Which city is your favorite?
- Thread starter Jaemekon
- Start date
In the 80s in Seattle many of the cars had bumper stickers that read "Californians stay in Cali".
Seattle was fun back then, now not so much. Californians won.
Seattle was fun back then, now not so much. Californians won.
Punta Ala and Cinque Terra next to the water is gorgeous too.
Lots of good suggestions. My thoughts for US cities (not including Alaska because I haven't made it there yet) would be ( I don't give a shlt about politics so that doesn't factor in for me):
Moab and the nearby national parks and monuments areas are spectacular. The mountain biking and hiking are great.
Maui, especially the West and South areas are fantastic.
San Diego is probably the most scenic city in the US (IMO) with lots to do, including for families.
I love Tucson and Phoenix, but maybe that is mostly because I like a hot, dry climate and biking.
Cities to see at least once: NYC, Boston, San Fran (with an excursion to Napa), Wash DC, Seattle, San Antonio, Tampa Bay, New England (I know that it isn't a city) in the fall
Moab and the nearby national parks and monuments areas are spectacular. The mountain biking and hiking are great.
Maui, especially the West and South areas are fantastic.
San Diego is probably the most scenic city in the US (IMO) with lots to do, including for families.
I love Tucson and Phoenix, but maybe that is mostly because I like a hot, dry climate and biking.
Cities to see at least once: NYC, Boston, San Fran (with an excursion to Napa), Wash DC, Seattle, San Antonio, Tampa Bay, New England (I know that it isn't a city) in the fall
To expand on New's post: San Diego has just about everything you could want in a vacation destination.
Big City night life - Check
Downtown, Gas Lamp Quarter and Embarcadero.
Beautiful beaches - Check
La Jolla Village and La Jolla Cove are a must see. Also there is Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Del Mar, etc.. etc..
Theme Parks / Zoos - Check
Sea World and San Diego Zoo. Just south is Sesame Place (for the Kids), and just north of the city is Lego Land and Safari Wild Animal Park.
Museums / History - Check
Balboa Park has numerous museums. (Such as the Air and Space Museum but many more) The Embarcadero has the USS Midway Museum which is a must see. There is also the Maritime Museum the has the Star of India, HSM Suprise (From Master & Commander) as well as many others. I also highly recommend Old Town San Diego where the original town was established and Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. (Think Arlington but overlooking the Pacific ocean.) Just past the cemetery is Cabrillo National Monument which also a must see.
Restaurants - Check
Too many to list but there is every style and price range you can imagine.
Craft Breweries and Wineries - Check
San Diego has many, many craft breweries. (Stone has 2 Brewery and Bistros, Ballest Point, AlesSmith, ete.., etc..) North of the city there are many wineries and a little further is Temecula Wine Country with nearly 50 wineries.
If you want mountains and mountain villages, we have them within a short drive. If you want deserts, we have them just past the mountains.
Hope this helps.
You forgot to add that if you are on Vancouver Island (where Victoria is located. I know it is confusing) and you want to go to Vancouver, the city (Great City) you will need to take another ferry to get there. I would also add to go to the San Juan Islands (US)/Gulf Islands (Canada) when on this trip and if you are on the Olympic Peninsula I would take in Port Townsend too.
Next time cross over the Cascade to the Eastern Washington. Visit Leavenworth, a Bavarian theme town. Lots of great hikes in the area.
Go to 55-mile-long, very deep and crystal-clear Lake Chelan. Ride the Lady of the Lake cruise boat up lake to either Holden Village or Stehekin. Hike, fish, camp, mountain bike, boat etc. Stay a night in the town of Chelan. Just try to dodge the bikinis (All those Seattle women getting their sun fix) and there are 40 wineries to try out.
Head south near George, Washington and take in the Gorge Ampitheater for a concert. In the background of the stage is the Columbia River below and past it is the sun setting over the Cascades. People come from all points on earth to watch Dave Matthews play every year the 3 days over Labor Day. Not my thing, but my wife likes Dave.
Yakima, the Tri-Cities area and Walla Walla are home to countless wineries. No way could anyone see them all. Washington is second to only California in wine production and no other area in the US comes close to the Yakima Valley for hop production. So there is great beer too. Walla Walla is easily the best town of the three. That is where I would stay the night.
Finish up in Spokane that has nearby Couer d'Alene, both the large lake and the town that share the name are very cool. Remember in July and August it will be hot in Eastern Washington (Spokane can be a little cooler). No humidity, but hot. Easily can be 95 degrees plus. September and early October are perfect. Less crowds, still warm days, but cooler nights.
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I like anywhere on the Big Island, especially the Up Country around Waimea. All those cattle living their lives in pastures 2500 feet and higher above the Pacific have the best views in the world. I also like Ketchum, Idaho and Steamboat Springs. Both share a ranching and outdoor sports history. Sadly, Covid only accelerated the growth of these two fine areas. Just like it did in many other great places in the US. Hawaii, Western Montana, Jackson, Wyoming, Colorado, Bend Oregon to name a few will never be the same.
I am an old man yelling at the wind and it just keeps a howling.
Moab Utah...
My wife and i are heading to Moab this Friday for a 12 day vacation... For hiking and scenery it's a pretty incredible area.
My wife and i are heading to Moab this Friday for a 12 day vacation... For hiking and scenery it's a pretty incredible area.
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I was there in January. Same old Rome to me. Going back in June.
I had two friends when I was in the military who were both tough innercity guys from the southside of Chicago. They hated the idea of camping and being outdoors. They both complained about having to go to a base in Alaska for six months. They came back and said it was the best thing that ever happened to them. Ever since then I have wanted to visit Alaska but never made time for it.
I found Green Bay Wisc to be a great football city to visit during football season. I was shocked the first time I saw the stadium right next to houses where people live. It was quite the experience going to a game there.
There is that. I’ve had a great time in Cambridge Mass, Chicago before BLM, etc. it’s more about who you’re there with than anything else. Austin TX was great fun even though I wasn’t wild about the city itself.
Well said. I would add that if you are taking the ferries you need to have the WA DOT app as that is where you'll get the best information about crossing times and availability. I love taking the ferry from Bremerton into Seattle (except when it runs aground at Bainbridge island) but the ferry system is old and not 100% reliable. (ie ferries break down or are understaffed and can't run.) Going to the San Juans is popular and sometimes it's hard to find a spot on the ferry so you must plan ahead.
Incredible mountains/views on the Olympic Penn. Depending on the time of year go up to Sequim to see fields and fields of lavender. Or cross over and go up to Skagit Valley and see acres of blooming tulips.
If you are going from the west (wet) side of the state to the east (dry) side the app will be handy as you need to cross over Stevens or Snoqualmie Pass. Obviously during winter months the passes can be bad but with our crazy weather you never know. We had to use chains last April when we returned from the west side!
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I'll throw in my 2 cents: Steamboat Springs has been our favorite mountain town destination in Colorado so far...just something about it that keeps us wanting more.
Out on the east coast, Charlottesville, VA was a pretty fun place. Monticello is really cool. Good breweries and food
Out on the east coast, Charlottesville, VA was a pretty fun place. Monticello is really cool. Good breweries and food
Dont ya wish you could go back 5 years and buy a home or condo of sorts there?
Love San Diego. I just think I would get tired of all the people if I stayed there any more than a few days at a time. Only have seen NYC from the air and from Newark Airport. Need to go watch the Huskers play Rutgers and see Manhattan for real sometime.
I'll take what I can get. Doesnt matter if its just a 2 hour trip out of town for the day to a place thats got 50,000 people. Its a nice respite from 4 walls and further social disorder. But by the end of the day, I do tire of being around a lot of people in social situations. I'm going to take a trip to CO to see my Papa soon, may be for the last time, and spend some time in Springs with my family at the same time. I dont really dream big. Im ill prepared for the kind of trips a lot of you take anyway. I hope whoever is wanting suggestions finds a nice place and enjoys themselves. Safe travels.
Agree with you about Seattle in the 80s. That was a great time to be in Seattle. I also agree that Seattle is now a terrible place. Too sad. I cannot agree with you that Californians won. That state is a mess. If California won why are so many people fleeing it for where I live along with Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Idaho, Western Montana, Utah and Colorado. All the bad stuff starts in California and moves north. Elected officials in Oregon and Washington are incapable of an original thought. They just copy anything California does. (Some crazy California legislator proposed to continue to tax the income of people and businesses even after they left the state. "You can check out, but you can never leave!")
Sorry for the delayed response- been out for a day. I actually worked in the insurance industry but all those trips are personal trips. Have been on 12 cruises and have a few more scheduled. Best trips ever are just flying to Europe, renting a car and driving around for 7-10 days. People are friendly everywhere and you really get immersed in the culture, especially in very small towns. They are gorgeous.
As for planning, set a list and plan accordingly. Use your travel credit cards for every purchase. Just don't pay any interest or it defeats the purpose. Cruises are a great way to see several places on one trip and only unpack once. Obviously you don't spend a lot of time in one place, but if you did then you wouldn't be able to see many places anyway. It's a trade-off. And good luck retiring early. I did but only a couple of years early. If you want to travel it's a great plan if you can afford it. Good luck and let me know if any more questions.
RE: the bolded, that's what I said. Californians are a cancer that metastasize everywhere they go. I'm really curious if Idaho, Utah and Montana can keep their culture as Californians flee the shitstorm they created in Cali.
At first glance I thought your handle was BigRedBeaver!
Not to mention the scenic craters that rival the grand canyon on nearly every street in town.
I was there last summer and visiting Florence after made me realize just how filthy Rome was. I've been several times since there is a ton to do. I like flying into Rome and then getting on a train as fast as possible. Prague and Barcelona are told for me but also Wengen Switzerland
Reminds me of a buddy on leave in Phuket. He swore the dude looked exactly a 40 y/o milf. Only reason we found out about it was an Everclear challenge that he lost.
On a budget, go to San Diego. Stay on Coronado Island. Late September, early October, or even November.
No budget- Kapaa on Kauai. The Garden Isle.
Well that rules out Lincoln for sure and some of Omaha
I spend 2 weeks on the lakes and rivers in and around Missoula every Fourth
So long as there’s natives, there’s Montana
Some day when I've had enough Maker's Mark I'll share my honeymoon adventure in the Presidential Hotel in downtown Missoula in the summer of 78.
F'n King Tut exhibition!
It involved a dead old woman in the lobby, a (seemingly) gay guy in the elevator who bore a disturbing resemblance to my brother, a broken bed frame and a shared toilet. Not much fun but my wife and I still laugh at the memory.
Rome will always be my favorite city on the planet, but I’m a massive Roman Empire nerd. I’m in Italy a couple of times a year for business and almost every square foot of that country mesmerizes me.
