So you want to find a place to go, but have no idea what the destination has to offer? It is hard to decide on where to go if you don't do a little bit of research, but I can definitely get you started! Whether you want a ski trip, beach trip, drinking trip, hiking trip, or foodie trip - I've got you covered. I have talked about how to "maximize" your trip on a previous post and now I want to share some of my top locations to visit that HAVE IT ALL. Good food, drinks, things to do, beautiful scenery, etc - that's generally what I look for in a good destination. Let me breakdown my top 10 favorite U.S. cities for you The Travelingo way!
1) Maui, Hawaii
Ok ... so Maui is not a city, but my other 9 are! Maui is an island in Hawaii and it's one of my favorite locations in the world! We loved it so much that we named our dog Maui. It's hard to only mention one city on the island because the island itself is so diverse and you can drive around the majority of the island in about a half day.
The Maui 3x3 Where to eat: 1. Tinroof for various rice bowls with fresh ingredients 2. Mama's Fish House is a world famous seafood restaurant on the north shore 3. Monkeypod Kitchen is dedicated to mastering the craft of food, drink and merrymaking Where to drink: 1. Maui Brewing Co for a long list of fresh beers (try the coconut porter) 2. MauiWine has some beautiful views, sweet treats, and great wine (try the sparkling pineapple wine) 3. Maui Coffee Roasters for fantastic 100% Hawaiian coffee What to do: 1. Take a early tour to the snorkel crystal-clear waters at the Molokini Crater and Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle at the world-famous Turtle Town (we used the Kai Kanani tour company) 2. Take a long and EXTREMELY scary drive along the Hana Highway to Waianapanapa State Park to see the black sand beach (Hana Highway is a total of about a 5 hour drive) 3. Visit the Haleakalā National Park for excellent mountain views
2) Denver, Colorado
Ahhh, Denver. I've probably been to Denver about a dozen times now and it never gets old. Every time that I go there is something new! The food, the beer, the mountains, the skiing - Denver is your perfect destination for getting away from the heat basically year round.
The Denver 3x3 Where to eat: 1. Sams No. 3 for legit breakfast in a quaint diner (get something with green chiles) 2. Denver Biscuit Company is the best spot for your brunch needs 3. Linger for a fancy dinner and an amazing worldly menu Where to drink: 1. Crooked Stave in Sunnyside (previously in The Source) 2. Goed Zuur for a legit sour beer menu and the BEST charcuterie 3. TRVE is a neat, dark brewery with some serious metal undertones What to do: 1. Drive a few hours into the Rocky Mountain National Park 2. Red Rocks Amphitheatre for shows and a beautiful view 3. Visit one of the many dispensaries around the city
3) New Orleans, Louisiana
Every time that I think about New Orleans, I think about it only being 8 hours away and how much I love the atmosphere there. The jazz music, bars, late nights, art, cajun food, and vast history make New Orleans legitimately one-of-a-kind.
The New Orleans 3x3 Where to eat: 1. Cafe Du Monde is a historic spot with coffee and beignets (bring cash) 2. The Court of Two Sisters for a Jazz Brunch in a beautiful garden (it's a little pricey) 3. Lula Restaurant Distillery makes their own liquor, but it also has one of the best brunches I've ever had BONUS: Manny Randazzo's for delicious king cakes (get the Pecan Praline King Cake) Where to drink: 1. NOLA Brewing and Taproom for some local craft beers 2. Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar this piano bar and lounge is said to be the oldest bar in the U.S. (order the Voodoo Daiquiri) 3. Pat O' Briens if you want an original Hurricane BONUS: Carousel Bar for a slowly spinning bar with a great atmosphere and amazing cocktails DOUBLE BONUS: The Avenue Pub has the best beer menu in the state What to do: 1. You've got to make it to Mardi Gras at least once in your lifetime (on Fat Tuesday each year) 2. Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is the best aquariums I've ever been to 3. Go to the French Quarter for street performers and fortune tellers, Bourbon Street to throw some beads, and the Mississippi River for a riverboat casino
4) Portland, Oregon
This was a hard one because I wanted to include a city from the Pacific Northwest, but it was between Portland and Seattle. I do love Seattle, however I feel that Portland has more to do, see, and if you do some hiking just east of the city, Portland wins for sure. Not to mention, you're within 3 hours of Smith Rock State Park, Seattle, Mt. Rainier National Park, Bend, and Tilamook.
The Portland 3x3 Where to eat: 1. Voodoo Doughnuts because they're amazing (bring cash) 2. Tamale Boy for anything - we got food to go while at LABrewtory and were amazed 3. Stepping Stone Cafe where their slogan is "you eat here because we let you" for their ginormous mancakes Where to drink: 1. Rogue Ales is an Oregon based brewery that does it all - canned cocktails, beer, and liquor 2. LABrewtory has some of the best beer I had in Portland 3. The Green Room for some fancy cocktails in a quaint lounge BONUS: Coava Coffee Roasters if you want amazing, fresh coffee What to do: 1. McMenamins Kennedy School used to be an elemantary school, but was transformed into an all-in-one destination with a hotel, bars, food, and a brewery in different parts of the school (checkout detention for the cocktail bar) 2. Peculiarium is just weird - it's very Portland and worth checking out 3. Multnomah Falls is only about 35 minutes from Portland and absolutely stunning (drive and park)
5) San Francisco, California
I had my first taste of San Francisco 8 years ago, but did not spend nearly enough time there. Last year, we went and spent 4 days traveling between San Francisco, Oakland, Napa, and Sonoma. That's one of the beauties of this area is that there is so much to do and each of the nearby spots are so different from one another.
The San Fran 3x3 Where to eat: 1. Z & Y Restaurant in Chinatown for some amazing Chinese food 2. Tarantinos Restaurant for some clam chowder (but all seafood is good near the piers) 3. Ghirardelli to eat some chocolate or treats in this San Franciscan staple Where to drink: 1. Mikkeller for one of the best beer selections in the world 2. Anchor Steam Beer is a staple brewery in San Francisco 3. Moongate Lounge for some fancy cocktails What to do: 1. Take a day trip up to Napa and/or Sonoma to check out a few wineries 2. Drive around to see the Painted Ladies and drive across the Golden Gate Bridge 3. Visit the Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 to see the sea lions and grab some great food BONUS: Near the piers, there are boats that charge around $30 to take you around the bay - under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz Island (totally worth the money)
6) Nashville, Tennessee
I have been to Nashville visiting my brother (lives an hour away in Clarksville) twice now and it has yet to let me down! It strangely feels like Austin, but with a lot more country feel. Broadway Street (the main drag) actually has a lot of similarities of 6th Street in Austin and is definitely worth a night out. In Nashville, you've got great music, fun people, and plenty to do for the whole family.
The Nashville 3x3 Where to eat: 1. The Pancake Pantry for the best pancakes on the planet 2. Luigi's City Pizza on Broadway for solid after hour pizza (open til 3a on Fri-Sat) 3. Hattie B's Hot Chicken and I'm not even a fried chicken fan, but damn! Where to drink: 1. Yazoo Brewing Company for an amazing beer selection 2. Corsair Distillery for liquor and cocktails 3. The Stage on Broadway for more of a Honky-Tonk feel What to do: 1. Go out on Broadway Street (music, bars, food) 2. Third Man Records is a must visit record shop by Jack White 3. Grand Ole Opry is a historic live entertainment venue.
7) Austin, Texas
For a quick 3 hour drive from DFW, this is the easiest of all my favorites to visit. If I have a free weekend or need to fulfill a travel itch, I'll just hop in the car and drive on down. Austin is well known for its music, beer, BBQ, tacos, and weirdness, but there is so much more to this great city.
The Austin 3x3 Where to eat: 1. Micklethwait has the best BBQ I've ever had (get the pulled lamb) 2. Juan in a Million for a historical "Don Juan" breakfast taco 3. Easy Tiger bake shop and beer garden Where to drink: 1. The Meteor for "espresso, champagne, and chain lube" (coffee and a bike shop) 2. Oddwood Ales is a brewery with various beers and delicious pizza made in-house 3. Jester King is about 45 minutes from downtown, but a great family-friendly beer and wine destination (with food, too) What to do: 1. Attend a music festival like Austin City Limits (ACL) or South by Southwest (SXSW) 2. Drive out to the hill country and check out Hamilton Pool 3. Take a tour at the Texas Capitol BONUS: Go to the Congress Street bridge right before the sun sets to see the swarm of Freetail Bats
8) Key West and Islamorada, Florida
The first time I went to the keys, I couldn't believe that it was actually a part of the U.S. In Texas, we are so used to "ehh" waters at the coast around Galveston and Corpus Christi, but the beautiful blue and turquoise waters out in the keys are truly a sight to see. Key West is absolutely the more tourist destination in the keys, but Islamorada is where we've spent a lot of time, too.
The Keys 3x3 Where to eat: 1. The Conch Shack for some conch fritters 2. Mangoes for some delicious seafood 3. Key West Key Lime Pie Co for an award winning slice of key lime pie Where to drink: 1. First Flight Brewery for food, beer, or a key lime margarita 2. Wahoo's Bar and Grill for a great happy hour with a view 3. The Bull is a 3-story bar where every story has it's own story - beware of the Garden of Eden on the top floor What to do: 1. Go out in the water, whether it be fishing, scuba diving, or hanging out on one of the beaches (most of the "beaches" are just mangroves) - there's a bunch of manatees in certain seasons 2. Checkout the Southernmost Point of the continental U.S. 3. The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum
9) Boston, Massachusetts
Boston is such a neat city to visit because of it's rich American history! If you've never been to the New England area, you can do quite a bit in a small amount of time since Boston is within a 2hr drive of Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.
The Boston 3x3 Where to eat: 1. Mike's Pastry is a well-known pastry shop that specializes in multiple varieties of the cannoli (bring cash) 2. Antico Forno has some of the best Italian food and pizza I've ever had 3. Union Oyster House is ALWAYS a must for the best clam chowder in "America's Oldest Restaurant" Where to drink: 1. Tree House Brewing Co if you're willing to make the 1 hour drive outside of Boston for the absolute best hazy IPAs at this massive brewery 2. Trillium Brewing for a brewery with amazing beer that's much closer to downtown 3. Stanza Dei Sigari is an underground spot with great cocktails and cigars What to do: 1. Boston Tea Party Museum to relive a revolutionary experience (is the best and most interactive museum I've ever been to) 2. Take a whale watching tour to see humpbacks near Cape Cod (half-day trip) 3. Follow along The Freedom Trail for places like Paul Revere's House, Old Corner Bookstore, and the USS Constitution
10) Asheville, North Carolina
One of my most recent trips, I had never been to Asheville before and I was blown away with the amount of things to eat, see, and drink in this small town. If you want the feel of a small town, but somewhere that's concentrated with farm-to-table food and a TON of breweries, Asheville is a must. Not to mention, it's close to the Great Smoky Mountains and boasts some beautiful mountain views just outside of the city. See more about Asheville in my full post (here) about my trip.
The Asheville 3x3 Where to eat: 1. Curate is an upscale tapas joint that's worth trying 2. White Duck Taco has a huge menu of delectable tacos 3. Over Easy Cafe for an amazing seasonal menu and brunch Bonus: Hole Doughnuts for amazingly fresh, made by scratch doughnuts Where to drink: 1. Wicked Weed for two separate brewery experiences 2. Antidote if you are looking for a classy cocktail or really cool place to try out 3. Asheville Yacht Club is a "Tiki Bar" with crazy cocktails and playing heavy rock music What to do: 1. ZaPow Gallery for a neat art shop and bar (coffee and beer) 2. Biltmore Estate to check out this amazing estate, tour the house, and drink at the winery 3. Drive the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway
BONUS: Fort Worth, Texas
You know that I couldn't get through a top city list without plugging my hometown! If you've never been to Fort Worth, let me tell you what you're missing! This list is going to be a mix of my favorite spots and also things that you must do if you're from out-of-town.
Where to eat: 1. Reata for an authentic restaraunt with a "cowboy style" menu 2. Salsa Limon definitely has my love as they make my favorite tacos in town 3. Joe T Garcias is a Fort Worth staple placed in a beautiful garden stetting with a few dinner options and delicious pitchers of margaritas (bring cash) Where to drink: 1. Hopfusion is my favorite brewery in town with delicious beers for all and located in a great area with other restaurants, bars, and breweries 2. Thompsons for amazing cocktails in a dark, mysterious ambiance (hint: go to their social media page to get the password to the downstairs speakeasy) 3. Avoca Coffee Roasters is a great local spot (try the Charlie Sheen) What to do: 1. Visit Sundance Square for food, drinks, and entertainment 2. Stockyards to be taken back to the city's roots and watch a cattle drive (everyday at 11:3oa and 4p) 3. The Modern - Fort Worth is home to one of the greatest Modern Art Museums in the world with a huge gallery and rotating exhibits
Honorable mentions: Seattle, Phoenix, Tulsa, Portland (Maine), Charleston, Chicago, New York, Las Vegas, San Diego
The Wrap-Up
If this has shown you anything, I hope that it's shown you that every city has their own je ne sais quoi or distinct quality that cannot quite be described. No two cities are alike and hopefully this post helps jump-start your new travel plans. The destination does not
have to be lavish for you to have an extraordinary experience - Just get out there and go!
I want to hear what you think about my top 10 list. Would your list have been different? Leave a comment and let me know!
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