I often wish that I had more time to travel and visit some of our national landmarks and travel destinations. I was a history major in college and have always enjoyed learning more about the people and places I might have read about during my school years or heard about on a television program. I would love to get to see places like Yellow Stone Park, Mount Rushmore, The Grand Canyon, The St. Louis Arch, The Golden Gate Bridge, Seattle Space Needle, Fort Sumter, The Hoover Dam, The Alamo and the Carlsbad Caverns among other sites.
Seattle Space Needle
I have already had the good fortune to visit some of our most prominent national landmarks in the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials as well as the Empire State Building and the former Twin Towers when they were still standing. Sometimes in thinking about the big picture and the most famous landmarks I tend to forget about how many beautiful and incredibly underrated travel destinations exist near by.
Last year I visited the Ausable Chasm here in New York State. I had no real knowledge that the Chasm even exisited until a couple of years prior to my visit. I am a native New Yorker and had even been to visit Lake Placid, the site of the 1980 Winter Olympics in April of 2003. It turns out that Lake Placid is a mere 15 minute or so drive away from the Ausable Chasm. In having been so close to the Ausable Chasm without even knowing it I realized how unaware I am of some of the beautiful sites I could visit, even in my own state.
I think it's important to get out and explore. Some of the places I have explored and really enjoyed in upstate New York include The Ausable Chasm, Sonnenberg Gardens (both of which I have discussed here in the past), Lake Placid, The Indian Ladder Trail at John Lloyd Thatcher Park, The New York State History museum, Niagra Falls, Cooperstown National Baseball Hall of Fame, the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, Howe's Caverns and the Saratoga Raceway. I have also been to The Bennington Monument in nearby Vermont and The Norman Rockwell Art Musuem in nearby Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
I love to hear about places that other people have been to and enjoyed their visit. I never really know which direction my life will lead me or where I will be so even if there are places out of the country I hope that people will share their travel experiences. I am open to suggestions too if any of our readers know of a site near or far that is truly worth the trip. Sometimes it has taken me a few years to realize my travel dreams. I have not set them too high, trying to stay as local as possible. My decision to visit two new U.S. states this year was in part an effort to branch out a little in my travels. I don't have a lot of money to spend on travel which makes it a challenge but I think there is a small level of bravery in still figuring out ways to try and make trips work. The toughest aspect of travel is getting there and having the money to stay there if a destination is far away. Many of the destinations and landmarks I would love to visit do not cost anything or have minimal costs in and of themselves. Time and money are important considerations and as I go further from home driving becomes less viable so I will have to start saving money better in order to fly and afford a place to stay. I have had the benefit thus far of seeing some wonderful sites by virtue of visiting family or friends. I am trying to become a better "planner" in order to realize some of my travel goals outside their living range. What destinations have you visited? Where would you like to go or what landmark(s) would you wish to see?
I enjoyed reading your post Jon Bear. It has reminded me that America is a beautiful country with sweeping landscapes. I forget it's not all about bustling cities and fast food. I have been travelling these last few days. I have visited more of Queensland, as it is a big state and I have still not seen all of it. I currently wish to see Stradbroke Island which is a lovely tropical island off the coast of Queensland.
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