I am looking to take the wife to a B&B or cabin for her birthday weekend in early January. Unfortunately she does not ski or snowboard so ski resort areas are out because that's to much temptation for me. I don't mind driving up to 5-6 hours away. small dog friendly would be a plus but not a deal breaker. Utah permit friendly state would be a plus also. No cities we are not city people. $200-300 a night budget. I am open to any suggestions or recommendations. Thanks   

cooperstown....

Ikea and Dunkin Donuts if you're on a budget.

 

Otherwise I recommend Raymour and Flanigan and the Monte Cristo from your local diner.

I usually visit Lancaster, Pa area

Cape May. Their holiday house tours (November through New Years?) is great. The restaurants are excellent. Go to the C-View in for a neighborhood tavern feel. Have some drinks from Dan the bartender and have a pulled pork sandwich.

Second Cape May, but not sure what, if anything, goes on there in January.

Lambertville......small town with great restaurants and bars on the Delaware River. Some interesting shopping and sights and good little B&B's.

Hardly any bandB's are animal friendly, and if they are they have their own animals and they're very used to being spoiled.

 

5-6 hours gives you LOTS or options:

 

Annapolis, MD

Lewes, DE

Cape May, NJ

Baltimore, MD

Groton, CT

Georgetown, DC

Lancaster, PA

 

I realize some of the above are "cities", but there are quiet sections of "cities" that offer superb bandb accommodations, great restaurants and plowed streets for getting-around during a snow storm.

 

Another really CRAZY idea is going to a BandB in Mount Joy, PA, and send the wife off for a Saturday morning massage while you go hunting a 290 pound Hog on a 150 acre island in the middle of the Susquehanna River in Bainbridge, PA!  Go get your Hog, have them store it at the farm it was raised on, and pick it up Sunday prior to the ride home.  Oh, and stop on Sunday for a wine tasting at the Winery across the street from the farm where the hog is at!  Guided Hunt is $375.  NO license needed.  Hand guns, rifles or shotguns allowed.  Also Bow!  Find another couple that wants to go like I did so the girls have someone to go with.  And you have a hunting partner!  Take everyone out for a marvelous dinner at a 3 or 4 star restaurant less than a mile from the BandB in Mount Joy.  Yes I did this last January.  Yes I can give particulars and recommend restaurants with a phone call.  

 

Dave

January Adventurer

Gettysburg is a neat little town with lots of historic sites.

 

We spent a weekend there a few years ago.

Newport, RI is pretty cool, but I think some of the big mansions are closed in the winter.   I know you had ruled out ski towns, but Lake Placid, NY may have enough to keep a non-skier interested.    Or look for something next to a Cabelas...

Wedgewood o n new hope is where i stayed for cyndys bday. Was pretty nice not to expensive and i think they allowed pets

Second Cape May, but not sure what, if anything, goes on there in January.

http://www.capemaymac.org/

Newport, RI is pretty cool, but I think some of the big mansions are closed in the winter.

If the weather is good, it's a great place.  If it's bad, there are better choices.  You can't beat the fresh seafood.  It's also a good place to do day trips from as Providence, Cape Cod and Boston are all rather close.

Thanks guys! Allot of good suggestions already. I guess I have some research to do now LOL 

I know it's well outside of how far you said you're willing to drive, but my parents are in Gatlinburg, TN this week celebrating their 30th anniversary and say it's fantastic. Minutes from Great Smoky National Park. They got a very sizable cabin for like $200/night through VRBO.com.

Thanks luke but we were just in the Smokey mountains in September. Its a great area though with very affordable accommodations. we got a 3 bedroom cabin overlooking a lake near franklin NC for $150 a night! 

Finger Lakes area . Belhurst Castle. Incredibly romantic , awesome rooms and food. They have wine spigots in the walls. For free

Then you can go wine tasting in the area. Their fall is earlier so the leaves may have changed already  , but is a really nice area . Did I mention romantic? If you do go there , stay in the castle and get the room with the Widow's Watch tower over the lake.

http://www.belhurst.com/

 

Best room is the Tower Suite. It is in your budget for January
http://www.belhurst.com/accommodations/chambers-belhurst-castle

+1 Finger Lakes, although early January may not be as enjoyable as Fall

 

Likewise, Hudson Valley / West Point area.  

 

5-6 hours can probably put you into Quebec.  Sugar shack experience, maple taffy on snow and all that good stuff...

Ikea and Dunkin Donuts if you're on a budget.

 

Otherwise I recommend Raymour and Flanigan and the Monte Cristo from your local diner.

Epic!

 

The last drive able weekend away we did was to Stowe, Vermont, we stayed at the Von trap family lodge, which while not a b&b, the wife loved. I'm sure you could find a b&b in the area, but we had a really good time up there. Think it was about 5 hours

Nobody has mentioned Williamsburg, VA???

 

 

This signature is AWESOME!!!

+1 For Williamsburg, VA

Also Chincoteague, VA

 

Hudson Valley is very nice, but I wouldn't go unless the mansions were open (Montgomery Place, Wilderstein, Olana, Vanderbilt, Mills mansion, etc)

 

Probably outside the price but Mohonk Mountain House is a great place with excellent hiking.

Head to the Hamptons. Fall is still in full swinmg and no waiting on lines and shopping

In January, you should head to the southern destinations everything else being equal.  I can't tell you how many times I've had travel in Jan/Feb and been thwarted by weather for a day or two.

Thanks everyone for their input. I booked a cabin in Shenandoah national park. However my wife fell in love with Irishpetesboss suggestion of Belhurst castle but the tower room was not available and she only wanted to stay in the tower room. So she has no idea that I booked the room for a few nights for our anniversary!   

Oh wow how cool!!!! She is going to love it. Let us know how it goes..well , as much as you can in a forum

Newport RI is nice too.

 

Edit:  I see you picked a location.  Enjoy it down there.  I did a week trip to a cabin about 5yrs ago it was great, really good fishing on the river too.

I'm surprised nobody's said Vermont yet...

NH is close to this place too.

 

http://www.rabbithillinn.com/

 

This one's closer to more things

http://www.swifthouseinn.com/

No ski towns krdshrk it's too tempting for me because I snowboard and my wife does not

Well - Vermont's got a lot of great shopping and outlets close by but yeah, Middlebury would be too tempting