It’s a very weird time in the world right now. COVID-19 has drastically altered our day to day lives – we have found new ways to work, to shop, to interact with people, and more, but one thing that really cannot be replaced: travel.
Obviously there are much more pressing issues than not being able to go on a vacation – Zack and I are so thankful that we are healthy, able to work from home, and have each other through this time. I know so many are in much worse situations, so I really cannot complain.
Even though we can’t travel right now, it doesn’t hurt to start planning some future trips, and I wanted to share a few places that may not be on your travel bucket list but definitely should.
These are places that were never on my bucket list. . .places I never really thought about visiting and a few I had never even heard of, but when the opportunity presented itself for me to travel to them, they absolutely blew me away, SO here are five “not so mainstream” destinations I would definitely recommend visiting once things are “back to normal.”
1. LAKE BLED, SLOVENIA
Most people give me a confused look when I say Slovenia was one of my favorite trips. . .until they see pictures of Lake Bled. Straight out of a fairytale and totally magical. Read my full guide here.
2. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
My trip to Seoul was pretty spontaneous. Zack had a work trip, and I decided fairly last minute to meet him there. It was our first time in Asia, and we honestly had no idea what to expect. Seoul was just one of those places that wasn’t on our travel radar for whatever reason (probably because Japan was always our number one destination in Asia) but it ended up being one of my favorite cities. You can check out my complete guide to Seoul here.
3. BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Never planned to visit here. Ended up living here for 5 months. I think going into a place without expectations sometimes blows you away even more – Budapest did that for us, and the city will always hold a special place in our hearts. Detailed blog here.
4. BRUGES, BELGIUM
I had a trip to Brussels planned and wanted to add one more city. That’s when I discovered Bruges. The nickname pulled me in: “Venice of the North.” (I loved Venice, Italy when I visited). The canals, cobblestone streets, and colorful buildings swept me off my feet. Belgium Travel Guide here.
5. CHANNEL ISLANDS, CALIFORNIA
Right here in Southern California, the Channel Islands National Park is the least visited national park in the United States. We spent the day sea kayaking and hiking. Read the full blog post here.
Like I said, nothing will ever replace actually traveling, but hopefully you can find a little escape on my blog or by creating your own bucket list for when we can travel again. I’m also starting some mini-series on my instagram (@hardysonholiday) of past trips if you’re looking for a virtual vacation or some bucket list ideas!
One final note: there will be a blog coming soon detailing our trip to Cartagena, Colombia back in January, so stay tuned and subscribe so you don’t miss anything.
– Courtney
hardys on holiday 
Great post 😁
LikeLike
thanks so much!
LikeLike