Dan's Travel Guide!
In honor of my first real vacation in over a year, I decided to do something different for my last pre-vacation blog: A little guide to some of my favorite spots I've visited that are slightly off the beaten path.
I have traveled a ton and been to most of the major cities in Europe, in addition to a few non-European destinations as well. I've been to most everywhere in the United States too, though most of my favorite spots in the US are geographical/geological phenomena and not the mostly un-original cities. After all, how can someone be excited by visiting Omaha, New Haven, Des Moines and Amarillo when we have so many ecological sites available to us in this vast land? So while there are some great cities in the US (San Francisco, New York, San Diego, DC, Boston) most American cities are basically indistinguishable from each other thanks to chains like McDonalds, Chevron and The Gap. So here's my (long) list:
In the USA:
Death Valley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_valley) - Go there in the heart of the summer to get the full experience. From the time you enter Death Valley, it is obvious that you are somewhere that is unique to this world. The land formations are completely alien to anything you've ever seen before and the sun is stronger and hotter than you can imagine. If you live in California, you MUST check this amazing place out at least once.
Great Smokey Mountains (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Smokey_Mountains) - In Tennessee this national park is basically the only geological tourist destination east of the Mississippi that can compete with the west. As the name suggests, the mountains are eerily covered in mist most of the time and that creates this serene atmosphere. It's just really pretty, but can be quite crowded.
Mono Lake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mono_Lake)- Like Death Valley, this is just an alien geographical destination. Mono Lake has these salt pillars and alkali bugs that just make you feel like you're on some distant planet. It's really close to Yosemite and Death Valley/Mt Whitney so it's a convenient location.
Yellowstone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/yellowstone)- Why mention Yellowstone? It's just too amazing to ignore. Everyone needs to visit this place...plus you can take a drive up north to Montana to see the big sky (that picture in my pics on the road is from Montana).
Santa Fe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Fe%2C_New_Mexico)- Beautiful little town with a culture unlike anywhere else in the US. Has all kinds of galleries, theater and amazing architecture and scenery and spectacular New Mexican food!
Tahoe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Tahoe)- Anyone who hasn't been here is missing out. Definitely one of the top 5 most beautiful places in the world. Summer or winter, it's an active person's paradise.
In Europe:
So I could go the easy route and suggest Amsterdam, Florence, Vienna, London, Copenhagen, Prague or even Salzburg or anywhere in Switzerland, but there are so many places in Europe that are even more inspiring and less overrun by tourists.
Dubrovnik (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubrovnik)- Those two amazing pictures of the islands in the water are from this divine city. Shelled by Milosevic during the Bosnian War, Dubrovnik shows no signs of the devastation to its midieval walled city that hangs over the Adriatic Sea. The abundance of islands makes it possible to have a completely isolated picnic on the water, but the old town is also happening and full of food, clubs, hidden bars and shops. This is where I hope to have my honeymoon if I ever settle down and get married
Antwerp (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antwerp)- This should be every woman's dream destination, especially if going with her sweetie. The city is known throughout Europe as a culinary capital, so the food is phenomenal, but that's not what makes this the place. Chocolate, diamonds and sweet (but highly alcoholic) beers are the staples of Belgium and it's cultural capital. Antwerp has a beautiful old town that contrasts nicely with its modern waterfront. But the main draw for me are the Belgian Waffles (you've NEVER had a Belgian Waffle till you've had the glazed ones with ice cream and chocolate that they serve in Antwerp), the beer (basically the only place where I crave beer is Belgium) and the Pralinee Chocolates (not to be confused with Pralines, Pralinee is similar to Nutella, but better).
Napoli (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoli)- Most people come to this city to visit Capri or Pompeii and avoid Napoli completely because of the history of organized crime and poverty. But Napoli is actually a gorgeous city with the best food (and Gelato) in the world (assuming you like Italian food) and the best shopping Italy has to offer. Milano might be the fashion center of Italy, but Napoli is where it's all sold wholesale. I got a Canali dress shirt that sells for $300 in the US for just $80 there. And forget about the fine silk ties, they all sell for less than $25 there. The best Gnocchi ala Sorrentina I've ever had was from a little cafe tucked away in a dirty little neighborhood in Napoli. Plus, you can always take a little boat trip to Capri or a bus ride to see the ruins at Pompeii, just don't neglect Via Roma and the Castel Duomo in beautiful Napoli.
Lago Di Como (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lago_di_Como) - If you saw that scene in Star Wars Episode II where Anakin and Padme get married, you've seen Lago Di Como. Similar to Tahoe in geography, Como is made even more gorgeous by the Italian estates on the mountainsides that just rise straight from the water. This is the most beautiful spot I saw in all of my European travels, even eclipsing Lucerne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/lucerne) and Salzburg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/salzburg). Another spot I'd consider honeymooning in.
Innsbruck (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innsbruck)- The sun setting over the river in my pics is from this gorgeous Austrian town. Classic Austrian architecture and the river running alongside the Alps makes this place too beautiful to seem real. It's hard to believe that real people live in a place like this. Not that much to do there, but it's too gorgeous to pass up.
Nuremburg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremburg) And a picture in my pics as well - Historically known more for Nazi-ism than tourism, Nuremburg has used it's history to educate the people, with museums on the origins of the Nazi movement. In fact, even the amazing (best in Europe I think, and I went to about a dozen) toy museum has a section on how the Nazi party used toys to influence children. But this city isn't all about Nazi-ism, it's also quite gorgeous and serene. It's famous for its gingerbread and the old town smells like it...yummy. Also known for toys, beer and its museums, Nuremburg was a pleasant surprise when I visited.
Dresden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/dresden) - Bombed to hell during WWII, this city is just now undergoing reconstruction after 40 years of Soviet neglect. Bombed out shells of buildings can still be seen alongside fully reconstructed palaces. Everything is just much bigger here, from the sidewalks, to the squares to the giant gold statue right over the bridge that spans the Elbe. A really neat city to visit that doesn't really have a huge amount of tourism yet.
Hamburg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/hamburg)- This city is known for being bombed in WWII (and being a scenario in the first Sim City game), but it's also famous for a different reason: Women. The most gorgeous women in Europe live here (as opposed to Stockholm, where most people think), ever see a bottle of (or add for) St Pauli Girl? Well, St Pauli is a neighborhood in Hamburg where every woman basically looks like her...a blonde haired, blue-eyed work of art. Take a stroll along the bars on the Reeperbahn if you don't believe me. The city is also a very old and wealthy city that has a lot of great museums and cultural sites.
The rest of the world:
Again, there are plenty of awesome spots I've been to that I would suggest, but so would everyone else. The Great Barrier Reef, Sydney, The Bahamas and Jamaica are all frequent destinations, but there are some fantastic places that are a little less known vacation destinations.
Grand Cayman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Cayman)- Water so clear you can see straight to the bottom without goggles. Sand so fine it feels like velvet, and the sun shines down through pollution-free skies. Best beach I've ever been to is the 7-mile beach there.
Curacao (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curacao)- This Dutch-Caribbean island has it's own little unique flair that most other caribbean islands don't. The buidings are all colorful and look very Dutch, but the beaches and caribbean flavor makes this place just a little cooler than the rest.
Mazatlan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazatlan)- Fantastic food, great beaches, warm water and cheap prices. It's my favorite Mexican city I've been to, beating Cabo, TJ, Cozumel, Guadalajarra, Ixtapa/Zihuatinejo and Puerto Vallarta.
PLACES TO AVOID!!!
This is the most important section...these are the places that were just so horrible that I don't understand why anyone would want to visit.
Marseille - Dirty, streets covered in dog crap, and full of french port-town people. The Chateu D'If of "The Count of Monte Cristo" is the only redeeming feature. Also keep in mind that most of France SUCKS. Even Paris is full of flaws, but avoid Marseille, Lyon, and Bordeaux if you like cities that aren't covered in dog crap, neon signs and graffiti.
Athens - I compare this horrible city to Tijuana. It's dirty, smells, overcrowded, and very little respect for historical monuments. Incredibly pushy shopkeepers and horrendous food don't help either.
Venice - There are so many cities in Europe with canals, I just don't get why the dirty, stinky (notice a theme here?) and CROWDED Venice is considered so romantic. Amsterdam has prettier and cleaner canals, so does Copenhagen. If you're going to go to Venice, why not just go accross the Adriatic to Dubrovnik (or Split) and see a truly gorgeous city.
So this ended up a lot longer than I expected, but I hope it helps some of y'all. If any of you visit these places, let me know your opinions!
I have traveled a ton and been to most of the major cities in Europe, in addition to a few non-European destinations as well. I've been to most everywhere in the United States too, though most of my favorite spots in the US are geographical/geological phenomena and not the mostly un-original cities. After all, how can someone be excited by visiting Omaha, New Haven, Des Moines and Amarillo when we have so many ecological sites available to us in this vast land? So while there are some great cities in the US (San Francisco, New York, San Diego, DC, Boston) most American cities are basically indistinguishable from each other thanks to chains like McDonalds, Chevron and The Gap. So here's my (long) list:
In the USA:
Death Valley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_valley) - Go there in the heart of the summer to get the full experience. From the time you enter Death Valley, it is obvious that you are somewhere that is unique to this world. The land formations are completely alien to anything you've ever seen before and the sun is stronger and hotter than you can imagine. If you live in California, you MUST check this amazing place out at least once.
Great Smokey Mountains (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Smokey_Mountains) - In Tennessee this national park is basically the only geological tourist destination east of the Mississippi that can compete with the west. As the name suggests, the mountains are eerily covered in mist most of the time and that creates this serene atmosphere. It's just really pretty, but can be quite crowded.
Mono Lake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mono_Lake)- Like Death Valley, this is just an alien geographical destination. Mono Lake has these salt pillars and alkali bugs that just make you feel like you're on some distant planet. It's really close to Yosemite and Death Valley/Mt Whitney so it's a convenient location.
Yellowstone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/yellowstone)- Why mention Yellowstone? It's just too amazing to ignore. Everyone needs to visit this place...plus you can take a drive up north to Montana to see the big sky (that picture in my pics on the road is from Montana).
Santa Fe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Fe%2C_New_Mexico)- Beautiful little town with a culture unlike anywhere else in the US. Has all kinds of galleries, theater and amazing architecture and scenery and spectacular New Mexican food!
Tahoe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Tahoe)- Anyone who hasn't been here is missing out. Definitely one of the top 5 most beautiful places in the world. Summer or winter, it's an active person's paradise.
In Europe:
So I could go the easy route and suggest Amsterdam, Florence, Vienna, London, Copenhagen, Prague or even Salzburg or anywhere in Switzerland, but there are so many places in Europe that are even more inspiring and less overrun by tourists.
Dubrovnik (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubrovnik)- Those two amazing pictures of the islands in the water are from this divine city. Shelled by Milosevic during the Bosnian War, Dubrovnik shows no signs of the devastation to its midieval walled city that hangs over the Adriatic Sea. The abundance of islands makes it possible to have a completely isolated picnic on the water, but the old town is also happening and full of food, clubs, hidden bars and shops. This is where I hope to have my honeymoon if I ever settle down and get married
Antwerp (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antwerp)- This should be every woman's dream destination, especially if going with her sweetie. The city is known throughout Europe as a culinary capital, so the food is phenomenal, but that's not what makes this the place. Chocolate, diamonds and sweet (but highly alcoholic) beers are the staples of Belgium and it's cultural capital. Antwerp has a beautiful old town that contrasts nicely with its modern waterfront. But the main draw for me are the Belgian Waffles (you've NEVER had a Belgian Waffle till you've had the glazed ones with ice cream and chocolate that they serve in Antwerp), the beer (basically the only place where I crave beer is Belgium) and the Pralinee Chocolates (not to be confused with Pralines, Pralinee is similar to Nutella, but better).
Napoli (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoli)- Most people come to this city to visit Capri or Pompeii and avoid Napoli completely because of the history of organized crime and poverty. But Napoli is actually a gorgeous city with the best food (and Gelato) in the world (assuming you like Italian food) and the best shopping Italy has to offer. Milano might be the fashion center of Italy, but Napoli is where it's all sold wholesale. I got a Canali dress shirt that sells for $300 in the US for just $80 there. And forget about the fine silk ties, they all sell for less than $25 there. The best Gnocchi ala Sorrentina I've ever had was from a little cafe tucked away in a dirty little neighborhood in Napoli. Plus, you can always take a little boat trip to Capri or a bus ride to see the ruins at Pompeii, just don't neglect Via Roma and the Castel Duomo in beautiful Napoli.
Lago Di Como (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lago_di_Como) - If you saw that scene in Star Wars Episode II where Anakin and Padme get married, you've seen Lago Di Como. Similar to Tahoe in geography, Como is made even more gorgeous by the Italian estates on the mountainsides that just rise straight from the water. This is the most beautiful spot I saw in all of my European travels, even eclipsing Lucerne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/lucerne) and Salzburg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/salzburg). Another spot I'd consider honeymooning in.
Innsbruck (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innsbruck)- The sun setting over the river in my pics is from this gorgeous Austrian town. Classic Austrian architecture and the river running alongside the Alps makes this place too beautiful to seem real. It's hard to believe that real people live in a place like this. Not that much to do there, but it's too gorgeous to pass up.
Nuremburg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremburg) And a picture in my pics as well - Historically known more for Nazi-ism than tourism, Nuremburg has used it's history to educate the people, with museums on the origins of the Nazi movement. In fact, even the amazing (best in Europe I think, and I went to about a dozen) toy museum has a section on how the Nazi party used toys to influence children. But this city isn't all about Nazi-ism, it's also quite gorgeous and serene. It's famous for its gingerbread and the old town smells like it...yummy. Also known for toys, beer and its museums, Nuremburg was a pleasant surprise when I visited.
Dresden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/dresden) - Bombed to hell during WWII, this city is just now undergoing reconstruction after 40 years of Soviet neglect. Bombed out shells of buildings can still be seen alongside fully reconstructed palaces. Everything is just much bigger here, from the sidewalks, to the squares to the giant gold statue right over the bridge that spans the Elbe. A really neat city to visit that doesn't really have a huge amount of tourism yet.
Hamburg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/hamburg)- This city is known for being bombed in WWII (and being a scenario in the first Sim City game), but it's also famous for a different reason: Women. The most gorgeous women in Europe live here (as opposed to Stockholm, where most people think), ever see a bottle of (or add for) St Pauli Girl? Well, St Pauli is a neighborhood in Hamburg where every woman basically looks like her...a blonde haired, blue-eyed work of art. Take a stroll along the bars on the Reeperbahn if you don't believe me. The city is also a very old and wealthy city that has a lot of great museums and cultural sites.
The rest of the world:
Again, there are plenty of awesome spots I've been to that I would suggest, but so would everyone else. The Great Barrier Reef, Sydney, The Bahamas and Jamaica are all frequent destinations, but there are some fantastic places that are a little less known vacation destinations.
Grand Cayman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Cayman)- Water so clear you can see straight to the bottom without goggles. Sand so fine it feels like velvet, and the sun shines down through pollution-free skies. Best beach I've ever been to is the 7-mile beach there.
Curacao (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curacao)- This Dutch-Caribbean island has it's own little unique flair that most other caribbean islands don't. The buidings are all colorful and look very Dutch, but the beaches and caribbean flavor makes this place just a little cooler than the rest.
Mazatlan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazatlan)- Fantastic food, great beaches, warm water and cheap prices. It's my favorite Mexican city I've been to, beating Cabo, TJ, Cozumel, Guadalajarra, Ixtapa/Zihuatinejo and Puerto Vallarta.
PLACES TO AVOID!!!
This is the most important section...these are the places that were just so horrible that I don't understand why anyone would want to visit.
Marseille - Dirty, streets covered in dog crap, and full of french port-town people. The Chateu D'If of "The Count of Monte Cristo" is the only redeeming feature. Also keep in mind that most of France SUCKS. Even Paris is full of flaws, but avoid Marseille, Lyon, and Bordeaux if you like cities that aren't covered in dog crap, neon signs and graffiti.
Athens - I compare this horrible city to Tijuana. It's dirty, smells, overcrowded, and very little respect for historical monuments. Incredibly pushy shopkeepers and horrendous food don't help either.
Venice - There are so many cities in Europe with canals, I just don't get why the dirty, stinky (notice a theme here?) and CROWDED Venice is considered so romantic. Amsterdam has prettier and cleaner canals, so does Copenhagen. If you're going to go to Venice, why not just go accross the Adriatic to Dubrovnik (or Split) and see a truly gorgeous city.
So this ended up a lot longer than I expected, but I hope it helps some of y'all. If any of you visit these places, let me know your opinions!
posted by Dan Pasternack at 2:38 PM
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