Clay & Co.: Travels

I love to travel. I'll go anywhere. Every destination is an experience, a chance to learn something new. New cultures, new food (but I'm not that much of an adventurous eater). My mom and I have made a pact, that every time we go somewhere new, we will only eat at places we've never been. No McDonalds, Subway, Pizza Hut. Fast food is okay, as long as it is something that we can't get around here. It's fun, and challenging. I was thinking today about my favorite travels. Places that I would go to again and again. So here are my top five, so far:

#5 The Alamo, San Antonio TX---This one is surprising. I thought it would be lame, and I only went because my mom was had a meeting in Dallas, so it would be easy to get there. Honestly, the only reason I went was to mark it off my 100 Places to See list. But---it was awesome. The building itself is very nondescript and easy to overlook. We walked right past it without realizing. San Antonio has been built up around the Alamo and it is absolutely criminal. The Alamo is nearly invisible, surrounded by souvenir shops, tie died t-shirt shops and places to get cheap jewelry. Criminal. The Chapel and Long Barracks are all that remain. It is worth a trip down there, though. You can stand where the battle took place. The Long Barracks houses a small, but wonderful museum full of weaponry, uniforms, currency and photos from the battle. I was surprised, but the Alamo has consistently been on the short list. It's a very emotional site, and I would encourage anyone who visits to study up on the battle before going.

Chapel at the Alamo

#4 Bryce Canyon, Utah---Bryce Canyon is an anomaly. There is nowhere else like it in the world. The Amphitheater is the most famous landmark, and with good reason. It's bowl shaped and full of what they call hoodoos. Stalagmite looking things. I really can't even describe them. But it's weird and beautiful. Ed Note: Watch out for the cops in the little town called Hatch. Cost me $95.00.

Bryce Canyon Amphitheater

#3 New England, VT NH and ME---The Green and White Mountains are beautiful, especially on the VT/NH border. Maine is in a class by it's own. Maine is, in my opinion, the one state that has it all together. It's beautiful just to look at, Portland is a fabulous town, Freeport is FULL of stores (and L.L. Bean!) and the coast is unrivaled. I could spend a lot of time, and money, there.

Cape Elizabeth, ME

Bailey Island, ME

Acadia Nat'l Park, ME

#2 Pacific Northwest, OR and WA---The Pacific Northwest has been my favorite vacation, on the whole. I loved it there. I loved everything about it. The famous Oregon coast (which is public land), Crater Lake (which has the absolute worst road. Terrifying) and the Lewis and Clark Trail. Washington is amazing. San Juan islands, Hoh Rainforest (it is actually a rain forest) beaches full of driftwood and Mt Rainier, which I didn't get to see. That is for another post, entitled "The Time I was so Disappointed I Wanted to Kill Myself."

San Juan Islands, WA

Kalaloch Beach, WA

Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Nat'l Park WA
See the hikers??

#1 Grand Tetons, WY---I can scarcely believe there is a place in the United States as beautiful as the Tetons. They are beyond description. I would look at pictures, before we left, and think to myself "There is no way it looks like that." Well, it does. They're breathtaking. Jenny Lake and Jackson Lake are beautiful and Mormon Row is an absolute must see. The Chapel of the Transfiguration is still in use. The alter of the chapel is a giant window overlooking the Tetons.