By Sophie Tuan
I travel very frequently for lacrosse. The sport has taken me across the courntry and globe to compete with wonderful athletes and form incredible memories. Through travelling I have experienced and immersed myself in a multitude of other cultures and tasted the most incredible foods in my life. I am extremely grateful for all my opportunities to travel and play all over the world. Below are all the places I’ve been to in the past year ranked!
Linko, Taiwan 10/10!!!
I love visiting anywhere in Taiwan. Anywhere you go is almost guaranteed to have amazing food—from 7/11 to street vendor stalls to sit-down restaurants, every morsel of food is delectable. I’ve unfortunately only been to Taiwan a few times in my life, but every experience there is truly magical and will live forever in my cherished memories. The people are incredibly friendly, the culture is immersive, the food is the best, and the temples, museums, and landmarks are beautifully intricate. Souvenirs are also affordable, so you can take tastes of Taiwan back home to friends and family.
Melbourne, Australia 9.9/10
When visiting Melbourne, I was utterly surprised by how much I loved it. The entire city was well structured with free public transport to aid my enthusiastic exploration. Also, the city was incredibly clean—I’ve never seen something like that in any city I’ve been to in the US. There was no trash on the ground, the air was clean and fresh smelling, and plants were well-manicured. Additionally, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of delicious Asian food (specifically Chinese) available; the Chinatown sector was huge with some of the best xiao long bao, mapou tofu, and dumplings I’ve ever had (second only to restaurants in Taiwan). Australia’s landscapes were also some of the most beautiful I’ve seen. I didn’t purposefully go out of my way to see any landmarks, but I still saw beautiful waterfront views and mountains next to the fields I played at.
New York 9.2/10
I love New York–especially the city, although the suburbs are also beautiful. In New York City, the hustle and bustle never ceases; there’s always something to go out and do or somewhere new to explore. Additionally, I appreciate the diversity of quality cuisines available in the different parts of the city: Chinese, Italian, French, Korean, etc. Truly, New York is a special and wonderful place.
Cambridge, Massachusetts 8.5/10
The home of amazing schools such as Harvard and MIT, Cambridge just feels intelligent and awesome—filled with the potential of the smartest students in the nation. Moreover, when I went at the beginning of winter, it was so wonderful; the weather was crisp and chilly in the best way possible. However, no matter how beautiful Cambridge is in the spring, fall, and winter months, summers on the East Coast are brutal and hot. For that reason, I couldn’t rate Cambridge any higher on the list.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 7.8/10
I’ve only ever been to Philly in the summertime when it’s humid, hot, and sticky all the time, so my rating is based on these circumstances. Also, traffic is absolutely horrible. Still, despite the heat and traffic, the city has lots to offer, like the Reading Terminal Market in downtown Philly. The food is incredible! My favorites are the pastrami sandwiches. Good food isn’t just limited to the market, though. The best pasta I’ve ever eaten was at a little restaurant called Nonna’s. Their garlic bread, tiramisu, and vodka pasta are to die for—I make it a point to go back every time I visit.
San Diego 7/10
San Diego is one of my most frequently visited cities (probably once to twice a month). Although it’s beautiful and filled with waterfront views and nice weather, the beach town surfer-vibes are just not for me. The traffic is also constantly backed with and everything is really expensive (a salad was almost $18 dollars!).
Providence, Rhode Island 6.8/10
Providence truly should have been much higher on this list; however, the weekend that I went to visit was in the middle of a heat wave, causing the turf I was playing on to be almost 110 degrees. Therefore, I struggled to even force myself outside (not to mention playing for six hours). However, Rhode Island had a quiet luxury kind of vibe that was chic and peaceful. The scenery was lovely; I took a walk along the beach and over a couple of bridges, and the sights were calming and surreal.
Dallas, Texas 6/10
Dallas is always fun to visit, but it becomes a bit basic after multiple visits. Don’t get me wrong, Texas BBQ is mouthwateringly good, but there’s only so many times you can eat greasy brisket—no matter how good. There’s nothing really to say about the views in Texas. It’s a solid place to visit, especially if it’s your first time, but not mind-blowing.
Los Angeles 5/10
LA is just not really for me. I go there often, mostly for lacrosse, but besides for some good food and a trip to Universal Studios LA is just kind of ‘meh’ to me. I get some people really like it, but I would much rather go to other parts of SoCal instead, where traffic isn’t horrible, and Hollywood isn’t the city’s whole personality.
Baltimore, Maryland 4/10
I have the same gripe with Baltimore as I do with Rhode Island and Philly: every time I’ve been it’s been extremely hot and humid. And, unlike Rhode Island, there are no sights in Baltimore to balance out the negative points from the unfortunate weather. The only saving grace is that it’s close to Chesapeake Bay, which gives visitors a nice view and an oceanside breeze.
Connecticut 3/10
There’s not much to say about Connecticut since I was only really there for a day. The weather was nice during the late fall/winter months, and my surroundings were decently pretty. However, the roads were really narrow and the rural spread of houses just wasn’t something I really enjoyed.
Delaware 0/10
There is literally nothing to do in Delaware. I have tried to explore, find local foods, or any sort of attraction, but truly, the only thing there is the DE Sports Complex. I even attempted to try a local restaurant since Delaware’s known for their blue crab (supposedly). Unfortunately, the food was mediocre at best, and the water tasted like the marsh we were sitting next to. Moreover, the view is just flat, boring land—nothing exciting, nothing to do, 0/10. I would not recommend a trip here unless you like watching tumbleweeds, dirt particles, and your will to live pass by.