So, originally I was planning on burning the last of my vacation on the week before Thanksgiving and the week before Christmas, and I was just going to visit the family. Unfortunately, my boss said we'd be too shorthanded on those weeks and asked me to reschedule to different days.

So, I have 11 days to kill between now & Christmas. OT: Plan my vacation!

Key requirements:
starting point: Dallas, TX
budget: about $1000
Blackout dates:
10/19 - 10/25
11/16 - 11/29
12/14 - 12/31

For inspiration, here are some ideas that have already been suggested to me:
1) Cruise: economical, but I've done a cruise before and didn't care for it.
2) "Stay"-cation: Actually a good idea. I've probably only done about 1% of the activities available here in DFW.
3) Road trip: Not a bad idea, but where to? Not much scenery for driving in the fall/winter. Plus, weather might suck and roads could be sketchy if I drive northward.

So, what else can you guys suggest?

GO!

 

Vegas and "entertainment?"

 

Vegas is fun for 3 or 4 days, but 11 days vacation (plus weekends) would be over 2 weeks. I think I'd get burned out.

Maybe a few days in Vegas then somewhere else nearby?

 

your budget is $1000 over the entire 11 days (+ weekends) of vacation? also, what do you like to do on vacation? siteseeing, gamble, party, beach, ?

 

if you havent ever driven through the ozark mountains in arkansas, you're missing out. nov. 7th is out boston mountain tour that we do twice a year. a full day of spirited driving through the best driving roads the southeast has to offer!

Link to main BMT thread!

This is a very well planned event, not just some hoodlums driving through the mountains. you should definetly plan on being there, ESPECIALLY since this is the last event the current organizers are gonna put this event on!

 

Pretty much. I don't have to vacation the whole 11 days. 4-7 would be fine, then I could blow the rest just doing stuff at home.

Not big on gambling, 'cuz I always lose. Definitely like the beach. Sightseeing is cool. Partying is meh... I'm old and get burned out after 1 or 2 nights.

 

Ask flojo if you can hang with him for a few days. Or go camping in a national park.

 

Hunting

 

how about a trip to somewhere like costa rica for 5 - 7 days? i've had a couple groups of friends that went recently. i think flights are reasonable, $200-300. accomodations can't be that expensive and there is a lot to do. zip lining, beaches, hiking, etc. everyone that's gone has said they had a great time.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Costa_rica

 

I've done three two-week roadtrips (two of them solo) and had a great time each trip.

One went:
Dallas -> Albuquerque -> Petrified Forest Nation Park / Painted Desert -> Meteor Crater -> Flagstaff / Sedona / Red Rock -> Grand Canyon -> Las Vegas -> Death Valley -> Yosemite -> San Francisco / Napa / Sonoma.

I was visiting friends in SF and just motored home in two days, but if you don't want to spend too much time there you can spend some extra time on the PCH, go to Monterey, Laguna Seca, Lake Tahoe, Kings Canyon / Sequoia National Parks, or whatever.