if you could travel anywhere in North America...
I have been offered me the tremendous opportunity to chose a place to go on vacation. It is just 2 of us and it is up to me to decide where we go. I don't think I can choose anything crazy expensive or too far away (I'm from Canada). I have been googling a few things and realized some people on this board might have suggestions of what I may be looking for, and I like to draw on the experiences of others.
Any of the following are areas of interest to me:
-volunteer vacation
-places with lots of vegetarian and organic food
-environmentally friendly cities or accomodations
That kind of thing! As of now I am thinking maybe going to BC but I know there is a lot more out there to experience. If any of you have been places that you think fit the bill, I would love to hear about them. Anywhere in US and Canada and maybe some places in South America depending on the $.
Thoughts? :)
As for Canada, BC is extremely veg-friendly with Ontario running a close second. As for the US, I'm not sure! Sorry! Good luck with your decision and do let us know where you choose to go!
That's what I heard, too, Sarah. I live in the US, and I want to travel to Canada just for that fact. Eat my way through Canada! LOL.
For me, I would travel to any place with a ski resort (I snowboard) in the winter, and anywhere with a beach in the summer and pray there's a vegan place near by (or by my own stuff).
How about you decide on where to go based on your hobbies? Do you like to boat, or fish, or ski, or golf .... Make a choice on a place that has this hobby in mind. Then find out if it has vegan places to eat and what you're looking for.
I've always wanted to visit Vancouver...but you've probably been there... :-\
We "discovered" Boston when our daughter moved there to go to grad school and we love it. Somehow it feels like a small big city--not overwhelming at all. And there are plenty of veg-friendly places to eat. (You could spend a week in the Museum of Fine Arts alone and not see everything.)
Southern UTAH!
I am enamored with southern utah. Bryce Canyon National Park has the purest air in the U.S. Zion National Park is absolutely heavenly, and Arches National Park is the most unique landscape I have come across.
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Any of the following are areas of interest to me:
-volunteer vacation...
...
Ever considered "woofing". http://www.wwoof.org/ Never done it myself, but my out-laws have and they enjoy it!
K^2
alaska- i have only seen pictures but it seems wondrously peaceful.
veronica
(p. s. to Gotskates- new york and chicago are both wonderful cities to visit. plenty of things to do, places to see, and vegan restaurants to try!)
I really want to go to California (never been) and start at the southern part of the state and drive all the way up to northern California. I want to see San Deigo, ride a bike across the Golden Gate bridge, see the Red Wood Forest, and lots of other things on the way!
I second Alaska, I had an aunt and uncle that went on a cruise for their 25th wedding anniversary and the pictures were breathtaking.
I love Chicago. There's always stuff to do, the people are friendly, and you can get some great Chinese.I live in southwestern Michigan, and it's pretty nice. A lot of tourists (mainly from Chicago) visit because of Lake Michigan and the abundance of critical sand dunes. There a few little, artsy towns along the lake. Plus a lot of wineries and vineyards to visit, if you drink alcohol. It would make a nice excursion from Chicago, should you decide to go there.
I've always wanted to go to Savannah, Georgia because the city is so old (Well, for a U.S. city anyway). The southern United States is very pretty. Hills, mountains, sea side - gorgeous. I think so long as you stick to larger cities, food won't be an issue.
I've been wanting to visit Canada for so long! I'm actually thinking about going this summer ::) I want to visit Montreal and work on my (awful) French.
How about DC. Free and plenty museums and they have a great variety of vegan restaurants in the city...
Somewhere far far away from all the other tourists...... ;)
I've always wanted to go to Savannah, Georgia because the city is so old (Well, for a U.S. city anyway). The southern United States is very pretty. Hills, mountains, sea side - gorgeous. I think so long as you stick to larger cities, food won't be an issue.
Just don't go to Savannah in the middle of summer. We lived there for 15 years (that's where all three of my children were born) and walking around in the summer is like walking through pea soup the humidity is so bad. :P
alaska- i have only seen pictures but it seems wondrously peaceful.
veronica
Alaska is not very veg friendly. Most of their food is imported from who-knows-where and so everything is very expensive. Fresh, goodlooking produce is hard to come by. And I'll be damned if there's a veg restaurant in the entire state. If anybody knows of one--I'd like to know!
If South America is really truly an option, go to Ecuador! Quito is a really veg friendly citiy (seriously, even though I know that sounds weird) with about 4 veggie restaurants (The Magic Bean!), you can go to the rainforest, the highlands, see volcanos, go river rafting, sit in hotsprings, visit the Galapagos... it's the best place I have ever traveled, hands down. We did a lot of homestays with indigenous communities in the jungle and the highlands, which totally made the trip (lots of volunteer opportunities there), and they were also very understanding of our veggieness (even though they did think it was a little funny)...
Ooh, you should go to the Pacific Northwest, especially Portland and Seattle, both of which are beautiful and super veg friendly. Also, as a longtime veg and a lifelong California resident, I can promise that San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco/the Bay Area are all very veg friendly (San Francisco outrageously so), plus we've got great beaches and state parks. ...I've never been to Canada, but have heard really appealing things about Toronto and Montreal both.
Any of the following are areas of interest to me:
-volunteer vacation
-places with lots of vegetarian and organic food
-environmentally friendly cities or accomodations
SEATTLE!
It depends on if you are looking for city or nature.
For city I would recommend Chicago or Montreal. I lived in chicago for a couple of years and it is a wonderful city. Very easy to find good food and lots of things to see and do. The ethnic neighborhoods are fun and offer fantastic shopping. Public transportation is very easy. I didn't have a car most of the time I was there. It is also a very green city (as in green space, not pro recycling) After the big fire the architects of the city planned it to include a huge amount of parks. The whole lakefront is a huge sweeping park that goes on for miles which is practical unheard of in a city of it's size. I love Montreal too and have visited several times over the last couple of years for a series of classes I have been taking. They have a wonderful network of B&Bs all of whom have been very accommodating w/ my diet preferences. And if you are anything like me will travel just for food this place is a must. I have never seen a city so saturated w/ resteraunts and all of them good. There are tons of fantastic veggie options to choose from.
If you are looking for something a little more green though, there are too many places to count. The one I would recommend is Yellow Stone. there is nothing else like it. I never made it a point to get there until a couple of years ago. I always put it in group with all of the other tourist traps. I was on a roadtrip across the country and decided to drive through it since we were going that way anyhow. It was breath taking, I was absolutely floored. As far as landscape goes it is completely unique.I would recommend the spring when there are not a lot of other tourists and the park is quiet. I think I went in late April and there was still a bit of snow on the ground. It was really an enchanted place.
Good luck on your travels. I am hoping to get to India later this year myself. I haven't had a chance to travel in about a year and I am going stir crazy.
I usually pick places to visit based on the vegan cuisine I can consume while I'm there. With that in mind, I recommend:
Asheville, NC--the most amazing vegan cheese pizza, wonderful scene, gorgeous Pisgah Mountains just outside the city with cosy cabins, amazing hikes....
NYC--gotham has vegan cuisine that rivals S.F. and if you're into a drive PA isn't that far away with beautiful countryside (as does upstate NY), sweet little towns for antiquing, and Philly (more vegan eating) in a couple hours.
S.F.--let me just say this, they have a vegan ice cream shop (Maggie Mudds)--this alone is almost enough for me to visit. There is also the fact that it is magical and Oz-like with unbelievable city hikes, mystery behind every corner, and so much food.
Toronto--They have a shoe museum...amazing food and Niagra Falls is just down the road. If you like cities that friendly, easy to navigate, and tons of food and culture I highly recommend it.
Hope these help!