Most Beautiful Places That You Have Been To?

[Stuart G]

Canadian Rockies..( & the national park that contains them)
Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.
Walking along Lake Michigan in Chicago
Sometimes walking in a forest preserve near where I live..........and seeing a deer or two.
San Diego at it's tallest point, and also the beaches near the Pacific Ocean.

[Funtatlaguy]

1. Iguazu Falls

[EYESORE 9001]

2. Grand Teton National Park

I plan to go again next summer for a longer stay than I’ve done previously.

[Mr.Bill]

3. Beaches in northern California

that are undeveloped. You can spin 360 degrees and not see one man made object. Just the ocean and the terrain looking the other way. As an Atheist, this is my church.

[Coventina]

4. My top 5: Hawai'i (Big Island and Oahu)

Venice, Italy

Delft, Netherlands

Palace complex, Bangkok, Thailand

Salisbury Plain, England

(honorable mention: Seattle on a sunny day, when you can see Mt. Rainier)

[Jeebo]

34. I have visited three of those places.

Delft is where they make the pottery in the Netherlands. Yes, that whole country is literally picture-postcard pretty, in my humble opinion.

The palace complex in Bangkok is an interesting place to visit, as are all the wats in Thailand.

As for the Salisbury plain, I hope you will read my comments about Stonehenge elsewhere in this thread.

-- Ron

[Ocelot II]

5. The Scottish Highlands, Glacier Park (MT), the Apostle Islands (WI),

Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (MN), the Big Bog State Park (MN), the Badlands (SD), Grand Teton National Park (WY), Hwy 61 between Red Wing and Pepin (WI), northern Door County (WI) - just to name a few.

[Stuart G]

7. I forgot ...Glacier Park in MT. One of the most beautiful in the world.

[Tommy Carcetti]

6. Florida's natural springs

Florida's natural springs
The Grand Canyon
Various churches and landmarks in Kyiv and Lviv, Ukraine
The Florida Keys
Carpathian Mountains

[Ferryboat]

8. Wind River Range

Last August went hiking for 10 days.

Scenery blew my mind. But then Im perfectly happy spending time in the national forest nearby with my dog.

[Siwsan]

9. North Wales is beyond spectacular

Mountains, waterfalls, castles, quaint villages. It's my favorite place on the planet.

The parks in London, during the Spring. The gardens are absolutely amazing.

Hampton Court Palace, especially approaching from the Thames River. The grounds are beautiful.

Michigan's 'tip of the mitten' during the Autumn. Beautiful colors.

The end of the Santa Monica pier at sunset.

Watching the Northern Lights when I was stationed in Keflavik, Iceland.

Last, but not least, my flower gardens when they are in full bloom.

[Basic LA]

21. Similar choices here.

I was also stationed in Keflavik ('64/'65).
Santa Monica Pier, agreed.
Plus I would add the isle of Malta.

[flying_wahini]

10. The Remarkables mountain range (South Island) in New Zealand.

This picture doesn’t do it justice.

[Jrose]

11. Niagara Falls, especially at night, from the high viewing point...

and,
-the Brooklyn Promenade, in Brooklyn Heights, looking across the East River at the Manhattan skyline (miss the Twin Towers at the south end, but it's still beautiful with the new tower).

[electric_blue68]

68. Hey, that's my town!...

NYC'r here.👋

I lived in Brooklyn, not too far from it's downtown for about 8 yes. I often took the bus, and went down to Brooklyn Bridge Park where you can see the Mid to Lower Manhattan sky. It does glitter at night. 👍🧡

[KPN]

12. My -- tough one! Almost anyplace outdoors and away from the hustle and bustle of

concrete and asphalt is beautiful at least some of the time and at one level or another. But here are a some of the places that come to mind for me:

Victoria Falls
Yosemite NP
Coastal Oregon
Acadia NP
Sehlabathebe NP
Capetown
Escalante, Utah
New England in the fall especially
Michigan's UP in the winter
western Montana
Victoria
Amboseli NP

[Floyd R. Turbo]

13. Namibia, Milford Sound NZ, Canadian Rockies, plus many more!

[sinkingfeeling]

14. Almost too many to name, but I pick Antarctica.

[MOMFUDSKI]

15. Canadian Rockies, Yellowstone, English

Countryside, Alaskan Ferry amongst ice floes, Paris, Clearwater FL beaches, BC hot springs, and canoeing Florida springs.

[FalloutShelter]

16. For me it's the ocean...

any ocean.

[spooky3]

17. Lake Tahoe, and Norway nt

[MiHale]

18. Been to a lot of places beautiful and wondrous...

I chose to live in one, well very, very close…Huron National Forest, located in the most beautiful State…Michigan.

[lucca18]

19. I live in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area, but have traveled to:

Sydney Australia….Breathtaking.💕
Rome Italy….The Roman Colosseum. Wow!
Paris France…..Everything about it is beautiful.
Sintra Portugal….The National Palace of Pena. Mesmerizing.

I love the San Francisco Bay Area where I live:
The Golden Gate Bridge
The Marin Headlands
Stinson Beach
Bear Valley….Point Reyes National Seashore

[walkingman]

51. SF is my favorite city in the US - so wish I could afford to live there. You are lucky.

[tinrobot]

20. Bhutan, Yosemite/Sierras, Oregon Coast, Great Barrier Reef, Waipio Valley

Spent two weeks in Bhutan, very scenic country on the edge of the Himalayas.

Spend a lot of time in the Sierras here in California. Always beautiful, but Yosemite is special.

Rode my bike from Canada to San Francisco, mostly along the coast. Oregon's coast is extra spectacular.

Spent time in Australia. Great Barrier Reef is next level.

Waipio Valley on Hawaii is hard to get to, but amazing. 1000 foot waterfall into the ocean on a black sand beach.

[LastDemocratInSC]

22. Rappahannock County Virginia.

[Emile]

23. #1 Yosemite National Park

[Stuart G]

43. I forgot Yosemite National Park. There is a viewing point there at the top of a cliff, and if I remember, 3500 feet

above the valley below...Now that is ....twice the size of the lookout from Empire State Building...
....................Imagine that...........Twice the size of the lookout from the top of the Empire State Building....

and Guess What? You and I own that lookout. (it is a "NATIONAL PARK" )
.....................What about that? What President established
"National Parks?...I don't remember?
.............. Was it Teddy Roosevelt?

[yellowdogintexas]

58. Yes

[Trueblue1968]

24. Stonehenge

[Jeebo]

32. I have visited Stonehenge twice.

I hope you will read my comments about Stonehenge elsewhere in this thread.

-- Ron

[beaglelover]

25. Eagle Beach, Aruba

[tblue37]

26. Andorra.

[Permanut]

27. Waipio Valley, Oahu.

[Beatlelvr]

28. Switzerland, Austria

Lake Louise
Galapagos Islands
New England in fall

[no_hypocrisy]

29. Oban, Scotland

[patphil]

30. Here's a few, I'm sure there are more.

Yosemite National Park, CA
Chaco Culture National Park (Chaco Canyon, NM)
Niagara Falls
Pharaoh Lake in northern New York
Northern Lights while stationed on Goose Air Base in Labrador.

[Jeebo]

31. Netherlands, Switzerland

I spent a fair amount of time in the Netherlands in the early to middle 20-aughts. I swear to God, that whole country is literally picture-postcard pretty. I am not exaggerating. I found one of those 17th-century canal houses on a bed and breakfast site and stayed there for about a dozen visits in eight years. I was working for a morning newspaper then (retired now) and on my first day back at work after one visit, we ran a front-page story about the "historic" houses in our city and county. I laughed when I saw that story and the pictures accompanying it. Every one of those houses but one had been built within the lifetime of the oldest residents of our city and county. They called those houses "historic", and yet I had just spent two weeks in Amsterdam living in a canal house that was built in 1601. Terribly disappointed to hear that they just elected a right-wing ... what's their head politician called? Premier? Prime minister? President? Whatever, he's a right-winger and that distresses me.

On two of those trips to Amsterdam I had a Eurail pass and used it to explore several other countries. One trip included a train trip across Switzerland through the Alps. Hoo boy, that country is a beautiful place, too. My nose was glued to the window in that train for that whole spectacular trip.

Another poster in this thread mentioned Stonehenge. I have visited Stonehenge twice. I would not call that place "beautiful", I would call it "breathtaking". Also "mysterious", even "creepy". There is something truly weird about the feel of that place, about its ambience. I read a science fiction novel called "The Ceres Solution" by a British author, Bob Shaw. The premise of the novel is that we humans are an interstellar spacefaring civilization and have been for thousands of years. We Earth humans are like "poor relations" to our spacefaring human cousins. We don't know about them, but they know about us and watch us, live incognito among us. The spacefaring humans move about from world to world without metal ships. Instead, they latch onto energy forces that we Earth humans have not discovered yet. These "third-order forces" enable the extraterrestrial humans to travel by means of complex precise mathematical gesticulations, even across interstellar distances. There are confluence points called "nodes" where these third-order forces converge, and it is at these nodes where the extraterrestrial humans call on third-order forces to go wherever they want to go. On the surface of the planet Earth, there are perhaps a few dozen of these nodes, and of course, Stonehenge is one of them. Not surprising, because there truly is something WEIRD about the way that place feels.

-- Ron

[Coventina]

39. Your word choice of WEIRD is very apropos, especially as you

indicate the feeling of power you sensed on the Salisbury Plain.

WEIRD is from the old Germannic Wyrd, which indicates control of the powers of destiny.
I felt it as well when I was there. Not so much at Stonehenge (which I did visit) but more so at Avebury and in the long barrows in the area. There was real WEIRD power there, I can't describe it adequately, but you could feel it in the stones and smell it in the air. I'd love to spend more time there, just soaking up the atmosphere.

[EarnestPutz]

33. Chaco Canyon National Park in New Mexico, the night sky ablaze with the stars of the Milky Way and coyotes.....

......howling across the canyon. I felt it was the center of the Universe.

[Srkdqltr]

35. Silver Lake Michigan. Beautiful sand dunes and lakes.

Silver Lake and Lake Michigan. A pretty lighthouse. Just a fun place.

[Runningdawg]

36. Central Park at dawn with fresh snow, Hocking Hills state park OH, 4 corners, the French Quater covered in fog.

[CTyankee]

37. To me, it would be Florence, Italy. I loved walking from church to church and passing the street art that was erected in

that city that revered art, displayed it publicly and proudly. I only took a bus when crossing the Arno River, into the Oltrarno where you could visit the Palazzo Pitti and gardens. I wrote up a little guide, limiting it to one page, so my daughter and her family could take it with them when they visited Florence, because I was so appalled when she only planned one half day to "hit the highlights" of that city. I realize now I was being a little impatient -- I should have not responded so haughtily. Not everyone cares that passionately about art. Let them find it on their own and have their own experience.

[peacefreak2.0]

38. We had seen so much wonderful art,

We collapsed on the Medici Bench. My friend said “Madonna, Madonna, Madonna. Manana, Madonna.” So true, but what a wonderful way to be overloaded with art.

[Coventina]

40. I spent a month in Florence this past summer, and it still wasn't long enough.

[CTyankee]

48. I know. I tried. Here's the thing...

the more of the greatest artists you see, the more you want to see ALL of it, so then you go see the secondary artists (not bad, of course, not in Florence!) and then you go and go and go and pretty soon you are totally exhausted...but in a GOOD way!

[Elessar Zappa]

41. Edinburgh, Scotland, Glacier National Park.

[gibraltar72]

42. Acadia National Park.

[Trailrider1951]

44. The most beautiful is Crater Lake. The photos don't do it justice. It's well worth the trip to see it.

Second has to be the Grand Canyon. Indescribably beautiful. Both of these natural wonders have to be seen to be believed.

[drmeow]

45. Antarctica

Iceland
Hawaii
The Great Barrier Reef
Akaroa/Banks Peninsula
Yosemite
San Francisco

[milestogo]

46. Kauai

Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

[Bundbuster]

47. Many in Canada

Last edited Wed Nov 29, 2023, 05:52 PM - Edit history (1)

- Glacier Bay, Alaska
- Banff & Jasper Parks
- Maritime Provinces
- Bowron Lakes canoe circuit, B.C.
- Vancouver Island
- Olympic, Glacier, Yellowstone, Zion Parks
- Boundary Waters canoe circuit
- Kauai
- Muir Woods, CA

[OldBaldy1701E]

49. Home.

Anywhere on the Outer Banks. But, I admit I am biased and not very well travelled.

[BOSSHOG]

50. Eureka Springs, Arkansas

[CanonRay]

52. Green River Lake, Wyoming

[rso]

53. Croatia

Plitvice National Park, Croatia.

[Phoenix61]

54. Some of my faves

Queenstown, New Zealand
Blue Mountains outside Sydney
Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Redwood Forest
The rice fields of Bali

[marked50]

55. Lovely OP.

I traveled far and wide just reading everyones favorite or most beautiful places. Some I have been to but most will never see in person, but can in pictures- oh so great the internet is.

Thanks for the sites and the memories.

Right now it lives on-line.

[Upthevibe]

56. Stuart G.....

Yosemite- CA
Pacific Coast Hwy (in CA) up the coast from Ventura through the majestic Big Sur area and on up
to San Francisco
Maui
Costa Rica
Victoria Island, Van Couver, Canada

I haven't done a whole lot of traveling. I happily live in Los Angeles and there are some absolutely beautiful little towns in Southern California as well.

[waterwatcher123]

57. Grand Sable Dunes, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (Lake Superior).

[FHRRK]

59. Morain Lake, Canadian Rockies

Never seen anything close.

[VGNonly]

60. Na Pali Coast Kauai Hawaii

Knife Edge Trail Maine

Angels Landing Zion NP Utah

NE Face of Mt.Rainer Washington

Chapel Beach Pictured Rocks Michigan

[Niagara]

61. My travel adventures are limited to a few states.

New York
Fort Niagara State Park
Niagara Falls State Park
Devil's Hole State Park
Letchworth State Park

Pennsylvania
Cherry Springs State Park (great for star and planet gazing)
Presque Isle State Park

Kentucky
Cumberland Falls State Park
Pine Mountain State Park (Chain Rock)

Indiana
Indiana Dunes State Park
Gene Stratton Porter Historic Site
Hell's Point Lookout at Pokagon State Park

Michigan
Mackinac Island State Park


Edited to add two more selections for Indiana.

[a kennedy]

62. County Kilkenny in Ireland........☘️

[zanana1]

63. Ireland. All of it.

[WestMichRad]

64. Isle Royale National Park

… in Lake Superior

[Dulcinea]

67. I hope to go there one day.

We love the national parks! Especially the remote ones!

[electric_blue68]

65. While I've not traveled as many places as some people I know I have been lucky!...

I took my myself on two back to back summer vacations '79 & '80 mostly by a get on & off as many times as you want 2 week pass on Trailways, then Greyhound. Plus local Greyline tours.

First one I met up w a friend in Flagstaff, AZ and rented a car to visit the Navajo & Hopi (3 mesas) Nations. I loved the high desert from a young age through photos! This was my first visit. Next day he went down the trail at Canyon de Chelle (I was too scared), then we drove to Monument Valley! The colors, and formations!
Did the 17 mile loop on the Valley floor. Then stayed overnight in sleeping bags. Full moon was up going to sleep. Woke up around 3AM. Moon had set, the glittering Milky Way spanned the sky! Pure awe! Stayed up, saw sunrise. Back to Flagstaff.

Later while I didn't make the overnight hotel arrangements I didn't know I had to make to stay - I did visit The Grand Canyon, too, from about noon to 4PM.

At first it was sort of shocking at Noontime because beyond the edge, and the first level down - it didn't look real(!). And why? Because the high sun first made it look all blues, purples, pale grays, barely pale yellow horizontal stripes in places AND Flat Looking. Like a diorama! I went visited the visitor center and shop. Walked carefully near the edges.

But finally in the last hour plus the sun angled enough to bring out the iconic oranges, reds, ochers contrasted with the bluer darker shadows. It came to life! And then we had to leave. At least I saw it for a while!

Next year met my cousin in Denver. We went up on his motorcycle into The Rockies to ?Echo Lake (10,000+ ft). SE was the still snow capped Mt Evans. NW...
The snow capped Continental Divide Mountains. Majestic!
Took us up a few turns higher and stopped to see a roadless Valley of thousands, and thousands of fir trees!

I was gifted a vacation to Puerto Rico 27 yrs later (I'd made way shorter visits to cities on the East Coast in between) stayed in the nabe near by the SJ airport. While the ocean shore wasn't clear bc of the Atlantic's relative turbulence; I finally saw the beautiful Turquoise & Teal Waters of The Caribean! Even the deep waters beyond were this vivid darker but not navy blue.

Finally I was gifted a visit to make art(!) w my artist aunt in her wonderful studio in a small western Village in the French speaking section of Switzerland. My Uncle and Aunt made wonderful hosts. Their house was lovely.
When we took higher roads to get certain places we could see The Alps in the distance. Magnificent!
(I'd seen closer parts in the foggy morning flight into Geneva)

Plus she took me and one grand daughter to Paris for 4 days/3 nights!
Always wanted to see Paris. It was wonderful!

Memories of many of the best parts still vivid!

[Dulcinea]

66. Here's my list:

The Parthenon. Breathtaking!
The Grand Canyon
The Florida Keys. Go to Fort Jefferson if you've never been there.
Arches National Park
Zion National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park
Denali National Park
Volcanoes National Park. All of Hawai'i is spectacular!
The upper Allegheny River in SWPA, where I spent the best part of my childhood. That's where my heart is.
I hope there are more to come! We're planning a trip to Joshua Tree in 2024.