Q: We are looking for recommendations for a place to go for a long weekend in late July to mid-August. We are looking to spend around $1,000 to $1,500 for a relaxing good time with good food and some things to see. We loved going to Asheville, N. C., two years ago, which really fit the bill. Any thoughts?

A: So many options. Philadelphia is a wonderful city with so many great restaurants and museums (Check out the Barnes Foundation Museum). Richmond, Va., has also become quite a dining destination. If you’re into history, the Charlottesville, Va., area is home to three presidential mansions: Monticello (Thomas Jefferson), Ashlawn-Highland (James Monroe) and Montpelier (James Madison). Keswick Hall is a lovely resort there. Pittsburgh has had a renaissance in recent years. Many museums and restaurants are there now. Those are just a few suggestions.

Q: My brother, sister, sister-in- law and myself are going to my niece’s wedding in San Diego on May 14. I want to drive up the Pacific Coast Highway, but what other things should we do that are a must?We will get there early on a Wednesday and leave on a Sunday.

A: I drove from San Francisco to San Diego on the PCH a few years ago. It’s a beautiful drive. As for things to do in San Diego, you obviously have to go to the San Diego Zoo. It’s one of the best in the country. Along those lines, Sea World and the Wild Animal Park are great, too. For beaches, definitely drive to La Jolla. It’s a cute town and it has good shopping. Coronado is also beautiful. Old Town is great for Mexican restaurants. You have to check out Balboa Park. It’s the nation’s largest urban cultural park and has more than a dozen museums, performing arts venues and gardens (and it’s home to the zoo). Not sure if you’re doing the drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco, but if you do, some fun places to stop are Hearst Castle, Santa Barbara, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo (check out the Madonna Inn there), Big Sur, Morro Bay and Pebble Beach. And of course, there’s L. A. Have fun!

Q: Just booked a last-minute girls weekend to Boston. Given the time constraints (just in town Saturday and Sunday) and what looks to be really chilly weather, what should we not miss? Definitely pro art and history, but don’t want to spend all day in a museum. Any suggestions for some cheap meals?

A: My Boston friends have been raving about “The Donkey Show” and the other “Shakespeare exploded” things that the American Repertory Theatre is doing. “The Donkey Show” is the Midsummer Night’s Dream story retold in a disco, complete with ’70s hits and dancer/actors, and the audience gets right in the action, ordering drinks from the bar and even being on the dance floor, and the actors improv. Looks like a blast.

As for cheap eats, look for Orinoco in the South End, La Verdad in the Fenway, La Morra near Brookline Village. Those are some of my faves.

From the Washingtonpost.com Flight Crew chat by the Travel staff of The Washington Post.