North East United States
New York – the state south of my home province, Ontario. Being so near me, I naturally hovered around the area a lot. My family took camping trips there. I did some of my first solo summit hikes here. I even got to thoroughly explore, get lost and fall in love with New York City. The state of New York always has a place dear in my heart.
Watkins Glen State Park was the first time I felt a yearning for the outdoors. My family went on a camping trip and this was one of our stops. As a child, this all seemed so bothersome. All the setting up in the outdoors. All the cumbersome equipment. The clunky camp chairs. The mosquitoes. Everything was absolutely annoying the crap out of my adolescent self.
But for some reason, the moment I took steps down the gorge, I was absolutely enthralled by it all. The cold drips of water along the walls. The river rushing beneath my feet. The ancient stone bridges, stairs and walkways. We were absolutely immersed in its entirety. Everything about it was amazing.
Looking back at it, I can still recommend visiting this state park. Its been so long since I’ve been there but I doubt it has changed much. We had visited in the late summer/early fall, just right before school started so it was not crowded at all.
The Adirondacks was where I first started itching my hiking cravings. It all started the summer of 2018 when I visited the Canadian Rocky Mountains. I didn’t expect to fall in love with hiking in the mountains but I did, and I fell hard. So hard that when I returned back to Ontario, I was quite bummed and depressed. My sister was the one who encouraged me to go down south, in the Adirondacks, to fill my craving.
This groups of mountains is definitely worth the visit; immersing in its old growth forests, its mossy rocks, its worn down trail paths and its beautiful views of calm lakes and subtle peaks jotting the horizon can be quite the experience. I’ve hiked here through every season and every season has got something to offer. I’d personally recommend hiking Mt Marcy, White Face, Ampersand and stopping by the quaint towns of Lake Placid and Saranac Lake.
For an in depth hiking guide to the area, check out our Hiking Section!
Ancient Mossy Boulders
Fun Trail Diversity
Beautiful Fall Hues
Reflections by the Lake
Rolling Neighboring Peaks
Mossy Log full of Life
Oceans of Brown
Endless Peaks Around
The Mt. Marcy hike was a very pleasant introduction to hiking in the Adirondacks. It especially shines in the peak Fall season as the autumn hues take over the valleys of trees and turning the trail into oceans of brown leaves.
New York City
I believe that New York City is the blue print of what a city is – its got the crowds, the sights, the towering sky lines, the attractions, the money, the poverty, the highlights and also the problems. Its got crowded, dizzying streets and expansive, spacious parks. Its got the fanciest eateries and the greasiest spoons. The pristine office and the grimiest subways. New York City has got it all. The city is ever consuming.
I spent around a month in New York City and everyday I took the subway from Queen’s low lying neighborhoods to Manhattan’s towering skyscrapers. I’d spend many days exploring the nearby areas and seeing all the sights. Over time and many visits, I eventually found my usual hangout spots; spots that I thoroughly enjoyed spending my time in.
The New York City Public Library is the ideal place to spend some time doing work, hanging out or just getting lost in its iconic hallways. An especially amazing spot in the library is the Rose Main Reading Room. If you’ve got the time, I’d heavily recommend this spot as I have spent hours here journaling, drawing, reading, and all sorts of quiet time.
On the other end of the spectrum, New York Times Square is the perfect chaotically loud spot for anyone looking for a little bit of noise. Its an iconic spot to visit and is littered with hustlers and tourists. Its a spot every New York native avoids but I personally really enjoyed coming here for some overstimulation. People watching can also be quite fun here and I’d recommend seeing it and taking it all in at least once.
Another spot that is pretty busy is Washington Square Park. Its a popular hangout spot for all walks of life and the New York City culture thrives here. Here, you’ll find plenty of artists looking to showcase their work, bands showing off their skills, skaters doing their tricks and many many more. What’s really special about this place is the willingness of people to just sit down and have a chat. There’s a nonchalant vibe in the air and it feels like no one is putting on airs and everyone is there to just spend some time in the sun and relax. Its a place where you can really feel the life of New York thrive and just hang out.
If you want a little more quiet and a whole lot more leg room, there’s nowhere else to look but at Central Park. Here, the miles and miles and miles and miles of trails and walkways to get lost in seem to stretch endlessly. Here, you’ll find some peace and escape from the city IN THE MIDDLE of the city! Its size is not the only thing special about this place; iconic spots are found everywhere and there is always something beautiful to look at, at every turn. The iconic NYC skyline also provides a surreal and amazing backdrop to the parks green pastures.
New York City is also home to some of the best galleries and museums; the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) and The American Museum of Natural History are one of my favorites. They both hold timeless works of arts and displays. If you’re into art galleries and museums, I would heavily recommend visiting these two.
The city deserves a whole page dedicated to everything New York; I am certainly not doing it justice with this little blurb on this page. c’est la vie. Some Honourable Mentions that is specifically unique to this amazing city:
The Subway – yes it is dirty, dark, dangerous (in certain cases) and grimy but it is an integral part of the city that keeps it running. It is part of the lives of millions of New Yorkers. It is also a hub for buskers and artists. At the end of the day, it is also a great and effective way to travel the city and all the areas around it. Give it a try and enjoy it for what it is.
The Buildings – NYC’s skyline is made up of hundreds of buildings all competing to outshine each other. This creates an amazing backdrop to any picture. There are countless shops, delis, cafes, neighborhoods and restaurants to visit all unique and amazing in their own ways.
The Brooklyn Bridge and the River Ferry -Another iconic part of the city is the Brooklyn Bridge. Better yet, walk across this bridge at night and see all the lights, the people, and the cars glitter by. Best yet, take the River Ferry (2$ ticket when I went) back across to Manhattan when you finish crossing the bridge to see an amazing and unique angle and views of the impressive Skyline.
The best spot for a sunset aside from one of the top floors of any sky scraper could easily be by the High Line. Its an old railway renovated and restructured to be a park above the ground. Its a great walk amongst the upper floors of some buildings and apartments. You could really see a different angle to the city walking through here. Better yet, I have seen some of the best sunsets here overlooking the city of New Jersey.
“I started hating everything about the tourists. How slow they walked. How much space they took. How they stood on the escalators. How new things looked to them. How they took pictures of everything. How happy they looked. How they waited for the lights to cross. How they stood on the sidewalks. How they got lost. How they get in the way. How they looked so much like me. How they too love New York.“
Vermont is another state just south of where I grew up. Naturally, I went camping here with my family here and there. I haven’t spent a crazy amount of time here but what I remember having a pretty good time here when I was younger.
Burlington was a nice city, especially by the waterfront. I remember having my first Thai food here. Walking in the historic districts with the waterfront in the distance was something I’d always remember.
Mt. Washington – Driving up Mt. Washington was an experience to be remembered. Slowly driving up and driving down the mountain as the smell of burnt brakes filled the air; seeing the cars break down and taking a break at the sides of the roads was a very unique experience.
Finally reaching the summit is a total different ball game. The never-ending views all around is breathtaking. I remember taking it all in and taking pictures with the summit sign. I remember the contagious happy faces of the hikers pouring in as they finally reached the summit. I can’t imagine the strenuous hike and adventure they went through just to reach this point. I also can’t see how they didn’t just pay the fee, drive up, and screw up their car brakes just like we did. They must have missed the sign.
Maine is another state my family and I would often visit. We’d drive through when we’d make our yearly pilgrimage towards the Maritimes in Canada. I remember having my first experiences with Lobster here. I remember visiting Bar Harbor and seeing the iconic views atop the cliffs overlooking the ocean and the many many boats resting their weary sails.
Acadia National Park
Travellers Pursuits 