Where to Go?

My "virtual vacation" series continues today with dreams of a real vacation. You know- saying goodbye to work emails, packing your bag & taking off for an adventure. At least, that's what a vacation is to me.

Oh, sure, I love a beach vacation as much as the next person. Lazing around, no cares, getting fat and happy off of sunshine and pina coladas.

But, I come from a family of Irish do-ers. If we don't have something "to do", we get bored... fast. Even those lazy beach vacations are packed with excursions, snorkling, scuba diving.

And one very unfortunate whale site-seeing tour.

My trip to Spain in 2006 cemented this "vacation do-er" attitude for me. I traveled alone- which meant I set the agenda. If I wanted wine for lunch and then a 2 hour siesta... I made it happen. But more often than not, I was up at the crack of dawn, sampling fares from the local mercado. (Hello, jet lag!) I was sitting in market squares, writing and reading. I was taking pictures, and avoiding over-friendly people who wanted to become "travel buddies." (True story.)

But more importantly, I was free and independent. I was capable of anything. I hauled my own luggage up stairs, onto buses and trains, and over the cobblestone roads of 7 cities. I lost weight without even realizing it, and had my first tan ever, from hours spent outdoors in the glorious country. That trip took a college girl with an uncertain path and made her into a confident woman that handled life's surprises with grace and ease.

...ok, that woman really doesn't exist, and certainly isn't me- but the trip did change me for the better and made me grow up a lot.

I'm ready for another one of those. I'm 26, and at another crossroads of sorts in life. I'm ready for the world to teach me again, to show me what I'm made of.

Uncle Sam has given me a (small) allowance to do this again, and I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

....can someone please tell me what that even means?!

So, here are my top contenders:

San Francisco
Chicago
Boston
Miami
New York City

Feel free to vote on the matter thanks to the handy dandy poll tool at the top of the page. And if you have another suggestion... comment below!

Lets all make our virtual vacations real ones.