Thanks to the Navy I’ve been to some super cool places. Both coasts of the United States. The middle of America and all over the Caribbean and Central America. With this I thought it would be fun to rank my favorite places I’ve been in the navy. I’d rather rank every place I’ve been with the navy.
10. Arizona and New Mexico
Well Arizona and New Mexico I only got to drive through from Texas to California so I almost didn’t rank this but I wanted a round 10. The desert drive was beautiful, we stopped in Yuma, Arizona on the way too California and being in a hotel in the middle of the desert felt like being a modern western movie like “no country for old men” or “logan”. I’m a movie nerd so that was cool, plus like seeing a target in the desert was also an interesting thing. Only this low because it was a drive through area and I didn’t fully experience it I felt like.
9. Kingston, Jamaica
This being 9 isn’t an indictment on the place, but rather just shows you how lucky I’ve been in my naval career to experience some cool places. Jamaica is one of the top distributors of rum in the world, and they know it. Putting rum in almost everything their baked goods, their frozen yogurt, their ice cream. Also the only flag in the world without a red, blue or white in it. If you’re a Bob Marley fan there’s also the Bob Marley museum to check out. I never got to see it, but I heard good things. Also be sure to get one of their beef or chicken patties while you’re here. They’re not the conventional United States type you’re thinking of.
Photo courtesy of Mark Logico
8. Norfolk, Virginia
Underrated area. It’s never touted as a good place to go in the navy, but there’s fun things here. In Norfolk I recommend checking out the USS Wisconsin. Especially during Christmas it’s beautiful to look at as they make a Christmas wonderland of lights to go through.
Also the Norfolk botanical garden is full of beautiful flowers to look at during all seasons and also during Christmas time the gardens build an impressive trail of lights to walk through and great food trucks.
The Norfolk zoo has some great animals to check out like an American Bison and an orangutan.
The cinema cafe is a great movie theater chain throughout the Virginia Beach area that has a full menu to serve you during your movie, and finally my favorite thing.
Busch Gardens of Williamsburg. One of the best amusement parks on the east coast. A wide arraignment of thrilling roller coasters including Verbolten and The lochness monster. Yet what maybe most endearing is their conservation of wolves as well as the ability to meet Clydesdale horses. Also love their food.
7. Colon, Panama
During my deployment once we hit Colon, Panama we had a very limited space for our liberty area at Panama. It was essentially a small mall and a couple other shops behind the mall.
Despite this it was a very fun time, the mall was a lot of fun and had some great stores for souvenir shopping. Including a shop where I got a poncho.
We also were able to take a trip to see the Panama Canal locks system. It was quite interesting to watch in person.
Also the people I met here were just so friendly. Met some great people I would call friends now. Any places best resource is its people.
6. Jacksonville, Florida
I struggled putting this on my list because I technically have very little ties to this place, as I was only here for a couple days preparing for deployment and then a day before flying back from deployment.
But for what I got at this base during this time I definitely think it deserved a spot, and a decently high one at that.
The MWR here had a bar right by the beach with beach side games as well as I liked their other offerings of videogames and comfortability.
Their gym is one of the better navy gym’s I’ve been too.
And the weather is pretty great.
5. Puerto Cortes, Honduras
The most underrated place I’ve been too in my life by far.
Nobody really talks about Honduras as a place to visit, but I liked it.
There was a lot of untouched nature. I got to go on a hike here to a waterfall and swim in it and it was one of my favorite experiences with the navy.
The people there were so great to meet. And I had another great experience of getting to play American football with Honduras officials. So I got to have a lot of cool experiences here that I will remember for a while.
Also great margaritas and one of the best haircuts I’ve ever gotten.
4. San Antonio, Texas
I know places being underrated has been a theme for this list, but San Antonio is (only slightly) absolutely no exaggeration underrated.
It’s a fun city with a lot happening, kind of a young and upcoming vibe to this place.
The Riverwalk and the Alamo are the famous places here which are fun no doubt, but there is also some great museums here including the Army Medic museum and San Antonio art museum was right down the street from where I lived, and that museum even had a wicked costumes exhibit when I was there, so that was awesome.
Also I adored the San Antonio aquarium. Sting rays are your friend.
We were able to attend a rodeo at the stadium where the spurs plays while I was there which as a huge basketball fan and having never been to a rodeo was super cool.
I got to be in a parade for their yearly party “La fiesta”
Finally the San Antonio sea world and six flags were some of my favorite amusement parks I’ve ever been too. I got to swim with dolphins there that was cool.
Also was able to eat a great dinner in the “tower of americas” for once in a lifetime experiences this places has a lot of them.
3. Limon, Costa Rica
If I was just ranking countries I’ve been too, Costa Rica would probably be my number one. The untouched nature, beautiful wild life and the way the coastline meets the waves make this one of the most serene places I’ve ever been.
It was almost ethereal and other worldly at times.
I remember walking through a park and sloths just chilling up in the trees. Sloths here are kind of like squirrel equivalent back in the states but for a very undertraveled person at this point in my life it was super cool to see.
I also got to see capuchin monkeys playing around in a tree together.
I loved this little town just walking through it, the people were all kind and I made some great friends here and this place had some of the best food ever. 10/10 would recommend and I hope to make it back here some day.
2. Cartegena, Columbia
Being here kind of felt like having a city as a playground.
Just in the sense that walking through this place there was fun on every corner.
I remember looking across the bay from my ship at the city felt like looking at Gotham city or Marvel’s New York. Being in this city at night it’s a place that likes to party.
I got to have fun and some great restaurants and bars, but during the day this place is very fun too. There are some great malls and beaches around. As well as tourist excursions on the water.
Also there was a little zoo near the port I was at where I made friends with a parrot among other things.
Just a really fun experience.
1. San Diego, California
I would do a lot of things to spend the rest of my days living in San Diego, California. A lot of life and the American Dream is the pursuit of happiness and I think it might be impossible to be completely unhappy here.
The weather? Amazing.
The food? Amazing.
The people? Amazing.
The mountains and hiking? Amazing.
The beaches? Amazing.
The amount of things to do? Amazing.
Everything? Amazing.
And I say this WITHOUT getting to go to San Diego comic con as a huge comic book fan.
Just there were so many things I loved.
The San Diego zoo and safari park were just amazing experiences. Zoos that felt more like Disney’s animal kingdom than your local zoo. Plus they just got their pandas back while I’ve been away.
Sea World there is a lot of fun and it’s only an hour ride from Disney and like 2 hour ride from Universal studios and LA in general.
Belmont park was a beach that felt like old Coney Island, and there were many amazing hiking trails.
It’s the perfect place for people that like to do endurance sports like running, swimming, hiking and biking. I certainly can’t think of a place that would be better for training for a triathlon.
If you ever have the chance to go to San Diego take it. I desperately hope to be back here one day.
Adventures by Begley 