In addition to my (maybe too many) pop culture reviews, much of ZachsThoughts has been built on my reviews of destinations that I have traveled to, which range from relatively mundane places, to the unique natural wonders of the world, to historic Old World muncipalities. With such an impressive roster, it only made sense for some of those places to populate the blog's archive and are considered some of my most popular posts.
Many people often ask me for a list of my favorite destinations that aren't home. So here I am to oblige it. My top 5 destinations:
5. Algarve, Portugal
I find the Algarve to be unique in the sense that it has both an amazing landscape and "old-timely" things like fortresses. It also helped that I went during the edge season so the crowds were not insane. The Algarve not only consisted of the cliffs, but also of the small towns that dotted the coastlines, and the history that many of those strongholds have. There's so much that I had yet to do, which only makes it that much more appealing to go back.
But my favorite part about the Algarve was that time seemed to move incredibly slow. We never seemed rushed. The locals were all wonderful, the food was delicious, and it was all-in-all a great leisure spot.
Where to Stay: Vila Vita Para, in Porches Portugal.
Where to Eat: Nana on the Beach, in Armacao, Portugal.
Fun Fact: The Algarve gets more sunshine than California or the South of France.
4. Walt Disney World Resort, Florida
Many people find this place cheap or corny, but I disagree. When you're in Disney, you're in Disney. You (slightly) forget the outside world and instead focus on the attractions and the other objects that make you lose reality.
For instance: the new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind ride made me forget a lot of what was going on with my coursework, and the Pirates of the Carribean attraction is always a classic and nostalgic for those who know.
Plus, the atmosphere is generally pleasant. People want to be there as opposed to other places. As such, I always find myself happy here walking down Main Street USA, and find it difficult to find people who disagree.
Where to Stay: The Walt Disney World Swan Reserve, in Lake Buena Vista, FL.
Where to Eat: Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie (a French-inspired quick-service restaurant in EPCOT.)
Fun Fact: John Lennon signed the paperwork to break up The Beatles at the Polynesian Resort.
3. Crater Lake, Oregon
Located in (very near) the middle of Oregon, Crater Lake National Park is one of those places that is hard to get to, but the reward is magnificent. At the perimeter of the lake looking inwards, you will see only one of the most beautiful scenes in the United States.
A bonus (or downside, depending on your definitions) is that the cell service is not the best. So not only are you in a beauiful setting, but you can't not look at it. Which allows visitors to soak it all in even more and enjoy the phenomenal views.
Where to Stay: Mazama Village Campground & Cabins, in Crater Lake, OR.
Where to Eat: No recommendations.
Fun fact: Crater Lake was formed when Mt. Mazuma, a volcano, collapsed around 7,700 years ago.
2. Prague, Czechia
The first European city that I visited, and arguably my favorite, Prague has some of the best urban architecture I have seen, and has a wide variety of sights that would appease any type of traveler. From the castle-loving historian, to the foodie, there is something for those who may not necessarily have thought that Europe was for them.
In addition, the conflicting styles of the river next to the old bridges and buildings is really quite something to behold, alongside learning about the multiple layers of history present ranging all the way back from the 8th century onwards.
Where to Stay: Hotel Caruso Prague, in Old Town Prague.
Where to Eat: Mad Rabbit, a macaron bar in Old Town Prague.
Fun Fact: Prague Castle is the largest castle in the world at over 70,000 square meters of land.
Notable Mentions
Memphis, Texas
Travellodge and Love’s.
Moab, Utah
The red-rock cliffs make for some pretty otherworldly landscapes that everyone should aspire to get to, at least once.
Masada
Nothing beats looking out one mountainside fortress down to the sea and to another mountain range on the other side.
And now: my no. 1 destination is…
1. Waterville Valley, New Hampshire
It should not be a surprise that I selected this for the top prize. After all, I recently wrote a post about how I considered it to be my "Favorite Featured Destination"!
But that's besides the point. I love Waterville Valley because of the tranquil peace that comes alongside the territory. Not many people know about the Valley, and even less have given it a second thought, much less gone out of their way to go on vacation there.
It is that part that we like. The White Mountains are known to be a known spot, but not the Valley. There are trails and sometimes other places where it seems like you are the only one.
Also: cute little town square and everything is walking-distance (except for the eponoymous ski area). What's not to like?
Where to Stay: Golden Eagle Lodge, in Waterville Valley, NH.
Where to Eat: Six Burner Bistro in Plymouth, NH.
Fun Fact: Waterville Valley Resort is known as the birthplace of Freestyle Skiing.
As you can see, I've been to quite a few places around the world, and it's always a wonder to see where I might end up next. Especially with my possibly studying abroad in 2027.
We shall see!
The weeks keep passing, which terrify me to an extent, but that's life I guess.
beehiiv, the email management platform that I primarily use in conjunction with WordPress, recently unlocked its new website builder to all plans, which means we can now use it. It isn't on the top of my to-do list, but I hope to have a somewhat-decent version of a new mailing site ready by August 8.
The days are slowly getting shorter, but that doesn't mean we are. We'll keep pushing onwards to the anniversary.
Thanks for reading, see you next week!