Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Help Me Choose, Win Jewelry!

Seriously folks, I know my last post bordered on pathetic. Poor me, trying to figure out where to take a dream vacation, right?

I need help, and I'm willing to resort to bribery in order to solicit as much input as possible. There's a genius idea out there somewhere, I just know it! In the spirit of fun (and bribery, of course) I'm hosting a giveaway...free jewelry!

This giveaway will consist of two parts: a randomly chosen winner, and a winner based on my final destination selection. So, leave me a comment with your suggestion or dream vacation idea/experience. I will use random.org to select a winner from all comments submitted. Then, once I make a final choice as to where I will be going, I will award a second prize to whomever suggested that destination. In the event that more than one person makes the winning suggestion, the individual who posted their comment first gets the prize.
***Earn yourself a bonus entry if you post a link from your blog to this contest!***

Now, what is the prize, you ask?

Brand new Cookie Lee jewelry! The winners will each receive a beautiful necklace from Cookie Lee, with many to choose from. (Full disclosure, I am a CL consultant)

In order to keep your suggestion within the realm of what I'm looking for, here are some things to know:


  • I want to go somewhere I will most likely never have a chance or reason to go with my family. So, forget Hawaii, Alaska, Canada and most of Mexico...I hope to take my own family there someday.


  • I want to go somewhere that will not be overrun with crazy high school and college grads on all-you-can-drink party trips.


  • I'd like to limit my travel time from Phoenix to my final destination to under 24 hours...this is the trip of a lifetime, and I don't want to spend 3 out of 7 days of it in airports or on planes.


  • I am open to almost any kind of destination. I do better in third world conditions than in ultra-high-end/super-all-inclusive resorts. If I go somewhere like Jamaica I'd be more likely to end up trawling the local markets than sitting on a private beach with an umbrella in my drink...that's just the kind of girl I am.


  • I enjoy hiking and exploring, but I'm no triathlete and I am turning forty, after all. Forty and a little out of shape. Ok, a lot out of shape.


So, where should I go?

20 comments:

Ryann said...

My husband and I honeymooned in Cape Cod, MA in mid October. The tourists have all gone home for the winter by that time and it's just the locals. You can walk the many miles of beaches, explore the wonderful historical sites, take a side trip to Martha's Vinyard or Nantucket. Wonderful food and friendly people. You can get from one end of the Cape to the other in a matter of an hour or two. We stayed at The Tern Inn and it was very quaint. We were ready to move there after our trip and can't wait to get back there. If you are up for another day trip from the Cape, a short drive to Boston or Providence will give your more opportunities too!

Ryann said...

Hi Michelle! I blogged about your giveaway on my blog and I also tweeted about it on twitter. I hope it sends some other bloggers your way!

jenna said...

Go to Turkey!

It's part of Europe and the Middle East, so you'll get a taste of multiple cultures. I recommend spending a few days in the cosmopolitan capitol, Istanbul, then traveling south down the Aegean coast; if you have time, you can make it to the Mediterranea. Plenty of history, culture, fabulous food, beautiful scenery - and, best of all, not too touristy! (For more info, check out my blog under the label "turkey")

Sara @ Domestically Challenged said...

All of them sound great! I went to Banff Canada a few years ago and the scenery was amazing. I would love to go overseas though too.... hard choices for you!

JessieLeigh said...

Admittedly, I'm more of a "high-end drink in my hand" kind of girl. :) But I do like a good adventure!

I would recommend the island of Curacao off the coast of Venezuela. My husband and I have been to well over a dozen islands, but this one stands out as the least commercial, friendliest, and most unique experience...

Floating bridges, hand-painted sundresses, super friendly locals, casual outdoor cafes, the whole place was amazing.

It's warm and tropical, but not as popular or crowded as Jamaica, Aruba, Bahamas, et al...

Joannah said...

My sister and her husband had a great time in Costa Rica a couple years ago. They stayed at a resort where their lodgings were walking distance to the beach, but they were in the jungle. She said they could here the monkeys in the night.

Me, I'd head for Europe. As much as I hope to become pregnant soon, I'm dying to go to Italy soon. That may be my consolation prize if we don't succeed in the next six months. I want to see Florence and Rome with my husband!

jenna said...

Thanks for you comment - the snow is beautiful, but it's definitely a pain to have to scrape off your car in the morning!

Jenny said...

Come visit Maine. Mount Desert Island especially. Acadia National Park will leave your family exhausted with all the choices of things to do. Inexpensive and family orientated...

Hugs,
Jenny in Maine ;)

Carlee said...

The southern coast of France, on the med. You can't beat it. It's rich with history and culture, but not a big cities. There are amazing beaches, rivers where you can go cliff jumping (adventurous, but not dangerous), historical sites to explore, and great food. WIthin a short drive/ride there are mountains (the Alps), with a different taste of culture, Switzerland, cities if you want (not Paris, but Lyon, which is also rich with culture and interest), and you could even take a short plane ride to North Africa.

Or.....


The pacific northwest in the good old US of A. After visiting the Oregon coast and Seattle, my husband and I said we never needed to leave the States again to have an amazing vacation. Fires on the beach, kayak down a river, shop in quaint little towns. Mmm, wish I was there right now.!

Yvonne said...

Okay, I thought I hit the right button, but I don't see my comment.

My personal favorite was a sail around the island of Tortola, but not necessarily doable if you don't sail, so I'll offer my second favorite destination!

The Outer Banks of North Carolina-
very "local" feeling compared to most beachy destinations, and you'll avoid all the traffic if you go while school is in. You get the best of two beaches - the oceanside with the wind and waves, or the sound which is virtually flat water. Our favorite time to go is the 2nd-3rd week of September - or just past halfway through May - in the fall, the fishing is better, the water warmer, but you might get jellyfish in the sound. You can rent a quiet cottage on the beach or a monster beach house with a bunch of friends, depending on your mood. The further south you go, the quieter it gets...Hatteras or even Ocakroke, if you really want to get away from the more touristy spots - but even the touristy spots aren't very touristy. Further south and off-season is also how to knock the cost WAY down.

My sister says go on a Med. cruise - Croatia was her favorite stop.

Best wishes and have fun!!

yvonne
swinson@ skywire usa dot com

Yvonne said...

Oh, I had one more thought - which will either be totally appealing or not at all - but it's where I want to go to mark my 40th - the Holy Land. They have some neat trips where you can go and do archaeology in addition to some touring.....

just a ps.
Yvonne
swinson@skywire usa dot com

*Tanyetta* said...

I would go to Massachusetts!

One Frugal Girl said...

Try Duck, North Carolina or Savannah, Georgia. Both are small, beautiful towns with local shops and restaurants to explore.

Anonymous said...

If you don't mind staying in the US, go to Wilmington, NC.

Alyssa @ KeepingTheKingdomFirst said...

If I could go on the trip of a lifetime, I would most definitely choose coastal Italy. There must be tons of great markets to explore and beautiful scenery.

The best part- the food, of course!

Davonne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Davonne said...

I suggest Venice, Italy. I've never been there, but it looks so amazing! The whole city is surrounded by water, and everything is very slow paced and calm. There are no cars - you have to travel by boat. Everything is very old and beautiful, and I've heard the ice cream, coffee, and pastries are amazing.

If you need more convincing, read this book (or at least read the Amazon description): http://www.amazon.com/Sisterchicks-Gondolas-Robin-Jones-Gunn/dp/1590525051/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227712899&sr=8-3

You can probably borrow it for free from your local library.

If you go there, I want to see pictures and read posts! That's my number one place in the world I long to visit.

Mrs. Gorbe said...

I would say to visit Northern Michigan , especially Traverse City and Mackinac Island. There are great wineries in TC , along with beautiful lakeshore. Plus Mackinac City is a car free island. They have great bike rentals to view the island, a neat horse/carriage tour and lots of fudge and ice cream!

deliarose said...

Prague is really lovely! Amazing artists, beautiful castles, museums, etc. It is well worth the trip. It is also affordable, which I think is important. That may allow for a few day trips by train to the surrounding areas.

Elissa said...

My husband and I have always talked about taking an Alaskan cruise someday.