As things are starting to open back up after the Covid Shutdown of 2020, people are itching to go, well, anywhere. It's easy and fun to take your family vacation to the same ol' spot in Myrtle Beach year after year or visit DisneyWorld for the 10th time, but listen to me...there's a whole big country of destinations out there and they all want to meet YOU!
I've been super lucky to get to travel to a lot of different places and I still have many more on my list. Fun fact about me: I fall in LOVE with almost every place that's "different" from where I live and seriously consider moving there! I haven't actually done that...yet. But I thought it would be fun to share with you 5 of my favorite destinations that I've visited (so far) and give you a little insight on each. Maybe this will influence you to try a new vacation spot this year!
5 Places You Should Take Your Next Vacation!
1. Austin TX
Austin is a super-cool city and the live music capital of Texas. Not only is it packed full of fun nightlife, there are some really neat things for the kids to see and do. The Capitol Building is gaw-geous and full of so much history, The University of Texas boasts a huge football stadium and a beautiful campus, and the Congress Avenue Bridge bats' nightly flight is like nothing you've ever seen before!
Austin TX skylineCharley McCain
2. New Orleans
Sure, everyone thinks of Mardi Gras when they think of New Orleans, but did you know the best time to visit the Crescent City is when it's not Mardi Gras? The crowds are smaller and the drunks are fewer, but the food and the music are just as delicious and vibrant! Walk around the French Quarter and take in the architecture...it's like nowhere else! Eat beignets & drink the most delectable coffee you've ever tasted at Cafe' Du Monde , enjoy Snowballs (sno-cones but 1000x better!) at any of the hundreds of stands across the city, and stuff your belly with crawfish and red beans & rice. For history's sake, take a tour around some of the areas most affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 - many of them still bear the scars to this day. Laissez le bon temps rouler!
Beignets & Coffee at Cafe Du MondeCharley McCain
3. Denver, CO
Although you could spend your entire time in Denver drinking craft beer (there's a brewery on every corner!) there are plenty of other things to do and see with or without the kids, and they don't even involve putting on a set of skis! Take a drive up Pikes Peak, the highest summit of the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. I promise, this drive is not for the faint of heart! Eat a giant biscuit sandwich at the Denver Biscuit Company before you shop the local wares at the Stanley Marketplace (built on the original Denver Airport site!). Take a scenic drive right through the mountains up to Blackhawk for a little gambling, then continue on to the quaint town of Idaho Springs - just watch out for Marge & her boyfriend at the Gypsum Rose! (Listen to the "Simon Says...Podcast!" podcast 64 for that story!)
View From Pikes PeakCharley McCain
4. Savannah GA
Savannah is another city that is best known for its giant parties (St. Patrick's Day, anyone?) but it has so much more to offer. The Spanish moss-draped live Oak trees make even the humblest of areas look fancy. The homes in the Historic District are something else, and put you right in the pages of MIdnight In The Garden of Good & Evil. Excited at the prospect of encountering a real ghost? Your chances are good in America's Most Haunted City! If the beach is more your thing, Tybee Island is only a 20 minute drive from the Historic District. And one of the best parts about Savannah? It only takes about 5 hours to drive there from the Triad! Road trip, anyone?
Forsyth Fountain in Savannah GAGetty Images
5. Memphis TN
Nashville is Tennessee's tourist spot these days, and it's a super-fun city, but it can't beat the history and culture of Memphis. There's no question that a stop at Graceland should be on everyone's itinerary...it's different than you expect! Stroll down Beale Street and enjoy the music & performers. While you're there, you must eat the best ribs in Memphis down in the basement at The Rendezvous! Spend some time at the National Civil Rights Museum and feel the power of the Lorraine Motel where MLK Jr. was assassinated on that fateful day in 1968. Music lovers cannot miss the legendary "birthplace of Rock n' Roll" at Sun Studio & The Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Plus, Memphis boasts the only coliseum shaped like an actual Egyptian Pyramid (I saw Van Hagar there!) and a bridge from Tennessee to Arkansas that looks like a giant M. Don't forget to stop by the beautiful Peabody Hotel to see the Duck March at 11am & 5pm!
Memphis RiverfrontGetty Images
When you start planning your next vacation, give one of these amazing cities a second look! That Myrtle Beach Condo will still be there next year...
If you have any comments or input on any of these destinations, hit me up on Facebook or Instagram! I'd love to hear your thoughts!
**Please check all of these suggested locations before you visit for Covid protocols and local restrictions
