10 days but not willing to pay luxury hotel or high resort prices.

Looking for the following.
International destination
City center type of hotel, even if it's a smaller town, just so I can walk to shops, restaurants and public transport. Some place safe to come and go early in the day and late at night.
Walkability - my favorite vacations are wandering around, walking, taking the train, Tube, bus, boat, whatever the local transport is.
50 to 60 degrees plus during the day for March and April (need to get away soon!)
Like beaches and mountains but not a lay on the beach kind of girl but do day hike in the mountains.
Willing to change cities or countries once or twice during trip.
I like to shop, enjoy local food and wine, take day trips to see local points of interest, ride a bicycle.

Not looking for the following.
Any place I "have" to rent a car to get around, prefer walking or public transport.
Any place super super touristy, if that makes any sense.
Any kind of cruise or all-inclusive or tour. I am one of those people who hates cruises and all-inclusives bore me after a couple of days. I prefer making it up as I go along and getting off the beat and path some.
UK suggestions - spent a month in England and Scotland last year and loved it! Time to try somewhere new.
Canada or Mexico suggestions - job sends me both ways a few times a year.

I travel a lot for my job, pretty seasoned traveler but just stumped on where to go or what to do to get away. If I hadn't so recently spent a month in the UK I would just go over there again for 10 days but I really want to go somewhere new and untried for me.

Hello.

How about Singapore?

1) It is an international destination for you.
2) There is a Hilton in the city. (Orchard Road aka shopping paradise)
3) Lots of shops, restaurants, food court, eateries and etc just walking distance from Hilton.
4) Safe country with low crime rates. (Then again, low crime doesn't mean no crime.)
5) On time bus and train services at cheap rates. There is always a bus stop or a train station within walking distance of anywhere you're at. So, you don't need to rent a car.
6) As for beaches, there is Sentosa Island or you can go to the East Coast Park to rent a bicycle and also enjoy good seafood by the beach.
7) There are both touristy areas and non-touristy areas.
8) Singapore is a tiny island but there are many places to explore. I think it'll take less than 10 days to do it all. After which, you can try crossing the boarder to Malaysia but I have to say Malaysia and Singapore are worlds apart. :)))

Hope you find this useful. :)

Get one of those eurorail passes and travel around Europe. Find your way to Switzerland...talk about being safe at night in Geneva and other Swiss cities. Fantastic public transportation. Make your way to Vienna—safe, great public transport, and talk about a wondrous city. Just thoughts.

Get one of those eurorail passes and travel around Europe. Find your way to Switzerland...talk about being safe at night in Geneva and other Swiss cities. Fantastic public transportation. Make your way to Vienna—safe, great public transport, and talk about a wondrous city. Just thoughts.

I doubt a Eurail pass is worth it for a 10 day trip. If I were doing a 10 day Eiropean trip, I think I would focus on one or two places. The Benelux area is safe (aside from some parts of Brussels you would have no reason to go to) and well-supplied with transit. A couple of days in Brussels, a day or two in Bruges, a couple of days each in Amsterdam and Luxembourg, with a few other day trips might be an easy option.

Italy is always great, too. You do have to be wary of pickpockets in some parts of Rome, but as long as you use a money belt and pay attention, it's a safe place. And I can't imagine somebody not loving Venice.

Or, since you mentioned relaxation, think about Japan. There are great day spas to mix in with walkable city sightseeing. I like the mix of the hustle of Tokyo and the quiet contemplation of a canal stroll in Kurashiki.

As for Switzerland, I prefer Lausanne to Geneva.

Vienna is also a great city and allows for easy excursions to other places. A day trip to Bratislava would let you go to a cafe that sells 80 hot chocolate variations, for example.

Lausanne is beautiful. More importantly for the OP, it's safe and has great public transport as do many of the Swiss cities. So your idea of picking a few cities is a good one too. There are all kinds of rail packages. I have no idea what the OP wants to spend but being on her own, she'll have a great time.

Lausanne is beautiful. More importantly for the OP, it's safe and has great public transport as do many of the Swiss cities. So your idea of picking a few cities is a good one too. There are all kinds of rail packages. I have no idea what the OP wants to spend but being on her own, she'll have a great time.

I should have mentioned what kind of activities I would be interested in. Sight seeing of course since it will be someplace new, local food, wine, shopping, maybe a bicycle ride, maybe a spa day. Day trips are fine to see local points of interest or changing cities. I will have to definitely check into Lausanne and Bruges, Singapore sounds great too.

I like Singapore - great food, public transport, shopping. Another suggestion - what about Australia? You could easily do Melbourne & Sydney in 7-10 days.

Some suggestions - some may exceed your "super touristy" threshold but hopefully this time of year (barring certain events, i.e. festivals) they are quieter:
- Barcelona
- Lisbon
- Nice, Cannes or somewhere else along that coast
- Venice
- Cinqueterre or Lake District in Italy
- Hong Kong
- Amsterdam or Oslo, but I am not sure about the weather that time of year....

I should have mentioned what kind of activities I would be interested in. Sight seeing of course since it will be someplace new, local food, wine, shopping, maybe a bicycle ride, maybe a spa day. Day trips are fine to see local points of interest or changing cities. I will have to definitely check into Lausanne and Bruges, Singapore sounds great too.

Lisbon. Don't need a car, non-touristy, full of character, wine, local food, cabs pretty cheap, temps 50 to 60 in late March, spa and glitzy shipping, but also out walking side streets you'll find tiny local shops and little bitty cafes and grocers. Stay in the Chiado area for the most at your doorstep. Not scary late at night, it is a late night culture. Can easily take a local train to cozy Cacais for small town with beautiful sea front and a pedestrian street lined with cafes and good little shops, walkable. It is so easy get to, you can go for no more than lunch. For hiking in the mountains and castles, likewise Sintra is easy to get to by train. Both are within about 20 miles. There's a lot more in Portugal if you are interested. Last but best, the Portugeuse people are kind, there's no antipathy to Americans or terrorist threat, and it is more affordable than other European capitals.

What about Israel?

Try looking for a beach called Florianopolis it is one of the most beautiful beaches i've seen

- Barcelona (my favourite city, which is saying something because I used to live in Paris)
- Granada (just got back from a 10-day trip that combined a week in Granada with a couple of weekend days in Barcelona - flew between cities in Spanair - CO flies direct to BCN from EWR)
- Buenos Aires
- also would vote for Singapore
- Vancouver
- Berlin

Marrakesh. Weather good, safety good, super interesting, spa days possible, day trips for hiking to the Atlas Mountains (Google Le Toubkal to see a good place), food stupendous. If you are into shopping, the souks are fabulous, and if not, just spend your days in places like Majorelle Gardens and you will get relaxation in spades. I think BA flies there from Gatwick (just re-started or will just re-start this route, IIRC).

If you don't want to get that adventurous then I would second Lisbon.

If it were me I would book a flight to London and book a hotel right in the city near the kings cross and paddington train stations - basically on a tube line that will get you there. See the city it is lovely and lots to do and safe for woman traveller alone. you can see museums, lots of theater, great restaurants. then you can take the train easily to various other places like a day trip to oxford other places like that. I go to London on business and always take time out for tourist activities often by myself and always enjoy the trip very much.

If you don't want the UK then try Australia / NZ. We just got back from 3 weeks there took a cruise around NZ lovely went to Melbourne and Adelaide. Both of those cities have excellent public transport no need for car. domestic flights in australia are easy and cheap. i thought melbourne was a lovely city very walkable things to see nice parks. same for adelaide people take the tram to the beach there.

Two suggestions:

1. Lisbon. Suggested upthread and seconded here. Exactly as Tizzette describes, and really terrific.

2. Have you ever done a thalassotherapy cure? Surprisingly affordable, and there are several in easy distance of Montpellier (south of France, not yet warm temps but not bad). A typical cure lasts a week, and you do a half day of treatments (alternating morning and afternoon) and a half day of touring each day. The hotel often sets up standing shuttle transportation to surrounding areas for your non-spa time, or you can book a cab. Extremely relaxing.

You could also do a shorter spa break and spend the rest of the time in Montpellier.

[QUOTE=travelmad478;15881377]Marrakesh. Weather good, safety good, super interesting, spa days possible, day trips for hiking to the Atlas Mountains (Google Le Toubkal to see a good place), food stupendous. If you are into shopping, the souks are fabulous, and if not, just spend your days in places like Majorelle Gardens and you will get relaxation in spades. I think BA flies there from Gatwick (just re-started or will just re-start this route, IIRC).

People have different experiences of Marrakesh. In my family, there have been good experiences like yours, but that was a tour group of middleagers. My younger couple with gorgeous little wife had sexual harassment walking right beside her formidable looking husband. Defiant open groping, a knife was pulled on him in broad daylight. This is a guy who travelled Asia and India in hostels and cheap hotels for a year without trouble and he thinks Marrakesh is the worst place he has ever been. The harassment happened daily while walking from their upscale riad to the Medina or going to lesser, more local places on side streets. Once in the main tourist area, there was no trouble. I conclude Marrakesh would have limitations for a young single woman alone.

Our son lived in NYC for 6 years, so we would fly AA JFK to NRT a couple of times a year, having a few days in Tokyo getting over the jet lag.

You can easily spend 10 days in Tokyo - doing a few day trips or you could split the time over two cities. Japan is incredibly, clean and safe, has excellent train service, food is good and what a diverse range, several Hiltons in all the cities. Spas and japanese bath houses !! One down side is that Wine is expensive !! but you could try the Sake :D and the time you want to travel is the start of cherry blossom time.

We still go to Japan every year, and we love our time there. Here are a few web sites that might help.

http://www.japantravelinfo.com/top/index.php

http://www.japan-guide.com/

http://gojapan.about.com/

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/index.html


Ann

If going to Japan, you could head for the Kansai side of Kyoto and Osaka. Mmmm Kobe beef in Kobe!

Singapore and day trips to nearby countries would also be fun. Plus side is the warmth!

Another Asia suggestion would be Korea- Seoul and Busan. Korean pop culture is influencing a lot of its Asian neighbors and they're considered to be a very "beauty hip" country. Things are usually less expensive than they would be in Japan or even Singapore. Has public transport and some good international eats as well. Spas are a bit different but plenty of them http://florkim.blogspot.com/2008/12/spa-in-south-korea.html
UA's offering a sale to ICN so AA might match, if you find you'd rather add miles than use them.

Places I have really enjoyed on my own include:

Italy (both Rome and Florence are lovely cities, I felt very safe in both, so much to do, all the historic malarky, museums, great food and drink) and

Madrid (again felt very safe, very easy to navigate around etc)

Paris - yes, it is the city for lovers, but surprisingly not at all bad on your own! Might be a bit cool in March for you tho.

Other places that I haven't been solo, but would have no hesitation in doing so, include the islands of the Mediterranean (Cyprus and Corfu especially), most of mainland Europe (Belgium is somewhere people rarely pick as a desination but is lovely!) and Ireland.

Quepos, Costa Rica
Cinque Terre, Lake Como, Florence, and/or Siena, Italy
Barcelona, with a side trip to San Sebastien

Lisbon. Don't need a car, non-touristy, full of character, wine, local food, cabs pretty cheap, temps 50 to 60 in late March, spa and glitzy shipping, but also out walking side streets you'll find tiny local shops and little bitty cafes and grocers. Stay in the Chiado area for the most at your doorstep. Not scary late at night, it is a late night culture. Can easily take a local train to cozy Cacais for small town with beautiful sea front and a pedestrian street lined with cafes and good little shops, walkable. It is so easy get to, you can go for no more than lunch. For hiking in the mountains and castles, likewise Sintra is easy to get to by train. Both are within about 20 miles. There's a lot more in Portugal if you are interested. Last but best, the Portugeuse people are kind, there's no antipathy to Americans or terrorist threat, and it is more affordable than other European capitals.

I second the Lisboa suggestion - a very safe, very beautiful and very reasonable place to go. Fabulous food, lots to see, great public transport and generally gorgeous

I would suggest Hong Kong, in March and not April, when it starts to get very muggy. The weather in March is usually excellent.

Singapore is lovely but horribly humid.

Audrey

Thanks for the suggestions, there are a lot of great ideas and I am going to mull them over.

How about 5 days just roaming casually around Rome and then head for Malta (or Vice Versa)for 5 days. AA to Rome and Air Malta to Malta. I spent 10 days in Malta and thoroughly enjoyed all of the sightseeing, roaming around walking, and taking the excellent, if funky, public transportation bus system. Most of the important and charming cities are within 20 minutes to 45 minutes ride. When a cruise ship comes in, it is crowded in the historical center of Valletta, so you can make yourself scare and go to the countryside. I rented an apartment in the old part of Valletta with a view of the Grand Harbor. It was so stunning to wake up every morning with that view. There is a movement to restore old stone homes into boutique hotels---but not costly by euro standards The naval history is fascinating. The Knights Hospitalers and Knights Templar add to the mystique. Plus it was so interesting to see the underground basement air raid shelters tat were bombed during WWII. There are lovely self-guided tours with ear phones and alsoconducted. Food isn't as good as in Rome, but is fine.
I went to the Island of Gozo on an easy ferry ride and visited old stone villages where artists live. I love to spend time in Rome without a big checkoff list---just wander and eat. I like Trastevere, as it's pedestrian at night and a good place for a woman to eat on her own. Also, I often stay at the Francesca Romana convent in Trastevere. I know you ruled out Mexico,but have you been to San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato? AA flies from DFW to BJX (Leon) and thin a shuttle can take you the hour to San Miguel. It is a great place to be a woman and make friends, or just keep to yourself. Beautiful hotel and home rentals, There is a new Rosewood Hotel that is out of this worlk. I live in San Miguel and am very happy there.

I like Singapore - great food, public transport, shopping. Another suggestion - what about Australia? You could easily do Melbourne & Sydney in 7-10 days.

The new DFW-Sydney route on Qantas might be a good option to get you down under -- I managed to book a business class seat using miles for Thanksgiving which is almost unheard of. There are still milage seats available.

I lived in Sydney for a number of years and that might just meet every last one of your needs -- city, public transit, Hilton, beaches, spas, fabulous wines, lovely weather.

My suggestions based on cities where I've quite enjoyed my vacation time (and it sounds like you spend yours much like I spend mine):

* Barcelona
* Madrid
* Paris
* Buenos Aires
* Sydney
* Melbourne
* Singapore
* Hong Kong

Based on your stated desires/criteria, my top recommendation would be Sydney/Melbourne.

Lisbon and Sintra, another vote for these. Very beautiful area. Easy public transport on trains, trams, ferries, all over the area.

No one has yet mentioned it but Goreme, Turkey is another choice. The national park with many hiking trails is within walking distance of Goreme town, where you can stay inexpensively in a real cave! I went in late March/early April, so I even had some beautiful snow days. It is not too cold, and the mountains and caves and valleys are unbelievable in the snow.

An advantage of Sydney, voted on by some, is that your transport pass covers more than just ferries, trains, etc. in the Sydney city area. You can go all the way up to the Blue Mountains on the train and hike in the national park there, using the same pass.

About an hour outside of Tokyo Japan... Go to the onsen every day. When you want to shop ride the train in an hour and have at it, then go back and hit the onsen again. Next time I go back to Japan I will be going to onsen everyday. You will need to learn a few phrases b/c if you go to a good one, there will NOT be much English spoken.

That said, you cant be um shy... But I will never forget lounging for 6 hours in 3 inches of hot springs water in an outdoor onsen while taking in all the trees and landscaping around me...most relaxing thing on earth!