Exploring the world and rating places from Western Europe to Catalina Island

View of Manzanita Beach, Oregon. Lydia Denk. | Lariat

As the end of the semester is nearing at Saddleback, travel is what is on a lot of people’s minds. What do you consider when you take a trip? Is it the weather, location or who you are with? Choosing the right location for your trip can make all the difference. Below are some trips I have taken and how I would rate each one, based on my own personal experiences.

Europe tour – 9/10 

This trip lasted a total of two weeks, and was taken during my freshman year of high school with my family over the summer. We traveled to a total of 3 countries: England, France, and Italy. Overall, some of the attractions we covered were the Eiffel Tower in France, Big Ben in England (which was under construction at the time), the Vatican in Rome and Harry Potter World, also in England. The food on this trip was great. It mainly covered pasta and pizza in Italy, and then meat, bread and cheese in France . If you go to France, there will mainly only be meat, bread and cheese (but the Mona Lisa is very cool there to see). My family stayed in several Airbnbs. They were very peaceful and nice. If you want a peaceful place in Europe, St. Mark’s Square in Venice, Italy provides very peaceful scenery and has a nice pasta restaurant where my family and I had dinner. I overall rate this trip a 9/10, because of the variety of destinations I got to see and experience, and because the food was so good. 

Camping across the United States – 5/10 

This trip was taken around 2016. The trip involved staying at various campgrounds and National Parks across the country, including the attractions of Yellowstone National Park, Pipestone National Monument, Minnesota and a tour of General Custer, Montana. The historical sites provided a good opportunity to learn, and my family and I took several tours, and I earned some junior badges. National Parks offer Junior Ranger Programs, and after completing a program, which mainly involves interactive learning in the park, you can earn a badge. The lodging of the trip was overall uncomfortable, sometimes involving some obstacles, such as bears, mosquitos, or poison oak. I overall rate it a 5/10, because the lodging did make it uncomfortable. However, the car ride provided some much needed relaxation time, and my family and I were able to play games.

Manzanita, Oregon – 8/10 

This is a trip my family takes every year. All the cousins, aunts and uncles of my mom’s side meet up at a home in Manazita, Oregon. We walk down the beach every day, as well as go into Cannon Beach, a famous city in Oregon that consists of tourist shops, plays, and cultural exhibits such as art galleries. My family picks a particular Thursday every year (the middle of the week) to travel into the city of Cannon Beach. Jeffrey Hull Gallery is one very famous gallery in Cannon Beach. I rate this trip an 8/10, because it is so relaxing and I get to see so much. The walks we take every morning down the beach down to a small little coffee shop in the town of Manzanita are relaxing.. Overall, this trip provides a reprieve from daily life, and it is fun to see my family, shop and relax.

Nashville, Tennessee – 7/10 

I took this trip around May when I was in 5th grade. It was a part of Destination Imagination, Globals. My favorite things I did on this trip include tubing across the river, visiting a rib restaurant and trading pins. Everyone had pins they brought from their state to trade with people from other states. My dad and I stayed in a hotel (along with one of my childhood friends and her dad), and overall the lodging was nice. I would recommend visiting Tennessee (although this trip was specific to the Destination Imagination, organization).

Catalina Island, CA – 9/10 

This trip was really fun, and one I took for an organization that is currently called Adventure Princesses, in my youth. It involved canoeing, snorkeling,  and performing skits. It was really fun to spend time with my friends and to experience various activities. My father and I stayed in a cabin, along with other girls and their fathers (with a bunk bed set up). Overall, this trip was peaceful and relaxing, and I recommend visiting Catalina! 

Alma, Wisconsin – 6/10 

My family and I traveled to Alma every year, a small town in Wisconsin, when I was much younger. Here we would attend my grandma’s small church and enjoy fishing. I would rate this trip a 6/10 because it was fun to spend time with my family, but it was muggy and had lots of mosquitos. I have memories of my grandma’s warm cookies, as well as getting to make memories with my family! We also often celebrated with fireworks for the Fourth of July. Overall, the trip was warm and cozy. 

Seattle and Richland, Washington – 8/10 

This was part of the same Manzanita, Oregon trip, but was discontinued by my family as we got older, as it wasn’t as convenient as going to Manzanita. My family originally traveled to Seattle to see my cousins who lived in Redmond, while originally arriving in Auburn, Washington to see my grandma. I really enjoyed this trip because it allowed for a variety of experiences. Starting in Auburn, we then made our way through Seattle, visiting places like Pike Place Market, the famous gum wall, and the first Starbucks to ever open. Overall, I liked this trip because it allowed for time with my family, and it was very fun to be going to a variety of destinations.

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