By Elizabeth Dubos
I love traveling and all the things it encompasses. One of my favorite parts about traveling is doing the research because I love finding great deals on adventures. You can find excellent deals on Groupon, RetailMeNot, Expedia, and Travelocity. It’s satisfying to travel without breaking the bank. I love traveling via planes, cars, and even trains! As much as I love traveling, COVID-19 put a damper on my 2020 travel plans. I am immunocompromised, so I am continuing to self-quarantine and wear a mask when I need to leave the house to purchase the household essentials. Lately, I’ve been getting stir-crazy because I miss journeying to new places. Even though I can’t physically travel right now, that doesn’t mean I can’t research places I’d love to visit. After researching Expedia, TripAdvisor, and doing some BuzzFeed travel quizzes, here is a list of places I’d love to visit.
1. Grand Canyon National Park. From the stories I’ve heard and the pictures I’ve seen, the Grand Canyon offers extraordinary views that I’d love to see in person. There are numerous activities I’d love to do like seeing the sunrise or sunset, riding a mule, or going on a whitewater rafting trip.
2. Disneyland Park. I’ve been to Disney World (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom). I think it would be fun to venture to California’s Disneyland to see how it compares to the parks I’ve already visited. Do they have different rides, foods, characters, or wait lines?
3. Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville checks off all the boxes for fun! Asheville is filled with art, culture, history, and nature. I would love to visit Asheville during autumn to go ziplining in the Blue Ridge Mountains and see all of the wondrous colors during the fall foliage.
4. The Georgia Aquarium. I am passionate about animals and wildlife conservation. I would love to see the whale sharks, harbor seals, or beluga whales in person. It is a dream of mine to feed and pet a harbor seal. One of my favorite TV shows to watch is Animal Planet’s The Aquarium because it features the Georgia Aquarium!
5. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Seeing an active volcano is at the top of my bucket list. Volcanoes are iconic and breathtaking landscapes. There’s so much to explore with 150 miles of hiking trails through volcanic craters.
Edited by Morgan Mitchell