Five for Friday: Favorite Vacation Spots

View from my window seat while flying to the Cook Islands in the South Pacific

My Top 5 Favorite Vacation Spots:

First let me say that these are only places I've been, not that I want to go to. (I think my current number one place that I want to go to now is either Australia or New Zealand). But, man, was it hard to narrow this list down to five. I've been lucky enough to have been to a fair number of places and I've certainly been to more than five amazing spots. Not making the cut? Charleston - South Carolina, Estes Park - Colorado, Santa Barbara, Bali, the Cook Islands, England, and Paris.

5. Venice, Italy
I've been to a few cities in Italy and they are all amazing but Venice is so unique and special. And I got to have my lovely sister who is fluent in Italian show me around. What a treat!

4. Ireland
I've been lucky enough to have been to Ireland twice and I absolutely adore it. John and I went to Ireland in 2002 for my friend's wedding and decided to make a road trip out of it. We drove from east to west and all the way up north to Belfast. We stayed in castles, B&Bs, and my friend's lovely flat. It was a fantastic trip and it was so long ago that this was the only "electronic" photo I could find on my computer. Yikes.

3. The Pacific Northwest
Okay, maybe it's cheating to lump Seattle and Portland together, but it was one vacation and they are someone similar in geography. John and I took a road trip from Portland to Seattle, visiting friends and staying at amazing places. To this day, this hotel is one of my favorite hotels of all time. (Caution - if you click on the link you may feel the need to get on a plane right away). We hiked to the waterfall, had a 6 course brunch, visited Pike's Market in Seattle, and just generally had a great time soaking in the gorgeous trees and rivers and all the sights that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Can't wait to go back.

2. Lake Powell
Lake Powell is a giant lake that sits on the border of Utah and Arizona and I've been about 4 (?) times. It's where my family vacations and has little family reunions. You stay on a houseboat for a week and just take in the sights, go swimming, jet ski, and generally just get a great tan and forget about your cell phone. It's one of my favorite places in the whole world.

1. The Central Coast of California
As much as I've traveled around the country and Europe, I truly think there is no place more beautiful than California's central coast. The drive up the Pacific Coast Highway is breathtaking. John and I got engaged in Cambria (a little town at the southern start of the 1) and we've spent time in Big Sur and Monterey. Just a perfect drive and a perfect view. And here we are in 2003 right after John proposed. Wow. I'm lucky John would propose to such an awkward girl in need of a makeover.