So today I had the pleasure of canceling the summer excursion to Jamaica for Jami and I. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy to do it – we didn’t want to spend that kind of money with the little one set to arrive in October. Instead, we are taking a pre-family vacation to Virginia Beach to visit my brother and his family. Hopefully the rest of my siblings will be able to come so we can all enjoy the sunshine, Busch Gardens and fellowship together.
I think I’ve been pretty fortunate to visit some really cool places in my life. Despite growing up a poor kid I’ve been on my fair share of planes to different parts of the country and world, and all of such experiences have helped me broaden my horizons.
Therefore, in the spirit of summer vacation planning, here are my favorite – and not so favorite – places that I’ve been, along with a few that are on my wishlist before I die.
My Favorite Places
Rome, Italy – this was easily my #1 draft pick. I am, without a doubt, a history nerd. If you were to see my DVR’d programs, which range from “The Truth About Christianity” to “The Attack on Pearl Harbor”, you would probably think I never got out of the house! But it is my love of history that really makes Rome very special to me. It was incredibly awe-inspiring to walk into structures that were built 2,000 years ago such as the Flavium Amphitheatre (also known as the Colisseum) and the Pantheon. Or to see the frescoes and priceless artifacts in the Vatican Museum (see the Sistine Chapel). Or to stand in St. Peter’s Basilica. Or to experience the most beautiful fountains ever created, such as the Fontana Di Trevi or Bernini’s Four Rivers in Piazza Navona.
But what makes Rome so awesome is not just about its history, though. As you’re walking down cobblestone streets, you can go to the historic Spanish Steps shopping district to buy from the most expensive brands in the world. Next, you can stop at a local shop and get authentic gelato, and can choose from about 40 different flavors. Or you can go to a wine bar and mingle with the locals, getting tips on where you can find the best local flavor.
Trust me… if you can handle the eight-hour flight from JFK and the time difference, make Rome your next trip. You won’t regret it.
New York, NY – Some people call it “The Big Apple”, but I think it should be called “The Capital of the World”. Lets be honest – if anyone in the entire world considers themselves to be serious travelers, then NYC has to be somewhere on their list of must-see destinations. What are you looking for – art, culture and music? That’s easy, just go to the Theatre District (Broadway) or The Met. Shopping? Ha – you’ve got Soho or Fifth Avenue. Sports? That’s easy – Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Garden. History? Ground Zero, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the Apollo Theater easily make the cut.
No to mention the other unique opportunities you have just for being on the island. You could run into just about any celebrity or be an extra in a film. You’ll have visit Wall Street and take a picture with the bull. And you can’t neglect take in some NY-style pizza, Gray’s Papaya or eat from a street vendor. I hope I’ve made a pretty good case as to why NYC is one of my favorite places.
Denver, CO – Stop the presses… Denver? Yes, Denver. My last choice was a tough one and beat our cities such as New Orleans, Atlanta and Dallas. Having only spent a short amount of time in the Mile High City, I found it to be a place that has an extreme amount of potential. It boasts many high profile Fortune 500 companies and satellites, a team in every major sport, and thriving suburban neighborhoods surrounding downtown. Not to mention you are on the foothills of the majestic Rocky Mountains that never fail to give a spectacular view in the warmer months. Just down the roads you have great towns such as Boulder (and a great college town, if I may add – home to the Colorado Buffalos) and Colorado Springs.
There are three other aspects of Denver that I find very appealing. First, it is smack-dab in the middle of the country – you are only a two-hour flight from LA, and a three-hour flight on the East Coast. Secondly, contrary to popular belief, Denver gets approximately 300 days of sun. And finally, there are endless opportunities to get out of the house and enjoy nature, whether it is driving up the Rockies, hunting, fishing, hiking, skiing… I think you get the picture!
*only one knock on Denver – the lack of racial and cultural diversity, but numbers are trending to get better in the next decade.
Honorable Mentions: Atlanta, GA; New Orleans, LA; Dallas, TX, San Jose, Costa Rica
My Not-So-Favorite Places
Orlando, FL – Can’t believe I have a warm-weather city on this list? Well, that’s because I have never had a good weather experience in Orlando. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely enjoyed my stay in the “happiest place on earth”, but I can’t seem to figure the weather out. I’ve been to Orlando three times in my life, and I can tell you that one of two things will happen – it will either rain, or I will get sunburned… and I didn’t previously know that black people can get sunburned! Top that off with the incredible number of families with small children everywhere, Orlando wouldn’t be a place where I could call home.
Charlotte, NC – Black people may find this to be a strange pick, considering Charlotte has been a mainstay on Ebony and Jet magazine’s lists of best places for black people to live. And it could be simply because I don’t know enough about Charlotte. But during my stay there, I wasn’t impressed with what the city had to offer. I know it is the home of some prosperous companies – many of them banks – and I know the city has a thriving nightlife. It just didn’t seem as if there is enough to attract me (young professional, married with soon-to-be children) to visit there any time soon.
Detroit, MI – my friends who are from “The D” wouldn’t appreciate me putting their hometown on my list. And if I would ask them why do they think I put it on the list of places I don’t want to go, they would probably mention the perceived crime and the unemployment rate. Although both of those are important, the real reason I don’t want to visit is the weather. Mind you that I’m from the Cleveland area, but the coldest I’ve ever been in my life was when I was in Detroit! And if that was any indication of what it could be like for four months out of the year, I will have to pass on Motown.
*Disclaimer – Detroit will be back as one of the pivotal cities in this country. Once they work out their local political system and get jobs back, its image may change drastically.
Places I Really Want To Go
Washington, DC – I want to visit D.C. for the same reason I fell in love with Rome – history. The list of things to see and do is almost limitless. The White House. The Capitol Building. The Smithsonian Museums. The Washington Monument. The Lincoln Memorial. Arlington National Cemetery. Walk through the Georgetown neighborhood. Visit Howard University. Explore Mount Vernon.
In the interest of time, I’ll stop there. Oh, and isn’t D.C. also called Chocolate City? I wonder why…
London, England – jumping back on a plane over the Atlantic for this one. Great Britain was considered the world’s superpower nation for hundreds of years. Its influence on the world, and on the United States, can be measured in so many different ways. Like anyone else who aspires to visit the Big Island, I want to visit the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben. I want to see the changing of the guards and visit the Westminster Abbey (yes, that’s where William and Kate were recently wed). And if you are up to getting mobile, you can visit cities such as Oxford, Canterbury, Glastonbury and Stonehenge on a day trip. If you’re visiting London, make sure you know in advance how the English traditionally drink their tea; if you don’t, you may be in for a surprise!
Cairo, Egypt – This western Africa city is original home to mathematics, architecture, philosophy, modern medicine and surgery, and banking. Situated along the Nile River, Cairo gives visitors a very unique look into life from thousands of years ago. Just outside the city sits one of the eight wonders of the natural world in the Great Pyramid of Giza. And since you’d be close, you might as well check out the Sphinx, too. Make sure you take some time to tour the local markets where you can buy anything from fine fabrics to exotic spices (but beware – some of the locals have made a good living pick-pocketing tourists in this area!). Then make your way to the Egyptian Museum to see King Tut himself, along with some of his artifacts. If you’re with your significant other, take a twilight cruise on the Nile River. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you spend a significant amount of time there, because I only listed a few things to see and do while you are there.
Honorable Mentions: Philadelphia, PA; Pearl Harbor, HI; Accra, Ghana; Beijing, China; Hong Kong, Japan; Athens, Greece; Istanbul, Turkey; Johannesburg, South Africa; Sydney, Australia
I really liked this one. I am/was a travel guru myself. For our 5 year anniversary we are taking a mediterranean cruise, which starts in Venice. We will stop in Turkey and Greece. We are going early and staying later so we can explore Venice and take the train to Rome. I am super excited. And I must say, if you liked NYC, you'd love Hong Kong. I went there in 2006 with a girlfriend for my birthday and we loved it, although we were there a short time. And same for Japan. They have a great nightlife as well as great outdoor adventures. I am so hoping to get back overseas. I hate leaving family, but I love exploring new cultures. That's the best part about traveling for me. By the way, once we don't get back (hopefully to Singapore), you and the fam are more than welcome to come visit. Once you get to Asia, it's generally cheap to get to other countries. So save up some vacant and come in the summer for about 3 weeks :)
ReplyDeletelove ya cuz