See America, Too!

Great post, Sophia! I feel the same way—many Canadians don’t bother to explore their own country either (and goodness knows there’s plenty of it to see), let alone much of the US. I’ve spent most of my travel time for the last year and a half exploring North America, and it’s been hugely rewarding. I join you in the table-pounding.

We’ll pound some sense into them all if it takes gallons of sangria to do it!

Just because someone returns to Europe doesn’t mean they are going to the same cities each and every time.  The best part of traveling is to find the of the tourist map places and meet the locals and spend time there.  Whilst there are a few places I would eventually like to see, the sites in Europe and it’s history and architecture seem to win every time.  I’ve been to plenty of places in the US but I much prefer the culture of Europe.  I’ve seen more of England than most English people. 
And seriously, Disney is a must see?  I’ve been there a few times and if I never go back I’d be happy.  Better to go see the real countries than the disney-fied version at epcott.
What it comes down to is everyone has their own interests and they should lead each person where they will.  Example: you’d have to pay me large amounts of money to waste my time and money in Las Vegas.

I have no interest in returning to Disney World either, but it’s an American icon and, for better or worse, has something to say about America and it’s character. Same with Vegas. They are too popular, too key to our communal identity to ignore.

Vegas is full of Europeans tourists, actually.

Disney World is a grat place to visit but I like Grand Canyon more.
There are so many great things to do in Grand Canyon. Mather and Yavapai Points (near the park entrance) are impressive, but are often overcrowded. Grandview, Lipan Point and Desertview to the east are also very impressive and usually less crowded, but a little bit of a drive. Probably the best views-for-the-effort is to take the free shuttle that runs from the lodges west along the rim to Hermits Rest. The driver will point out things along the way and you can get on and off at a number of overlooks along the way (I especially like Hopi Point).

Sadly I’ve been one of those travelers who has for the most part neglected to explore the United States for the past 8 years while heading to more exotic locales across the ocean. In my defense, most of my childhood travels were domestic, so I’d already seen the Grand Canyon, Zion, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Disneyland, Disney World, Washington, DC, New York, and Boston/Cape Cod. This summer, I’m devoting a few months to some in-depth exploration around the country, so I will finally visit my relatives in Colorado and Minneapolis, see Chicago beyond O’Hare, and spend more time in Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. I can’t wait!

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is well worth the effort required to get there, also. I have not yet explored the canyon in depth though I have seen it a few times. Whenever I’m in the neighborhood…

Valerie, until I struck out on my own at 19, I had seen nothing of the nation but the East Coast, north of NYC, so you are starting out ahead of me.

Chicago is a swell town. NYC without the angst; I’ll be there this summer to see the in-laws, who are as Chicago as my family is NY. (Very.)

A friend just got home from Pittsburgh and raved about that…it goes on my list.

Hey Sophia,

I love this blog.  I’ve been lucky enough to criss-cross the US multiple times in the last couple of years, and I’ve found our country to be unbelieveably inspiring.  I’m planning my first overseas trip for next year, and while I’m extremely excited, and nervous, part of me wants to skip it entirely and wander up and down the west coast for a few months instead.  Thanks for reminding us all how diverse, and fun home can be. happy trails!

Thanks, Ted! You’ll find your overseas trip just as inspiring, I know, but like you, I’m a cockeyed patriot when it comes to travel here at home.

Sorry, Sophia,  I just can’t stomach Disney World as a must-see either, however it speaks to America’s character. But I’d gladly watch chickens dance on the prairie. I admire your passion! My parents showed us kids the best of America while I was growing up, with family road trips to the national parks, lakes in Minnesota and Michigan, the Outer Banks and little known islands off Florida’s coast. The US deserves to be seen as much as any place in the world. But I agree with Anne that personal interests should guide one’s travels (and I also have no desire to ever visit Vegas again).

Sophia, you had me at swell. :) I’d love to see Chicago, and may just do so next year. I’m from Vancouver and have only made it as far east as Calgary, but have been around a bit of BC…and the west coast of the US. But by no means have I even began to explore North America. I always said I would travel Canada before I traveled anywhere else…two Europe trips, Russia and SE Asia later I’m now in Australia. Go figure.

love this post! i know so many europeans who are envious of we americans because our country is so huge and filled with variety of landscape and culture. we are lucky and yet so few of us take advantage and really travel within the states. thanks!

Sophia, I have been fortunate to travel to many places and have also been in your shoes with friends who completely forget about the wonderful travel opportunities in our own country.  One friend who had the luxury(?) of traveling five of the continents for business and was able to take advantage of all they have to offer, had never thought of traveling throughout the U.S.  When he was home, he literally stayed “at home.”  He had never seen the Grand Canyon, the geysers at Yellowstone, our great National Parks, or the Great Lakes, for that matter.  The Petrified Forest? Painted Desert? Mt. Rushmore?  How about houseboating on Lake Powell or Cumberland Lake in Kentucky?  No, to all of those (and soooooo many more).  What a pity!  He really hasn’t traveled at all—at least not in his back own backyard!  Given the current economy—this is the perfect time to see the USA and save a little money at the same time.  Hooray for you.

Interesting point Terry raises, about traveling to pursue one’s interests.

I don’t always travel to pursue my own interests as much as to understand the world as best I can. Well, I guess that IS one of my interests. I just want to know what’s out there. Every place/sight I see puts another puzzle piece in place in my mind’s picture of the world. When the pieces are an important part of a culture, I feel even more compelled to see them, whether or not they are “my” kind of place.

Of course, I also love kitsch, and Disney World and Vegas are total kitsch.

The US has some of the most spectacularly varied and beautiful destinations/scenery in the world all wrapped up in one big country and we should consider ourselves very lucky!  There is certainly nothing wrong with visiting other parts of the world (I have done so many times myself) but I generally consider anyone living in the US who never actually travels there a “travel snob”!  Sorry, that’s the way I see it!!  Getting to know other parts of the world seems kind of pointless, if you can’t at the same time get to know other parts of your own country!!!

WAY too true!  I’m from the midwest, work on the west coast now, and am continually intrigued at coastie’s ignorance of what is dubbed “Flyover Country.” 

Yes, vast stretches of Nebraska and Kansas are mindnumbing to drive through… but: Yellowstone? Effigy Mounds?  Chicago?  Waterfalls all over Missouri and the UP?  And really, even Kansas has the most bizarre little museums every other town… so you know the locals feel the same way!  Seriously, i’ve met people who don’t know the difference between most of the ‘middle’ states… and somehow lump everything from Utah to Ohio together.  Vastly different places all. (wow, didn’t realize i was so passionate about this topic… i keep thinking of other can’t miss things: bourbon distilleries in TN! THE MISSISSIPPI! and so on)

Another really fascinating thing i’ve seen is at some national and state parks is that there’s more Japanese and French/other European tourists than Americans.  Does anyone have any guesses why that is?