Have you been to many of the scenic areas near your home?

Question

I live in Portland Oregon which is next to some beautiful scenery that most people I know have never visited. We have 11,000 foot high snow capped Mount Hood, and the Columbia River Gorge with countless waterfalls, and we have the Oregon Coast, all within a few hours drive.

Most people I know in Portland have never left the city and have never seen these scenic areas. They claim they do not have the time???

What do you think about this and have you seen the major attractions and scenic areas near your hometown?

Answer 1

I live in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.  My husband and I love to go out and see the sights.  There's a lot of beautiful scenery within a few hours distance.  I think i've been to most of the major attractions in my area.  I think its a great idea to go and see thing in your area.  Plus with gas prices and the economy like it is, it's better to see the sights that are closer to your area

Answer 2

I live in Hill Country in Texas.  I have been to the hills here.  Watching the wildlife is incredable!  It's a small town, but just west of here, there is nothing but trees and hills.  My daughter and I saw a tree of vultures on one trip, many deer, snakes, armadillos and other critters.  The air is cleaner than in Fort Worth and barely as busy.  It's just so laid back here.

I've been to Seattle.  It was beautiful, too.

Answer 3

I live near the New River Gorge in West Virginia. Its very beautiful.

Answer 4

I live in Arizona.  We here can never get enough!  There's always something new to explore.  And with airfare and gas so expensive right now, we appreciate being "forced" to stay local.

But others here have posted of their beautiful homes, too:  Georgia, Texas Hill Country (another gorgeous area), Virginia, all places I've enjoyed myself during my travels.  And West Virginia is a hidden gem:  some of the most interesting people live there in those small mountain towns.

I've never been to Portland although I know that area is drop-dead beautiful and one of three lower 48 states I still haven't been to.  (But plan on it soon!)

The nice thing about people like all of us here is that we have a love for our neighborhoods, our communities.  From seeing vultures fly overhead (and bald eagles in Llano, TX!)  to pristine mountain foothills of northern Georgia and places inbetween, we can appreciate the little things and don't need to fall for touristy stuff that tend to fill with out-of-town conelickers.

I live in Cochise County, AZ.  The county as a whole is advertised as an Old West corner of the state, bordering Mexico.   Here we have ancient Apache caves and cave drawings, abandoned Army posts from the 1880s, abandoned gold and silver mines, mountain sky islands popular with birders and of course the natural scenery.  

Just driving to a small town anywhere here brings something new, like an old homesteader who remembers traveling by mule into town, long-ago natural disasters like floodings, earthquakes and mine collapses, and of course Ghost Towns.  Some of the most interesting places are the small diners in small towns, places that seldom get written up by big travel brochures.  But these places, along with everyone else's towns, make up America, the country I love so much.

Since I've been to all the local places I also enjoy reading up on local history.  I've spend countless hours in the library and books stores reading up on Arizona history.  When friends and family visit us I give them my version of a tourguide, and they appreciate my imput.  (And I don't charge a fee!)  I can never learn enough.

It's nice to read about other peoples' towns and their pride in their communities.

Answer 5

I live in Georgia.  Now more than ever with the cost of travel going up, we have traveled and visited more local spots.  There is a lot of natural beauty in this area and GA is close to Florida so we can have a lot of quick getaways in our backyard.