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19 places to get utterly lost

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written by Keith Drew

updated 15.09.2021

One of the great joys of travelling is stumbling across unexpected places, wandering without a single destination in mind and embracing the journey. These places are perfect for just that – so abandon the map, leave the sat nav behind and let the road take you where it will.

1. The Mercato, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

2. the hermitage, st petersburg, russia, 3. bock casemates, luxembourg city, luxembourg, 4. knossos, crete, greece, 5. the grand bazaar, istanbul, turkey, 6. kolmanskop, namibia, 7. old delhi, india.

• 8. The Moscow metro, Russia

9. Shinsegae Centum City, Busan, South Korea

10. the temples of angkor, cambodia, 11. fez el bali, fez, morocco, 12. kumbh mela festival, allahabad, india, 13. palace of parliament, bucharest, romania.

• 14. Beijing's hutongs, China

15. Bukchon Hanok Village, Seoul, South Korea

16. the smithsonian, washington dc, usa, 17. convento dei cappuccini, palermo, italy, 18. islamic cairo, egypt, 19. mumbai train station, india.

Crowded, cramped and rough around the edges, the Mercato covers several square miles of Ethiopia’s capital city. Reputedly the busiest market in Africa , it’s a fascinating place to explore, with traders peddling their wares out of corrugated-iron shacks amidst a fug of incense, coffee and cow dung. This is very much a market for locals, with sections selling grain, vegetables, tyres and used white goods, but you can still pick up an interesting piece of jewellery or other tourist trinkets if you wish.

The Hermitage quite simply has the largest collection of paintings in the world, and is set in one of the most beautiful buildings in Russia: the Winter Palace, an opulent Baroque confection that served as the official residence of the tsars until the revolution of 1917. The museum contains more than three million treasures and works of art, from ancient Scythian gold to paintings by Picasso, only a fraction of which are on display at any one time.

Part of Luxembourg City’s impressive series of fortifications, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994, the dark, dank Bock Casemates were carved out of a sandstone promontory overlooking the Alzette valley in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The extraordinary complex of underground passages and galleries ran for 23km (17km still remain), and at one time housed a 1200-strong garrison, along with bakeries, kitchens, stables and the like.

You won’t be the first person to get lost at the Palace of Knossos. Many of the visitors that wander amongst the courtyards, storerooms and royal apartments that made up the largest Minoan palace in Crete are tempted here by the legend of its labyrinth, and of the Minotaur, the creature it was built to contain. Whilst there’s no sign of the labyrinth today, you can still peer into some of the palace’s remaining rooms, which once numbered a thousand.

The world’s largest covered market, Istanbul’s suitably named Grand Bazaar has been trading goods on the same spot in historic Sultanahmet for more than 550 years. Browsing is an endurance sport here, all the more so given the enthusiastic sales techniques on display, and with more than 4000 shops crammed under one roof, you’ll need to pick your battles – try bartering with the shoe-sellers on Kavaflar Sokak or the gold merchants on Kalpakçilar Başı, or the carpet-sellers everywhere in between.

Stand in the middle of the old town hall in Kolmanskop and you’ll find yourself knee-deep in sand. Kolmanskop sprung up when diamonds where discovered here in the early 1900s – but it faded just as quickly once the gems petered out, and it was abandoned to the mercy of the desert in the mid-1950s. Today, it’s an eerie ghost town, its once-grand buildings – including a ballroom, theatre and casino – slowly succumbing to the encroaching dunes.

Founded in 1638 as the capital of Mughal India, Shahjahanabad (or Old Delhi) is the most intense and downright chaotic area of the city. Delhi is home to nearly 17 million people, and at times it can feel like most of them are jostling along Chandi Chowk, the heaving main thoroughfare, or in the surrounding warren of streets, where rickshaws and handcarts hurry between bazaars selling everything from spices to wedding garlands to car parts.

8. The Moscow metro , Russia

Perhaps only in Moscow can a lengthy trip on the underground become a journey of artistic beauty. The system was designed in the 1930s to showcase the glories of Mother Russia, and many of the first few lines to open employed the most renowned Soviet architects of their time. There are 195 stations to wander, neck craned, gawping at decor ranging from High Stalinist opulence (think red marble, gold-encrusted mosaics and bronze lamps) to the utilitarianism that defined 1970s USSR.

/Shutterstock

Shinsegae Centum City is officially the largest shopping complex in the world – they’ve even got a certificate from the Guinness Book of World Records to prove it. This is three million square feet of retail therapy, with over 425 shops filling sixteen floors. Plus there’s a food market, an art gallery, an ice rink, a three-floor spa, a multiplex cinema, a gym, a roof garden and the world’s largest indoor driving range, of course.

© Shutterstock

The biggest archaeological site on earth, the temples of Angkor are scattered over some four hundred square kilometres of countryside in northwest Cambodia. For six hundred years from the early ninth century, successive Angkorian kings constructed their royal cities and state temples here – the magnificent Angkor Wat is just the most famous of myriad monuments, among them the ancient walled city of Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm, its crumbling ruins engulfed in a tangle of creepers and strangler figs.

The extraordinary Medina of Fez el Bali is an addictive maze of blind alleys and dead-end lanes. You can follow Talâa Kebira, the main thoroughfare, down into its bowels, past goods-laden donkeys and ancient fondouks selling olive oils and a dozen types of honey. Metalworkers hammer away at immense copper cauldrons on Place Seffarine, brightly coloured yarns dry in the heat on Souk Sabbaghine, and workers toil knee-deep in the honeycomb of vats that make up the tanneries Chouwara.

The largest religious gathering on earth, Kumbh Mela takes place every three years, alternating between Allahabad, Haridwar, Nasik and Ujjain. The cities are auspicious with Hindus thanks to their location at the confluence of holy rivers, and a staggering nineteen million pilgrims attended the last Maha ("Great") Kumbh Mela in Allahabad in 2013, when the surrounding floodplains were turned into a vast tent city and legions of naked sadhus, their bodies covered in ash, plunged into the waters each morning.

If ever a building defined its builder, then the Palace of Parliament is it. The enormous centrepiece of Bucharest’s Centru Civic was constructed in the 1980s for Nicolae Ceauşescu, Romania’s Communist dictator, and is regarded as the concrete zenith of his megalomania. Allegedly the second-largest administrative building in the world (after the Pentagon), the "Madman’s House", as it was once popularly known, has well over a thousand rooms and took some seven hundred architects to put together.

14. Beijing's hutongs, China

North of The Forbidden City , the labyrinth of twisting grey alleyways and half-hidden courtyards that surround Houhai Lake make up the last major hutong district in Beijing. Once the home of princes, dukes and monks, these ancient backstreets are being torn down to make way for modern housing. For now, though, workers still scurry around on rusty bicycles and old men sit quietly in the shade, attending their caged birds, in what has become an ever-dwindling outpost of traditional Beijing.

It’s strange to think that at the heart of one of the most densely populated places on the planet, just a stone’s throw away from the gleaming high-rises of bustling Insadong , there’s a quiet neighbourhood of traditional wooden houses, where locals chatter in tearooms and children play in the sloping streets. These charming hanokjip (literally, "Korean House") hark back to a time when every home in Seoul had paper walls and was crowned with an elegantly tiled wing-tipped rooftop.

Bukchon Hanok Village, Seul South Korea © nami chwang/Shutterstock

The supersized collection of big-hitting museums and research facilities that constitute the Smithsonian spreads across a large swathe of Downtown D.C. The complex’s collection is so mind-bogglingly vast that if you were to spend a minute looking at every object on display, it would take you a hundred years to see everything – and that’s without stopping to sleep.

Warning: this is not one for the faint-hearted. Lining the catacombs deep beneath Palermo’s Convento dei Cappuccini, on the outskirts of the Sicilian capital, are the gruesomely preserved bodies of some eight thousand Palermitans, each one occupying its own niche within the jagged stone walls. The deceased were interred here up until the early 1880s, row upon row of them, dressed in their finest and suspended ad infinitum in some sort of grotesque waiting room for the afterlife.

BLITZ MC/Shutterstock

The medieval city at the heart of Cairo is a tangled web of narrow lanes, towering mosques and aromatic bazaars. Enter the warren at Khan al-Khalili, packed with goldsmiths, spice vendors and traders hawking incense, then burrow your way south to the Citadel, a hilltop bastion with majestic views over the district’s minaret-studded skyline.

At 8.30am at Churchgate Terminus, Mumbai, rush hour is in full swing. The trains pulling into platforms are swollen with suburban commuters, many of them carrying up to 3000 more people than they were designed to. When two trains empty onto a platform at the same time, disgorging their passengers in an explosion of colour, you need to stand still, take a deep breath and remember that there’s only another hour and half to go until things start to quieten down a little.

A former Rough Guides Managing Editor, Keith Drew has written or updated over a dozen Rough Guides, including Costa Rica, Japan and Morocco. As well as writing for The Telegraph, The Guardian and BRITAIN Magazine, among others, he also runs family-travel website Lijoma.com. Follow him @keithdrewtravel on Twitter and @BigTrips4LittleTravellers on Instagram.

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What to Do When You Get Lost?

Whether you are just starting out traveling or you are a seasoned pro, getting lost while traveling can be scary. Sometimes though, getting lost is the best thing that can happen, because you end up discovering something incredible that you otherwise would not have seen. Regardless of whether getting lost gets your heart racing in a good or a bad way, better to have a plan for when things don’t go as planned, just in case and so that you can prevent getting lost somewhere you maybe shouldn’t be. In this section of Backpacker 101, we give you some tips to prevent getting lost in the first place, as well as what to do when you are lost.

What’s in this Guide

1. Avoid getting lost 2. Staying Calm 3. Check your mobile device 4. Retrace your steps

5. Ask a hotel 6. Look for a landmark 7. Be discreet 8. Hop on public transport

1. Avoid getting lost

The best way to make sure that you don’t end up somewhere you really don’t want to be is by preparing in advance. If you will have a mobile device with you, download a reliable navigation app or two. See our write-up on Navigation for our recommendations for top apps.

Remember, however, that there may be times when your device won’t be functioning properly. Either the battery dies, the satellite connection is down, or maybe you just aren’t in the kind of place that you should whip out a phone. Whatever the reason, it is a good idea to be prepared with some sort of non-electronic version of directions. Take a minute to look at the directions before you leave your origin. Take a few notes to carry along, so you can jog your memory a bit and stay on track.

One great idea is to print out a map of the area you are in before you even leave for your trip, or when the opportunity arises, so you can carry it around with you and mark important places or routes. Before you leave your accommodation, have reception mark the place on your map, so you always know where it is and carry the address with you, either on a business card or written down somewhere. This is probably the most important thing you need to have in your pocket when you set out.

Finally, and this goes to a point we mention below, be prepared with some local cash in your pocket, in case you need to grab a taxi or a bus. Don’t just carry your card or money from home around with you, make sure you always have a reasonable amount of local currency as well.

2. Staying Calm

So, you prepared yourself as best you could, but you somehow still find yourself walking around in circles or totally unable to identify where you are on a map. What do you do now? The first thing to do is not panic. Remember that there are often many good sides to getting lost! If that doesn’t calm you, you should still take a deep breath, because there are ways to fix the situation. We have you covered with a list of options below.

First and foremost, stop wandering, unless you are enjoying being lost! Continuing to move can often time only exaggerate the problem. Find a good place to go off to the side and take a second to collect your thoughts.

3. Check your mobile device

If you have a functioning mobile device, put the apps you downloaded to work and plug in your desired address. This is by far the easiest way to get yourself un-lost! These apps will show you the exact route to take to get back on track and can usually talk you through it, so you don’t feel so alone!

4. Retrace your steps

The first thing to do if you don’t have an electronic device or it isn’t a great place to be using a flashy device is to try to retrace your steps. Look around and see if you recognize anything that jogs your memory about where you came from. If one thing looks familiar, go towards it. When there, try to find another familiar object or building and continue towards it and so on and so on until you make your way to a more familiar area.

5. Ask a hotel

Can’t recognize anything familiar or are you second-guessing yourself? One of the best options, if you are totally lost, is to find a hotel to go into and ask for directions. The bigger the better, as larger hotels are more likely to have someone who speaks English. Ask the person at the front desk of the hotel for directions. Helping tourists is in their job description and they will likely be more than happy to help and equally as knowledgeable.

This advice can also apply to restaurants, cafes, or other shops, but hotels are most likely to have knowledgeable people behind the desk.

6. Look for a landmark

Particularly in cities, you will often be able to see noticeable landmarks from quite a distance. Find one and then find it on your map. You can usually orient yourself in relation to major landmarks, which, unlike particular addresses or hotels, are certain to be on the map you are carrying around. Even better, if you can get yourself to a major landmark, you are certain to find knowledgeable people who you can ask how to get where you want to go.

7. Be discreet

Especially when in more sketchy areas, it is often best to try to blend in as much as possible. Don’t walk around flashing expensive jewelry or electronics or speaking loudly in a foreign language (foreign to the locals, that is). Do your best to look confident, even if you have no clue where you are going. This is one reason pulling yourself off to the side and taking some time to collect your thoughts, without panicking is important. Once you have thought out a plan, walk with a purpose in following it. Have confidence that you will find where you need to go and you will be more likely to get where you need to be. Don’t draw unnecessary attention to yourself by discussing how you are lost or telling everyone you see that you don’t know where you are going.

8. Hop on public transport

While public transport can often be more confusing than walking, bus drivers, subway employees, and train conductors can be great resources and can point you in the right direction or even take you there. Public transport can also be one of the most fun and “real” experiences you will have in a new country. This is one of the reasons it is a good idea to always have local currency in your pocket or purse.

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6 Simple Tips on How NOT to Get Lost while Traveling

Since I was little, I think I have this ability to get lost and getting back home safely. I don’t know how I did it but it just happened and still happens all the time. Of course, when I was a kid, I had little worries because I was carefree.

As I grew up, anxieties about traveling have grown as well. So, I thought of sharing these six simple tips that could help the lost ones return to their home in no time.

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Table of Contents

1. Always Plan Ahead

It should be an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) when you travel no matter how near or far your destination would be. Planning ahead can save you time and enjoy your travel longer. It can also save you from getting lost on the road. How to do this? You can simply research travel blogs, travel websites, or even read books about the place you’re going to. Use the worldwide web optimally!

2. Bring Maps, GPS Devices, Etc.

When I travel, I always screenshot the “how to get there” part of a blog I’ve researched. It’s just like bringing a map at the palm of your hands. Some people would consider maps to be outdated; nevertheless, it’s one of the most useful tools while traveling. GPS devices are limited, and if you are a DIY and shoestring-budget traveler (like me), these would not be on top of your options. You can choose any of these as your guide as long as it’s convenient for you.

3. Ask for Directions

This never gets old. Asking people for directions is one of the most convenient things to do when you’re lost. And the best people to ask are the locals because they know the place very well. They could even tell you the shortcuts and the best spots in town! Bumping to other travelers is inevitable. Use the situation to ask for directions and make new friends as well. Who knows? You might have an instant travel buddy along the way! They might also share their discoveries with you. Make sure to be polite when asking for directions and use your charm if necessary. *wink* Also, it is okay to have little trust issues. Pick the right person to ask.

4. Be a Keen Observer

Most travelers should possess this kind of trait. Observe your surroundings carefully not only for security reasons but also for navigation. When I travel to unfamiliar places, I read all the signs there could ever be just to know where I am. If you’re traveling to a city, I suggest you check for banks because they state their branch location. When you’re traveling to a province, check on establishments like grocery stores and hardware shops. They provide their address on their shop signs. Road signs are the best to check on because they tell you where you are and how far you are from your destination. These can save some of your worries.

5. Use your Common Sense

Always, always, always a must for travelers. This should not be out of your options. Need I say more?

6. Use your Photographic Memory

Sometimes, we travel to the same province but different town. When you know you have traveled that road before, try to recall all the landmarks you used to pass by or the scenes that you saw when you traveled that road. Photographic memory is one skill that could help you get through your journey. So the next time you travel, make sure to capture those landmarks and store it in your memory bank. This could save you from being a castaway in the future.

As for me, these tips have become rules for myself when I travel anywhere especially to unfamiliar places. I know a lot of you have done all of these during your travels, but some still forget the significance of each tip. So the next time you get lost , don’t fret and follow these simple tips. But when all else fails, getting lost is always an extraordinary experience. You’ll never know what you might discover on those less-traveled roads.

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4 thoughts on “ 6 Simple Tips on How NOT to Get Lost while Traveling ”

Actually, the 5th one is not a tip. It’s a thing we all know to do.It was kinda offending. Rest all were fine. Thanks!

You should be a little kinder. Your last two tips were very rude.”Use your Common Sense”.That is a very rude way to address to your viewers.You could have written it in a different way also.Reading it changes the whole view of how we look at this website or how we have an image on the writer.

It is good for the parents whose children are often carefree.

All great advice. The worst is getting lost in city or town traffic when you’re also trying to drive on the “wrong” side of the road. (Make sure to rent/hire a car with a hinged side view mirror.) Even if you can afford to use a GPS device or app on a phone, GPS is not always available. We were frequently lost in rural Ireland and often there was no GPS signal. For that particular trip I had purchased a comprehensive road atlas at the airport, but out in the countryside, there are little, unlabeled roads. That’s when your suggestion to ask locals comes into play—although admittedly, at times, the only “locals” around were sheep.

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Discover Turkey’s Lesser-Known Gems For The Adventurer

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How to Get Lost On Purpose

Five tips to help you on your way.

It happens to the best of us. We finally get a chance to explore the world, find a deal, book a trip—and end up in the same places as every other traveler.

It’s what happens when you stay where TripAdvisor tells you, eat where UrbanSpoon recommends, and Yelp your way through a vacation—just like everyone else.

Sure, you could go to Paris and never climb the Eiffel Tower, but with so little time off to play with, it’s a chance many of us aren’t willing to take. And suddenly you’re visiting a checklist instead of a place.

Make no mistake: There’s nothing wrong with wanting to see the wonders of the world or the UNESCO designated sites, but they aren’t the only reason to travel.

For every city you’ve heard about, there’s another waiting for you to discover it; but in a sea full of travel deals and Must-See lists, it can be difficult to discover the smaller destination fish.

So how do you find those spots that will wow you without risking a vacation where you come back disappointed? You prepare yourself to get lost.

1. Ask the neighbors.

I’ll never forget the afternoon I spent chatting with a couple in the lobby of a hotel in Jordan . They were explaining to me that as wonderful as Jordan was, we should really see Beirut , on the Mediterranean coast. “It’s just next door!” they urged.

The Lebanese capital had never been on my list—and is far from a guidebook staple—but suddenly I realized how easy it would’ve been to add it.

For every Rome, there’s a Mantua . Instead of creating a checklist based on the places that have received the most attention, seek out the destinations that seem to have been missed.

Look for the other side of the story that has already been told; it’s always there.

2. Ditch the GPS.

Your phone’s mapping apps are precise locating tools. Their job is to show you the quickest way to get from point A to point B.

Travel should never just be about “getting there.” Look at a paper map, read up on the neighborhoods—and how they relate to one another—in the destination you’re visiting, or simply chat up your hotel concierge for recommendations.

Is there a route that takes you through a bustling market, or along a quiet shore?

Give yourself permission to wander intentionally off-course.

3. Talk to strangers.

In this age where information is only a tweet away, there’s no reason to cross any destination off your list prematurely.

Find a hashtag that pinpoints your area of interest and ask away. Your fellow travelers will tell you where to go outside of Toronto. They’ll be happy to recommend a home stay in Croatia, or a guide they know well in Beijing.

Ask where the locals go for vacation, and the answers may surprise you. You’ll score insider information and the chance to create memories that aren’t formulaic or rote.

A train, subway, or city bus will work, too.

• Nat Geo Expeditions

You can head straight to London’s theater district, or you can opt to get off the Tube a few stops early and explore a high street that holds its own set of memorable experiences and characters.

There is no better way to get to know some of the local vernacular then to blend in on a city commute.

5. Be open to the journey.

Not everything about getting lost will make you comfortable. That’s part of the reason you should do it.

This isn’t about being reckless or unsafe, it’s about choosing a path that isn’t so popular that it has lost its allure. This is about embracing the true idea of travel: To explore.

It can be spontaneous or it can be well planned. The key is to open yourself up to the possibility—and intention—of doing things differently.

It will only take one experience of traveling in this way to transform you. The stories and photos you’ll go home with will spur you forward to take the road less traveled again and again.

Heather Greenwood Davis is Nat Geo Travel’s resident family travel advocate, guru, and soothsayer. Follow her on Twitter @GreenwoodDavis and on Instagram @heathergd .

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What to do if you lose your passport while traveling internationally

When I studied abroad in college, my mother told me to take a photo of my passport to keep on hand in case I somehow lost my passport.

More than 10 years later, I still don't understand why I was given that instruction since photocopied passports don't serve as substitutes or makeshift passports, even in times of crisis.

Even so, the U.S. Department of State does recommend travelers copy all their relevant travel documents, including passports, which we will get to later.

Luckily for both me and my mom, I managed to keep my passport and all my belongings during my time abroad, but that wasn't the case for some of my classmates.

Situations like losing your passport while traveling internationally arise for many Americans. Sometimes, you just drop or misplace it; other times, you may find yourself the victim of theft.

As you can imagine, losing your passport while overseas creates quite a pickle, and I would argue it is one of the worst-case travel scenarios. Should you find yourself in this most unfortunate situation (which we hope you never do), here's what you need to know.

Where do I go to replace my passport?

This may seem like a no-brainer, but you cannot enter the U.S. by air, land or sea without a passport. Specifically, you need a passport book if flying or a passport card if entering via land or sea.

If you misplace your passport while abroad, you must replace it before returning to the U.S. This will require contacting the closest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for help.

"We encourage travelers to keep the contact details for the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate on hand when abroad," a State Department spokesperson said via email. "The Department can assist you if you lose your passport or it is stolen."

Additionally, the agency encourages travelers to report the loss or theft of their U.S. passport to their current destination's local police.

"However, don't spend time obtaining a police report if doing so will cause you to miss a flight or delay your travel unreasonably," the State Department spokesperson said.

Though you may be stuck beyond your originally planned departure, the agency will do everything it can to assist with getting you a replacement passport in time.

"If you are scheduled to leave the foreign country shortly, please provide our consular staff with the details of your travel," the State Department spokesperson said. "We will make every effort to assist you quickly."

Know, though, that most embassies and consulates cannot issue passports on weekends or holidays.

"In most cases, except for serious emergencies, a replacement passport will not be issued until the next business day," the State Department spokesperson said.

What do I need to apply for a replacement passport?

As outlined online, travelers need at least six items to apply for a replacement passport, specifically:

• A passport photo (one photo is required, and the agency recommends getting it in advance to speed up the process)
• Identification (i.e., a driver's license, an expired passport, etc.)
• Evidence of U.S. citizenship (such as a birth certificate or a photocopy of your missing passport)
• Travel itinerary (like airline or train tickets)
• Police report (if applicable)
• Completed DS-11 application (may also be completed at the time of application)
• Completed DS-64 statement form describing the circumstances under which the passport was lost or stolen (may also be completed at the time of application)

How much does a replacement passport cost?

The same fees associated with obtaining a non-emergency passport apply to replacement passports. You can expect to pay $130 for a passport book and $30 for a limited-use passport card.

Though replacement passports are usually valid for 10 years for adults and five years for minors, there are limited-validity emergency passports that can be produced quicker for travelers so they can return home to the U.S. or continue with their travels.

"Once you return home, you can turn in your emergency passport and receive a full-validity passport," the State Department spokesperson said.

Is it helpful to have a photocopy of my passport?

My mother's comment all those years ago evidently stemmed from the State Department's recommendation to copy your relevant travel documents, including passports.

"Leave one copy with a trusted friend or relative and carry the other separately from your original documents," the State Department advises. "Also, take a photograph of your travel documents with your phone to have an electronic copy."

This copy can also serve as evidence of your U.S. citizenship, which is necessary to replace a missing passport.

If you want to help a friend or family member abroad who has lost their passport, you can call the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at 888-407-4747, which can connect the passport holder with the relevant embassy or consulate.

Bottom line

If you lose your passport abroad, all hope is not lost, but it's in your best interest to locate the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate ASAP, as all travelers must obtain a replacement passport in person.

These passports serve travelers in all the same ways as a normal passport, though they may not have the same length of validity.

For more frequently asked questions on obtaining a replacement passport, visit the State Department website .

Related reading:

• Where can I cruise without a passport?
• Guide to the 6-month passport rule — what is it?
• 4 best places to travel without a passport from the US
• Here are 15 places you need a visa to travel with an American passport
• Guide to getting your child's passport
• How the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program could help you on your next trip abroad

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How to Replace a Lost or Stolen Passport When You're Abroad

Discovering your passport is missing while you're traveling can be one of the most gut-wrenching moments you'll have on the road. One minute, you're enjoying your time abroad. The next, you're rummaging through your bag and racking your brain, praying you've just forgotten where you put it. Before you panic, try to remember that you aren't the first person to lose a passport while you're traveling, and you certainly won't be the last.

As a U.S. citizen, replacing your passport should be a relatively similar process globally. Follow these guidelines to replace your passport in most countries.

Report the Incident

Hopefully, any incident involving a lost or stolen passport doesn't involve a serious or harmful crime beyond theft. But no matter the severity of the crime, or even if you just misplaced your passport, it's important to report the loss so that your passport can be suspended. If at all possible, contact the local authorities to obtain a police report documenting the lost or stolen passport.

While a police report is not required to replace your passport, it can help to confirm the circumstances surrounding the missing document and expedite the replacement process. You can also use this report when making a claim through your international travel insurance policy if the incident caused you to miss your return flight or another leg of your trip.

Contact the Nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate

To obtain a replacement passport, which you must have before you can return to the U.S., visit an official U.S. government office in the country you're visiting. To find the nearest office, visit the U.S. Department of State website , which has a complete listing of each embassy and consular office around the world. You or one of your contacts in the U.S. can also call the Office of Overseas Citizens Services (the website lists both a domestic and international number).

Once you've located the nearest office, you'll need to make an appointment to visit the office in person. Employees at this office will be able to help you obtain the appropriate documentation and begin the process of applying for a replacement passport.

What You'll Need When You Go

When you arrive at the local embassy or consular office (usually open during normal business hours), you will likely receive detailed directions as to the forms you need to fill out. These forms include the DS-64 to report a lost or stolen passport (this is where a police report may come in handy to confirm the incident) and the DS-11 to apply for a replacement. These forms are available at the office and can be completed on site, but you can also access a copy on the U.S. Department of State website.

You will also need identification forms and details about your travel plans to obtain a replacement passport. The more information you can provide, the faster the process can begin. Plan to bring a photo ID and proof of U.S. Citizenship (a copy of the missing passport if you have one or a birth certificate) to your appointment.

If your travel plans require an urgent replacement, be sure to bring documentation of your scheduled flights or train tickets. You may be able to obtain an expedited limited-validity passport (you will need to replace this temporary passport once you return to the U.S.) if you have immediate plans to leave the country where your passport was lost or stolen.

A full-validity passport may take a bit more time to receive, but these passports are valid for a full ten years, so this option should be used in any case that is not an emergency. In either case, you'll need a passport-size photo. If you can't obtain this on-site, you'll be directed to place nearby where you can obtain an appropriate photo.

Preparing for These Situations in Advance

Remember, no trip ever goes completely as planned. There are always bumps in the road. Some, like losing your passport, are bigger than others. Being prepared for these incidents can help you to recover quickly and get back to the fun part of traveling.

To avoid theft, it's best to leave your passport in a safe place while you're out and about (e.g., in a safe at the hotel where you're staying). Of course, you will have to have your passport on your person in transit. In these situations, always keep your passport in the same safe place--a zipped interior pocket in your purse or personal item--so you can always double check that it's there as you move from one place to the next.

In case an emergency does arise, always travel with a copy of your passport (tuck a paper copy into your luggage or save a copy to Google docs or Dropbox so you can access it from any device) and leave a copy with a contact at home (friend, family or even your travel agent). The copy can't serve in any official capacity, but it will help when it comes to replacing your passport, as the DS-64 form requires you to provide your passport number.

If you have specific questions about filing a report for a missing passport and obtaining a replacement, visit the U.S. Department of State website for answers to frequently asked questions on the topic.

Choosing the right Allianz Travel Insurance plan is a great first step to protecting yourself while you travel. Your Allianz Travel Policy includes access to help from travel professionals on the Allianz Assistance team who can facilitate communication with the proper channels and help you to replace your passport as quickly as possible.

Related Articles

• Guide to Applying for U.S. Passports
• How to Hide Money and Valuables While Traveling
• Travel Insurance 101: How Travel Insurance Works

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Lost Your Passport? Here’s How to Get a New One Quickly

We’ve broken down the stressful process with the steps to take, forms to fill out, and other important reminders..

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Whether you’ve misplaced your passport while at home or on the road, these are the forms, processes, and resources you’ll need.

Photo by Rachaphak/Shutterstock

Losing your passport is a frightening and confusing experience. Whether you can’t locate that all-important blue book at home or have misplaced it while traveling in another country, the one consolation is that it’s possible to get another one quickly. And, speaking from personal experience, the process of replacing a lost passport can be inconvenient and stressful, but it works. Here’s what to do if you lose your passport.

Report your passport lost or stolen

The first thing you should do is report your lost or stolen passport so that it can be canceled. You can do this online, via phone, or by mail. Your passport is no longer valid as soon as it’s been reported lost or stolen, so canceling it online or by phone are the best options to prevent anyone else from using your passport immediately.

If you’re in the U.S.

Next, follow the standard application forms to apply for a new passport. If you’re in the United States, you’ll need to use Form DS-11 , which is specific to missing passports. This must be done in person at a passport acceptance facility (including some post offices), where documents are processed and then mailed to a passport office. You can make an appointment online, but if you have travel plans within three weeks, it is better to go to a passport agency , which can handle the application on the spot or at least within a few days.

If you’re in a foreign country

You’re going to need to visit the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, which might may require travel to a different city within that country (they’re typically in the capital or largest cities). There you’ll have to apply for and receive a new passport before you can return to the United States. You might be able to use a passport card if you’re entering by land from Canada and Mexico, but once you cancel your passport, your passport card will become invalidated, too.

When visiting the embassy, bring:

• a passport photo
• another form of government-issued identification (like a driver’s license)
• proof of U.S. citizenship (like a photocopy of your passport)
• your travel itinerary

Since this process will get delayed even further if you’ve also lost your government-issued identification, we recommend keeping photocopies of your documents somewhere else you access, such as on your phone or in your Google Drive.

Two forms must be completed for an in-person application overseas: DS-11 and DS-64 . One of the forms includes a statement on the circumstances of how and where you lost your passport. If you believe your passport was stolen, it is helpful (although not necessary) to file a police report.

Replacement passports can be issued within a day or two if needed, but only during business hours (weekends and holidays may add extra wait time).

If you’re somewhere with an entry or exit visa

Make sure to consider any necessary visas that some countries require for entry and exit. Because they were issued in conjunction with the original passport, they will need to be reapplied for, which can add extra time and cost. You will need the replacement passport before you can apply for any necessary visas.

Important tips to remember when replacing a lost passport

The one upside to losing a passport? You can get a new one quickly.

Photo by Shutterstock

Always have a photo or photocopy of your passport

It’s a smart move to make a copy of your passport (or snap a photo on your phone) and keep it separate from your passport book. It’s not possible to travel using a photocopy (or just your passport number if you have it memorized), but this information can help expedite the passport process for embassy officials if you’re overseas.

You won’t be able to use your original passport if you find it

If you find your original passport but it has already been canceled, it is no longer valid.

Your replacement passport is valid for 10 years—with some exceptions

When your new passport arrives, it should be valid for the standard 10 years unless you have lost your passport once before. In that case, your new one will only be valid for a year—and you won’t be eligible for a full-validity passport for another 10 years (assuming you don’t lose it again in that time period). That means you’ll have to reapply every year for 10 years—good incentive to keep your passport somewhere safe. If you were issued an emergency passport overseas, this may also be limited in validity. This means that within six months, you will have to apply for a new passport again and pay additional passport renewal fees ($130), but that new passport will be valid for the standard 10 years.

You can use your travel insurance to cover the cost of replacing your lost passport

Travel insurance can help cover the associated cost of getting a replacement passport (including flight change fees), but before you fork over for insurance, check to see if the credit card you used to pay for the trip includes similar benefits to reimburse any expenses.

If you have two valid U.S. passports, you can use the second one to get home

If you have two valid U.S. passports ( yes, it’s possible to get a second passport ), you will still need to apply for a new one to get home if you are traveling with only one. If you have both with you, then you can use the second one to get home. If you lose your passport in the United States, you can still use your other passport to travel while you apply for a replacement, because it has a different number.

You don’t need to reapply for Global Entry, but you do need to update your information

If you have Global Entry membership that was tied to your lost passport, you don’t need to reapply for the trusted traveler program. But once you have your new passport, you’ll need to log into the trusted traveler program website and enter your new passport number. The same is true with the Mobile Passport app , which will also require your new passport number.

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How to Replace a Lost or Stolen Passport While Traveling

Carol McPherson

Carol McPherson is an Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @cj_mcpherson.

A member of SmarterTravel since 2019, Carol is an eco-friendly travel enthusiast with a passion for exploring historical sites and trying new things (especially new foods!) She’s lived in Boston and Rome, and hopes to call more cities home in the future.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: “Noise cancelling headphones. I can handle a flight of any length if I have my headphones and a good podcast.”

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Hiking trip in New Zealand."

Travel Motto: “You never know until you try!”

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: “Aisle for long-haul flights, window for short. Does anyone pick middle?”

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You’re packing up your bag after the trip of a lifetime, exhausted and ready to return home when— uh oh. Your passport is missing.

While this sounds like a nightmare scenario, there are measures in place to help you get your documents replaced even when you’re far from home. 

How to Report a Lost or Stolen Passport Abroad

The first step is to report your lost or stolen passport to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Ask to speak with the Consular Section—they will be able to take your report and guide you through the process of obtaining a new passport.

Locating The Nearest Embassy or Consulate

The State Department hosts a directory of U.S. embassies and consulates . Take a screenshot of the address of the embassy closest to your accommodations before your trip in case WiFi is spotty. In a pinch, ask the front desk at your hotel for directions.

What Documents Do You Need to Replace Your Passport?

To replace a lost passport, applicants must fill out a form explaining the loss or theft of the passport (Form DS-64) along with the standard U.S. passport application form (Form DS-11).

Beyond that, the process is the same as a typical renewal application, requiring travelers to submit evidence of U.S. citizenship (and a photocopy), a photo I.D. (and a photocopy), an eligible passport photo, and the required fees.

When Will I Receive My Replacement Passport?

With expedited service (and the accompanying $60 fee), travelers can expect to receive their new passports in two to three weeks. Otherwise, expect a six to eight week wait.

Since most travelers aren’t prepared to add an extra month to their travel plans, embassies and consulates can issue emergency passports——”limited-validity” passports that can be issued as quickly as same-day. Once home, travelers can exchange their emergency passport for a full-validity replacement. 

How to Take Your Own Passport Photo

How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Lost or Stolen Passport?

The standard $130 renewal fee applies when replacing a lost or stolen passport, regardless of whether it is full or limited validity. The fee may be waived in extenuating circumstances, outlined by the State Department as:

• “the applicant is the victim of a serious crime; or
• the applicant is a victim of a disaster;
• and the applicant does not have and cannot reasonably be expected to obtain money to pay the fees before continuing travel.”

In such cases, the fees will be due when the passport holder exchanges their emergency passport.

How to Make Replacing a Lost or Stolen Passport Easier

The best strategy is to prevent the loss in the first place. Always check the safe in your hotel room before checking out or airplane seatback pockets before disembarking to ensure no crucial items are left behind. Invest in an anti-theft bag, like this one from Pacsafe, for extra security.

If the worst-case scenario arises, it helps to prepare ahead of time. Bring along photocopies of your important documents, including your original passport, as well as an extra passport-approved photo. Program the number of your nearest consulate or embassy into your phone and keep the address handy by dropping a pin in your Maps app before departure.

Are there fees for losing your passport?

No, there are no additional fees for a lost passport beyond the typical cost of renewing a passport.

I found my lost passport after reporting it lost or stolen. Can I still use it?

Unfortunately, once a passport is reported lost or stolen, it is no longer valid. 

Can I apply for an emergency passport online?

No. You must apply in person at the embassy or consulate for an emergency passport.

Are emergency passports biometric?

Emergency passports are not biometric, meaning they lack the electronic chip containing a digital copy of the passport holder’s information that is present in standard U.S. passports.

Can I travel anywhere with an emergency passport?

Due to the lack of biometric function, some countries may not accept a U.S. emergency passport for entry.

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More From Forbes

Bucket list travel: the top 50 places in the world.

• What's on your travel bucket list?
• No matter how many places are on your bucket list, this ranking will get you dreaming of places near and far.
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According to a new survey, Bali is the top bucket list destination in the world.

What's on your travel bucket list? If you're like most people, the more you travel, the more places you add to your bucket list. So when the editors of the website Big 7 Travel announced the list of the world's top 50 bucket list destinations, we stopped in our tracks and started checking off the boxes.

The website surveyed its 1.5 million-strong social audience  in order to determine the best bucket list places around the world. According to Sarah Clayton-Lea, head of content with Big 7 Travel, this is the first time the site has assembled this list. "Bucket list travel was a trend that popped up again and again in previous surveys when asking our readers what sort of travel content they most enjoyed consuming," says Clayton-Lea. "So, our curiosity got the better of us and we wanted to know which destinations people are dreaming of for 2019/2020."

READ MORE: "Why You Should Skip Iceland And Go To These 9 Under-the-Radar Places"

The results of the world’s top 50 bucket list destinations include some of the most beautiful places on earth. "White sandy beaches are still a must-visit for many, with vibrant cities also making an appearance on a lot of people’s bucket lists," says Clayton-Lea. Countries with naturally beautiful scenery and world-famous landmarks came out on top: 22% of the destinations on the list have white sandy beaches, while 52% are iconic cities.

The famously colorful Bo Kaap neighborhood in Cape Town, South Africa.

In the study, Big 7 Travel found that people were also more likely to add a destination to their list if they had seen it on social media, and 33% of people research vacation destinations on their Instagram feed. "With over one-third of our readers saying they look to Instagram for travel inspiration, it makes sense that cities with colorful neighborhoods (such as Cape Town’s Bo Kaap) made the cut," says Clayton-Lea.

Bali topped the list of the 50 most popular bucket list destination on earth, but there were also some unexpected picks. "The top 10 list has a lot of the expected dream destinations, but there are a few surprises on the list: Paro Valley in Bhutan, for example, or Virunga National Park in the Congo," says Clayton-Lea. "I think this shows a great appetite for a need to get off the grid and can only assume that social media (and Netflix, in the case of Virunga!) is responsible for spreading the word of these amazing places."

An interesting factoid uncovered in the study: Most people have an average bucket list of just 11 places, with the hope of visiting seven of those locations during their lifetime. No matter how many places are on your bucket list, this ranking will get you dreaming of places near and far. Read on for the top 50 bucket list destinations in the world and what Big 7 Travel had to say about each one.

Overlooking the jungle on one of Bali's highly Instagrammed swings.

1. Bali, Indonesia:  "You’ll find beaches, volcanoes, Komodo dragons and jungles sheltering elephants, orangutans and tigers. Basically, it’s paradise. It’s likely you’ve seen an image of Bali on social media at least once in the past seven days, as it’s such a popular bucket list destination for 2019."

2. New Orleans: "The lively city known for its street music, festive vibe and a melting pot of French, African and American cultures is well worth the trip. NOLA is a city packed with adventures at every turn and should be on everyone’s must-visit list."

3. Kerry, Ireland: " All the way west in Ireland is one of the country’s most scenic counties. Kerry’s mountains, lakes and coasts are postcard-perfect, and that’s before you add in Killarney National Park. The unique small towns such as Dingle add to its charm."

El Badi Palace in the Marrakesh medina.

4. Marrakesh, Morocco:  "This ancient walled city is home to mosques, palaces and lush gardens. It’s known as The Red City thanks to the color of the brick walls surrounding the city. The medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Centre."

5. Sydney: "Sydney is known around the world as one of the greatest and most iconic cities on the planet. Amazing things to do aren’t hard to find; the city has gorgeous beaches, great cafes and world-class entertainment on offer wherever you look."

6. The Maldives: "This tropical nation in the Indian Ocean is made up of more than 1,000 coral islands. It’s home to some of the world’s most luxurious hotel resorts, with white sandy beaches, underwater villas and restaurants and bright blue waters."

Paris, France.

7. Paris, France: "One of the most iconic cities in the world, Paris tops many people’s bucket lists. You’ll see so many famous landmarks here: the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame cathedral—the list is never-ending."

8. Cape Town, South Africa: "Cape Town is a dream location to visit: endless natural beauty and clifftop views, pastel pink neighborhoods and turquoise waters."

9. Dubai, U.A.E.: "The high-flying city of the U.A.E, Dubai is one of the most glamorous destinations you’ll ever visit, and is particularly popular with Big 7 Travel readers."

Sunset In Bora Bora, French Polynesia.

10. Bora Bora, French Polynesia: "Bora Bora is Tahiti's most famous island. How do overwater bungalows and underwater adventures sound to you? To us, it’s everything we could want from a bucket list destination."

11. New York: "New York is one of America’s most exciting states. With charming upstate scenery, world-class cuisine and culture and more things to do than you could fit in one lifetime. The city’s five boroughs all have special features; it’s almost impossible to narrow it down"

12. Dubrovnik, Croatia: "As George Bernard Shaw once said, 'Those who seek paradise on Earth should come to Dubrovnik.' With its winding streets, cliffside beach bars and UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Old Town, it’s no wonder Dubrovnik is such a popular spot."

Carlton hill in Edinburgh, Scotland.

13. Edinburgh, Scotland: "With the historic Edinburgh castle looming over the city, culture in spades and wonderfully friendly locals, this is one of the world’s greatest city breaks."

14. Rome, Italy: "Whether it’s your first time in Rome or your 50th, the best thing about this city is that you’ll always discover something new each time you stroll the scenic streets."

15. Paro Valley, Bhutan:  Paro Valley is known for its monasteries, fortresses (or dzongs ) and dramatic landscapes. Tucked between China and India, Bhutan is a mysterious country that prides itself on sustainable tourism. You’ll find Paro Taktsang here, a Himalayan Buddhist sacred site."

At the Jal Mahal Palace at sunset in Jaipur, India.

16. Jaipur, India: "Jaipur is known as the ‘Pink City’ for its pale terracotta buildings. This was originally done to impress the visiting Prince Albert during his 1876 tour of India by order of the Maharaja (Sawai Ram Singh). Even today, it’s illegal to paint buildings any other color."

17. Waikato, New Zealand:  "Waikato, a region in New Zealand’s North Island, is home to massive underground caves, lush rainforest and the buzzy city of Hamilton. But the area’s main attraction? A Middle-earth adventure on the film set of  Lord of the Rings. Hobbiton Movie Set still has the original Hobbit holes from the making of the films."

18. Havana, Cuba:  "Cuba’s capital is almost 500 years old and a riot of color. Brightly painted buildings and vintage cars make Havana a photogenic dream."

A view of Tokyo Skytree and the city skyline from the Tobu Levant Hotel.

19. Tokyo, Japan: "Visiting Tokyo is like visiting the future—flashing neon lights, incredible technology—yet there’s still a rich sense of culture and history."

20. Antarctica:  "Earth’s southernmost continent, Antarctica is a once-in-a-lifetime destination. Nowhere else can compare with the extreme remoteness of this snowy place. It’s not an easy trip to make, but you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of the white wilderness, icy sea kayaking and whale sightings."

21. Vancouver, Canada: "Vancouver is surrounded by water yet close to the mountains and has world-class art, restaurants and heaps of other attractions to keep you entertained."

22. Los Angeles: "In a city with year-round sunshine, glam bars, beaches and hikes, there are endless incredible experiences to enjoy in Los Angeles. It’s no wonder there are almost 5O million ‘LA’ hashtags on Insta."

In Kruger National Park, South Africa.

23. Kruger National Park, South Africa:  "The Kruger National Park is a vast space in northeastern South Africa that is home to a huge array of wildlife. The park has safari experiences of all kinds, allowing you the opportunity to escape busy city living and get back to nature."

24. Santorini, Greece: "Santorini is actually a group of islands; Thíra, Thirassiá, Asproníssi, Palea and Nea Kaméni. Beaches with volcanic black or red sand and clear blue waters make this an ideal holiday spot. With its famous Santorini sunsets, it’s no wonder that it’s one of the most popular bucket list destinations."

25. Moscow, Russia: "Russia’s cosmopolitan capital, Moscow is a beautiful destination to visit in any season. Colorful domes and bell chimes ring out from over 600 churches in the city, and the sense of history is immense. Culture lovers will be impressed with the museums and ballet."

26. Singapore : "Singapore is a small island city-state off southern Malaysia which punches way above its weight on a global level. It’s a modern city with colorful buildings, futuristic bridges and a cloud forest."

London's Westminster Bridge.

27. London, England: "Pretty pink restaurants, futuristic space-age toilets and jungle skyline views are just some of our favorite things about London. And of course, all the classics: Big Ben, red phone boxes and world-class museums and galleries."

28. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:  "Rio de Janeiro has always been one of the most iconic cities in the world with instantly recognizable landscapes and landmarks."

29. Petra, Jordan: "The ancient Nabatean city of Petra in southern Jordan is surrounded by beautiful red rocks and steep gorges. The world wonder is without a doubt Jordan’s most valuable treasure and greatest tourist attraction."

30. Hong Kong:  "Famous for its skylines and vibrant food scene, what most people  don’t  know is that 70% of Hong Kong is mountains and lush parks. Colorful playgrounds and sci-fi apartment blocks give HK an enviable edge."

Beach and sea waves shot from above in Barbados.

31. Barbados: "Barbados is one of those magical holiday destinations that everybody dreams about visiting. Who  wouldn’t  put this on their bucket list? Nestled in the south of the Caribbean, it offers stunning beauty and wonderful local culture and is the perfect place to unwind."

32. Amsterdam: "Forget about cliched images of smoke shops and gaudy red lights. From floating flower markets to bohemian neighborhoods, this city has it all."

33. Santiago, Chile: "Santiago is a cosmopolitan city with the very best of Chilean culture; art galleries, design shops and handicraft markets, as well as lively Latino nightlife. You’ll stroll through historic neighborhoods with pretty winding streets and charming bars and cafes."

34. Cairo, Egypt: "Cairo is one of the most ancient cities in the world. Sitting on the Nile river with wonderful museums, vibrant culture and friendly locals, it makes for a great holiday."

Biking in Copenhagen.

35. Copenhagen, Denmark: "Copenhagen’s rustic fishing ports, modern graffiti and winding red brick streets are just some of what makes it such a beautiful bucket list destination. It oozes Scandi cool from every corner, with top-notch food, stylish design and an always hip atmosphere."

36. Seoul, Korea: "Seoul is a vibrant metropolis where old-meets-new, with pop culture (K-Pop!) alongside Buddhist temples.

37. Laucala Island Resort, Fiji:  "Laucala Island Resort is a private island in Fiji, in absolute paradise. It is one of three small islands off the northeast coast of Taveuni in Fiji. There are coconut trees, a sustainable farm and miles of beach, as well as coral reefs, postcard-perfect beaches and lush rainforest."

38. Providencia, Colombia: "The Colombian island of Providencia is the perfect combination of South America and the Caribbean. It’s best known for Crab Cay: an unspoiled little island where all there is to do is snorkel and lie on the beach."

Photographing Machu Picchu, Peru.

39. Machu Picchu, Peru: "The best way to get here? Arrive at Machu Picchu in style on the 360° Train that will bring you through the Peruvian countryside to the lost city. The wide, panoramic windows are perfect for soaking up the view, plus they serve Pisco Sours on board."

40. Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo: "Virunga National Park is one of the most biologically diverse areas on the planet and home to the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas. It’s full of lush rainforest and has received even more attention since the documentary  Virunga."

41. Lisbon, Portugal: "Lisbon, the hilly capital of Portugal, is postcard-perfect with its cobbled streets, pristine waters and local Atlantic beaches."

42. Hanoi, Vietnam: "Hanoi—the capital of Vietnam—is known for its rich history, busy street life and centuries of French, Asian and Chinese influences all blended into one bustling city. It’s a wonderful base from which to explore the North of Vietnam, including Halong Bay and Sapa, while also enjoying the comforts of a modern vibrant city."

A view of Honolulu's Magic Island And Waikiki Beach.

43. Hawaii: "From the hustle and bustle of Oahu to the romance of Maui and off-the-beaten-path adventures on Lanai and Molokai. The Hawaiian Islands are pure paradise. Explore colorful canyons and waterfalls and eat your body weight in fresh poke."

44. Ibiza, Spain: "While you’ll have your fair share of techno club experiences, Ibiza is also one of the most beautiful Spanish islands, with a pretty Old Town and scenic beaches. Spend the day on the beach and the nights in legendary clubs."

45. Beijing, China: "Beijing is China’s political, economic, and cultural center, with six Unesco World Heritage Sites in this city alone. Discover Forbidden City, street food dishes of Peking duck and of course, the Great Wall of China."

46. Budapest, Hungary: "The capital city of Hungary, Budapest is a fairytale city in Eastern Europe. The city itself is separated by the 19th-century Chain Bridge that connects the hilly Buda district with flat Pest—hence the name Budapest."

Photographing Vernazza in Cinque Terre.

47. Cinque Terre, Italy: "Is there anything prettier than this area of centuries-old seaside villages on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline? The five towns (Manarola, Riomaggiore, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare) are made  for bucket lists."

48. Buenos Aires, Argentina: "Bookstores set in palatial theatres, tango dancing in the streets and brightly painted neighborhoods. These are just some of what makes Buenos Aires so beautiful."

49. Las Vegas: "With the bright lights, party atmosphere and endless things to see and do, it’s no wonder that Las Vegas has become a glittering global tourism destination. Take a chance in the casinos until the early hours or see world-class entertainment."

50: Matterhorn, Switzerland: "The Matterhorn is one of the world’s most iconic peaks—the pyramid-shaped mountain, which is very difficult to climb, is said to be the most-photographed mountain in the world."

READ MORE: •  "Ranked: The 20 Most Dangerous Places to Live" •  "Bucket List Travel: The Top 50 Places In The World" •  "Why You Should Skip Iceland And Go To These 9 Under-the-Radar Places" •  "23 Surprising Things That Will Get You In Trouble In Italy"

• "Bucket List Travel: Top 10 Places In The World And Top 29 In The U.S."

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Bucket List Travels – 52 Places to Visit in Your Lifetime

Written By: The Planet D

Travel Bucket Lists

Updated On: February 14, 2024

We have put together the ultimate travel bucket list to spark your imagination. Dave and I made a dream list of our travel bucket list travels way back in 2006. And we fulfilled every travel adventure we ever dreamed of. Now we want to help your dreams come true and share the best bucket list travels that we’ve ever done.

These are 52 destinations that you need to do at least once in your lifetime. We’ve got one idea for every week of the year! You may also like The Best Adventure Destinations For The Ultimate Vacations

Table of Contents

Travel Bucket List Ideas

So, let’s look at the most mind-blowing beautiful places in the world. Oh, by the way, these are bucket list travels that we’ve done ourselves. It’s not a Google search like so many things on the internet these days.

1. Iguazu Falls

There was something magical about staying right in the heart of Iguazú National Park at the Belmont Hotel Das Cataratas. Having this natural wonder all to ourselves in the early morning was like a fairytale. We walked from our hotel to the long platform leading to the center of the massive cascade surrounded by thundering waters.

For a bucket list experience, this was spectacular. Be sure to take a helicopter tour over the falls and hop on a jet boat to get soaked. They seriously put the boat right underneath the waterfall. If there is one item on your travel bucket list. This should be it!

• Getting Soaked – The Ultimate Iguazu Falls Tour
• 11 Fun and Unexpected Things to do in Iguassu Falls

2. Amalfi Coast

We thought we had seen the beauty of Italy when visiting the Cinque Terre, but the Amalfi Coast is the Cinque Terre on steroids. The beautiful coastal towns along the Gulf of Salerno took our breath away at every turn. Rent a car and drive this famous highway that clings to the side of sea cliffs. There is nothing more romantic than driving the towns of Positano , Ravello, Amalfi, and Sorrento. Make sure to splurge on a room overlooking the terraced buildings of Positano and its beach.

• The Best Things to Do in Amalfi Coast, Italy
• 10 Most Romantic Italian Coastal Towns for Couples
• Watch our Amalfi Coast Video
• Hiking Cinque Terre – The Beautiful Five Villages in Italy

3. Maldives

Staying in an over-the-water bungalow in Bora Bora or Tahiti is on everyone’s travel bucket list. But we did this in The Maldives and I cannot think of a place that is more beautiful in the world. The turquoise waters surrounded our bungalow complete with a glass floor so we could watch the fish swim by was superb. I don’t think I have seen such white sand beaches anywhere on earth.

• 15 of The Best Things to do in the Maldives
• Scuba Diving in Maldives – A Beginner’s Journey
• Best of the Maldives Video – On YouTube
• Snorkeling in the Maldives

4. Petra Jordan

By the time we made it to Petra Jordan, we had seen a lot of famous ancient cities with our own eyes. We expected to like it, but we didn’t expect to be wowed by it. Boy were we wrong! Petra is in a league unto itself. The hidden city of Petra is located within a 1.2 km rock passage reaching 80 meters into the air. Once you arrive at The Petra Treasury you are treated to an awe-inspiring scene. A massive building complete with columns is carved into the stone.

• Watch our visit to Petra on YouTube

5. African Safari

There is nothing more magical than an African Safari. We’ve been lucky to go on Safari in Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa , and Botswana. And trust me, it never gets old. Seeing the majestic lion stalk its prey and watching a herd of elephants walking through the African savanna is a scene that is forever etched into our brains. There is something special about visiting Africa. As the saying goes “I left my heart in Africa” and every time we leave the continent we feel the same way.

• African Safari Animals: 34 Photos to make you want to visit Tanzania
• What to Wear on Safari – Africa Travel Inside and Out
• Kenya Safari – The Masai Mara Experience

6. Churchill Polar Bears

Speaking of safaris, have you ever thought of a safari in Canada? I don’t think there was anything more awe-inspiring than seeing polar bears in the wild. It is even more of a bucket list ticket to be able to walk with polar bears. Going up to the arctic tundra in summer is not only unique, but it is also a chance to see polar bears in a different environment than in snow. We visited the Polar Bears twice with Churchill Wild . Once in the winter and once in the summer.

• Walking with Polar Bears – The Greatest Arctic Safari
• Kayaking with Beluga Whales – A Paddlers Dream
• The Ultimate Arctic Safari on YouTube

7. Santorini Greece

We had seen Santorini in the yogurt ads for years and dreamed of one day visiting. Once we arrived, we understood why it has been featured in so many commercials. When we looked over the cliffs of the caldera, the views didn’t seem real. Whitewashed buildings with blue domes lined the high cliffs of the caldera. Staying in a cave hotel overlooking the Aegean Sea was the ultimate dream.

• 25 of The Very Best Things to do in Santorini
• Where to Stay in Santorini
• Places to Visit in Santorini, Greece
• A Photography Guide to Santorini – Getting that Postcard Shot
• Iconic Santorini: A Cave Hotel Experience

8. Kayak and Camp in Antarctica

If you haven’t noticed on our blog, a lot of our bucket list adventures have been in cold regions. And Antarctica truly tops the list. We were lucky enough to visit Antarctica with Quark Expeditions where we fulfilled every travel dream. From camping on Antarctica to kayaking around icebergs, Antarctica was an adventure lover’s travel dream.

• 11 of the Best Things to do in Antarctica
• Sea Kayak Antarctica – The Adventure of a Lifetime
• Camping on Antarctica
• See our complete Antarctica Expedition on YouTube

9. Trek to Mount Everest Base Camp

Staying in the cold weather for a moment, the ultimate bucket list adventure is to trek to Everest Base Camp. When we can all travel again, this is something anyone can do regardless of climbing skills Follow the footsteps of Sir Edmond Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa to see the Khumbu Ice Fall, Everest Base Camp, The Tengboche Monastery, and Mighty Mount Everest herself. Secure the ultimate bragging rights among your friends and trek to Everest. Our friend Dipendra at SimRik Real Nepal Treks is waiting for you.

• Everest Base Camp Trek – All You Need to Know from Start to Finish
• Remarkable Everest Base Camp Trek in Photos
• Flight to Lukla – A Scary Thrill Ride to Everest
• See our Full Everest Playlist on YouTube

10. Cappadocia, Turkey

Nearly everyone is familiar with the famous scene of balloons soaring through the air above fairy chimneys. Turkey’s Cappadocia really does feel like a fairytale. This had been our bucket list since seeing dozens of balloons in the air on Instagram nearly a decade ago. A morning hot air balloon ride fulfills the ultimate travel dream list.

• Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon: How to Choose the Right Company
• A Tour of a Cave Hotel on YouTube
• The Incredible Landscape of Cappadocia on YouTube

11. Himalayas of Bhutan

Bhutan is the happiest country in the world and you can’t help but fall in love with the people and landscape when you visit this bucket list destination. Trekking through the Himalayas is an incredible journey but hiking to Tiger’s Nest Monastery in the Paro Valley is what draws people to the country. This iconic scene doesn’t disappoint.

• 18 Things to do in Bhutan – A Comprehensive Guide of What Not to Miss
• Bhutan Trek to Laya – A Himalayan Adventure to the Remarkable and Remote
• Watch our trek to Tiger’s Nest Monastery on YouTube
• And see what happened when we met the King of Bhutan

12. Great Wall of China

We have visited the Great Wall of China twice. And it lives up to everything we ever expected. Looking at this marvel of engineering truly did inspire wonder and awe. No wonder it is listed as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. We loved visiting both the Mutianyu and Badaling Great Wall, they were equally beautiful yet very different experiences.

• The Great Wall of China – Mutianyu vs. Badaling

13. Machu Picchu

Speaking of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu is another beautiful destination to add to your bucket lists. Hiking the Inca Trail is on many people’s adventure bucket list, but even seeing this extraordinary Inca City will take your breath away. Literally. Located in the Andes Mountains at 2,430 meters/7,972 feet in elevations, it is a wonder to see.

• Machu Picchu Hike: All You Need To Know To Be Perfectly Prepared
• How to Plan a Trip to Machu Picchu

14. Great Barrier Reef

The UNESCO World Heritage Site off the coast of Australia is the largest coral reef in the world. It tops many a traveler’s bucket list. Even if scuba diving or snorkeling isn’t your thing, it is a must-visit. There are many ways to see the Great Barrier Reef. You can take a helicopter ride over the reef or even take a boat out to a platform in the middle of the sea to let you swim, snorkel, and sunbathe in the middle of this beautiful piece of ocean.

• Diving the Great Barrier Reef – Australia’s Ultimate Adventure

15. Pyramids of Giza

We had always wanted to see the Great Pyramids of Giza with our own eyes. We didn’t know what to expect, but when we first spotted them they seemed surreal. They cut through the haze of Cairo standing the desert looking like a mirage. We have had the privilege of visiting them twice and can say that for a fun way to explore them, hire a camel to take you through the pyramid complex to feel like a true Bedouin.

• The Red Pyramid of Egypt – Experience it Inside and Out
• 10 Amazing Temples of Egypt – That We’ve Seen

16. Gobi Desert of Mongolia

We are always fascinated by deserts, but there was something truly unique and spectacular about Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. It is filled with life. From the herds of Bactrian camels (two-humped camels) to the nomadic people of Mongolia moving their Ghers from camp to camp that was always something to see. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

• Read more at Mongolia Pictures from the Russian Border to the Gobi Desert

17. Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are a group of islands off the coast of Ecuador that have their very own ecosystem. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the most biodiverse of destinations on earth. AND 97% of the Galapagos is a national park. The top draw to the Galapagos is to see its endemic species that are unique to the islands. From the Galapagos giant tortoise, marine iguanas, and the Galapagos penguin, the wildlife experiences.

• 27 photos that will transport you to the Galápagos Islands
• Playing With Sea Lions on San Isabella in the Galapagos

18. Mount Kilimanjaro

If there is one mountain to climb in your lifetime it is Mount Kilimanjaro, The Roof of Africa. Kilimanjaro National park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site housing the highest point in Africa. The six to seven-day climb is part of the seven summits and is a spectacular bucket list vacation. So don’t wait to start planning your climb up the highest freestanding mountain on earth.

• Read more: Complete Guide to Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

19. Bagan, Myanmar

A visit to Myanmar is a trip we’ll never forget. Bagan was the highlight of our travels through the country. Taking an early morning ferry along the Irrawaddy River from Mandalay, we emerged at the most extraordinary complex of temples we had ever seen. Built in 1057 and covering 16 square miles Bagan houses 2200 pagodas. It looks like a massive forest of temples that you must see with your own eyes.

• Read More – The Incredible Temples of Bagan, Myanmar

20. See the Northern Lights

Have you ever wanted to witness the dazzling display of the Aurora Borealis? Once you see the Northern Lights dancing in the night sky, it doesn’t seem real at first. Are your eyes playing tricks on you? Iceland is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights. We didn’t have good luck there but have witnessed them several times in Canada and in Greenland.

• Incredible Greenland – The Final Frontier for Adventure Travel

21. Mexico Cenotes

For scuba divers’ the Cenotes of Mexico are a top bucket list diving adventure. But you can tour many cenotes without diving. The Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico has several adventures where you can rappel, snorkel, and paddle through Cenotes. But it was the Rio Secreto Cenote that was truly extraordinary.

• Rio Secreto Cenote – Mexico’s Magical Underground Caves
• Cenotes in Photos – Discover Mexico’s Extraordinary Underground Caves

22. Rome’s Colosseum

The city of Rome is like no other. It is packed with ancient ruins and none as famous as the Colosseum. We had the good fortune of staying directly across the street from the Colosseum with a view of the amphitheater from our room. You think that you know everything about the Colosseum, but nothing can prepare you for seeing it for the first time.

• 22 of the Best Things to do in Rome
• 20 of the Best Free Things to do in Rome
• 3 Days in Rome – The Ultimate Rome Itinerary

23. Christ the Redeemer – Brazil

Rio de Janeiro is one of the most beautiful cities on earth and Christ the Redeemer stands proudly over the city keeping watch. Seeing “Christo Redentor” standing with arms outstretched at the top of Corcovado Mountain is on many bucket list travelers list. You can see it by hiking up the mountain, taking the train, or a scenic bus ride but nothing compares to flying around it by helicopter.

• The Top 18 Most Excellent Things to do in Rio de Janeiro

24. Ha Long Bay – Vietnam

Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that needs to be seen to truly be appreciated. 1600 towering limestone islands reach up from the emerald waters of Halong Bay. What makes the bay even more picturesque are the junk boats that take tourists to explore the many islands and caves.

• Halong Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay – How to Choose Your Cruise?
• The Very Best Things to do in Vietnam from North to South

25. Have Champagne at the Eiffel Tower – France

Paris is the city of love and we never tire of seeing the Eiffel Tower . Seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle in the city of lights is such a romantic scene, but you must go up the Eiffel Tower. And did you know you can have a glass of champagne? Celebrate a milestone, get engaged or just enjoy a toast as you take in the Parisian skyline.

• Where To Stay In Paris – The Best Neighborhoods in Paris
• 3 Days in Paris: The Best Paris Itinerary for Your First Visit

26. Helicopter Tour of Victoria Falls – Zambia

We happen to live one hour away from Niagara Falls in Canada and we do love that city and the iconic Canadian cascade. So when we had the chance to visit Victoria Falls in Zambia we were very excited. The Falls That Thunder is located in the center of Mosi Oa Tunya National Park and is the largest waterfall in the world. The setting is completely different than Niagara Falls as it is surrounded by jungle. At a Whopping 1.7 km wide (1 mile) it is massive, and the way to take in the scope of Victoria Falls is to get up in the air.

• Incredible Things to Do in Victoria Falls, Zambia

27. Soak in the Blue Lagoon – Iceland

Sure, the Blue Lagoon of Iceland is overcrowded these days, but no trip to “The Land of Fire and Ice” would be complete without stopping to soak in its healing waters. It tops many a traveler’s bucket list, especially after National Geographic named it one of the top 25 Natural Wonders of the World.

• How to Visit The Blue Lagoon in Iceland
• Best Places To Visit In Iceland

28. Explore the Canals of Venice – Italy

We truly fell in love with Venice. Staying in the city for four days allowed us to get off the beaten path to explore more of the quiet corners of the floating city. Not bucket-list travels would be complete without adding Venice to your list. While a gondola tops many bucket lists, it was the private taxi tour that we found to be far more romantic. Riding through the Grand Canal in style viewing scenery made us feel like movie stars.

• 3 Days in Venice – The Complete Venice Itinerary
• Where to Stay in Venice – The Best Neighborhoods and Hotels for Every Budget

29. Spy the Sun Stream at Antelope Canyon – USA

It is one of the most recognizable caves in the world. But where is it? Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona is located in the United States. Once a day a gorgeous waterfall of light seeps through tiny openings lighting up the layers of sandstone in this famous slot canyon. Read: The 17 Best Hikes in Arizona

• Antelope Canyon Photo Tours – How to Make the most of it

30. Hike Through Meteora – Greece

Santorini may be the luxury escape of Greece, but the Monasteries of Meteora are the wonders of Greece. Sitting at the top of massive rock monoliths reaching up to 500 meters (1500 feet) from the valley floor, ancient monasteries dot the landscape. Dating back to the 9th century, the Meteora Monasteries can be visited today by hiking to the top, walking across bridges, or simply taking in the view from one of the many lookouts.

• Meteora Monasteries of Greece – Magic Monoliths in Photos
• The Best Places to Visit in Greece

31. Giant’s Causeway – Northern Ireland

A visit to the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland will make you believe in giants. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is Northern Ireland’s most famous attraction and tops many a travel bucket list. To see the perfectly arranged basalt pillars leading out to sea makes you believe that a giant built a causeway to Scotland rather than a volcanic eruption some 60 million years ago.

• The Legend of the Giant’s Causeway – Do You Believe?

32. Leaning Tower of Pisa – Italy

We didn’t know if we’d be in awe of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, but seeing it in person did indeed live up to the hype. Pisa alone is worth visiting. This picturesque city located on the Arno River is filled with history dating back to the 14th century.

• The Leaning Tower of Pisa – Is It Worth The Visit?

33. Stand in the Center of Times Square – New York

Standing in the center of Times Square in New York fills you with energy and excitement. New York is certainly one of the most exciting cities in the world, and while Times Square is filled with tourists, its with good reason. You feel as if you are in the center of the universe as massive LED screens surround the entire square.

• Best Things to Do in New York City
• Where to Stay in New York City – Top Places and Hotels For All Budgets
• Fun Facts About New York

34. Go to the Top of the Burj Khalifa – Dubai

It’s the tallest building in the world sitting amongst several other massive skyscrapers. Dubai is out of this world. With each impressive structure built, there are four more in the works. Going to the top of the Burj Khalifa to see the most impressive skyline on earth is the definitive bucket list item.

• 17 Fabulous and Fun Things to do in Dubai

35. Go Sandboarding in Huacachina – Peru

I never expected sand dunes in Peru to be so massive. When we booked a bus ticket to Huacachina in Peru, we thought we’d be sitting in a tiny oasis, but instead, we were surrounded by the largest sand dunes we’ve ever seen. The way to explore them is to take a dune buggy tour or to hop on a sandboard and glide down them. You’ll be covered in sand, but what a hoot and it is something you must try at least once in your life.

• 24 Best Things to do in Peru

36. Cross the Shibuya Scramble in Tokyo

Until you’ve seen Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo with your own eyes, it’s difficult to comprehend the number of people that take this crossing every few minutes each day. A quarter-million people cross this intersection each day. The best way to see this bucket list item is to go to the top of Magnet’s Mag 7 from the glassed-in viewing area.

• Awesome Things to do in Tokyo, Japan
• Best Day Trips from Tokyo

37. Golden Temple – India

The Taj Mahal may top everyone’s bucket list, but we found the Golden Temple of Amritsar to be a more authentic experience. Don’t get me wrong, the Taj Mahal is a wonder to see, but the Golden Temple is a beautiful display that is still a working temple. Join one hundred thousand pilgrims each day as they pay their respects to Sikkhism’s most holy site.

• Golden Temple of Amritsar – India’s Shining Star

38. Road trip to the Grand Canyon

I must admit I wasn’t expecting much from the Grand Canyon, but during our road trip through California and Arizona we popped into the Grand Canyon and I was taken aback by its beauty and sheer size. The Grand Canyon is on everyone’s American travel bucket list and it is spectacular. The Colorado River cuts through the 466 km long (277 mile) Colorado Plateau canyon of the Colorado Plateau and let me tell you, a pop in won’t do it justice. you must get out and explore the beauty of America’s natural wonder.

• 15 Fun Facts That You Need to Know About the Grand Canyon
• The Absolute Best Things to do in The Grand Canyon
• United States National Parks in Photos

39. Amazon River – Peru

The mighty Amazon River is the largest river by water volume in the world and it is the land of legends. It still feels as if much of the Amazon River Basin has yet to be explored. When you set out on a river cruise through the Amazon, you can almost feel what it was like to be an early exploring cutting their way through the largest jungle on earth.

• What to Expect on an Amazon River Cruise – Life on the River

40. Marvel at the Glaciers of Greenland

Glaciers are melting fast on this planet and nowhere on earth is it more prevalent than in Greenland. Visit the world’s most active calving glacier in Ilulissat and sail through a sea of floating skyscrapers of ice. Icebergs dwarfed our ship as we explored the west coast of Greenland on this truly magnificent bucket list adventure.

• Kayaking in Greenland – The Greatest Arctic Adventure in Photos

41.Swim with Whale Sharks

There is something truly magical about swimming with whale sharks. While it might be a frenzy of tourists beaming with excitement below is calm and quiet. To see these gentle giants glide effortlessly through the sea is the ultimate bucket list travel experience. There are many places to swim with whale sharks around the world, most notably off the coast of Cancun Mexico, and in the Philippines.

• Swimming with Whale Sharks Cancun – A Massive Adventure

42. Hornblower at Niagara Falls

Okay, we cannot forget to include going into the center of Horseshoe Falls in Niagara, Ontario. We have always taken this bucket list adventure for granted because we live so close to Niagara Falls, but when you go on the Hornblower, it truly is a spectacular scene. Feel the power of one of the world’s largest waterfalls as you sit at the bottom of the plunging waters. It is so powerful that everyone gets a rain poncho to wear on the boat. If you make your way to Canada, don’t miss seeing Niagara Falls.

There are so many things to do in Niagara Falls, the Hornblower is just the tip of the iceberg. Check out our full round-up of Our Favourite Things to do in Niagara Falls – Plus Where to Eat & Where to Stay

And these are our most amazing bucket list travels on earth. We’ve been lucky to be able to see and do all of these bucket list adventures in our lifetime. As I went through this list, I cannot believe that we have experienced each and every one of these. It all started by creating a dream list a decade ago, and now we have achieved travels beyond our wildest imagination. We can’t wait to add more when we can travel again.

• 50 Most Beautiful Places in the World to Visit – That We’ve Been
• Beautiful Isolated Places on Earth – In Photos
• 31 Most Beautiful Cities in Europe
• 16 of the Best Cities in Spain – Beautiful Places to Visit Right Now
• How to Travel Around the World – The Ultimate Travel Resource

Travel Planning Resources

Looking to book your next trip? Why not use these resources that are tried and tested by yours truly.

Flights: Start planning your trip by finding the best flight deals on Skyscanner

Book your Hotel: Find the best prices on hotels with these two providers. If you are located in Europe use Booking.com and if you are anywhere else use TripAdvisor

Find Apartment Rentals: You will find the cheapest prices on apartment rentals with VRBO . 

Travel Insurance: Don't leave home without it. Here is what we recommend:

• Allianz - Occasional Travelers.
• Medjet - Global air medical transport and travel security.

Need more help planning your trip? Make sure to check out our Resources Page where we highlight all the great companies that we trust when we are traveling.

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About The Planet D

Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil are the owners and founders of The Planet D. After traveling to 115 countries, on all 7 continents over the past 13 years they have become one of the foremost experts in travel. Being recognized as top travel bloggers and influencers by the likes of Forbes Magazine , the Society of American Travel Writers and USA Today has allowed them to become leaders in their field.

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5 thoughts on “Bucket List Travels – 52 Places to Visit in Your Lifetime”

wow such a wonderful list for everyone. I am from India and I was surprised when I saw the golden temple on your list because everyone includes the Taj mahal in their top list when anyone visits India. waiting for your next blog. ok, take care of each other Dave and Deb.

Chopta Chandrashila Deoria Tal Trek is a prestigious package for visitors to Chopta, which has mesmerizing panoramic Views of beautiful Himalayan peaks.It’s 5km and takes about 3 hours. We can organize a trip for you to this amazing destination. The hike up to Deoria Tal, amidst dense forests and filled with Rhododendrons (in summer) is part of the Chopta-Chandrashila trek. There is a famous Hindu story about it. When the 5 Pandavas were on their way to heaven, they stopped at the place and tasted the water.

I love these bucket list places to travel to!! Some of my favorites from the list were going to see the Churchill polar bears, kayaking in Antarctica, the Great Wall of China, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Northern Lights. This blog post reminds me of all the beautiful places I have yet to see and cannot wait to go to!

What an amazing compilation of great places. Cant wait to travel after this pandemic.

The Harmiandir Sahib (Golden Temple) of Amritsar has a unique distinction of offering free food at Langar Seva — The world’s largest community kitchen. People visiting the Golden temple must not miss the Langar food.

Thanks for curating a great list.

THE 10 CLOSEST Hotels to Electrostal History and Art Museum, Elektrostal

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Garden tours, plants sales and more ways to spend time among flowers

Visit Maine's botanical gardens or get a sneak peek of what your neighbors are growing in their back yards.

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One of the loveliest ways to ease yourself fully out of the post-winter blahs and into springtime is to quit being a wallflower and instead surround yourself with living, blooming plants.

From botanical gardens to plant sales and garden tours, it’s time to make like the Scarecrow in “The Wizard of Oz” and while away the hours, conferring with flowers.

The waterfall at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay. Photo by Tory Paxson, Courtesy of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

TOTALLY BOTANICAL

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay is open for the season, daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Maine Days are May 31 to June 2, when anyone with a Maine driver’s license or state ID gets in for free. Ditto for dads/father figures on Father’s Day (June 16). Advance registration is required. With more than 300 acres of gardens and natural spaces, including a waterfall, there will be plenty to see, smell and bask in the scenery.

Here are more things to do in Boothbay

A tour group walks on the boardwalk at Viles Arboretum in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

Viles Arboretum is a botanical garden in Augusta with 6 miles of trails and more than 20 botanical collections. It’s open daily from sunrise to sunset, and admission is free. There are 224 acres with all sorts of flora and fauna to discover. Leashed dogs are welcome, and the visitor center is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

Viles Arboretum offers medicinal plant walks, and although the May 18 session is full, you can still register for the June 15 and Sept. 14 events, lead by herbalist, homeopath and flower essence practitioner Debra Bluth. Tickets are $25. Advertisement

The Mount Desert Land & Garden Preserve has four areas to explore on its property in Northeast Harbor: the Asticou Azelea Garden (dawn to dusk daily), the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden (noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday from July 9 to Sept. 8, reservations required), Thuya Garden (dawn to dusk daily, June 15 to Oct. 14) and Little Long Pond Natural Lands (hiking trails and carriage roads open dawn to dusk daily). On June 26, at the Wildflowers of Little Long Pond event, participants can wander around the garden’s fields and forest, spotting wildflowers along the way while practicing how to identify them.

Joyce Saltman, right, and Beth Anisbeck embrace a tree for 60 seconds during a tree hugging event sponsored by Portland Parks and Recreation, at Deering Oaks Park last year. Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer

TOURS AND MORE

2nd Annual Tree Hugging 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Deering Oaks Park, Portland. portlandmaine.gov The tree hugging is a family-friendly community gathering to celebrate Portland’s many trees. Park ranger Liz Collado will lead a sensory awakening and forest bathing session. Along with tree hugging, there will be a storytime, and you can touch a forestry truck and meet naturalist Noah Querido and Portland city arborist Mark Reiland. Just down the road, you’ll find Fessenden Park, on the corner of Brighton and Deering Avenues. The tulips have arrived, and it’s worth a visit to see them.

McLaughlin Garden Lilac Festival 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 24. McLaughlin Garden and Homestead, 97 Main St., South Paris, $5. mclaughlingardens.org You’ll find more than 125 varieties of lilacs at the McLaughlin Garden Lilac Festival. Explore on your own or take a guided tour led by a horticulturist. There will also be family-friendly activities, and you can shop for native and unusual plants.

4th annual Woodfords Community Garden Tour 1-4 p.m. June 8. Woodfords Corner Community in Back Cove, Deering Highlands, Oakdale and Deering Center, $20 suggested donation. woodfordscorner.org Presented by Friends of Woodfords Corner, this self-guided tour features at least 10 gardens. As you make your way down the list, you’ll find yourself pleasantly surprised by all of the hidden havens bursting with flowers, plants and impressive yardscaping elements.

Peony Society of Maine 23rd annual Garden Tour 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 8 and 15. Both tours start at 1348 Ohio St., Bangor, $5 donation. peonysocietyofmaine.net You’ll visit multiple gardens in Bangor, Winterport, Ripley and St. Albans, and your senses will be filled with countless peonies. A peony plant will be raffled off at the end of each tour. Advertisement

Hidden Gardens of Historic Bath 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 22. Sagadahoc Preservation Inc., 880 Washington St., Bath, $40. sagadahocpreservation.org The Hidden Gardens of Historic Bath house and garden tour features several homes in North Bath. Every stop on the tour will be a treat for your senses and may motivate you to make some of your own magic when you get back home.

Garden Conservancy Open Garden Days 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 29. Beckett Castle Rose Garden, Singles Road, Cape Elizabeth, $10. gardenconservancy.org You’ll see plenty of roses as well as ocean views at Beckett Castle, which sits right on the water, with views of five lighthouses. The castle was built in 1871, and its rose garden features more than 70 varieties of heirloom roses. A 50-foot stone tower doubles as the rose arbor entrance to the castle.

PICK A PLANT SALE

Tate House Museum’s Annual Plant and Herb Sale 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 18. Tate House Museum, 1267 Westbrook St., Portland, 207-774-6177.  tatehouse.org The wide selection includes perennials divided from the museum’s 18th century reproduction garden. Visitors can also make their own “seed bombs” and get a sneak peak at a new installation by artist Ashley Page from 10 a.m. to noon.

Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland Spring Plant S ale 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. May 18, Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, 217 Landing Road, Westbrook, 207-854-9771.  arlgp.org   Perennials, house plants and more will be on sale, and plants that don’t have specific pricing are “name your own fee.” Anyone interested in donating plants or pots to the sale should send a message to [email protected] .

Taking Root Plant Sale 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 1, Tom Settlemire Community Garden, Maurice Drive, Brunswick, 207-729-7694.  btlt.org This annual sale is organized by the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust. Proceeds benefit the Common Good Garden, which provides food and gardening education for the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program. Master gardeners will be on hand to help shoppers choose their best options.

Scarborough Land Trust Native Plant Sale and Spring Festival 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 1, Broadturn Farm, 388 Broadturn Road, Scarborough, 207-289-1199.  scarboroughlandtrust.org Visitors will find native plants, food vendors, local artisans, guided nature walks and activities for kids. To preorder plants, visit the Scarborough Land Trust website.

Maine Audubon Society Native Plants Sale and Festival 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., June 8, Gilsland Farm Audubon Center, 20 Gilsland Farm Road, Falmouth, 207-781-2330.  maineaudubon.org More than 75 species of native wildflowers, shrubs and tree seedlings will be available, along with workshops, info tables and experts.

Staff writer Megan Gray contributed to this report.

Related Headlines

Headed to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens? Here’s what else to check out in Boothbay

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THE 10 CLOSEST Hotels to Electrostal History and Art Museum

Hotels near electrostal history and art museum, property types, distance from, traveller rating, hotel class.

• Best Value Properties ranked using exclusive Tripadvisor data, including traveller ratings, confirmed availability from our partners, prices, booking popularity and location, as well as personal user preferences and recently viewed hotels.
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• Distance from Electrostal History and Art Museum See properties located closest to the place of interest first with confirmed availability for your dates from our partners.

Take an epic trip along the West Coast in 2024. Here are the top 10 places to visit now

(Lettering and animation by Jacky Sheridan/For The Times; video editing by Li Anne Liew/For The Times; Storyblocks)

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I couldn’t help it. In the course of scouting out great adventures for West Coast 101 — our new guide to essential destinations in Baja, California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia — I found myself compiling a personal top 10.

I’ll get to that list shortly. But first, an honorable mention.

Even if you’ve never seen “The Big Lebowski,” you’ve probably heard someone mention the rug that tied Lebowski’s room together . Well, Harris Ranch does that for California.

This I-5 stop for food, gas, lodging and bathrooms (not necessarily in that order) might not make anyone’s bucket list. And I’ll admit that if the wind blows the wrong way, it smells like cattle. But if you’re driving north-south through the San Joaquin Valley, which just about every Californian does sooner or later, you’re going to need to stop somewhere.

Bring this list on your adventures! Order L.A. Times’ new ‘101 Best West Coast Experiences’ zine here.

Harris Ranch faithfully awaits, 184 miles south of San Francisco and 200 miles north of L.A. City Hall, the pride of Coalinga. Over the years, I’ve pumped gas at its Shell station, slept in its comfortable hotel (no resort fee or room tax), conducted interviews in its Horseshoe Lounge, lingered over breakfast in its Ranch Kitchen (excellent) and grabbed a sandwich from its Express BBQ (adequate). I’ve even bought bonsai from Hyo Kim, who peddles delicately coiffed junipers, olive and pine trees ($25-$500) from a stand on the dirt shoulder across the street.

I’m not saying cattle ranches are good for the planet’s future — definitely not. But I’m just realizing that for about 45 years now, Harris Ranch has been the rug tying together my adventures in the vast living room that is our West Coast.

Your rug might be different. After all, these lists are subjective.

Of our 101 best West Coast experiences, these 10 resonate most for me. I’d recommend them to just about any California newbie and I’d grab at a chance to visit them again — some for basic beauty, others for the stories they tell or the memories they tie together.

Travel & Experiences

The 101 best West Coast experiences

Essential things to do, see and eat right now in California, Oregon, Washington, the Baja Peninsula and British Columbia. Ready to explore?

May 16, 2024

10. Rady Shell, San Diego

I have a hard time imagining a more pleasant place to see an outdoor concert. Well, maybe the Red Rocks Amphitheater outside Denver. But on the West Coast? I’ll take this sleek bayside shell in downtown San Diego. And I’ll try not to be resentful that nobody thought of this while I lived down there.

It’s like the Hollywood Bowl but with harbor views. 7 things to know about San Diego’s new music venue

The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park is now in its first summer season. See a show and make a weekend out of it.

June 10, 2022

9. Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn

Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn in Santa Cruz, Calif., Tuesday, April 19, 2022 in Santa Cruz, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. (Nic Coury/For The Times) Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn in Santa Cruz, Calif., Tuesday, April 19, 2022. (Nic Coury/For The Times) Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn in Santa Cruz, Calif., Tuesday, April 19, 2022. (Nic Coury/For The Times)

What are we going to do about Highway 1? Since that coast road was built on the slopes of Big Sur in the 1930s, we’ve treasured it. But as any acrophobe, geologist or engineer could tell you, those slopes crumble and slide relentlessly. Year after year, Caltrans moves mountains to keep that two-lane road navigable. Then comes another slide. Since January 2023 it’s been impossible to drive from San Simeon to Big Sur via the coastal route. (Caltrans announced partial reopening May 16. Check before you go. ) Whenever I worry about the highway, I think of Deetjen’s, which is basically a roadside time capsule clad in weathered wood. It opened about the time the highway did and won over generations of road-trippers with its rustic rooms and restaurant. Before Helmuth Deetjen died in 1972, he set up a nonprofit organization to keep the place running in old-school fashion. I’ve been stopping there since the 1980s. You have to call to make a reservation. And when you get there, you have to expect paper-thin walls along with the Norwegian woodwork, the crackle of the fireplace and the portrait of Deetjen on the wall. It’s a priceless place. And Nepenthe and the Henry Miller Memorial Library are just down the road. We just can’t take Deetjen’s or that road for granted.

12 secret stops on California’s iconic road to Big Sur

Even you’ve already done the most obvious attractions — Hearst Castle in San Simeon, for instance — why not spend more time exploring roadside nooks and ocean-adjacent crannies along Highway 1?

Oct. 20, 2022

8. Yosemite Valley

Does this need explaining? Probably not. If you’re arriving from the south, you emerge from the long, dark Wawona Tunnel to see El Capitan and Half Dome looming above a green, wet world of its own. Waterfalls roar left and right. The valley stretches for seven miles, framed by granite walls that Ansel Adams had to shoot and Alex Honnold had to climb. The Merced River meanders through. Even if you don’t have $600 to spend a night in the Ahwahnee Hotel, you can pop by for a snack, gaze up at painted rafters that go back to 1927 and warm yourself by one of the big fireplaces.

7. Venice Beach

Venice, CA - April 03: A man throughs a trick at the skate park at Venice Beach on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 in Venice, CA. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times) Venice, CA - April 03: People enjoy a day at Venice Beach on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 in Venice, CA. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times) Venice, CA - April 03: A man surfs at Venice Beach on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 in Venice, CA. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)

Yeah, I know. There’s plenty to lament in Venice. But when you hit that beach at the right time on the right day, it feels so emblematic of Southern California. On my last visit, the sun was just setting. My wife, Mary Frances, and I checked out the skateboarders, chatted with a few artists who were selling work along the sidewalk and did a double take at the Shul on the Beach (a.k.a. Pacific Jewish Center), an Orthodox synagogue where worshipers were just gathering for a Friday night Shabbat meal.

6. The whales of Baja’s lagoons

It’s one thing to watch migrating gray whales off the Southern California coast, standing at the rail of a big boat, looking for spouts in the distance and perhaps drawing within 100 yards. It’s something else when you’re in a panga on the waters of a southern Baja lagoon — usually Ojo de Liebre (Scammon’s) or San Ignacio. These immense creatures, the cows and and the calves, get so close sometimes, it feels intimate. And maybe a little scary. The adults weigh up to 90,000 pounds.

Joshua Tree with beaches and taquerias? No, just an epic Baja road trip

On a drive down the Baja peninsula’s Highway 1, travel writer Christopher Reynolds finds baby whales, a pond to float in and a new generation of adventurers.

March 15, 2023

5. Ferry Building and waterfront San Francisco

The Ferry Building in San Francisco, Calif., Friday, April 12, 2024. (Nic Coury / For The Times)

A couple looks at the Golden Gate Bridge from Fort Point in San Francisco. (Nic Coury / For The Times)

I’m trying to think of a more successful architectural resurrection than San Francisco’s Ferry Building. And failing. Picture that 1898 waterfront building in the 1920s, when there was no Bay Bridge and no Golden Gate Bridge and up to 50,000 people per day were commuting by ferry. The Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street was the center of the Bay Area’s nervous system. Then the bridges went up, commuters abandoned the ferries, the building was rehabbed into ugly offices and decades passed. Finally, in the aftermath of the 1989 Loma Prieta quake, San Francisco leaders launched a plan to revive the building. It reopened in 2003 as a foodie-oriented restaurant and retail space, a thousand times more interesting to me than the souvenir shops of Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 (although at least you get the sight and sound of sea lions there). Apart from the food, it’s got great views of the Bay Bridge. (And with luck, that bridge’s nightly light show, which went dark last year, will resume in early 2025.) I think of the Ferry Building and the Golden Gate Bridge as the bookends of the waterfront.

4. Hidden Valley, Joshua Tree National Park

I’m not a rock climber or a boulderer. But I’m a sucker for sunrises and sunsets in the desert. And when that golden-hour light hits the jumbled boulders in Hidden Valley, it’s hard to resist.

27 of the coolest shops to bookmark for your next Joshua Tree trip

The high desert may have gone upscale, but don’t worry — it’s still funky.

March 9, 2022

3. Pike Place Market, Seattle

This is always the first place I want to go in Seattle, a spot where people, colors, flavors and scents all come together. I walk past the mirrored bar of the Athenian restaurant, where my buddy Rick and I had beers in 1986, my first time in town. I go down below to make sure the bubble-gum wall is still in place. I mourn at the spot where the newsstand used to be. I kick myself for failing to buy an incredibly cool cigar-box guitar from the Soul Cat Guitar guy when I had the chance. (I thought I’d have another chance at his market stall when I visited in January, but he wasn’t there that day.) I listen to buskers and eat unhealthy snacks. I stick my head in the anarchist collective bookshop ( Left Bank Books ), which has somehow lasted 51 years. And like every other tourist, I linger near the fishmongers so I can see them flinging fish and hollering at each other.

2. Capilano Bridge Suspension Park, Vancouver

On my first visit, a few years ago, it was raining and the park was packed. I wondered if the bridge would be closed. Nope. Open, and prone to slightly jiggle as I stood 230 feet above the Capilano River, surrounded by tall trees and mist. When I returned in February, it was snowing, the park was nearly empty and the bridge was still open. The vibe was part “Twin Peaks,” part “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.”

1. Badwater in Death Valley

Mike “Mish” Shedlock kayaks the calm waters of Manly Lake at sunrise in Death Valley. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Park visitors kayak, paddle board and wade knee deep in Lake Manly in Badwater Basin. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Unique salt structures form in the Badwater Basin at Death Valley National Park where water combines with the natural salt deposits at 282-feet below sea level, as seen in 2014. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Badwater is hot and dry enough to kill you pretty quickly, but as long as you have water to drink, a little shade and a way out, you’ll probably live and have a story to tell. On my first visit, a summer day about 30 years ago, Death Valley was even hotter than usual, around 115 degrees. The power had gone out at our Furnace Creek hotel. Rather than crowd into the marginally cooler hotel pool with scores of young children (and their urine, most likely), I headed with my wife and friends for the vast, flat, salty, dry lake floor of Badwater with a Wiffle ball and bat. The game didn’t last long, but there are photos: Except for our 20th century leisurewear, we looked like biblical figures in the process of being turned to pillars of salt. So last year, when rains washed out roads, closed Death Valley National Park for months, refilled the lake bed and transformed the basin into a great big mirror, I was eager to get back there.

‘I’ve never seen anything like this’: Death Valley gleams with water, wildflowers and color

Two months after a storm that dropped a year’s rainfall in a single day, visitors to the national park are encountering a a strange place made stranger — and more majestic.

Oct. 20, 2023

Within days of the park’s reopening, I got to Badwater for sunrise and came back again at sunset. No Wiffle ball. Just the big sky, the mountains reflected in the lake and a handful of fellow travelers in silhouette at water’s edge. To those bold few who managed to kayak in Death Valley for the three winter weeks that it was possible, I envy you. I don’t know if I’ll ever see that lake again — as of May 1, it was just a few inches deep and shrinking fast — but now I have two layers of Badwater memories to carry with me.

More to Read

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Born and raised in California, Christopher Reynolds has written about travel, the outdoors, arts and culture for the Los Angeles Times since 1990.

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The best cities to live in America: See the U.S. News and World Report list for 2023-2024.

The list is in. Did your city make it?

U.S. News & World Report released its annual list of the of the 150  "Best Places to Live in the U.S."  this week.

Here's how editors said the magazine determined its picks: Analyzing the 150 most populous metropolitan areas and evaluating several factors including  job prospects, affordability, growth and quality of life. 

Topping the 2023-24 list: Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The magazine called Green Bay "The perfect mix of big-city amenities complemented with a Midwestern, small-town feel."

In addition to being home to its National Football League team, the Green Bay Packers, the city "boasts a thriving entertainment and arts scene, revitalized downtown, and two college campuses, creating an energy that may appeal to young families as well as retirees."

After ranking the country's 150 largest metropolitan areas, Huntsville, Alabama ranked the 2nd best place to live in America beating (3) Raleigh Durham, North Carolina ; (4) Boulder, Colorado and (5) Sarasota, Florida.

Last on the list this year: The tropical island of Puerto Rico .

The top 25 included five Florida cities while Colorado and North Carolina both had three cities each on the list.

New State Department travel advisory State Department urges travelers to ‘reconsider’ visiting Jamaica, Colombia

The top 25 ranked from the best

• Green Bay, Wisc.
• Huntsville, Ala.
• Raleigh Durham, N.C.
• Boulder, Colo.
• Sarasota, Fla.
• Naples, Fla.
• Portland, Maine
• Charlotte, N.C.
• Colorado Springs, Colo.
• Fayetteville, Ark.
• Madison, Wisc.
• Boise, Idaho
• San Jose, Cali.
• Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Melbourne, Fla.
• Jacksonville, Fla
• Albany, N.Y.
• Myrtle Beach, S.C.
• Des Moines, Iowa
• Grand Rapids, Mich.
• Knoxville, Tenn.
• Syracuse, N.Y.
• Fort Collins, Colo.
• Tampa, Fla.
• Hickory, N.C.

Traveling on Memorial Day? Read this Memorial Day weekend travel may be busier than last year. Here's what to know

To view the full list, visit the Best Places to Live in the U.S. 2023-2024 .

Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.

14 Most Beautiful Places To See In New York City

• New York City offers a vibrant and diverse experience with its famous streets, iconic buildings, and beautiful parks and gardens.
• The High Line is a must-visit urban oasis with lush greenery, gardens, and stunning views of the cityscape and Hudson River.
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Washington Square Park, and Central Park are some of the most beautiful and culturally significant places to see in New York City.

New York City is one of the most vibrant destinations on the East Coast. Whether walking down its famous streets, visiting its iconic buildings, or discovering the beauty of New York City's parks and gardens - the city will have anything but a dull moment. New York City is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and people from all over the world visit to immerse themselves in all that it has to offer.

With some of the most delicious world cuisine ( including some authentic Italian restaurants ), museums, a raging art and music scene, shopping, entertainment, and more - New York is the epitome of city life. Experiencing the city's hustle and bustle will be a lifetime trip. This city is home to some of the most beautiful and historical places in the United States. Choosing which sites to add to one's bucket list may be challenging with all the options. Here are ten of the most beautiful places to see in New York City.

UPDATE: 2023/09/28 22:43 EST BY LUANA FERREIRA

More Beautiful Places To Visit In New York

New York is one of the world's biggest cities, and there are countless beautiful places that locals and tourists should visit. Therefore, this list has been expanded to include places such as the High Line, the Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, the Washington Square Park, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Have fun!

RELATED: 10 Things To Do In The Bronx: Complete Guide To NYC's Northernmost Borough

The High Line

The High Line in New York City is an urban oasis suspended above the bustling streets of Manhattan, and its tranquil ambiance and architectural ingenuity make it a must-visit destination, providing both locals and tourists a respite in the heart of the metropolis.

This elevated linear park, repurposed from a historic railway track, offers a serene escape amidst the city's hustle and bustle.

Lush greenery, vibrant gardens, and public art installations adorn the path, creating a harmonious blend of nature and urbanity. The High Line provides stunning views of the cityscape and Hudson River, offering a unique perspective of New York.

• Address : New York, NY 10011, United States
• Open hours: From 9 am to 10 pm

DUMBO, Brooklyn

DUMBO, short for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, is a famous neighborhood in Brooklyn. Nestled along the East River, it boasts a distinctive blend of historic charm and modern vibrancy, thanks to its cobblestone streets, converted warehouses, and stunning views of the Manhattan skyline characterize this waterfront enclave.

DUMBO is a hub for art, culture, and innovation, hosting numerous galleries, boutiques, and tech startups. Visitors can revel in the enchanting scenery of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, enjoy a scenic stroll along the waterfront, and savor culinary delights at trendy eateries. DUMBO encapsulates Brooklyn's dynamic spirit, making it a compelling destination to explore.

It's possible to reach DUMBO by crossing the Brooklyn Bridge walking or by bike

Washington Square Park

Locals and tourists looking for an urban oasis amidst America's most populous city can find it at Washington Square Park. The place is a cultural crossroads, offering a serene respite, captivating ambiance, and a front-row seat to the lively spirit of Greenwich Village.

Located in Manhattan, the Washington Square Park features the iconic Washington Arch, a historic landmark. Trees, gardens, and a central fountain surround visitors. The park's bohemian atmosphere, abuzz with musicians, artists, and locals, lends it a dynamic character. The stunning arch frames views of the surrounding cityscape, adding to its allure.

• Address : Washington Square, New York, NY 10012, United States

Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is often referred to as "The Met" (Yes, the same place that hosts the famous Met Gala). The museum is an architectural and cultural masterpiece in New York City thanks to its grand Beaux-Arts façade.

Beyond its architecture, the Met features a worldwide collection representing 5,000 years of history. Visitors admire over two million works, from ancient artifacts to contemporary masterpieces. The museum's diverse exhibits, including European paintings, Egyptian antiquities, and Asian art, offer a global journey through artistic expression.

• Address : 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028, USA
• Admission fees: $30 for adults, $22 for seniors, $17 for students
• Open hours: From Sunday to Thursday - 10 am to 5 pm; Friday and Sunday from 10 am to 9 pm

Central Park

Central Park is one of New York's most iconic attractions. People from all over the world visit to admire its beauty, and the best part - is that Central Park is free, and there are many ways to spend time there . This park is famous for its landscape design and is one of the city's most beautiful places. The park offers many things to do and see, where visitors can spend hours discovering different areas with some of the most picturesque views.

• The Central Park has 843 acres

Old City Hall Subway Station

With some of the most beautiful places in New York - Old City Hall Subway Station is a must-see when visiting the city. Initially opening in 1904, this hidden subway station has a mesmerizing architectural build and is a beautiful way to see New York's historical public transportation system. It is located at the end of the six-train line, and tours are available for guests who want to visit the old subway station.

• Admission fees: Between $35 and $50

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Statue Of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty is a historical attraction in the city - a neoclassical structure that offers some of the most beautiful views in the city. People worldwide visit to witness the statue and all its beauty. With some of the prettiest parts of New York one can explore , a trip to the Statue of Liberty will show visitors the rich history of New York City. This is one of the best locations to take amazing pictures!

• Ferry fees: $12 (Children), $24.50 (Adult), $18 (Senior)
• Pedestal access: $12.30 (Children), $24.80 (Adult), $18.30 (Senior)

Prospect Park

New York City has some of the most beautiful parks, not just Central Park. Prospect Park is in Brooklyn, New York, and is home to a breathtaking green space in the city. From excellent trails, a botanical garden, waterfalls, and a zoo - Prospect Park is a must-visit when discovering beautiful areas in New York City. Whether walking in the park or having a picnic with family and friends, it's a lovely way to spend some time in the city's gorgeous outdoors.

• Famous events: Evening Under the Sphere, FallFur Picnic, Harvest Moon Circle

Brooklyn Bridge

Take a trip to Brooklyn Bridge to see one of the most iconic bridges in New York. Visiting New York's beautiful and historic attractions is one of the best parts of traveling in the city. Brooklyn Bridge’s stunning architectural build shows the city's vast history. It's a beautiful way to walk along the bridge, with many opportunities to take pictures and view the city's skyline.

It's possible to cross the Brooklyn Bridge using the pedestrian walkway.

Edge Observation Deck

Edge Observation Deck is an attraction in New York City that offers some of the most mesmerizing views of the city. It is 100 stories high and is a beautiful way to immerse in the city's beauty. It is one of the best ways to see the city's beauty from a high point. A trip to the Edge will be the experience of a lifetime with its glass floors, breathtaking 360-degree views of the city, and a bar for enjoyment.

• Address: 30 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001, United States

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New York is home to some of the most iconic neighborhoods. SoHo is a neighborhood worth visiting for those who want to experience New York's beautiful streets and breathtaking buildings. From art galleries, shops, street vendors, restaurants, a nightlife scene, and so much more - there is much to see and discover in this beautiful neighborhood in New York City.

• Things to do: Museum of Ice Cream, The Museum of Modern Art, Housing Works Bookstore

Madison Square Park

Home to some of the most beautiful parks - Madison Square Park is high on the list of New York's mesmerizing outdoor spaces. It is a fantastic place to visit to walk and enjoy New York in the spring. For nature lovers, the park offers various greenery to escape the busy city life. Whether taking a small snack or enjoying time with family or friends, it will be a beautiful and relaxing experience in the city.

• Address : 11 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10010, United States

Times Square

Times Square is one of the most popular destinations in New York City. People worldwide travel to see its iconic lights, billboards, buildings, and so much more. It is a must-visit when touring the city to see the town's beauty and all it is known for. Offering many shops and restaurants, the area has much to do and see, with many opportunities for pictures. Times Square is one of New York's most busy and thrilling areas and is worth experiencing for those traveling to the city!

The most common and convenient way to reach Times Square is by subway. Multiple subway lines, including the 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, and S lines, serve the Times Square-42nd Street station.

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New York Public Library - Stephen A. Schwarzman Building

Visit the New York City Public Library to get views of its stunning architecture and immerse in the city's history. This extensive library is a charming destination to discover New York's diverse beauty and experience all the city's spaces. With a fantastic collection of books and areas to discover inside and outside the library, it is one of the most beautiful places to visit in New York City.

• Address: 476 Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street