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Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Places in the USA I most want to visit
I think it's very important to have dreams and goals, and a lot of mine center around travel and places that I would love to visit and see and experience. Traveling allows you to see all of the beauty of creation, to experience new people and cultures, and just kick back and relax and enjoy life the way you were meant to enjoy life.
So that said, here are the top places as of now that I want to visit (not counting places in Colorado, of which there are tons that I am excited to explore upon my permanent arrival in the state!)
- Crater Lake (Oregon)- This is atop my travel wish list.... just looks incredibly beautiful. I'd love to visit Oregon as a whole, and Crater Lake tops the list of things I want to see there.
- Yosemite National Park (California) - "Yosemite National Park, one of the first wilderness parks in the United States, is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more."
- Maine and Vermont - There is a lot of beauty here, along the coast, in the Green Mountains, in Acadia National Park, the trees.... I am just very excited to explore it all!
- Glacier National Park (Montana) - The glaciers are quickly becoming an endangered species out in nature, so hopefully I will be able to visit soon. Between the glaciers themselves and all of the mountain lakes and wildlife, it would be an incredible Park to be able to visit.
- Alaska - The vast region features too many breathtaking spots to only list a couple. The whole state really looks incredible and just filled with beauty.
- Utah National Parks (Bryce Canyon, Arches, Zion, et al) - A ton of variety out there, with incredible rock formations, hikes, unique geological wonders.... basically they would all be incredible!
What places do you want to visit most?
So that said, here are the top places as of now that I want to visit (not counting places in Colorado, of which there are tons that I am excited to explore upon my permanent arrival in the state!)
- Crater Lake (Oregon)- This is atop my travel wish list.... just looks incredibly beautiful. I'd love to visit Oregon as a whole, and Crater Lake tops the list of things I want to see there.
- Yosemite National Park (California) - "Yosemite National Park, one of the first wilderness parks in the United States, is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more."
- Maine and Vermont - There is a lot of beauty here, along the coast, in the Green Mountains, in Acadia National Park, the trees.... I am just very excited to explore it all!
- Glacier National Park (Montana) - The glaciers are quickly becoming an endangered species out in nature, so hopefully I will be able to visit soon. Between the glaciers themselves and all of the mountain lakes and wildlife, it would be an incredible Park to be able to visit.
- Alaska - The vast region features too many breathtaking spots to only list a couple. The whole state really looks incredible and just filled with beauty.
- Utah National Parks (Bryce Canyon, Arches, Zion, et al) - A ton of variety out there, with incredible rock formations, hikes, unique geological wonders.... basically they would all be incredible!
What places do you want to visit most?
Places in the world I most want to visit
Much like my list of places in the USA that I would most love to visit, I also have some places in the mind from the rest of the world that interest me the most and I would most want to visit.
There are hundreds of thousands of incredible things out there in the world, and narrowing the list down to a few is very difficult, but that is OK. I have traveled overseas once, and I can't wait to do it again. Even more than traveling in the USA, it opens you up to a whole different part of the world that is very fun and interesting to be able to experience. Some of the places on my list...
- Machu Picchu (Peru) - To me, it looks like the most breathtaking place on the planet. I can't wait to visit! All of the history of the Incan people combined with the beauty of the area and the incredible things that they left behind make it an incredible looking place.
- Rome and Italy - This is where I got the opportunity to visit, and I can't wait to go back. Rome is such an unreal city, you turn a corner while walking down the street and there is another remarkable landmark and incredible piece of architecture. Italy as a whole is a beautiful country with incredible depth and variety.
- New Zealand/Greece/Ireland - I put these three together only because they are all countries that have really caught my eye has being just beautiful and diverse in what they have to offer. The different types of landscapes and scenery and cultures all seem fascinating. I imagine you could spend a ton of time in these places and see something totally different every day.
- Aztec/Mayan ruins - This is just a personal interest of mine, I love reading and learning about these ancient cultures. The things that they left behind and the knowledge that they had just blows my mind. I think we can learn a lot just by seeing what they left behind.
Where do you most want to visit?
There are hundreds of thousands of incredible things out there in the world, and narrowing the list down to a few is very difficult, but that is OK. I have traveled overseas once, and I can't wait to do it again. Even more than traveling in the USA, it opens you up to a whole different part of the world that is very fun and interesting to be able to experience. Some of the places on my list...
- Machu Picchu (Peru) - To me, it looks like the most breathtaking place on the planet. I can't wait to visit! All of the history of the Incan people combined with the beauty of the area and the incredible things that they left behind make it an incredible looking place.
- Rome and Italy - This is where I got the opportunity to visit, and I can't wait to go back. Rome is such an unreal city, you turn a corner while walking down the street and there is another remarkable landmark and incredible piece of architecture. Italy as a whole is a beautiful country with incredible depth and variety.
- New Zealand/Greece/Ireland - I put these three together only because they are all countries that have really caught my eye has being just beautiful and diverse in what they have to offer. The different types of landscapes and scenery and cultures all seem fascinating. I imagine you could spend a ton of time in these places and see something totally different every day.
- Aztec/Mayan ruins - This is just a personal interest of mine, I love reading and learning about these ancient cultures. The things that they left behind and the knowledge that they had just blows my mind. I think we can learn a lot just by seeing what they left behind.
Where do you most want to visit?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Garden of the Gods
I got a quick chance to drive through Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs last fall, and it is amazing!
While we didn't do much in the park itself while we were there (due to time constraints), there are ample opportunities for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. I hope to get back there someday and do some of that, because there are some amazing things to see.
The rock formations are beautiful. It is a reddish color that can be seen from all around the area, and there is a good variety of rocks in the park. From the famous Kissing Camels to Balanced Rock, there is plenty to be awestruck by.
Whenever I see stuff like this (or Mt. Cutler, which we hiked the same day), or any type of natural beauty like this, I wonder how there is crime and bad things in the world. This is the idealist in me, but who can see such natural beauty and then think about ever committing a crime, or being anything less than the best they can be?
I know this probably isn't a realistic thought pattern, but it seems like nature and its beauty should be all the crime deterrent we would ever need. If only.
While we didn't do much in the park itself while we were there (due to time constraints), there are ample opportunities for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. I hope to get back there someday and do some of that, because there are some amazing things to see.
The rock formations are beautiful. It is a reddish color that can be seen from all around the area, and there is a good variety of rocks in the park. From the famous Kissing Camels to Balanced Rock, there is plenty to be awestruck by.
Whenever I see stuff like this (or Mt. Cutler, which we hiked the same day), or any type of natural beauty like this, I wonder how there is crime and bad things in the world. This is the idealist in me, but who can see such natural beauty and then think about ever committing a crime, or being anything less than the best they can be?
I know this probably isn't a realistic thought pattern, but it seems like nature and its beauty should be all the crime deterrent we would ever need. If only.
Monday, February 21, 2011
My Favorite State High Points
So far in my life I have climbed the high point for 3 states. Ideally, I will reach all 50 before the end of my days, but for now, here are the rankings of my favorites (to be updated as I climb more!)
1) Eagle Mountain, Minnesota - This one is helped by the fact that I climbed it with Hannah! It's also helped that it's in the area of the beautiful North Shore of Minnesota, right along Lake Superior. The views aren't spectacular along the way, but the area is gorgeous, filled with plenty of vegetation (the trail enters the Boundary Waters about a mile in, which is a prime spot if you like remote nature that has been well-preserved from too much human contact). It is not a super strenuous hike but it does get a little long, about 7 miles round trip. But totally worth it!
(Note: If you are in the area you would be remiss if you did not stop at all of the state parks along the North Shore. Temperance River, Tettegouche, Split Rock, and Gooseberry Falls are all beautiful, more scenic than the high point itself. I can't recommend it highly enough).
2) Mt. Frissell, Connecticut - I liked this hike and high point because I felt like a real explorer. The high point was pretty remote, and it didn't seem to be popular at all. Just finding it was an adventure, as was the fact that I was the only one on the trail. Adding to it, it rained steadily on me as I approached the top, and then while I was at the high point itself. Pretty darn fun to explore and adventure around there.
On a funny note, the high point of Connecticut is a point on Mt. Frissell. This is funny because the actual peak of the mountain is in Massachusetts! At one point during the hike I was in Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts.... pretty darn cool!
3) High Point State Park, New Jersey - This one was a bit lame, I must say. Because it was within a state park, it was a very popular tourist area, with beaches within the park. They also had a road that took you right up to the top, which (for me) kinda defeats the purpose of the high point. So I did what any good adventurer would do.... drove to the high point, but then didn't look out at all, hiked to the bottom, and then hiked back up. That made things a lot more fun!
The thing it did have going for it is that there was a gorgeous view at the high point. From the high point you can look out and see New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, as well as the Delaware River... so that is pretty cool! Definitely still worth a trip if you are in the area!
1) Eagle Mountain, Minnesota - This one is helped by the fact that I climbed it with Hannah! It's also helped that it's in the area of the beautiful North Shore of Minnesota, right along Lake Superior. The views aren't spectacular along the way, but the area is gorgeous, filled with plenty of vegetation (the trail enters the Boundary Waters about a mile in, which is a prime spot if you like remote nature that has been well-preserved from too much human contact). It is not a super strenuous hike but it does get a little long, about 7 miles round trip. But totally worth it!
(Note: If you are in the area you would be remiss if you did not stop at all of the state parks along the North Shore. Temperance River, Tettegouche, Split Rock, and Gooseberry Falls are all beautiful, more scenic than the high point itself. I can't recommend it highly enough).
2) Mt. Frissell, Connecticut - I liked this hike and high point because I felt like a real explorer. The high point was pretty remote, and it didn't seem to be popular at all. Just finding it was an adventure, as was the fact that I was the only one on the trail. Adding to it, it rained steadily on me as I approached the top, and then while I was at the high point itself. Pretty darn fun to explore and adventure around there.
On a funny note, the high point of Connecticut is a point on Mt. Frissell. This is funny because the actual peak of the mountain is in Massachusetts! At one point during the hike I was in Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts.... pretty darn cool!
3) High Point State Park, New Jersey - This one was a bit lame, I must say. Because it was within a state park, it was a very popular tourist area, with beaches within the park. They also had a road that took you right up to the top, which (for me) kinda defeats the purpose of the high point. So I did what any good adventurer would do.... drove to the high point, but then didn't look out at all, hiked to the bottom, and then hiked back up. That made things a lot more fun!
The thing it did have going for it is that there was a gorgeous view at the high point. From the high point you can look out and see New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, as well as the Delaware River... so that is pretty cool! Definitely still worth a trip if you are in the area!
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