Leah's Long List

A quick trip across the Atlantic Ocean brings you straight to United States’ former sister, England. As anticipated, one’s journey to England would include all of the tourist destinations as it is practically required to complete a ride on a double-decker bus and visit Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, or even the London Eye. Each of these is a very popular tourist destination but due to one’s tourist nature, it is a must. One’s trip to London would be recommended during April and June when tourist numbers are low and the temperature is at its best. To truly take in a destination, you should not have to fight to see a clear shot of these landmarks. However, one should prioritize some of the many destinations that are slightly less well-known touristy destinations as they are highly entertaining nonetheless.

For all of the shopaholics out there, pack an extra suitcase in anticipation because Harrods is an absolute dream. This is a seven-floor luxury department store, located in Knightsbridge which is the richest neighborhood in all of London, home to 330 different stores and over 5,000 brands. This building floorplan is very intricate and features multiple restaurants throughout.

Due to my “outside of Philly” nature, I made sure to include a Philadelphia-themed aspect of the trip, with a meal at Passyunk Avenue, a Philly-themed bar in London. This mimicked Philly dive bar can provide a “home away from home” when one is 3,539 miles away. As Passyunk Ave describes on their site, this provides the opportunity to “guzzle down American beer, eat authentic American food, watch the Superbowl and other sports like college football, basketball, and baseball” (Passyunk Avenue London). For those Philly sports fans who need to catch the latest Eagles or Flyers game, this is the perfect spot as it’s “obsessively curated to mimic life in a Philly dive bar” (Passyunk Avenue London). According to many reviews posted online, the food and drinks here are amazing and allow Americans and Europeans to experience a European take on traditional U.S. bar foods.

On a sustainability spectrum, London should be ranked fairly high due to the extreme use of public transportation: commercial flights overseas, trains, and even electric scooters (e-scooters). These scooters will be the newest fab throughout the United State due to the overall success and popularity of these services in England and many other destinations. London has miraculously had a societal shift since the start of the pandemic with the new norm of riding these rental e-scooters. These rental scooters are an efficient, environmentally friendly alternative to typical travel via rental cars, taxis, or even trains. The popularity of these e-scooters has spread like wildfire since these can only way to legally ride a scooter in London- killing a bird with two stones of easy transportation and environmental friendliness. European nations have capitalized on the e-scooter and e-bike market with brands like Bird or Lime, easily controlled with an app on your smartphone. Products like these help keep these popular cities greener with all of the tourists visiting.

Chestertown. You have probably never heard of it, but, this is my happy place. My moments of most peace have been sitting on a dock watching the sunset here. It is a quaint town on the Eastern shore, but boy does it have character. As the town motto describes it perfectly, “Historic colonial town on the Chester River”; this town was founded in 1706 and has endless entertainment opportunities.

This is not necessarily a destination on my bucket list, but currently, I long to be here on a beautiful day. When the weather is cold and I could rather be rocking on a boat on a warm day, it makes me miss it. With not a care in the world just sitting on the dock taking in everything around. The reason I am writing about this is to urge everyone to look into visiting here on their next family vacation and staying at Brampton Inn a very cozy bed and breakfast located right outside of town. I urge you to visit this town and just take in the quietness, there is no other way to describe it. This town is predominantly aged 60+ but has told me so many great lessons. When anyone our age visits this town they come out more mature as one is interacting with strictly adults which forces them slightly out of their comfort zone if they do not normally interact and socialize with the middle-aged community.

But, it is now time to get to the meat of Chestertown and many of the sights this town has to offer. The most well-known aspect of this town is Widehall which is from the 1760s. This house has become a gathering place for a majority of the town due to the huge yard and porches making this the ideal party house for the town’s Tea Party Weekend which brings in Marylanders from all towns. During this weekend, the town is busier than ever with parades and even a reenactment of the 1773 Boston Tea Party. Widehall is even featured on all of the yearly t-shirts due to its prominence in the town.

The Chestertown Marina is home to one of Maryland’s gems, the Sultana, which is a real-life replica of a British Royal Navy ship that is docked in Chestertown when it is not being used. This ship is used for Chestertown’s Tea Party weekend and is another predominant symbol in the town. I would recommend seeing this beautiful wooden ship as it is another core aspect of this area. This ship will sail and take Maryland students out on the water for school trips from Chestertown, Annapolis, Baltimore, St. Michaels, Cambridge, Oxford, Solomons, and Crisfield, all towns in the Chesapeake Bay area. For more information on Sultana, I would recommend looking at their website.

Chestertown is where I have felt the greatest peace. This town is located right on the water as previously mentioned, so I would allot a good chunk of time to just sitting, relaxing, and enjoying a view of the water as this provides an absolute reset and sit with the silence. When I am asked where my happy place is sitting along the water on the dock with family and friends around as well as some music playing. You have to do this. The whole world around you goes silent and nothing in the world can bother you. This is an absolute must- just watching the boats drive by-so start planning your trip to Chestertown.

In the finale of this condensed visit, you have to take a trip to Waterman’s a restaurant in the town over, Rock Hall. This restaurant is the dream. This restaurant is located right on Rock Hall Marina making this ideal for hungry boaters or those just looking to grab a bite. If given the opportunity, reserve here for around sunset and sit outside so you get the full experience of eating right on the water with the sun setting and a view of the Bay Bridge to Annapolis, Maryland. Since this trip will have to take place in the summer to get the full experience, one would have the benefit of the Maryland Blue crabs being in season. This is a rather obvious choice in your time, but the Crabby Burger from here is to die for. This is a loaded burger with pretty much anything you could want with a glob of fresh crab dip on top. This is making my mouth water just thinking about it.

But overall, Chestertown, Maryland is somewhere everyone needs to visit at one point or another. To live in this town you have to have a boat, it is sort of a rite of passage, but maybe if you’re nice I’ll offer you a ride! This is soon to be my full-time residence so I have begun to love this quaint little town.

Bali also known as the Land of the Gods, is a providence of Indonesia with crystal clear waters surrounding its many smaller islands. This providence may only be composed of 2,331 square miles but it is packed with breathtaking sights and activities. Bali is the perfect travel destination in all months of the year due to its warm and humid nature with an average temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is a must-stop destination in Ubud, a popular city in Bali, which provides an opportunity to admire monkeys as they interact with one another in a relatively natural environment. This is governmentally protected land that these monkeys happen to live in, so it does not resemble a zoo, it is merely a huge area for about 700 monkeys to coexist within. These monkeys will get up close and personal with guests so the sanctuary recommends guests hide any personal belongings to valuables well as the monkeys unfortunately tend to gravitate toward these objects. This is a very sustainable activity on the itinerary because you can examine these monkeys without disturbing their natural environment and ways of life while also supporting the agency that protects these animals and allows them to live peacefully.

As previously mentioned, Bali is the land of the gods and is home to many religious sites such as the Saraswati Temple. This is designed to honor the Hindu Goddess Saraswati. The grounds for this temple feature a water garden and lotus pond, providing a sanctuary for religious followers. During travel, one typically adapts a “go, go, go” mindset, so one should find the time to be at peace and sit silently, admiring the surrounding area.

The next destination is the Ubud Kajeng Rice Fields Walk. Rice is a staple in Balinese culture, which makes this activity very immersive in their way of life. This is a relatively cost-efficient activity as donations are encouraged to these individuals but participants are warned to wear shoes that can get wet and muddy. This walk allows one to explore the terraced rice paddies and interact with the individuals who oversee these fields. One can get fully immersed in this way of life both physically and mentally.

For thrill-seekers, the Tegenungan Waterfall is a dream. Guests can either take photos right next to the stream or even have the opportunity to jump from a ledge in the cliffside into the water below. This is the perfect place to cool off and get an adrenaline rush.

Overall, Bali is described as one of the best ecotourism destinations since the government rolled out various programs to correct previous irresponsible decisions of tourists. There is plenty of noise pollution, which is fairly hard to avoid but there are many rules and regulations in place to maintain the pristine state of this region. The waters around Bali offer some of the best scuba diving in the world, however, the coral reefs and other marine ecosystems have declined due to human interaction. Bali has implemented many programs surrounding these ecosystems to ensure citizens and tourists help keep the reefs safe!

Florence is a travel junky’s ideal destination with beautiful scenery and plenty of cultures to immerse oneself in. Florence is located in central Italy and serves as the capital city of the Tuscany region. Florence is well-known for its Renaissance art, architecture, and monuments, so there is no lack of sites to take in during one’s trip overseas.

Florence’s tourist season is predominantly during the sweltering hot summer months, so in hopes of avoiding crazy tourist crowds, one should consider visiting in May. Italian weather in May typically averages 76 degrees Fahrenheit which is the ideal weather to be outside (in my opinion).

The first stop of one’s tourist journey should be at the Uffizi Gallery which is a world-renowned museum constructed between 1560 and 1580. This gallery is home to magnificent paintings, sculptures, and statues produced by Leonardo, Rafaello, Michelangelo, Mantegna, and far many more. The art featured here are some of the most recognizable art pieces as they were completed by the best artists of the Renaissance period. Additionally, this gallery has a rooftop cafe that allows one to take in a panoramic view of the town while sipping on some Italian wine.

Additionally while in Florence, one has to visit the Giardino di Boboli or the Boboli Gardens which was first opened in 1766. The creators of this garden have found ways to keep this an interesting activity that builds consumer reliability, even though this garden may hardly change year-to-year. This garden is a great opportunity to casually stroll and take in the work of art that are the many exhibits of the Boboli Gardens. As a precaution, there are potentially 11 acres to explore so consider that before ambitiously committing to see it all, maybe wear some good walking shoes that day! Regardless after one visits the Boboli Gardens, treat yourself to some authentic, Italian gelato, it will be the cherry on top of a great time.

These gardens are impressive enough that hotels like the Four Seasons have elected to adopt this Tuscan garden style, with the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze. This hotel is breathtaking with an elegant display of traditional Italian features with painted ceilings, stained glass windows, and high-class dining. The attached pictures help display this sophistication. If one is willing to shell out a little bit of money, they can truly get the full experience. I mention that jokingly as this hotel is absurdly expensive starting at $3,000… a night. This is too expensive in my book currently but maybe when I’m rich this will be some mere chump change.

I hope that when all of us find the time to visit Florence we have our significant other or friends to get to explore everything this area has to offer. The I Renaioli sunset boat ride takes place via gondola and could be a great opportunity to avoid the crowds and see Florence from a whole new perspective. An activity like this is marketed towards couples on their honeymoons but is open and recommended to everyone, so try your best to squeeze this into one’s trip.

Overall, like most trips to Europe, Florence is unfortunately fairly pricey- especially if one visits during the months of the best weather- so tourists should be cautioned of some of the additional costs that are hiding behind the glamor of visiting many of these attractions.

Growing up, children in America are taught that Alaska strictly has polar bears and ice caps to offer, but Alaska is so much more with endless sites to see. Alaska is somewhere all Americans should visit at least once, especially in the summer, where the vegetation and sights are popping.

Denali National Park is the third largest National Park in the United States with six million acres of wildlife. Denali is home to hundreds of grizzly bears, wolves, reindeer, elk, and more than 167 different species of birds- this is an animal lover’s dream. The sights to take in here are absolutely breath-taking and picturesque. I cannot even imagine the sunsets here. Denali also has many Sled Dog Kennels which offers demonstrations and are home to many sled-pulling huskies. This national park also has North America’s highest mountain. It is very important that if one visits this park to follow all of Alaska’s rules and regulations to protect its pristene and wild environment for future generations. Alaska has laws such as the Leave No Trace (LNT) which attempts to prevent any littering.

Alaska is composed of more than 14 islands which allows for some great land and water activities. There are many opportunities to interact with this environment with the ability to kayak through a field of icebergs, go whale watching, cruise through sheltered channels in Southeast Alaska, visit Brooks Falls, and countless more.

In Anchorage, AK, one can go kayaking out on Spencer Lake which features glass, vibrant water and allows individuals to navigate around glaciers. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity as the Alaskan glaciers are melting due to rising temperatures associated with climate change. So this activity could be one that future generations may not get to experience, so it is very important to do this while one still can. Glacier Blue Kayak & Grandview Tour takes place at sunrise but is a 12-hour excursion as it requires scenic trainrides to and from this destination.

Seward offers an Eco-certified six-hour cruise of Kenai Fjords National Park where one can take in whales, other wildlife, and glaciers. While the catamaran navigates through many sheltered channels, there are information sessions taught by a National Park Ranger as well as food and drink designed to make this a fully immersive experience.

Katmai National Park provides sanctuary for brown bears, moose, caribou, red fox, wolf, lynx, fish, birds, river otter, mink, marten, weasel, porcupine, hare, beaver, birds of prey, snowshoe hair, red squirrel, and plenty more wildlife. Since one would visit Alaska in the summer, this is the perfect time since this is the Sockeye (red) salmon run where the fish return from the northern Pacific Ocean. Katmai’s website features a Bear Cam, which I would definitely recommend checking out at some point.

Overall, a trip to Alaska can be successfully completed while being environmentally friendly. The biggest focal point is the LNT rules that can ensure one’s trip is Eco-certified and does not leave Alaskan environment worse off than when one arrived. Alaska is beautiful and we must work to slow down the effects of climate change to ensure our future generations can to experience everything this state has to offer.

The Republic of Maldives is located in the northern Indian Ocean and is an archipelago consisting of twenty-six coral atolls. A trip to the Maldives must take place in the mid-summer so one can truly enjoy all this country has to offer. This country is well-known due to the overwater bungalows that make this an ideal vacation destination.

The overwater villas at Soneva Fushi are the epitome of paradise with endless amenities and opportunities to take in all these islands have to offer. As one can see from the image above, this villa offers “[a] private pool, overwater catamaran net, picturesque patio, and outdoor showers… a waterslide that leads straight to the ocean below” (Soneva Fushi). There would not be a need to leave this villa, you could spend your days basking in the sun and taking in all these islands have to offer.

This resort also features dolphin cruises, glass-blowing classes, snorkeling with manta rays, private beach dinners, beach tents, and dinner cruises, all designed to enhance your travel experience. This resort also offers charter boats to Vaadhoo Island which is a must-visit destination as well due to the bioluminescent waves as a result of biological phenomena. The living organisms present in the water are capable of lighting up the water, creating a breathtaking sight.

The Maldives is one of the poorest developing countries so it is important to engage with the locals of this location. Rice and fish harvesting are how many Maldivians stay afloat, so it is important to support this economy as much as possible at this time and branch outside of the resort. It is crucial to interact with the full-time residents to immerse oneself and learn through experience while here. I would make sure to visit some of the smaller islands here and chat with the residents, shop at their stores, and truly engage with the communities as a whole. There are many villages that offer a follow-along experience where tourists get to live a day in the life of a Maldivian which allows foreigners to get the true experience and see another way of life.

It is also important to note that the Maldives is known for the spectacular coral reefs that surround the island, therefore, before traveling you must pack some reef-safe sunscreen. It is very important for tourists to experience other locations without destroying the natural ecosystem that exists there.

The Maldives has to import all goods except for fish and rice as previously mentioned, so it is important to note that one must financially prepare that this is not a cheap destination. The resort is certainly not cheap with the lowest villa starting at $1,500 a night. Additionally, the flight to the Maldives is extremely time-consuming and runs a stiff price as it takes 25+ hours and ranges anywhere from $1,220 to $10,300- which only adds to the frontal price tag. Overall, the Maldives is an amazing vacation destination but it is very important to understand the upfront cost of visiting the islands.

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Hawaii has always been a bucket list destination for me. When I was young I pictured getting to dance with hula dancers, drinking out of a coconut with a tiny umbrella in it, while wearing a lei- and yes I would still definitely love to do these- but I have realized Hawaii has so much more to offer than just these stereotypical Hawaiian things. I have chosen Maui- no, not the character from Moana- to focus on as this is the second largest of the Hawaiian islands and my parents have been on a work trip without my sister and me here. Maui has so much to offer with world-famous beaches, mountains, whale-watching, breathtaking sunsets and sunrises, and volcanoes!

I would love to get to see a volcano with my own eyes as I have been taught about them for my whole life but have no perception of how large they actually are. I would love to hike up one of Maui’s five volcanoes for sunrise or sunset to witness two amazing things at once, this would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I know I could never forget. My parents took a bus up to the top of Haleakala (a volcano) for sunrise which my mom described as “an emotional experience”, so I will definitely have to experience this for myself. 

While in Maui, I also intend to go whale watching as I have also been fascinated with these creatures for my whole life. I could go on and on about why these animals are amazing-but I will spare you this time. I genuinely believe everyone needs to witness whales up close at least once in their lives to just earn newfound respect for them. There are many boat companies where individuals can buy tickets to get to experience this and even see a pod breaching the surface.

Another reason why Maui is a bucket list destination is Molokini, which is a small uninhabited island that provides a fabulous snorkeling destination for beginners with the opportunity to get up close and personal with Hawaiian wildlife. This trip would definitely be heavy in nature and engaging with the wild, so I understand being a tourist in Hawaii and other tropical islands can have unintended consequences on their ecosystems. A trip to Hawaii from the mainland can be tolling financially, and environmentally, whilst being extremely time-consuming as there are no direct flights from Pennsylvania to Maui. This trip would be extremely costly as most items in Hawaii have to be imported, making a pretty steep price tag on non-native goods and due to the required flights to actually reach the destination. I would say with the activities listed, I plan on visiting this destination in my mid-adulthood when my kids are old enough to actually enjoy and remember this trip whilst also enjoying the activities myself. Environmentally, a trip to Hawaii is not currently in the best interest due to the many hours of air travel and pollution, but hopefully, when it is finally time for my trip society has found more environmentally friendly alternatives to these polluting activities. From Philadelphia, this would be a 12+ hour flight, so I definitely would also need plenty of years to plan which movies to watch during this flight as you may only get to fly to Hawaii once in your life.

When one hears the Cyclades Islands they may sit there scratching their head for a couple of moments, but when you hear Mykonos or Santorini then it all comes together. The Cyclades, or the Aegean archipelago, is composed of 220 islands- large and small- southeast of mainland Greece that is located in the Aegean Sea the most well-known ones being: Andros, Delos, Ios, Mykonos, Paros, Syros, Thira, and Santoríni.

Our trip to Greece is going to be a long one as we are going to visit plenty of the Cyclades islands. The first stop of the trip is somewhere I’m sure everyone knows- Santorini- with the picturesque white buildings, panoramic views of the Aegean sea, and black sand beaches. This destination is a tourist’s dream! As mentioned in my previous blogs, sunsets are one of my favorite things in life which makes these islands perfect sunset-watching spots.

For our time in Santorini, we will stay in the Cavo Tagoo Hotels, luxury hotels with private infinity pools for each room as well as endless amenities for guests. Cavo Tagoo Santorini has charter boats and the opportunity to go for a cruise at all hours of the day. This boat trip will take you around the island and allows you to see Santorini from a whole new perspective. I admittedly would take this cruise as many times as possible to experience the views at all hours of the day.

Although it is tempting, I will leave my hotel at some point to experience the rest of the island. Santorini has a village, Oia, on the north side with a castle and plenty of sunset overlook spots. I will do a walking tour in order to get the full experience of exploring the narrow streets of the town, making sure to spend plenty of time in Amoudi Bay. Amoudi Bay in Oia has many wine tastings and Greek cooking classes, which allows tourists to get the full experience by immersing themselves in the culture.

After spending a large chunk of time in Santorini I will take a two-to-three hour SeaJet ferry from Santorini to Mykonos where I will check into the Cavo Tagoo Mykonos hotel. There are many bucket list activities here as well including visiting Kato Milli (famous windmills), shopping on Matoyianni Street, experiencing Mykonos on a yacht tour, and many more! Kato Milli is the highest point of Mykonos giving a whole new perspective of the island below and is somewhere everyone needs to see at least once. Matoyianni street is the perfect opportunity to immerse oneself in the Greek culture with plenty of small shops, and places to eat, swim, and relax- truly anything anyone could ever need is here! Last but not least, in my time in Mykonos, I would just have to take a day-long yacht tour of the island with food and drink. After this trip, I may be terribly in debt but I will have memories to last a lifetime. For this bucket list destination, I expect to visit in my mid-thirties with my significant other to get the full experience. I also estimate at least two weeks are to be spent overseas in order to immerse myself in Santorini and the rest of the Cyclades Islands. 

There are very few times in life when I will not accept any sort of argument; everyone needing to visit Barcelona is one of them. I was lucky enough to get to visit Barcelona, Spain in the summer of 2019, and I have not stopped thinking about it since I left. There are endless opportunities in this city and certainly lots of fun to be had. With the gothic architecture all throughout, you could spend a week just staring at the buildings and never get bored. Antoni Gaudí was undoubtedly the most prolific architect for Catalan Modernism, producing some of Barcelona’s most impressive works of art. The church of La Sagrada Familia is located in the center of Barcelona and is within walking distance of some of Gaudi’s other impressive works: Park Güell (see background image for reference), Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, and Gaudí House Museum. These locations are necessary for receiving the ‘full’ experience while overseas. 

Old Architecture may not be everyone’s cup of tea, which is fine, however, the flavorful, delicious, dining options are unavoidable on your trip. The authentic tapas, paella, and croquetas truly make the flight across the Atlantic worth it. I am admittedly a picky eater so my whole family- including myself- was pleasantly surprised when I devoured the authentic Spanish meals.

During our trip, we participated in many bike tours of the cities; I now recommend these to everyone. You get the opportunity to cover so much ground in such a short time, maximizing your sightseeing abilities while minimizing costs and overall energy exerted. These bike tours are the best environmentally friendly option for sightseeing, which is another added benefit of this. Barcelona also has many beaches located directly on the Mediterranean Sea. Who could possibly resist the crystal clear waters and white sand beaches?

In sum, Barcelona is diverse. It has a beautiful cityscape with plenty to see and do and also has the opportunity for a beach vacation. I can truly go on and on about traveling to Barcelona and how necessary this is. However, it is important to focus on the implications of traveling to this city. Traveling overseas, it is generally environmentally forgiving in the sense that these large planes are responsible for transporting hundreds of people. Obviously, these planes are still contributing to global warming and overall pollution, however, in the grand scheme of how many individuals can fit, it certainly could be worse. I elected to emphasize worse there because regardless of the amount of air pollution these large jets produce is unacceptable, however, this is not the main focus here. Tourists contribute to littering and other sanitary issues across the city, but when one weighs these problems with the overall benefits the Spanish economy has from the populous tourist destinations in Barcelona, it can be overlooked. In conclusion, Barcelona is still a destination on my bucket list of travel destinations (even though I have already been) and I plan to study abroad here at the earliest date.