This place is special to me because I have always loved lighthouses and the scenery of the coast, and if you are looking for lighthouses Michigan is one of the best places to be. I went on a road trip through the state with my family a few years ago and the Upper Peninsula is one of the most beautiful places I have been. It is a trip I will always remember, and I wanted to express some of that beauty in this map.

This place is special to me because I recently moved from Chicago IL to Galway Ireland which has been a huge change of scenery. I try to walk down to this area of the city at lest once a day because it is always such a calm and beautiful place which never fails to put a smile on my face.

This place is special to me because it is the only neighbourhood in which I have lived, in Hong Kong, as an adult. I have been here for 13 years, and it's directly down the mountain from my Ma Ma's place (嫲嫲 – my father's mother), where I spent many summers as a child.

I love Sai Ying Pun because it has the perfect mixture of delicious Cantonese treats, historical buildings and traditional culture, alongside a splash of great western-style coffee, eggs, and so on. It's close to the heart of the city, yet quiet – and it's not even that far from some trails that take you up to the Peak.

This is a little island off the coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. It’s got a local population of approximately 800, but in the summer this number quadruples. It is a vibrant community of activists, artists and young families. There is a supermarket, a school and other amenities to cater the local and tourist population. We have a tiny place here and always tell our kids that if fairies are real, they live on Hornby Island.

This is a watercolor painting of one of my favorite places - Maui! "Maui no ka oi" means "Maui is the best" in Hawaiian. It includes 12 of the places I plan on visiting next month. A trip to Maui is not complete without a visit to Haleakala, 'Iao Valley, and Mama's Fish House! I love hiking, visiting national and state parks, and seeing the beautiful, unique beauty of Hawaii. I can't wait to snorkel and travel the road to Hana for the first time!

This place is special to me because there is something magical about Lititz, especially during the Christmas season. Even though it is my hometown, the time I spend downtown always feels special. Each shop, cafe, and restaurant is unique and has that hard-to-define small town feel. There is so much to learn about the town's history (founded in 1756 by Count Zinzendorf, a Moravian who named the town after a Bohemian castle). And there is nothing like standing beside friends and neighbors during Christmas in the Park -- singing carols together by candlelight, listening to local school children singing, and watching the Christmas tree light up. Lititz was voted "America's Coolest Small Town" (by Budget Travel magazine in 2013) for so many great reasons! Come visit! (The artwork on this map comes from the woodslice ornaments I paint for the Purple Robin Reserve shop, which sells artwork from over 140 local artists.)

I was adopted from China and moved to the USA when I was 8 months old. 14 years later, I travelled back to see the country in which I was born. This map is illustrating my return trip. It's certainly not a conventional map, as it is very personal to me and my story, but I'm proud to show it and give representation to other adoptees like myself!

This place is special to me because I came here to study at the University of Michigan and decided to stay and raise my family here. Ann Arbor is a place where I learned the most about myself, a place where I was able to explore, experience, and be a part of a warm and passionate community. I fell in love with the color of the leaves in autumn, the quirky shops on a crowded downtown street, the caring and genuinely interested people that I met. Ann Arbor is a wonderful place to live! This city has so much to offer - something for everyone to enjoy. I made this map to share some of my favorite places in Ann Arbor that have been great fun to discover and experience.

This place is special to me because it’s the city where I arrived as an outsider, and left as a local. The map depicts “My Leeds” — the landmarks which helped me navigate the city when I first arrived as a university fresher, and the bars where I spent many incredible nights into early mornings. Known as “the London of the North”, Leeds grew out of Britain’s Industrial Revolution, and its rich, diverse history is reflected in the vibrant and eclectic city we see today. From elegant victorian shopping arcades and architectural splendour, to boozy bar-crawls and toe-tapping music venues, Leeds has plenty to offer the wide-eyed country boy when first moving away from home. No matter how many times I return to this city, there’s always a quirky new bar or restaurant to add to the extensive list of interesting places on offer, and although I may not currently live there, I always consider it to be home. Included in the map are not only the places, but the people who made this city an obvious, unquestioned choice for my favourite place — a place “where there’s music, and there’s people, and they’re young and alive” (The Smiths, 1986).

Our cute little 2 block downtown.

This place is special to me because, in the words of beloved broadcaster and naturalist, David Attenborough, "it's a place so extraordinary it is almost unbelievable". Only two hours after boarding a small plane in Sydney, myself, on of my closest friend and her lovely mum landed on Lord Howe Island and what I can only describe as absolute paradise. It is home to only 350 residents, up to 400 tourists and an abundance of animals, plants and sea life, many of which are endemic to the island. With virtually no cars, no keys to your accomodation, and no mobile reception or internet coverage it is the place to come and completely recharge your batteries and soak in the natural environment. Surrounding Lord Howe is the world’s most southern coral reef, and it only takes 5 minutes to get there from the shore. I’ve never seen such vibrant coral and abundance of tropical and sub-tropical fish, turtles, sting rays and dolphins. The rest of the time was spent hiking through the unspoilt forest and mountains, kayaking, cycling, watching the abundant bird life and eating the freshest fish I’d had in ages. There was no need to deprive ourselves of all modern day privileges though. Fine dining was only down the road at a nearby retreat as was a massage for those tired muscles. I feel so privileged to have experienced this World Heritage listed piece of heaven and hope to take my son one day before it too disappears (I might need to save up for the airfare though!). Despite the island’s conservation efforts, last summer was the worst coral bleaching seen due to warmer ocean temperatures. It would be a real tragedy to lose this unique haven.

Kepler is a (fictional) small, and sleepy town tucked in the West Virginian Monongahela National Forest. Located in the National Radio Quiet Zone, the town is sure to notice when something goes bump in the night-- yet there is a secret, stone archway hidden in the woods that the rest of town has yet to hear about. When the moonlight hits just right, where is it that the archway opens up to, and more importantly, what is coming over into Kepler? From the Adventure Zone, the hit D&D podcast from the McElroy family, Kepler is the setting of the Amnesty campaign all about cryptids and monster hunting.

Over the last few years I visited all these places in beautiful Switzerland. I felt in love with the lakes, gorgeous mountains and historic towns. This little country has everything what I fancy: chocolate, cheese, stunning nature and maybe the happiest cows in the world.

Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison is special to me because I find it being one of the prettiest campuses in New Jersey when a blanket of snow envelopes it. Here is my interpretation of that time of year.