New Age Traveler

Moulton Brown's New Age Traveler kit

New Age Traveler is an excerpt from Millennium Muse, my book of narrative nonfiction, essays, and observations.      

        My favorite travel agent booked me for automatic electronic upgrades to first class, so on two round trip legs between Manchester, New Hampshire, and Chicago, air travel was sheer bliss. On the second trip, I gave my seat to my father, who had joined me. He was pleased with the personalized service, comfortable seating, and the meal of fried rice, lechon (pieces of roasted whole pig), and wine.
        I fly first class as an upgrade whenever possible, usually paying $50 per leg for an upgrade ticket, but complementary is always nice. I’ve done well cultivating longstanding relationships that offer value-added benefits with products and services.
        I’ve traveled to at least thirty-five countries on five continents. These days, it’s leisure travel for me, with stays at some of the finest hotels in the world. However, my travel habits have remained the same. Unless I’m on a cruise ship where I don’t have to unpack more than once, I keep things simple.
        My suitcase can be stowed under the seat and holds enough clothes for one week’s worth of activities. I bring a sheer Alberta Ferretti dress that can take me from the best restaurants to the most stylish stores for shopping. It’s made of a faintly gauzy, printed silk fabric that barely weighs three ounces and is un-crushable.
        One of my recent finds is a Calvin Klein racer-back tee. This, also, weighs about three ounces, and the pattern is so busy that no one notices if you’re wearing a foundation garment underneath. It is an extremely fine and delicate layer to wear between your skin and a shirt, but you can also wear it as a stand-alone. Ralph Lauren heavy gauge silk and spandex sweater sets paired with wrinkle-proof khakis are a classic travel uniform. For extra warmth, if needed, I pack a superfine, cashmere shawl that can be used as a blanket. When squeezed free of air and rolled into a zip-top plastic bag it’s the size of a sandwich.
        If you’re traveling for business, you can wear your business suit and pack everything else. A Burberry trench coat with removable lining and featherweight umbrella are best if your travels take you into different climate zones. Ex Officio stocks the kind of classic yet high tech clothes that foreign correspondents and Survivor/Amazing Race contestants wear. Columbia Sportswear is extremely comfortable and functional. Tumi clothes bags, zip-top bags, and space compression sacks will help to organize and flatten your basics, such as socks, undergarments, hosiery, and sleepwear.
        Years ago, I bought a special promotion Molton Brown body, bath, and skincare therapies set. The compact New Age Traveler kit (5 1/2″H x 4 1/2″W x 3″D) the products came in has been a mainstay since. Basically, a week’s worth of grooming products will fit inside its two compartments. At home, I use Tracie Martyn’s streamlined products–one pump each of the purifying cleanser and firming serum and you’re good to go. But when traveling, I use Chanel; one of the precisely targeted 2″ x 2″ packets for face, eye contour, and skin care will last several days.
        For my recent trip, I wore the twin set and khakis in complimentary shades, and my under-seat suitcase held the following:

6 pairs socks
8 items of undergarments
1 Natori pajamas
1 Ralph Lauren khakis
1 Ex Officio shirt
1 Ex Officio pants
1 Ex Officio skirt
3 tops
1 pair shoes
1 pair slippers
1 cashmere wrap
1 New Age Traveler with miniature contents
combination bath gel, shampoo, garment wash
digital camera
cell phone recharger
straws
tissues
hand sanitizer packets
extra zip-top plastic bags
plastic luggage seals
reading material

        When I want to escape, I look for places by the ocean, refined environments where I can sunbathe or get a tropical spa experience, dine and shop, watch the sunrise and sunset…and the hotel has to be as nice as my own home.  The first thing I do when I arrive is buy fresh flowers for the room or suite, and then I spray the environment with one of the numerous designer perfumes I’m given as samples. Jasmine, frangipani, orange blossom, and lemongrass are favorite floral scents.
        On our honeymoon, Joseph and I spent almost two weeks driving through six countries in Europe:  Belgium, the Netherlands, England, France, Germany, and Luxembourg. This was more an excursion for cultural exposure than a sybaritic stay…we loved Oxford, Amsterdam, and Paris, as well as the medieval city of Bruges, Belgium. I had researched our trip beforehand, so I was on the lookout for quintessential cultural experiences to which to expose us.
        My new husband and I would walk hand in hand around the town square, following our noses to where rotisserie chickens were being roasted outdoors, or picking out pâtés and desserts in Paris or at Harrods Food Halls in London’s Knightsbridge. Often, we would stop along our drive for a picnic at a picturesque site or panorama.
        One time, driving through the night, we stopped alongside a building in Oxford, slept in, and early the next morning, brushed our teeth in the car with our drinking water. Another evening, we were surprised to find that, arriving hungry and hoping for an authentic German meal in a rathskeller, everything in Cologne had closed by 8:00 p.m.
        I loved Europe and would return three years later for another excursion. My youngest sister would have just graduated from college and, as a graduation gift from our parents, we would spend almost two months on a Grand Tour of the continent armed with little more than first-class Eurail passes (for the overnight sleeping accommodations) and an American Express card to obtain cash and credit.
        One of the most satisfying meals she and I ever had on our journeys was also one of the simplest: fresh, grilled sardines and a salad of tomatoes, onions, and lettuce lightly dressed with pure olive oil and just a touch of vinegar served in a courtyard in Sintra, Portugal, a picturesque spot with summer palaces and some of the most intricate ceramics to be found in Europe. Lisbon was one of my sister’s favorite cities. It is also a favorite of Julio Iglesias, who sang a song in Portuguese about how he loves April in Portugal.
        Although these days I tend to travel in style, there is still a part of me that relishes the idea of roughing it and traveling lightly–to soak in stripped down, sensory experiences.
In many ways, simplicity reminds me of my youth when I would get on a TGV train by nightfall and wake up at another foreign destination. There is no greater feeling of freedom than to have all the time in the world and the open road in front of you. I’ve enjoyed many a simple or elaborate meal and truly awesome World Heritage sites.
        It is easy enough to say I have traveled to thirty-five countries and forty-eight states, so while taking an inventory of my life, I also took the time to actually itemize some of my exploits. The list is by no means exhaustive.

Europe:

Finland  –  Helsinki (Market Square), Turku, voileipapoyta, Nokia

Sweden  –  Stockholm (Gamla Stan, Skansen, Royal Palace, Storkyrkan, Kungstradgarden), Goteborg

Norway  –  Oslo (Nobel Institute, Royal Palace, Minneparken, Radhus, Domkirken, Frogner Park, Vigeland Sculpture Park and Museum)

Denmark  –  Copenhagen (Little Mermaid statue, Tivoli, Gammeltorv), Elsinore, Frederiksborg Castle, smørrebrød

Austria  –  Salzburg (Historic Center World Heritage Site, Mirabell Palace and Gardens, Residenz Castle, Hohensalzburg Fortress, Dom, Hellbrun Palace, Mozart Square and Mozart’s birthplace, Getreidgasse, Salzkammergut), Vienna (Historic Center World Heritage Site, Sachertorte, strudel, linzertorte, Stephansplatz, Karntnerstrasse, Graben), the Danube

Germany  –  Munich (Oktoberfest, the Autobahn, Hauptbahnhof, Marienplatz, Glockenspiel, Old Town Hall, Maximilianstrasse, weißwürste, sauerkraut), Aachen (Aachen Cathedral World Heritage Site, auslese), Cologne

Liechtenstein – Vaduz, souvenir stamp

Switzerland  –  Geneva (Lake Geneva lakefront, Place du Bourg-de-Four, Reformation Wall, English Garden, Flower Clock, Jet d’eau, Parc de la Grange, Swiss chocolates), the Alps, Mont Blanc, www/CERN

Portugal  –  Lisbon (The Alfama, St. George’s Castle, Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém World Heritage Site), Sintra Cultural Landscape World Heritage Site (National Palace, Palacio de Seteais, ceramics), Fatima (Sanctuary of Fatima and Basilica), bife, sardinhas assadas

Spain  –  Madrid (Museo del Prado, Puerto del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Palacio Real, Atocha), Aranjuez, El Escorial monastery, Cáceres, Córdoba, Toledo, Seville (the Gardens of Alcázar, flamenco), Bobadilla, Granada (the Alhambra World Heritage Site), Valencia, Barcelona, escabeche, jamón Serrano, paella, tapas

France  –  Paris (Banks of the Seine World Heritage Site, Arc de Triomphe, Place de l’Étoile, Champs-Elysées, Place de la Concorde, Jardin des Tuileries, Musée du Louvre, Louvre Pyramid, Palais Royal, Rue de Rivoli, Place Vendôme, Montmartre, Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, La Rive Gauche, Les Invalides, La Tour Eiffel, Montparnasse, Jardin du Luxembourg, Le Quartier Latin, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, L’Ile de la Cité, Île Saint-Louis, Notre Dame de Paris, La Sorbonne, Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Boulevard Saint-Michel), Lourdes (The Basilica of the Rosary, the Sanctuaries of Lourdes), Versailles (Le Château, Le Grand Trianon, Le Petit Trianon, Le Hameau de la Reine), Calais, Bordeaux, the Pyrénées, Toulouse, Carcassonne, Montpellier, Avignon, Marseilles, Toulon, Côte d’Azur, St. Tropez (boutiques, yachts), Cannes (film festival), Nice (art), Grasse (fragrance, roses, lavender), bouillabaisse, cassoulet, biftek frites, escargot, pâté, cornichon, vin, fromage, salade niçoise, pâtisseries, café au lait

Monaco  –  Prince’s Palace, Place du Palais, Port of Monaco, Monaco Cathedral, Oceanographic Museum & Aquarium, Exotic Garden, Monte-Carlo Casino

Greece  –  Athens (the Acropolis World Heritage Site, the Parthenon, Temple of Nike, Theatre of Dionysus, Plaka, Herodes Atticus Theater, Piraeus), dolmades, horiatiki, skordalia, spanakopita, taramosalata, tzatziki, avgolemono, gyros, moussaka, pastitsio, baklava, kourabiedes, retsina; saw Crete, Santorini, or Mykonos aboard the ferry

Italy  –  Florence (Historic Center World Heritage Site, the Duomo and Campanile, Michelangelo’s David, the Arno, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi Museum and Gallery, Pitti Palace and Palatine Gallery, Boboli Gardens, Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, Medici Palaces and Chapels, Via dei Tornabuoni, Mercato Nuovo), Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Botticelli, Brunelleschi, Vasari, Giotto, Cellini, Galileo, Machiavelli, Dante, Boccaccio, Fiesole, Assisi World Heritage Site (Basilica of San Francesco, Basilica of St. Claire, Via San Francisco, the Sacro Convento, St. Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures), olive trees, Rome (Castel Sant’Angelo, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum), Pope John Paul II, the Renaissance, Swiss Guards, Tiber River, Vatican City World Heritage Site (St. Peter’s Square and Obelisk, St. Peter’s Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Audience Hall, Vatican Museums, Papal Gardens, Castel San Angelo), Venice World Heritage Site (the Grand Canal, Venice Lagoon, the Lido, vaporettos and gondolas, St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, the Campanile, Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge), Milan, Lake Como, Genoa, Portofino, Naples, archeology, Pompeii and Herculeanum World Heritage Site, Mt. Vesuvius, Phlegrean Fields, Capri, Ischia, Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello (spectacular panoramas from balconies, Villa Rudolfo, hairpin turns, lush hillsides, heavily-laden lemon trees), Rimini, Bari, Brindisi, Taranto, Sicily, Reggio di Calabria, Messina, Taormina (Mt. Etna, the Greek Theatre, Corso Umberto I, marzipan fruits), Siracusa World Heritage Site, Agrigento (Valley of the Temples World Heritage Site), antipasti, primo, secondo, contorno, formaggio, frutta, dolce, caffè

Belgium  –  Brussels (La Grand-Place World Heritage Site, Hotel de Ville, Palais Royal, Palais de la Nation, Cinquantenaire Arch, Brussels Park), Bruges Historic Center World Heritage Site, tartine, mussels

Luxembourg  –  Luxembourg Historic Center World Heritage Site

The Netherlands  –  Amsterdam (Canal Ring, Dam Square, Nieuwe Kerk, Royal Palace, Red Light District, coffee shops, bicycles), rijsttafel

England  –  London (Buckingham Palace, the changing of the guard, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Downing Street, Tower of London World Heritage Site, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey World Heritage Site, Kew Gardens, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Harrods, food halls, Knightsbridge, Sloane Street, Hyde Park, Cornish pasty, scones, tea, Indian cuisine), Oxford (Oxford University), the River Thames, the Cotswolds, Dover (the white cliffs)

Still to come:  Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, Croatia, Iceland

Africa:

Senegal  –  Dakar (Île de Gorée World Heritage Site, village artisans, Sandaga market, textiles, master tailors, yassa chicken), red planet, azure ocean, seashells

Ivory Coast  –  Abidjan (National Museum, Treichville, Grand Bassam, open-air markets, chicken and beef brochettes), coconut groves, le plage

Zaïre  –  Kinshasa, manioc leaves, malachite, art school, the Congo/Zaïre River, drinks at the acting ambassador’s house.

The Congo  –  Brazzaville (carvings, paintings, African masks), Pointe-Noire (beaches), American embassy, tropical rainforest and falls, cassava leaves, the Congo River, seashells

Still to come:  South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt, Morocco

South America:

Argentina  –  Buenos Aires (Plaza San Martin, Avenida 9 del Julio, Obelisk, Plaza de Mayo, Avenida de Mayo, La Boca, San Telmo, Rio de la Plata, Sheraton Buenos Aires concierge floor), pizza, parrilla, chimichurri, milanesas, yerba mate, Jorge Luis Borges, tango

Chile  –  Santiago (Plaza de Armas, Cerro San Cristóbal), churrasco, Chilean salad, Pablo Neruda, lapis lazuli

Uruguay  –  Punta del Este (Playa Brava, La Posta del Cangrejo), eucalyptus

Mexico  –  Cancun, Yucatan Peninsula, Chichen-Itza World Heritage Site, Villas Arqueológicas, Mérida, Mayan ruins, Tulum, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, scuba diving, Panama hats, string hammocks, maize, naranja, arroz, burrito, caldo, carne asada, chicharrones, chiles, chili con carne, empanadas, enchiladas, flautas, gorditas, huevos rancheros, mariscos, menudo, pollo, pozole, salsa, tacos, tamales, tortillas, horchata, aguas frescas, dulce de leche

Still to come:  Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela

Caribbean:

Bermuda  –  St. George’s (Historic Town of St. George and Related Fortifications), Hamilton (Bermuda Perfumery and Gardens, Crystal Caves, Blue Hole Park), Smiths (Spittal Pond Nature Reserve, Spanish Rock), Devonshire (Palm Grove Gardens), Pembroke (Albouy’s Point, Par-la-Ville Park, Perot Post Office, City Hall, Sessions House, Front Street, cashmeres, tweeds, china, crystal, porcelain, perfume, “Birdcage”, Victoria Park, Bermuda Botanical Gardens, Fort Hamilton, Hamilton Harbour), Paget (Paget Marsh, Camden House, Elbow Beach), Warwick (Jobson Cove, Warwick Pond), Southampton (Horseshoe Bay Beach, Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse), Sandys (Royal Naval Dockyard, Mangrove Bay, Somerset Bridge, Cathedral Rocks, Hog Bay Park), Bermuda Railway Trail, oleander, hibiscus, passionflower, mopeds, fish chowder, Outerbridge’s sherry pepper, pink sand

Bahamas  –  Freeport, beaches, conch chowder

Still to come:  Jamaica, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Cuba

Asia:

Japan  –  Kyoto (World Heritage Sites:  Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kinkaku-ji Temple, Ryoan-ji Temple, Ginkaku-ji, Kyouou Gokoku-ji/Toji Temple, Nishi-honganji Temple, Nijo-jo Castle; Heian Shrine, Nanzen-ji Temple, Shoren-in Temple, Philosopher’s Walk), shinkansen, Miyako Hotel, Takashiyama, Tokyo (Imperial Palace, Ginza, Sumida River, Sony Building), wooden architecture, gardens, castles, shrines, ikebana, bonsai, pottery, imari, lacquerware, textiles, kimono, obi, geta, fans, wood-block prints, basketry, calligraphy, paper, kabuki, noh, bunraku, shamisen, maneki-neko, sakura, ryokan, tea ceremony, matcha, bento boxes, sushi, sashimi, tempura, yakitori, tonkatsu, soba, udon, sukiyaki, shabu-shabu, kanmi, nukazuke, tsukemono, umeboshi, shoyu, geikkekan, sake, kyo-kaiseki

Korea  –  Seoul (Changdeokgung Palace Complex World Heritage Site, Itaewon, Namdaemun, Dongdaemun, Insa-dong, Lotte World, National War Museum), Incheon, hanjeongsik, samgyetang, galbi, bolgogi, bibimbap, bindaeddeok, bansang, surasang, gyojasang, kimchee, insam cha

Thailand  –  Bangkok (The Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Chao Phraya River and klongs, The Mandarin Oriental Spa, The Peninsula), phalaenopsis, dendrobium, cattleya orchids, lemongrass, mangosteen, rambutan, lychee, longan, durian, pad Thai, tom kha gai, red and green curries, cha yen, satay

Philippines  –  Manila (Rizal Park, Manila Bay, Malacañang Palace, Intramuros, Manila Cathedral, Quiapo Church), Quezon City, Makati, Sikatuna Village, Iloilo, Tigbauan, Victorias, Bacolod, sampaguita, merienda, kape, pan de sal, ensaymada, empanada, puto, siopao, hopia, palitow, ginataan, ube, biko, suman, bibingka, halo-halo, leche flan, kalamansi, mango, atis, santol, lanzones, jackfruit, starfruit, tambis, papaya, pineapple, banana, coconut, tuba, pulutan, chicharon, crispy pata, kaldereta, tocino, longganisa, mani, achara, bagoong, balut, pancit canton, pancit palabok, papaitan, dinuguan, kare-kare, tinola, pinakbet, tinapa, relleno, afritada, arroz valenciana, lechón, sotanghon, sinigang, lumpiang sariwa, lumpia, adobo

Still to come:  China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Indonesia (Bali), Singapore, Malaysia, Maldives, India, Nepal, Tibet, Mongolia, Israel, Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates

Oceania still to come:  Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, French Polynesia (Tahiti)

North America:

Canada  –  Vancouver (Stanley Park, Gastown, Chinatown, Granville Street), Montreal (Mount Royal, Underground City), Quebec (Citadel, Plains of Abraham, Vieux Port)

United States:

Washington, D.C.  –  U.S. Capitol, White House, Supreme Court, Department of State, Pentagon, Library of Congress, National Archives, Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Iwo Jima statue, Arlington National Cemetary, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Women’s Memorial, National Gallery of Art, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Lafayette Square, National Cathedral, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Georgetown, Dumbarton Street, Foggy Bottom, Dupont Circle, Chinatown, Maine Avenue Fish Market, Maryland blue crab, Old Bay Seasoning, The Willard Hotel, Potomac River, Tidal Basin, cherry blossoms

Hawaii  –  Honolulu (Diamond Head, Waikiki Beach, Kapiolani Park, Iolani Palace, State Capitol, Chinatown, Pearl Harbor, Ala Moana Beach Park), Pali Tunnels, Nuuanu Pali Lookout, Sandy Beach Park, Hanauma Bay, Kailua Beach and Bay, Heeia State Park, Sunset Beach, Pupukea Beach, Banzai Beach, Waimea Beach Park, Halekulani, Hawaiian shirts, plate lunch, macadamia nuts, kona coffee, leis

Alaska  –  Anchorage

California  –  Los Angeles (Civic Center, Farmers Market, Olvera Street, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Koreatown, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Wilshire Boulevard, La Brea Tar Pits, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, UCLA, USC, Mulholland Drive, Hollywood, Hollywood and Vine, Sunset Strip, NBC Studios, CBS Television City, Paramount Studios, Universal Studios, Warner Brothers Studios, Mann’s Chinese Theatre, Kodak Theatre, Ventura Highway, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Venice Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, San Fernando Valley, Granada Hills, Mission Hills, San Fernando, Northridge, Chatsworth, Canoga Park, Panorama City, Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Tarzana, Woodland Hills, North Hollywood, Studio City, Hollywood, Burbank, Universal City, Glendale, Griffith Park, Los Feliz, Glendale, Silver Lake, Echo Park, Westlake, Hancock Park, Century City, Beverly Hills, Bel-Air, Westwood, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades Park, Santa Monica Beach and Pier, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Mar Vista, Venice, Marina Del Rey, Playa Del Rey, Westchester, Culver City, Inglewood, Malibu, El Segundo, Torrance, Long Beach, Santa Catalina Island, Newport Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro), Angeles National Forest, West Covina, Pasadena, Rose Bowl, California Institute of Technology, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, El Monte, Baldwin Park, West Covina, Covina, Pomona, Claremont, City of Commerce, Whittier, City of Industry, San Francisco (San Francisco Bay, Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, cable cars, Lombard Street, Japantown, Chinatown, Embarcadero, Union Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, Pier 39, Alcatraz Island, the Presidio, Cliff House, de Young Museum, Japanese Tea Garden, Mission District, Haight-Ashbury, Nob Hill, North Beach, Telegraph Hill, Coit Tower), Sausalito, Tiburon, Stinson Beach, Muir Beach, Berkeley, Oakland, Oakland Bay Bridge, Mendocino, Healdsburg, Calistoga, Yountville, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Napa Valley, Napa, Sonoma, V. Sattui Winery, Petaluma, Novato, Tomales, Inverness, Point Reyes National Seashore, San Rafael, Daly City, South San Francisco, Pacifica, Burlingame, Silicon Valley, San Mateo, Half Moon Bay, Redwood City, Palo Alto, Stanford University, Stanford, Mountain View, Los Altos, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino, San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Cruz, Pacific Coast Highway, Salinas, Monterey Peninsula, Monterey (Cannery Row, Dennis the Menace Playground, Fishermen’s Wharf), Seaside, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Big Sur, Pebble Beach, 17-Mile Drive, San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach, Solvang  (Hans Christian Anderson Museum), Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara, Ojai, Ventura, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Modesto, Merced, Fresno, Bakersfield, Mojave, Barstow, Death Valley National Park, Mojave Desert, Edwards Air Force Base, Lancaster, Palmdale, Littlerock, Angeles National Forest, Redwood National Park, Sequoia National Park, Sierra Nevadas, Yosemite National Park, Inyo National Forest, San Bernardino National Forest, Mojave National Preserve, Victorville, Needles, Twentynine Palms, Joshua Tree National Park, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Desert Hot Springs, San Bernardino, Riverside, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Disneyland, Buena Park, Knott’s Berry Farm, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Mission Viejo, San Juan Capistrano, Mission San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, Camp Pendleton, San Clemente, Yorba Linda, Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace, Encinitas, Del Mar, La Jolla, San Diego (Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo, San Diego Bay, Mission Beach, Seaport Village), Coronado Island (Coronado Bridge, North Island Naval Air Station, Hotel del Coronado), cioppino, Dungeness crabs, El Pollo Loco

Oregon  –  Portland (Pearl District, Andina, Willamette River), Salem, Eugene, Klamath Falls, Crater Lake National Park, Cascade Mountains, Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, Tillamook, Coos Bay

Washington  –  Seattle (Pike Place Market, flying fish, Pier 59, Space Needle, Puget Sound), Tacoma, Bellevue, Mt. Rainier, Olympic National Park, Rainier cherries, alderwood smoked salmon, oysters, halibut, king, sockeye, and Copper River salmon

Nevada  –  Las Vegas (Caesar’s Palace, Luxor, Mirage, MGM Grand, Treasure Island), Reno, Carson City, Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, Lake Tahoe

Utah  –  Salt Lake City, Great Salt Lake, Arches National Park, Moab, Monument Valley

Idaho  –  Yellowstone National Park

Arizona  –  Phoenix, Tucson, Tempe, Flagstaff, Petrified Forest National Park, Sunset Crater National Monument, Hoover Dam

New Mexico  –  Santa Fe, Tecumcari, Taos, Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Gallup, Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Colorado  –  Colorado Springs (Garden of the Gods, U.S. Olympic Complex, The Broadmoor), U.S. Air Force Academy, Denver, Pikes Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park, Durango, Mesa Verde National Park

Wyoming  –  Jackson Hole (the Milky Way), Cheyenne, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park

Montana  –  Yellowstone National Park

South Dakota  –  from the highway

Nebraska  –  Omaha, Lincoln

Kansas  –  from the highway

Oklahoma  –  Lawton (Fort Sill Military Reservation and National Historic Landmark, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Holy City of the Wichitas, Meers burger), Oklahoma City (State Capitol, Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, Bricktown, Myriad Botanical Gardens and Crystal Bridge, Oklahoma National Stockyards, Nichols Hills, Super Cao Nguyen), Norman, Duncan, Marlow, Pauls Valley, Davis (Turner Falls, Arbuckle Mountains, Arbuckle Wilderness exotic animal park), Sulphur, Ada, Altus, Frederick, Ardmore, Waurika, Marietta, Anadarko, Indian City USA, Hobart, Weatherford, Elk City, El Reno, Edmond, Enid, Ponca City, Tulsa, Oral Roberts University, Claremore, Vinita, Indian Territory, Alabama, Apache, Apalachee, Arapaho, Biloxi, Caddo, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Comanche, Creek, Delaware, Fox, Hitchiti, Illinois, Iowa, Iroquois, Jicarilla, Kansa, Klchai, Kickapoo, Kiowa, Koasati, Lipan, Miami, Mikasuki, Missouri, Modoc, Mukiasa, Munsee, Muskogee, Natchez, Nez Perce, Okmulgee, Osage, Oto, Ottawa, Pawnee, Peoria, Ponca, Potawatomi, Quapaw, Sauk, Seminole, Seneca, Shawnee, Tawakoni, Tawehash, Tonkawa, Tuskegee, Waco, Wea, Wichita, Wyandotte, Yscani, the Red River

Texas  –  Austin (Shepherd Mountain, Town Lake, Lake Austin and Lake Travis, Mount Bonnell, Austin City Limits, bats, Congress Avenue Bridge, Governor’s Mansion, State Capitol, East Sixth Street/Old Pecan Street, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, Barton Springs Pool, Zilker Park and Botanical Garden, University of Texas, Iron Works BBQ, County Line, Chuy’s, Threadgill’s, Texas Chili Parlor, Central Market, Whole Foods, greenbelt, bluebonnets), San Antonio (River Walk, the Alamo, Brazos River), San Marcos, New Braunfels, Corpus Christi, South Padre Island, Houston, Dallas/Ft. Worth (Pioneer Plaza), Wichita Falls, Henrietta, Jacksboro, Waco, Round Rock, Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene, El Paso, Tex-Mex, Red River, Rio Grande

Arkansas  –  Little Rock, Ozark Mountains

Louisiana  –  New Orleans (French Quarter, Bourbon Street, Royal Street, Jackson Square, French Market, Garden District, Superdome, Café du Monde, Uglesich’s), gumbo, jambalaya, étouffée, crawfish, po’boys, barbecued shrimp, oysters, tabasco sauce, pralines, beignets, chicory coffee, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Avery Island, Mississippi River, Creole and Cajun cuisine

Mississippi  –  Jackson, Gulfport, Biloxi, magnolia

Missouri  –  St. Louis (Gateway Arch), Joplin, Springfield, Ft. Leonard Wood, Rolla

Iowa  –  Des Moines, Iowa City

Wisconsin  –  Madison, University of Wisconsin, State Capitol, cheeses

Michigan  –  from the highway

Illinois  –  Chicago (Magnificent Mile, the Loop, Wacker Drive, Lake Michigan, Navy Pier, Chinatown), Oak Park, Springfield, Lake Michigan

Indiana  –  Indianapolis, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, RCA Dome, Terre Haute, Gary

Ohio  –  Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati

Kentucky  –  Louisville (Kentucky Derby, thoroughbred horses, mint julep), Ft. Knox, Elizabethtown, Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site, Mammoth Cave National Park, Bowling Green, Daniel Boone National Forest, Lexington, Frankfort, Bardstown, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

Tennessee  –  Nashville (Grand Ole Opry), Memphis (Graceland, the Pyramid, Corky’s BBQ), Chattanooga, Knoxville, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Georgia  –  Atlanta (The Carter Presidential Center & Museum of the Jimmy Carter Library, West Paces Ferry, Governor’s Mansion, Buckhead, Peachtree, State Capitol, OK Cafe and Take Away, The Varsity, Johnny Rockets, World of Coca Cola, Centennial Olympic Park, Underground Atlanta), Marietta, Savannah, Columbus, Augusta

Alabama  –  Mobile, Montgomery, Birmingham

Florida  –  Miami, South Beach, Miami Beach, Key West, Key Largo, Key Biscayne, Biscayne National Park, Everglades National Park, Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Palm Beach, Winter Haven, Orlando, Walt Disney World and Epcot Center, Kissimee, St. Cloud, Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Station, Canaveral National Seashore, Daytona Beach, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Panama City, Pensacola, conch, key lime pie, Spanish moss

South Carolina  –  Charleston Historic District (she-crab soup, lowcountry cuisine), Columbia, Ft. Sumter National Monument, Myrtle Beach

North Carolina  –  Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Pennsylvania  –  Philadelphia (Independence Hall, Declaration of Independence, Liberty Bell, Pat’s King of Steaks), Erie, Pittsburgh, Lewisburg, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Poconos, Blue Ridge Mountains, Allegheny Mountains, Mill Run, Fallingwater

Virginia  –  Alexandria (Old Alexandria), Arlington, McLean, Quantico, Fairfax, Vienna, Falls Church, Richmond, Roanoke, Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge Mountains

West Virginia  –  Charleston, Wheeling, Appalachia

Maryland  –  Baltimore (Harborplace, Inner Harbor, Johns Hopkins University), Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Wilmington, soft shell crabs

Delaware  –  Dover, Delaware Water Gap

New Jersey  –  Princeton (Princeton University), Palisades Parkway, Bergen County, Ft. Lee, Cherry Hill, Newark, Trenton

New York  –  New York City/Manhattan (Statue of Liberty World Heritage Site, Ellis Island, Ground Zero, Wall Street, Battery Park City, Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, Staten Island Ferry, TriBeCa, Chinatown, Little Italy, Lower East Side, SoHo, NoHo, Williamsburg Bridge, Greenwich Village, Washington Square, New York University, West Village, Chelsea, Union Square, Gramercy Park, Madison Square Garden, Penn Station, Empire State Building, Lincoln Tunnel, Javits Center, Port Authority, Times Square, New York Public Library, Grand Central Station, U.N., Queens Midtown Tunnel, CBS, Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center, NBC, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Museum of Modern Art, Theater District, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Peter Jennings Way, ABC, Café des Artistes, Tavern on the Green, Columbus Circle, Central Park, Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue, Park Avenue, Queensboro Bridge, Roosevelt Island, West Side, Upper East Side, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Guggenheim Museum, Hudson Parkway, Riverside Drive, FDR Drive, Grant Memorial, Barnard College, Columbia University, Morningside Heights, Harlem, Stuyvesant, High School of Performing Arts, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech, Sabrett’s hot dogs, pizzas, gyros, kosher dills, delicatessens, Batali, Bouley, Boulud, Flay, Keller, Matsuhisa, Morimoto, Ripert, Vongerichten) Queens, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Flushing, Brooklyn, Staten Island, the Bronx, Long Island, Islip, Peekskill, Kingston, Catskill Mountains, Hudson River Valley, White Plains, West Point, Poughkeepsie, Albany, Schenectady, Erie Canal, Binghamton, Elmira, Ithaca (Cornell University, Beebe Lake, Triphammer Falls, Cascadilla Gorge, Finger Lakes), Watkins Glen, Corning, Cortland, Auburn, Syracuse, Utica, Watertown, Oswego, Rochester, Buffalo (Anchor Bar), Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Niagara Falls

Connecticut  –  Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk (Stew Leonard’s), New Haven (Yale University), Hartford, Old Saybrook, Uncasville (Mohegan Sun), Mashantucket (Foxwoods), Mystic

Rhode Island  –  Providence (Al Forno, Brown University, Persimmon, Waterplace Park and Riverwalk, State Capitol), Newport (the Cliffwalk, Ocean Drive, Gilded Age mansions, The Breakers, Rosecliff, Chateau-sur-Mer, Brenton Point State Park, Ft. Adams State Park, Newport Harbor, America’s Cup, jazz festival), Narragansett Bay

Massachusetts  –  Boston (Boston Common, Public Garden, Swan Boats, Boston Duck Tours, the Esplanade and Hatch Shell, Storrow Drive, Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge, Callahan Tunnel, Logan Airport, Boston Garden, the Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall, Union Oyster House, North End, Old North Church, Paul Revere’s House, Long Wharf, New England Aquarium, New England Holocaust Memorial, Post Office Square Park, Institute of Contemporary Art, Fan Pier, Seaport District, Moakley Federal Courthouse, Seaport World Trade Center, Anthony’s Pier 4, No Name Restaurant, Yankee Lobster Fish Market, Boston Convention Center, Ted Williams Tunnel, Children’s Museum, Boston Tea Party Ship and Museum, City Hall, Chinatown, dim sum, bahn mi, Eldo Cake House, Hong Kong Eatery, Imperial Tea House, China Pearl, Penang, Chacarero, Downtown Crossing, the “T”, State House, Old State House, Beacon Hill, Charles Street, Louisburg Square, Newbury Street, Copley Place, John Hancock Center, Prudential Center, Trinity Church, Boston Public Library, Hynes Convention Center, Boston Marathon, Fenway Park, Kenmore Square, Boston University, Museum of Fine Arts, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Arnold Arboretum, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, New England Spring Flower and Garden Show, New England Auto Show), Cambridge (Harvard University, Harvard Yard, Massachusetts Hall, Holyoke Center, Widener Library, Faculty Club, Carpenter Center, St. Paul Church, Boston Archdiocesan Choir School, Bow and Arrow Streets, Harvard Square, The Coop, Peet’s Coffee, Brattle Square Florist, Bob Slate’s, Wordsmith, The Wurst House, The Tasty, Cardullo’s, Grendel’s Den, Burdick Chocolate, Finale, Om, Upstairs on the Square, Pho Pasteur, Formaggio, Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Fogg Art Museum, Japonaise, Tokai, Kotobukiya, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stata Center, Kendall Square, Legal Seafood, Emma’s Pizza, Atasca, Museum of Science, Memorial Drive, the Charles River), Brookline, Chestnut Hill (Oishi), Newton (Boston College, Farm Grill, Newton Highlands, Waban, Newton Upper Falls, Nonantum), Watertown, Allston, Brighton, Arlington, Lexington, Concord (Walden Pond, Minuteman National Historical Park), Lincoln, Wellesley (Wellesley College), Needham, Natick, Waltham, Weston, Sudbury, Somerville, Charlestown (Bunker Hill Monument, USS Constitution), Medford (Tufts University), Arlington, Winchester, Stoneham, Belmont, Watertown, Waltham (Brandeis University), Dorchester (University of Massachusetts), South Boston, East Boston, Boston Harbor, Logan Airport, Winthrop, Point Shirley, Chelsea, Revere, Everett, Malden, Melrose, Lynn, Mattapan, Hyde Park, Roslindale, West Roxbury, Roxbury, Milton, Quincy (Hough’s Neck, Wollaston, Squantum), Braintree, Dedham,  Woburn, Burlington, Reading, North Reading, Wilmington, Billerica, Westford, Chelmsford, Lowell, Dracut, Tewksbury, Andover (Phillips Andover Academy), Lawrence, Methuen, Haverhill, Groton, Pepperell, Winthrop, Chelsea, Everett, Lynn, Wakefield, Peabody, Danvers, Wenham, Hamilton, Topsfield, Boxford, Byfield, Marblehead, Salem (House of Seven Gables Historic Site, Salem Maritime National Historic Site), Manchester-by-the-Sea, Cape Ann, Beverly Farms, Gloucester, Rockport, Pigeon Cove, Essex, Ipswich (The Clam Box, Crane Beach, sand dunes, Castle Neck, whale watching), Rowley, Newburyport, Plum Island, Merrimack River, Salisbury Beach, Amesbury, Framingham, Ashland, Hopkinton, Shrewsbury, Worcester, Leominster, Gardner, Fitchburg, Auburn, Wilbraham, Springfield, Holyoke, South Hadley, Northampton (Smith College), Williamstown, the Berkshires, Tanglewood, Sturbridge (Old Sturbridge Village), Westwood, Norwood, Canton, Stoughton, Randolph, Brockton, Bridgewater, Swansea, Fall River, New Bedford, Weymouth, Hull, Hingham, Nantasket Beach, Cohasset, Scituate, Marshfield, Duxbury, Wrentham, Foxboro (Gillette Stadium, Foxboro Stadium), Mansfield, Plymouth (Plimouth Plantation), Carver (Miles Standish State Forest), Wareham, Onset, Woods Hole, Buzzards Bay, Bourne Bridge, Cape Cod Canal, Canal Bike/Walk Trail, Bourne, Sagamore, Falmouth, Mashpee, Sandwich, Barnstable (Hyannisport, Osterville, Sandy Neck Beach/Great Marsh), Yarmouth, Dennis, Harwich, Chatham, Brewster, Orleans, Eastham (Salt Pond Seashore), Wellfleet (Town Pier, Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Pamet River), Truro, Provincetown (Provincetown Harbor, Commercial Street, Long Point, Land’s End, Herring Cove Beach, Race Point), Provinceland Sand Dunes, Cape Cod National Seashore, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard

New Hampshire  –  Windham (Castle Reach, Apple Acres, Searles Castle, Sisters of Mercy motherhouse and grounds, St. Matthew Church, Delahunty’s, Prime Butcher, Klemm’s On the Run, Indian Rock Road, Castleton, Shaw’s, Hill Top Deli, Village Bean, ERA Masiello Group, Gourmet Grill, A Plus Cleaners, Nesmith Library, Camelot, Cobbetts Pond, Shelter Lake, The Lobster Tail, Windham Wonderland Community Playground, farm stands), Perseid meteor shower, Lake Street Garden Center, Canobie Lake, Colosseum Restaurant, Salem, Derry (Robert Frost Farm), Atkinson, Londonderry, Nashua, Pelham, Hudson, Merrimack, Bedford, Manchester (KC’s Rib Shack), Exeter (Phillips Exeter Academy), Concord, Portsmouth, North Hampton, Hampton Beach, Rye, New Castle, Hampton Beach, Seabrook, Laconia, Lebanon (Anichini), Hanover (Dartmouth College), Berlin, Sunapee Lake, Lake Winnipesaukee, the White Mountains, White Mountain National Forest, Mt. Washington, Franconia Notch State Park, apple orchards, leaf peeping

Vermont  –  Bennington, Brattleboro, Manchester, Rutland, White River Junction, Woodstock, Chester, Killington, Montpelier (State Capitol, Morse Farm Sugarhouse), Barre, Waterbury (Ben & Jerry’s, Cold Hollow Cider Mill), Stowe (Trapp Family Lodge), Burlington, Quechee Gorge, Green Mountains, Lake Champlain, Norman Rockwell, covered bridges

Maine  –  Kittery, Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier, York Harbor, Cape Neddick, Ogunquit, Kennebunkport, Cape Porpoise, Biddeford (Old Orchard Beach), Cape Elizabeth, Two Lights State Park, Portland (Casco Bay, Browne Trading Company, Portland Public Market), Yarmouth, Freeport (L.L. Bean), Brunswick, Bath, Boothbay Harbor, Brunswick, Lewiston, Augusta, Kennebec River, Boothbay Harbor, Belfast, Bangor, Penobscot Bay, Schoodic National Scenic Byway, Acadia National Park, Acadia Byway – All-American Road, Sieur de Monts Spring, Cadillac Mountain, Park Loop Road, Seawall, Seal Cove, Somes Sound, Mount Desert Island, wild gardens, biking and historic hiking trails, Bar Harbor, Frenchman Bay, wild blueberries, clambake, lobsters.

(More adventures to come…)