DH surprise 30th birthday! IDEAS?????

[julluvsdisney]

So DH will be 30 next year and I want to book a surprise trip! I would like to go somewhere for about 5 days that doesnt cost too much! Heres the catch! He doesnt have a passport! Where can I bring him that will be fun for 5 days that wont cost me an arm and a leg. This is a surprise so I want to pay it off little by little so he has no idea! Any ideas? Or anyway I can get him to get a passport without him being tipped off? Oh yea and disney is off the table! Disney is my love not his ( I Know sad isnt it????? Who couldnt be madly in love with WDW???). Where to go???? TIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Malibustyle23]

Not that I really have an ideas (I rarely leave MD) but perhaps if you add the month of travel and preferred climate perhaps it'd be easier for others to give you ideas you'd like.

 

[stsomewhere]

LAs Vegas

He need to go in person to apply for his passport. You will not be able to get one for him

 

[Bren's Mom]

Off the top of my head I'd say Vegas too. Took dh for his first trip for his 40th bday, we had LOTS of fun!!! (And it can be very 'budget' if you're not big gamblers.)

But it would be helpful to know what month you want to travel, and whether you want a warm climate only or are open to cold weather options as well.

 

[antmaril]

I agree with the others - Las Vegas is the perfect place to celebrate a 30th birthday.

 

[java]

Another Vegas vote here. Dh is dying to go there again. *He's past 30 though

 

[HeatherC]

Vegas would be great...or if you guys like the ocean, how about the Florida Keys. Check out Cheeca Lodge and Hawks Cay resort. They are more central keys, but you could always visit Key West if you stayed there.

Tons of other places too. Not sure where your located, but:

New York
Chicago
Washington DC
Hilton Head Island, SC
California Wine Country
Santa Fe, New Mexico

I could go on and on.....

Have fun planning!!

 

[julluvsdisney]

vegas seems to be a fave! lol! we are from boston and itll be mid april so after a long winter I think the warmer the better! I was dead set on vegas to start with but we are not gamblers at all and we only drink a little. Im not against vegas at all I would love to go again (I went with my family when I was 17) but I want to make sure when I get there its not gonna be crazy money to do stuff. I know currently you are able to go on a cruise to certain areas without a passaport and canada, mexico and bermuda. According to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative these places would only require a drivers license. So what to do what to do????

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Vegas would be great...or if you guys like the ocean, how about the Florida Keys. Check out Cheeca Lodge and Hawks Cay resort. They are more central keys, but you could always visit Key West if you stayed there.

Tons of other places too. Not sure where your located, but:

New York
Chicago
Washington DC
Hilton Head Island, SC
California Wine Country
Santa Fe, New Mexico

I could go on and on.....

Have fun planning!!

I was already thinking the Keys...You can find some really nice bed and breakfasts there that are nice and relaxing!

 

[Bren's Mom]

vegas seems to be a fave! lol! we are from boston and itll be mid april so after a long winter I think the warmer the better! I was dead set on vegas to start with but we are not gamblers at all and we only drink a little. Im not against vegas at all I would love to go again (I went with my family when I was 17) but I want to make sure when I get there its not gonna be crazy money to do stuff. I know currently you are able to go on a cruise to certain areas without a passaport and canada, mexico and bermuda. According to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative these places would only require a drivers license. So what to do what to do????

A cruise is a great idea. Yes, there are some exceptions to having a passport. There is a mid April cruise on Norwegian, 7 nights, to Bermuda out of Boston. I'm seeing a price of $599 per person for an outside stateroom. That's a great price. Just remember that if you were to become ill you'd have a hard time flying back into the US without passports. I'm thinking Bermuda is pretty low risk, but not sure I'd travel to some other countries without a passport...required or not. Just something to think about.

Vegas is a great low cost place to go! If you want to learn any of the table games, almost all of the casinos offer classes in different games in the mornings 9-12noon. Classes are free. And they open a couple of very low cost tables afterward to practice. (Like $2 buy-ins rather than $25.) There are also lots of free things to take in; Sirens at TI, Fremont St experience.

These sites have whole lists of them:

http://www.vegasfreebie.com/
http://www.vegas4locals.com/free.html

There are many, many shows...alot of them very inexpensive. And you can often get BOGO free ticket offers by picking up the casino coupon books (they give them to you when you sign up for the free gaming card, no reason not to sign up!). And there is a half price ticket place that has last minute seats to many of the 'big' shows for way less than the regular price.

Hotels can usually be found very inexpensively. My dh says he wants to stay at Hooters next time I take him for his b-day...LOL. So I looked up the new Hooters Casino Hotel and for mid-April I see $49 per night. Keep in mind that if you book directly with the hotel (rather than a package) and you do decide to do some gambling you can also see if you can get comped some meals and/or part of your hotel stay.

There are also lots of inexpensive places to eat. And lots of 'hidden' deals.

Here's a list of some of the 'deals':

http://www.vegas.com/restaurant/specials.html

 

[julluvsdisney]

I think I want to go to the bahamas!!!!! Anyone have any good pointers on a cruise or vacation to the bahamas? Which is better cruise vs island stay? Which island is best? TIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Andreas Mom]

Well my hubby is a HUGE denver broncos fan so for his 30th I suprised him with tickets to a game in denver....we live in washington

So he got the tickets as his gift then we planned the getaway together. His bday is in May and the game was in September.

Left the kiddos with grandma and went to denver just the two of us for 4 days

It was fun cause i had the whole party denver bronco themed with football balloons, napkins, etc and then the tickets were his last gift.

i got the wife of the year award with that one

 

[cathy0124]

Puerto Rico! No passport required and it's a Caribbean island.
We just got back from a Christmas/New Years trip - 85 degrees and sunny every day - gorgeous!

Lots to do - Old Fort (El Morro) in San Juan, lots of nice restaurants and shopping in old san juan, Casinos on the island, Bacardi factory with free tours and free drinks Museums in Ponce, the only tropical rain forest in the Nat'l Parks System (El Yeunque), the Bioluminescent Bays, the islands of Veques and Cayagua, the largest Radio Astronomy dish where they filmed the movie Contact is in Pr. Plus since it's a US commonwealth,most everyone is fluent in english, you drive on the right side of the road, road signs are all in english and it's very easy to get around on the new Toll Roads. Fabulous foods: fresh seafood, excellent road side food stands and the fresh fruits are delicious: pinapples, mangos, breadfruit, avacados, plantains etc.

This was the view from my patio every morning
Old San Juan
Punta Tuna Lighthouse



Cathy

 

[Donnainnj]

I was also thinking Puerto Rico, or St. Thomas if you don't want to go the cruise route.
Donna

 

[julluvsdisney]

was it reasonably priced? I dont mind spending money just not break the bank. I want to go for about 4 or 5 days and spend about 2000. any all inclusive deals?

 

[3 Little Princesses]

For my husband's 30th I surprised him with a trip to St. Augustine for 5 days. It was beautiful! We also left the kids with grandmom. There are a lot of things to do and you can stay on the beach.