Comments on: Travel Tuesday question of the week – what is your favorite local destination?

By: Pola

Pola — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:47:40 +0000

If you’re ever back in Chicago, I’d be happy to share insider tips. One neighborhood that’s still up-and-coming, but already very artsy and a foody’s paradise is Logan Square. Remember than one because it will only get bigger

Golden Gate Park in SF is fabulous! I had such a great time there last year.

By: budgettravelsac

budgettravelsac — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 22:37:48 +0000

Thanks Shannon! These sound like an awesome places to visit. I like the outdoors and the quiet, peaceful moments away from the city. It’s why I love living where I do. I have been to Seattle but no other places outside of that. If I ever make it back, these are places I will be interested in checking out. I promise not to tell anyone though!

By: Shannon

Shannon — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 22:16:46 +0000

I live in Seattle, which I’m convinced is the best place on Earth. But, occasionally I do need to escape the tall buildings and crowds. When I do, it’s usually to the Hoh Rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula. Not a lot of people outside of Washington know about it, not a lot of people IN Washington want people to know about it. (Although a little town called Forks is in the vicinity which you may have heard of.) Anyways, it is a beautiful wild amazing place. It also has one of the best beaches in the US.

But don’t tell anyone, ok?

By: budgettravelsac

budgettravelsac — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:37:43 +0000

Thanks Pola! I have only been to Chicago once but I can imagine there are some great neighborhoods to explore! I like parks in big cities and Golden Gate Park in San Francisco is a favorite of mine. Thanks for sharing your city secrets and favorite local destinations!

By: Pola

Pola — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:23:08 +0000

I live in Chicago and I love going to my favorite jazz club (Green Mill) or cozy coffee shops tucked in various neighborhoods. Sometimes simply choosing a neighborhood to walk in and explore can do the trick. As for sights, early mornings in Millennium Park or walks along the lakefront – gorgeous and yes, locals do go there.

By: budgettravelsac

budgettravelsac — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:19:30 +0000

I know all about Lake Tahoe! However, it’s a place I enjoy in the Fall and Summer but not the Winter (I’m not big on winter sports and snow). I’ve not spent much time in Sonoma County but there are some beautiful areas over there. The closest I have come to spending any time in that area is in Calistoga.

Thanks for sharing Cathy! Hopefully more people, including myself, will check out that area!

By: budgettravelsac

budgettravelsac — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:17:30 +0000

I’ve never heard of Woods Lake Canyon. The only places I have been in Arizona are Phoenix, Flagstaff, and the Grand Canyon. The peace, quiet, and hiking that you describe sounds like my kind of place!

Thanks for sharing your favorite spots in Arizona and Virginina Jessalyn!

By: budgettravelsac

budgettravelsac — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:14:36 +0000

I’ve never been to that part of Washington before. The only place I have visited is Seattle (which is beautiful as well). The Methow Valley and Okanogon National Forest sounds like a beautiful place that I would love to visit. I love the mountains, streams, lakes, and the peace and quiet of nature so this sounds lovely!

As for Vancouver, I will get to check that out at TBEX next year!

By: Cathy Sweeney

Cathy Sweeney — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 16:00:16 +0000

One of my favorite places to visit year-round is Sonoma County – Sonoma Vally, Alexander Vally, Dry Creek Valley and even the city of Santa Rosa (about 1-1/2 from my home). I’ve loved that area since I was very young and first visiting there from the midwest. I also enjoy Lake Tahoe (about 3 hours drive from here) for skiing in winter.

By: Jessalyn

Jessalyn — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:49:26 +0000

Woods Canyon Lake (Arizona) is just a few miles down the highway from where I’m living at the moment and it’s a beautiful place to spend a day. The quiet in the middle of the winter, when the lake is frozen, is incredibly peaceful and the crispness of the air in the fall is perfect for the 5-mile hike around the lake. This summer, we were lucky enough to have a bald eagle’s nest with two eaglets in it right on the edge of the lake, so it was really neat to watch them grow and start to fly.

I just moved to AZ after seven years in Washington, DC this May, so I’ll list a favorite there as well: the Mt. Vernon Trail on the Virginia side of the Potomac river. It runs from near Theodore Roosevelt Island and the Key Bridge all the way down to Mt. Vernon and is a great place to walk, run or ride a bike. It has beautiful views of the river, great local birds and other wildlife (there’s a bullfrog chorus just north of Alexandria in the spring, summer and early fall!) and is an amazingly peaceful place to shake off city stress without really leaving the city.