"And, for the debate on Ireland. I spent a week there many years ago and when people ask me about Ireland, my response is always about how wonderful the people are. Some of the friendliest people I've ever met!"

That's like like describing a blind date as having a great personality. If that's the best you can say about a place...

The best place in the world is wherever I am giving my wonderful wife a loving hug.

Apart from that ... :-))

The most beautiful places I ever saw were Austria (I was born and raised in the lovely lake region just east of Salzburg. In fact I will have a website about Austria up on www.BeautifulAustria.com in a few weeks). Towns like St.Wolfgang, Hallstatt and Gosau (glacierview on sunny days!) are incredibly beautiful.

The other place I can recommend is Kauai (one of the smaller islands in Hawaii). The north shore is magnificent and the waves there!!!! I loved it!

Go see Austria next year and Kauai the year after that :-))

Feel free to contact me through my website www.BeautifulAustria.com to get more tips on what to see in Austria.

Enjoy your future vacations.
Reinhard

Austria surely is nice, but I just added

www.beautifulaustria.com 127.0.0.1
to my Windows /system32/drivers/etc/hosts file. And I would recommend everybody do the same, sorry! Have a nice life...

Come to Santa Monica, California. It IS the best place in the world. Why?
Because it is where I live.

I think the best place in the world is sitting at sunset in the esalen baths overlooking cliffs and the ocean below after a wonderful massage. Ahhhh. That is heaven on earth for me.Spectacular beauty and peace.

http://www.esalen.org/place/hot_springs.shtml

The Charente in France.
The Cameron Highlands in Malaysia.
Sitting at the Mill Pond in Cambridge with a plastic pint from the pub.

Haven't been yet, but we're booked to go to south Africa next summer with our teens aged 19 & 15.

We can combine adventure [whale watching, the highest bungee jump in the world] with wild-life [safari] and stunning scenery.

I'm sure that there are some better places, but in the end, you just have to settle for great, rather than procrastinating trying to find perfection.

Sorry...I just have to correct this geographical slipup....

"At the top of Mt.Constitution on Orcus Island which is one of the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound in the Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Washington State and the Canadian Province of Vancouver B.C. near Victoria Island."

It's really the "Canadian Provice of British Columbia, near Vancouver Island."

Vancouver is a city on the mainland of BC, and it is also an Island..Victoria is the capital of British Columbia, located on Vancouver Island.

There...that's all straightened out. :D

My favourite place? Vancouver on a sunny summer day (can ski the morning and golf in the afternoon!).

Favourite place in Europe? Florence, with a close second being Assisi. Beautiful architecture, the history, the vibe of the city. Just gorgeous.

Of course, planning a trip to Paris...so that might trump everything!

Good luck with your planning!

Granny's house - in Austria.

Why? Because of the softie boiled egg and the soldiers.

I told you that yesterday!

Turkey ;-)

The Oregon coast, especially the most northern 100 miles or so.

I haven't been on the board in some time.....I saw this and had to look....I laughed, Rob you need to lighten up, I am happy to see all of you excited about your thoughts on travel.....It always excites me....good for all of you for sharing....

On the surface, a rediculous question. However, after reading through all the posts I have found it to be an excellent question. I noted the MOUNT CONSTITUTION post. I rode a bike up the mountain and found it to be a beautiful ride. My most favorite place is WENGEN in Switzerland.

I like places where there is a world of things to do. Thailand is one of those places. You can do just about everything and anything in Thailand-shopping, partying, sightseeing, beachbumming, jungle trekking, cultural tours. There is really something for everyone in Thailand-seriously. Unfortunately, it can be a bit commercial but it's always a blast.

I agree with a above poster high above me that this board can be biased toward europe and negative/dissagreeing posts can be much more useful. Although I love europe my favorite two places are in the states. Number one, Missoula, MT, where else can you be in a town with incredible night life, great vibe, buetiful gals- and then be waist deep in a river with vistas you only see in post cards ten minutes from town?? Number two DC being there gives you such a feeling of america its hard to explain you feel the power of that town. Not to mention annapolis and its blue crabs are short drive away.

The best place place in the world, and I mean the ABSOLUTE best place in the world, is.....

My little backyard.

In almost any season but specially in late April, early May :)

It also comes with a dashingly handsome, kind host with a big heart. The problem is he is very very selective and caters only to his close friends and family, i.e., people close to his heart :)

Home. The beaches of Llanes (Asturias, North of Spain). The Picos de Europa right behind. Wonderful food. No foreign tourists (in Spain!). Heaven.

I live near Liverpool which is a fabulous city I love it ! we have art galleries, museums, the Beatles, the best football team in the world 'Liverpool' BUT I visited New York and was blown away ! what an amazing city - this is now my best place in the world.

The Scottish Highlands and Islands----but tell anyone!

Scotland is surely one of them, but I haven't narrowed "my best in Scotland" down to one particular area/spot yet.
Too much to chose from, so I am still researching!!
My upcoming trip in May/June will be my third trip there in 4 years...perhaps when I return I will have decided.

Ontario, Canada