Posts Tagged ‘California’

The Trendiest Places to Visit in the US

Monday, November 1st, 2010

Guest post by Claudia Lonjedo

Planning a holiday to the United States? The following list points you in the direction of some of the trendiest places to visit in the US to see right now. Keep in mind it will be hard to see it all – most people who have spent years and years living the US still have cities and regions they want to explore. Try focusing on one city, or perhaps two near each other, to give yourself time to really get to know the local culture and trends.

New York City

New York City is a must because, well, it’s New York City! The collision of creative energy, cultures from around the world, and the constant desire most residents share of wanting to be on top of what’s next make it an exciting place to be. Explore the West Village for some of the trendiest eateries in the city, SoHo for shopping and Lower East Side for non-stop nightlife. If you’ve seen the Manhattan sites before, try venturing into Brooklyn for a little something different.

San Francisco

This bay city is one of the most desired places to live in the US these days, attracting the brains (and money) of nearby Silicon Valley, as well as trend-conscious young people. The city was the birthplace for the hippie movement and has a thriving arts scene, not to mention trendy eateries and shopping districts.

Los Angeles

A list a trendy US cities for visiting on a holiday would be noticeably incomplete without a mention of Los Angeles. It’s home to Hollywood, a slew of celebrities and some of the best shopping in the country. Also of note is the Los Angeles food scene, which is one of the trendiest and most inventive in the country.

Austin

Austin hosts one of the trendiest annual music events: South by Southwest, also abbreviated to SXSW, every March. Even when it’s not the week of South by Southwest though, good music of every genre can be found in the city. The city’s residents also have a notable entrepreneurial energy, which always keeps things interesting. Austin residents make no secret of their love for the city – “Keep Austin Weird” bumper stickers can be seen everywhere.

Miami

Miami residents pride themselves on living in a city with a culture totally different to that of any other US city. It’s a fast-moving city heavy on nightlife, shopping and the beach, and Spanish is almost as commonly spoken as English. For those looking for a vacation in Florida, Miami is a great option.

For hip holidays USA destinations provide some of the most happening options on the planet. All of the above cities are where to be if you’re looking to take a break. But of course, every city has something interesting and trendy, and seeking it out is the perfect opportunity to talk to locals.

Sunsets From Around The World

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

Sunsets are one of Mother Nature’s greatest masterpieces. Unfortunately, I don’t get to see them anymore. By the time I’m out of work, the sun has already set in the Concrete Jungle. To satisfy my desire to be mesmerized by sunsets, I asked my fellow friends and travel bloggers to submit photos of their best sunsets. Talk about a visual overload.

Without further adieu, feast your eyes on this. I hope it satisfies your wanderlust…for now.

Koh Samet, Thailand

A beautiful calm sunset after a day of riding ATVs and exploring the jungles of Koh Samet, one of the less visited islands of Thailand.

Finisterra, Spain

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After walking about 2000km in Spain on the Camino de Santiago, my reward was one of the most beautiful sunsets over the Atlantic at the most western tip of Spain: Finisterra, the "End of the World". My journey was over in Spain.

Somewhere over the Atlantic

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While trying to take pictures of those creeping clouds over the Atlantic, an old lady next to me told me: "When the clouds are like this, it's going to rain tomorrow". I nodded politely without really believing.. It rained the whole next day after weeks of sunny days.

Dan Nahabedian

Dan is wandering soul and a traveler, eager to learn from the entire World, and excited to share all the Knowledge and the Beauty captured through his lens. That’s what he’s am all about! Check out his blog Canvas of Light for more jaw dropping photos and follow him on Twitter @Eloren.


Redondo Beach, California

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My first ever California sunset. This majesty of nature that is a west coast sunset was experienced at Redondo Beach, which has been a frequent host over the years to the Mavericks surf competition.

Ohio

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While heading to my car after a long day, exhaustion the foremost thing on my mind...I didn't notice a group of people standing & just staring at the sky. Actually, I almost ran into them. They were staring at this sunset. I joined them! Exhaustion forgotten.

Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

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Candlelight. Handsome companion. Mexican tequila. Playa Del Carmen sunset. A beautiful evening.

Naples, Florida

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While out on a long walk during a trip to Florida, following a death, this sunset appeared. It felt like a message; that the world could still be a beautiful place and healing would come in time. When I look at this image, I'm reminded no matter how bad things get - they will always, eventually, get better.

Kirsten Alana

Kirsten Alana is a photographer and travel writer currently in the Midwest who is planning a late 2010 move to the East or West coast. She always has a quote ready and waiting to share. She’s an avid Jane Austen fan, adventure & experience junkie, Francophile, passionate fan of Mexico, Apple and Canon geek, New Englander by birth and the daughter of an artist. Kirsten also loves to support charities and her current favorite is “Charity:Water”. You can find her on Twitter @kirsten_al.

Eagle Beach, Aruba

Humuhumu at the Grand Wailea, Maui

Melanie Waldman

Melanie is one half of Travels With Two, a travel blog for couples. She’s a writer and artist. Travels With Two is a guide to those places we (and many other couples) have been and loved, in the hope that you’ll be inspired to do the same. You can follow her on Twitter @TravelsWithTwo.

Mt. Arbel Israel

This was taken after a hike to the top of Mt.Arbel, which overlooks the Sea of Galilee in the north of Israel. I was traveling there with a group, and this photo was taken towards the end of our trip. This will forever remain one of the top moments of my life, and the picture is a perfect representation of that.

Great Barrier Reef, Australia

I've never seen anything more beautiful than and Australian sunset. The colors and the atmosphere set the mood for an unparalleled experience. Taken from a sailboat, watching this sunset over the Great Barrier Reef was nothing short of amazing.

New Jersey, USA

I grew up in New Jersey, just minutes away from here. On a recent trip back home I was driving through the area and, quite literally, saw it in a whole new light. They are HDR images, and I think they prove that sometimes, the most beautiful things are in your own backyard.

Brianne Hoyt-Stern

Brianne Hoyt-Stern was born and raised in New Jersey and currently lives and works in New York City. She specializes in 2D animation and design and has earned her BFA in Computer Art from the School of Visual Arts. She enjoys spending her free time taking photographs, especially HDR images. Although she loves art, her greatest passion is traveling. She tries to combine her two loves by taking much of her inspiration from the traveling she has done and her time spent overseas. Her artwork is a strong reflection of her experiences. Follow Brianne on Twitter @brieee.

Grand Canyon, USA

Aye, Jack & Emma

These are pictures of sunset over the grand canyon. We started a tradition of traveling as a family during every spring break since Emma is a spring break baby, both Jack and myself have birthdays in late March and early April as well our Anniversary is in early April. So our tradition is to celebrate all those special days by traveling together as a family. So in 2008 when Em was 5, we took her to Disneyland on a road trip. On our way back from California, we stopped in Vegas, The Grand Canyon, Albuquerque and Roswell. We always take tons of pictures as I’m sure many travelers do and these are two I feel capture that evening’s beauty. We waited to see the sunset from the beginning to the end armed with picnic items, warm clothing and even a blanket and we had an amazing time together.

Follow this fabulous family of three on their inspiring blog Got Passport: Will Travel. Will Serve and follow them on Twitter @gotpassport as they prepare to move to Chiang Mai, Thailand this summer.

Vounaki Marina, Greece

Just before picking up a yacht and embarking on one of the best weeks of my life.

South Africa

Taken from the back of a jeep at sunset in Phinda game reserve, South Africa, enroute to going leopard tracking with friends. Amazingly, we found one. Even more amazingly, he didn't come and join us in the jeep - although he seemed very keen for a while. Story here.

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Taken with a beer in hand on the deck of a junk in Halong Bay, Vietnam. Story here.

Queensland, Australia

Sunset from the back of a yacht in Butterfly Bay, Hook Island. This is one of the 74 islands in the Whitsundays group just off the coast of Queensland, Australia.

Dave Dean

Dave was born and raised in small town New Zealand providing  him with the perfect beginnings for a lifelong travel addiction. After graduating from university with a degree in History and Political Science he packed his meagre belongings into a backpack and headed for London. The subsequent years have seen him travelling through thirty-something countries and watching my ‘must see’ list grow larger almost as quickly as I’ve watched my bank balance grow smaller. Check out Dave’s blog, What’s Dave Doing, and follow him on Twitter @driftingkiwi.

Banks Penninsula, New Zealand

I waited on the ridge in high winds for over an hour to shoot this sunset over Robinson's Bay in the Banks Peninsula, New Zealand.

Mile Lagoon, New Zealand

It was a 2hr hike to get here to Three Mile Lagoon, New Zealand and I was totally alone save a couple of deer. The tide came up and I had to hike back through the forest in the dark using my camera's autofocus light to find the trail.

Opotiki, New Zealand

It was beautiful how the cliffs down the beach faded into the mist near Opotiki in New Zealand. The bird in the sky was a nice touch (though I considered removing it).

Dustin Main

Dustin Main is the author behind the Skinny Backpacker, a blog that offers the inside source on traveling around the world as a scrawny guy. His current itinerary starts in New Zealand, then Australia, North to SE Asia, west to Nepal, Eastern Europe, Northern Africa, Western Europe, then South America, Antarctica, and hopefully some time in Latin America before limping his way home. Have somewhere to suggest?  Someone I have to meet?  Let him know! You can find him on Twitter @dustinmain.

Dunedin, New Zealand

Darwin, Australia

Texas, USA

Adam Groffman

Adam is a graphic designer living and working in Boston who will soon embark on his own RTW trip.. He’s always loved traveling and plans to travel as much as possible. His blog, Travels of Adam, features content on his past and present travels. Follow him on Twitter @travelsofadam.

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Nine Warning Signs of Empty Travel

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

Guest post by @magicant

Business travel is an oxymoron, like plastic silverware. It’s not travel. It’s just a bunch of meetings after a really long commute. I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of the world while on the company dime, but I rarely got to experience the places I visited.

Most overseas groups that want to work with American companies are looking to bring America to what they’re doing, so it tends to be a very insular experience. Meetings are in English. The hotels are the chains we’re familiar with. People you deal with were educated at western universities. About the only cultural thing I really learned in my travels was the formality involved in the exchange of business cards.

All that adds up to my desire to break free and someday go back to those places I never really got to know.

Do you think you have a similar problem? Here are some warning signs that mean you need to seek help (with apologies to that redneck guy).

  1. If you force your taxi driver in Dubai to stop at Dunkin Donuts because you don’t have them in California… you might be a business traveler
  2. If checking out the local bar means taking a Snickers from a mini-fridge in Dusseldorf… you might be a business traveler
  3. If you think Sunday mass at the Vatican would flow better with bullet points and clip art… you might be a business traveler
  4. If the ending of “Up In The Air” was a happy one…. you might be a business traveler
  5. If you’re excited that MTV in Seoul actually shows music videos… you might be a business traveler
  6. If people in Singapore take you to an Italian restaurant for dinner… you might be a business traveler
  7. If most of the photos of your Hong Kong trip are of the city’s high tech new escalator system… you might be a business traveler
  8. If you try to figure out financial models and revenue stream potential while walking through Amsterdam… you might be a business traveler
  9. If the only memory you have of London is “Hey, check out the cool looking taxis!”… you might be a business traveler

For those people exhibiting 3 or more of the symptoms above, there are professional counselors standing by. Don’t look at me, I’m guilty of at least 5 of them.

About Joel:

The Freedonia Post is not a blog for travel writing. It’s comedy written while traveling. Well, that’s the plan. I have to start traveling first. And figure out the comedy. The writing? I’m kind of hoping that will happen on its own somehow.