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CNN Live Today
Ideas For Quick Weekend Getaways
Aired July 29, 2002 - 11:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Time is running out now on your summer vacation. We know that. Need an idea for a quick weekend getaway, something that just a short trip away? Check these out. Take a look at five regional retreats from travel and leisure magazine. Bonnie Tsui is an associate editor with "Travel & Leisure," and she joins us now from New York.
How are you, Bonnie?
BONNIE TSUI, "TRAVEL & LEISURE": I'm fine, Leon, how are you?
HARRIS: I'm doing well. And I'm curious about this. I know the clock is ticking down at our house. We're down to about a week and a half before this vacation is over with, so let's get to it. You have got a number of suggestions for people and places they can actually drive to instead of having to go to the airport.
TSUI: Exactly.
HARRIS: And we are going to start and go take a tour of the country. Let's start in the Northeast right now?
TSUI: Well, the Adirondacks is, if you are looking -- we divided our long weekends up into different categories, and one of them was, back to nature. If you are looking for a natural getaway, the Adirondacks is a perfect place to go. It's six million acres of pristine wilderness, and you can go and hike, and there's also hundreds of lakes you can go fishing in -- and there's just so -- it's the prefect place to be if you want to escape the sort of day-to-day business.
And I know myself, I am going this weekend up to Lake George, which is about five hours north of New York City, and it's where I want to go when I want to forget about it all and be in a beautiful location.
HARRIS: What's the temperatures like up there this time of year?
TSUI: Even though it's almost a hundred degrees here today in New York, it's usually about 85. But it feels really cool up there, because you are by the water, and it is sort of sheltered in the wilderness, and so it's very cool and comfortable, compared to the humidity here. HARRIS: Let's move down the coast here. Let's go the Mid- Atlantic, and this one I've got to check out here. You are saying the doo-wop motels.
TSUI: Doo-wop motels. It sounds great, doesn't it?
HARRIS: Sounds like something guys like me would have done in college, I don't know.
TSUI: Well, the Jersey shore is known for this great strip of motels called doo-wop motels, and they're these fabulous vintage hotels, with things like lava lamps, and just like those fake fireplaces. If you love that kitschy (ph) style, it's a great place to go and just tour. It's near Atlantic City. It's really easy to get to.
HARRIS: Expensive?
TSUI: Not at all. You can stay at a place like the Starlet's Hotel, and they're at motel prices, you know, like $100 a night. So it's a good bargain if you're looking for that kind of getaway.
HARRIS: I would never be able to tell my father I went to the doo-wop motel.
All let's see, how about let's go down to the Southeast right now. Shopping? Now, this one sounds like something a certain lady sitting next to me would love to do.
TSUI: Shopping in Miami. You know, South Beach has great style and going to Miami, the design district. Miami's design district has all these 18 square blocks of great shops, and if you're looking for something, you know, to perk up your home, this is the place to go. There are cheap flights to Florida right now of course. And if you to designmiami.com, you can get a sort of guide of where to go.
HARRIS: You say Mandarin Oriental -- What is that?
TSUI: The Mandarin Oriental Hotel is a great hotel. It's just south of the downtown area, and as you see, these lovely people having a great time in the club there.
It's just near the downtown area, and Mandarin Oriental has sort of a great style, influenced by the tropics, and it's a good place to go to reflect some Miami night life.
HARRIS: But at $395 a night, that's not the doo-wop there.
TSUI: Those are for your big spenders there.
HARRIS: Let's move up to the Midwest now. Cultural Chicago.
TSUI: Cultural Chicago. Chicago of course is always known for its restaurants, and also has great theater and jazz, and a music scene. So theater, you know, everything, lots of show start out in Chicago, and then come to Broadway, like Metamorphosis' great show, the one example of that. And in terms of jazz, Jazz Showcase is one of the oldest clubs in the world, jazz clubs in the world, and you can stay at W Hotel, which overlooks Lake Michigan, get a great view, and it's just steps away from the theater district.
HARRIS: That is a great little set up they got down there. And the lake really is in Chicago, believe it or not. It is beautiful.
TSUI: Shocking, I know.
HARRIS: Finally, let's wrap things up with the West Coast here -- Sonoma.
TSUI: Sonoma is another one of my favorite places. This is a place,we sort of categorized it under indulgent, relaxing weekend. Sonomoa of course has great food and great wine, and also spas. So if you are going, just to sort of pamper yourself, this is the place to go.
HARRIS: Now it sounds expensive, though, Bonnie.
TSUI: Well, you could go on a vineyard tour for free. There are so many vineyards, you can just take a wine-tasting tour and it doesn't cost you anything. And that's like, you know, it sort of puts you in the mood just to enjoy the beautiful weather, doesn't it?
HARRIS: If you hit a enough of those little free wine tours, you won't remember how much you've...
(CROSSTALK)
TSUI: Exactly.
HARRIS: that's the whole idea. Bonnie, Tsui, thank you very much. Appreciate it. Have a good rest of the summer yourself, all right.
TSUI: You too.
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