Best US Vacation Spots for Couples on Our Bucket List

I don’t know about you, but the Fergusons are more than ready to put on our traveling shoes.  We have been grounded for far too long.  Our goal is to get back to traveling once a quarter like we used to do years ago.  Sometimes that 3 or 4 night getaway is all you need to feel refreshed and reinvigorated.  Our cats are also more forgiving if we aren’t gone for too many nights in a row.

I have been doing some research and putting together a little bucket list of sorts for vacation spots here in the United States that we have never gone or maybe we haven’t visited at the right time of year.  Since we live in the metro Atlanta area there are lots of great places that are within driving distance.  The other option is that flying is very easy in and out of Atlanta.

We have always preferred to travel during “shoulder” season, just before an area becomes crowded.  Everyone laughs that we plan our trips to the Florida or South Carolina beaches before Memorial Day and after Labor Day.  When you live a childfree lifestyle it makes it easy to travel when destinations aren’t in high demand.  You can read more about our choice of a childfree lifestyle here.

I thought I would break our little travel bucket list into regions.  Some of these will be easy weekend getaways and some we may need a little more time just because of travel time.

Southeast Vacation Spots

Charleston, South Carolina

Good food, sunshine, amazing shopping, and some great ghost tours.  The things that come to mind when I think of this beautiful southern city.  A great place for a long weekend any time of year.  However, my favorite is in the month of October.  It is one of the most haunted cities in the U.S. after all.

Savannah, Georgia

This is an easy weekend or long weekend getaway for us.  It has been several years since we have been there so it’s time for a refresh.  We love to do lots of walking when we are away and this is a great city to do it in.  Spring/early summer or fall are great times to go so that the temperatures and humidity levels make it so that you want to stay outside all day.  So whether you want to sit by the water and enjoy the sunshine or stroll around the town and take in all of the history, it’s a great place to visit.

Northeast Destinations

Washington DC 

Most people don’t think of the nation’s capital as a great place for vacation, but why not.  There are so many things to do in this city inside or outdoors.  Between all of the national monuments and the variety of museums you could spend much more that a long weekend in this city.  The other thing in this city that has long been on my bucket list is to see a show at the Kennedy Center.  You see it on television for the awards show and just know that seeing a performance of any sort there is a “must do”.

Traveling here in the spring for the Cherry Blossoms would just be the icing on the cake for a great stay.  I am sure that all of the pictures one sees just doesn’t do them justice in real life.

Martha’s Vineyard

We have made a few long weekend trips to Boston and every time we say that we should have extended the stay and gone to Martha’s Vineyard.  This destination has been on my list for quite some time so I think it’s finally time to combine the two one early fall.  Just the fact that you can only get there by ferry or by air says  one needs to experience it.

The picture perfect beaches and quaint architecture of Martha’s Vineyard just make you want to take that big breath in and you just know you are going to be relaxed when you sigh it out.  Yes, the idea of  no highways, no traffic lights and lots of nature paths and bike trails is the ideal way to unplug for a few days.  It is a seasonal spot and I think that going just as fall arrives before everything gets shuttered for the season would be an ideal time to visit.

Midwest Vacation Spots

Cleveland, Ohio

Ok, this city has been on our destination list for some time.  Why?  The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  When I did a little digging into what we could do there, I came up with several other things.  The city is also know for it’s art museum and symphony.   So you can also get in a little culture while there.

The other thing is that it is on Lake Erie so there are all sorts of great walking paths and a city beach.  The Cleveland Cultural Gardens are are a part of the 254 acre Rockefeller Park.  There are many different gardens within the Cultural Gardens that represent different cultures from around the world.

This sounds like a good long weekend of lots of walking and diverse culture to me.

Cincinnati, Ohio

We made a quick trip up to Cincinnati in January 2021  for a business meeting for my husband.  That weekend we said that this was a place to come back to when we could actually be outside and enjoy the downtown area.  It was really cold that January weekend.

We stayed downtown at the Lytle Park Hotel on our first visit to the city.  It was the perfect location to enjoy all of the riverfront activities.  Whether you like professional sports, exploring historic neighborhoods, or tasting locally brewed beers there is something for everyone in this great downtown area.  Plus the architecture is also an added bonus.  We could have walked for miles if the weather had permitted.  Don’t forget you have to have some of the Skyline Chili that has been in Cincinnati since the 1940s.

Commonality for All Destinations

All of these vacation spots have one thing in common.  Lots and lots of walking.  When we are planning a  short getaway that is one of our main objectives.  Spend time outside enjoying the sites and walking.  Not that we don’t love a good trolly or open bus tour, but not having to get in and out of a car is one of our biggest delights when we travel.  Takes so much potential bickering about directions out of the equation.  Remember when we had to look at maps and try to read them in the car.  Just sayin’…..

If you are looking for a reason to book a short getaway, this article will give you even more reasons that you need to put your thinking cap on for some good vacation spots and just make some plans.  A little time away from your normal routine can do so much good.

THANKS

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this.  Please let me know what some of your favorite long weekend getaway destinations are.  Our bucket list is open to all suggestions.  We just like the flight to be 2 hours or less.  I  also don’t like more than 1 hour of time zone change from EST.

Remember to have a little SASs in your day.

Hugs,