You can see other posts in the Twenty Questions series here. Also, if you want to be featured in a future list, don't forget to fill out --> THE QUESTIONNAIRE!
13. Ushuaia, Argentina. The bottom of the world (almost)! You can do a boat trip to see penguins and birds, do plenty of hiking, or if you have the means, get a ship to Antarctica from here (I have not done the latter yet, but I have it on my list!)
1. Lisa said: Paris! It’s a gorgeous city with excellent food and there are direct flight options. Domestically, anywhere with mountains/hiking. [I agree! Paris is a classic and I am always down for mountains/hiking too!]
2. Ernie said: Vancouver- only been once but loved it. So much to see and it had everything- city and outdoorsy stuff like mountains and ferry rides to islands and whale watching. Went there for Irish dancing national champs and turned it into a vacation. [I agree! I love a place with city and outdoor all in one!]
3. Melissa said: Tasmania, has such outstanding nature scapes, history and food in a tiny landmass and is only a 1 hr flight away. [I have never been! Added to my list!]
4. Nicole said: I have had so many and they change throughout my life, depending on what stage I'm in. Currently I'm going to say Italy, but ask me this time next year as I have a few different continents that I will have travelled to. [I totally agree; how can you pick a "favorite!?" But I will ask you again next year!]
5. Nance said: Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. Fantastic wineries/wines. We go frequently and have made so many friends there. We've learned about the terroir, the wine-making, the wines. We know so many winemakers personally. Now, when we open a bottle of wine from NotL, we experience a visit all over again. [I have never been! I biked past it last year but did not have a chance to stop. It's on the list!]
6. Tobia said: Everywhere I have not yet been ;-). Nordic countries over Southern. [I also have a long list and it keeps getting longer!]
7. San said: Dolomites. I grew up skiing there every year. [I have only been in summer time and loved the area.]
8. Stephany said: A cruise ship! Okay, not a destination but my favorite way to travel. I love that everything is included, I love that I can REALLY disconnect and feel like I'm in a whole different world, and I love not worry about the logistics of getting from place to place. [I have not tried cruising yet but have plans to try it soon!]
9. Kat said: Amsterdam; I went on my first (and only thus far) solo European trip there and spent three days walking the city, touring museums, going on a boat ride, visiting parks and markets, and going to the symphony. It felt so special and magical to do something like that, on my own no less (even though I was 36! But an inexperienced and anxious traveler overall so it was a big deal for me.). And it was a beautiful and welcoming place. [I agree; it is beautiful and the Dutch speak perfect English so it is super easy to get around.]
10. Suzanne said: Big Sky Montana: 1. I've been skiing at Big Sky since I was two, so it has decades of sentimental feeling and good memories built into it. 2. It's one of the most beautiful places on earth, especially when it's a-glitter with snow and sunshine. 3. The skiing is better in Big Sky than anywhere else. [I have never skied in MT or been to Big Sky!]
------
Thanks everyone for chiming in! Here are some of mine. Keep in mind, my "favorites" list is very long, so there are a lot more where these come from, and as always, I will avoid mentioning the obvious ones like London or Rio, since you all already have heard of these already! I will also exclude any US locations for this post.
11. Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Over a year ago, I chose this destination as an answer to a question in an interview with Elisabeth about somewhere I had on my travel list, and I finally made it there! It is not only beautiful but there is so much history to be learned; I highly recommend it! It is easy to get to from Sarajevo, plus the train ride itself is a beautiful experience!
 |
| Mostar |
12. Vilnius, Lithuania. Not somewhere that you probably have at the top of your list, but move it up! The town itself is charming, has a lot of history, plenty of green spaces and good food, and easy day trips to places like Trakai or Kaunus, where you can see castles and drink beer. I also rented a bike, went swimming and had a great time perusing the thrift shops for 1 euro finds! Oh, and of course, don't forget about the quark bars!
 |
| Vilnius |
13. Ushuaia, Argentina. The bottom of the world (almost)! You can do a boat trip to see penguins and birds, do plenty of hiking, or if you have the means, get a ship to Antarctica from here (I have not done the latter yet, but I have it on my list!)
14. Lençóis Maranhenses, Brazil. Sand dunes for days! It is a little hard to get to but it is well worth it and you can take a jeep trip along the dunes, or even swim in some of the little dune pools if you so desire!
 |
| Lençóis Maranhenses |
15. Mestia, Georgia. Mountains, food, hiking, good views and small town charm. What more could you ask for?
 |
| Mestia |
16. Biarritz, France. Food, beaches, waves and cliff walks! It is the ideal spot for a vacation, although be careful because the surf is strong! This is also the first place that I went topless on the beach, which as a modest person, was actually quite freeing!
17. Kaş, Türkiye. You may have heard of Turkish beach towns like Antalya or Izmir or Fethiye, but there are plenty of smaller gems that sit right on the Turquoise coast, and Kaş is one of them. I also like it because you can hike into the hills straight from town and in a mere few minutes you will have outstanding views. Also, Turkish food is excellent and coastal Turkish food is even better!
 |
| Kaş |
18. Fernie, BC, Canada. You are probably seeing a theme here, but I do love small mountain towns! From Fernie, you can hike, bike or ski depending on the season, without even needing a car for the most part. Also there are a couple of breweries, lots of camping spots (and hotels for those of you who want a warm bed and a shower) and some swimming holes, so it is the perfect place to go for a summer outing!
 |
| Fernie |
19. Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany. It's touristy, but its a cute medieval town to walk around for a few hours! I went in early January and maybe because of the cold, it was not too busy, but pro tip, get a dinner reservation early because we tried to do a walk in and were shut down! I don't think you need more than a day here, and there are lots of other fun towns to visit in Germany nearby so you can easily do a loop to a few different places in the same trip!
 |
| Rothenburg ob der Tauber |
20. Tijuana, Mexico. Of course, you must visit Mexico City; however, I was pleasantly surprised by Tijuana. I thought it was going to be dirty and gross and full of drunk 18 year olds from the US, but I found it to be walkable in some cases, easy to get an Uber in others, and the food was delicious. Also, it is close enough to mountains and beaches to do a day trip from there! If you go, you must visit Tacos El Franc. Note: Upon getting the link for this, I noticed that they recently got noticed on a Netflix series so they are probably going to be busy! I was lucky to go there before that. However, I thought it was delicious, so hopefully they haven't changed due to fame!
Now, my questions to you are: have you ever been to any of the places on this list and if so, what did you think? If not, are you adding any to your bucket list? And of course, tell us, what is your favorite travel destination and why!
Wow, Fernie made the list! I have lots on my list but first up: Morocco, in less than two weeks! Can't wait!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to hear about your Morocco trip when you get back! It is also a place I have had on my list for a long time but still have not been!
DeleteLove all these tips! I’ve always been interested in visiting Vilnius, as I’m of Lithuanian descent… it’s encouraging to hear you recommend it! I know I must get to Paris one of these days. Mostar looks beautiful and not a place I ever would’ve thought of/known about… same with Lençóis Maranhenses! Stunning. Tasmania looks to be about 35 hrs of travel time for me, so although I’d love to go it would certainly take a lot of planning and time off! The only place from the list I’ve semi-been to is Ontario, but just Niagara Falls and Toronto, not Niagara-on-the-Lake. I was a kid and remember enjoying a Blue Jays game and being fascinated by the use of the word “washroom,” of all things!
ReplyDeleteIsn't the word washroom fun!? I remember hearing it and thinking it was cute. I think the US version of bathroom is similar, but in both cases, we now do more than just wash or bathe in these rooms, so I think people from other places find it odd that this is what we call it! You should definitely go to Lithuania; it is easy to get around, and there is lots of history! I would go back for more cycling, the Curonian Spit, and more!
DeleteI have not been to any of those places listed. Obviously I need to leave my house more often! (I will not.)
ReplyDeleteTo each their own!
DeleteI have not been to any of the places on your favorites list! And it will be quite awhile until I'm able to travel to far-flung destinations! But eventually my life will be more conducive to big, exciting trips!!
ReplyDeleteWell I am glad to help you plan when the time comes!
DeleteI've not been to any of these places, but I enjoy travelling with you vicariously. That photo of you among the dunes in Brazil is stunning.
ReplyDeleteI am happy to provide more vicarious fodder for your viewing pleasure! That trip was a fun one and one that I am glad I made the effort to do!
DeleteSo much fodder for my imagination/planning for retirement. And I remember looking up Mostar when we did that "interview" and being very impressed. I'm so glad you made it to visit in person.
ReplyDeleteYes, well, you know me. I like to complete my goals and in this case, it was one I am happy to say was fun to do and totally worth it!
DeleteThere are so many places I want to visit and this post just lengthens the list! Of the places listed, I've been to Paris, Amsterdam, Ontario-on-the-Lake, and Vancouver. I would visit any of them again in a hot second.
ReplyDeleteYes, those are all great places! I would go back to any or all of them as well!
DeleteFrom your list, I’ve been to Mostar and Tijuana. Before I went to B&H, I remember seeing a photo of the bridge in Mostar and I immediately knew I had to visit. I think I liked visiting Sarajevo even more than Mostar I’m glad I was able to go to both. I’ve only ever done day trips to Tijuana and it’s not on my list but sounds like it’s a destination that warrants some more time. Other destinations that are on my list: Oaxaca, Mexico (the city and the surrounding artesanal towns); Jardín, Colombia (beautiful small town in the coffee region) and for a domestic option, Minneapolis, which I’ve visited a couple times in the summer and loved.
ReplyDeleteMe too; I really liked Sarajevo a lot. I will definitely be going back to Bosnia and Herzegovina to explore some of the other parts of the country too, as they have lots of great parks and mountainous areas!
DeleteI have also had Oaxaca on my list for a long time (since my brother went there in 2000 or 2001, I think) and am planning it some time in the next couple of years. I have not been to Jardin, but I did like the islands of Columbia! And I have enjoyed Minneapolis a lot too! The biking culture and the lakes are great!
Kas looks like a really amazing destination. I've not been to any of the places on your list. We are not big travelers and we tend to choose a spot if we have a kid studying abroad. Maybe one day we can branch out? Right now, I'm feeling like we may not leave home without kids for a very long time. I'm not thrilled about how that makes me feel.
ReplyDeleteWell Ernie, hopefully you can keep your list going and when the kids are gone, you can start whittling it down! Or maybe when they are a little older you can start going to some closer places. I know you have actually traveled quite a bit due to kid events though! Maybe you aren't getting a huge chance to get out and about, but hopefully you are still getting a little bit of sightseeing done!
DeleteThere are so many places to see and so little time to do it in but I guess we must give it a crack. I will be in Germany next year and I hope to squeeze Rothenburg ob der Tauber into the itinerary. Dolomites is also on my list. I would also like to get to Turkey and some of the Eastern European countries at some stage so I've enjoyed reading your take on them.
ReplyDeleteYes, the list is long but my goal is to never complete it fully, but die trying! If you want some more for the list, you should definitely go to Latvia, Estonia (I have not been but have heard good things about Tallin, plus the public transit is free!), Romania, Bulgaria (and the rest of the Balkans), and as Sara mentioned, Sarajevo is a very interesting city, as is Belgrade (I really enjoyed it!). I could keep going!!
DeleteI grew near Rothenburg and my parents would cart every visitor there with us hanging on while the adults did boring stuff. It was years later when I cycled along the Main and Tauber valley for a week that I came to actually really like the place.
ReplyDeleteIn Turkey, I loved the bay of Edremit area and the Ida mountains (great for hiking) - all north of Izmir - and the ancient site of Assos.
I think almost everywhere in France is fabulous and Amsterdam and Utrecht and The Hague as well as the entire North sea coast of the Netherlands are great places to spend time.
My European hot spots are Ticino (the Italian speaking part of Switzerland), the lakes of Northern Italy, Sicily in autumn, Copenhagen, the Bavarian lakes, German/Austrian river valley cycle routes and everywhere in Ireland.
My absolute dream destination is Seychelles and I don't really want anybody to ever travel there bc it is pristine and gorgeous, mountains, beaches, lots of small islands, no malaria, no dangerous insects/animals, paradise. I actually cried when we had to leave.
The thing I would never do is going on a cruise ship.
This is great! I now have more for my list! I also agree that France is great and the Netherlands too. I spent some time in Leiden and biked to the North Sea beaches, which was great. I have not been to Ticino but I have a friend in Arosa, which is German speaking mainly but they also speak Italian. It is beautiful there and she basically grew up on skis! I have never been to Sicily, Copenhagen or the Seychelles! I thought I would never go on a cruise ship, but I decided to not knock it until I have tried it and I booked one, so I will report back!
DeleteFrom your list I’ve only been to Tijuana, which I’ve been to twice. We just walked over the border from San Diego both times, and I’m afraid I saw mostly drunk Americans.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite place to travel is definitely Paris. I never get sick of it. But I’ve only been 3 times, maybe I need to go a few more, to see if I eventually do? LOL. I’d like to go to Vancouver, and Quebec. I would like to go to Scotland. Maybe Greece. So many places, so little money! (I’m saving up though…)
I think Paris is a place where you can always find something new or interesting that you have not seen or done. I have been several times, but in different seasons, or seasons of life, or I have stayed in different neighborhoods, or tried a new food etc. and so it is always a little different! And I still have not been to Versailles or Monet's garden, so I will be back!
DeleteOoh, fun post! I've been to many European cities- mostly the bigger ones. If I could pick one listed here that I haven't been to, it would be the Bosnia/Mostar/Sarajevo area. I've never been there but heard it's beautiful. Plus it does have a LOT of history- I'm especially intrigued after listening to a podcast last year about the start of WWi. What happened in Sarajevo really set off a big chain of events.
ReplyDeleteI also like Stephany's comment about cruise ships! I've never been on a cruise and I'd like to someday.
Yes! What happened in Sarajevo DID start a big chain of events! And the Serbians have had several conflicts since then....I think Belgrade has nearly been razed to the ground a handful (or two) of times due to conflicts! It is all fascinating for sure.
Delete