what to do with 7 to 10 days - think outside of the box ;0
1. drive south to the desert with bike and camping gear
2. go explore places in the area you have always wanted to go to but never had the time
3. do something no one ever thought you would do - learn a new skill, paint something crazy
When I lived on the East coast and all my family was in the west I used to spend holidays by the ocean because it was totally different than family tradition.

Good luck and look forward to hearing what new things you discover!