What's the "best" place you've ever been?

[PetiteMouche]

The South Island of New Zealand. The beauty and serenity is a glimpse of Paradise.

[eostache]

Some unnamed canyon near the Utah/Colorado line.

[boy_bye]

Big Sur, CA, when the wildflowers are in bloom

Urca, Rio de Janeiro, at sunset, with pizza and beer

New York City in October, when the leaves are turning

Manzanillo, Costa Rica, snorkeling two huge coral reefs on a deserted beach at sunrise after smoking a big J

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico in the garden in front of the cathedral as the sun goes down and the lights go on

Glen Coe, Scotland, where the mountains are worn smooth and robed in emerald green

Boulder, CO, out by the creek on a cool morning

[Monocle Money Mouth]

My favorite place so far is Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park. I got to visit during the winter several years ago. My wife and I had the giant sequoia groves to ourselves and it was pretty amazing. I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if there were hundreds of people around.

[lemonde]

I have trouble thinking of any place as best, but we were driving home one day several years ago and noticed a solar eclipse in progress at sunset. That was kind of awesome.

[Kevin Aster Tin Obin]

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[9patch]

Murren, this super cute car free city in the berner oberland in Switzerland. It's nestled in the mountains. You take a gondola up there, and walk around the village. They have amazing yogurt, yum!



For cities, I love Prague, and Paris, both amazing places.

[jleo]

Just got back from Kauai and it was beautiful if you do go check out Tunnels Beach we went to a lot and that was by far the best! Also highly recommend a helicopter tour of the islands it was like a scene out of Jurassic park!

[FindingFI]

Nature: Tough call between Denali (and really all of Alaska) and Zion.  Alaska gets points for the immense scale, wildlife, and glaciers.  But hiking Zion was incredible for the scenery. 
Food: France hands down, every single meal was amazing!

Still got a ton of places on the bucket list though...

[Fishindude]

Hard to pick a single one, but sitting high in the Wrangel Mountains of Alaska on sheep hunt was some of the prettiest views I've ever seen.

[rockstache]

PTF

These are all amazing. I hope I haven't been to the best place yet, but of the places I have been, I would say Botswana.

[backandforth]

Post to follow. We've been to some of the "best" places people mentioned, but obviously not all of them. Keeping this for future vacation ideas :)

[tralfamadorian]

PTF

[Lance Hiruma]

There are so many. This video is great and I have been to most of them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4tkrJ563b0

[sisto]

I'm surprised by the number of people that said Zion. I enjoyed it, but there are many places that I enjoyed more. I suppose I should be happy that I'm fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to visit so many amazing places.

[begood]

Ah, I had one magical day in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland in the fall of 1984. Warm sun, cool breeze, cheese and bread and a Toblerone bar and new friends and a rock in the river where we ate a picnic lunch and sunned ourselves like lizards. I will never forget it!

[mm1970]

I'm surprised by the number of people that said Zion. I enjoyed it, but there are many places that I enjoyed more. I suppose I should be happy that I'm fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to visit so many amazing places.

Zion was great, but Bryce was better.

[CheapScholar]

I went to Zion in May and loved it.  I'd give Yosemite a slight edge over Zion.  However, Zion is easier for most people to get to and has a wider window to visit, as Yosemite becomes near impassable due to snow.  Virtually no bugs in Zion when I was there.  The park has a phenomenal shuttle system that bars cars from most of the park during peak season.  Honestly, I can see why people rave about it. 

But yeah, I'd take a day in Yosemite over Zion.

[Bendigirl]

Using this thread to plan future trips....
For me, my LIFE highlight was Ellesmere Island in Canada's high arctic..had the pleasure to work there one summer many years ago, an amazing place that stole my heart!
Recently, Hoi An Vietnam...wow, what a pretty town!  Also loved the rest of Vietnam, but this city was a highlight.
And lastly, my second home, Huatulco Mexico....

[Brother Esau]

Isle of Skye in Scotland

[simonsez]

Surprisingly disappointing: Iceland. We arrived and felt​ like we got put on rails. "You will go to Gysir, Thingvellir (sorry for spelling) and gulfloss and then you'll go to the blue lagoon because that is where tourists are supposed to go." We asked everyone for any other recommendations and that was all anyone had. The ring road was closed when we were there in late March but still. The scenery was awesome and the best run of my life was just exploring Reykjavik on foot and the people were interesting and kind but it was so hard to get off the tourist rails that take you to things that I've seen better elsewhere (gysers are better in Yellowstone, waterfalls are better in Oregon, rocky beaches are better in Maine, hot springs are better in Colorado and Idaho etc.). Iceland just brings a lot of international​ tourists to those things.

Damn, sorry to hear about that.  Iceland is not on my best list but it deserves some honorable mention IMO.  Went in first week of August a few years back, rented a car, and did the Ring Road for about a week before Reykjavik and the Golden Circle for a couple days.  We did not hit the interior (didn't have a 4x4) or the NW corner but I thought the best parts were away from Reykjavik.  The glacial lagoon at Jokulsarlon was #1.  Witnessing the calving, the deep blues of the compressed ancient ice - as they perform their elegant bumper car waltz from the lagoon out to the sea next to pristine black sand beaches was very cool.  It was entrancing.  Seeing the desk-sized perfectly clear ice chunks on the black sand beach while wearing shorts (it was 75) was pretty surreal.  Whale watching in Husavik and exploring in and all around Lake Myvatn (the geothermal spring itself, Hverfjall, Dimmuborgrir) are treasured memories.  We had planned on doing the Blue Lagoon at the end of our trip but Lake Myvatn was so spectacular that we felt the Blue Lagoon wouldn't be adding anything and we skipped it.  I would trade 2 hours at Thingvellir for 30 more minutes to gawk at Jokulsarlon or add to a hike in Skaftafell/Vatnajokull.  I did have some Brennivin (it's a lot better chilled) but passed on the hakarl. ;-)

Best place I've been is Navini, Fiji.  It's an (~4 acre?) island with 10 private bures/bungalows that all have the ocean 30 feet out the back door.  Castaway was filmed a couple islands over.  It was just....so relaxing yet we were active for hours each day.  A definition of recreate as it pertains to recreation, not the kinds that means creating again, is "to refresh by physical influence after exertion".  This was Navini to a tee.  It makes me want to check out other places in the South Pacific.

A very solid runner-up for the beach type is St. John, USVI.  Get away from St. Thomas and all the cruise ships and people who fly in.  Take the ferry over to St. John, rent your house up in the hills, rent your Jeep, and explore a new beach and hiking trail every day.  I couldn't live on Navini but St. John could be something.  The house we stayed in and many others were wrecked by the hurricanes last month.  I hope they're able to rebuild so others can experience the area.

I'll give a shoutout to Freiburg (im Breisgau), Germany for overall living.  It's sunny and warm with proximity to the Black Forest, Baden-Baden, Strasbourg, Basel, & Zurich combined with the environmental/sustainability presence (the Greens are the plurality party in the area).  Wunderbar!

[asauer]

Merida, Mexico- this is where I want to retire.  The people the most amazing, kindest, most community minded people I've ever met.  Amazing food, culture, hiking and near the coast.

St. John USVI- again, people are fabulous and 3/4 of the island is a national park.  Beautiful!

[Laserjet3051]

Have to say remote mountain rain forest in Peru. Far away from any touristas.

But for sheer adrenaline/euphoria, hands down, that would be skiing face runs off the top at Utah's Snowbird/Alta, finishing off the day by skiing right up to my room and transitioning to sipping the bubbly, smoking sticky green in the outdoor jacuzzi while  watching ski patrol blow off avalanche after avalanche. Pure nirvana.

[Villanelle]

Isle of Skye in Scotland

This was my answer, too!  Paradise.  I dream of being able to go back, stay in the same B&B, and live there for a couple months, writing and eating porridge with whisky in it every morning. 

[rockstache]

Isle of Skye in Scotland

This was my answer, too!  Paradise.  I dream of being able to go back, stay in the same B&B, and live there for a couple months, writing and eating porridge with whisky in it every morning.

Please tell me the name of this lovely sounding B&B - PM is acceptable if you don't want to give away your hidey-hole. Thank you!

[Villanelle]

Isle of Skye in Scotland

This was my answer, too!  Paradise.  I dream of being able to go back, stay in the same B&B, and live there for a couple months, writing and eating porridge with whisky in it every morning.

Please tell me the name of this lovely sounding B&B - PM is acceptable if you don't want to give away your hidey-hole. Thank you!

Carter's Rest.  We were there in 2014, I believe.  Nothing fancy.  Not at all.  But a spectacular view from the breakfast room, a quick, easy hike out to the lighthouse from the photo below (Neist Point), and the hosts, Julie and Steve, were kind, easy people.  And that porridge was heavenly!  It was definitely not cheap though!



ETA: I just went to the website and it looks like they are still around. http://www.cartersrestskye.co.uk/

[rockstache]

Wow that's beautiful! Thanks!

[sisto]

Merida, Mexico- this is where I want to retire.  The people the most amazing, kindest, most community minded people I've ever met.  Amazing food, culture, hiking and near the coast.

St. John USVI- again, people are fabulous and 3/4 of the island is a national park.  Beautiful!

Merida is on my list of possible places to retire too. I haven't been then yet so I don't know for sure, but plan to check it out.

[TheWifeHalf]

Alaska
We took a 7 day land tour and a 10 day cruise for our 25th. The cruise was nice, I had never been on one, but if I never go on another, fine with me.
But the land tour!!!!
I actually saw Alaska, and met Alaskans, if not over, very close to the Arctic Circle.
It's interesting seeing photos people have taken recently and compare them to ours. I'm glad we saw the ice.
It was a trip meant for people to see Alaska, and experience what we wanted to experience.

We went to Hawaii for our honeymoon 36 years ago, and again, it was nice, But I always thought if I never get back here, that's ok. So in 2009 my Navy son's ship, the Ronald Reagan, was going to be in HA, so we went again. The best thing was seeing my son.  It was a year after my car accident so I couldn't take advantage of a program they had where a sailor could have someone stay on the shi and ride back to San Diego. At the time, my husband couldn't leave me either. Oh well, son's probably glad.

Interesting thing about our first trip to HA. We went to 4-5 islands, and since we got back, one hotel got destroyed by a hurricane, one road is now under lava, and the helicopter we were on to see a beach that can only be reached by helicopter, crashed.  Can you see why I said it's ok if we don't go back there?

[cerat0n1a]

- Unexpected #2: Melakka, Malaysia; a small and quite Chinese tourist focussed town in Malaysia. However, with some great history and I just loved the night market.

Spent two days there as part of a year long trip around Asia & the Pacific and my main memory of it is that I got more mosquito bites in one day there than in the rest of the year put together! It is a lovely spot though.

[SC93]

Any place I go with the little woman.... really. Places are all the same to me but when she is not there, they suck. When she is there, we have the best time and the scenery is so much better because when she is there I pay more attention to my surroundings. She travels the world and says the same thing because I don't go out of the country. Once I've seen everything in America I will go to other countries.

How are all of you going to all of these places and saving your money at the same time? Did you choose to go to one or more of these places and put off your end goal(s)?

[soccerluvof4]

I use to feel like I have been around having been in all 48 and Hawaii, Mexico and Canada. Far as I have been and really have no desire to go overseas though thanks for all the pics.

So here is my simplistic list.

I love Western North Carolina - The Smokeys, Blueridge Parkway, town of Asheville etc.. Those corridors between the mountains on I-40 and I-26 just are beautiful. Where I want to move to for the remainder of my retirement once the kids are all gone.

I really enjoyed Toronto and seeing Niagra Falls from that side compared to the US side no comparison. We had beautiful weather and Toronto seemed to be a city like Chicago (which I hate) that people took pride in.

I love hiking the Red Rock Canyon outside of Vegas. I go there at least once a year and it just makes me feel great! All i can say about it.

Finally a place in my heart I truly love is way Northern Wisconsin. Especially in the Winter time. 35,000 miles of snowmobile trails, nice cabin with a fire and just a whole lot of friendly people.

[HomeSweetLab]

Using this thread to plan future trips....
For me, my LIFE highlight was Ellesmere Island in Canada's high arctic..had the pleasure to work there one summer many years ago, an amazing place that stole my heart!
Recently, Hoi An Vietnam...wow, what a pretty town!  Also loved the rest of Vietnam, but this city was a highlight.
And lastly, my second home, Huatulco Mexico....

Glad to see Hoi An getting some love on here. Traveled all around Vietnam this past summer, and while the entire country is beautiful, Hoi An was definitely the highlight. We ended up staying there for six days. Friendly people, lovely canals, quaint downtown and awesome tailors. Got a bespoke 3-piece suit there for the equivalent of $150, which is by far the nicest piece of clothing I've ever owned. It would've cost well over $1000 (probably closer to $2000) in the states for a bespoke suit of similar quality.

[ACyclist]

Moab
Whistler Blackcomb and Squamish
Tahoe
Shelter Cove, CA
Kauai
Grenada island
The Florida Keys

All wonderful destinations, and I would gladly go back to any of them.

[DumpTruck]

Any place I am is the best place! It's more about what's happening...

I mean, surprising my GF in paris was sweet, munich was awesome, Maui, Big Island, Taiwan, all great. Colorado, Texas, Utah, Nevada, California, all fantastic.

Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Moab, Royal Arches, Mexico City, London, all great.

But seeing the 100% total solar eclipse in Dubois WY was the best experience I've ever had in my life. Just remembering it for 1 second makes me cry. Can't wait for Chile

[VoteCthulu]

Bellinzona, Switzerland. A small town surrounded by snow capped mountains with plenty of hiking trails, old castles, and small cafés. If I suddenly had 10 million dollars, one of the first things I'd do is rent a chalet near there for a few months.

[Imma]

It's hard to pick one "best" place, but some places that come to mind:

- West coast, Ireland (Connemara, the Burren)
- Saxon Switzerland, East Germany
- Bohemian Switzerland, Czech Republic (basically the same area as the Saxon Switzerland, just across the border)
- Pembrokeshire, Wales

Places on my 'to-go' to list to visit in the future:
- East coast, Ireland (Wicklow area)
- Andalusia, Spain
- Napels, Italy

[Nudelkopf]

My favourite place was the river Vltava in the Czech Republic. My then boyfriend and I did a canoe trip from a town called Vyšší Brod to  Český Krumlov. It was absolutely amazing. I think we spent 2 days canoeing down the river, but because it was flowing, it was almost zero work.

There was also a floating mojito bar, and guys selling pizza from their canoes and rafts.

[mrcheese]

Schiff path up Dorr Mountain in Acadia National Park. It was a perfectly beautiful fall day and I only saw one other person the entire time.

[Lmoot]

Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Jerk chicken available at all hours and great food all around, walkable, beautiful secluded beaches, wonderful people, and [good] reggae-music playing 24/7. I was there with my boyfriend at the time who's family is from Jamaica, so he knew all of the good local spots. It was just relaxing and carefree and I've always had a love for, and connection with Caribbean culture.

[Leisured]

Excellent topic

Old Venice, because of the magical, no traffic atmosphere. Napoleon described St Mark's Square as the best living room in Europe.
Old Jerusalem, for the honey colored sandstone and, of course, the history.

Valley of the Kings, Egypt. An extraordinary place. Visit once in your life, but maybe not safe now.

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania. 9 miles across, 2000 feet deep, an ancient volcanic crater with lush floor supporting innumerable wildlife. Masai Mara Park in Kenya, take a balloon ride.

Milford Sound, part of Fjordland New Zealand, the southern hemisphere version of the Norwegian fjords.

Banff and Jasper National Parks,Canada. Sublime.

Sequoias in Sequoia National Park, western USA.

Sol described some of the mountain scenery in Nepal as not part of the normal universe. Never been there, but I know what he means. I have heard that some mountaineers believe that you are not the same person coming down from some sublime peaks than you were going up.

Edit:  I forgot the Taj Mahal, Agra, India. Possibly the most beautiful building in the world. If i visited again, I would try to visit about full moon, and book a hotel, and see it at night. I was there on a day trip from Delhi, 1983.

[sol]

On the west coast of the south island of NZ, a long day's hike from the Copland Track trailhead, is a green mud hot spring next to a hut.  The NZ hut system in general is fantastic, because it draws an interesting assortment of young, fit, adventurous people from around the world.  But that particular hut is outstanding because it is difficult to get to, and very private, and full of naked people.  You can lay in the hot spring all night and watch the Magellanic Clouds slowly rotate overhead. 

[waltworks]

Where we live now - Park City. More mountain biking and skiing than I can ever get bored with (and almost no offseason between the two), easy access to an airport to go elsewhere, clean air and water, and tons of other folks who like the outdoors and have kids. Downside: terrible beer selection.

The north shore of Oahu is pretty great too, we spend a lot of time there. Great surfing and paddling, few tourists, and fun hiking/trail running/mountain biking as well. Plus a 10 minute ride to the store for beer and poke.

I personally find that spectacular views become just another background after a few days so I don't tend to care about the view, as long as it's not a strip mine or a penitentiary or something. YMMV.

-W

[Leisured]

Sol described some of the mountain scenery in Nepal as not part of the normal universe. I remember some landscapes in south west England as so beautiful that it comes as a shock when I realize that people actually live in them. Some landscapes are like looking through a portal into another, and better, universe. I mentioned that to someone who has seen similar landscapes, and, surprisingly, he found the beauty sinister, as if it were a lure.

[dougules]

bump

[OurTown]

I really enjoyed a summer in Montreal circa 2003.  Very cosmopolitan, fantastic people, interesting architecture.  Restaurants open late.  Dawn at 3:45 am.  I've never been in the winter, which is probably why I enjoyed my visit!

[dougules]

I really enjoyed a summer in Montreal circa 2003.  Very cosmopolitan, fantastic people, interesting architecture.  Restaurants open late.  Dawn at 3:45 am.  I've never been in the winter, which is probably why I enjoyed my visit!

Yes, Montreal is really nice.  I didn't realize it was close to mountains until I flew in there. 

[badger1988]

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

[Parizade]

There are so many beautiful places in the world, but I've chosen to make the Driftless Area my home. From the first wildflowers of spring through the last colors of autumn I feel as if I'm living in a Van Gogh painting of rolling hills, billowing blue skies, winding rivers and flowing wheat fields. The culture here is small town friendly and welcoming, and the cost of living is low. And there is something more that's hard to define. This place attracts artists, musicians, organic farmers, and people in search of the sacred, from Buddhists to the Amish.

I love to travel and visit other beautiful places in the world, but this is the only place I want to stay.

[Trifle]

There are so many beautiful places in the world, but I've chosen to make the Driftless Area my home. From the first wildflowers of spring through the last colors of autumn I feel as if I'm living in a Van Gogh painting of rolling hills, billowing blue skies, winding rivers and flowing wheat fields. The culture here is small town friendly and welcoming, and the cost of living is low. And there is something more that's hard to define. This place attracts artists, musicians, organic farmers, and people in search of the sacred, from Buddhists to the Amish.

I love to travel and visit other beautiful places in the world, but this is the only place I want to stay.

Love this, Parizade.   I grew up there, and it is still Home more than anywhere else for me.  One of the things I miss most is the sky.  I did not fully appreciate its breadth and beauty until I moved away.  There is something very special about the contrast between it and the green rolling hills.