Hey y’all! As I’ve mentioned before, I’m striving to do more travel posts here on Palmettos & Pineapples. A few months ago at the library, I discovered a book called 1000 Places to See in the US and Canada Before You Die, by Patricia Schultz. So I thought it would be fun to look through the author’s list of 1000 places and compile two lists, places I’ve been and places on my bucket list. I’m actually breaking this into two posts. Today I’m sharing the places I’ve been from Patricia Schultz’s list of the top 1000 places in the US and Canada. Then tomorrow I will be back with my bucket list. Note that the book lists many places by tourist attraction rather than just the city.
1. Colonial Williamsburg
This is one of my favorite places to visit. I most recently went three years ago, and will share a full blog post on Colonial Williamsburg in the future!
2. Holocaust Museum (Washington DC)
I visited the Holocaust Museum when I went with my class in the 4th grade. We had specific kid-appropriate exhibits our teacher directed us to, like Daniel’s Story. I would love to go back as an adult and get the full experience.
3. National Air & Space Museum
I also visited this museum on my 4th grade trip, but don’t remember a ton of specifics.
4. National Mall
Another site from my 4th grade trip. I remember seeing the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and Vietnam Veterans War Memorial. I’m pretty sure we saw the Jefferson Memorial too.
5. National Museum of Natural History
Once again, I don’t remember a ton of specifics, but I know that I visited this museum on that same 4th grade trip.
6. National Museum of American History
I’ve always loved history, and this was definitely my favorite of the Washington DC museums I visited on my 4th grade trip. I would love to go back someday, since 4th grade was quite awhile ago. Exhibits that I remember most vividly are the ruby slippers Judy Garland wore in The Wizard of Oz, and Woolworth’s lunch counter from the Greensboro Sit-In.
7. National Zoo
The National Zoo was the highlight of my 4th grade trip to Washington DC, and it would still be the highlight of a trip there today. If you’ve been following me for awhile, then you know I love pandas, and the National Zoo is one of the few zoos in the US where you can see a panda. Although the panda I saw on my trip has passed away, there’s still one you can see today.
8.Sea World in Orlando
Sea World is the only non-Disney park in Orlando that I’ve visited, and it’s been over 20 years. My most vivid memory might actually be eating a Shamu ice cream bar.
9. Walt Disney World
I know this comes as a shocker, haha. Although I don’t go to Disney World anywhere near as frequently as an Orlando local or annual pass holder, I’ve still been more times than the average person. You can view my previous blog posts about Disney World here.
10. Savannah Historic District
I went to Savannah with my Girl Scout troop back in the 6th grade. We visited the Juliette Gordon Lowe House. (She’s the founder of Girl Scouts in case you’re unfamiliar). In addition, we explored River Street, and went on a Ghost Tour one night. I still vividly remember the huge Savannah’s Candy Kitchen store on River Street, haha. Savannah is actually at the top of my list of previously visited places I want to visit again soon. For one thing, it’s been over twenty years since that trip (giving away my age a bit here). Secondly, our Girl Scout troop stayed in a sketchy motel about 10-15 minutes from downtown. I wasn’t as perceptive about things like that back then, but my mom cringes every time I mention the Master’s Economy Inn. Ha! For my next trip, I would love to stay at a hotel in the heart of the historic district, and eat breakfast somewhere other than Denny’s.
11. Tybee Island
Tybee Island is a beach a short drive away from Savannah, and my Girl Scout troop also visited here. We didn’t make an entire day out of it, but we did walk on the beach and see the lighthouse.
12. Asheville, NC
I went to Asheville about three and a half years ago for a friend’s bachelorette weekend. We stayed in an Airbnb cabin about 10-15 minutes away from downtown Asheville. One evening we went downtown for dinner and drinks, then another afternoon we went shopping at Biltmore Village.
13. North Carolina Cape Fear Coast
The NC Cape Fear Coast includes Wrightsville Beach, which I’ve been to several times with my bestie. I’m actually headed back there in a couple weeks, and will put together a Wrightsville Beach travel guide sometime after that trip.
14. Chapel Hill, NC
(Photo by Amelia Cassar Photography)
It’s fun to see local places on the list of 1000 places to see before you die! However, growing up in a family full of UNC fans, I visited Chapel Hill many times even before I lived 15 minutes away! My favorite things to do in Chapel Hill are go to UNC sporting events, walk around campus, enjoy the shops and restaurants on Franklin Street, and have tea at the Carolina Inn.
15. Duke
Duke University is another local place on this list. Despite my intense disdain for Duke Blue Devils athletics, Duke’s campus does feature the beautiful Duke Gardens. The Washington Duke Inn, another one of my favorite places to enjoy high tea, is right at the edge of Duke’s campus.
16. North Carolina Outer Banks
The Outer Banks of North Carolina are a group of barrier islands that comprise approximately the northern half of the NC coast. They are further away from the mainland than your typical beach island, and some of them are only accessible by ferry. When I was in high school, my family took a trip one spring break where we visited most of the Outer Banks islands and saw the different lighthouses. These islands are really beautiful and I definitely recommend going at least once. However, they require significantly longer travel time from the Raleigh/Durham area than the beaches on the southern half of North Carolina’s coast. Therefore, if you’re just looking for a generic beach vacation they probably aren’t your best bet.
17. Pinehurst, NC
Pinehurst is a town in the Sandhills region of North Carolina that is a well-known golf resort destination. The US Open golf tournament periodically comes to Pinehurst. Back in 1999, I went to a US Open practice round at Pinehurst No. 2 with my family and a good friend’s family.
18. Old Salem
Old Salem is an historical attraction in Winston-Salem, NC that pays tribute to the Moravian settlement of Salem. I haven’t been to Old Salem since an 8th grade field trip, and would love to go back soon!
19. Heart of Charleston
Charleston, SC is one of my absolute favorite places, and I don’t get to go nearly often enough. There’s so many things to see in Charleston, but I love to just stroll around downtown with no agenda. It’s absolutely gorgeous and full of Southern charm. I will share a travel diary with snapshots of Charleston in a future post.
20. Lowcountry Cuisine
“Lowcountry Cuisine” was actually one of the Charleston-specific attractions listed in the 1000 Places to Visit in the US & Canada Before You Die book. Although I haven’t been to any of the particular restaurants the book mentioned, I am still counting this as an attraction I’ve experienced. During my cousin’s bachelorette weekend in Charleston back in 2011, we ate at Virginia’s on King and Poogan’s Porch, which are both well-known area restaurants. My most recent trip to Charleston was actually in fall 2016, but it consisted of about a two-hour stroll around downtown, so I didn’t eat anywhere.
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I hope that y’all enjoyed this post! I’ve only been to two percent of the places on Patricia Schultz’s 1000 Places to Visit in the US & Canada Before You Die. However, I have many more place from her list of 1000 on my bucket list, which I will share in my next post! Have you been to any of the 20 places I’ve mentioned in this post? Also, are there any of these places I mentioned that you haven’t been to that are on your bucket list?
Also, there are a few places I’ve been to that did not make Patricia Schultz’s list of 1000. I would also include the following on my list of places to see before you die: Greenville, SC; Clemson, SC; and Emerald Isle, NC.
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-xoxo Liz
