Another common theme of my travels is getting to see iconic buildings. These landmarks have been made famous and stayed that way for years. For one reason or another the idea of going to these places makes almost every traveler’s bucket list. When we think of big cities, we can’t help but think about these iconic sights.
I’m going to start close to home. By that, I mean Chicago, so not really that close. I don’t know about you but when I think of Chicago, I think of the Bean, actually called the Cloud Gate. This silver beast has been making heads turn ever since it was installed in 2006. One side shows off the city scape and the other shows off more the park behind it. The reflection is beautiful in the fall, in case you were wondering.
Next we head to the west coast, specifically Seattle. Other than hipsters and Starbucks, many people think of the Space Needle. The Space Needle was built for the 1962 World’s Fair and drew millions of people immediately. Because of its installation, the Seattle skyline has become extremely recognizable. Its futuristic look can make anybody feel the need to shoot for the stars.
I want to move away from industrial icons and over to one created over thousands of years by mother nature. The Grand Canyon is visited by millions of people every year. There are some many ways to enjoy this natural wonder. You can hike half way down, all the way down, ride donkeys down, camp at the bottom, or go white water rafting. Unfortunately, every year a couple hundred people have to be rescued from the canyon, so don’t be over-confident. Know your limits but also allow yourself to recognize all the beauty it has to offer.
Moving towards the east coast, we encounter monuments to our founding fathers. Along with the monuments for Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson, there are also a plethora of war monuments. In a city that’s so full of history, it’s hard to find a place in D.C. that isn’t iconic. If you want to read more about D.C. head over to my Washington D.C. post.
There are many places in Europe that are seen as iconic. Italy is home to several of these iconic structures. The Trevi Fountain and Colosseum both call Rome home, and the David and Duomo have the pleasure of calling Florence home. Each of these wonders draws an outrageous number of people each year. Although it’s not all that crazy when you think about the work was put into these works of art.
As we head north there is none other than France. This country is known for many things, food and fashion included, but there are certain things that almost everyone thinks of. The biggest attraction in Paris could be said to be the Eiffel Tower. The Arc de Triomphe would come in at a close second. They are both iconic for their own reasons. While the Eiffel Tower is highly sought after by tourists, its been said that a large portion of Parisians actually hate it. They think that it’s a terrible eyesore. The Arc de Triomphe comes with the story that Napoleon built it to compensate for his hight and show people that France was not a nation to be messed with. Then of course, there’s the Louvre and Notre Dame. They all continue to stand tall and proud after all these years.
As we continue north we hit our final destination, the cheeky town of London. London, while such an old town, is known mostly for one of it’s more modern additions. The London Eye brings millions of people every year. While in London people also check out two more historic landmarks of London, Tower Bridge and Big Ben. Most people thing that Tower Bridge is actually London Bridge but that would be incorrect. And Big Ben is actually the bell inside the clock tower, not the tower itself. Just food for thought.
I guess you could officially call me a tourist after having visited these iconic places. There are still a staggering amount of testaments to travel that are on my list but I think this is a pretty good start. It’s fun to see all these places that are romanticized by travelers, but it’s also fun to go to places where only the locals go. I hope you’ll join me for my next post where I will attempt to show you some of the lesser known areas of the places I’ve been.
taylortravelbug 