Comments on: American alternatives: Seeing the world without a passport

By: kimayou Meigui

kimayou Meigui — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:37:07 +0000

Thanks for an excellent post! I’m in the military and am about to be “kicked off” of my beautiful tropical island of Okinawa and back to the East Coast DC area not far from home. At first I was disappointed, thinking of all the travel opportunities I would lose leaving the “Keystone of the Pacific”, but it’s good to be reminded there are plenty of opportunties even where we’ve spent our entire lives. You may think you’ve seen it all, but even a change of lighting could give a place a different feel. I haven’t even started exploring my own country. These places will make a good start to a long list! Thanks!

By: Tex

Tex — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:06:46 +0000

It wasn’t until I began traveling outside my American homeland that I started to realize how little I have seen of the country in which I grew up. Knowing this–how many adventures awaited me in the U.S.–helped soften the disappointment of having to move back after living abroad for a year.

These are some fantastic ideas. I had heard of most of the places listed, but haven’t visited any of them yet. Now it’s time to start exploring my own country! Thanks for the tips!

By: Julie

Julie — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 02:11:53 +0000

Nice article, and it leaves me thinking that as well-traveled as I’d like to think I am, there are still lots of places in my home country I’ve never visited.

By: Megan Hill

Megan Hill — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:45:02 +0000

I was hoping someone would pick this one up when I saw it on the Bounty Board. Nice piece! I’ve always been a big believer in seeing and appreciating one’s own backyard. Clearly there are many hidden corners and places to discover. I’d never heard of Moundville!

By: Carlo Alcos

Carlo Alcos — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:51:10 +0000

Great picks! It’s so easy to overlook our own backyards.

By: Kevin Post

Kevin Post — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:56:39 +0000

I love how we talk about the U.S. as one country from a traveler’s perspective. In reality it is like traveling across Europe (geographically and culturally). Driving from L.A. to New York is the same distance from Portugal to Russia. I am origionally from Florida and just traveling 9 hours north to Alabama I feel as if I am in a different country; the only thing we have in common culturally is our language. If one were to take a group of European travelers and tell them, “Go to New Mexico, now Kansas, now Oregon, now Maine, now Minnesota” they would feel as if they were in completely different parts of the world. There is a Turkish proverb which is something like, “It is better to meet the world beginning with the neighbor” and I agree with that.

By: eileen

eileen — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:17:49 +0000

yay crater lake. And all those other places. I live outside of the U.S. and this (northern) summer took some time to see a couple of those spots. The states has some truly incredible places to visit. And we already speak the language!

thanks for writing this!

By: Marissa

Marissa — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:38:53 +0000

Sometimes I forget that there is such cool stuff to see in my own country. Thanks for reminding me!

By: Jon Wick

Jon Wick — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:14:02 +0000

Great piece. I’m a believer in domestic travel in all kinds of economys, even more so now. This gives us great reminders of some things right in our own back doors. Can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with non-Americans about the travel opportunities within the US borders. Fitting title and good selections! Cheers.