Someone upthread mentioned Hana as being a favorite. All I can remember is how careful I had to be to avoid wrecking the rental car on the winding, wet road to get there. Definitely a white-knuckle experience for me 
Not as fancy or dramatic as some other entries on this list, but my quiet favorite is:
The Shawangunk Mountains in New York, near New Paltz.
Check out Minnewaska State Park-- hike Gertrude’s Nose, and see Awosting Falls or Stony Kill Falls; go to Mohonk Mountain House and hike the Labyrinth to the Lemon Squeeze; ice caves, Bonticou Crag, etc., etc. Wonderful day hikes with dramatic views of the rocky cliffs.
This is fun…thinking back through travels
Stunning beauty: Kauai north shore, St John USVI north shore on sailboat, islands of Fiji, Bora Bora from a sailboat (atoll lagoons and famous peaks) and small islands off Thailand on sailboat (before it got crowded). I love crystal clear warm water, the turquoise colors and green peaks
My favorite places: Loire Valley, France, Palm Springs locally, Frazier Island off Australia, Anchored in my secret spots in the British Virgin Islands
Big cities: don’t really go to many big cities but I would go back to Paris or Rome any day
Dissapointments: Amalfi Coast (just didn’t get why anyone wants to hang out on beaches without any good sand, hurting your feet trying to walk on pebbles to get to the water), although it was picturesque with good food and we were there during off season…no crowds at all. Grand Canyon. Santa Barbara…just too expensive and too similar to my hometown (La Jolla is far superior for picturesque). Carriacou island near Grenada in lower Caribbean. Cabo San Lucas and probably several others I’ve conveniently forgot
Where I always return to…Hawaii and sailing British Virgin Islands. I’m probably in a rut.
PS… Tried sailing on a small sailboat through the Hawaiian Islands and I was just miserably seasick most of the time due to conflicting seas between the islands and swells in the anchorages. I’d call that one of my worst travel experiences but I was in my early 20s and just went along with it 
Bucket List: Bali for interesting culture, Prague and Budapest, Papau New Guinea for top rate snorkeling
I don’t think many people go to the Amalfi coast for the beaches. Pretty to look at, but that’s not why you’re there. I am very interested in going to Prague and Budapest. Rick Steves has a your there that looks great.
Anyone gone to Toffino, BC? My husband wants us to go there next month.
I thought Prague was fine but in no rush to go back. 3 days tops is all it warrants IMO.
@busdriver11 Tofino was on my list as a place I wouldn’t definitely return to/live in. Amazing place. Natural beauty, laid-back and relaxing. Go for it.
This kind of feels like one of those “I have a 1590/4.6, what are my chances of getting into my state’s 2nd tier university?” threads.
How do you know how how to answer this thread? It’s yea I agree, but that, too and also you. In other words, everyone.
So many of my choices have already been nenioned.
@busdriver11 #64 It should read WOULD not wouldn’t
For those not liking the thread, there is the option of not participating. For those of us who enjoy traveling, it’s fun to hear what other people do and do not like.
On Phuket: it is an island with many coves. Patong beach is the main tourist area, but there are many others coves. . I stayed in a condo on the next cove south. It was pretty, pleasant to stroll around, and relaxed, not overly touristed, and tropical beaches are always a pleasure. The beach was clean and people were friendly. However the locals I spoke with felt the nature of the area is being changed by Russian tourism. My stay was not during a heavily touristed time of year.
Beautiful - the coast of Norway, the St. Elias range as viewed from north of Juneau, AK. The views of the Himalaya from Pokhara as well as the Annapurna trek, Lake Atitlan in Guatemala
Culturally fascinating - Ecuador, Nepal, Korea, Guatemala though really anyplace if you ask the right questions
Favorite cities - Hong Kong, London. Washington, DC, Vancouver, Seoul,
Mehh…Paris, as I prefer the smaller French cities, though there are some great museums and sights, Prague, as again, I prefer the smaller cities. Florida
Sadness-the China I saw in 1983 is gone.
Bucket list-Ireland, Italy, riding the train through Vietnam, Luang Prabang, hiking across Scotland or England
Stunningly beautiful: Swiss Alps
My “loved it, want to go back” city: Sydney
Best food: Florence/Rome/Italian Hill Towns
Place I return to: Hawaii (brother lives in Honolulu), also have been to Bermuda twice and hope to return
Culturally most interesting: Hawaii, because it’s culture is so different from anywhere else in the US. Love the Aloha spirit and cultural diversity of the people, and the history of the islands.
Other places I am happy I’ve been to: Sweden, Denmark, Sedona, Grand Canyon, Napa/Sonoma, San Diego/La Jolla, Finger Lakes, OBX
Overseas bucket list: Norway, Iceland, Spain, Greek Isles are at top of list. Someday I will get to Japan with my brother and Japanese sister-in-law.
Places that others love which are NOT on my bucket list: London, Caribbean, African safari, Hilton Head
US bucket list: any of the national parks west of the Mississippi, Pacific NW, Colorado, Charleston, Savannah
Fun to think back to all the places I’ve been, and where I still want to go!
@50N40W I’m the OP. I’m glad that I created this thread because I’ve learned a lot. I especially appreciate post #30 on the Grand Canyon and #45 on the Salish Sea & Olympic Mountains.
I can see though how some would see this thread as a competition. But, for me, it’s an opportunity to hear different perspectives and guide me towards travel options that I otherwise would not have considered.
Got it, doschicos. But man, Tofino is expensive and hard to get to. My husband is threatening a tent.
Ohh… Forgot one. Valaam Island! It is a beautiful place. The monastery has some fascinating history.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1816341-d549125-Reviews-Valaam_Monastery-Valaam_Republic_of_Karelia_Northwestern_District.html
Place where we always return: Hawaii!
No one has mentioned the Northern Lights yet. Has anyone here seen them distinctly? From what I’ve read, you need to be well away from cities, at night, and hope that there’s no cloud cover. It’s hard to see how to pull that off. So, I wonder if it’s worth the effort.
I think that places that I have visited and could live there determine my choice of favorites.
Places I could live: Iceland, Finland, Scotland, Japan, New Zealand, France, Germany, and Canada.
Most favorite: Iceland
Has anyone here been gorilla trekking in Africa? This guy in my office went recently and it sounded amazing.
In general I like mountains and history / culture. I am not a beach fan.
best places I have been:
- Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland (Tolkien’s inspiration for Rivendell) - the best
- Norwegian Fjords
- Iceland
- Alaskan coast
- Great Wall
best cities:
- Stockholm
- Cuzco
- Berlin
- Roman ruins
most powerful experiences:
- Auschwitz / Birkenau
- Berlin Wall
- Northern lights in Iceland
overhyped:
- Prague (not bad, just heard repeatedly how amazing it was and it was only ok, IMO)
- Flam Railway (ditto Prague explanation)
- Fairbanks (Fairbanks is basically worthless unless you are jumping to the arctic circle, IMO)
some future travel hopes:
- Hawaii (planned for Dec)
- Banff and Jasper
- Galapagos
- Patagonia
- Antarctica
- Ireland
- Copenhagen
- east Adriatic (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia)
- Petra, Jordan
- Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
- Victoria Falls
- South Africa (Cape Town, Jo’burg, safaris)
- Australia and New Zealand
- Angkor Wat
I enjoy reading about everyone’s favorite places… good thread OP!
@busdriver11 In the Tofino area take a look at VRBO and airbnb as there are many cute cottages to rent that might be more reasonable than the hotels and inns. We found we didn’t need to spend too much while there because much of the time was spent enjoying the nature which was free. Our hotel included a huge, delicious breakfast with the room rate so all we really needed was dinner.
Yes northern lights in Iceland in September up the the northwest coast in the middle of the night in the country. But really almost all of Iceland is the countryside.
The Northern lights depend on solar flares that follow a general twelve or so year or so cycle but are totally unpredictable. Unless you can fly to high latitudes with a day’s notice, forget “viewing the northern lghts” as something you can count on.
But go to Iceland because it’s such a geologically fantastic spot.