When I think about cities I want to visit, I don’t really think in terms of landmarks or checklists anymore. I think in terms of shared experiences—places that would mean something because we’d be there together.
New York City is high on Daryl’s list, and I get why. It’s a city that hums with energy, ambition, and story. Broadway lights, iconic streets, neighborhoods with their own personalities—it feels like a place you don’t just visit, you step into. I’d love to see it through her eyes, walking blocks with no agenda, letting the city unfold one corner at a time.
For me, Washington, D.C. has always held a quiet pull. History lives there in a way that feels tangible rather than dusty. Monuments you’ve seen your whole life suddenly carry weight when you’re standing beneath them. Museums that invite reflection instead of rush. I’d love to experience that city with Daryl—not just as tourists, but as two people slowing down and absorbing what shaped the country we live in.
We’ve already been to Honolulu, and that trip left its mark. But Hawaii feels like a place that invites return visits. There were things we missed, places we didn’t linger long enough, moments we could do differently now. Going back wouldn’t be about repeating the trip—it would be about deepening it.
And then there’s Paris. That’s the true bucket-list city for us. Not because it’s fashionable or iconic, but because it represents something timeless: walking along the Seine, sitting at a café with no rush, sharing meals that last longer than planned, and letting the world slow down around us. Paris feels less like a destination and more like a promise—one we’re saving for the right moment.
At this stage of life, it’s not about how many cities we see.
It’s about choosing places that give us space to be together—to walk, talk, remember, and make new memories worth carrying home.
Copyright © 2025 Doug DeBolt.
