Iguazu Falls, Argentina/Brazil Border

This place is one of great natural beauty and I have been told that it is a place that you would not want to miss seeing before you die which is why I have added it to my bucket list along with liking the lore behind it. The story goes that a god wanted to marry a beautiful woman named Naipí, but Naipí was in love with a mortal man named Tarobá. In order to escape from the scorned god the couple planned to run away together and took a canoe down the river. When the god realized what they had done he cut the river in half and condemned the couple to eternally falling down the waterfalls he had created. It is rare to see a place of lure anymore and I feel myself drawn to places such as these because the stories are so interesting and usually tragic that to just be there would be amazing. From the pictures I have seen it is really a beautiful place to visit.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Often referred to as the Lost City Of The Incas, Machu Picchu is a piece of history that is also a very beautiful location in Peru. Building of the location began somewhere around 1400 AD which makes it RIDICULOUSLY old although it was believed to have been abandoned a century later during the Spanish Conquest. A lot of the buildings have been reconstructed to give tourists a general notion of the original structure of the buildings. The important thing about this site is that it was untouched by the Spanish conquest so the original designs were kept in tact and also it is one of the 'new' 7 wonders of the world. I would suggest visiting this location sometime between May and September as that is considered the 'Dry' season although I would still pack some rain boots and an umbrella as it can rain at any time. This location is threatened mainly by tourists and commercialism though the Government fights it at every turn from helicopter landing pads to hotels. Keeping this location the way it was before touched by modern civilization is part of its beauty and charm in my opinion. I would rather have to travel a few hours by car or bus to reach this location than to have the location ruined by a hotel put near it.

Unity, Maine

As my anniversary comes up in a few months I keep finding myself thinking about the place that my husband and I got married(the first picture is the view from the cabin on the lake in Unity where my husband and I spent our honeymoon). It is truly a place to get away from it all. The closest Walmart (or any modern restaurant chain) is over 30 minutes away, but if you are looking for somewhere to relax and take it easy this summer, this is the place for you. My husband's aunt owns a home there that she rents rooms out during the summer and everyone there knows everyone's name and everyone says hello to one another. It is one of those small towns that is great for rest and relaxation. The greatest part (for me) is that there is BARELY any phone signal out there so there will be no persistent work calls to interrupt the beauty of the area. I would suggest waiting to go there until after June because what they call the mud season causes a lot of bugs in that area until the end of June. But during the summer, fall, and winter that area is like something out a picture or a travel magazine without all of the tourists and crowding. It is a true hidden treasure and I would love to go back again and again!

Santorini (Thira) Island, Greece

So seeing as today is my birthday I have picked a place that is supposed to be very romantic and magical. One of the legends says that this island was created by God when he was the happiest and that is why it is so beautiful. The island itself is a center for tourism and a spot of great beauty but it is also what remains of a volcanic caldera and one of the few volcanoes still considered active (though mostly underwater from my understanding). The best part about this island is supposed to be the view at sunset. I would love to go here just to experience the beauty of this place before it gets ruined by the careless tourists intent only on getting where they need to go and doing what they want rather than not ruining a piece of natural beauty for those that will visit later.

The Great Wall Of China

This is a famous tourist attraction but what most people don't realize is that it is actually a series of walls built from the 5th century BC to the 16th century. Currently there are large sections that have fallen into great disrepair and although large sections of the wall have been repaired it has been said that within the next 20 years the majority of the wall will be gone. It is a historical monument as well as a beautiful sight. The idea that one of the only man made items that can be seen from space will be gone soon is saddening and makes me want to get the opportunity to witness what so many people gave up their time and/or lives to complete this project. I would love for my kids to see something that will be gone by the time they reach my age and be able to tell others that they got to see a piece of history before it disappears.

The "Black" Mailbox - Route 375 (between markers 29 & 30), Nevada

Now for those of you that don't know what the black mailbox is I will explain. It is a mailbox (used to be black, now white) that many alien hunters used to believe belonged to area 51 and was either used for government mail regarding aliens or as a way for the aliens themselves to communicate with our government. Now that being said it is supposedly also a really amazing spot to go camping and star gaze which is where my interest lies. I do believe in aliens although I do not think that there are creatures close to or surpassing our intellect or even close to our evolutionary stage but I think it would be great to go camping at this spot and maybe see the famous mailbox that so many people go to see down the Extraterrestrial Highway.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Cleveland, Ohio

Come on now, who wouldn't want to visit this place? This is probably the coolest looking museum ever...with exhibits like "One hit wonders and the songs that shaped rock and roll" and "the roots of rock and roll" you can follow the history of rock and roll from when it first started to what is predicted to come in the future. Now I know this place may not be for everyone, but you have to appreciate how original this idea is and even though rock and roll may not be my favorite genre of music I can appreciate the music and the exhibits there. And besides the museum I'm sure there are plenty of cool things to do in Cleveland.