Texty

So, as I've mentioned, one of the key reasons we're moving is to get somewhere closer to real civilization again. We're way too far up in the North Boonies right now. It's not that Mill Creek is a bad neighborhood or anything, it's just way the hell out of the way for just about everyone we know, which is seriously of the suck.

Seattle proper isn't an option for us for reasons of commute, newer construction and pricing. Bellevue and Redmond are out of the question on pricing, too. Mercer Island, of course, would be ideal, but as I have yet to strike it big as a webcam whore, that's out of the question.

For the most part, the further out we go, the cheaper things are, but the more likely it is we're just trading one set of boonies for another. Question is: Where is that line?

This is where you come in!

I've narrowed our possible choices down to the following areas. For the first poll, check as many as you think are reasonably close. For the second, check as many as you think are too far away. As in, if you were contemplating a visit, you might think, "Ugh. I don't want to go all the way out THERE."

I can't guarantee that we'll necessarily end up in the place that gets the most positive votes, but it'll certainly help us narrow down our search radius.

[Poll #1398762]

So, we've decided to blow our tax return on a nice vacation. It's been quite a while since we did any real traveling, and what with bebe plans and such, it's doubtful we'll be able to do a big trip again for the forseeable future.*

Mid-April looks like the earliest/best time for us to go, but we're trying to nail down the where, and that's where y'all come in.

Our criteria:
*No more than 6 hours by plane. I start getting claustrophobic in cattle class if I have to be in it for longer than that.
*Can be done in four days--we're planning a Friday-Monday trip.
*Not saturated with drunk college kids, conservative old folks or horny heterosexuals on the prowl.
*Not aimed primarily at families with small kids, or with a way to get away from/ignore said kids. (Amusement parks: Yes, so long as our hotel is away from the park.)
*Goal is 75% relaxing, 25% sightseeing/adventuring/shopping.
*Need a place that's lovely to look at, with gorgeous scenery and/or cool architecture. Something involving water would be good.
*Sunshine and warmth, please, but nothing too hot and no deserts. Grew up in one and therefore am entirely unimpressed with sagebrush and rocks.

In terms of budget, think somewhere in the Hilton/Hyatt/Wyndham sort of range. Fairmont and Four Seasons are too much, but we definitely want a nice place with good beds, room service and high-end rooms with a good view.

Options:
*We've done Maui twice (Kaanapali and Wailea) and Oahu (Waikiki) once, but we're definitely open to going back to do something different.
*We're considering an Orlando trip. It's been several years since we were there last, so we'd like to see what's new. However, we'd need to find a balance between parks and relaxing, so we'd need a very good, adult-aimed hotel.
*A cruise somewhere? No Carnival, though. Bleh.

[Poll #1139678]

Also, if you happen to know of any particularly good deals going on around that time, let me know *looks pointedly at southplains* May as well save the cash if we can.

*Note to mom and dad: Yes, this means no Alaska cruise this summer, unless you want to go on your own. I just don't trust being on a boat with morning sickness and a high miscarriage risk. :(