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.

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.

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

1.  Nova Scotia, Canada – We 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.

“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.

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

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!