I just posted on a thread about CCL Fantasy and my love for the City of New Orleans. Got me thinking about other great places to visit, whether a departure port or not. Don't get me wrong I love cruising and most vacations are based on one as is my upcoming visit to the Big Easy.
Unlike many here, if a vacation is not cruise related I'm not a big fan of visiting places I've been or plan to go on a cruise in the future unless it's the port I'm leaving from or returning to. I also love San Antonio, the riverwalk is among my favorite destinations on the planet and close to me. If you ever go, book the La Mansion Del Rio as your hotel and get a riverview balcony. A great place for an anniversary or any other occasion for a romantic get away with the love of your life. I used to go to San Antonio at least once or twice a year as a long weekend getaway.
I love the mountains... Rockies, Appalachian where I grew up, Smokies, you name it I love them.
What are your favorite places and why? I'd love to know about your favorites, maybe I'll give them a try and add them to my favorite places list in between cruises.
Neil, you took my answer with New Orleans. It's an easy drive for me and I am a HUGE fan of creole cuisine. I know that it is not the most authentic place to dine but I always have to have brunch at the Court of Two Sisters when I visit the Big Easy. My other favorites are Emiril's Nola and any restaurant owned or started by Dickie Brennan. And of course, my all time favorite is the little steakhouse started by Ruth Fertel that became known as Ruth's Chris. Mmmmmmmmm..... To my knowledge, the Ruth's Chris on Fulton Street in New Orleans is the only one in which you can get bananas foster. (it has to be flambeed or it just isn't worth it)
Dr. I love Court if Two Sisters as well. I like to hit K-Pauls and the Bombay Club too. If I'm in the mood for a real treat and have a large enough group to make a reservation, Commander's Palace is amazing. There is also always at least one or two little whole in the wall places that seem to be different every time that my brother finds and says you gotta try this! When I drive, theres a place about half way between Houston and New Orleans called PawPaws that is a roadside, billboard every few miles kind of stop that you wouldn't expect to be much to brag on. It's as good as it gets for seafood. The portions are so big I can never finish, and I can eat!
Okay, now I'm really getting hungry. Theres a Brennan's here in Houston too, may have to make reservations tonight!
I love Lake George, NY, one of 3,000 lakes and ponds in the 6 million acre Adirondack State Park.Lake George is a 32 mile long lake nestled at the base of the mountains. I've been going there my whole life, and have seldom seen any area as beautiful during all four seasons.
I've been going there my whole life, and have seldom seen any area as beautiful during all four seasons.
Sandy the changing of the seasons is the thing I miss most since living in TX. No fall colors with the changing of the leaves! We just get two seasons in Houston, summer and February.
Lake George sounds beautiful, never been but if I ever get the chance to be in the area I won't miss the oppt'y.
Neil, I lived in San Francisco for a year, and got tired of having just one season: winter!
We all know the Mark Twain quote...
The year we were there, it snowed for a few hours one day. It's a beautiful city, but I prefer my four seasons. I understand your missing your seasons.
One of my Favorite would be Nelder Grove. It is more undeveloped that the more popular Redwoods. Plus it has this Giant Stumps from the logging days.
Or the tall Giants.
Plus it has something the other Groves do not have...Peace and quiet. On a busy day there might be 4 or 5 people there, then again you might be the only ones there. It is a nice place to just relax and read, cat nap or do what ever you want.
Great photos Gary! What a beautiful place. In the center photo the sky is as amazing as the tree. My folks live in CO and you never see skies that blue anywhere in the US but out west in the mountains. I heard somewhere that it has something to do with the light reflecting from the atmosphere at the high altitude and that from the top of Everest the sky is so deep blue it's nearly black. May just be old climber stories, like fish stories.
I hate to sound repetitious and I actually thought I would be the only one to say this, but I LOVE New Orleans! The food, history, jazz, and lets not forget the hurricanes(the drink of course!) Everytime I go I bring someone who has not been there before so they will understand my love for this city.
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Fascination-September 2007 Key West and Cozumel
Spirit-August 2010- Alaska
Great pics Gary, as always. I grew up in the same region as Neil. So I also miss the snow and the leaves sometimes. Not often enough for me to ever consider moving back though. Most of my traveling has been to the caribbean. I like going to Gatlinburg in the winter to see the mountains and snow. I hope to visit New Orleans someday.
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