Your favorite places to visit?

[True Dough]

Was just reading Kairos12's Zion National Park thread and it made me think of the other most fulfilling destinations I have had the pleasure of experiencing.

Bryce Canyon, not far from Zion, was a place I will never forget.

Muir Woods outside of San Fran. I wouldn't mind having my ashes spread there.

Standing atop Montserrat in Spain. Loved that hour or so that I just gazed at the countryside in all directions.


I'm not a beach guy, so no sandy destinations in my top 3.

[Ohiya]

1. Toronto

[JDC]

2. Tough, but

Sedona, AZ (grew up is AZ and I used to go regularly)

Muir Woods is also on my list - Love Marin in general

Banff is pretty stellar.

I’ve never been to Europe, but we just got the kids passports, so next year my list may change.

[applegrove]

24. I had a summer job in a teahouse looking down the mountain to Lake Louise.

I was scared of heights so went to the town of Banff on my days off instead of hiking. I could kick myself now.

[Nac Mac Feegle]

3. North Rim, Grand Canyon

If you get away from the lights, you can look up at might and see why it's called the Milky Way. And that's just a bonus.

My close second is Phantom Ranch. Walk along the Kaibab a little, and the peace is just amazing.

After that; Jenny Lake, Yellowstone.

[dhol82]

4. Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica

That was my top experience. Just incredibly awesome. Icebergs and Seeing the penguin colonies on South Georgia Island and in the Falklands! Still think of the trip and get thrilled!
Mongolia - second best. Thousand mile view of mountains and plains.
I’ll go with the ‘Stans for third place. Fascinating to see the change from Asian faces to more Caucasian as one travelled west.

[True Dough]

9. You're an "off the beaten path" type of traveller

Those certainly aren't tourist meccas, which is often a good thing because there's plenty of beauty that the masses haven't discovered.

Curious whether you visited many of the better-known spots around the world prior to venturing off to those more unusual places.

[dhol82]

40. I have been to around 64 countries. Guess I should really do a proper count.

All over Europe, parts of Africa and 39 of the 50 states (with national parks). Canada and Mexico.
Just got back from a cool visit to western China and northern Pakistan.
I like off the beaten track traveling. Wasn’t able to do much until after my husband died - he did not do exotic well.

[Adsos Letter]

5. We have a friend we visit in Martigny, Switzerland.

Love it there.

North side of Chicago.

Hendy Woods in NorCal (agree with you about Muir Woods, although parking can be a bear during tourist season)

The town of Mendocino, on the north coast.

Charleston, SC

Anza-Borrego Desert

[True Dough]

10. Switzerland

Austria and Germany will likely form the basis of our next European vacation, preferably much of it by train. I want to absorb the Alps.

[fierywoman]

34. Martigny:

In 1971 I was (a 20-year old) at an international festival of youth orchestras in Lausanne, Switzerland. One day the adult staff/musicians were doing a "run-out" to play in a church in Martigny that was along side an apricot orchard. The church was VERY modern: concrete. But it was an exquisite space. I'm not religious, but I was so impressed that the alter area had nothing whatsoever except a table and behind it was a floor to ceiling plate glass window looking out onto the beautiful fields and mountains.
The farmer from next door brought over a big basket of ripe apricots and said if you want more, just pick them.
The "grownups" played Ravel's Introduction and Allegro.
w.

I've NEVER forgotten that evening so long ago in Martigny!

[mainstreetonce]

6. Banff

Lake Louise

Victoria,BC

[Kleveland]

7. A world without *Rump and his base.

Surely, there must be some harmonious sphere of existence somewhere beyond this shithole.

[JohnnyLib2]

8. Dingle peninsula, Ireland

Incredible beauty

[Awsi Dooger]

11. Wherever the Olympics are underway

Nothing else would be a close second. Those 16 days overwhelm anything else I've ever experienced. You don't even have to attend an event, although I always fill the plate. Just meeting so many people from around the globe and watching them rejoice during the Games is incredibly rewarding.

Otherwise, I would name St. Andrews, Scotland. Obviously the golf course is the centerpiece but the town is great also.

BTW, I have been to every site named in the OP. All terrific. I visited Montserrat in summer 1992 while spending a full month in Spain courtesy of the Barcelona Olympics.

Muir Woods did produce one poor experience when I visited as USC student during our Bay Area Weekender. I have motion sickness and didn't fare too well in the front passenger seat as my friend zipped through Muir Woods like he was trying to break the land speed record. Fortunately I had been there previously so I knew to blame the driver and not the site.

[Achilleaze]

12. Gary, Indiana

Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana

[LeftInTX]

19. You know that even Gary is trying to woo Amazon!!

NYC lit the Empire State Building orange
Tucson sent them a giant cactus
Gary put a huge ad in a newspaper

[True Dough]

23. What's the attraction in Gary?

Do tell!

[Staph]

32. Gary Conservatory of Music

Gold Medal class of '05.





Sorry, I had a sudden Music Man flashback!

[Achilleaze]

39. The musical answer to your question:

[Hayduke Bomgarte]

13. Colorado's

Black Canyon would be at the top of the list.

[MLAA]

14. View of Paris from Sacre Coeur, view of Sabine Canyon from the tram ride (Tucson)

[lunasun]

15. Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania, Monteverde, Costa Rica, north shore MN, Sierra Nevada Mtns., CA

Everglades, Jungles of southern Mexico, Lingyin, in Hangzhou just realized too many good ones for a few favorites
Plenty of local spots here in Chicago and Illinois I visit over and over but remain favorite places still
I'm the opposite of you and I love a warm beach and favorite beaches? - that's a separate list
I hope when I get older I will be able to travel more and add new favorites
I always go on the cheap such as camping in the crater and other places, but the experience, it feels like a million bucks !

[WinkyDink]

16. Do you mean "places you ever visitED"? Because that's not the same for me as currently.

[True Dough]

20. I'll take past, present or future

Even getaways you hope to make one day.

[flotsam]

17. Town Dock, Lake Winnipesaukee, Wolfeboro New Hampshire

https://www.google.com/search?q=Town+dock+wolfeboro+nh+photos&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS719US719&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjK8da83IrXAhVEYyYKHS5KCh8QsAQIJw&biw=1236&bih=636

Simple and nearby, it's the place were my heart is at ease...

[True Dough]

22. Splended fall colors,

judging by the photos. I have not yet seen that location with my naked eye.

[flotsam]

25. If you're a small town fan it's quite a place

the biggest controversy in the last decade was when they let a Dunkin Donuts open in town. Summers over 20K people and winters about 5K. Three seasons I love and even snow looks OK if you put enough mountains under it...And for a wild night life there is a McDonald's only 15 miles away!

[Glorfindel]

18. London, England, United Kingdom, and Grand Tetons National Park, USA

N/T

[Zorro]

21. Mexico City

Best vacation I ever had was the 2 weeks I spent there. Yes it has a lot of problems, but historically it is a fascinating place.

There are mansions near the Zocalo that were in existence when the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock. Remnants of Aztec temples are being unearthed in the downtown.

The citadel of Chapultepec is fascinating to visit, and the archeological museum is superlative.

The canals of Xochimilco are within its boundary, and it's a short ride away from Teotihuacan. Also close to the silver mining towns of Taxco and Guanajuato, and historic Cuernavaca and Toluca.

It is an extraordinary city with an extraordinary history.

[applegrove]

26. Montreal. Banff. Nova Scotia. Paris. Some day I'd like to go on an anthropological tour

of East and southern Africa. I doubt I'll ever be well enough to go but I can dream can't I. Gatineau Hills in fall (That I will do tomorrow). Some day Hawaii if I ever lose enough weight to hike. Loved driving through Cambridge, Mass.

[lunasun]

36. I was able to go to the oldavi gorge and Leakey museum in Ngorongoro which I mentioned above

On the edge of the crater with paleoanthropological research and artifacts from the gorge and other sites . Some think Lucy is there but she is in Ethiopia, but they have a big exhibit at Oldavi for Australopithecus afarensis and early life in the gorge area and also info about her discovery in Ethiopia and about the laeotoli footprints south of the gorge
Most of the people at the museum are Masai
I met people from 3 or 4 different groups / tribes while in east Africa . All interesting people /fascinating cultures , but they don't necessarily get along with each other . I personally witnessed some tribal pettiness between two , then one telling me about the long standing dislike between the two tribes. Also between the different white settlers there .

Like you, I also have Hawaii in mind as some place I'd like to hike and explore. Pictures of it are so alluring . Maybe some day....

My cousin was in the Philippines and hiked some lush lagoon and mountain areas similar to Hawaii but that was a while ago.
I wouldn't go anywhere near there now with Duerte leading the country

So many mention Banff, now I'm curious about what's there ...
Armchair travel works too!

[applegrove]

38. The most beautiful mountains and rivers. And it is far enough north

that there are glaciers all year which mean stone gets ground the consistency of flours and flows down into lakes where the particles suspend in the lake water creating those turquoise blue lakes that are pastel opague from any distance. I have not been back in 25 years but parks Canada does a good job of limiting development and such. I hear the trail up to the tea house is packed. That would be a drawback... But it is beautiful. Lots of trails. Great skiing if you do that. I once skied down a hill that had hosted the woman's downhill world cup a week before. It was so steep I could not ski parts of it and had to slide down on my butt. Don't know how those women did it going straight down. Crazy really.

Africa does sound lovely and I would so like to spend money on the local tourist industry and learn about the many cultures too. There is an outfit that takes archaic history tourists probably from Kenya down to south Africa with stops at important anthropological sites and lectures from an intellectual at each place. So i have that in mind.

[msdogi]

27. Favorites

Yosemite, Banff, Victoria, Manhattan, Barecelona, Avignon, Tivoli
And we are always glad to be home in Sonoma Valley, especially now

[Lifelong Protester]

28. Lake Pepin!

Love the Hudson River, too, and the BWCA. Quebec City! The Gaspe Peninsula.

[kairos12]

29. Mt. Blanc region of France.

[justhanginon]

30. Victoria B.C., New Orleans French Quarter, Savannah Ga.

Also the drive up to Whistler Ski Resort from Vancouver is beautiful in the fall.

[Irish_Dem]

31. Quebec City. Boston. The beaches of South Carolina. nt

[Irish_Dem]

37. China, wonderful travel experience. nt

[Kali]

33. Northern Mexico, New Mexico state, rural areas of Arizona

and I am pretty sure if I ever make it to Australia it will be my absolute favorite. I liked Turkey a lot too (the coastal and rural areas).

[cilla4progress]

35. Montana

Daughter just moved to Bozeman. Almost too cool, but I'll take it. And Yellowstone, of ourse. Meets expectations The wildlife and geothermal activity are both unforgettable

[MrScorpio]

41. Amsterdam

[True Dough]

43. Wow! Stunning photo!

Did you take that one?

[MrScorpio]

45. No, I didnt have that nice of a camera when we went there

Found it on the net.

But I have crossed that bridge before.

[DFW]

42. Wow, where do I start? Seychelles, Cape Cod, Waikoloa/KawaiHae (Big Island), Muerren (CH)

Prague, Central Sweden, west coast of Norway, Barcelona, Berner Oberland, Pacific Northwest, Haarlem, Vermont, Vienna, København (Copenhagen), Sienna, New York City, Hermance (tiny town on the Swiss-French border), Hamburg, Sequoia National Forest

And I agree that Montserrat (Catalunya, not the island) and Bryce Canyon are pretty spectacular.

But you know what? The place I live now ain't too bad. This is in my back yard:
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[True Dough]

44. The Seychelles

would be on my "bucket list."

And, yes, impressive backyard indeed!

[DFW]

46. The Seychelles are not exactly around the corner

But they ARE well worth the trip.

The German Rheinland is full of these small castles from the Middle Ages. The cornerstone of this one in back of our house is from the year 973, and that is NOT missing a digit!

[True Dough]

47. More than a millennium

of human history in your backyard.

Not everyone can say that!

[DFW]

48. Our town was the half-way point between Paris and The Hanseatic League

So it was an important stop for traders in both directions. The castle was built, attacked, blown up and rebuilt more times than I can list. After the last war, the ruins and the grounds were offered to a rich architect for a song, but with the proviso that he would restore them. He did a beautiful job, and his successors still run an architect's studio inside the courtyard. A family pf peacocks live there, and are allowed to roam free in the spring and summer. The grounds are beautifully kept and have an exquisite little garden. There are a few horse stables left, but the main building that housed them was taken over by a non-profit cultural organization which organizes concerts in the main stable, which is now a concert hall with a small living quarters adjacent in case the performing artist has come from far away and needs a place to sleep. There is a high-class restaurant now in one of the towers. The castle ground are open to the public, and abut a large forest with miles and miles of connecting hiking and bicycle paths.

About a 20 minute drive south of us is a small stream called the Neander. A rather significant archaeological find was made there about 160 years ago in the stream's valley (Valley in German is "tal" so put together "Neander" and "tal" and you probably get which archaeological find I am talking about). They erected a museum on the site. You can imagine what visiting friends from the States want to see after a tour of the castle grounds!

[Aristus]

49. Victoria, British Columbia.

Vibrant, fun, very liberal city, and provincial capital.

Great opera company. They mounted an incredible Das Rheingold on the kind of resources that made me very skeptical of their success. But it was amazing.

It's fun to walk the waterfront and view the artisans at their crafts.

It boasts a wonderful combination of European charm and North American familiarity.

And a weekend trip to the city gets me out of this madhouse of a country for at least a little while, and lets me re-charge.

Sometimes when I'm there, I stare out across the Strait of Juan De Fuca at the bluish hills and snow-covered mountains of Washington State, and think about never going back.