Hawaii definitely. But not while the current U.S. political situation is ongoing.
Hanauma Bay. My favourite uncle loved that place. He taught my cousin to swim there, in the ocean water, with the fish and turtles.
We want to go back because we miss him. Mom misses him dearly after his death. But we can’t go there while it’s crazy, and Mom’s on the decline herself. I think we don’t have a viable window to get there, but we’re hoping.
Northern California, but I’m not visiting the US again until there has been a revolution.
When I was 18 (don’t ask how many years ago), I went on a road trip with my girlfriend, across the country and back. We stopped at a gas station and there was a girl around our age with Native American heritage sitting on the floor while sewing moccasins. She sold me a pair for 175 dollars. I know this because the price tag is a sticker on the inside of the tongue that I’ve never bothered to take off.
I wear them frequently, mostly around the house. Very comfortable. Best-fitting footwear I own. The soles have never worn through and they’ve needed not even one stitch in repairs. But since they’re getting in the ballpark of two decades old, I worry they will wear out someday. I would love to go back to that area and spend more time than a quick stop at the gas station. Partly to find out who else around there is helping to keep these elements of native cultures alive. And hopefully I would also find my way into owning a backup pair of some really good moccasins.
Montserrat in the Caribbean. Visited multiple times as a kid after the volcano as I had family working there in regeneration projects. Beautiful place, beautiful people, wouldove to see it again as an adult and see how it’s changed now.
We went on a highly illegal and potentially dangerous trip (if the volcano went off again, by the time we heard it, it would be too late to escape) to see the old airport from where you can see directly up the volcano and the path the pyroclastic flow took and covered the terminal building which was half buried in the dust.
There were wild horses roaming and nature was already starting to reclaim the place so the intervening 30 years probably have accelerated that and I’d love to see it.
Salem, MA is one of my favorite places to be. I used to go there so often that the locals thought I was a local. I planned to “retire” (whatever the millennial equivalent is) there.
Nowadays it’s no longer safe to visit home
Buenos Aires, for being the only time I left Brazil and for the tasty empanadas.
Basel 2 months ago. I’ve had the chance to get to know Basel’s history and vibe in a gay date tour with my internet friend. It was soo lovely, even though I know that this 2-3 day of a date was a forbidden love in some way, but man these are GREAT memories to remember by.
Buenos Aires. Went there alone for a few weeks when I was 24. Didn’t really get to see many sights though, as I was there for surgery. Would like to be able to visit again someday and actually be able to take in the place properly. Same goes for Bangkok.
Went to Rosario in my younger days, would love to go back some time.
Taiwan, specifically Jiou Fen. It’s a hillside town in northeastern Taiwan, lot of stairs but it’s walkable, the view is gorgeous, the general vibe is just awesome. Though i went there about 10 years ago, not sure if the pandemic changed anything.
I visited threadbow in Australia 3 years ago, it’s one of Australia’s few snow fields,
I come from the opposite side of the country and had never seen snow until 3 years ago.
Snowboarding was so much fun and I wish I could go back…
Costa Rica! The biodiversity and abundance of nature is astoundingly beautiful.
I’d like to go back to London. 3 days wasn’t enough and there’s still so much I want to see there.
I’ve been to the Caribbean a few times and loved every trip. Just went to the Dominican Republic for the first time this year and it was amazing. Grand Cayman had the most beautiful water I’ve ever seen. The Bahamas are wonderful. Aruba is on my list of places I want to go.
Playa Del Carmen, Mexico was a fun place to visit although the ocean swimming isn’t great there. I loved the Xenote we visited.
But the place I most want to go back to Thailand. The north country is beautiful, and the people are lovely. My first trip was really heavy on the temples, but each one has a unique character. Doissetep was incredibly scenic, we saw the palace temple where we got blessed by a monk, and the white temple (Wat Rong Khun) was incredible. We saw several other temples but they kinda blended together. We also made merit by feeding the monks and saw the water festival. I’m not a spiritual person but it really made me feel connected to humanity.
Bangkok was really cool, but I only saw it for a few days and that was enough of the big city. The floating market was really cool, and the food was amazing. I want to go back and visit Phuket. I got to see a less touristy side of the country because my uncle married a Thai woman. It’s not overstating it to say it was a life-changing experience. I want to take my kids and I hope they find it as meaningful as I did.
I’ve never really connected with a country like I did with Thailand. It was also my only tour group. My wife, who I married later, prefers all inclusive resorts where you barely experience the culture. I won’t deny I really enjoy them, but wish I could talk her into a tour group some day.
London and Britain in general
Pennsylvania and Maryland
Michigan
Colorado
Croatia (which was part of Yugoslavia when we went!), New York, and Mauritius. All spectacular in their own way, and I would love to visit them again.