U.S
Mexico City – South of the border U.S
Very few cities can flex that they stand atop a former lake in a volcanic crater, but that’s Mexico City for you – an epic metropolis buzzing with energy.
For a dose of the epicness, take a stroll through the opulent historic center and to Constitution Square. Then visit the Palacio de Bellas Artes and Frida Kahlo Museum for more human-scale inspiration.
Learn about local architecture, from the Templo Mayor built by the Aztecs to Chapultepec Castle and the futuristic Museo Soumaya. And follow the music to Plaza Garibaldi, where local mariachi bands hang.
Remember, this is the largest city in North America, so while a weekend visit here is doable. You’ll wish you had a few weeks to see more of what the country has to offer.
Must-do: EAT. Eat food. It’s everywhere, and it’s amazing. Check out WayAway’s selection of must-eats to warm up those salivary glands!
San Francisco, CA – West Coast U.S
Before you leave your heart in San Francisco – U.S, you’ll give it a good workout on those hills!
They look steeper after you’ve walked a few blocks (or sampled the catch of the day at Fisherman’s Wharf), so take advantage of the world’s oldest manually operated cable cars to catch some of the best views SF has to offer.
By the time you stroll past the Victorian homes of Postcard Row and look back at the metropolis from Alcatraz Island, you’ll see why the City by the Bay is the setting of so many memorable movies. And once you’ve tried a couple of restaurants, you’ll understand why the food scene is considered top-tier.
If you’ve got a spare day, the Napa Valley is an ideal day trip or overnight destination for wine lovers and foodies, and the Santa Cruz boardwalk makes for a great beach day.
Cable cars not exciting enough? Ride the Roaring Camp Railroad in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. It’s the only place in California you can do an open-air train right, and it’s got 40 acres of old-growth redwoods.
Asheville, NC
Wake up in Appalachia, rent a car for a Sunday drive, and don’t let anybody tell you it’s Saturday. Or else just stay in artsy, funky Asheville and have an equally grand time!
The Blue Ridge Mountains offer gorgeous vistas and loads of hiking and outdoor activities to choose from – for one thing, the Appalachian Trail passes through. Take a spa day at Hot Springs for, you guessed it, North Carolina’s only (and best!) thermal springs.
Back in town, the River Arts District has a vibrant community of galleries and artisan workshops. For something more old-school, take a tour of the Châteauesque-style Biltmore Estate for a living reminder of the Gilded Age.
Colorado Springs, CO
When life at sea level is weighing you down, let red sandstone and mountain vistas revitalize your spirit.
Colorado Springs is at the foot of the Rockies, so you don’t need to drive far to find good hiking areas – though you’ll have to go to Manitou to find actual springs. Before you get too comfortable, test your strength on the Manitou Incline‘s 2,768 steps up a mountain, or save your energy by taking the Cog Railway to the summit of Pikes Peak.
Back in the city, there’s a small but thiving downtown with quirky shops and excellent restaurants aplenty for eager eaters. Heck, they even offer fresh oysters, but just be sure which kind you order – the Rocky Mountain variety are not, after all, “fish of the sea.”
Must-do: Visit Garden of the Gods, the Springs’ iconic sandstone paradise. Just be prepared for crowds – it’s on everyone else’s must-do list, too.
Austin, TX
Texans are known for their big everything: state, cities, and personalities. So when people say Austin is the live music capital of the world, they mean you won’t find this many concerts and festivals anywhere else. Willie Nelson, Spoon, and Explosions in the Sky are just three of the names associated with this fertile scene.
If the dozens of venues aren’t enough for you, you can stumble on performances at the airport, City Hall, and heck, even the supermarket!
With virtuosity of this caliber comes a thriving nightlife. Join fellow concertgoers after sunset at 6th St.’s bars with a visit to the Rainey St.’s food trucks afterward. By day, you can relax at the Barton Springs public pool.
Must-do: Spend your day on Lake Austin having a blast doing water sports, like waterskiing, wakeboarding, and lounging with a beer on a boat – totally a sport.
