Inevitably, one of the questions that comes up while planning for or thinking about a trip is whether to go someplace new or to revisit an old favorite.
I love the idea of exploring someplace new, after all that’s a big part of what I enjoy about traveling.
But I also love returning to someplace familiar – reminiscing through old trips and seeing what’s the same or what has changed.
So in thinking about where my next possible destination will be, it got me to thinking about places I’ve been and specifically, where I’ve traveled the most.
Right off the bat, New York would probably be the city I’ve visited the most (and never lived in) but that doesn’t count, or, it doesn’t feel like it should. Part of the reason it’s at the top is I grew up 15 miles from the city. It’s basically home. Yosemite doesn’t count either – too close to home, though less than New York, it still feels like home.
Thailand was a great destination both times I’ve gone, as was Japan. Both places I would return to in a heartbeat.
I’ve been to Germany 4 times, though to different cities. I was in Berlin 3 of those 4 trips. I’ve been to Paris 3 times, London 3 times. Somehow though they seem a lot more familiar than that.
I’ve gone to Hilton Head Island several times, mostly on family trips but also on a memorable college trip – so that’s probably 6 times I’ve been there. I think that’s probably the most.
I’m surprised that Germany is the place I’ve been to most outside of the US. I did figure someplace in Europe – I’ve taken a couple of longer trips there (in ’93 and ’01) as well as a couple of trips in college and a couple of shorter trips – but I hadn’t really thought through that Germany would be at the top of the list.
And I’m surprised about Hilton Head. I guess you could argue that might not be the most visited place – I’ve been to the Jersey Shore more than that, Yosemite more than that.. perhaps even Joshua Tree more than 6 times.
Maybe Joshua Tree counts? That’s far enough away from ‘home’ (it certainly is different from San Francisco).
For the next trip? I think it will be someplace new. There’s more than a few of those out there still.