If you minored in French, then the conversations will be a little wacky here, kinda like a Celine Dion interview. But if you majored in drinking tons of white wine with endless chunks of fancy cheese (there is a street in Montreal called Route des Fromages, not kidding), downing french fries with cheese curds and gravy (poutine), and strolling around magical locales, then you have found a temp job in Montreal. Try it on for size in the winter — it’s like a storybook in the snow.
If you glance at a map, these are the skinny long islands that flank the coastline of N.C. This will be a quiet beach escape without thumping nightclubs or 19-year-olds vomiting into the sand. Hosting a pretty steady climate and notable locales (Bodie Island Lighthouse, Wright Brothers historical sights) and tons of coastline state parks, this is where you and your lover/friend/alter ego can hold a contest: which night had the best sunset?
The most surprise fun you’ll ever have. It’s not just sub-Mason-Dixon Line city, it’s a cultural crossroads. Hotlanta’s barbecue and beer will turn you around. The nightlife and general livability of the downtown area is bound to enthrall. There’s also tons of Civil War-era history, great botanical gardens, and gorgeous hiking outside of the city (namely Stone Mountain). Cheap flights abound to the busiest city in the South!
Well, the whole damn state, really, is just clutch. But make this unspeakably beautiful park the epicenter of your trip. Located on a series of islands off the coast, it features nearly every geographical feature on Earth: forests, lakes, seascapes, rugged hills. Watch the sun do things from Cadillac Mountain, and for sure amble down to extraordinary Jordan Pond. Not too far away is Bar Harbor, a great place for lodging and lobster rolls.
Heard of this place, but never been? Too bad for your life, time to make an improvement. Brooklyn is just a fun subway ride away from the unending hustle of Manhattan. You can start in the morning, end at dusk, and still have plenty of walking, sitting, eating, drinking, and photo-snapping for the next day. Experience the wide lawns of Prospect Park, the African restaurants of Fort Greene, the artful shopping in Park Slope, and forget that you’re in New York City, because it’s as peaceful (in most places) as a meadow.
We’re back here again, but for an entirely different adventure. We want to tell you about moss hanging from trees in countless central squares, Gothic architecture, steamboating riverside, and all the brisket and ribs you could want. It’s a city with a feeling, and also a great arts community (enroll your talented painter child in SCAD as an excuse to visit). Get lost in the Garden of Good and Evil!
Elizabeth Taylor made these beaches famous in the movie, “The Sandpiper,” and started the craze. Located south of San Francisco and north of Los Angeles, Big Sur provides perhaps the most rugged seascape in the U.S. — indeed, the Santa Lucia range has the tallest coastline mountains in 48 states. Like San Francisco, its winters are temperate and rainy, its summers, perfect and dry. It’s home to a small population and wayfarers like you!
Don’t get sweaty thinking about it – -it’s the same amount of plane travel as New York to California, and tickets can be even cheaper. Use this absolutely primordial land as a few days’ stopover to Europe, or for a unique vacation in itself. Park yourself in sweet little Reykjavik, rent a car for day trips to the Golden Circle or the Blue Lagoon, or consort with the blonde and beautiful locals. There are so many wonderful experiences to be had here. Consider this place all year round — green, lush summers and winters more in keeping with Boston than Antarctica. Get on Icelandair right now.
Grab three or eight of your most raucous, rugged buddies and get yourselves up there for the canoeing adventure of your life. Boundary Waters is a chain of lakes west of Lake Superior bordering Ontario, and the sweet little town of Ely is a great starting point to get outfitted (and the last non-fire cooked meal for a few days). You can paddle for days and find tons of fishing spots, wild hiking trails, and cliffs to dive off in the morning, or to yell from at dusk. Row on!
OK, we’ve been skimping on the sunny playas, and we’re sorry. Here you are. MTV most likely won’t be hosting a bikini twerk-off here. This is the long arm of Western Mexico, south of California, and it’s a sculpted work of art. You can venture down to Cabo San Lucas for some partying, but there are more intimate places to be found. On the East Cape bordering the Sea of Cortez, you can snorkel or dive to see manta rays off the coast of Bahia de Palmas. There are countless other deserts, dishes, and sun rays to be taken in.
