FHMA Delay & Question

Sorry, all, but because of some much-needed sleeping in, and some professional commitments I have today -- yes, one can have professional commitments without an actual job-- I am not going to be able to publish until later today. My apologies.

I have been waiting for a chance to ask everyone reading this blog a question, though. We've discussed this a lot in the car, and curious what others think... What are your 5 or 10 favorite places in the United States? They can be national parks, cities, museums, a particular scenic road, ballparks, etc., but if you just had 5 to 10 to list, what would they be? Here are mine, in no particular order:

-- New York City
-- The Badlands, North & South Dakota
-- Death Valley National Park
-- White Sands National Monument
-- Beartooth Highway scenic drive, Montana
-- Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
-- Monument Valley, Utah
-- Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
-- Washington DC
-- New Orleans

Comments

[Samantha]

I've really been enjoying your blog! Three of my favorite things: travel, photography and dogs!

I realized when I tried to make my list that I haven't actually been to too many places that I would put on a top ten list. So, here are my top five (in no particular order):

Disney World
Asheville, NC
Washington DC
New York City
Kennebunkport, ME

Thanks for your travel updates and stay safe!

[oratoricalanimal]

I'm not sure what I'll do when Fred and Hank stop traveling!

Wrigley Field
Grand Marais, MN
Savannah, GA
New Orleans, LA
San Diego, CA
Gettysburg, PA

[Tammy Kennon]

Good question.

New York City
Austin
San Luis Obispo, CA
Ocracoke, NC
Any mountaintop in New Mexico
New Orleans
Asheville
Taos, NM
Gruene, TX
Ellicott City, MD

[Molly]

Tell me you've got plans to stop along the Southern CA coast!

Capistrano Beach, CA
Big Sky Montana
Old Town Alexandria, VA
Balboa Island, CA
San Clemente, CA

[Sonja]

Williamsburg, VA
Boston, MA
NYC
Bethel, CT
Vermont. No, really - the whole state!
Memorial Park, Houston, TX

[alyson hurt]

Arches National Park, Utah
US 101 and the Pacific Coast Highway, northern California
San Francisco, Calif.
Sedona (and Oak Creek Canyon), Ariz.
New York City

Extend this northward a little bit and I'll add:
Sea-to-Sky Highway, British Columbia

[frieda]

Top 10
1. New York City
2. Badlands of South Dakota
3. Sandhills of western Nebraska
4. New Orleans
5. San Francisco
6. Fallingwater
7. Santa Fe NM
8. Boston
9. Martha's Vineyard
10.Bar Harbor Maine

[Jason Manning]

(1) Blue Ridge Parkway

(2) White Mountains of Arizona

(3) St. Johns River (Fla.)

(4) Crescent Beach (Fla.)

(5) Charleston, S.C.

(6) Kona, Hawaii

(7) New York City

(8) Austin, Texas

(9) University of Florida Campus in Spring

(10) Wasatch Mountains of Utah

[Royelen]

1. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
http://www.nps.gov/havo/
2. The rest of the Big Island
http://www.gohawaii.com/big_island/
3. Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville, Maryland
http://www.animalsanctuary.org/
4. Any place Bruce is playing
http://www.brucespringsteen.net
5. Driving around New Mexico and Arizona
6. Any view of the ocean, Pacific or Atlantic
7. DC in the Springtime, Jefferson Memorial anytime, Lincoln, too
Favorite historical site:
Pearl Harbor

This exercise seems to be keeping us from complaining about your slacking. Nice one.

[Joan]

Re-posting mine on the right day!
In no particular order, and keeping in mind I haven't seen nearly as much of the country as you have:

Yellowstone National Park
Charleston, SC
Washington, DC/Old Town Alexandria, VA
Zion National Park
Cape Cod
Kauai, Hawaii
Minneapolis, MN (in the warm months)
Golden Gate Park in San Francisco
Anyplace with rolling hills & horses grazing (does that count?)

[Sarah]

no particular order:
New York City
Santa Fe
Maui
Cape Cod
Chicago
Shea Stadium(though that could change this season)
South Mountain Reservation(New Jersey)
Jersey Shore

[Sarah]

is the prfessional committment getting ready for your drafts? had to ask as mine are drafting via the web right now!
safe travels back to DC.

[DENISE V.]

I absolutely love reading of your travels across America. I have a Beagle, also named Fred, who I took on an 18 day trip out west two years ago. We had a blast.

My favorite places in the U.S. are:

- Charleston, SC
- Chicago, IL
- Badlands, SD
- Cody, WY
- Moab, UT and nearby parks (Arches & Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point State Park)
- San Diego, CA
- Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Montana & Wyoming
- Washington, DC
- Adirondack Mountains, NY
- Cape Cod/Nantucket

[Janet H]

Have been reading your blog since I saw a link to it on Andrew Sullivan's site. I enjoy your posts, and pictures, though of course I have to hide the pics of Fred & Hank from our cats!

My favorite places:
Mount Desert Island-Acadia Natl.Park
Williamsburg, Va
Yellowstone Natl. Park
Chicago-my home, but a great place to explore during 'at-home' vacations
Chaco Canyon, NM
Washington, DC
Michigan lake country

[Chris]

This is tough, and I suddenly feel very East Coast bound as I haven't been out West very much!!

In no particular order...

-New York City
-Disney World (not for sights, just for fun!)
-The Cape Canaveral National Seashore
-Waikiki Beach, Hawaii
-The Pipeline, Hawaii
-Giants Stadium on a July night when Bruce is playing
-Saratoga Springs, NY

[Chris]

Also in no particular order

Portland, OR
I-84 from Portland to Pendleton
The Olympic Peninsula in Washington
YMCA of the Rockies near Estes Park, Colo.
Lawrence, Kan.
Olympia, Wash.
Arches National Park and scenic drives in Southern Utah
Big Bend
Austin, Texas
Sasquatch Music Festival at The Gorge Amphitheater near George, Wash.

[Jen Parobek]

1. Turner Falls, Oklahoma

2. A little meandering road--Rt. 113--that runs north/south and crosses the border between NH and Maine just east of Mt. Washington.

3. Walt Disney World

4. Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio

5. Northeast, PA (the actual town, not the region)

[Claudia]

In no particular order, here are my top 5:

1. Olympic National Park in Washington State: the snow-capped Olympic mountains, Pacific ocean and beach and a rainforest all rolled into one. Enuf said.
2. Cape Cod, especially Chatham and the National Seashore but little hidden/private beaches on the Nantucket sound and on the Bay side, too.
3. Monument Valley and the Painted Desert, AZ.
4. Key West, FL.
5. Kangamangus Highway in NH esp. during fall foliage time. Some nice pics here: http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-113459.

Enjoy your hiatus! Love the pictures and latest update from your Kimpton Hotel. love that hotel chain and they have a good loyalty program. (As they say upon check-in, Thanks for keepin' it Kimpton) :)

[Robert Lehmann]

Finally, I'm able to figure out how to sign up to comment. I have found this site to be nothing short of a gift, to Beagle lovers everywhere. Fred and Hank are a pair of priceless assets, and Fred's facial expressions are hilarious. I have a shortcut set up, so that every day, I can look at that face, attacking the windshield squeegee.

I have two senior Beagles myself, ( Dick, 13 years old and spry as a pup, and Sunny, 9 yrs., both rescue dogs ) and have forwarded their pix to your e-mail.

Life without Beagles? Impossible.

P.S.

You've probably figured this out for yourself, but Joan's pretty cool too.

[Robert Lehmann]

Ooooooooooops, forgot. I know all about dog snot on the windows of my P.U. truck.

[Chet Rhodes]

Climbing Diamond Head, Oahu, Hawaii
The National Mall, Washington, D.C.
Ala Moana Beach Park, Oahu, Hawaii
Torrey Pines International Glider Port, San Diego, CA.
Devastation Trail,Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Tucson, AR.
New York City
Honolulu, Ha.
Stauton, Va.
Rehoboth, De.

[Beth Jacobsohn]

Here are our top 10 (in no particlular order):
Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor ME
Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, Florida
Badlands in South Dakota
Custer State Park in South Dakota
Outer Banks, NC (especially Duck)
San Francisco
Shenendoah National Park, VA
Great Falls National Park, VA
Washington, DC (especially the National Mall in spring)
New York City (Beth only, especially at Christmas. Mark is not a fan)
Fenway Park (does this explain the comment above?)
I figured since I was writing for two, I could get away with a "Top 11". If you were including all of North America, Vancouver and Whistler would be very close to the top of the list.