Friday, October 8, 2010

The Top “5”

Most of us who travel by RV, as a part-timer or a full-timer, don’t want to sit in just one, single place for an entire year or more.  That is, of course, unless you are working a job in that location.  I’ve read some blogs that mention a “bucket list” from time to time. 

It got me thinking about what were the “Top 5” places we have already been to and glad we didn’t miss.  It also got me thinking about the “Top 5” we still have on our list of must-see places.  We have a lot more than 5 places that could be put on both lists, but we have to set a limit for blog purposes.

                                            Almost sunset on the path by our RV park.DSCF6955

So I’ll give your both of our lists and then maybe you can share with everyone a place or two that may be on your list, too.

                                            Pismo Creek and dunes as sun begins sinking.DSCF6956

“Top 5” places we are glad we saw and did not miss: 

1.  Nova Scotia, CanadaWe spent 7 weeks there in 2007 and it was phenomenal.   We covered as much of the entire province that we could possibly see with my 82-year-old Dad with us, which was still a bunch!  We did get to all the main areas from top to bottom and side to side.  Cape Breton area and Halifax were probably our favorites.

2.  Washington D.C. – As our nation’s capital, they have a lot of great stuff to see.  The museums and the monuments are fantastic.  It’s a great big, busy city, but worth the time.  We went there with our kids in the 80’s and Bruce and I had even gone there again, with an RV, in January of 1994.  Gee….the city was almost empty of tourists. 

3.  The Everglades in Florida -  We finally got our chance to spend some time down in the Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve in 2009.  It was terrific and I posted a lot of pics from those visits (archives May 2009).  This is probably not a place where we would care to make a return visit, but are so glad we did see it.  Lots of gators! 

4.  Maine – This is one of our favorite states of them all.  We have visited many times and will certainly plan another trip in a couple of years.   The remote state parks in 1997 and 1999 were our favorite camping areas.  We only had a 30-foot MH at that time and it was easy to park in smaller sites.  We took my parents on an RV trip to Maine in October of 2000 to see the fall foliage display.  Mom had terminal cancer and it just seemed like a great idea!  In our opinion, all of the areas in Maine are worth checking out.

5.  Alaska – Need we say more?  We took my Dad up there in 2006 and we spent 7 weeks in our biggest state.  Alaska is so huge and the scenery is so beautiful it is almost indescribable.  Too bad I wasn’t blogging back then.  Our favorite 2 places in the state were Homer and Haines (although there was no disappointing place).  Don’t know for sure if we will ever go back.  It is awfully expensive up there, so, time will tell. 

                                    Cupola over the restaurant and clubhouse building at the RV park.DSCF6959

“Top 5” places we would like to visit, tour or just see:

1.  Glacier National Park – This national park is very close to Washington State (our state of residence) and we have never been there.  We had planned a car trip there with our parents in the summer of 2003, and that was when there were some wildfires in the area.  We changed the plan and went up to B.C. and Alberta instead.  So, it remains one of those “we must see it” places on our Top 5.

2.  New York City – Yeah, I know this is just a great, humongous city with a zillion people but it is a place we have wanted to visit for a long time.  I actually saw NYC in 1980 when I traveled to New Jersey to visit family and Bruce stayed home to work.  We took a quick day trip over and the kids and I saw a couple of places in the city, plus a Yankees game, but not near enough.  So, Bruce and I have this on our list and we want to see everything.  Someday.

3.  Churchill, Manitoba, Canada -  We would like to go up to Churchill to see the polar bears in the wild.  That would be more than awesome.  This, like NYC, will have to wait until Annie is no longer traveling with us due to the logistics of getting to the area where the polar bears live. 

4.  Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec Province, Canada – In 1998 we took a 10-day cruise that went from Boston to Quebec City.  We traveled on the St. Lawrence River to Quebec City and ever since then we have wanted to go back to see the area known as Gaspe Peninsula which is on the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  It is a very rugged area and it just seemed like one of those places we want to see because it is there.  Sort of like the answer for climbers when asked why they climbed the mountain….’because it was there’. 

5.  Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico – We had planned to take my Dad here in 2008, but he passed away before we could get him here.  We would like to stay in the area for a few weeks and visit many of the pueblos in that part of New Mexico. 

                                                       Lone duck on the creek.DSCF6964

                    Not a great sunset on this night, but I did see a couple of birds flying toward me.DSCF6962

It’s really difficult to only pick a “Top 5” for both of the lists.  Whenever I look at the atlas I can pick out dozens of places we’d like to visit.  I just hope we have time to get around to everything before we get too old to go there without a caretaker taking us. 

So, what places are on your lists of favorites, most impressive, awesome or terrific?  Give us all some inspiration on new places to experience and enjoy.

Until next time…..so long for now!

15 comments:

MargieAnne said...

I love your list and it has made me think.

In 2005 we had 7 weeks road trip in USA for what we thought would be our one and only overseas trip. We left NZ with a very small agenda. I'm glad we did because what we discovered on the way was so much more fun than if we'd been rushing form one spot to another.

Our list had on it Grand Canyon, a Space Centre and we chose Kennedy, Everglades and I had the desire to ride in an air boat on the swamp grass and drive to Key West while TWJ decided he wanted to go to Indianapolis Raceway.

I'd love to spend some time on the East Coast and of course Canada but next time we will give ourselves a longer period in a smaller area. We want to divide the USA into about 6 areas of interest but who knows what our future will bring.

That's one of the adventures of life. Not knowing what's around the corner. After all we never dreamed there would be a day when we could travel overseas.

Travels with Emma said...

I'm not sure anything can compete with Alaska, in my opinion, but my next most favorite place was the Yellowstone area. The two months I spent there this summer was just fantastic!

Others near the top of my list of favorite places I've been would be the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Laguna Atascosa NWR in Texas. There are just so many great places that's it's hard to choose.

I'd like to do Maine and Nova Scotia again without having to rush. :)

Vera said...

I always wanted to see Canada's East coast. So far that has not happened but I am still hoping. Quebec is the farthest East I have come. I also would like to see Costa Rica, maybe even spend a winter there.

Gypsy said...

I will have to think about the places I really want to visit. But I was working in DC during Jan. 1994 (was that the year of the blizzard?) but I don't ever remember a time there weren't a lot of tourists.

Regarding New York, I think it is one of the greatest cities on earth. Just to walk down Broadway toward the Battery, to see the Status of Liberty and Ellis Island, and all the places we've seen in pictures over the years - nothing can compare.

Maybe I'll do my lists in my blog tomorrow. Thanks for the inspiration.

Rick said...

Interesting and thought provoking topic, Margie.

Interestingly, I haven't been to any of your "Top 5" but would love to visit all of them with the exception of Alaska. Maybe Alaska on a cruise ship but that's all.

As for the "Top 5" you'd like to visit, I've been to 3 of them, missing only the Gaspe Penninsula and Churchill. They're both cold, so I'll lump them in with Alaska only cruise ships don't go there!

Fun post!

Along the Way with JnK said...

Top 5 is so hard for us, we have a Life List, done before the movie made a Bucket List popular and to narrow it down to top 5 would be difficult.

A few of our favorite places we have been are Outer Banks of North Carolina, Niagara Falls, Disneyland, Mount Rushmore, Grand Canyon, Macinaw Island, Locs in Sault Saint Marie, Gateway Arch, San Francisco, the list goes on and on.

A few of our favorite places we want to see are Alaska (by cruise only), up the coast of California into Oregon and Washington (plan to do this in just a few weeks), the Keys, New England States, Washington D.C., Hawaii, DisneyWorld, and of course this list goes on and on as well.

Jessica Riker said...

We are only just starting to think about what places we would like to see, but one place that is already on our to-do list is Key West. We have been there twice but both were short visits so we are looking forward to spending a month there when we get on the road. The campgrounds there are very expensive so it will probably be a stay that we will only do once.

Sam&Donna Weibel said...

Margie & bruce, first want to apologize for the couple of travel days when I got behind in blogs and you didn't hear from me,your post on fulltiming was very thought provoking since that is the plan for our future also. You always comethrough with such good sense advice. Also you top 5 is a good idea,Althoug Donna and I have done extensive travel all our lives,trying to nail down 5 choices out of this great land of ours is extremely tough and then throw in that great neighbor canad to the north and the possibilites are ind boggling, I will say though since I have a son who livesin NYC if it was me I would camp in the Pocono mountains in Northeastern PA near where I am now, and drive the hour to NYC. by car, than park at an NJT train station in New Jersey and take the NJT train Midtown direct to the center of NYC.Much easier tha trying to drive in that city.Both of you guys have fun in Pismo Beach. Be safe out there. Sam &Donna.

pidge said...

Of course we are sitting in the same spot now, because of illness in my family, but we would love to see Acadia in Maine, Autumn Leaves in New Hampshire/Vermont, Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, Shenandoah in Virginia, and all of the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee. That's five, but here are a couple more we would like to see if time permits: Okefenokee in Georgia and The Everglades in Florida. We would also love to visit Canada and Alaska, but don't know if our budget will allow. Very interesting post, Margie. Thanks for sharing.

Wayne and Roberta said...

You have some great places on both list. We really want to see the east coast with Main and Nova Scotia at the top of our list.

We were at Glacier Nat'l Park with summer and it is beautiful and a place we would go back to. Don't go before July 1st if you want to pass over the "Road to the Sun". We were there in Mid-June and the road was closed.

Have a great week!

Chuck and Anneke's RV travels said...

Good topic! Of your top five visited, we have only hit D.C. and Everglades. Alaska and Nova Scotia are on our top five list. I am with rick and plan to see Alaska by cruise ship.

We have been to so many great places in the last four years, I would be hard pressed to name just five.

But on the want to see list, certainly Glacier NP is on the list. Also want to do the Utah great circle, which we skipped this year due to heat.

An English Shepherd said...

Some great places to visit :-)

Wizz

Karyn-Lee said...

Wow great post!!!
You and I share many of the places, however I have been to none of them! I liked Florida, but we only really saw in and around the Airport at Orlando and Disney World (which was awesome).

I like Jasper/Banff - peaceful and calm of the mountains has always held a special place in my heart.
Waterton Lakes is nice as well.

Alberta has some nice lakes that are fun to visit, for a short time.

I can't wait to get on the road and see some of the rest of the continent!!!

Cheers!

Diana said...

What a great idea! I'm going to have to think about mine. One comment about yours - when you go to Glacier, make sure you go to the East side and Many Glacier. It is sooooo much prettier than the west side.

Greg Prosmushkin said...

Thanks for sharing your top five places that you have visited. These are some places that one day I would like to go to. Have a great rest of your weekend.
Greg Prosmushkin