It has been 26 months since I started and I have so far
visited 25 States plus Washington DC.
So, it is time for a “Midpoint
review” and since everyone likes lists, I thought that would be the best way
to do this. While there will be
categories where I discuss specific items, let us begin with a countdown.
Best Visit
Now this is not meant to rank places in terms of their appeal, but rather my overall
experience when I was there. And just
because something shows up lower in the list doesn’t mean I had a bad
experience. It was still one of the best
visits that I have had, just marginally below the others.
26. OHIO – Mayfield Heights (January, 2015): I was visiting my dearest friends and so it definitely
counts as a great visit. It’s just that
I did not get to do some of the typical things that I get to do on my other
trips.
25. CONNECTICUT – South Windsor (November, 2014): This was another visit to see friends, but what made this
one special was a “Halloween Party”,
my very first one.
24. CALIFORNIA – San Jose & Napa (December, 2014): At the risk of bottom of this list having a theme,
once again, I was visiting friends over Christmas. While most of my time in San Jose was spent
indoors, I did manage to get away for a couple of days and visit Napa.
23. NEVADA – Las Vegas (October, 2015):
I took this trip with friends and it turned out to be a typical Vegas weekend
where time is as irrelevant as the sun outside.
22. DELAWARE – Dover & Wilmington (November, 2016): The latest of my visits was one that was a pleasant
surprise since I came to Delaware with very little expectations and left
feeling that I needed more time.
21. LOUISIANA – New Orleans & Gonzales (April, 2015): I combined a visit to New Orleans with a work trip to
Gonzales Louisiana and there isn’t much to report from the latter. I did manage
to cram in a lot in the 24 hours that I was there in New Orleans, including a “5-in-1 Ghost & Mystery Tour” and
having my palm read in an actual “Voodoo
Shop”.
20. MISSOURI – Saint Louis (March, 2015):
My lasting memory from Saint Louis will be of the majestic “Arch”. It was one of my
earlier visits, but a memorable one.
19. GEORGIA – Atlanta (November, 2015):
I managed to do a lot during the 2 days that I was in Atlanta, including going
to a ‘NFL’ game.
18. INDIANA – Indianapolis (February, 2016): Another action packed weekend, but one which was made
special by the “Museum By Moonlight”
event as well as a drive around the hallowed ‘Indianapolis Speedway’.
17. MASSACHUSETTS – Boston & Salem (September, 2016): Although I had been to Boston many times, this visit was
as if for the first time. Plus, Salem
is as charming a town as I have seen during these travels.
16. TENNESSEE – Nashville (February, 2015): I arrived in Nashville a few days after a crippling “ice storm” that left the sidewalks and
many parts of the city frozen; so much so that it was difficult to walk. So it says a lot about the place
when despite that and a thunderstorm, this was one of my favorite visits.
15. ILLINOIS – Springfield (August, 2016): I am glad that I picked another destination in Illinois
besides Chicago, since it brought me here.
Not only did I learn a lot more about Lincoln, but also experience the
unique American tradition that is the “State
Fair”.
14. MINNESOTA – Minneapolis (June, 2015):
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed visiting Minneapolis. It’s not everywhere that you get to visit a
museum which looks like ruins of a castle and is dedicated to flour.
13. MARYLAND – Baltimore (May, 2016):
There is something special about a city with a harbor and none better than
Baltimore. I had 2 wonderful evenings
around there and also got to go to a “comic
book” museum.
12. NEBRASKA – Omaha (October, 2016):
Another one of those places where I wish I had more time. A wonderful riverfront walk and some of the
best restaurants and bars make me want to visit again.
11. KENTUCKY – Louisville (April, 2016):
The land of Bourbon and beautiful one at that.
Well, had plenty of that, as well as some good food.
10. PENNSYLVANIA – Pittsburgh (October, 2014): This was my home before Chicago and my first stop on the
journey. I loved my year's there and try
to recreate that magic every time I go back.
One of the best riverfront walks in the nation.
9. TEXAS – Austin (December, 2015):
Austin is an oasis in Texas and one of my favorite cities. Everything about the place, the culture, the
food and the people makes this a destination that everyone should want to
visit. And they should seek out the ‘Garage Bar’.
8. RHODE ISLAND – Newport (September, 2015): A charming New England town with some of the most opulent
mansions that I have seen. Plus it has
the incredible “Cliff Walk”.
7. MONTANA – Whitefish & Glacier National Park (July, 2015): By far one of most beautiful
places that I have visited. The walk
towards “Hidden Lake” is one of the
most unforgettable experiences of my life.
6. FLORIDA – Orlando (January, 2016):
It took me a long time, but I finally
made it to ‘Disneyworld’. And it truly was a life affirming experience.
5. OREGON – Portland (July, 2016):
This is one of the most laid-back places that I have visited and I loved every
minute of it. It’s a beautiful city with incredible food and some majestic views of the neighboring mountains.
4. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA – Washington DC (March, 2016): I have always loved visiting our Capital and this time was
no different. If anything, it was more
special because I fulfilled something that I had dreamt of doing as a kid – visit the "National Cherry Blossom Festival”.
3. WASHINGTON – Seattle (August, 2015):
If there is a place that I could see myself moving to, it is Seattle. I had wanted to visit for a long time and now
that I had, I knew that this was one of my favorite cities.
2. NORTH DAKOTA – Fargo (June, 2016):
Yes, you read this right. My 2nd
most memorable travel experience was in a one-street town. But what a street!
1. NEW YORK – New York (May, 2015):
I am sorry if people find this disappointing.
Of all the exotic places that I have been to, I pick New York City as my
favorite. Such a cliché! Well, sometimes a cliché is called so because
it just that good. I have been to NYC
more times than I remember and it never disappoints. The places, the streets, the parks, even the
grocery stores and their shelves are familiar to me. Not only was this my favorite visit during
these travels, it always will be a place that I look forward to.
Now for some of the other “awards”:
Best Food Place – Portland, Oregon: Most of the places that I
stopped by for food had long lines. And
it was for good reason. Everything from “street food” to “fine dining” was excellent.
 |
| Outstanding food at 'Minibar' in DC |
Best Food Dish – “Gnocchi” at ‘Bardot Brasserie’ in Las
Vegas, Nevada:
In a place known for its endless buffets, a vegetarian dish in a classic “French Restaurant" blew my socks off.
Best Dessert – Homemade “Chocolate Molten Lava Cake” at Mayfield
Heights, Ohio:
My friend is a terrific chef and a baker and this was as good, if not better
than anything that I could have ordered at a restaurant.
Best Coffee – “Vanilla Bean Latte” at ‘Prestogeorges’ in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: One of my favorite routines in Pittsburgh was visiting
this coffee shop on Saturday mornings for their "latte". What makes it special is a homemade
vanilla powder that they mix with the drink and then serve it at a perfect
temperature.
Best “Drinking” Place – Louisville, Kentucky: This should not be a surprise, after all the place is known for
Bourbon. But as I did the “Urban Bourbon Trail”, I found out that
having access to all these distilleries has resulted in some terrific bars and
skilled mixologists.
Best Bar – ‘Wicked Rabbit’ – Omaha, Nebraska: A bar whose access is like
some “spy movie”, not only has a
terrific ambiance, but also some fantastic drinks served by friendly people.
 |
| 'Wicked Rabbit' in Omaha |
Best Single Drink – “Indian Paintbrush” at ‘Garage Bar’ in
Austin, Texas:
It’s located inside a public garage that hosts a “speakeasy” type bar in the back.
This drink was voted one of the best cocktails in Austin and in my
opinion, is up there with any cocktail that I have had elsewhere.
Best Hotel – ‘Dover Garden Suites’ in Dover, Delaware: What I got for the amount I
paid, makes this the best bargain. Even
without that it’s the best place that I’ve stayed at.
Most Unique Business – ‘The Fairy Store’ in Boston,
Massachusetts:
I almost passed by, but this place pulled me back it. A wonderfully whimsical store with an owner
who believes in magic.
Friendliest Place – Springfield, Illinois: Every place that I visited in this town and
every person that I met was extremely friendly and welcoming. Lincoln would have beem proud.
 |
| The path towards "Hidden Lake" in 'Glacier National Park' |
Most Beautiful Place – “Hidden Lake Trail” at Glacier
National Park:
This is one of the most breathtaking places in the US and “Hidden Lake” is perhaps its crown jewel.
Best City – Seattle, Washington: There's a “vibe” to Seattle that makes it a fantastic city. It was everything that I had thought it would be, and more.
Best Single Evening – Fargo, North Dakota: I sat in my hotel room
wondering what I was going to do that evening.
And then I started walking down the main street, stopping to see the
architecture, visit local shops, explore side streets and of course, eat and
drink. Before the evening was through, I
knew that few would match this experience.
Best Single Experience – ‘Disneyworld’ in Orlando, Florida: It has been called the “Happiest place on Earth”. And yes, it absolutely is.
And there we are - halfway through the journey. Based on everything that I have seen and
experienced so far, I cannot wait for the rest.
Someone recently said that once this is over, I may the only person in the world
who has successfully attempted this. I
don’t know about that, but I doubt if anyone else has had as much fun as me.
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