We’ve talked before about the importance of going on a “road trip” with someone you’ve met recently and think you might really like.
I’m on record as seeing this as a valid test of compatibility.
But lately, I’ve begun to think that perhaps a friggin’ long flight might be just as good an environment for seeing how well you two really get along as a weekend’s worth of “windshield time”.
Maybe.
If you can combine the two, even better.
With that in mind, here’s my top ten list of the most killer trips on Earth to take with a woman. They’re in no particular order because it’s too tough to decide which is the best. Besides, it depends on the mood you’re in and what time of year it is, right?
- Arizona
- Italy
- California Wine Country
- Paris
- Buenos Aires
- New York
- Hawaii
- Rio De Janeiro
- London
- Seattle
Catch a plane to Phoenix, rent a car and drive up to Sedona and on to the Grand Canyon. From there, hit Holbrook where you’ll find old Route 66 stuff, the Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert. Then, roll the dice and drive on out to Monument Valley–it’s worth it. Then, high-tail it back through the forests of mid-Arizona and spend the last day or so hanging out in Scottsdale before flying home.
Fly to Rome and take it all in. Get a railpass and take the three-hour train to Florence. From there, take the half-hour ride over to Pisa and walk the city. Then, go to Venice for a day or two. Drink the wine, feel the passion, have dinner off the beaten track, take pictures with the owner of the restaurant, and then go back and do the wild thing on the roof of the hotel. Wake up the next day and do it all over again.
Fly to LA. Have lunch on Venice Beach. Rent a car and drive up through San Luis Obispo county hitting as many wineries’ “tasting rooms” as you can handle. Sober up. Hit the 101 and drive Big Sur until you get to San Francisco. Enjoy. Reverse.
You’ll think I’m nuts, but go in the wintertime. Enjoy all the sights, go to the top of the Tour Eiffel, walk the Champs De Elysee have a late lunch at a bistro and then do it all over again…at night. Walk everywhere, like you also should have in Rome. Kiss constantly. Then, eat dinner at midnight–after all, you’re on vacation. Grab a train (not literally) and go to Nice or Monaco for a day or two.
The flight is long, the steaks are ridiculous, the tango makes you horny and everything is dirt cheap. Take the “Buquebus” across the “river” to Uruguay (of all places) and disappear for the afternoon…you’ll thank me for it. Go in April or May when it’s beginning to be Autumn there. Drink the Malbec, eat some Locro and wash it all down with bottle of Quilmes. You will not want to leave.
The Big Apple will make or break your relationship. Either you’ll get frustrated by everything and end up in a huge argument, or you’ll never stop laughing. It’ll be one or the other. But if you’re both laid back, it’ll be the latter. Just bring lots of ca$h. Go to the top of the Empire State, each lunch at the Deli, and see a show or two. Whatever you do, don’t rent a car.
Go straight to Maui. Rent a used Suzuki with no roof, turn off your cell phone, lose your watch and have someone wake you up from this dream a few hours before your flight home. Buy a logo hat from the ABC store and wear it around when you get home, just because it looks hilariously generic and nobody knows what it is…unless they’ve been to Hawaii.
OK, granted…she’d better not be the “jealous” type since the women in Brasil are amazing. Nonetheless, the vibe of this amazingly beautiful place is so flat-out fun that anyone who can fog a mirror should have a great time. Hang out in Copacabana and Ipanema, on the beach by day and enjoying the amazingly social atmosphere all through the night. Take the cable car up the Loaf and go make out in the rain forest when you get there. Spend at least one evening drinking caiparinhas with the locals beachside.
See all the sites, have afternoon tea. Enjoy the simple fact that you flew this far and are in a completely different country, yet everyone still speaks the language–sort of. If you’ve never gone clubbing before, go clubbing in London–even if it’s just at the Empire or the Hippodrome. Take the tube and ride the Millennium Wheel. Go to the Tower Of London and thoroughly enjoy all the opportunities for completely politically incorrect banter that exist there. When you’re done with all of that, take the train to Edinburgh, stay at a bed & breakfast and enjoy. Do this in the summer so there will still be daylight at midnight. It’s cool.
Have a “Starbucks Date” at the original Starbucks, take pictures and laugh about it. Go to the market. Take the ferry, make out, and look forward to the return trip. Drink more coffee by day and have a great beer or four by night. Rent a car and drive to Mt. Rainier or Vancouver…or both. Take a jacket. Enjoy the scenery.
Remember, your mileage may vary…literally. Absent from my list, notably, are Australia and the entire Pacific Rim. I just ran out of room.
Remember, I’ve also left off “resort” areas where you fly in and stay in one place for a while also (e.g Vegas, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, etc.) because that would obviate the point.
I’ve also spared you any place with potential political unrest or any other ridiculous travel hassles.
Nonetheless, I’m sure some of you have ideas of your own…
Be Good,
Scot McKay
Wow! Any man that wants to take me to those places scores highly for me. Then it’ll just depend on whether we actually can communicate with one another and stand each other for the trip.
Sounds like something out of lonely planet travel guide. Interesting stuff, but I think people should try to do more eye opening travel instead of going purely for the sight seeing and cool atmosphere.
What about travelling to the Middle East? Africa? Eastern Europe? India?
John Smith’s last blog post: Merger between the silicon and carbon
@Claudia: That’s the whole point.
@John: No argument regarding eye opening travel. I personally love it. But remember the entire point of this post–getting some travel time with a woman you like.
I’m already on record as saying that a ten-day drive around Mexico is too much strain on any relationship. Doing a “fly and drive” in the Middle East might even eclipse that for all I know…
Regarding Eastern Europe, I will say that I’ve heard Dubrovnik is a phenomenal place to to with MOTOS, but I’m not up to speed with it enough to have included it here.