Travel :: Best Places to Visit in the Fall

“To travel is to live.”

Hans Christian Andersen, The Fairy Tale of My Life, An Autobiography

 

During my twenties I traveled as much as I could while living in Japan and have visited remote towns in Vietnam and Thailand but have yet to visit Europe!  Those Southeast Asia travels opened up my eyes to the vastness of the world and I came to understand how much I had to learn.  Since my daughter was born, we have not had the opportunity to travel as much as most can attest to how much work it is to travel with little ones.  Now that she is older, we are planning on broadening our horizons again.  My daughter goes to a year-round school so we have the opportunity to take fall vacations for a week or so if our budget allows.  I love this time of year with the weather change (we are finally getting some cool weather here in southern California) and so enjoy the leaves changing colors!  There are so many places to visit in the U.S. and abroad – here are some top choices per a survey taken by U.S. News.  Some of these places I have visited and experienced first-hand.  And others, I dream of visiting some day – like Paris, France!

 

 

#1 San Francisco

I am not surprised San Francisco made it to the top of the list!  I went to college in northern California and can still remember the first time I visited San Francisco with my friends and absolutely fell in love with the city.  The city is so quaint and I love the hills, colorful houses, and the free spirits who are drawn to this city.  There is a small-town charm to the city and the selection of restaurants and sites to see are quite vast.  You can take the bus everywhere and don’t really need to hassle with renting a car as their public transportation will take you just about anywhere you might want to visit.

To read more of their suggestions on what to wear, and sights to see go to: https://travel.usnews.com/San_Francisco_CA/Travel_Tips/

 

#2 Paris, France

We have been dreaming of visiting France for years.  My husband went years ago when his good friend got married to a Frenchwoman and they got married in a castle in Bordeaux.  How romantic!  Too bad we weren’t together back then!  He still talks about what a great place France is to visit and how he loved walking to the nearest café to grab a cup of coffee and chocolate croisant.  Make sure to enjoy the famous French pastries while visiting!

 

 

The gentle River Seine rambles through Paris and is surrounded by wonderful museums, centuries-old churches, and blocks of Rococo- and Neo-classic-design architecture, further enhanced by charming trees and glowing streetlamps.   Read more about where to go and sites to see: https://travel.usnews.com/Paris_France/Travel_Tips/

 

 

#3 Chicago

The third largest city in the US is considered a city of contradictions and you will find it was home to organized crime and later attracted businessmen and artichects and engineers.  My in-laws visited Chicago a few years ago and loved the variety the city has to offer where you will find a street vendor selling hotdogs alongside an expensive restaurant.  They said the food was some of the best they have had in years.  I love visiting places that have delicious food!  To read more about where to visit and what to bring on your trip (it is not called The Windy City for nothing) here: https://travel.usnews.com/Chicago_IL/Travel_Tips/

 

 

#4 Vancouver

By even North American standards, Vancouver is considered a newer city.  But don’t let the short history deter you from a visit!  A few years back I was on a business trip and visited Vancouver for the day.  It is a wonderful mix of high fashion and trendy shops and surrounded by beaches and mountains.  I had the best steak and seafood while on my trip and it is known for having wonderful restaurants!   The perfect place to visit if you love hiking, mountain biking and white-water rafting.  To read more about places to visit while in Vancouver go to: https://travel.usnews.com/Vancouver_Canada/Travel_Tips/

 

 

#5 New York City

Oh, New York city is such a fantastic place to visit –  it is called the city that never sleeps!  It reminded me so much of Tokyo, Japan because of the amount of energy buzzing around you at all times!  It is the most populous city in the U.S. and is filled with so many types of people and you will find bohemian artists to investment bankers. The city is filled with so many amazing places to see and visit.  My friend and I were able to catch the filming of Saturday Night Live and watched Vince Vaughn host the show. Afterwards, we watched brave souls ice skating in the famous Rockerfeller Center Rink outside of the NBC studio.  Make sure to check this out as it was a highlight of the trip!

 

 

I loved every minute of my trip as I was able to finally wear some of my coats I have piled up in my closet that never get to see the light of day in southern California.   You can catch a Broadway show or walk down Fifth avenue for some shopping.  Make sure to take time to visit the Met and MoMA Museums as well.  To read more about places to see and visit go to: https://travel.usnews.com/New_York_NY/Travel_Tips/

 

Photo courtesy of Flickr:

Photo (NY) courtesy of Flickr:

Photo (Vancouver) courtesy of Flickr:

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Photo (Paris) courtesy of Flickr:

Photo courtesy of Flickr:

 

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