Vacation destinations for great weather (70's, not humid) during summer months?

[ivinsfan]

True enough. Not too bad with my massive collection of frequent flyer points that would make flights free. Amortized over 6-8 weeks during the summer the ticket cost (in points) wouldn't be horrible value.

But the long flights are the main thing keeping me from visiting Australia.

You'd be surprised by how many points that would reduce your massive collection of FF miles..Also I think in Australia you might need to rent a car. That can really run up the cost of a long trip.

 

[mystang52]

How about an Alaskan cruise?

 

[Alan]

You'd be surprised by how many points that would reduce your massive collection of FF miles..Also I think in Australia you might need to rent a car. That can really run up the cost of a long trip.

I would definitely recommend hiring a car. We've stayed in Sidney, Hobart and Melbourne for weeks at a time with no car as the public transport is great but up in Queensland you'll need a car.

The first time we went, from Baton Rouge, we used FF miles for the 4 of us, and yes it is a long way.

Great people there, very welcoming plus they love Americans.

 

[golftrek]

Feugo, why don't you try the beautiful mountains of you own state of North Carolina? I summer in Linville, NC, about 30 minutes south of Boone at the base of Grandfather Mountain at about 4000 foot elevation. Today is around 75 degrees, low humidity, nice breeze. It rarely gets to 80 degrees here and usually the humidity is low. Last summer I never had to turn on the air conditioner.

Tons of stuff to do, including things for your children. Linville is right off the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is hiking, fishing, kayaking and tubing, golfing, great places to eat and shop. If you like Blue Grass music look up Altapass Orchard on the Blue Ridge Parkway where there is music almost every day and tons of mountain dancing (clogging and flat footing--kids love it), especially on the weekends.

Let me know if you would like more info.

Jo Ann

 

[Bamaman]

Feugo, why don't you try the beautiful mountains of you own state of North Carolina? I summer in Linville, NC, about 30 minutes south of Boone at the base of Grandfather Mountain at about 4000 foot elevation. Today is around 75 degrees, low humidity, nice breeze. It rarely gets to 80 degrees here and usually the humidity is low. Last summer I never had to turn on the air conditioner.

My sister has a house at Elk River, a golf/equestrian community in Banner-Elk, NC. The wives and families move there for the summer, and the fathers fly into the neighborhood 4200' landing strip in their King Airs for the weekends. The golf course is by Jack Nicklas, and it's nothing short of fabulous.

The whole Boone-Banner/Elk area has condos and rental houses galore. And it is cooler there than lower elevations in the Deep South.

What my sister likes is the people in the mountains--that live there year round. It's like going back in time 60 years in some places. There's white water rafting and great trout fishing too.

 

[FUEGO]

Feugo, why don't you try the beautiful mountains of you own state of North Carolina? I summer in Linville, NC, about 30 minutes south of Boone at the base of Grandfather Mountain at about 4000 foot elevation. Today is around 75 degrees, low humidity, nice breeze. It rarely gets to 80 degrees here and usually the humidity is low. Last summer I never had to turn on the air conditioner.

Tons of stuff to do, including things for your children. Linville is right off the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is hiking, fishing, kayaking and tubing, golfing, great places to eat and shop. If you like Blue Grass music look up Altapass Orchard on the Blue Ridge Parkway where there is music almost every day and tons of mountain dancing (clogging and flat footing--kids love it), especially on the weekends.

I spent a lot of time up there as a kid (all extended family from western NC - Rutherford and Cleveland counties). Linville falls and gorge hiking and camping. Blue Ridge Parkway.

It's definitely nice up there but can get warm from my memories. Today was a beautiful day in Raleigh so no surprise it's nice up there too! 84 degrees and dew points in the 40's = very low humidity.

 

[audreyh1]

Feugo, why don't you try the beautiful mountains of you own state of North Carolina? I summer in Linville, NC, about 30 minutes south of Boone at the base of Grandfather Mountain at about 4000 foot elevation. Today is around 75 degrees, low humidity, nice breeze. It rarely gets to 80 degrees here and usually the humidity is low. Last summer I never had to turn on the air conditioner.

Tons of stuff to do, including things for your children. Linville is right off the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is hiking, fishing, kayaking and tubing, golfing, great places to eat and shop. If you like Blue Grass music look up Altapass Orchard on the Blue Ridge Parkway where there is music almost every day and tons of mountain dancing (clogging and flat footing--kids love it), especially on the weekends.

Let me know if you would like more info.

Jo Ann

This is true! The Blue Ride Mountains of North Georgia are quite comfortable in high summer. As are locations near the Smokies.

 

[MuirWannabe]

I'd recommend Traverse City, MI, and any of the U.P. .. Mackinaw Island (an island which doesn't allow vehicles on it so bicycles and horses only), Pictured Rocks National Park near Munising, MI... due to the mineral deposits, the shoreline is breathtaking, the color of the water ..you'd assume you were in the Caribbean. Waterfalls, Lighthouses, tons of craft beer, liquor, fresh fruit stands on the super cheap, hiking, kayaking, boating, sandy beaches, fishing, camping.. theres also the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes which is really rather impressive.

+1
Took a long vacation in this area of the UP a couple years ago. Knew nothing of it prior but we had a blast. The climate was awesome! Especially compared to summer back home in Texas. Loved Pictured Rocks. Went all the way up the Keeweenaw Peninsula. Really pretty area with seemingly lots to do.

Muir


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[golftrek]

Feugo, you need to give the North Carolina mountains another try. If you get to the higher altitudes (around 4000 feet, much higher than Rutherford) the weather will be just want you want. In Linville where I am it rarely gets to 80 degrees. Last Saturday when Raleigh was 98 degrees, it was around 80 here in the day and much cooler (low 60s) at night and no humidity. I never use my air conditioner. The Linville area is less than a 4 hour drive from Raleigh and VRBO ad Air BnB have plenty of rentals. Look at Beech Mountain Ski Resort that has a lot of summer activities.. It is a high altitude and will feel like heaven to you temperature wise.

I agree with Bamaman about how nice the people are in the North Carolina mountains. Elk River is a bit above my price grade but is a great place. I have a place in Linville Land Harbor (check out their website). In Linville Land Harbor you can buy a nice little cabin or cottage for less than $100,000 or get a nightly rental of a nice 2 or 3 bedroom house on VRBO for less than $150 per night. I am in my motorhome and Linville Land Harbor on a very nice RV lot.

Put your family in the car and drive on up for a few days, you will love it. Let me know if you are coming and I will take you dancing.

Jo Ann

 

[Rosie]

I'll bet Vancouver Island BC is nice, and I hope to go there sometime.

I was there last week (mostly Victoria & the Saanich Peninsula area) and it was *gorgeous*. Clear and sunny and warm (low-mid 80's some days) but not humid. The locals said we were in a heat wave but it wasn't hot to me, back home it was in the 100's.

I'm currently in the nearby San Juan islands in WA state and it's also nice -- cooler weather has moved into the region, mid-high 60's or low 70's for the most part, and some days are cloudy with a bit of rain, but it's still mighty nice.

Here's a picture I took yesterday from the southernmost point in Lopez Island in the San Juans.

 

[FUEGO]

Feugo, you need to give the North Carolina mountains another try. If you get to the higher altitudes (around 4000 feet, much higher than Rutherford) the weather will be just want you want. In Linville where I am it rarely gets to 80 degrees. Last Saturday when Raleigh was 98 degrees, it was around 80 here in the day and much cooler (low 60s) at night and no humidity. I never use my air conditioner. The Linville area is less than a 4 hour drive from Raleigh and VRBO ad Air BnB have plenty of rentals. Look at Beech Mountain Ski Resort that has a lot of summer activities.. It is a high altitude and will feel like heaven to you temperature wise.

I agree with Bamaman about how nice the people are in the North Carolina mountains. Elk River is a bit above my price grade but is a great place. I have a place in Linville Land Harbor (check out their website). In Linville Land Harbor you can buy a nice little cabin or cottage for less than $100,000 or get a nightly rental of a nice 2 or 3 bedroom house on VRBO for less than $150 per night. I am in my motorhome and Linville Land Harbor on a very nice RV lot.

Put your family in the car and drive on up for a few days, you will love it. Let me know if you are coming and I will take you dancing.

I must be mis-remembering all my Linville living back in the day. Seemed more like a rain forest at times with the humidity. I can still remember sweating my way up the mountain trails to overlooks at Linville Falls, cursing my parents the whole way.

It is way nicer than Raleigh in the summer of course.

We're doing a big road trip this summer and plan on spending a couple of nights in Cleveland/Rutherford counties on the way west to TN and KY. Might stop in Asheville for a minute on the long drive to Nashville.

 

[golftrek]

Feugo, you must be misremembering Linville Falls. I hike them all the time (gorgeous) and never feel hot or sweaty.

The key to cool weather in the North Carolina mountains is finding high elevation, around 4000 feet or more. Lower elevations get too hot and humid. Rutherford County is at less than 1000 feet elevation and will be hot. Asheville is higher, around 3000 but still can get hot. Where I am in Linville is around 4000 feet, nice and cool. Sugar Mountain, near me is 4500 feet, that would be really nice for you and there is a lot for kids to do there.

Have a good trip this Summer. Try to make time for the high elevation part of the NC mountains some time this summer. Do you camp? Nice camping on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Linville Falls and Price Lake.

Jo Ann

 

[FUEGO]

Feugo, you must be misremembering Linville Falls. I hike them all the time (gorgeous) and never feel hot or sweaty.

I must be misremembering those beads of sweat.

Taking a look at the forecast for tomorrow for Linville - high of 81 degrees and 76% humidity. Dew point of 73 and heat index of 86 degrees. Seems muggy to me (though about 15 degrees cooler than Raleigh tomorrow with triple digit heat index).

 

[Big_Hitter]

Dew point of 73

wow sounds like Houston

+1 for the PNW, you need to check out the Olympic peninsula if you've never been there

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

In Germany, and my kids last school day is tomorrow. Jackets in the kids every day. No houses here have a/c because you may only need it for a week or so. I'm still in shock how inexpensive it is to travel once you are in Europe. Bought plane tix for the family of 5 to Barcelona for €200 round trip last month. Dublin was the same price, so we're going there in October.

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[golftrek]

I must be misremembering those beads of sweat.

Taking a look at the forecast for tomorrow for Linville - high of 81 degrees and 76% humidity. Dew point of 73 and heat index of 86 degrees. Seems muggy to me (though about 15 degrees cooler than Raleigh tomorrow with triple digit heat index).

Yikes! A heat wave in Linville NC tomorrow, fortunately it will be windy 10 to 15 mph so maybe not so bad. If it gets as high as forecasted I will go a few miles up to Sugar or Grandfather Mountains which are forecasted in the mid 70s.

FUEGO I get the feeling you don't like the North Carolina mountains so I will leave you alone, personally I love it here.

A couple of places I have visited during the Summer months that were cold--New Zealand South Island, Iceland, the northern part of Scotland (rains a lot though).

Good luck

Jo Ann

 

[Bamaman]

I talked to my sister in Banner-Elk this a.m. She was elated to get out of the 98 degrees (tomorrow) expected in Memphis.

She was telling me how she likes to get up close and personal with all the little mountain ladies. One asked her "Where you from?" and my sister said Memphis. The lady thought for a minute and said "I went to Nashville once to the Grand Ole Opry." That had been the highlight of her life.

Old time hillbillies are still up there in Western NC, Southwestern Virginia, and East Tennessee. They're quite pleasant and quick to tell a tale and laugh.

We hang out in a large RV resort in the North GA mountains--90 minutes from downtown Atlanta.

 

[FUEGO]

Yikes! A heat wave in Linville NC tomorrow, fortunately it will be windy 10 to 15 mph so maybe not so bad. If it gets as high as forecasted I will go a few miles up to Sugar or Grandfather Mountains which are forecasted in the mid 70s.

FUEGO I get the feeling you don't like the North Carolina mountains so I will leave you alone, personally I love it here.

A couple of places I have visited during the Summer months that were cold--New Zealand South Island, Iceland, the northern part of Scotland (rains a lot though).

I like the mountains, and admit I don't take advantage of visiting them as much as I could. I just don't remember them being particularly cool and dry in the summer. But thanks for reminding me that it's an option, since I kind of overlooked that in my overview of potential summer vacation spots.

I also think we would like somewhere more novel since I've spent a lot of time in the mountains growing up.

But I'll check to see if I can find a nice mid-week last minute rental somewhere up that way and maybe get away for a few days.

Old time hillbillies are still up there in Western NC, Southwestern Virginia, and East Tennessee. They're quite pleasant and quick to tell a tale and laugh.

That's my kinfolk you're talking about so much less of a novelty for me.

 

[FUEGO]

In Germany, and my kids last school day is tomorrow. Jackets in the kids every day. No houses here have a/c because you may only need it for a week or so. I'm still in shock how inexpensive it is to travel once you are in Europe. Bought plane tix for the family of 5 to Barcelona for €200 round trip last month. Dublin was the same price, so we're going there in October.

Spending a lot of time in Germany is a distinct possibility in summer 2017 at least in part because of the weather. It doesn't seem crazy expensive for Europe like London/Paris/Switzerland. Many cost comparisons show German cities similar to a mid-range COL US city like Raleigh (where I live).

 

[anethum]

I'm seeking out vacation destinations for the summer time. Places where it's usually mild - in the 70's during the day without a lot of humidity. We are in North Carolina and it gets oppressively hot and humid for much of the summer (July and August are the worst!).

Have you considered Colombia? Much of Colombia is at high altitude. The temperature doesn't vary much year-round, though some times of year are rainier than others. Bogota is quite high and the temperature rarely gets above 70. Medellin is a bit lower and has perfect temperatures year-round. I was in the country in January last year, visiting Bogota and some national parks and colonial towns north of there. The scenery is stunning. Most of the country is pretty safe now. Colombians have a reputation for being very friendly.

It has been very inexpensive to fly to Colombia from the East Coast of North America lately, and we're in the same time zone so there's no jet lag. Costs were very inexpensive.

 

[FUEGO]

Have you considered Colombia? Much of Colombia is at high altitude. The temperature doesn't vary much year-round, though some times of year are rainier than others. Bogota is quite high and the temperature rarely gets above 70. Medellin is a bit lower and has perfect temperatures year-round. I was in the country in January last year, visiting Bogota and some national parks and colonial towns north of there. The scenery is stunning. Most of the country is pretty safe now. Colombians have a reputation for being very friendly.

It has been very inexpensive to fly to Colombia from the East Coast of North America lately, and we're in the same time zone so there's no jet lag. Costs were very inexpensive.

Thanks for the tip. I've considered the middle latitudes of South America at higher altitudes (Ecuador, Peru, maybe Chile). Seems like a nice climate in many spots (moderate temp, dry). I'll have to look into Colombia more.

 

[OneDay]

San Diego is really nice this time of year, so I hear, I have some friends who just returned. Low to mid 70's with a nice breeze pretty much all the time and no rain, sounds perfect.

 

[MRG]

yes!

Met my DH in Maine. We spent several weeks there in the summers for years, staying at in-law's cottage. very low humidity. It is imperative to pack warm clothes (unless you want to shop thrift stores after you arrive) because the nights, and some of the days, can be quite cool in July.

....miss those trips/miss that weather

Maine coast my DW and I discovered in '76. Great time, 19 years old and away from anyone. Had zero for credit cards and made it home to PA with change in our pockets. Our last night we spent $3.00 for a room on the beach. Glad we were newlyweds.

We're visiting Pagosa Springs, Colorado this week. Dry and cool evenings(50's) with some heat(low 90's) in the days. I'm really liking the area.

 

[Bamaman]

Maine coast my DW and I discovered in '76. Great time, 19 years old and away from anyone. Had zero for credit cards and made it home to PA with change in our pockets. Our last night we spent $3.00 for a room on the beach. Glad we were newlyweds.

After visiting Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island, we found what we were looking for along the Maine coastline--reasonable prices and lobster shacks. We didn't care for $12.99 Canadian beer (6 pk.) and 15% sales taxes.

We found Camden, Maine to have incredible waterfront and the most beautiful bed and breakfasts we've ever seen. There were a bunch of huge 2 masted sailboats and schooners in the bay there. And we're wanting to go back there to spend more time--in Summer.

 

[nwsteve]

You'd be surprised by how many points that would reduce your massive collection of FF miles..Also I think in Australia you might need to rent a car. That can really run up the cost of a long trip.

We were in Australia, with 10 days on Tasmania--very mild in Feb. Car rental was under US 250 for the 10 days. You have to shop it but got good rates from Auto Europe. We had great FE rates with Aussi $ quite weak--even now .75 US to 1 Aussi$. I have seen fare promos for RT from LA to Sydney for about a 1000 for economy. Check out Air NZ as well. We used and got the best deal on Premium Econ of the alternatives.
Nwsteve