Discussion: oooh oooh I know!

Come to the Sierra ski-o tour!

I hear West Haven is nice in February :P

More seriously, Death Valley + Las Vegas?

San Francisco!!!

Zan, that's a big contender right now! It'd be good to spend a couple of days city bound then head out to a somewhere outdoorsy - where's not under feet of snow at that time of year?

Feet - also a contender, though the Boston part of the family wants to go that way in June and hopefully take my Mum & Dad too.

I would vote for hiking at Arches and mountain biking in Moab but maybe February is not the best time of the year for that.

The problem is that anywhere at altitude is likely to be snowy, and then anywhere on the coast from central California north is quite likely wet. That leaves the southwest deserts and southern California, and even then only those places (essentially southern Arizona, Nevada and southern California) that are not that far above sea level and therefore not too cold. Death Valley, being below sea level, is perfect. Relief map of the western US.

Otherwise, there's a reason Americans go to Mexico, the Caribbean or Florida for spring break...

I've never done it, but I really really really want to, so I would suggest hiking and camping in Aravaipa Canyon. You can always combine with a trip to the Grand Canyon, which is lovely in winter.

We can deal with wet, coming from Scotland. We don't like camping, I did it too much as a kid. We also have no camping gear, so those options are limited!

Taos was nice in February! You had to go really high for proper snow but the lower hills were all walkable, and it was beautiful.

Keep on throwing those suggestions!

Yosemite and San Francisco! Then you get city and outdoors...

I've only been to San Diego twice and never in February, but I really enjoyed it both times. Great places to run and enjoy the outdoors, plus lots of fun museums, zoos and parks. And there shouldn't be snow at least!

Oh my word. How do you choose?! There are so many fantastic places to go to. I might have to write a few places on pieces of paper and get Rob to pick one.

If you're Boris, you don't choose; you go to all of them.

I went to san Diego in march and found it boring, too much like the Gold Coast in Australia. But I was giving a job talk...
Big Bend?

I can help eliminate places out west - do not go to Yuma.

If you choose Big Bend, you could do Austin (nice) - San Antonio (worth a day) - Big Bend (nice) or somesuch.

Big Sur along the coast of California, south of San Francisco is pretty awesome. Beautiful coastline. And as long as you're in SF you have a free place to stay :) There might even be some good music playing somewhere in the city or in Oakland. Pinnacles State Park is fun and warm, but not sure it is worth a trip across the country. Wine country if you go a little north of SF (sonoma). Big trees both north and south. Great trail running and road biking.

If you want snow, we can go to Tahoe where there is snow AND it's often in the high 20's or mid 30's and sunny in the winter. Yosemite is amazing, but will be also be chilly in the winter.

OR... if you opt for Moab and Arches there is a decent chance you could convince me to fly out and hang out with you there :)