Which path to take?

[Fermion]

Not about big life choices or finances, but literally, which way should we go from the Minneapolis area?

I was thinking the great lakes, but with the summer heat and bugs, sailing them right now just sounds like work.

Maine would be nice, but hell of a drive from here. The coast of Virginia might be doable in a week of driving as it is about 1300 miles from here. Hurricane season though...

Indiana or Illinois? Anything interesting to do there for a week or two in the summer?

We have to visit the parents in south Georgia sometime this fall but going to south Georgia in the summer is a death sentence when you have spent the past 20 years in Seattle. It is nice there in November though.

What is west Virginia or Kentucky like in late August or early September?

I need a dartboard.

[Bigdawg]

Head east over to Door County WI or the Apostle Islands are nice in Northern WI. About 3.5 hour drive from the twin cities.

[Fermion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigdawg Head east over to Door County WI or the Apostle Islands are nice in Northern WI. About 3.5 hour drive from the twin cities.

Ok, thanks, I am looking at Door County on your advice now (the finger going into Lake Michigan). It does look enticing. I would want a harbor for the sailboat with a campground near.

[MichaelB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fermion Not about big life choices or finances, but literally, which way should we go from the Minneapolis area?

Go west, young man.

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Indiana or Illinois? Anything interesting to do there for a week or two in the summer?

Yes.

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What is west Virginia or Kentucky like in late August or early September?

Nice

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I need a dartboard.

Does this help?.
.

[Fermion]

I just came from the west

In hindsight, the ideal place to spend the summer would have been the coast of Washington State, but we have been there so many times. I am missing Ocean Shores right now.

[Big_Hitter]

hey I have a covered wagon lol

my friends from houston just visited pdx and astoria - they thought they'd died and gone to heaven - I told them to visit again in 6 months

[Bamaman]

I suggest going to a more moderate climate than Minneapolis where it's not so cold and the cost of living is more reasonable--The South.

Great Lakes Summer has heat and bugs.
Coastal Maine is very nice, but inland Maine's not at all the place to be.
Inland Virginia would be preferable to Coastal Virginia. I like Smith Mtn Lakes east of Roanoke.
I lived in Indiana and worked in Illinois when in my 20's, and there's few lakes or recreation there. Just corn and beans as far as the eye can see. Boring.
If you have relatives in South Georgia, have you considered the North Georgia Mountains? We keep a RV there, and temperatures are 10 degrees less than the rest of the South. It's also incredibly beautiful and society's normal.
We live in NW Alabama on the incredible Tennessee River where real estate and taxation's incredibly cheap.
Other great places to live are East Tennessee, Western North Carolina and Northwest South Carolina--all in the mountains with lakes and vistas galore.

[COcheesehead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fermion Ok, thanks, I am looking at Door County on your advice now (the finger going into Lake Michigan). It does look enticing. I would want a harbor for the sailboat with a campground near.

Used to go there a bunch. Try Peninsula State Park, Nicolet Bay for camping and docking. Fish Creek, NewPort State Park may also be options. Rowley's Bay too. They call it the Cape Cod of the Midwest. Great in Summer.

[euro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fermion Not about big life choices or finances, but literally, which way should we go from the Minneapolis area? I was thinking the great lakes, but with the summer heat and bugs, sailing them right now just sounds like work. Maine would be nice, but hell of a drive from here. The coast of Virginia might be doable in a week of driving as it is about 1300 miles from here. Hurricane season though... Indiana or Illinois? Anything interesting to do there for a week or two in the summer? We have to visit the parents in south Georgia sometime this fall but going to south Georgia in the summer is a death sentence when you have spent the past 20 years in Seattle. It is nice there in November though. What is west Virginia or Kentucky like in late August or early September? I need a dartboard.

Your main problem is that you already ARE in the best place to be in Summer!!! Anything you do is a step down, in my opinion (biased as it may be from spending most of the 80-ies in your neck of the woods). That said, have you considered visiting Glacier NP?

[HFWR]

Indiana tourist bureau here... 😬

There are caves, waterfalls, covered bridges, etc., and the southern part of the state is hilly and wooded, with some decent scenic drives.

Also auto museums (many early auto manufacturers were in Indiana).

It's not shangri-la, by any stretch...

[Sunset]

Go North to Canada, you dollar will go far with their exchange rate $0.75 = 1.00 CDN dollar
There is no snow there in Summer (until you go really far North)

[Fermion]

We decided on Lake Winnebago. Weather will be getting nice starting tomorrow 78 high with winds 11mph = sailing!

[manerac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by euro Your main problem is that you already ARE in the best place to be in Summer!!!

Is that you, mayor (Betsy) Hodges?

I second the "go west" approach. Just returned from 10 days in the Boulder CO area. We enjoyed bike rides with temps in the 90's, unlike MPLS where the humidity is stifling. Or drive into the Rockies if you need to cool off.

John