Contients – Page 9 – A World Explored

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles is the city of angels, Hollywood, palm trees, and most of the world’s source for celebrity entertainment and gossip. Also in Los Angeles is the Avenue of Stars, Griffith Park Observatory, Venice Beach, and the Dolby Theatre, and the Hollywood Sign. You can go into Downtown Los Angeles, or “DTLA” as it is called locally, to enjoy a drink or a dip atop the Ace Hotel downtown, walk around Chinatown, eat at its many restaurants, visit the large, modern, library, or explore the expensive high-end designer stores.

There is a wide variety of things to do in Los Angeles, you’ll have to pick what you want or just go with the flow. Sand and sun is a popular reason to visit, as the beaches are plentiful, with some really great ones to discover.

I do recommend visiting Malibu, for its spectacular beaches, especially El Matador, and its small luxury-resort community. Driving along the Pacific Coast Highway is always pleasant, except when there is traffic. Traffic in Los Angeles can be awful, with standstills for an hour during rush hour/after work in the mornings and evenings, or if there is a crash. Using an app will help you out if you have a smartphone.

It is hard to get around LA without a car, but Uber/Lyft/taxi services are so common, you won’t have a problem.

Los Angeles is an expensive city, however, so be prepared. You can get budget hotels/hostels from $30 a night for a dorm room and also 5-star luxury hotels in this city that will break the bank. Airbnb is popular, especially in Venice beach, for rentals close to the beach.

Good luck, enjoy LA, and take care!

All opinions are my own.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is well known for having both beaches and mountains, being in between both geographically, and having plenty of sunshine and culture. You will find Barcelona to be a lively city, which is also quite large. The beaches are good for sun-bathing and swimming, and there are many restaurants with different cuisine from which to choose from.

If you’re into hiking/rock-climbing, you can drive a little ways out of Barcelona to find some mountain cliffs that with sport clips.

Also, Barcelona has an amusement park nestled above the city in the mountains, called Tibidabo. It has 25 rides, excellent panoramic views, and the Sagrat Cor church. You can take a bus to Tibidabo from Barcelona, or you can take a taxi.

All opinions are my own.

Ibiza, Spain

Ibiza is now known for its club culture, but its sandy beaches and rocky beaches have exited for much longer. If you want a more peaceful experience, take the ferry or a short flight to Formentera, for a more traditional sun and sand experience away from the club scene.

Sunrises and sunsets are beautiful in Ibiza, especially if you view them over the water, but be warned, if you go to the main parts of the cities on the island, you will be bombarded with hecklers and peddlers selling tickets and ferry rides as you walk along the streets.

There are different cities in Ibiza, even though it is a small Balearic island, and each give a different experience. My favorite part of Ibiza was enjoying its beaches and blue ocean waters, getting away from the city itself. Hostels and hotels are plentiful, but book in advance as these get significantly higher during high-season (March/April through August), if you can.

All opinions are my own.

Hamburg, Germany

Hamburg is located in the northern part of Germany, and is also one of my favorite German cities because of its ambience and beauty.

Visit Planten und Blomen botanical gardens to walk through miles of gardens and parks, and get away from the city. Jungfernsteig is a place to sit on the steps and watch live performances, talk to people, eat a sandwich, or simply watch the ferries come and go on the Alster.

You won’t need a car in Hamburg, because the metro will take you everywhere you need to go within a short distance. Sometimes it can be confusing, in the beginning, so bringing a map or using an app to navigate will be really helpful.

There are plenty of sandwich shops lining the streets of Hamburg, which I enjoyed eating small sandwiches from nearly every day, but there are finer restaurants as well.

The Museum für Kunst und Geschicte and the Kunsthalle are two of my recommendations for viewing art.

Walking around Hamburg is fun, or you can take a bike, which is safe and easy. There are hostels and hotels in Hamburg, but I stayed in an apartment for a couple months, which made my experience slightly different than a shorter trip.

All opinions are my own.

Berlin, Germany

Berlin has post-WWII ambience and also a culture of youthful artists and designers. It’s a place to visit if you want both history and modernity.

If you go to Berlin, you can visit Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall Park, and other tourist attractions from WWII, and you can also go to lively clubs and explore hip boutique shops, small art galleries, and so on.

Berlin is also easy to reach from any city as it has an international airport, and is also a good destination if you’re touring Europe by EURail or are taking a bus connection.

I recommend spending at least a few days in Berlin, and bringing a light jacket because it can get a little chilly, even during summer. Finding a backpacker hostel or low-cost hotel in Berlin is not a problem as there are so many around, but book a few weeks to a month in advance during the high season, as they can tend to fill up quickly.

All opinions are my own.

Paris, France

Paris is one of the reasons many people visit Europe and for good reason.

You will see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Seine, and nearly every other famous place if you spend only a few days here. Montmarte is a cool young place to stay, which is where my hostel/hotel was located, so I recommend this area. Rates are also lower in Montmarte and in other districts than other neighborhoods in Paris, so check before you book. Getting around by the metro is so easy you don’t need to spend more to be in a central location unless you really want to.

There is an undercurrent of romance in Paris, especially at night. In Paris, there is something for everyone, so while it is a bit more crowded and packed with tourists, at the very least, a day-trip to Paris is a good idea.

All opinions are my own.

Dublin, Ireland

Dublin is a beautiful port city on the coast of Ireland, and also a European hub for international flights. If you want a lower-cost flight to Europe and don’t mind stopping in Dublin, you can book directly to Dublin and then choose from another budget airline like Easyjet.com, Vueling.com, or Ryanair.com to get to your desired city.

Plus, Dublin is a great place to visit on its own. The sunsets and sunrises in this northern-hemisphere city are picturesque, and so are its cobble-stone streets and typical European-style architecture. Dublin has a youthful, kind energy about it, which makes it seem more like a small town than a global city. It is easy to walk around most of the city on foot, but you can take a street car or taxi if you need.

Backpacker hostels in Dublin are cheap for a shared dorm room, but you can also book hotels or an Airbnb room if you want a more private room. I stayed in a mixture of these for almost two weeks, and found Dublin to be a very welcoming city.

You can visit a Leprechaun museum, plenty of other museums/tourist attractions, walk around the large and well-tended botanical garden, get a brew at an Irish pub, or simply admire the views. Dublin will not disappoint you.

All opinions are my own.

Indianapolis, Indiana

I’ve been to Indianapolis so many times I can’t count for events, to have fun, and to watch tennis matches and hockey games. The Megabus, Greyhound, and Amtrak bus/train stations are right downtown, which all go directly to Chicago and Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

Things to do in Indianapolis:
For a small-town experience, check out the shops, restaurants, and bars in Broadripple (there’s a hookah bar also), on the northeast side of Indianapolis.

If you want to buy clothes, go shopping at Circle Centre downtown or head to The Fashion Mall at Keystone on the east side of Indianapolis, which hosts a SAKS Fifth Avenue store.

For a view of the Indiana War Memorial, take a walk in the American Legion Mall and stop by the fountain.

For cultural fun, visit the Children’s Museum, or the Indianapolis Museum of Art, which also hosts arts and culture events quite frequently. There’s a canal that runs through Indianapolis that is fun to walk alongside, or take a paddleboat.

Though Indianapolis is not a large capital city, it’s a good place to explore for a day or two.

I also highly recommend listening to shows at the Hi-Fi on Virginia Avenue. Checking out Mass Ave is also worthwhile, as there’s a multitude of art galleries, shops, and restaurant/bars to dive into.

The Hi-Fi during an event – image from Google

Great Smokey Mountains & Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Gatlinburg was subject to a destructive forest fire in November 2016, but during my visit in 2013, it was intact. I do not know what state it is in currently, but the rest of this post’s information is up-to-date.

The Great Smokey Mountains are a great place to visit if you like outdoor activities and nature. There are miles of easy to moderate hikes inside the radius of the Great Smokey Mountains, or you can take the Appalachian Trail directly through it and either section hike it or hike the whole length, depending where you start.

I hiked the entirety of the Great Smokey Mountains, and headed north for a few days, totaling 122 miles on foot. It took about a week, but I spent a few days camping in a hot springs resort in North Carolina called Hot Springs, with a population of less than 600 people.

You can buy your food supplies and most other consumer items in Gatlinburg, which also offers log cabins and hotels, if you’re not into camping or hiking. Nearby is Pigeon Forge, which is small and very touristy in feeling, but has things to do to entertain visitors who want to eat out, see the sights, go shopping for knick-knacks and souvenirs, and so on.

If you are into hiking, I recommend going on the Appalachian Trail section inside the Great Smokey Mountain National Park. You have to pay a small fee to be in the backcountry, which you can do online or at the main grounds. More information is available at the National Park Service government website for the Great Smokey Mountains. The views are incredible, with bluish mist rising up from the mountains in the morning and beautiful sunrises and sunsets most days. Be prepared for occasional rain. Also, do not overpack. This is always a good idea, especially if you are backpacking. You won’t need most of the things you carry, anyway.

Madison, Wisconsin

If you’re in Madison, Wisconsin, it’s probably not for a touristic trip, but it is quite beautiful if you happen to want to visit this city in the northern United States.

There are two lakes in Madison, which you can drive in between to reach the city from the highway, which is a very nice view. Downtown Madison is walkable, with stately architecture and friendly people. Walk around the University of Madison and see the sights, or simply walk around Madison in general. I like being by the lake, because the views are lovely and the old homes surrounding it are quaint.

I stayed in the Hostel International Hostel Madison, while I was there, and it was very pleasant. It’s like being in a home of your own, with a fireplace and piano and colorfully painted walls. The benefits are that you have a kitchen and it is quite inexpensive. I recommend staying here if you’re a backpacker or simply don’t want to pay for a hotel.

All opinions are my own.