Parchment

With summer nearing a close and labor day just around the corner, we thought we would share with you some of our favorite vacation destinations from this summer and past vacations. An adventurous group, our staff has knack for finding, exploring, and relaxing in some of the most amazing places around the world.

Russell Lake in Quetico Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada

Northern Minnesota/Ontario  (Submitted by Architect Chris Teigen)
I love visiting cities and buildings on my vacations but my favorite vacation destination is the wilderness of northern Minnesota and Ontario. I grew up going on canoe trips there with my Dad and still go back when I can.

Looking south from Diamond Head in Oahu, Hawaii

Hawaii (Submitted by Intern Architect Kal Yordanov)
Of all the places I’ve traveled to, Hawaii is my favorite place so far. It has a beautiful, tropical climate to compliment its gorgeous beaches and scenery. It is one of the best places in the world for surfers – North Shore deservedly being the most famous beach.  It is just another world; definitely worth the long flight.

The Sawtooth Mountains in Stanley, Idaho

Stanley, ID (Submitted by 2014 Travel Fellowship recipient Patrick Riordon)
A favorite vacation destination of mine is Stanley, Idaho. It’s a tiny town the foot of the Sawtooth Mountains in central Idaho that only exists because of ranchers and vacationers. I love the wilderness and rustic living, so the dense forests, rivers, lakes, and jagged mountain peaks in the area are seductive. There are also some fun things like whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and natural hot spring pools scattered through the woods that make the place a constant adventure. It has those Western vibes of relaxation, freedom, and an appreciation of the grandeur of nature that make me constantly want to go back.

Fiordland National Park in South Island, New Zealand

New Zealand (Submitted by Administrative Assistant Heather Pripstein)
The wine is amazing, you can scoop the water straight from the stream into your water bottle and the sheep and seal outnumber the humans. The only downside is the sand-flies, which local legend says were created by the gods to protect the perfect landscape from being ruined by man. While I was there, I could easily catch Peter Hackson filming in the area, as they were finishing The Hobbit.

The sea walls of Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Croatia (Submitted by Intern Architect Maja Tokic)
Some 60 miles east of Venice, across the pristine waters of the Adriatic Sea, Croatia is a boomerang-shaped country soaking up the Mediterranean coastline then quickly turning back deep into Eastern Europe’s mountains and farmlands to Hungary. In the recent years Croatia is again attracting tourists by the millions to her secluded beaches and her tangled streets. Croatia holds so many spectacular surprises: a Roman emperor’s palace (Diocletian’s Palace), one of earth’s largest gladiator coliseums (Pula Arena), the most spectacular walled city (Dubrovnik) in Europe and some of the most scenic coastal drives on the planet.