Title says it all...

Looking to plan a trip for my wife's 40th. She wants to be active (hiking, etc), good spa and good dinners. Late September-early November travel.

Any ideas are appreciated! Thanks

Banff, assuming you go early enough that the weather is still good. Tons of fantastic hiking, and Johnston Canyon is absolutely beautiful. I think the food is great (cheese fondue and afternoon tea at either of the Fairmont properties is amazing). And the spa at the Fairmont Banff Springs is one of the best I've ever been to. There are also hot springs in the area where you can go soak.

You can also probably time it to see the trees changing color.

I feel like I recommend this destination anytime someone comes here asking for a suggestion. Buy it really is one of my favorite places to visit. I even love the wintertime. We've gone snowshoeing, done ice hikes, and gone snow tubing. Summer is an entirely different experience. I have similar interests as your wife, and this trip really hits every one of them.

The exchange rate is about 75 cents for every Canadian dollar, so it can be affordable too. Direct flights to Calgary from IAH, and the drive up to Banff is super easy.

I've gone to Sedona, too. It's beautiful, but I'd absolutely choose Banff if asked.

sek92 said:

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Maybe sedona. I don't have ideas for dining but there are a few threads on it.

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My gut reacts AZ. So many good restaurants and hotel/spas.

If you want woo-woo spa, we got you here in Oregon. Our spas aren't fine, but they are natural and on the slide of cliffs. You can find them around wine country with plenty of waterfall hikes and solid food (Okta McMinville, Local Oceans on the coast, Le Pigeon, etc.). My daughter and I send the wife to Knott Sprints here in PDX a few times a year and she loves it.

Hiking galore. Trail of Ten Waterfalls. The Gorge. Old growth on the coast (Ecola State, Oswald). St. Helens. Mt. Hood.

This was a fun one we did in the Gorge: https://thesocietyhotel.com/bingen/spa-bathhouse/ . Add on Hood River and the Gorge/Walla Walla wine valley!

Patagonia!

Yeah Scottsdale/Sedona os perfect for this stuff.

I'm going to disagree here with the food in Banff. We thought it was severely lacking. Not bad, but nothing notable at all. Everything else ticks all the boxes.

For the OP I will suggest Carmel/Pebble Beach area, or New England Coast. Both have hiking, spa, good food.
If you want more mountains for hiking Sedona, or even Aspen/Breckenridge can be romantic.

I knew there was a poster who had commented about that before, but I couldn't remember who it was.

The food I enjoy most in Banff are things that I literally have not found as good anywhere else (at least not in North America). I love cheese fondue, and both Fairmont properties knock it out of the park. And the afternoon tea service at Lake Louise is top-notch. But you have to really be into those things. We also really like that Chinese restaurant at the top of the hill and found a good Greek/Mediterranean place in town the last time we went.

There are at least several great places around Banff & Lake Louise to eat if you know where to go. Some really good lodges with great meals…certainly for breakfast and dinner.

Bishop's Lodge in Santa Fe

https://aubergeresorts.com/bishopslodge

Absolutely wouldn't do Banff in Late September to November. There's a FAT chance of snow. If I was going Banff, it'd be before the color change. Anything after and it's kinda like Vail, you may catch the back end of a 12 in h drop that makes everything nice and muddy.

And for what it's worth, I'd do Telluride at that time of year WAY before Banff/Lake Louise.

Just a little info you didn't ask for: before they removed LL from the Women's FIS Downhill, it was usually run the last couple of weeks in November/Early December. So yeah, anything after middle September is probs not the best time for hiking. Plus, you'll be in shoulder season which makes things a little more dicey.

St George UT

That time of year is perfect for the coast in the south. Charleston, New Orleans, Key West. You could even put the Caribbean in play. Grand Cayman, Mexico, Belize, etc. The mountains are a crap shoot that time of year. Maybe great, maybe mud and ice.

Id probs avoid anything on the Gulf coast or Caribe at that point in time, too. That's PRIME hurricane season and this year is supposed to be super active in the Atlantic.

September in Switzerland

Highly agree that Banff in fall isn't good. It's actually spectacular. Have you ever heard of a larch? It's a delicate pine-species whose needles turn a brilliant gold in the fall. If you can time a trip at peak color, you'll keep that mental image with you for the rest of your life.

Now a caution, people up here love their larches. Crowds on the best trails can get out of control. I haven't been back to Banff since they implemented the shuttle system in the Lake Louise area, so maybe that's helping keep the crowds thin, but I'm sure it also makes logistics a challenge.

Yeah true, If it isn't snowed under or if you time it before the first snow fall drops all the leaves. We've been to Banff several times in October and live in CO. It's the same thing there as here: Once the first snow sits on the trees, they drop a majority of the leaves and that's that for the leaf peeping. So yeah, time it right and it's spectacular. Time it off a day or two the wrong way and you're in a bare leafed mud pit during shoulder season.

I live in WA, so we road trip up there 1-2 times a year. As such, we can usually time it pretty well. I hear ya that planning a longer trip in has some more time risk, but I think if you target late Sept to early Oct you'll be in the clear 9 times out of 10. Even a little dusting of snow isn't going to ruin it. If anything, it makes it pop even more!

Nice! I'll be up in Mount Vernon in September. Such a gorgeous area.

Park City is awesome in the fall. Plenty of outdoor activities and many options for nice restaurants.

AggieinWA said:

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Highly agree that Banff in fall isn't good. It's actually spectacular. Have you ever heard of a larch? It's a delicate pine-species whose needles turn a brilliant gold in the fall. If you can time a trip at peak color, you'll keep that mental image with you for the rest of your life.

Now a caution, people up here love their larches. Crowds on the best trails can get out of control. I haven't been back to Banff since they implemented the shuttle system in the Lake Louise area, so maybe that's helping keep the crowds thin, but I'm sure it also makes logistics a challenge.

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That's a pretty narrow window to hit this far out.

Source: we hunt larch madness every year Colchuck, Enchantments, N. Cascade (Maple, etc). We've seen them start in September and throughout October, but varies and only for a few weeks. Wind or snow storm can also cut the show short.

https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/homestead-virginia?utm_source=gmblisting&utm_medium=organic

Amangiri
Little Nell in Aspen
Sedona is a good rec too

Ten Thousand Waves in Santa Fe.
Checks all the boxes.

JustPanda said:

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Id probs avoid anything on the Gulf coast or Caribe at that point in time, too. That's PRIME hurricane season and this year is supposed to be super active in the Atlantic.

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It's also still muggy AF in October. January to March is the best time to be on the Gulf. Oysters to crawfish.


And every year is supposed to be have a super active hurricane season. That's all click bait.

Lots of good suggestions here. I'd throw the Palm Springs area into the mix. Spa/hiking/foodie (golf/tennis) is pretty much what it exists for!

La Niña = Bad Atlantic Hurricane season. It's not click bait. Look at the historical numbers.

jimbo9821 said:

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Title says it all...

Looking to plan a trip for my wife's 40th. She wants to be active (hiking, etc), good spa and good dinners. Late September-early November travel.

Any ideas are appreciated! Thanks

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Since you didn't mention a budget, I'll give you a few:

Italy is great in Sept/Oct time frame. The Cinque Terre regino is great, you can hike the trail thru the vineyards from any of the towns. We started in Vernazza, finished at the last town, ferried back to home base. Easy train ride to Florence if you want more places to visit & walk. It's Italy, can't beat the food.

We did Belize for the 1st half of our 30th anniversary celebration, stayed in NAIA resort, awesome. Placencia area, but inland places have hiking, rafting, etc. We did the all inclusive at NAIA, great food every nite. Great excursion offerings as well.

Costa Rica has some great places as well. We had a family vacation there (6) & did the 1st half in Arenal area(volcano region) & 2nd half on beach(Tamarindo).

Amelia Island FL has a 5* Ritz, great food, plenty of walking space, great spa.

Happy 40th to your wife & enjoy wherever you go!