Favorite Weekend Getaways from U.S. Cities

There are some wonderful weekend getaways no matter what part of the country you live in. Here are some of our favorite weekend getaways from major U.S. cities:

East Coast

NYC/Philadelphia: Located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania less than 90 minutes from NYC and less than hour from Philadelphia, New Hope is a favorite weekend getaways for antique and theater lovers as well as the LGBT community. New Hope is known for its fine antiques, its Buck County Playhouse and some good restaurants. Quaint inns rather than hotels are the norm here. There is also some low key LGBT nightlife here.

Washington D.C. /Philadelphia: Rehobeth Beach Delaware is a favorite weekend destination of residents of both Washington D.C. and with good reason. It has attractive inviting beaches, good restaurants and nightlife including gay nightlife. It is welcoming to singles, couples and families.

Boston: Provincetown, Massachusetts is one of our favorite places in the world, so no surprise that it tops our list of weekend getaways from Boston. Accessible in 90 minutes by fast ferry, it offers a sophisticated, artsy and inclusive experience for all. Other top weekend trips from Boston are Portland, Maine to the North, and Newport Rhode Island with its famous “cottages” to the south.

Midwest

Chicago: Located 2 hours from Chicago, Milwaukee while not a spectacular destination, offers more than enough for a fun weekend getaway. It has a pleasant river front area and good art museums, particularly its Milwaukee Arts Museum. It also has its share of good restaurants particularly German restaurants, including the famous Mader’s. Not everything in Milwaukee is highbrow, however. Top attractions here are the Harley Davidson museum where you can see a motorcycle that belonged to Elvis. Beer is the other “king” in Milwaukee and its breweries offer fun tours. If you are looking for a quainter and gayer destination, only 2 1/2 hours from Chicago is the Saugatuck/Holland Michigan area discussed below.

Detroit: About 3 hours from Detroit are the sister towns of Holland, Saugatuck and Douglas Michigan. We have enjoyed weekends in all three towns. Holland shows its Dutch influences with windmills and the like and hosts a popular spring tulip festival. Saugatuck is an artist’s community and its downtown is the most charming of the three with quaint shops and attractive B&B’s. The adjacent town of Douglas prides itself on its “village vibe and city cool” and the famous LGBT Douglas Dunes resort.

Dallas: While it’s about 4 hours from Dallas, Fredericksburg, Texas makes for an enjoyable and different weekend getaway. Full of historical artifacts, it is certainly of interest to history buffs. It also of interest to antique and other shoppers.  Beyond that, the town’s German vibe and top notch German food and beer is another big draw. You can also sample the Texas wine called Tempranillo at one of the many local vineyards.

Pacific Coast

San Diego/Los Angeles: Catalina Island is one of our favorite weekend getaways from southern California. The fact that Catalina is easily accessible by ferry from Long Beach or Dana Point and yet provides a Mediterranean-like experience is one reason we like it. The good restaurants in all price ranges and the opportunities for hiking and wildlife tours are more of Catalina’s draws.

San Francisco: For wine enthusiasts, there is no better weekend getaway than the Napa Valley. You can tour and wine taste and many different wineries, including the Italian castle styled Castello di Amoroso above.

Seattle: Located about 2 hours from Seattle, the seaside town of Anacortes offers great hiking and kayaking for those wanting to keep active and a downtown with restaurants, bars and wine shops for those looking to relax and imbibe.

Want assistance in planning and booking a weekend getaway? Please contact us. We would be delighted to assist you.

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