What's not to love about traveling?
Big cities, exciting landmarks, beautiful scenery. Cramped airplanes, car horns and lost luggage. Grumpy parents, disgusting hotel rooms, dying hair from the disgusting hotels shampoo. Ah. Good thing I don't like traveling...I love it! But wherever you go, whoever you are with, you're always going to have some parts of the trip that are, well...boring. No matter if you are visiting your grandparents in Litchfield, or touring Paris, there is always one of those days where you feel like you're about to explode from boredom.
I've had many, which inspired me to write today's column about what there is to do in certain cities all around the world. (Yes! Believe it or not, not all of the article is going to be complaints. Lucky you.) Granted, you are probably not going to hit all of them, maybe not even one, but if you ever do take a vacation near, you'll have some sort of an idea...Or if you are planting your bottom in your computer chair for the rest of the summer, you'll catch a glimpse on what there is to do elsewhere than your checking your Inbox.
I just picked a few random cities around the globe, some I've been to, others I have not, and ruffled up a few things for you to do on those hot, boring summer days.
Sun Valley, Idaho
Even though Sun Valley is famous for it's amazing ski slopes and winter fun, there are plenty of things to do in this cute little second home town.
Shopping: For those of you who love the brand names and shopping till your father's face gets red or you collapse on the paved sidewalks, Sun Valley's the place to go. Downtown consists of many, many cute, although expensive shops. There are tons of fun stores to dive into, if you have the cash that is. Under the sad circumstances that your wallet is empty (Gasp!), Sun Valley is also a great place to window shop. And after a long day of shopping, what better place to lounge than Starbucks? The vintage Starbucks along one of the main streets is very easy to find, and a nice environment for relaxing and sipping some Tazo tea.
Ski lift: Who said you need snow to go up on the ski lift? Located near one some of the main lodges, the ski lifts are a fun experience. Ride to the top of the mountain and take a short hike, a few pictures, then jet back down on one of comfortable lifts swinging your feet in the nice Sun Valley breeze.
Outdoor Ice skating: There are a few winter enjoyments that you can enjoy during the summer. Drive down to the outdoor ice skating rink, or The Sun Valley Ice Rink, and strap on a pair of skates today. It's a lot of fun and maybe, just for a moment, you'll forget the heat waiting for you outside.
Dining: Some great dinner places to eat in Sun Valley are Smoky Mountain Pizza and Pasta, The Roosevelt Grill, Vintage, and many more. These high-scale dining restaurants might be a bit expensive, but the food is worth it. Delicious! For an out-there lunch, try Akasha Organics in the back of the Chapter One Bookshop. It's an all natural vegetarian cafe that has excellent dishes. If you are the vegan type, of course. I especially enjoyed the Warm vegan Soup, where one of the chefs holds up the ingredients and asks you what you want, before making the soup right there in front of you. Definitely something I'll remember.
Victoria, Canada
Inner Harbor: The Inner Harbor is a fun place to swim and watch the gifts of the ocean. It holds many, many tourist attractions in and around it, and is a fun place to bring your family for a day on the beach. Walk out on the pier, or get wet in the water, it's the place to be in Victoria.
Pacific Undersea Gardens: A joint of the Inner Harbor, dive deep into the sea life in Victoria. See the Undersea theatre, and the live diving acts, plus learn tons more about the ocean and see all the beautiful things it has to offer.
Tally-Ho Carriage Tours: There's really nothing that can take you back to the olden times better than a ride in a horse-drawn carriage. In Victoria, the Tallyho Carriage Tours are a great way to get back to that old-a-way feel. Learn even more about the city and see some of the fantastic sights all while looking very fashionable in your own horse-drawn carriage. No better way to make a statement than that!
Restaurants: Calamari, anyone? Ming's Restaurant is a great place to eat in Victoria, along with the numerous delis and cafes. Victoria is very well known for having excellent restaurants and I'm sure anywhere you eat will be fabulous.
Brighton, England
The Royal Pavilion: The Royal Pavilion is a beautiful, creative palace originally built for Prince Regent as his seaside retreat. Now, it has been redone by the work of John Nash, and is open for all to see. the Palaces style is very Indian, from the outside and in. There is also a lot of Chinese influences in the palace too, making it a unique, worth while trip to see. The Palace's unusual style has been called things like "Hindu-gothic" and other peculiar phrases. What do you think? Go look for yourself.
Shopping: Brighton is also home for many locally owned snazzy shops, and draws in many people each year for its wonderful shopping, including many malls and old fashioned stores. If you get all shopped out, why not try something relaxing? Art and history? "Not on vacation!" you say, but it can actually be very interesting. Try places like Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, and Hove Museum and Art Gallery. Hey, you might be inspired.
Kemp Town: Kemp Town is a cute little village snuggled in Brighton. It's known for its vintage shops and its artsy, bohemian style atmosphere. It's a great place to lounge about for a day. Kemp Town also has some great dining, so come hungry!
Restaurants: Brighton is famous for having many different and diverse styles of food, it's not known for one in particular. In fact, Brighton has over 400 restaurants and cafes, so there is a lot to choose from. Some of Brighton's best dining is on market Street, Main, and Kemp Town.
Beijing, China
The Great Wall: Everyone knows about the Great Wall of China. It's one of the greatest landmarks in the world. One of the 7 wonders, The Great Wall is the only architecture that can be seen from space. This amazing structure is over 4,000 miles long, stretching from Shan Hai Pass to Lop Nur in the west. I'm not forcing you to run the whole way though. A walk will be just fine.
The Imperial Palace: This huge palace was built in the 14th century, but redone in the 18th. The breathtaking a palace has over 9,000 rooms, and stretches over 240 acres. Wow. Just like my house. I wish. This palace is really a must-see for anyone in Beijing.
The temple of Heaven: Interested in the prayer in China? Or at least where it takes place? Then you must go see the Temple Of Heaven. It is the largest religious temple in the country, and is known for having many emperors pray there. Now, you will be able to gaze upon this historic place, too.
Restaurants: Is it true that Chinese food is better in China? Go check it out. There are tons of quaint locally owned restaurants just ready to satisfy your Chinese craving taste buds. Try all different kinds of Chinese . . . just don't get to addicted. After all, I'm sure it won't compare to Pai's Take Out back home
All of those great things to do, so little time. If you ever do find yourself in one of these amazing cities, go explore. You can't fully enjoy the travel until you discover a little bit about the city. I hope this week's column helped. Remember, go find new things to do. Even if it is in Litchfield.
Well, I'm jetting off to China (Literally). I'll write as soon as I can.
Glitsygrl
