This place is special to me because after living 40 years in Columbus Ohio, I moved to Seattle and fell in love. The mountains & the Sound made me smile every day & I met one of my best friends, Diana there. As an avid runner, I was thrilled about all of the scenic routes. Diana and I recently did a JustMe5K in the Wallingford neighborhood - complete with zombie running statues, alligators and amazing views of the city from Gas Works Park. Throw in a tasty breakfast sandwich at the end & that’s a perfect 3.1 miles. 🙌

This place is special to me because it's my secret winter escape. OK, maybe not so secret as thousands of snowbirds have discovered it as well. I love Tucson not only for the fun breweries, tasty eats, farmers markets, cool shops, and fascinating historical sights but the city is surrounded by nature. To the north you can hike at Catalina State Park and Sabino Canyon, to the east and west you'll find both sections of Saguaro National Park. When hiking you may be surprised to find the desert teems with life like hummingbirds, phainopeplas, hawks, roadrunners, ringtail cats and javelinas. The cactus wren pictured here is the state bird of Arizona. Hope you like my map! :) Come explore the desert!

This place is special to me because it is my second home, the city I have lived in the longest, a place with countless experiences and memories, and one that I miss.

This place is special to me because, no matter what the season, this gorgeous valley in the Australian Alps has me enchanted with its ever-changing colour palette. From snow capped peaks in winter to golden leaves in autumn, it is my favourite place in the world to hike with my dog.

This is a map of Yellowstone and the Teton national parks that is done in watercolor.

This place is special to me, since it's been my new home since a few years. Blueberries are are emblematic of the region, so they've been incorporated into the map. There's lots to see and do in the region, particularly nature-related activities. If you like hiking, there are many beautiful trails in the region, some of which include breathtaking views of the Saguenay Fjord. Bienvenue au Saguenay Lac-St-Jean!

I moved to Vancouver Island 10 years ago (from UK) and fell in love with its raw beauty. The coastline is rugged and beautiful with both rocky cliffs and some enormous sandy beaches. There are hundreds of islands just off the coast and many opportunities for whale watching, kayaking and winter surfing. The climate is temperate rain forest so inland there are forests and lakes galore with thousands of miles of hiking and biking trails. The terrain is largely mountainous, but there are also rolling pastures with lots of small farms, vineyards and an enthusiastic local food scene. I live in Duncan, known as the City of Totems, which has a large and popular Saturday farmers market. Victoria is the capital city of BC and is rich with history, good food and culture. The Inner Harbour is a lovely place to walk around to see the boats, historic buildings and the BC Museum. Vancouver is just over an hour away by car ferry or 15 minutes by float plane.

A map of the koala territories that I know of along the Murray River at Cobram & Barooga. I grew up on the banks of the Murray River in Corowa (just upstream from this map), but there was no koala population there. Since moving back to the area, it has been wonderful to find that the koalas are returning thanks to a very successful relocation and breeding program. I hope that this map will inspire people to visit our beautiful part of the world.

This place is special to me because it brings to mind such great childhood memories of road trips on the weekends with my family. My mom wanted us to soak up as much Michigan history as we could and would take us on road trips along the coast of the Lower Peninsula to see as many lighthouses as we could fit into a Summer Saturday.

A map of Arizona, the Grand Canyon state! With jaw-dropping sunsets, and natural wonders, fantastic animals, and beautiful cactus of all shapes and sizes. Arizona is my home state, and I never get tired of exploring all the natural beauty and culture it has to offer.

This place is special to me because it's where I grew up in. After living in the US for the past year, making this illustration brought memories and homesickness! These are just some of the many fun spots to visit in my home country, called the land of lakes and volcanos (cause we have sooo many!), Nicaragua. Scuba diving! A lake with freshwater sharks! Volcano boarding! Come visit!

This place is special to me because I love running here. Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, USA is an excellent running spot as it has birds, turtles, flowers, trees, plants and views to check out. Not into running?! There’s more to do-you can picnic, snack, rent a boat, shop for souvenirs, see Huntington Falls, sit in a pagoda, people watch and relax on a bench. A bit of Stow Lake history — the lake is man-made. An observatory existed on the top of Strawberry Hill but it was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. Butterflies look for mates on Strawberry Hill and there’s a ghost that haunts the lake. Come visit!

This place is special to me because I have been to the States only twice and this is a very special place I’d love to visit again next time during fall when the leaves are so wonderfully colored and one can absorb the beautiful nature on extensive walks through the Acadia National Park. There is a good chance to catch a glimpse on mooses and birds. Usually lobsters are a luxurious delicacy but here they are abundant and make for an affordable dinner.

This place is special to me because Georgia is such a magical journey in the fall! The mountains and lakes are like a jewel box with all the changing leaf colors. We just recently started taking our camper and enjoying the serenity of the woods, lakes, campfires and all beautiful state parks!

My map is part of a walk in Clitheroe that I often do in summer with my dog, it's great to see the changes, especially in the allotments as the seasons go by.