Why not take a tour round the US Capitol in Washington DC?
Six brilliant long weekend options for American travellers, whether it’s education in Washington DC, music in Austin or beaches in Puerto Rico.
Destination: Austin, Texas
Go for: Live music, bar-hopping and barbecues with an unmistakable atmosphere of young energy.
Why: The fastest growing city in the US wears its liberalism and independent spirit on its sleeve, and this is most obviously manifested in a live music scene unlike any other. Virtually everywhere serving drinks also has a band on, with the Red River District offering the most endearing mix of genres. Rainey Street – a once residential street of converted old time bungalows – offers a genuinely distinctive bar-hopping experience. But there are plenty of conventional sights and attractions too. The red stone Texas State Capitol and Bob Bullock State History Museum give fixes of power and the past, while the gigantic Barton Springs Pool offers arguably the greatest outdoor swim (and people-watching opportunity) in the country.
Casual and high quality are the bywords when it comes to a feed. The queues outside the Franklin barbecue joint start hours before opening, while Lambert’s offers a classier downtown alternative. With, of course, live bands playing upstairs.
When: Avoid the summer months – the heat can be horrendous. It’s also worth dodging major festivals, such as South by Southwest in March, when accommodation prices go sky high.
Stay: The handily downtown W Austin channels the city’s vibe – expect rock star photos on the walls and lounging by the outdoor pool. Doubles from $330.
Where next: Nashville, Tennessee. The country music capital has undergone a recent resurgence of cool, with pretty much anyone who’s anyone recording there. Forget the stereotypes – all genres get an airing in the city’s multiple live music venues.
Destination: Las Vegas, Nevada
Go for: Gambling, gaudiness and good times.
Why: Boredom is not an option in Vegas. It’s an all-out-attack on the senses, whether catching Cirque du Soleil shows, dancing to big name DJs, splashing out at pool parties or feasting on some of the country’s top fine dining.
The infamous Las Vegas Strip hosts numerous museums and exhibitions for those wanting something cultural – the Titanic one at the Luxor is excellent and CSI: The Experience at the MGM Grand is great fun. But there’s just as much enjoyment to be had watching people at the tables or swapping the Strip for the guitars-and-cowboy hat leanings of the more down-to-earth Downtown area.
If the intensity gets a little too much, then it’s easy to hire a car and head out for a half day at the Hoover Dam – the tours take you right inside it to straddle the Arizona/ Nevada border. Another brilliant half day option involves getting up early for a helicopter ride with Sundance Helicopters into the Grand Canyon, a boat trip down the Colorado River and a chopper ride back along the Strip.
When: Ferocious desert heat makes the summer months cheaper for a reason. Aim for between October and April.
Stay: The Tropicana is a recently refurbished, pleasantly affordable option in the heart of the Strip. Doubles from $129.
Where next: The Canadian side of Niagara Falls has long gone for big and gaudy – but it offers the perfect opportunity to combine gambling, entertainment and natural beauty.
Destination: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Go for: Caribbean beaches – with an option of dipping into something more cultural or energetic if desired.
Why: One of the Puerto Rican capital’s key advantages is that it’s a very short journey between the airport and the beach. Many of Puerto Rico’s resorts line up along the beach at Isla Verde, which is not technically part of San Juan, but may as well be.
Should something more than two days flopped on a sunlounger be called for, the short trip into Old San Juan should suffice. The surrounding fortifications are gloriously photogenic and the rum bars tucked into the atmospheric narrow streets can lead to both long, entertaining evenings and dreadful hangovers.
If a taste for adventure strikes, the island’s interior offers plenty of rainforest and the Camuy Caves to explore, while the spectacularly sited Arecibo Observatory is worth a look too. It’s the largest radio telescope on earth, and it has somehow been built into the gaps between the hills. Sunset Tours runs day trips.
When: It’s warm all year round, but humidity is lower between mid-November and late-April.
Stay: A few minutes in a cab from the airport and with excellent resort facilities, the Intercontinental backs onto one of the island’s finest beaches, and has doubles from $297.
Where next: If it’s just the off the plane, onto the beach thing you’re after, then Tobago does it better than anywhere else. Crown Point is easy strolling distance from the airport terminal.
Destination: Quebec City, Canada
Go for: Heritage looks and a European feel.
Why: Founded by the French in 1609, Quebec City is one of the oldest cities in North America, and it is remarkably well preserved. The fortifications of the Upper Town go back as far as 1620, while the twin-spired Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré has been a pilgrimage site for centuries.
If this sounds more like a European city than a North American one, then that’s the general vibe that comes across – Quebec City’s the best way of getting that Euro dose without crossing the Atlantic.
The Petit de Champlain district is particularly atmospheric – it’s crammed with restaurants, boutiques and art galleries, as well as hosting the Musée de la Civilisation, arguably the country’s best exploration of its indigenous cultures.
Nature-lovers are in luck too – whale watching cruises and ferry trips that take in the spectacular Montmorency Falls (which are higher than Niagara Falls) are good options for those not content landlubbing.
When: Aim for the summer months – mid-May to late-September – for the most appealing weather.
Stay: Dating back to the 19th century, the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is a genuine icon of the city, and a textbook example of how to do the urban resort thing. Doubles start at C$260 (US$284).
Where next: St Augustine in Florida is the oldest European-established settlement in North America. Numerous sites – including Fort Matanzas and the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument – still hark back to the Spanish era.
Destination: Washington DC
Go for: Education (that doesn’t have to be dull) and culture.
Why: DC has, simply put, the greatest collection of museums in the world. The secret lies in how you tackle them. Attempting to trudge through all the Smithsonians in one weekend will have you weeping through overkill. Pick a couple based on the topics you’re most interested in – although the National Air And Space Museum and National Museum of Natural History are justifiably popular with all-comers.
The other secret is to not be cheap and go to some of the more entertaining museums that attract an entrance charge. The Newseum offers a fascinating look at how the media works and the International Spy Museum is part silly fun and part stories of Washington’s ever-busy espionage industry.
The memorials are best tackled at night when it’s cooler, and on a bike – the distances between them are surprisingly large. Bike The Sites offers evening cycling tours.
When: If you can deal with the heat and humidity, weekends in the height of summer tend bring up DC’s best hotel bargains. Avoid May, which is peak school group invasion season.
Stay: The Willard Intercontinental is steeped in history, and was where Martin Luther King Jr put the finishing touches on his I Have A Dream speech. Doubles cost from $339.
Where next: Philadelphia’s cultural collection is superb too. The Constitution Center and Independence Hall tick the history boxes, while the Barnes Foundation and the Philadelphia Museum of Art feed the creative side.
Destination: Isla Mujeres
Go for: A mellower, island-style take on the Mexican resort scene.
Why? A short ferry ride from the far more intense and party-hard Cancun, Isla Mujeres still has enough of a taste of village life about it. It hasn’t completely succumbed to its mainland neighbor’s Margaritaville and Senor Frog takeover yet. Part of that shows in the somewhat ad-hoc tour industry. If you want to go snorkeling or out to see the friendly, neighborhood whale sharks, you can haggle with boatmen at the wharf to take you out.
Wildlife lovers will probably also enjoy the turtle farm, where turtle eggs are hatched and the littl’uns are reared to give them a fighting chance when they return to the sea.
Meanwhile the (admittedly meager) ruins at the Templo de Ixchel are at Mexico’s most easterly point, and make a good spot for watching the sun rise. And you can watch the sun set over the water from Playa Norte, which makes for a fabulously sheltered beach experience the rest of the day.
When: The humidity is lowest between December and April, although whale sharks are best seen in August and September.
Stay: Two bedroom condos at Nautibeach on Playa Norte cost from $160 a night.
Where next: The Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras have that balance of lazy Caribbean life, Latin American spirit and high-enough standard accommodation and activities.
This article was originally written for ASTAnetwork.
The post Best weekend break destinations for Americans appeared first on Grumpy Traveller.