So we already picked our favorite countries/children, kinda. Family dinner is going to be so awkward now. We definitely left out a bunch of countries on our list which is why I wanted to do a country-by-country recap. And just focus on the good. Our favorite thing or two we did in each of the 18 countries. No compliment sandwich. Just an open-faced lovefest. We also threw in our favorite place to eat/drink for a few, because let’s face it, we are damn pros at that.

During our travels, we typically spent a month in each country (give or take). If you have elementary-level math skills, you’ll probably be saying to yourself that 18 countries would be a year and a half of traveling. A+ for you, teacher’s pet. A few countries we only spent two-ish weeks in (Canada, Norway, and Iceland). And most visas restricted our stays to 30-60 days max.

Without further ado, the one thing we would recommend doing in each country (I cheated and broke the US out by states). And reunions totally don’t count because those are obviously at the top.

CANADA

I said it in the last post and I’ll say it until I’m blue (just like the gorgeous water) in the face: Banff and Jasper are amazing. Canada, our friendly neighbor to the north, is just overflowing with beauty. The top thing to do, in our opinion, was a boat cruise on Maligne Lake. Gorgeous sites and you get to see Spirit Island, which fun fact, was an official Windows desktop wallpaper for ages. In the winter this lake is pretty much a dead-zone, so make sure to go during summer months. Runner-up? Take the gondola in Jasper for stunning views of the town. But be warned, it’s freezing at the top. FREEZING. FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: Jasper Brewing Company

USA

CALIFORNIA

We lived in the great state of California for 6 years, but it wasn’t until our travels that we headed south to Joshua Tree National Park. And boy was it worth it. We camped just outside of the park and explored this unique gem for a few days. Our favorite hike? Lost Horse Loop. I think we ran into 3 people during the 6.5 miles hike across the wildflower-strewn landscape. Warning: don’t do in heat of day. It is, after all, a fucking desert. FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: Campsite dining with cheap wine (’tis the camping life)

WASHINGTON

My first ever backcountry hike was my favorite thing we did in Washington. The Enchantments are just a few hours east of Seattle and are stunning. But in order to stay/explore, you have to apply for a permit, with thousands of other people. You list out three choices and you’re lucky to get one. Which we did. We hiked (almost) to Snow Lake which is 7 miles in…and 7 miles out. It was a bitch of a climb. That can be said about all of The Enchantments.  You gain 4400ft in elevation in a few short miles. Which explains why we could barely walk when we were finished. Not into hiking (and limping)? Check out Recycled Spirits of Iron Sculpture Park near the entrance of Mount Rainer for a unique experience. FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: Unicorn in Seattle. A unicorn-themed bar with truffle popcorn? Yes, please.

OREGON

No, our one Oregon recommendation isn’t donut-related. We aren’t that hipster. We recommend you take a drive down the Historic Columbia River Scenic Byway. It can be bit rammed with cars because everyone else had the same idea. But this gorge-ous drive is filled with viewpoints, waterfalls, hikes, and nature and things. Do it.

MONTANA

Oh, look, more nature. Montana is otherworldly. Like how can this be in the US? So many mountains, so little time. Our fave stop was Glacier National Park. We initially had a huge hike planned, but due to snow…it was closed. So instead, we drove to the very top, aka Logan Pass, and explored the beauty.

WYOMING

It’s a bit of a tie for our fave Wyoming thing. One, go to Grand Tetons National Park and rent a motorboat on Jackson Lake. You can rent it hourly (or for the day) and pack some food and just float in the middle of the lake. Then head up to Yellowstone – it’s so close. And hike up to the highest peak in the park, Mt. Washburn. Little did we know, that in less than 5 months, we’d be doubling this elevation when we hit the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. NBD.

UTAH

Utah has buttloads of beauty. But our number one was Bryce Canyon National Park. The hoodoos are a must-do. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. We also did a great hike in which we join a loop trail with an in/out trail for an epic hike: Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden Trail. And, just as we reached the top at the very end, we were told to turn around because a woman fell off the cliff and a search and rescue mission was in progress. So back into the canyon we went, for an even longer hike, during the hottest temp of the day. Luckily, the woman was fine. At least I think. And a stranger gave us some of her water.

COLORADO

Granted we didn’t see a show here, but Redrock Amphitheater is worth the visit. In a way, it’s almost better when it’s empty because you get to see how rad it is (without any distractions) to have a venue tucked between massive boulders. My mission is to go back and see a concert there this fall. Simmi, come play with me. FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: West End Tavern in Boulder. Great rooftop with mountain views. Need we say more

ARIZONA 

Broken record here, but we loved our hike into the Grand Canyon. It was fucking hot but fucking awesome. Bright Angel Trail was our second backcountry trip and made the Enchantments seem like kindergarten paste. But maybe, just maybe, don’t apply for your permit in the summer.

NEVADA

Let’s have a threesome: Nevada is so much more than Vegas. But two things in Vegas did make the list. A Cirque show, shocker. It’s worth the splurge on any of them. Our other loves were Hoover Dam and a random, colorful rock art thingy called Seven Magic Mountains just outside of Las Vegas.

TEXAS

Humidity, so nice to meet you. Not. Austin was our only stop in Texas, because…Texas. We rented a kickass Airstream Airbnb and spent most days seeking out AC…and bars. Our Airbnb had bikes we could use so we biked all the way to Barton Springs. So refreshing, so cool.

TENNESSEE

One word (but should it be two?), NashTrash. Craig found this awesome tour led by some saucy sisters that love to curse and tell dirty jokes while educating you about the great city of Nashville. You can bring booze on board and they even stop for a liquor run halfway through. FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: The Treehouse Restaurant

MAINE

We longed for some cabin life so we rented a car from Boston Airport and headed north to Maine and a tiny-ass town called Oakland. The Airbnb was everything. Right on the lake. So peaceful and calm. We cooked every night. We swam. We did walk into the bumping town of Oakland which has like 5 churches and no bars, so back to the cabin we went.

MASSACHUSETTES 

Boston is such a cool city with so much history, what better than a walking tour to learn some of that history. We found a company that offered free walking tours. We liked them so much, we took two tours with them: one about the Freedom Trail and the other about Little Italy. Knowledge, served.

ICELAND

If you go to Iceland and say Blue Lagoon is your favorite spot, I will forever judge you because it’s so…expected. Just like a college kid saying his favorite band is Dave Matthews, Blue Lagoon is cool and all, but there’s so much more out there. Like Fjaðrárgljúfur. Try saying that even one time. I totally copied and pasted that shit. This gorge is just far enough off the main tourist road that it’s not crowded like every other damn waterfall in the country. Second place would go to Jökulsárlón which is a glacier lake and unlike anything I’ve ever seen. And I almost didn’t see it because after about 10 minutes the fog rolled in and you couldn’t see a damn thing.  FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: Lebowski Bar (enough said)

NORWAY

Norway is built fjord tough. So, of course, the thing we enjoyed most in this great country was renting a car and heading out into the fjordlands. We headed east of Bergen and explored those fjords, hard. Sometimes we were the only people on the road for miles (I mean kilometers). Our Airbnb host recommended a great off-the-grid hike since we couldn’t do Trolltunga because of injuries.  FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: Henrik øl og vinstove in Bergen (great beer bar with the coolest owner, Henrik)

FRANCE

There’s a shit ton of stuff to do in France that doesn’t involve eating creamy cheese on a deliciously soft baguette and washing it all down with some wine, right? We only explored Paris and a tiny town on the Spanish border before our 30-day hike so our fave may be a bit biased. But honestly, one of my favorite things to do was walk around Paris. We must have logged 10 miles of walking each day (great training for the Camino). We’d walk, go to a museum, walk some more, oh look…a cute outdoor cafe. Wine? Aside from walking, you can do no wrong visiting the Louvre. It’s mind-boggling. But for the love of god buy your tickets online so you don’t have to wait in the massive line. And screw looking at the Mona Lisa, it’s not worth it. FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: La Vache dans les Vignes in Canal St-Martin (sweet cheese us! The staff suggests cheese based on the wine you order)

SPAIN

For 30+ days we walked. We had blisters, black toenails and we smelled. But walking across Northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago was still my favorite thing in Spain. The best section of the hike? When you get off the snoozefest of the Meseta (think flat farmland) and get up into the mountains. Plus, you’re so much closer to the end. YES! FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: After more pilgrim meals than I care to remember, it was like a mojito mirage when we stumbled upon Que Trabaje Rita in León.

GREECE

I greeked out in Greece, hardcore. From Athens to Santorini, if I had to pick faves, I would suggest doing the trail hike from Imerovigli to Oia. The views are stunning and you’ll feel like you’re in a postcard the entire time. Tip: go during shoulder season for cheaper rates and fewer selfie sticks. FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: Tavern Plaka in Athens for the best damn saganaki around (and if you don’t know what saganaki is, Google ASAP).

ENGLAND

England, we didn’t explore much of your countryside this time (been there, done that) but we did explore your celebrity sister, London. Instead of doing as tourists do and hitching a ride on the London Eye, head to The Shard and go up to their bar that has the best damn views around. Not to mention, you don’t have to leave after the ride is over…and you can order a drink served to you in a birdcage! FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is the most Englishy of English pubs

TANZANIA

My favorite country because of all the epic shit we did during our month-long visit. The peak of it? Reaching the peak of the tallest motherfucking mountain in Africa. Yes, I couldn’t feel my fingers. Yes, our Camelbaks were frozen (along with our backup water bottles). But holy shit, when you get to the top, above the clouds, just in time for sunrise…speechless. If you find yourself in Tanzania and want to climb a tall-ass mountain or stare at wild animals, you’d be a fool to NOT use African Scenic Safaris.

NEPAL

If you remember our post about Nepal, you’ll remember we became yoga retreat dropouts. That being said, it was still one of my favorite things we did in this country. The view from Sadhana Yoga Center, the amazing vegetarian food (that we could eat before our 3-day fast), it all made this spot hit the spot. In general, my big piece of advice is to skip KathmanPOO and just head straight to Pokhara for a rocking good time. FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: OR2K in Pokhara for stunning views of the lake, and delicious veggie options.

INDIA

Bet you thought we would say Goa. Which, you’d be partially correct. It’s our happy place. But another surprise fave of ours was the Jain Temple up in Rajasthan. We stopped in on our way to hell, aka Jodhpur. The intricate carvings on hundreds and hundreds of columns stopped us in our tracks. And it had zero crowds unlike a little place called the Taj Get-Me-Outta-Here Mahal. FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: Panorama Restaurant in Udaipur. Any place that plays Octopussy every night on their rooftop is number one in my book. Not to mention the food was so cheap and SO good.

VIETNAM

Exploring Vietnam for a month was full of adventure. In fact, I could’ve used another month to hit up a lot of spots we couldn’t get to (caves, Sapa, etc.). But if I could tell you to do one thing, it would probably be what a lot of people tell you to do, and for good reason: a Ha Long Bay cruise. But try and find a company that doesn’t take you into the clusterfuck of the main bay. We used Indochina Junk which takes you off to a more private area and it was honestly so worth it. And do a two-day cruise. One day is simply too short for this magical place. FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: Hum Vegetarian in HCMC. Seriously, the best meal of my life. Too bad we found it on our last night in the country…

MALAYSIA

Being “normal” for two weeks was our fave thing about Malaysia. Boring, I know. But after months and months and months and months of travel, we just needed it. We stayed at The Face Suites (found on Airbnb). It was everything. Awesome rooftop pool (51 stories up). But if you’re actually looking for a recommendation on what to do in Malaysia, keeping in mind we only stayed in Kuala Lumpur, I’d hit up the Islamic Art Museum in a heartbeat. And from there you can walk directly to the world’s largest free-flight bird sanctuary.

AUSTRALIA

Australia is massive. Spoiler alert. And we really only went to Western Australia, so take our suggestion lightly. But our favorite thing we did during our 2+ week stay was heading south of Perth to Margaret River (aka wine country, aka my Disneyland). Lodging is expensive AF but our friends recommended a place that was cheap and within walking distance of the downtown. FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: Eagle Bay Brewing Company north of Margaret River by an hour.

SINGAPORE

Singapore was so clean and new. Everything worked. People obeyed traffic rules. The coolest thing we did during our super-short 4-day stay was hit up the Cloud Forest. One, it helps you escape from the damn heat. And two, it’s just rad. But crowded. You’ve been warned. FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: LeVeL 33 (the Marina Bay Sands Resort can suck it, this place has just as awesome views). Want cheap drinks? Who doesn’t? Especially in Singapore where everything costs you a million dollars. We loved Loof and their great rooftop and HH. So cheap.

CAMBODIA

This isn’t some under-the-radar advice, but if you go to Cambodia, you’d be a damn fool to not explore all the amazing temples surrounding Siem Reap. There are hundreds, maybe thousands. Which brings me to my next point, hire a guide or you’ll be left looking like a fool.  Second option/close tie would be to head south to the islands off the coast of Cambodia. Think Thailand before the tourist shitshow. We stayed on Koh Rong Sanloem for 6 days and loved everything about this car-free island.  FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: Haven in Siem Reap (great food and outdoor patio, plus they help disadvantaged youth)

THAILAND

Hands down, the coolest thing we did in Thailand was our week-long volunteer experience at Elephant Nature Park. You’ve already heard ALL about it. So just do us a favor and if you go to Thailand, go there. And our second favorite thing? Chilling on the beaches of Koh Lanta for 2 weeks. Way better than Phuket or Phi Phi Islands, for real. FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT/DRINK: Sunny Restaurant and Sunset Bar on Klong Chak Beach in Koh Lanta

HONG KONG 

Truth be told, we didn’t really get to explore Hong Kong. Let’s blame the rain, or let’s blame the fact we had been traveling nonstop for 12 months. Regardless, we pretty much holed up at a bar (that had great beer and wine). So, our fave thing we did in our last spot was…drink at The Globe. Don’t judge us. You’d do it too.

Done. Around the world in just 18 countries (sans the jet lag and getting patted down by security every 5 feet). We may be done traveling full-time, but that doesn’t mean the posting will stop. Hate us yet? Next up, travel lessons from around the world. Get excited, or unfollow us. Your choice, dick.