Beech Tree News Network

Recently, I overheard a conversation about finalizing vacation destinations. Although I don’t enjoy lengthy away-from-home vacations, several places still tempt me. Like many people, there are places I’d like to see.

On infoplease.com, a list of the world’s most-visited tourist attractions (2015) includes the following destinations by ranking (http://www.infoplease.com/world/travel/most-visited-tourist-attractions....):
•    #1 Las Vegas Strip, Nevada
•    #2 Times Square, New York City
•    #3 Central Park, New York City
•    #4 Union Station, Washington, D.C.
•    #5 Niagara Falls, New York
•    #6 Grand Central Terminal, New York City
•    #7 Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston
•    #8 Disneyworld’s Magic Kingdom, Orlando
•    #9 Disneyland Park, Anaheim
•    #10 Forbidden City, Beijing
Similarly, in a USA Today article (http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2015/03/24/tripadvisor...),  the top ten domestic travel destinations were listed as:  New York City (#1), Chicago, Charleston, S.C., Las Vegas, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington, D.C, New Orleans, Palm Springs, and San Diego (#10).

I asked friends and family what place or places they would like to visit and what attracts them to the location. Their responses were:
•    Ireland and Scotland. I can’t really say why; it’s just somewhere I’ve always wanted to go. And, I would like to visit all 50 states, just to say I’ve been there.
•    I would like to visit Israel and see all the places of the Bible. I would also like to visit the international space station for a week or so. Just to see the views!
•    Washington, D.C. for all the history there – museums, etc. (Plus, I might get to smack a few politicians while I was there!)
•    Scotland because of ancestry and Iceland for its unique beauty.
•    Australia and the wildlife.
•    I would love a road trip to the northwest. I would love to see the giant sequoias. Sisters, Oregon is a quilting mecca. Also, I’d enjoy the barrier islands along the east coast and New England in the fall. Lots of places to go. I just need to find people with similar interests.
•    Hawaii – beautiful scenery; Alaska - beautiful scenery; back to Disney with my kids – it truly is a magically fun place; Grand Canyon – amazing scenery; California – sightsee and see the beaches; Wyoming and Colorado – scenery; England – sightsee; Ireland – scenery; and Paris – sightsee. As you can see, there are many places I would love to visit someday.
•    I want to visit the New England states in the fall. I want to see the setting of some of my favorite books, eat the delicious seafood, and admire the autumn foliage they are famous for.
•    Ireland since I am Irish. New England to see the fall foliage because it looks so pretty on a postcard. Alaska because I’ve never been.
•    I think that I would like to visit Hawaii. It just looks like it would be fun and beautiful.
•    There are a thousand places I would like to see, but the giant Redwoods in California are close to the top of my list. I imagine I will be awestruck standing in their midst.
•    I like to go to the ocean. The sounds of the ocean have probably been the same since the beginning of time – makes me think of the earth breathing. I feel peaceful and calm on an ocean beach – it’s like getting renewed. Maybe the sounds a baby hears in its mom’s belly might be like the sounds of the ocean.
•    The ocean is one of my favorite things to see. Yellowstone National Park is my favorite because of the beautiful scenery. The waterfalls and geysers are breathtaking.
•    Hawaii and Europe are on my bucket list! I would also like to visit each of the 50 states in my lifetime. No specific landmarks…. I just love to travel and see different parts of the world.
•    I’d like to go to every state and about 15 more countries! God made a big world, and I love visiting new parts of it. Plus, I want my daughter to experience new places! What attracts me depends – beauty, relaxation, and excitement can all be factors. Home is my favorite place, but I love to travel!
•    I want to see the Full House (and Fuller House) house in San Francisco!

I’ve traveled a little; but, as I said earlier, there are places I’d like to see. My greatest desire is to see more of the United States. I’d like to see many of our historic and geographic landmarks as well as a few entertainment sites.

The world is a big place, and most of us are unable to see it all. As my late husband used to say, “Making a living gets in the way of a lot of good things.” We have to make choices about how to use our resources (money, time, energy). But, if you want to travel, I say plan for it.