Just a small note before I begin the Top 5 this week. I will be listing my top 5 cities in which to have a vacation, but I am only choosing from cities I have actually visited for some length of time. Therefore, I will not be extolling the virtues of Paris, Belize, Rio de Janeiro, Toronto, Sydney, or Houston. Those are all, however, cities I would love to visit in the future. Now, on with my Friday Top 5: Vacation Cities!
5. Orlando, Florida
I know I don’t have to tell you about the amazing state of Florida, or about the state within the state, the one created by Walt Disney. The combination of the two is incredible. Every single time I’ve been to Orlando I feel like I’m in a fairy tale world, one I don’t want to leave. The one time I stayed on the actual Disney property was one of the most magical vacations ever, and if I can get back there someday I will stay again on the property. Not to mention the amazing golf, Universal Studios, and Sea World. But I don’t have to tell you about the city. You’ve either been there or have plans to go. Right?
4. London, England
I spent approximately two days in the capital city of England, and most of that day was spent trying to see all the sights I could fit in. The Tower of London, the Jack the Ripper tour, the Globe theater, a trip to the theater district to see Blood Brothers, a walk through Picadilly Circus, the castle where Princess Diana lived, Buckingham Palace, the changing of the guard, and the list goes on. That’s a lot to fit into two days, so I know whereof I speak. And as much as I hate to admit it (because it’s my wife’s favorite), I had a good time. Even the shopping was refreshing, and Hyde Park was a nice end to the trip. London has something for everyone, including some amazing architecture too, making it easily my fourth favorite vacation city.
3. Los Angeles, California
For starters, I have been to 46 of the contiguous 48 states, so I have many cities to pick from when it comes to the United States, so why choose one that is all the way on the other side of the country? Well, when the place is Los Angeles, it could be in a different country and I would still want to vacation there. Not only does the City of Angels have a population of nearly five million, but it also has an amazing, thriving nightlife, some of the best restaurants in the world, but it also has Hollywood. I make no secret of my infatuation with Hollywood, and movies in general, so just being in that kind of climate is amazing for me to think about. And that is enough to make L.A. my third favorite vacation city.
2. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Now, I know this one is cheating, because it’s the place I was born and raised, the place where I spent the first 21 years of my life. But it’s not really cheating, because that’s what makes it the place I know the best. Not only does Philly have the best of history, but it also incorporates the modern too. The nightlife is wonderful, and the culture of the city is beyond compare. From the artists and poets, to the old city, to the emerging suburbs, Philly is phenomenal (you know you like that alliteration). The only thing that stops it from being my number one city is…
1. Dublin, Ireland
If I could relocate my entire family, this is where I would take them (and I hope they would love it as much as I do). There is absolutely no place else in the world where I’ve felt entirely at home the first time I set eyes on it. Dublin just suits my eye, with its quays (pronounced “keys” — I know, odd) and little quaint avenues, with its bridges and individual little shops, with its statues and history, and let’s not forget its Guinness. The Temple Bar District is where I feel the most at home. It’s a little slice of history, of nostalgia, right in the middle of the city. It’s for the artists, the writers, and the night owls. That suits me perfectly. And that’s why Dublin is the clear number one city I would like to vacation in, or even to live. Maybe I can still talk the entire family into moving with me.
Sam
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