NYC was on the top of my US bucket list as a little girl and it met or exceeded all of my expectations. There is so very much to do, see and eat that it’s on the top of my list to revisit when the 2020’s doomsday vibe subsides.
This was my first trip travelling alone in the US and will always have a special place in my heart for that reason alone. The architecture, 1920’s vibes, skyline views, the food etc. make NYC one of my top two US cities alongside the Portland area. I can certainly see why many creatives are inspired by the big apple.
Grand Canyon, AZ
The Grand Canyon is one of those wonders of the world I had on my bucket list. It’s a pretty impressive natural tourist attraction in the area to state the obvious. Weirdly, my favourite part of my visit were the rain clouds that filled the canyon perfectly for some eerie photos. The one tree shot I captured grew horizontally from the cliff just below the path and looked almost inviting to wander out on as you couldn’t see the 1,829 m drop below the clouds.
Nashville, TN
I had such stereotyped expectations for Nashville. I thought it was going to all sweet tea, thick religious culture and country music. There is SO much more to this city as I found it was alive with all styles of music, food, greenery and culture. I spent much of this trip in conference rooms as I came for work but I spent the weekend in town exploring and I’m very glad I did. I explored Franklin, TN nearby with a couple of coworkers and it’s quaint, small town feel was charming. I’m going to return and visit all the places I didn’t get to wander sometime soon and get my craving for Hattie B’s hot chicken satisfied as it’s soo very good.
Portland, OR – Fall 2019
We went to Portland on a whim last fall for a much needed break from the chaos of daily life. Portland is one of my favourite US cities as it’s home to forests, oceans, bridges, doughnuts, coffee shops, small batch local everything. Lots of people showcase their vibrantly coloured hair, pin collections and body modifications at all ages. The city displays signs with their slogan of “Keep Portland Weird” which is accurate and just as awesome as they are down there.
On this trip I revisited some of my favourite places in the city and finally drove through Forest Park. We detoured a little on our way home to see Cannon Beach as I’d never been to the most famous of the local beaches with Haystack views. It was a chilly, drizzly day on the beach and yet it was just beautiful. I ran into the cold ocean with my shoes on and we saved Belinda the crab from being attacked by a seagull. She looked like she was having a rough go of it.
10/10 would visit again.
Some e places I would suggest you check out if you visit the Portland area:
- Creo Chocolates
- Bridge City Cafe
- Peets Coffee
- Forest Park
- Portland Japanese Garden (see Portland 2016 post for photos)
- Oregon Zoo
- The rose garden
- Powell’s bookstore
- Alberta Street – Art District
- The rows of food trucks downtown
- Pioneer square
- Biscuit Bitch restaurant
- Stumptown coffee
- Random Order Pie Bar
- Moonstruck Chocolates
I’m not a drinker but Portland is known for it’s large number of micro-breweries that I have heard are amazing if you’re into that.