As a budding travel blogger still coming down from the high of studying abroad last year, I spend a lot of my time researching new places to go. My Instagram feed is full of bright blue beach shots and rich green forest zip lining GoPro videos, sure, but I get a good kick out of exploring new concrete jungles too! Living in America is a traveling privilege for the most part with access to nearly 3 million square miles at my disposal. I want to travel all over the place, but here are my top 5 travel bucket list destinations in the country!
5. Austin, TX
I’m guilty…I love music festivals! Some cultural appropriation aside, I think it’s fun to spend a day or two being exposed to new and old favorites and meeting new people. A huge bucket list item of mine is going to South by Southwest, and since Austin is a huge music hub, I can kill two birds with one stone! I guess to be fair, I don’t really know that much about Austin, but that’s all part of the charm of exploring new places.
4. New Orleans, LA
Beignets. Yes, you read right! I just want fried dough. Forget Mardi Gras, sweet tea, and comfort food. I can count on one (okay, maybe two if you count Yelp) hand how many places in Philly sell beignets. Alright, I guess I’m down for some Cajun food and crashing a Zydeco performance, along with some general sightseeing and trying to blend in with the locals. Alright, but seriously, will travel for fried dough.
3. Nashville, TN
The music scene in Nashville is enormous, especially if you’re into the live, local scene. I’m completely okay with spending most of my time listening to the local talent on the streets and in bars while I chow down on some good southern cooking! I feel like I haven’t spent enough time in the South, and watching Food Network with my mom always makes me feel like I’m missing out on life.
2. San Francisco, CA
Frisco? San Fran? Regardless of what you want to call it, what isn’t there to like about the Bay Area! It has a climate of its own, it’s home to cable cars and Full House, and it has the oldest Chinatown in the country. There are a few iconic food digs I have to try out, and I can’t forget there’s a large-ish population of Koreans around, so of course I have to find the best kimchi jjigae in the Bay!
1. Seattle, WA
Ever since I went to Chicago a few years ago, Seattle has claimed the top spot in the list of cities I want to visit in the country. Unlike any city on this list, I don’t really have much reason as to why. I’ve never been to the Pacific Northwest despite having friends who live over there, and it just seems like a really cool city. Sure, there’s the first Starbucks, start-ups, and the Gum Wall, but it’s the unseen nooks and crannies that only locals know about that gets me really excited to come back. So let’s just say I’m excited to expect the unexpected!
Closing Remarks
It goes without saying that despite any of the typical tourist spots I may have touched on in this post, I thrive on living through the lenses of a local when I travel. I’ve been going non-stop to school and then work (for school!) so much that I haven’t had much time to do any real traveling. I don’t have a tremendous schedule to work with, but I do have some built-in three-day weekends this fall, so maybe I’ll get a chance to visit some of these places in the near future!
Tell me: where are you dying to visit in the States? Let me know in the comments!
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Mindful Banter Travel 