STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

I know you have probably been to all the travel sites, but if you haven't I recommend travel Zoo.

So you want somewhere beachy? Does it have to be a touristy area? Have you thought about costa Rica? I don't think they are affected by hurricanes, at least i don't hear about it. I don't blame you on not wanting to go on a 10hr plan ride, I don't want to go to Hawaii for that one reason.

detroit wrote:

---

first, have you been to Europe? I'm asking because some places are less stressful for first timers than others (I wouldn't suggest Greece or Spain for a first timer unless you are going to go in a "bubble" with an arranged car to pick you up and take you to a western style resort where they speak english and every thing is contained within the resort).  Less stressful would be Italy (they're soooo nice there) or London/Paris (not so nice people in Paris - but at least they speak English in London - the only thing with London is the exchange rate is horrendous right now - the pound is approx. twice the dollar - it would be really expensive).  Now you said you wanted "beachy" - is that beachy as in a beach nearby for atmosphere or a beach to bask in the sun and swim?  Europe would not be the place to go in October to hang out on a beach, if that's what you have in mind.  There are some places in Europe that have beaches, but the high temps would only be around 70.  If 70 degrees works for you, I would suggest Cinque Terra in the Italian Riviera - you could also take a side trip to Monte Carlo and Monaco.  Another suggestion would be Capri, off of Naples is also nice - plus you could spend some of your time in Rome. Another suggestion is Brazil - Rio, specifically.  Although that's not really a first-timer kind of atmosphere either... So I guess my other question for you would be, are you looking for as close to American style amenities as possible, or are you adventure minded and are not afraid about communicating with your hands and a couple of words to get around, and using showers made for hobbits (if you're lucky)?

---

 

yes, i have been to europe before.... specifically spain and portugal. 

as far as beaches are concerned, i would want to bask in the sun and swim. 

your question about amenities.. i know how different hotels are in europe, so i don't really mind smaller hotels without most of the options we have here normally in the states, but if i were to be going to hawaii or greece, i would probably want to go to a resort, while in spain, france, italy or london, i would probably choose a regular room.    i am not afraid of adventure, and i do speak spanish and a little italian, so i would be able to communicate with the locals.

there are actually quite a few places that you can go in the caribbean that are not part of the hurricane belt. pretty much anything south of the 16th parallel (or whatever the word is for the lattitude) is out of the path of most hurricanes. there are tons of places that you can go down there, specifically aruba, barbados, the netherland antilles, and st lucia. i would suggest looking into these islands and thier weather in october. you should be pretty safe! and i actually have this out of the mouth of a soil scientist who does work in the area. if you wanna take a look on the map, for example with the hurricane paths, puerto rico gets hit with storms all the time, but slightly south and east is guadeloupe which never (or close enough to never to be the same) gets hurricanes. so, perhaps the caribbean is an option.

this is from http://www.aruba-travelguide.com/weather/

In Aruba the newspapers almost never publish a weather report. They don't need to. Around here, "sunny and warm" is not news. With an average rainfall of less than 20 inches a year, an average daytime temperature of 82° Fahrenheit (27° Celsius), a location completely outside the hurricane belt, and the constant cooling influence of the trade winds, Aruba is one of the most temperate islands in the Caribbean. And just as comfortable in July as it is in January.

hope that helps!

I see you added Greece back in - just so you know, the high temps in Oct. avg. 73 degrees. I wouldn't be one bit surprised if the public beaches are closed.  Not to down play Greece - I love Greece - it's just that the beach most likely will not be an option. 

Given everything you're looking for, I think Hawaii is your best bet.  The trip is long, but since you're going for a week to a week and a half, I think it would be totally worth it.  And with 12 days, you could easily do 2 or even 3 islands, depending on how much variety you're looking for.  The beauty of Hawaii is that you'll get great beaches, perfect weather in Oct, amazing restaurants (this is true no matter what island you visit - the food is incredible everywhere), and a long list of things to do.  If you want to do nothing, you can do that too.  If you like hiking and snorkeling, Hawaii is totally for you. 

Also, I think October is considered low season for Hawaii, so you might be able to get good deals and there won't be kids running around everywhere (that's the only downside to being in Hawaii during the summer or Christmas-time).

Have you checked out the forums at fodors.com?  People there are really helpful and have lots of travel experience so they can offer their ideas.  It's also a good place to find travel deals.

If you do decide on Hawaii, let me know if you need any help with planning.