# Most beautiful places you've visited?



## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

I just returned home from a week-long trip to Alaska (not a cruise), which in my mind, is now The Most Beautiful Place On Earth. Well, it's without a doubt the most beautiful place I've ever visited. Can't wait to go back. We went to Sitka for a few days, where we took some lovely hikes, went kayaking, and stayed in a great cabin on the ocean. Then we took the Alaska Marine Highway ferry from Sitka to Juneau, through the Inside Passage. This was simply breathtaking--mile upon mile of beautiful ocean, mountains, trees, and wildlife untouched by man. Majestic is probably the best word to describe it. Stayed in Juneau for a few days, where we took some sightseeing and fishing trips. Saw glaciers, icebergs, seals, humpback whales, orcas, and a lone bear. It was unlike any vacation I've ever taken, and I would go there again tomorrow if I could!

How 'bout you--what are some beautiful places you've traveled? Or maybe you're lucky enough to live in a beautiful place?


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

That sounds wonderful. My parents did the Alaska trip last year and had the same reaction. I can't wait to go!!!

We were very, very lucky to be able to travel to New Zealand about 10 years ago and it still stands out as one of the most gorgeous places I've visited. It WAS gorgeous, but the people were so warm and friendly that it made it seems that much more stunning.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

I have heard New Zealand is gorgeous!


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

Wow, New Zealand! That sounds wonderful. I lived the first 6 years of my life in Alaska. It is beautiful I have lived in Europe too. A few years ago, we took a trip to Labrador and New Foundland. The coasts of both are gorgeous. We went to the Bay of Fundy a year later and that is beautiful too. I'm fortunate to live in VT, which can be picturesque too.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Wow, webster2, you have lived in some great places, for sure!

I've never heard of the Bay of Fundy...will have to look that one up.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Good for you; much deserved, I am sure!

I would like to name 2 places. The Algonquin Trail up through Canada and Altadena, California.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I googled the Algonquin Trail and that sounds great. We love Canada. I was hoping to drive West this summer to see British Columbia again but, maybe next year and check out the Algonquin area, Summer is going by quickly.

The Bay of Fundy has New Brunswick on one side and Nova Scotia on the other. They are both lovely as is PEI. I have lived in a lot of places, Vermont is home now.

The only time I have been to California was a lay over at the airport, maybe someday there too!


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## Thancock760 (Jul 29, 2015)

I live in California, so that is being spoiled daily. I would have to say Hawaii is the prettiest place I have been.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Algonquin Trail does indeed look beautiful, Andros!

Bay of Fundy looks super-interesting. I'll have to keep that in mind (along with the Algonquin Trail) for my next Northeast vacation. Haven't been up in that direction for at least 20 years, although I was born in Connecticut and my sister was born in Maine.

Hawaii is on my list of places to see someday. I'm especially interested in seeing lots of sea turtles there.


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## jade (Aug 6, 2013)

I'd say Austria or Switzerland. I only passed through Austria on the way to Switzerland but when we were driving through the mountains, the views out the bus window were unreal. Switzerland is similar and beautiful too, but the mountain scenery in Austria seemed more dramatic somehow. I haven't been to Alaska, but I hope too. It looks gorgeous in pictures.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I've been to both Austria & Switzerland, very beautiful. Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium,and Germany are nice as well. Great food too. I was not as wild about France but it does have a lot to offer. My brother went on a photographic safari to Africa and said it was wonderful. His pictures supported that claim! Travel is good for the soul.


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## WhatHappened (Nov 12, 2015)

Great thread. Always wanted to visit Alaska and New Zealand, and I have traveled some. I want to see the Aurora, I want to go hiking in New Zealand.

Colorado was pretty, Austria outrageous even in the cold (was there winter time), But prettiest place? Dang, can I call it by the season?

I would never ever give up NY in the fall. Ever. And NY goes way way up and way way over to "the left"

Scotland in the Spring (OK, the Isle of Mull) was a very special moment to me. Something about it... just sitting on a damp caldera and feeling four seasons in a day. IDK. Just tickled my soul in a way and I am Mediterranean.

Greece. Oh wow. Greece. Early Summer though. While I get why people go to the islands or stay on the Peloponnese, if you have the time, I would say go North and visit a monastary or two in Meteora https://www.google.com/search?q=Meteora&es_sm=122&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CDQQsARqFQoTCMPavbWmjMkCFUxuPgodnsINnQ&biw=1366&bih=683#tbm=isch&q=meteora+monasteries

Winter? OK. Austria and Colorado. Hands down. The cold doesn't bite there as it does here in NY.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

WhatHappened said:


> Great thread. Always wanted to visit Alaska and New Zealand, and I have traveled some. I want to see the Aurora, I want to go hiking in New Zealand.
> 
> Colorado was pretty, Austria outrageous even in the cold (was there winter time), But prettiest place? Dang, can I call it by the season?
> 
> ...


You're an Upstater? Same here  And, yup, nothing better than fall around these parts...except that it's followed by winter...


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

"I would never ever give up NY in the fall. Ever. And NY goes way way up and way way over to "the left". LOL. I live in VT. That is kind of upper left of NY. Some of you folks get tremendous amounts of snow.


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## WhatHappened (Nov 12, 2015)

@jolin1975 Not quite an upstater not quite a downstater, just a avid, rabid, born and bred NYer that happens to have an overly developed colonial sense that all of NY is in some small way mine and that we are bred different here.... 

@webster2 VT should have made my list too, I've been to Stowe (oddly in Summer), Bridgewater Corners, Rutland, Burlington, and other places here and there in VT. And that is a state that just feeeeeeeeeeeeels right.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

My dad was from the Catskills and the Finger Lakes region, pretty nice there too. VT is nice and small. I am on Lake Champlain about an hour south of Montreal, so best of both worlds..country & city.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Hahaha...that made me laugh.

We are squarely in the upstate and, of course, the snow belt. But I can't claim to be born and bred here...my husband is, but I'm a Midwesterner who came here via South Carolina (makes perfect sense, right?).


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

I've always wanted to do a driving tour of the upper east during the fall. Maybe start in CT and drive through MA, NH, VT and end up in ME. I'm in Texas and we don't really have the beautiful fall colors--we're lucky to go from green to orange to brown in a week.


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## WhatHappened (Nov 12, 2015)

You can do the trip north to south and follow the colors if you've enough time. They have charts and web sites telling the best times in general as well as 'current conditions'


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## Saskman84 (Dec 9, 2015)

webster2 said:


> Wow, New Zealand! That sounds wonderful. I lived the first 6 years of my life in Alaska. It is beautiful I have lived in Europe too. A few years ago, we took a trip to Labrador and New Foundland. The coasts of both are gorgeous. We went to the Bay of Fundy a year later and that is beautiful too. I'm fortunate to live in VT, which can be picturesque too.


I'm with you on the Canadian Maritimes.

The most beautiful place I've ever been was Gros Mourne National Park in Western Newfoundland. Wow.

Bay of Fundy is awesome! Prince Edward Island, I love it all.

Another amazing place is Kootenay National Park in British Columbia, probably resembles Alaska!

Internationally, Qadisha Valley in Lebanon was breathtaking and I really enjoyed the Sumidero Canyon in Mexico's Chipas.


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## Perspective (Mar 7, 2016)

I just returned from Rio de Janeiro. Wow. Did not think of 'microcarcinoma' at all. Well, maybe a couple of times...


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## Rearsays (Jun 24, 2016)

I have travelled across Switzerland, Chicago and Singapore. These were the most beautiful places I have visited in my life.


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## ceebelle (Sep 16, 2015)

The most beautiful place I've been is Crater Lake in southern Oregon..



















I took these photos .. there is no retouching or editing. It was sooo beautiful there!


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

WOW! The water looks bright blue on my screen. Is that what it is in real life, too?


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## creepingdeath (Apr 6, 2014)

In my own mind with my imagination is where the most beautiful places I've ever traveled to are .

Not as much as I did when I was younger but I can still lay back and imagine places and things no other person has ever experienced.

And best of all it costs nothing to go there.

Sadly this very special art is rarely practiced anymore.

Our Kids minds are filled with these electronic gadgets and adults are too busy to realize it even exists.


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## ceebelle (Sep 16, 2015)

Octavia said:


> WOW! The water looks bright blue on my screen. Is that what it is in real life, too?


Yep, the sky is THAT blue.. the crater is up high in the mountains.. I'm thinking a little closer to god.. for all its beauty. I was there in july and there was still some snow drifts around the lodged. The temperature was in the mid 70s but the air was so dry that the snow didnt melt... I'm definitely going back.. and I might not come back to my home town again.


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## hashimotojane (Feb 26, 2017)

I LOVED travelling in Budapest. It had such a fairytale feeling about it.


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## blackngold (Oct 28, 2011)

Wanting to go to Disney soon never been to Cali !!!


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## MySharon (Mar 10, 2017)

One of my fave places to go is up the California Coast to Cambria/ San Simeon and Big Sur. So beautiful there, not busy as its far from airports and it takes time to get there and the road runs along the ocean. Right now its actually closed off due to the rains in California have damaged some spots and a bridge, so they are cut off. But wow is this place beautiful. I try to go at least once a year.

Pfeiffer Canyon Park McWway Falls

https://www.hikespeak.com/img/Central-Coast/Monterey/McWay/McWay_Falls_IMG_0389.jpg

Hearst Castle in San Simeon (I love going here, its so beautiful, so much to see, so many diff tours)

http://assets.fodors.com/destinations/1016829/hearst-castle-san-simeon-california_main.jpg

And I typically stay in the town of Cambria, its like the Beach in the woods, with deer in your yard.


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