# Most beautiful place you have visited?



## Dave M (Sep 22, 2006)

Where is the most beautiful place you have visited? What is so beautiful about it?


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## kjsgrammy (Sep 22, 2006)

Dave:  Do you mean resort - t/s, or destination, such as Grand Canyon?


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## KevinRS (Sep 22, 2006)

*so many places*

Phuket - the water the beaches and the people
Banff - the mountains
Sydney AU and Hong Kong - the City 
Rio -the contrasts

and many many more


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## BocaBum99 (Sep 22, 2006)

Bora Bora.  The atolls and the water was so clear, the fish so colorful and it was so remote that it was the most beautiful place I've ever been.


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## anne1125 (Sep 22, 2006)

Maui - Wailea Beach (in front of the Four Seasons) and Lake Tahoe.


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## vacationtime1 (Sep 22, 2006)

Yosemite Valley.  Sculpture in granite on a really large scale.  Waterfalls.  Foliage.  Hiking.

It's amazing any time of the year, but if you can avoid summers, you can avoid crowds.  My best trip was in February, right after a snowstorm.


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## elaine (Sep 22, 2006)

*hilton, waikoloa, HI, but drive from Vancouver to Whistler is superb*

that drive is one of the most beautiful in that I have ever seen.  Driving along coast of French Riveria would rank high, as well. Trunk Bay, St John, also.

But the setting of the Hilton and its beautiful grounds is where I would transport myself if I could without the 15 hour flight.


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## mlsmn (Sep 22, 2006)

Cabo -beach by Club Regina at the Westin
St Lucia- Pitons


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## fnover (Sep 22, 2006)

BocaBum99 said:
			
		

> Bora Bora.  The atolls and the water was so clear, the fish so colorful and it was so remote that it was the most beautiful place I've ever been.


I agree it is not only the most beautiful place but the most relaxing place I ever visited.


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## Steamboat Bill (Sep 22, 2006)

Whistler, BVI's, Smokey Mountains (October)


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## DianneL (Sep 22, 2006)

For me it would be Alaska from a cruise ship, Lake Tahoe, Smoky Mountains when the leaves are changing color, Yosemite and the Hawaiian Islands.  We truly live in a big beautiful world.


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## Luanne (Sep 22, 2006)

Kalaupapa, Molokai


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## grest (Sep 22, 2006)

Northwest Wales...amazing countryside, sheep everywhere, combination of mountain and seaside...just gorgeous.
Connie


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## Sandy (Sep 22, 2006)

*Sedona!!*

I thought that Hawaii, specifically Kauai's north shore, was the most beautiful place I had ever seen.  That is, until I visited Sedona Arizona.  Breathtaking! Views everywhere.  I looked for an excuse to run an errand just so I could pull the car over and glow in the views.  I have never seen anything like it anywhere, and I am pretty well travelled.


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## Dori (Sep 22, 2006)

The most beautiful place I have ever seen is Moraine Lake, near Banff, Alberta.

Dori


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## Carl D (Sep 22, 2006)

Just take a drive on I-70 through Glenview? (Springs? Canyon?)<-- {The place with the split level highway}Colorado, or RT-15 through Utah.

Many parts of California including Monterey and Palm Springs are also very nice.


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## BevL (Sep 22, 2006)

I feel pretty lucky - I live within a few hours of Whistler and a day's drive to Banff.  Having lived here all my life, I don't think I fully appreciate what I have.


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## cindi (Sep 22, 2006)

Jackson Hole


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## Conan (Sep 22, 2006)

Sun Rocks Hotel, Santorini


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## sumauri (Sep 22, 2006)

Sedona and the Blue Ridge mountains.


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## Cat (Sep 22, 2006)

Where: Wa'ipi'o Valley (Big Island, Hawaii)

Why: Bountiful vegetation, much of it with cascading flowers, trees with remarkable, dense foliage and colorful fruits, offset by a background of leviathan waterfalls that plummet hundreds of feet, in an uninterrupted tumble to the valley floor below. The heavenly aroma of guava hangs thick in the air. No electrical wires to mar Mother Nature's ineffable beauty, and a black sand beach that gives way, in stark contrast, to an untamed, cerulean sea. There is a spirituality so stunningly palpable that it would be difficult to miss. 

It is truly the Garden of Eden.


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## JoAnn (Sep 22, 2006)

We just returned from a 2 week tour of the Canadian Rockies, starting from Seattle, then through Glacier NP (MT), up to Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Kamloops, Vancouver and back to Seattle.  Breathtaking scenery!  Maligne Lake, Lake Louise and too many valley's and rivers and falls and wild life to just name one. We may just have to go back there on our own. 

Monteverde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica for the beautiful birds and butterflies.  The coast of Samara for it's peacefulness and a little valley we found on a drive to the East coast.  Probably couldn't find it again.  The patchwork quilt landscape around the Poas Volcano.  The flowers around the Bougainvillea Hotel outside of San Jose.  Or anywhere else in Costa Rica. 

The Everglades, the rolling hills of the Dakota's, the mountains in New England, anywhere overlooking the Grand Canyon, and the I-70 route that was mentioned by Carl D.  Walking through the canyon @ Zion, driving & stopping in Death Valley, Kauai, and .... well, a lot of places we have visited or driven through.  What great picture memories I have.


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## talkamotta (Sep 22, 2006)

My favorite, granted this is an ongoing adventure. 

Lake-Moraine Lake
Mountains-Rocky Mountains-Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake very partial-I live there and havent been to the Smokey  Mountains yet. 
Red Rocks-Sedona
City-Sydney
Cruise-Alaska 
Canyon - Grand Canyon
Beach - All of them.


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## Eli Mairs (Sep 22, 2006)

The fjords of Norway, via cruise - Unbelievably, breathtaking scenery.


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## Jestjoan (Sep 22, 2006)

Kauai = Paradise to me.


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## JudyH (Sep 22, 2006)

Escalante Canyon in Boulder, Utah, between Moab, thru Canyonlands, and towards Zion.  Cascades of peach marble for miles.


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## nightnurse613 (Sep 22, 2006)

It's pretty wierd but, the area around Salzburg, Austria.  The Eagle's Nest and the view of the surrounding lakes fed by the Alps was a sight I'll never forget.  I think it was the Cheimsea that we rode an electric boat on - no gas engines allowed.  The lake was like glass and the Alps on three of the four sides.  There were many parts of Germany and Bavaria I'll remember but, maybe because of its notoriety, I remember the view from the Eagle's Nest and wonder how such a view could inspire a man to do such horrible things.


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## taffy19 (Sep 22, 2006)

Yosemite! The first time we got there late at night and it was full moon. We saw something glittering in the dark but didn't know what it was until the next day. We were so curious as we knew that it couldn't be snow. Yosemite is one of the most beautiful national parks in CA. imho.

Also seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time and Bryce and Zion canyon too plus the lights of San Francisco with the golden gate bridge over the bay like this picture here that SFX features on their web site.  Too many nice places and we have seen only a few. Also the CA and OR coast and HI too.


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## Fletcher921 (Sep 22, 2006)

*Peter Island in the BVI's*

Peter Island - the view from laying on a hammock looking out past the waves to the light blue ocean.


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## shmoore (Sep 22, 2006)

I have enjoyed reading all of your choices and seconding your votes for the places we have been. Aren't we blessed to have so many wonderful choices!!! I have also made notes of places you voted for that I haven't visited myself.

The Hawaiian mountains are my favorite...and I am a beach person. I also loved Newfoundland. I don't think anyone has mentioned it.

Sandy


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## debraxh (Sep 23, 2006)

Another vote for Bora Bora.


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## talkamotta (Sep 23, 2006)

A question for Cat or any Big Island adventurers

When someone puts this type of thread in, I love it...

I pay special attention to what fellow Tuggers write.  

Cat::

Im going to the Big Island next month.  I looked up the Waipi'o Valley in my new Big Island Revealed book.

Im kind of confused.  They give you choices of horses, wagon rides, donkeys.  and then they say you can just hike down.  Is it only a mile (I say that bravely)?  How did you see it?


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## LAX Mom (Sep 23, 2006)

Great thread Dave! I've enjoyed reading all the responses!
I'd have a difficult time naming just one place. I've been to many of those mentioned and would agree that the following places are amazing:

Salzburg & the Bavarian Alps
Banff & Lake Louise
Vancouver
Alaska- Kenai pennisula & Seward highway
Hawaiian beaches- too many favorites to mention
Big Cottonwood canyon, Utah- have to agree with talkamotta on this one!

This past July I did a cruise that included the British Isles & the Norweigan Fjords. The Fjords were amazing!! So my vote for the most beautiful place I've been would have to be the Norweigan Fjords!


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## LAX Mom (Sep 23, 2006)

Dave-
What about you? What is the most beautiful place you have been?


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## jmatias (Sep 23, 2006)

This question is actually a tough one...so many places are beautiful for different reasons but so far on my list the places that I found beautiful:

Kaanapali beach during whale season

Hanalei Bay especially after a rain and the waterfalls are flowing

Sedona's red rocks

Venice

Aloha,
Jen


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## happymum (Sep 23, 2006)

My vote would be for Rum Point on Grand Cayman. Maybe it was just my frame of mind, but I found it incredibly beautiful. Ironically, a local had advised us not to visit as "it's nothing special"!


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## Cat (Sep 23, 2006)

talkamotta said:
			
		

> A question for Cat or any Big Island adventurers
> 
> When someone puts this type of thread in, I love it...
> 
> ...



Talk, we opted for the wagon ride, which I can heartily recommend. It is "only a mile" but it's almost straight down! Put it this way: They shlepped us down in a long van. We were sitting in the back, and for most of the trip, we were literally positioned _above_ the driver and those in the first two rows. You can't believe how steep it is.

Once there, you will be taken by horse-and-mule drawn wagon through the valley to see the most lush paradise upon which anyone has ever feasted his eyes. You'll drive through streams, fields and gardens, some planted by man, others by God. You'll stop to taste the fruits and fresh macadamias. You'll see the waterfalls that cascade from that mile up, and as the day goes on, they'll be come shrouded in an eerie mist. The whole experience becomes almost Brigadoon-like in its unsurpassed perfection.

It is said to enjoy the love and special protection of Madame Pele. In 1946 when the tsunami hit, the entire valley was deluged under many feet of sea water. Miraculously, not one resident death occurred, and the vegetation quickly returned. 

At its zenith, this small valley could supply food for the island's entire population. It became a haven for hippies in the 60s, but by the mid-70s, most of those families had moved on and it became overgrown. It has been rediscovered as of the 90s. Living there is not for everyone, with its lack of electricity and proximity shopping of any kind. Those who do live there are fiercely protective of their privacy.

An SUV is a must, not a status symbol. Transmissions are said to last 2-3 years, tops. Those returning to the top have right-of-way over those descending on the narrow road. Once you get momentum on your side, there's no way you want to stop and try to get going on an incline that steep. Some foolhardy types try to do it in their rental cars and end up burning out the transmission. I'd strongly advise against that.

It's like no place on earth and was one of the highlights of our last trip to the Big Island - we missed it our first time. Don't pass on this one. You just have to see it for yourself. Words do not do it justice!


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## mav (Sep 23, 2006)

Nightnurse, I agree 100%. Would also add walking out to the middle of the bridge facing Neuschweinstein Castle, Bavaria in general. I have the exact same thoughts as you when in the Obersaltzburg,  Eagles Nest, town of Berschtesgaden.


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## Jollyhols (Sep 23, 2006)

Out of the places I have seen, which aren't that many I guess:

Drive from Vancouver to Edmonton through the mountains.

Evening cruise from Bergen in Norway

The area surrounding Aberystwyth in Wales where I attended university


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## Jollyhols (Sep 23, 2006)

Also, the view from the south downs in Sussex over the English Channel may not be spectacular, but it isn't bad on a day when the sun is shining, the horses are grazing in the fields and the sea is sparkling!


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## IreneLF (Sep 23, 2006)

*Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia*

http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=98

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

and it's too hard to choose just one, so 

Hanalei and the beaches at Ke'e/Tunnels, Kauai

Yosemite Valley

Lake Louise, Canada

Sterling Pond, Smugglers Notch, Vermont )


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## Denise L (Sep 23, 2006)

What a great thread! So many places that I haven't been to yet!  Here are some of my favorites:

*Heron Island*, Great Barrier Reef, Australia--standing out on the helipad at night, no lights anywhere, looking at the stars. Being on that side of the earth, I was able to see a whole sky full of stars that I had never seen. Absolutely breathtaking!  Of course, the water was beautiful and diving was great. The helicopter ride to the island was spectacular...I was the only passenger and we flew so low, it was like walking on the water.

*Grand Cayman*, 100 feet underwater--the most beautiful colors I've ever seen underwater. Giant fish and mostly pristine corals & marine life.  Peaceful and glorious!

*Bear Tooth Lake*, Yellowstone National Park--it was so nice being inside the park and in the middle of everything. Great hiking, fishing, amazing stars at night. Plenty to explore and fresh air to breathe!

*Maui, Hawaii*--for the beaches, sunsets, places to explore, amazing diving, friendly turtles. You can do nothing there and it feels like total paradise.


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## Elli (Sep 23, 2006)

Many interesting places have been mentioned, and I've been to quite a few of them.  Even though the scenery around Banff and Lake Louise is quite breathtaking, the mountains and scenery in Austria and Switzerland are very different, but equally breathtaking. I really enjoy Europe.


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## hibbeln (Sep 23, 2006)

Dubois, Wyoming (a happenchance find on the way to the Grand Tetons)

Badlands, South Dakota

Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park, SD

North Shore of Kauai

I'ao Valley, Maui

Ronda, Spain

The view from the top of the "Dune Climb" across Big and Little Glen Lake at Sleeping Bear Dunes in Northern Michigan......anytime of year but especially in the fall!


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## lawren2 (Sep 23, 2006)

St John, USVI

2/3 National Park ( although it was more pristine when we first visited 16 years ago)

The most fabulous snorkeling. Safe. Beautiful. Relaxing...ahhhhhhhh


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## Deb from NC (Sep 23, 2006)

There are so many in the US...how lucky we are!  My favorites are
All of Glacier National Park
Sedona
The view of the Grand Tetons from Jackson Lake Lodge
Kaanapali Beach
Arches National Park...walking down Park Avenue
The real Park Avenue...the Manhattan skyline!
Yosemite, Bryce Canyon, Zion, the Grand Canyon...
The Aran Islands off the coast of Ireland
Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park
And I'm sure I've forgotten to mention some fabulous places!
This is a fun thread...good idea!


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## cluemeister (Sep 23, 2006)

Grand Canyon South Rim

Horsheshoe Bay Beach Bermuda

Niagara Falls

Could stare for hours at all of the above


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## talkamotta (Sep 23, 2006)

For all of us who have loved the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  My co worker just got back from the North Rim.  Went hiking down the Inner Canyon North Kaibab Trail, North Rim.  It is a challenging hike but well worth it.

The pictures were wonderful.  It might be too much of a hike for some but if you can do it....


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## 2hokies (Sep 23, 2006)

Maine
Kaua`i
Aruba (the water is unlike I have seen before)

I have to say, that with the right people, most places could be on this list.  Good company can make most places on this planet beautiful!


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## Steamboat Bill (Sep 23, 2006)

JoAnn said:
			
		

> The Everglades.....



wow....that's cool. I live about 30 minutes due East of the Florida Everglades, yet I never considered this one of the most beautiful places in the World.

However, check out www.clydebutcher.com for some fantastic Everglades photography. He is the Ansel Adams of the Florida Everglades.


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## taffy19 (Sep 23, 2006)

Very beautiful, Steamboat Bill. I love black and white photography but here are some in color too that are nice too. I love his national park photography. It is so nice that we can see it on the Internet but it would be nicer to see it in reality yet. 

By the way, what is the OP's most beautiful place he has visited as he didn't answer his own question.  Just curious.


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## Pat H (Sep 23, 2006)

I don't think I've been there yet. Some of the places I've been that are breathtaking:

Sedona
Grand Canyon
The Glaciers on the Alaska Cruise
The Canyon, whose name I can't remember, in Kauai
Mosciano S'ant Angelo, Italy-not because of physical beauty but because it is the town my grandparents were from

There are a lot of places mentioned by others that were already on my to visit list. The list just got a lot longer!


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## TerriJ (Sep 24, 2006)

So far:

The beaches along the Waikoloa coast
Yellowstone Park and the surrounding areas
Yosemite in late February
Rocky Mountain National Park
Golden Gate bridge


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## andrea t (Sep 24, 2006)

The most beautiful place?   I thought it was the glaciers in Alaska, until we went to Hawaii.  I thought it was sights along the Hana Highway until we went to Italy.  I thought it was Tuscany until we drove the Amalfi coast.  I thought it was the view from the restaurant in Ravello until we went to Greece.   I thought it was the craggy cliffs and white washed homes in Santorini .  Then we did a circle of our National Parks....Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon...my gosh....breathtaking!!!  Many of you have mentioned Yellowstone.  Next June we will visit Yellowstone and Grand Teton.  Will that surpass all the others?  Maybe.  Such a beautiful world...beautiful country we live in.  I just feel so fortunate that we have had the opportunity to see and experience the little bit we have!


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## Kauai Kid (Sep 24, 2006)

2hokies said:
			
		

> Maine
> Kaua`i
> Aruba (the water is unlike I have seen before)
> 
> I have to say, that with the right people, most places could be on this list.  Good company can make most places on this planet beautiful!



The wrong people can turn the most beautiful place in the world into the worst.

:annoyed:


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## gmarine (Sep 24, 2006)

Bora Bora and Moorea. Everything about them.
Yellowstone, especially the view from the top of Mt Washburn.
Zion and the view from Observation Point
Bryce, the entire way up to Angels Landing
Grand Canyon, especially the views on the way down Bright Angel trail


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## swift (Sep 24, 2006)

The road to Hana in Maui was breath taking.

The mountains in Big Sky Mt. are majestic.

The drive through the New England states during the change of colors was stunning.

Driving around the vineyards here in Windsor as the sun rises is glorious.

The drive here in Windsor to Occidental through the valley and into the redwoods is so peaceful it soothes my soul.


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## Jestjoan (Sep 24, 2006)

Wiamea Canyon, Pat? Absolutely, gorgeous........


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## nerodog (Sep 24, 2006)

*most beautiful places*

I agree with Trunk bay, I think Bermuda is right up there and also Switzerland which is a postcard around every corner !!!


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## Pat H (Sep 24, 2006)

Jestjoan said:
			
		

> Wiamea Canyon, Pat? Absolutely, gorgeous........



Joan, that's the one. Thanks.


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## Elli (Sep 24, 2006)

iconnections said:
			
		

> Very beautiful, Steamboat Bill. I love black and white photography but here are some in color too that are nice too. I love his national park photography. It is so nice that we can see it on the Internet but it would be nicer to see it in reality yet.
> 
> By the way, what is the OP's most beautiful place he has visited as he didn't answer his own question.  Just curious.


Thanks for the link, Emmy, those pictures are really nice.
Elli


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## Dani (Sep 24, 2006)

Great thread Dave!!!

  For me, the most beautiful place that I have ever visited is:

Venice, Italy- It takes my breath away every time.  Nothing beats the ride on the vaperetto down the Grand Canal....nothing....I have never seen such beauty.

 The next most beautiful place for me is:

Dubrovnick,Croatia- I was stunned by it's beauty.


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## charford (Sep 24, 2006)

I was going to agree with all the others who listed Bora Bora until I remembered

Tetiaroa

a small atoll, also in French Polynesia. I visited both on my honeymoon 14 years ago. 

Until his death, it was owned/leased by Marlon Brando. Just beautiful - extraordinarily clear water, very few visitors. Difficult to visit now that Marlon's gone, but there is an expensive eco-hotel that is due to open in 2008.


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## Carol C (Sep 24, 2006)

USA

Olympic National Park in WA state.
Okeefenokee Swamp in Georgia.
Everglades in Fla.
Hawaiian Islands, particularly Kauai.
Kenai Fjord & peninsula, Alaska.

International

Jamaica, all of the natural areas, truly paradise on earth.
Adriatic Coast, including Dubrovnik, Croatia. (Dani I didn't know you'd visited there!)


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## Laurie (Sep 25, 2006)

Switzerland: Bernese Oberland area - Murren, Lauterbrunnen valley
Adriatic coast of Croatia & inland lakes
Chianti region of Italy

Close runners-up, if not ties:
Glacier NP
Banff area lakes
Grand Canyon North Rim
Ligurian coast, Italy 
black sand beaches & old & new lava flows in Hawaiian & Canary Islands
snow-covered Dolomites, Italy


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## sage (Sep 25, 2006)

Cairns, the Great Barrier Reef & the Daintree Rainforest - the last 2 are world heritage protected due to their beauty
Sedona - those red rocks are gorgeous
Niagara Falls (in the middle of winter) - spectacular especially when an ice bridge has formed
New Zealand's South Island - scenery for Lord of the Rings  - jaw droppingly beautiful
12 Apostles on the Great Ocean Road, Victoria - have to be seen to be believed
Laurentian mountains during fall - spectacular coloured leaves and looked like a scene from out of the movie "On Golden Pond"
Lastly, Bellagio Fountain in Vegas - could spend the whole week watching those fountains - breath taking!


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## bluehende (Sep 25, 2006)

*my list*

Mount Ranier.   Absolutely awesome.
arches NP
the night sky on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon
View from the top of Mt Haystack( or Skylight or Colden or Algonquin etc.) in the Adirondaks
Yosemite ( the view from the point that looks right at Half Dome)


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## Dani (Sep 25, 2006)

Carol C said:
			
		

> Adriatic Coast, including Dubrovnik, Croatia. (Dani I didn't know you'd visited there!)



 Yeah Carol...on a cruise.  The very sad part is that I didn't even want to go there in the first place!!!!  I refused to even purchase a tour...all I could think about was Bosnia.    Well, when the ship pulled into port and I saw that beautiful city, I jumped up and ran off the boat!!!


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## Rmelnyk (Sep 26, 2006)

I agree with Laurie on Switzerland...worked their in the early 60's...then I travelled Utah, ever park every drive was eye popping, it was just amazing what this state and country can offer..
R


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## Steve (Sep 27, 2006)

*Zermatt*

This is a wonderful topic.  

The most beautiful place I have ever been is Zermatt, Switzerland.  The Matterhorn is spectacular.  It takes a fair amount of effort to get there...and it is well worth it.  The people are wonderful and the town is incredibly charming.  I love the goats which parade through town to their high mountain pasture every morning and then return every evening.  There are beautiful wildflowers everywhere in summer...and glaciers come right down almost to the town.  The cozy hotel we stayed at was built right up against a mountain...with a rock wall in the dining room that featured a small waterfall flowing from a natural spring.  

A few runners-up:

Koenigssee, just outside Berschtesgaden, Germany. Gorgeous lake surrounded by steep, towering mountains that rise dramatically right from the shore.  You can take a boat ride across the lake to a beautiful small church that sits right at the water's edge.  While on the boat, a man plays a few notes on a trumpet and you hear the echo bounce off the mountain walls.  It's incredibly beautiful and absolutely serene.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  The Tetons, the Snake River, Yellowstone.  I think the Tetons are the most beautiful mountains in America...and the setting with the lakes and rivers is stunning.  The area is big enough that you can still get away from the crowds and find some solitude in the meadows, canyons, and forests.

Santa Barbara, California.  The American Riviera.  A beautiful city of sidewalk cafes and Spanish architecture, sweeping ocean vistas, towering palm trees, and lush foliage of all kinds.  Off shore, the channel islands can be seen jutting up from the Pacific. Behind the city, the Santa Ynez mountains rise majestically.  Truly a gorgeous place.

There are a lot of other places I like, but these are the most beautiful places I have ever been.

Steve


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## EAM (Sep 27, 2006)

I can't decide between Kauai and Glacier National Park.  Both are great examples of natural beauty.


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## ArBravesFan (Sep 30, 2006)

Rio - the view from Sugar Loaf
Paris - the river tour at night


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## JLB (Sep 30, 2006)

Big Cedar Lodge and Silver Dollar City at Christmastime, for man-made and natural beauty combined.

But, then, I don't get out much and it doesn't take much to please me.  A trip to Hey-Bob's and an ice cream cone is pretty much an excting time.   

The Waimea Canyon and the left coast of Kauai are adequate for natural beauty.


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## catwgirl (Sep 30, 2006)

What a great thread, thanks DaveM.  I agree with so many of the places listed on here.  And I can't help but feel grateful as I have visited a majority of these places.


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## topcop400 (Sep 30, 2006)

Steve said:
			
		

> Santa Barbara, California.



Oh Yes!   Yes, yes, yes.  It's a shame there isn't a timeshare resort there.  The nearest one is in Ventura.  Santa Barbara is wonderful.

So Dave.......... we insist that you answer your own question!


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## grest (Oct 1, 2006)

How wonderful it is to remember some of these beautiful places...and to maybe think about seeing them again, or visiting some that are said to be as beautiful, or more!
But I agree with Becky...your turn, Dave.
Connie


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## JLB (Oct 1, 2006)

We headed to the Wal Mart in Berryville, AR yesterday and then, in search of a frozen Dr. Pepper we did not find, on to Eureka Springs and Holiday Island.  We took some of the backroads off the backroads.

It was absolutely beautiful.  As we drove along a ridge or popped over a hill and could see out over the Ozark Mountains, I thought that if there are more beautiful places in the world it is only by degrees or personal preference.

And an hour later we were out on the lake.

How lucky we are.

And in a month it will be an entirely different kind of beautiful.

And, since we have never been to Sturgis, SD, we saw more big motorcyles in one place, in Eureka Springs, than any place we've ever been.  Hundreds, at least.


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## TomCayman (Oct 1, 2006)

Most beautiful drive.... Glencoe, Scotland (A82 from Tyndrum to Ballachullish)

Just did it again last week as was over visiting family... Autumn morning, sun shining, low hanging mist at the far end of the valley as we drove through... breathtaking.

Cayman (where I live) can be beautiful in places, but a lovely old Caymanian lady once told me that when she went on a coach tour and it passed through Glencoe, the tears came to her eyes, and she told me (and the memory was vivid in her mind, even though it had been many years ago) that she had thought "God did some of his finest work in creating this".

Also :
- the balcony of my favourite cabin at Strawberry Hill, Jamaica as the "natural mystic" rolls in
- sitting in the late afternoon sipping a beer in a bar overlooking the bay in Thira, Santorini
- my first view of the Grand Canyon
- Paris at sunset from Sacre Coeur (Montmartre)
- Edinburgh Castle during the annual fireworks display
- Gibraltar (from a distance of a few km) as a massive thunderstorm passes over the rock at night and the sheet lightning dances overhead.

I'm reasonably well travelled, but lists like these make me think of the speech the character played by Rutger Hauer gave at the end of Blade Runner... on the things he had seen... which kind of put my wee list to shame


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## Dave M (Oct 1, 2006)

I have a tough time answering my own question.

Probably the most beautiful sights for me are my grandkids, but I guess that doesn't count within the spirit of the question.

My positive outlook on life suggests that the most beautiful place I have visited is always the most recent place I have visited. But that would likely be viewed as a cop-out, too.

So I'll pick the Canadian Rockies, the Swiss Alps and all U.S. national parks (I still have a few I haven't visited) as my most beautiful places. Any place in Hawaii and several places in Alaska, especially up-close-and-personal calving glaciers, also rank highly.

I have too many places yet to visit, including many mentioned in this thread.

Thanks very much for all of your answers. They open up some new ideas in travel for me!


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## LAX Mom (Oct 3, 2006)

Thanks for this thread Dave! 
In addition to stirring up great memories, it's given all of us a list of new places to go and explore! 
It sounds like we all share a love of travel and the discovery of the beautiful places all over the earth!
It's even better when we can share these adventures with family and friends!


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## Gramma5 (Oct 3, 2006)

Wonderful thread...lots of new places to dream about visiting in the future...

It is very hard to choose just a few of the fantastic places that  we have visited but I'll give it a try...
View of Paris at night from the ride along the river...Romance at it's best
I agree with TomCayman-watching the sunset from Sacre Coeur in Paris..WOW
Sunsets from our ocean front balcony on Kaanapalli beach..to die for (not literally!)
The drive along the Road to Hana was awesome!
The North shore of Kauai fantastic 
Amazing red rocks in Sedona
Drive along the coast of the French Riveria... breathtaking
The view of the Mediteranean Sea from Monte Carlo!
Niagra Falls...unbelievable!


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## lscott (Oct 3, 2006)

*sp many to choose from*

The Bavarian Alps..Berchtesgaden in summer, Garmisch-Partenkirchen in winter.  Long ago ,but to this flatland midwestener it was a dream.
View of Ireland from the ship in Cobh harbor, after a long winter crossing..seagulls and forty shades of green.  Same from plane in years afterward.
Many places in Italy...Capri, Amalfi coast, much of Sicily, the view of Venice at sunset from the boat going to the Lido.
Grand Canyon...in a category of its own.
St Thomas, view of Magens Bay from the hilltop, Trunk Bay on St Johns.
And the daily view of the Ohio River Valley, river bend and hills (part of Ohio River Scenic Drive) from Madison, IN upriver to my home by the river.


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## Cathyb (Oct 3, 2006)

St. Lucia with the Teton Mtns; Tahiti; having lunch outside at Enchantment Resort in Sedona; all of the Hawaiian Islands


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## Neesie (Oct 4, 2006)

Sandy said:
			
		

> I thought that Hawaii, specifically Kauai's north shore, was the most beautiful place I had ever seen.  That is, until I visited Sedona Arizona.  Breathtaking! Views everywhere.  I looked for an excuse to run an errand just so I could pull the car over and glow in the views.  I have never seen anything like it anywhere, and I am pretty well travelled.



Great minds think alike!  I went to Sedona twice before seeing Kauai's North Shore....absolutely love them both.  Whistler, B.C. and all 4 directions surrounding it are gorgeous, also.


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## talkamotta (Oct 4, 2006)

The boyfriend and I have been going with each other for over 8 years.  I told him about this thread.  He said because of you and your timeshares I am one of the luckiest guys in the world. 

I stood the same place that Aztec kings have stood and said "kill em all".  (Chichen Itza) and I stood on the edge of the Grand Canyon where explorers have stood and and looked down and said "How the hell am I supposed to cross this?"  

What an education... My grandson's school now allows for 10 days of education leave each year.  What a novel thought,  when I have taken him out of school, I figured he learned more in one day at Cape Canaveral than he would have in a week in school.


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## clevergirl (Oct 12, 2006)

*Mount St. Helen's*

Believe it or not! It's not beautiful in a conventional way...there is an enormous amount of devastation, but it is totally and completely awe-inspiring. I saw the mountain before it exploded and then again about 5 years ago. A third of the mountain just literally blew away. I would put it on my "must visit" list for everyone, if you want to see a demonstration of the enormous power of nature.


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## Aussie girl (Oct 12, 2006)

One Foot Island, on Aitutaki in the Cook Islands.


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## rachel (Oct 15, 2006)

*Most Beautiful*

The waters surrounding Elizabeth Harbour and Stocking Island, Great Exuma!   One of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen......I have never been to fiji but i was told that the waters were the same....like floating on a lagoon....wish i were there now....


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## boaterkathy (Dec 19, 2006)

Wow, what a great thread!! 
 I definitely agree with some of the places posted, and there are others that I haven't been to yet!  But NOW I want to go on a vacation!!!!!


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## MusicMan (Dec 19, 2006)

For me it's Maui.  For the first three days I was there, I kept saying, "You could close your eyes and spin around, and no matter which way you were facing, you could hold your hands up [envision the sterotypical movie directors "frame"] and you'd have a postcard between them"


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## folashade (Dec 19, 2006)

Sedona red rocks
Vancouver 
Capri, Rome, Florence (surrounded by that much history and beauty makes me catch my breath)
Tokyo - Hiking almost to the top and watching the sun rise amist the clouds
Alaska - Glaciers
Kauai - north shore


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## suskey (Dec 19, 2006)

I was In Sedona last week. Had not been there for 15 years..forgot how breathtaking it is. Went up to the Chapel of the Holy Cross..amazing.

Susan


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## EAM (Dec 19, 2006)

*Breath-taking  or awe-inspiring places*

Glacier National Park

Kauai

Grand Tetons


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## babu (Oct 19, 2007)

where did you go in wales if i may ask?   did you stay in a timeshare and which one if you did?

thanks.
babu


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## jcrobin52 (Oct 19, 2007)

View from Pahio at the Shearwater on north shore of Kauai and the drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway from Boone to Asheville, NC.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Oct 19, 2007)

Beartooth Highway, northeast of Yellowstone
Big Sur,California
the Nu'alolo-Cliff-'Awa'awapuhi trails on the Na Pali Cliffs
the sea cliffs of Kohala
Sea-to-Sky highway between Vancouver and Whistler
Turnagain Arm, east of Anchorage
north shore, Lake Superior


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## ricoba (Oct 19, 2007)

Thanks for resurrecting this post Steve. 

Here's a couple of my favorites:

Active Pass on a BC Ferry traveling through the Gulf Islands, on a beautiful, warm sunny summer day.

Banff, Alberta in the winter around Christmas, it's like scenes from a story book.

A new one for me would be from the trip I did this summer traveling from San Francisco to LA, and passing through Big Sur.  I really want to do that again sometime and be able to spend more time.


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## sfwilshire (Oct 19, 2007)

ricoba said:


> A new one for me would be from the trip I did this summer traveling from San Francisco to LA, and passing through Big Sur.  I really want to do that again sometime and be able to spend more time.



I don't remember too much about our vacations when I was a kid, but one of my best memories is of setting up our popup camper somewhere in this area in a campground surrounded by huge redwoods. I've been back through there a few times as an adult, but I've never tried to figure out exactly where it was. Probably isn't even still there more than 40 years later.

Sheila


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Oct 19, 2007)

How could I forget!!!!

The drive from Vancouver, BC to Tofino and Ucluelet on the Pacific Coast. 

What a spectacular drive!! A towering suspension bridge.  Long vistas across the sparkling blue waters of Georgia Strait, with the Vancouver shoreline below you and scattered islands and mountains in the water toward the horizon.

A ferry ride across the strait, past various islands, seeing Vancouver City slipping away behind you and Vancouver Island looming ever closer in front of you. And a good chance you might get to see orcas on your passage.  

Then a drop dead spectacular mountains and forest drive across Vancouver Island on Provincial Highway 4.  Coastal waters.  Towering snow-capped mountains.  Deep lush temperate rain forests. Cascading streams and waterfalls.  Glacial lakes.  Deep and narrow fjords. Finish it off with the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean stretched out in front of you from pristine beaches and shoreline.


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## Linda74 (Oct 19, 2007)

Well there are several
so here goes....

Prague....absolutely magnificent

the drive on Pacific Coast Highway from LA to San Francisco

Quebec...ste.  fereol les neiges in winter

Tuscany

Cabo San Lucas ( Dreams resort)

Paris

The Hamptons

Rocky Mountain National Park

Yelapa, Mexico



We have travelled so much that there are at least 25 more places we could list.


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## Lawlar (Oct 19, 2007)

*Bora Boara*

I agree with BocaBum99: Bora Bora.
	200 foot visibility in crystal clear water full of tropical fish (and sharks).  Huts built over the water so you could listen to the water lapping underneath your bed at night.  Riding a bike around the island in an hour or two.  Taking a small boat to a motu where you could sunbath nude (I was a lot younger then).  Amazing place.  
	I’m also fond of wading in the water near Blackrock on Maui, while watching the sunset.
Larry


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## Elan (Oct 19, 2007)

In no particular order: The Swiss Alps, Glacier NP, Crater Lake NP, Whistler, the Tetons and any of the alpine lakes I've visited in the Sawtooths and White Clouds of Idaho.  Can you tell I like mountains?

  Oh, and perhaps an oddball one -- the Columbia Gorge in the spring.


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## PA- (Oct 19, 2007)

Dave M said:


> Where is the most beautiful place you have visited? What is so beautiful about it?



The caribbean is nice, with white sugar sand and turquoise water.  But it's hard to top the beauty of a mountain setting with pines blanketed with white snow.  Add a beautiful lake and call it Tahoe, and you've got the best of the best.


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## PA- (Oct 19, 2007)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> Beartooth Highway, northeast of Yellowstone
> Big Sur,California
> the Nu'alolo-Cliff-'Awa'awapuhi trails on the Na Pali Cliffs
> the sea cliffs of Kohala
> ...



North shore of Superior?  You talking about Lutsen or Thunder bay?  That is a beautiful area.  I'd like to go back someday.  Too many places, too little time.  One of these days, the kids'll be grown and we can go, go, go.


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## Moosie (Oct 19, 2007)

Elaine, I agree the hilton * Waiekoloa was beautiful.*

*Pre timeshare ownership my Hub and I were able to do 3 weeks in HI.*

*Started off on Maui, then to the BIg Island finishing on Oahu where my sister lives.*

*The best vacation we have even had in our 31 years married.  The people, the sites they whole laid back lifestyle just made our time there fantastic.  Plus we  ended in Wakki during Halloween!  What a blast to say Aloha.*

*Now I just love being at the ocean, almost any one.*

*I also think Bermuda is beautiful as are the people there.*

*as much as I love to go away and have fun for a week especially at the ocean.  Spent two weekend this past end of summer up In Ogunquit Maine, also just wonderful.  Kust like the meaning of its name.*

*Right now enjoying the beautiful Fall Foliage of my area - MA on the NH border, it is so great right now.  Well, not right this minute as it is poring out and that means there goes a lot of the beauty.  Well the streets will look great tomorrow.  At least it isn't windy.*

*We ahven't been a whole lot of different places yet.*

*Would love to visit Ireland and Italy, but I have to admit I'm actually afraid to travel overseas during these times.  I know I shouldn't be, but I am.*


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## easyrider (Oct 20, 2007)

*Mt Raineer WA*

Ive been to alot of places but nothing beats the sceenery hiking around Mt Raineer and Chinook Pass. Its beautiful year round up there. Right now the trees are turning colors. 

Bumping Lake in the William O Douglas wilderness area with a clear stary nite above and a nice lakeside fire is hard to beat. So many stars.

Winter snowmobiling in the Cascade Mountains on top of a high peak with a carpet of clouds surrounding all the mountain tops is a real sight to see.

Drifting down the Klikitat River with morning fog and autumn colors hooking stealhead is always scenic.

Sitting at our cabin on the American River watching the cliffs turn colors as the sun goes down with a Corona in hand is a real favorite passtime.

The secluded beaches on the Olympic Peninsula. Wow......

Its hard to beat the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.


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## Kenrabs (Oct 20, 2007)

I've only been to a handful of places so far. The one to date that stands out is the sunrise on the beach in San Jose Del Cabo with the big waves crashing. I loved the dessert and the close up trip around the Arch. I do have Princeville in Kaui coming up in 09, so I think that will take my top spot for a while.


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## Kenrabs (Oct 20, 2007)

Moosie said:


> *as much as I love to go away and have fun for a week especially at the ocean.  Spent two weekend this past end of summer up In Ogunquit Maine, also just wonderful.  Kust like the meaning of its name.*
> 
> *Right now enjoying the beautiful Fall Foliage of my area - MA on the NH border, it is so great right now.  Well, not right this minute as it is poring out and that means there goes a lot of the beauty.  Well the streets will look great tomorrow.  At least it isn't windy.*



Being from this area we tend to take it's beauty for granted. We will be visiting Ogunquit Sunday and hope the rain didn't take down all the color for the ride up. To think within 2 hours I can roam to the Cape, White Mountains, Maine Coast and several major cities. For years I've overlooked these beauties and now beginning to take them in all in part to timesharing opeing my eyes to them.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Oct 20, 2007)

PA- said:


> North shore of Superior?  You talking about Lutsen or Thunder bay?  That is a beautiful area.  I'd like to go back someday.  Too many places, too little time.  One of these days, the kids'll be grown and we can go, go, go.



I was thinking of pretty much the entire stretch from Duluth at least as far as Grand Portage.  I've only been to Thunder Bay once, when I was about ten years old, so I can't comment much on that.  Split Rock Lighthouse is a gorgeous setting.


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## barndweller (Oct 20, 2007)

Steve, Your magnificent photos make anyplace the MOST beautiful!

My favs so far:
Princeville, sitting on our lanai watching the waterfalls & rainbows
Swiss Alps, on a sunny October day
Sedona, at sunrise or sunset or actually.... anytime
my back deck on an August evening with the cicadas chirping while listening to the breeze in the treetops & planning my next trip


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## thinze3 (Oct 20, 2007)

*Overall:*
Kauai from a helicopter, including Na Pali Coast, Jurassic Park Falls, and Mt Waialeale

*Vistas:*
Multiple stops along the Road to Hana in Maui

*Beach:*
Destin, Florida

*City:*
San Diego, CA area

*Hotel:*
Bellagio in Las Vegas


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Oct 20, 2007)

barndweller said:


> Steve, Your magnificent photos make anyplace the MOST beautiful!
> 
> My favs so far:
> Princeville, sitting on our lanai watching the waterfalls & rainbows
> ...



Tx for the compliment, but the Split Rock LH photos aren't mine. I just linked to a few on the web.  It's an absolutely gorgeous spot, with tremendous variations with each season of the year.


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## mtwingcpa (Oct 21, 2007)

Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands as seen from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry.


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## Larry (Oct 21, 2007)

I'm sure I will forget a few but here are mine in no particular order and many have already been listed on this thread;

Niagara Falls
Sedona
Grand Canyon
Pacific Coast Highway #1 from SF to LA
French Riviera
Italy Coast and Tuscany
Road to Hana Maui


Most Beautiful cities that I have visited

Paris
Venice
Florence


Most fascinating cities from Historical, artistic and spiritual view.

Vatican city
Jerusalem
Rome


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## mas (Oct 21, 2007)

The scenic country roads in Bavaria (South Germany) and Glacier National Park Alaska.


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## Janie (Oct 24, 2007)

Ha Long Bay, in northern Vietnam.


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## Elan (Oct 25, 2007)

Elan said:


> In no particular order: The Swiss Alps, Glacier NP, Crater Lake NP, Whistler, the Tetons and any of the alpine lakes I've visited in the Sawtooths and White Clouds of Idaho.  Can you tell I like mountains?
> 
> Oh, and perhaps an oddball one -- the Columbia Gorge in the spring.



  Editing to add a couple I forgot:

  Flathead Lake (largest FW lake in the west) with the Mission Mountains towering in the background.

  Sunsets in Negril.


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## Carol C (Oct 25, 2007)

The entire island of Jamaica

The entire island of Mallorca

Olympic Natl Park in state of WA


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## lvhmbh (Oct 25, 2007)

Sao Miguel in the Azores is the most beautiful island I have ever seen.  Linda


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## Kauai Kid (Oct 25, 2007)

Hanalei Bay and Bali High Mountain at sunrise or sunset.  One sunset the entire sky turned as gold as a wedding ring.  Kauai

Sterling


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## Carolinian (Oct 25, 2007)

Talinn, Estonia
Prague, Czech Republic
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Siegheshoara, Romania
Buyukada, Princes Islands, Turkey


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## jzsackst (Oct 25, 2007)

What a fabulous  post.  I have been to many beautiful places and have so many more on my wish list.  My favorites so far include

Kauai
Maui
Bermuda
Rocky Mountains

Haven't yet done much traveling abroad but one of the places on top of my wish list Dubrovnik (sp?)  I saw a television special about it and it seemed just fabulous.  Right up there is also Italy.  Could any  of you that have been to these places tell me the best way to see them.  I would appreciate any info.  Specifically, did you use timeshares, cruises or some other accomadations.


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## zynaidashiers (Oct 25, 2007)

I love cruising at Caribbean islands.


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## TomCayman (Oct 28, 2007)

I could give a list of my most beautiful places worldwide, but I'd like to simply note a few in Scotland that could qualify for anyone's list, as it may help those who visit that country of so much stunning beauty :
- Glencoe. The whole drive from Tyndrum to Glencoe is of quite staggering beauty, but incredible on a sunny day, and if that is a sunny day in winter with snow on the ground you are truly blessed.
- The view South from the Trossachs at the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park (Aberfoyle), particularly with late afternoon autumn sun shining on the bracken making the hills look like they are on fire.
- Any one of the views to the south and east from the King's course at Gleneagles (Auchterarder). I'm not a bad golfer, but am yet to shoot anything remotely close to my handicap at Gleneagles, as it is such a gorgeous location I tend not to concentrate on the golf !
- The view North over Edinburgh from the gallery outside the Camera Obscura.
- The first view of Ullapool as you approach it down Loch Broom.
- View across Loch Roag to the Harris Hills from the hills behind Breasclete in Lewis.
- Driving down the East coast of Skye from the Three Chimney's restaurant (should be on eveyone's list of things to do before they die!) in Dunvegan, via the Cuillins.

I once asked a friend from Colorado why they felt Scotland was a place of more stunning beauty than the Rockies (quite some competition), and they said they felt it was on a scale that humans could take in.... the Grand Canyon is on anyone's top ten list, but it is a place of such scale that our little brains cannot compute. Scotland, on the other hand, has 100+ mountains over 3,000 feet (known as Munros), but the highest (Ben Nevis) is only about 4,500 feet. You can go from mountains to lakes to the coast and back again in a very short space of time.

If you plan to visit Scotland, rent a car, and take your time.... give yourself at least 10 days to drive around the country... and stop.. take it in, take pictures.... have memories.


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## BocaBum99 (Jul 14, 2008)

Went to Glacier National Park yesterday after spending a couple of weeks in Yellowstone and the Rocky Mountains.  In Canmore, Alberta, Canada today.

I'd have to put Glacier National Park in the top three.  Not sure what will happen over the next 2 weeks when we do the Canadian Rockies, Whistler, Vancouver and Victoria Island.

In rethinking this, I'd have to pick at least one location in Europe.  At least one location in Asia.  And at least one location in South America as well.


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## Dori (Jul 14, 2008)

Boca Bum, if you are going to be anywhere near Banff, my most breathtaking sight was Moraine Lake.

Dori


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Jul 17, 2008)

For me- Mauna Kea and Hapuna Beaches on Hawaii, the Canadian Rockies, especially Banff National Park.
Liz


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