Muskoka Cottage Country, Ontario, Canada |
Photograph by Randy Craig, Getty Images
Well, If you planning to visit some place to enjoy with family or friends or alone then here are the best places picked by National Geographic where you can enjoy your trip with full of fun and Natural beauty.
1. Muskoka Cottage Country, Ontario, Canada
Photograph by Randy Craig, Getty
Images
In Eastern Canada, “cottage country” covers any lake
destination within easy driving distance for a quick weekend getaway. Central
Ontario’s Muskoka districtis close
to Toronto—about two hours north via Highways 400
and 11—while still offering an unplugged pace that’s a world away from Canada’s
largest city.
The 2,500-square-mile natural playground includes 8,699 miles of shoreline; 17 historic towns and villages; and countless waterfalls and lakes bordered by the granite peaks of Algonquin Provincial Park to the east and the 30,000 islands ofGeorgian Bay Islands National Park to the west. Spend the day paddleboarding on Muskoka Lake or exploring the Riverwalk and shops of Canada’s waterfall capital, Bracebridge. For an old-school family vacation, head north to Peninsula Lake’s Pow-Wow Point Lodge, a 91-year-old, all-inclusive resort featuring simple summer pleasures like campfires, canoeing, and volleyball. Plan an August visit to catch Algonquin Park’s educational Thursday evening wolf howls starring—weather-permitting—the reclusive, inhabitant, four-pawed chorus.
The 2,500-square-mile natural playground includes 8,699 miles of shoreline; 17 historic towns and villages; and countless waterfalls and lakes bordered by the granite peaks of Algonquin Provincial Park to the east and the 30,000 islands ofGeorgian Bay Islands National Park to the west. Spend the day paddleboarding on Muskoka Lake or exploring the Riverwalk and shops of Canada’s waterfall capital, Bracebridge. For an old-school family vacation, head north to Peninsula Lake’s Pow-Wow Point Lodge, a 91-year-old, all-inclusive resort featuring simple summer pleasures like campfires, canoeing, and volleyball. Plan an August visit to catch Algonquin Park’s educational Thursday evening wolf howls starring—weather-permitting—the reclusive, inhabitant, four-pawed chorus.
2. Patagonia, Argentina
Patagonia, Argentina |
Photograph by Michael Truelove
Follow winter to the Southern Andes
to experience cool summer adventures on the world’s highest mountain range
outside of Asia. Mid-June to late September resorts in Argentina's Patagonia region (accessible via direct flights from
Buenos Aries) offer beginner-to-expert downhill terrain; deep, dry powder; open
bowl, glacier and gladed tree skiing; and snowboarding. Patagonia’s
comparatively lower altitudes (3,300 foot-base elevation at Cerro Catedral
versus 7,349 feet at Las Lenas, Argentina’s largest ski area) help first-time
visitors avoid high-altitude sickness. Stay at the Correntoso Lake
& River Hotelto enjoy snowcapped Patagonian Andes and glacial
Lake Nahuel Huapí views, transportation to nearby Cerro Bayo ski resort, and
guided horseback and snowshoe treks through neighboring Nahuel Huapí National
Park. Constructed of local stone and beech, the luxury resort delivers après
ski pampering in its tranquil indoor pool, herbal hamman, and spa. For
double-black diamond skiers, Adventure outfitter Andes Cross customizes
small heli-ski and free-ride backcountry tours in the remote reaches of
northern Patagonia between El Calafate and Bariloche.
3. San Juan Islands, Washington
San Juan Islands, Washington |
Photograph by Phil Schermeister,
National Geographic
Summer in Washington’s San Juan Islands is all about the
weather, whales, and water. The Olympic Peninsula’s rain shadow effect
(basically, the mountains block rain-producing weather systems) produces dry,
clear, comfortable days on the archipelago’s four named islands—San Juan,
Orcas, Lopez, and Shaw. Hike in Lime Kiln Point State Park on the west side of San Juan for
shore-based orca whale watching or join a Sea Quest kayak tour for a porpoise-level view. Ferry hop
to Lopez for leisurely biking, then spend the night on Orcas at Turtleback Farm Inn, a
bucolic working farm bordering the 1,576-acre Turtleback Mountain Preserve. The islands are
accessible via direct 30-to-45-minute flight from Seattle, or choose the
drive-on Washington
State Ferry to travel
along the San Juan Islands Scenic Byway. The route
follows traditional Coast Salish tribal canoe channels via marine highway from
Anacortes to San Juan, then continues as two separate driving tours on San Juan
and Orcas. Ferries are packed in summer, so arrive early and stay patient,
especially on the eastbound ride back to reality.
Minneapolis, Minnesota |
Photograph by Bruce Kluckhohn, Getty
Images
A pedestrian-and-pedal-friendly
downtown and welcoming Midwestern vibe make it easy for first-time visitors to
quickly feel at home in Minneapolis. Snow can fall here from October to
April, so the arrival of warm weather launches a full throttle, June-August
celebration of arts, music, and cultural festivals (check out the Minneapolis Aquatennial,
July 16-24); farmers markets (17); and fan-friendly Minnesota Twins baseball
(played downtown at Target Field—ranked the top sports stadium in North America
by ESPN The
Magazine). Survey the vibrant scene from the new CRAVE
restaurant rooftop
patio near the State Theatre, then grab a bike at the nearest Nice Ride Minnesota kiosk ($5 plus trip fees) and cruise
all or part of the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway, a 50-mile
urban trail loop. With 22 city lakes and the mighty Mississippi, playing on, in
or near the water always is an option. Indoor activities center on the city’s
57 museums and the 4.2 million-square-foot Mall of America housing 520 plus stores and
Nickelodeon Universe, the nation’s largest indoor family theme park.
5. Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska |
Photograph by Alaska Stock
Images/National Geographic
Glacier Bay
National Park and Preserve is
pure Alaska on the rocks. Glaciers cover 27
percent of this 3.2-million-acre marine wilderness, World Heritage site, and
UNESCO Biosphere Preserve, home to humpback whales, harbor porpoises, moose,
black and brown bears, mountain goats, and mountain peaks topping 15,000 feet.
Mid-May to September, cruise past deep fjords, coastal forests, and the main
attractions—seven active tidewater glaciers calving glaciers into the bay.
Though most visitors see the park topside from cruise ships, locally owned park
concessionaire Glacier Bay Sea Kayaks offers
guided and unguided daylong kayak adventures, as well as multi-day rentals for
experienced backcountry campers who want to explore the 700-plus miles of
shoreline. Additional overnight options include Glacier Bay Lodge (the only lodging in the park) and the
adjacent walk-in campground in Bartlett Cove, plus rustic inns, lodges, and
cabins ten miles away in Gustavus, Glacier’s tiny gateway town. Located about
65 miles northwest of Juneau, Glacier Bay National Park is accessible only by
cruise ship, tour boat, or seaplane, or, new for 2011, via the Monday and
Wednesday (May-September) Alaska Marine
Highway System ferry
to Gustavus.
6. Cardiff, Wales
Cardiff, Wales |
Photograph by Keith Morris, Alamy
Historically a city of castles and
coal, Wales’s
capital is emerging as a modern sports-entertainment destination. Summer action
centers on Cardiff Bay, once the world’s largest coal-exporting port, now a
500-acre freshwater lake with eight miles of waterfront. Surrounding
diversions, part of Europe’s largest waterfront development, include shopping
and dining at Mermaid Quay, rafting and
kayaking at Cardiff International White Water, and windsurfing and powerboating
on the bay. Celebrate the August bank holiday weekend (August 27-29) at the Cardiff Harbour
Festival featuring
tall ships, free activities, and, new for 2011, the Breitling Wingwalkers
aerobatic formation team. From Mermaid Quay, take an Aquabus or water taxi up the River Taff or
bike along theTaff Trail to Cardiff’s compact city center.
Signature sites here include the freeNational Museum
Cardiff (closed
Mondays), iconic Cardiff Castle (host of theGrand Medieval
Melee, August 13-14, the 150-store St. David’s (named Global Retail Leisure
International’s 2010 international shopping center of the year), and Millennium
Stadium, site of several London 2012 Olympic Games soccer matches
and the Brit Speedway Grand Prix, June 25.
7. Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden
Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden |
Photograph by Frank Chmura, Alamy
Nearly 25,000 islands—only a thousand
of them inhabited—make up Stockholm’s maritime “garden on the rocks.”
The vast archipelago stretches more than 62 miles from north to south over
emerald waters best explored via kayak, canoe, sailboat, or classic white
ferry. Sweden’s allemansrätt (right of public access to land) makes
it possible to roam freely throughout the verdant inner archipelago and the
rocky outer reaches. In return for being responsible environmental stewards,
travelers can picnic on sandy white beaches, camp on rocky islets, hike in pine
forests, swim in secluded coves, and go ashore on any open space—all under a
cobalt blue sky that, June through early July, doesn’t darken until 10 p.m. The
closest island, Fjäderholmarna, is about a 25-minute ferry ride from the docks
at Slussen, Stockholm’s public transportation hub, where you also can hop an
eco-friendly bus, tram, or metro to connect to archipelago restaurants, museums,
parks, and nature preserves. Lodging options include pastel wooden cottages in
the village of Vaxholm, spartan youth hostels, quaint inns, and chartered
yachts moored at the Royal Swedish Yacht Club’s historic marina in Sandhamn,
site of Sandhamn Race Week, July
2-4.
Azores, Portugal |
Photograph by Günter Gräfenhain, Huber/SIME
A remote location—about a thousand miles west of continental Portugal—has helped limit tourist traffic and development in this unspoiled North Atlantic archipelago. The nine major islands—connected by ferry service in summer, are home to green volcanic mountains, mineral hot springs, hydrangea-covered hills, rambling vineyards, white-washed seaside towns, cobblestone lanes, and traditional Flemish and Moorish windmills. Terceira (“the lilac island”) is known for its weaving tradition and 50 brightly painted imperios (empires), ornate chapels of the Holy Spirit. São Miguel, the biggest island, includes Ponta Delgada (the Azores' largest city), secluded black and white sand beaches, and natural steam vent ovens at Furnas Lake where Portuguese cozido (stew) is cooked in earthen pots buried along the volcanic shoreline. Faial, named “the blue island” for its abundant hydrangeas and blue-trimmed homes, features numerous grottoes, caves, churches, and museums, as well as the bustling Horta marina, a popular stopover point for transatlantic yachtsmen. May to September is the island-wide festival season with numerous religious processions and cultural events celebrating patron saints, the sea, and the local whaling heritage.
9. Roatan, Honduras
Roatan, Honduras |
Photograph by Ivan Pisarenko, Archivolatino/Redux
Located about 30 miles north of the Honduran mainland, this divers’ dream destination is encircled by a living coral reef, extending directly from the shore. The shallow-water, reef eco-system is teeming with tropical marine life, making the underwater pageantry easily accessible to snorkelers and novice divers. No longer a best-kept Caribbean secret, the largest of Honduras’ Bay Islands is working—through the grassroots Roatan Marine Park—to promote sustainable growth by fostering a sense of environmental responsibility among locals and visitors. At the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences, located on the grounds of the all-inclusive Anthony’s Key Resort, guests can participate in government-sanctioned recreational and educational dolphin programs. Options include snorkeling with more than a dozen bottlenose dolphins; unstructured, small-group dolphin dives 60 feet below the surface; and a six-day Dolphin Scuba Camp for kids ages 5-14. For the ultimate Roatan retreat, book an over-the-water, thatched-roof cabana at the secluded Mango Creek Lodge in Port Royal harbor on the island’s less-traveled East End. Spend the morning fishing on the saltwater flats or kayaking through the mangrove canals, then float back to your cabana’s private deck for some afternoon hammock time.
10. Istria, Croatia
Istria, Croatia |
Photograph by Huber/SIME
More than 40 beaches on Istria’s
333-mile coast have earned a coveted Blue
Flag for superior
water quality and environmental management standards. While not as familiar to
North Americans as Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, this densely forested peninsula
at the top right-hand corner of the Adriatic Sea has been a popular summer hot
spot since Austro-Hungarian Empire days. Head west and south for crystalline
blue bays, tranquil coves, and white pebble and sandy shores bordered by
fragrant pines. The Medulin Riviera, located near Istria’s southern tip, offers
49 miles of coastline, plus hilltop medieval villages and ancient ruins to
explore. Just south of Medulin is rugged Cape Kamenjak, an edge-of-the-world nature
reserve featuring sheer 70-foot cliffs, hidden coves, and flat stone
outcroppings nature-made for sunbathing. The current is powerful here, so you
may want to play it safe and watch the windsurfing and cliff-jumping action
from the safety of the rocky shore. Make time to visit the regional capital
Pula, home of the Pula Arena. This remarkably intact first-century Roman
amphitheatre hosts numerous summer concerts and events, including the July
16-23 portion of the 58th Pula Film Festival.
Source and Read More: National Geographic
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