New to Carcassonne - what expansion do you recommend next?

[LeeBee]

Bought my partner Carcassonne recently (with river expansion included).  We are really hooked and love the game.  Having now played it lots of times would like to get an expansion.  Was thinking of Rivers 2. Is this recommended or should we get another expansion? 

[Deatheux]

go in order of printing, the game was successfully realeased and well balanced at every realease(including some great news).

or the way you can find them out!!

enjoy!

[meepleater]

DEFINATELY inns and cathedrals...

also traders and builders, and abbey and mayor...

[chr15lynn]

DEFINATELY inns and cathedrals...

also traders and builders, and abbey and mayor...

I'd have to agree here....you need all of these!   
I basically jumped in with both feet and went out and bought them all in the same day (with no regrets) and these 3 expansions now make up part of my base set.
While you're at it, I'd get the River II as well   
I could go on....

[Skull One]

I have bought everything thats been printed by Rio Grande Games save for Ark of the Covenant, Big Box 1 and Catapult.  In fact my first order was for everything save New World, Cult Siege & Creativity, Big Box 2 and the Mini Expansion.  I was hooked after just one day of playing.

In order of my like to play with:
The Mini Expansion from Gaming Quarterly (easy to obtain now).
King & Scout
Trader & Builders
Inns & Cathedrals
Abbey & Mayor
River 2
The Count
Cult, Siege, & Creativity
The Tower
The Princess & the Dragon

The only reason the Tower and P&D are so low in the list is because no one but me seems to like the play mechanic it adds.  But the all love the tiles.  So when we play large games (200+ tiles) we throw out the tower pieces, the dragon and the fairy, but we generally use the magic portal and princess rules.

As far as the other Carcassonne stand alone games, they rank:
Castle
New World
City
Hunter & Gathers
Discovery

I really love Castle.  Sometimes more so than standard Carcassonne, because it is a 2 player only game and very easy to teach to new players.

[CKorfmann]

I agree, as for the official expansions, there really isn't a bad one (except Catapult in some peoples opinion).  My advice would actually be to buy the Big Box 2.  They advertise 5 expansions, but really, it's 4 large ones and 4 small ones and include the base set.  The smaller expansions are added together to count as one.  This would be the most cost effective way to get all of them.  Depending on where you live, you can get one in the $50-$60 range on the internet.  You will get the base set again, but this could be a good thing.  You could give your first set away to a friend to introduce the game to them, or use the tiles to make one of the many excellent fan-made expansions here.  That's my two cents... well, maybe four.   

[JaffaMan11]

Rivers 2 is good for the price. If you are going the slow route I would look at Traders Builders first, then Inns and Cathedrals, then Cult,Seige and Creativity, but the alternative of getting them in the order released is also a good approach.

[LeeBee]

thanks to all of you who took the time to reply to me.  All responses have been helpful.  Please keep them coming! 

[Novelty]

I like Traders and Builders, followed by Abbey and Mayors then Inns and Cathedral in that order.  I agree with CKorfmann though - get the Big Box 2, it'll save you quite a bit.