If you visited this small corner of the universe on Tuesday, then you heard about how our family is about to embark on a journey of epic proportions.
Today, I’m asking for a little help from you.
What is your absolute favorite spot in the country? Maybe it’s a city that you love, or a national park. Perhaps it’s a particular restaurant or your own back yard. We want to know! (Be careful about promoting your own back yard – you might wake up one morning and find our bus parked there).
What is your favorite place in the (continental) US?
It’s a toss-up between sitting on the rise just west of the old Biltmore Hotel on Butterfly Beach in Santa Barbara CA (my hometown) OR sitting on the beach on Hanalei Bay on the island of Kauai in Hawaii.
Been to Butterfly Beach many a time (I went to Westmont). It is a great spot.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a nice run if you don’t have to be anywhere fast.
I just love Bar Harbor, Maine. It’s wonderful!
All 3 for me are in California…
1. Yosemite National Park
2. Pacific Coast Highway
3. San Francisco
Hurricane river state park on the shores of Lake Superior. http://www.nps.gov/piro/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm
Old city cemetery in my backyard in lynchburg, va
http://www.gravegarden.org/ouat.htm
Lake macatawa / holland lighthouse. http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=188
I’m seconding Shan’s pick for Hurricane River and extending it to the entire Pictured Rocks national park.
Also, Zion Canyon in Utah. Hike the Narrows. It’s worth it.
I agree with Zion. Also hit up Bryce Canyon if you’re out tthat way. It’s amazing. I would also throw in Boston. For some reason I love that city.
Absolutely favorite spot is at a small camp in Saugatuck, MI. There are these stairs heading up the dune hill, and they’re just about the most perfect place to think and dream and breathe.
Favorite city? Chicago. The entire city. In June, if you’re there in the morning, you’ve got to watch the sun come up– either at a Rogers Park beach (no one’s out yet at that time) or on Michigan Avenue. Freakin beautiful. Also, I have a list of about a million things in the city that are wonderful to do, so let me know if y’all need ideas.
Sedona, AR – http://www.alpinehikers.com/photos/ph_sedona_sunset.jpg
City of Chicago in late Spring/early Summer is AMAZING. And be sure to check out the pier, the reflective bean, deep dish pizza from Giordano’s Pizzeria, and the river walk – yeah definitely go to Chicago…
Grand Canyon, hands down. Also there’s a funky place called “Hole n” the Rock” in Moab, Utah. http://theholeintherock.com/ 8 years ago we traversed the US and stopped at a few strange but fun places. We loved the Delicate Arch in Arches National Park. One of our favorite hikes of all times.
Two come to mind .. the Outer Banks in North Carolina and Alta in Utah. Both beautiful in different ways. And both have a realm of remote access to them. If a hurricane comes, you’re stuck in the OBX as there’s really only two roads off the land. If a blizzard comes in Alta, they close off the entry roads due to avalanche concerns, and people are stuck in town to ski and relax!
The entire state of Arizona, so many interesting places and things to do and see! Sedona, Grand Canyon, Navaho Indian reservation, Tucson, Jerome, Oak Creek Canyon, Flagstaff, and countless other possibilities in between.
Portland, Oregon in the summer.
New York City.
Southwestern Utah.
The stretch of coast along Big Sur, Carmel, and Pebble Beach. Might be the most beautiful stretch in the world.
(1) Laity Lodge near Kerrville, Texas. (2) Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. (3) Art Institute in Chicago.
Grand Teton National Park – view of Jenny Lake from the east.
Shawn, when you pass through Yellowstone and enter Grand Teton, be certain to take the very short pull off to this viewing area. When you look at your photos later, you will think the Teton’s were a fake backdrop. They are that spectacular.