Traveling Outside the US

My boyfriend and I want to travel outside the US for vacation this summer. Neither of us have ever been anywhere but the US and Canada, and are getting passports as we speak. We'll probably be going over July 4 weekend, maybe 4 days/3 nights, or 5 days/4 nights. We don't want to go anyplace VERY expensive, or that will be TOO hard to get around (language barriers, transportation, etc) with it being our first time out of the country. We eventually want to see it all (ha!) but want to start off slow. I was thinking some place like Brazil... Anyone have any suggestions? Thank you!!

How about somewhere a little closer to home such as Cuba or Mexico?  The language barrier wouldn't be too terrible, problems with transportation are to be relished as subject-matter to pass on to the grand-kids ("so we were on this bus in the Yucatan peninsular when the woman with the donkey got a chicken out of her handbag..... "), and you won't be sitting on a plane for hours and hours eating into your 4 day stay.

Um...a little hard for Americans to visit Cuba (just hard, not impossible)... :D

Yeah, I had considered Mexico, too, but my boyfriend said he's heard about a lot going on with abductions lately. But I'm sure it just depends on where you go. The Yucatan Peninsula would probably be ok.

south america is a long way to go for four days.  and i wouldn't go near mexico right now.  do you watch the news?

belize is nice (and english is the official language).  but really, for a trip that short, it's hardly worth the line at customs. 

i mean, i guess if you just want to tell your friends you left the country, you can just take the cheapest flight south, spend a couple of days on the beach, and go home.  but if i had four days for a vacation, i'd want to make the most of them.

As I understand it, Iceland is really cheap right now and is turning into a pretty popular destination for short trips.

Original Post by jpeterson_8:

Yeah, I had considered Mexico, too, but my boyfriend said he's heard about a lot going on with abductions lately. But I'm sure it just depends on where you go. The Yucatan Peninsula would probably be ok.

 You might want to think twice about that, there was an "incident" at the Cancun airport recently.  I love Mexico and travel there almost anually, but even I'll be skipping my visit this year. 

How about Bermuda?

How about the UN?  That's not U.S. soil.

just don't go to Mexico!!!

My parents recently went to Costa Rica and loved it.  A lot of people at work also recommended it.  It isn't too expensive, lots of culture and apparently not too crowded with other tourists.

And now I'm off to read about what is going on in Mexico (yes, I live under a rock).

I went to Costa Rica (La Cruz, and then Arenal area) last year, and really enjoyed it.  It's a quick trip, the people are very friendly, and they really do speak English in most of the touristy spots.  I don't speak Spanish fluently, and even I did just fine in the small country town we stayed at.

I don't recommend Brazil for a first time traveler.  I'm planning a trip there myself.  The airfare is very expensive, and it requires visas and immunizations (a pain in the ass for a short trip and a new traveler).

Are you looking for a cultural experience, or just to get out and about?

Original Post by jpeterson_8:

Yeah, I had considered Mexico, too, but my boyfriend said he's heard about a lot going on with abductions lately. But I'm sure it just depends on where you go. The Yucatan Peninsula would probably be ok.

Please note that the abductions are in very specific areas and the travel warnings I receive have NOT included the more popular tourist cities such as Cabo (where I am), Puerto Vallarta, and Cancún. The border towns such as Tijuana and Rosarito are a whole other story.

I've been fortunate enough have travelled to: Ireland, England, Scotland, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Monaco, The Vatican, Kenya, Tanzania, Antarctica, The Falkland Islands, Chile, Argentina, Japan, China, New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, The Bahamas, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. John, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Virgin Gorda, Tortola, Puerto Rico, and Costa Rica all by the age of 20.

Given that background, I'll tell you that there is no where in the world (that I've seen) which is more beautiful AND enjoyable to visit as Ireland. France comes close but doesn't quite catch it. Given that you have at most 5 days to travel however, neither of those places is your best bet. I'd reccomend somewhere either in the Carribean (Puerto Rico can be done for very little) or Mexico. If you want something that will feel less "touristy", I've heard very good things about Quebec.

Let us know where you choose!

Eric

Thanks everybody for your posts! I agree - 5 days isn't a lot of time to do a whole lot. South America or Mexico sounds like it might be more what we want for a short/cheap trip. Then we can save more money and vacation days for an extended trip next year!

My boyfriend and I went to Peru a few months ago, and we absolutely loved it. I highly recommend it. You can go to the desert coast, highlands (Andes), and rainforest all in a few days and not even have to leave the country. If you do go, try to get to Machu Picchu, it is absolutely breathtaking. And hike up to Wayna Piccu while you're there. It is really a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Four days might not be long enough. I was there for eleven and would have loved to stay eleven more. Cusco is also a must, and it is near a few other Inca sites, so you won't have to pay for further travel to get there (you can just walk...not to mention Cusco is an Inca site itself). Lima didn't thrill me all that much, so if you're short on time, I'd skip it. It is purely a colonial city, so no Inca sites there.

Good luck trying to decide, and have a wonderful trip wherever you go!

Might I recommend Jamaica?  =)  My fiance and I will be going there for our Honeymoon... the flight down there is pretty quick, and for seven days, the entire trip is costing us $3,011 INCLUDING air fare.  We're going to an all-inclusive resort called Couples Negril, and EVERYTHING is included... scuba diving, snorkeling, catamaran cruises, cliff diving, and so much more!  I hear the food is EXQUISITE and absolutely to-die-for.  You can just relax on the beach and stick a red flag in the sand, and someone will come up and ask what you'd like to drink.  =)  Just lock your wallets and passports in the safe once you get there... no paying for anything and no tipping.  I hear the culture down there, even at the resorts, is just fantastic.

Good luck planning your trip!

i second quebec - montreal is awesome and feels very different..

Honduras....but given your non experience background i d be careful with down south. speak any languages other than american? south mexico should be fine to go to.

update: i just realized that me saying 'american' might be offensice and i totally dont mean it that way

I second Iceland, if you live on the east coast or near it. It's not expensive right now and it's perfect for a four-five day trip.

Of course Quebec is great too (I live in Montreal) and early July is high season here - festivals everywhere, etc. Try to come for June 24th if you want a real party... Quebec City is also BEAUTIFUL and very European.

Wait a sec....

What is going on with Mexico?  Hubby and I went for our anniversary and are planning on going back this year.  What did I miss?

Peaches- There's a lot of kidnapping, murders, etc going on right now. It's all over the news.

OP: If you only have a few days, I'm going to second everyone else with Montreal, Iceland or a Caribbean Island since those are close. Going to S.America, your flight is going to be pretty long and most of your time will be wasted flying.

What I, personally, would do is just take a small trip, like to Montreal, and then save for a longer, better vacation next summer and then go to S.America or SE Asia.