Favorite Place You Have Ever Traveled To

[Tiger Teeth]

(03-12-2019, 04:15 PM)Yojimbo Wrote: Traveled quite a bit with 6 years in the Navy. One place was head and shoulders above the rest, Bali. Clean, white sand, topless beaches as far as you can see, stayed in a 5 star hotel for $33 a night with a door that opened right on to the beach.

[XenoMorph]

(03-11-2019, 01:44 PM)Wyche Wrote: I have three here in the United States....

The Monongahela National Forest in WVA....pretty untamed in black bear territory, great silence, and good trout fishing.

Hilton Head, SC for the beach trips....laid back and close to Savannah....for the history buff in me.

Darlington, SC for the inner gearhead.  I go to the Southern 500 every year.

Is there anyone here that hasn't been to Hilton head?  I though it was the standard ohio vacation destination lol

Been there so many times

[grampahol]

As a youngin I hitch hiked pretty extensively throughout the US, the Western states mostly. My all time favorite spot from back them was the Ravalli Valley of Montana back before the gazillionaires bought up all the land for their private "ranches"..  One of my favorite runs through the west was traveling along the continental divide from Montana, through AZ and another through Utah from SLC down into (Can't remember the town now) the southern most part via US89.. Absolutely stunning scenery..  The Grand Canyon was kind of cool. The first peek over the edge pretty much sucked my breath away.. It makes you feel like it's going to suck you right over the first few moments till you get used to it.  Big Sur in California was nice for the first few hundred miles or so.. My LEAST favorite time out west was hitch hiking into the teeth of a blizzard.. For some stupid reason or another it seemed like a good idea at the time, but almost freezing to death kind of ruined it..  Despite all the claims otherwise nearly freezing to death isn't as romantic as it sounds..nor is standing on the side of the road in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere with wild dogs in the general vicinity.  

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

Went to Montana last summer for a wilderness medical conference and brought my youngest daughter. The scenery around Big Sky is amazing. Visited Yellowstone. Went on two different hikes through the mountains, fly fishing, and horseback riding. Recommend it to anyone who likes the outdoors.

When it comes to fishing, nothing beats the Florida Keys for me. Totally ruined freshwater fishing for me.

[*bengalfan74*]

Germany

Stayed in this little town on the Rhine called Bacharach. We were there in early summer and the hills and vineyards were just stunningly beautiful. We went to 4 or 5 castle tours and it was just fabulous. Of course I'm a big history geek so it was right up my alley. I'm going back soon.

[fredtoast]

(03-12-2019, 05:50 PM)Tiger Teeth Wrote: Put me down for Gatlinburg.  

Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July
And I just hit town and my throat was dry
Thought I'd stop and have myself a brew
At an old saloon on a street of mud
There at a table, dealing stud
Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me Sue

[fredtoast]

I have only travelled in US, Canada, and Mexico.

Favorite spots were Canyonlands (Utah), Crater Lake (Oregon), Folly Beach (SC), Vail (Colorado)

[fredtoast]

(05-03-2019, 01:40 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: When it comes to fishing, nothing beats the Florida Keys for me. Totally ruined freshwater fishing for me.

The Keys are beautiful, but I am not a big fisherman.

Didn't Ted Williams move there when he retired from baseball just to fish?

[fredtoast]

(03-07-2019, 11:02 PM)jfkbengals Wrote:  Oregon Coast 

By sheer coincidence I read one of my all time favorite novel, Sometimes a Great Notion, right before I took a trip down the Oregon coast from Astoria (where my friend lived) down to Crater Lake.  I just fell in love with that entire area.  Kesey did a brilliant job describing the natural beauty of Oregon and then I had an amazing time on that trip.  I camped at the Sand Dunes and Crater Lake.

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

(05-03-2019, 04:10 PM)fredtoast Wrote: The Keys are beautiful, but I am not a big fisherman.

Didn't Ted Williams move there when he retired from baseball just to fish?

On a good day, we could catch 3-4 dozen fish and sell them to a local fish market for a few hundred dollars. Even on a bad day, we would usually catch more than I did fresh water fishing.

I don't know about Ted Williams, but the Keys have their fair share of characters. For it's size, Key West has a very high concentration of bars. Good snorkeling and scuba diving, too. I was surprised how fast large sea turtles can cruise past you almost effortlessly.

[*Synric*]

As a 19 year old recently separated I was stationed in the Philippines...White Sand Beaches and women threw theirselves at you. On leave I was able to visit Japan and Australia. Easily the most fun I've ever had and and I've been all over the US and most of Europe.

[Bronze Bengal]

Went to Chicago last month, for Star Wars Celebration, and I am enamored with the city. The architecture was incredible; the people were incredibly friendly and overall I had a blast.

After the SW convention the biggest highlight was an outstanding chocolate bar called The Peninsula. Any sort of chocolate creation you could dream up they could make.

[Jason_NC]

Outer Banks NC.

[Jason_NC]

(05-03-2019, 06:49 PM)Bronze Bengal Wrote: Went to Chicago last month, for Star Wars Celebration, and I am enamored with the city.  The architecture was incredible; the people were incredibly friendly and overall I had a blast.

After the SW convention the biggest highlight was an outstanding chocolate bar called The Peninsula.   Any sort of chocolate creation you could dream up they could make.

The Chicago skyline is beautiful.  I had a co-op job in Chicago for 4 quarters and it's a great city.  Chicago style pizza and Chicago style hot dogs are awesome.

[jfkbengals]

(05-03-2019, 04:19 PM)fredtoast Wrote: By sheer coincidence I read one of my all time favorite novel, Sometimes a Great Notion, right before I took a trip down the Oregon coast from Astoria (where my friend lived) down to Crater Lake.  I just fell in love with that entire area.  Kesey did a brilliant job describing the natural beauty of Oregon and then I had an amazing time on that trip.  I camped at the Sand Dunes and Crater Lake.

I'm still bummed I did not get to do Crater Lake when I was there.  We were supposed to, but it was still under a stupid amount of snow for some reason and so our rental vehicle couldn't get there.

[jfkbengals]

Just got back from Orient Bay, Saint Martin last night.

I have to move it up to the top of the list.

Amazing place with a fantastic way of life...

[*Synric*]

(05-03-2019, 08:46 PM)Jason_NC Wrote: Outer Banks NC.

I love the outer banks I go every year besides last one where I went hunting out west. I usually get an ocean side beach house near Avon. I will actually be there in the first week of September.

For anyone looking to go to thr outer banks I suggest ocean side and not the sound. The bugs will eat you alive.

[sandwedge]

(05-03-2019, 04:19 PM)fredtoast Wrote: By sheer coincidence I read one of my all time favorite novel, Sometimes a Great Notion, right before I took a trip down the Oregon coast from Astoria (where my friend lived) down to Crater Lake.  I just fell in love with that entire area.  Kesey did a brilliant job describing the natural beauty of Oregon and then I had an amazing time on that trip.  I camped at the Sand Dunes and Crater Lake.

Oregon Coast is a great place! I usually go to Bandon Dunes 2-3 times a year for a golf tournament. I have one coming up in about month and another one in Bend Oregon at Sunriver Resort. Total opposite end of the spectrum scenery wise, but both are stunning!  

[sandwedge]

(05-03-2019, 04:42 PM)Synric Wrote: As a 19 year old recently separated I was stationed in the Philippines...White Sand Beaches and women threw theirselves at you. On leave I was able to visit Japan and Australia. Easily the most fun I've ever had and and I've been all over the US and most of Europe.

Olongapo? 

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(03-07-2019, 11:54 PM)CKwi88 Wrote: I thoroughly enjoyed Japan.

Amazon Rainforest as well.

Put me down for Nippon as well.

The last 5 or 6 posts I've responded to of yours, we've been on the same wavelength or something lol

(03-08-2019, 11:19 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: I haven't traveled a ton, especially internationally. I haven't taken a vacation in my adult life; just haven't been able to afford it. When I was in Scouts, though, I visited several states and went to Canada a couple of times. There is a camp I went to, Haliburton Scout Reserve, that is probably one of my favorite places. The camp was on a lake and you had to canoe everywhere. You dug your own latrines, you had your own swimming hole for the campsite. Some campsites were on islands in the middle of the lake. It was a week in the woods where we had some programs, but mostly it was just being teenagers in the woods. The Scouters let us do our thing while they drank beer and smoked Cubans. This was against all sorts of policies, but our leaders saw this as a vacation for them. They made sure we weren't screwing up too much, but other than that they just let us do our thing.

Those were two of my favorite weeks. I also got to visit Toronto where a whole troop of Scouts, in uniform, visited Hooters. I got to see Niagra Falls, as well, but truthfully it wasn't all that much to me.

Haliburton, as in 2 1/2-3 hours northeast of Toronto? Wonderful wilderness and lakes. Superb fishing.

(03-08-2019, 11:55 AM)sandwedge Wrote: I would have to say, Thailand. I had thought when I retired I would live there, but I met my wife, that ended that thought.
I loved Phuket and Pattaya Beach. Just pull up 2 palm trees and grab your hammock on a white sandy beach....

Not like that anymore... Now its overrun with loser millennials that travel there with their non-existent money, only to get trashed and debauched.

Its too bad and...

(03-12-2019, 04:15 PM)Yojimbo Wrote: Traveled quite a bit with 6 years in the Navy. One place was head and shoulders above the rest, Bali. Clean, white sand, topless beaches as far as you can see, stayed in a 5 star hotel for $33 a night with a door that opened right on to the beach.

... the same can be said for Bali, though it truthfully isn't as bad as Phuket.

More Australians there than Thailand and they're a bit more responsible/mature than us North Americans.

(05-03-2019, 04:42 PM)Synric Wrote: As a 19 year old recently separated I was stationed in the Philippines...White Sand Beaches and women threw theirselves at you. On leave I was able to visit Japan and Australia. Easily the most fun I've ever had and and I've been all over the US and most of Europe.

Working with an absolute crapton of them, you can see it in spades; Filipinos on the whole, LOVE Caucasians and I know that if I wasn't married, it would be one-night stand central, as I used to be asked by a fair amount of Filipinas I used to work with, if they could, "come home with me." lol

Would love to visit the Philippines; their food is incredible and they people are super friendly/helpful.

Anyways, I'd rank the five best places I've ever travelled to as:

(Toronto is my favourite place on Earth, but its home, so it doesn't count)

HM: Jacksonville: Underrated city!

5. Cincinnati: I could put a bunch of places in Canada here, but I'm an Ontarian through and through and nothing compares to our great province, so I'll exclude the country and put my favourite place in the States! Yes, I know you guys may not be big fans, being that you live in and around it, but my wife and I love it in Cincinnati; walking/driving along the river is nice, OTR is nice and PBS is a wonderful stadium.

4. Edinburgh: I loved all of the UK when I went, but this was a wonderful city; nice big castle, got to see a 6 Nations game (what an awesome crowd!), best fish and chips I've ever eaten in my life, fantastic hosts and people and I had my first kiss here (and it was meaningful, not a drunken-thing or anything like that). Lots of great memories and I'd love to go back!

3. Bassano del Grappa: Have been all over Italy, Rome and north, but being my family's ancestral city (none of my family has lived there since pre WWII), it is just awesome to see your name on (certain!) buildings, on the central fountain, streets, etc. Wonderful town, I'd love to retire here, as it is slow-paced, great weather and fantastic food.

2. Costa Rica: Stayed in Guanacaste (near Liberia, to be exact) last year and it is a wonderful country. Friendly people, great food, great weather (IT RAINS WHEN YOU NEED IT TO!!!!!!!), fairly inexpensive and one of the 3 best fishing destinations in the world. I caught 2 Sailfish (one was just over 161 pounds) and 10 Mahi on a one-day charter with my wife. Caribbean side has yellow sand, Pacific side has white, Guanacaste has black/gray.

1. Japan: Been to Tokyo, Nagoya, Yokohama, Yokosuka, Osaka, Himeji, Nara, Uji, Kobe and up and down Okinawa. By far the most wonderful and awesome country I have ever been to, with wonderful people, super clean and safe cities, beyond-phenomenal food and it is SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than travelling in Europe, especially for you Americans (as the Yen is essentially on par with the American Dollar or lower).

And the best tattoo artists live in Japan as well. Fact.