I never thought I’d like America… I don’t know why. I guess the way it was portrayed in the movies made it look so superficial, but after my first visit for Coachella last year, I kind of fell in love. While it’s not one of my favourite countries, San Diego definitely makes the list of places I could live in.
That first trip sparked some genuine curiosity, and now I have a decent size list of places I’d love to visit in America. Some of the places are obvious, and some of them are not-so-obvious. Here are the places I want to visit in America the most:
Austin, Texas:
Everyone always laughs when I tell them I want to go to Austin, probably because I don’t really have a good reason. Just try the local food, maybe check out an Austin spa. I just think I’ll like Austin, and it feels like it would be really different to New Zealand. Plus, everyone I’ve met from Austin just meets this stereotype of being a “typical American”. I’d like to see if my imagination aligns with reality.
New York:
No surprises here, who doesn’t want to go to New York? I feel like it’s such a cultural hub. I’d like to go there while I’m still relatively poor and just be in the middle of all the chaos. I like big cities because they have a lot to offer, but also because you kind of feel significant. It’s easier to grasp what a big world we live in, when you’re surrounded by millions of people too busy going about their own day to notice you. I also really want to eat a cupcake in Central park.
San Francisco:
I saw LA and I saw San Diego, but I didn’t make it to San Fran and I think that’s a real shame. My home town of Christchurch endured a massive earthquake and I’d like to go to San Fran to see how a city can recover and come out almost better from such a disaster – emphasis on almost. I’d also love to go on a sightseeing boat trip, using the Red and White fleet discount to keep costs down.
Colorado:
One of my best friends lived here for a year and she fell in love – and I fell in love directly through her photos. Colorado looks absolutely stunning and I’ve heard the skiing there is just incredible. I’d love to rent out an apartment in Colorado for a month or two and just make the most of the winter wonderland this place turns into.
Vegas:
I had the opportunity to go to Vegas last time I was in America, but I decided on Couchsurfing in Mexico instead. Part of me thinks I’ll hate Vegas – it seems to be a tacky version of other parts of the world, but I guess it’s one of those places you just need to see. Recently, my sister visited Vegas and her photos from that trip were actually really lovely so maybe it’s not as bad as I imagined. Either way, I need to see for myself!
Joshua Tree National Park:
Last year we were supposed to go camping in Joshua Tree National Park but I have poor time management and my camera was stolen, so things just didn’t pan out that way. I spent a while Googling photos and it looks absolutely gorgeous. I’d love to spend a long weekend camping here going on some excellent walks, but maybe not in the middle of summer where the temperatures are almost deadly!
So those are the places I want to visit in America – have you been to any of them? What did you think?
