Seasonal Destinations Across the Pokémon World
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Art by Kiwi.
Introduction
Welcome, esteemed client, to the Goldenrod Travel Agency™! We understand that you are seeking an exotic destination for your holidays. Ah, you're only at the planning stage! Excellent, excellent! We at the GTA offer a wide variety of destinations depending on your tastes! Here, take this flyer from our marketing team. It lists a few interesting places our scouting agents have singled out. Given you haven't decided when you want to go, it's actually perfect! It lists destinations by season, so you can plan either.
Take your time reading this, and trust the GTA to bring you to your dream vacation! So, where will you go?
Spring
Celadon City
Celadon City is a popular Kanto destination, mostly for its towering Department Store, which was so successful branches were opened in other regions—and business is booming there as well! Now, let's say you just got done with a bit of spring cleaning: donating clothes that don't fit you anymore, dusting off your appliances, and generally making a lot of room in your house. Well, that's just room waiting to be filled! There's no better way to do so than going to the Celadon Department Store and browsing their endless array of items! If you're into Pokémon battles, TMs such as Protect and Blizzard could give you just the edge you need... but that's certainly not all! From Pokémon toys to new flavors of tea, from educational games to strange and exotic articles of clothing, you will find a treasure—or more than one—there!
The reason to go to Celadon City in the spring is because the city is extremely green when you get to the outskirts of it, and the atmosphere is very verdant and energizing. Take a stroll through the numerous parks the city has to offer! Sit on one of the wooden benches and admire nature reawakening from its slumber. If you're lucky, you might catch Erika early in the morning. It's said she waters and takes care of every tree herself!
Fortree City
Fortree City is special in that it's entirely composed of treehouses! This original city is the perfect location for a few nights close to nature; rent a treehouse yourself and enjoy sleeping in a wooden environment, with birds chirping and bugs whirring! Gaze upon the sky and see the untainted twinkle of a myriad of stars blinking at you! Fortree City is the ideal destination if you're tired of city life with its ever-bustling streets and bright neon signs. Why not enjoy a few days of true peace amidst the greenery? Nothing is artificial and everything is natural, allowing you to reconnect better with your inner animal...
Since the number of tourists has risen in recent years, the Secret Base Guild offers fun outdoor activities like treasure hunts, initiations to treetop adventure courses, and the opportunity to decorate your own Secret Base for the season (this may need to be booked fairly far in advance). They cater in particular to smaller kids, so Fortree City is an ideal destination to have a fun and nature-oriented vacation with your children! The Guild advises to be wary of roaming Kecleons, however. Their invisible coat makes them very hazardous for children and adults alike!
Nimbasa City
Nimbasa City in Unova is the cultural heart of the country, being engineered towards entertainment for the whole family. The first thing that springs to mind is its theme park and especially the Ferris wheel, for which the city is renowned. It's a popular pick for both dates and family gatherings, as you can see all of Unova at its highest point on a clear day, and that's a view one remembers! It is certainly something to witness with your loved ones. After a relaxing time on the comfortable seats, how about a thrilling ride at the nearby Gym? It hosts a variety of coasters, from relatively tame cruises to head-shaking loopings! You might even witness a match or two from a daring challenger, and if Elesa herself takes the stand, you're in for an electrifying treat!
However, you'd be wrong to assume you will be done after a meager spin of the wheel! Nimbasa City hosts many other attractions, so let's move on to its twin sports venues! The Big Stadium is used for field games like soccer or baseball, while the Little Court is for less expansive sports like tennis or basketball. Both of those offer weekly matches, and the tickets are rather cheap, so you could just grab a seat and admire the athletes at work! You might even get to chat with them after a match, but as most of them are also Pokémon Trainers, you could get challenged and share in the action yourself!
Finally, both venues also offer a wide variety of drinks and snacks if walking all throughout the city has you wanting for one!
If you're not as interested in sports, perhaps the Musicals would be more to your taste? You can see Pokémon dance on stage for a mesmerizing performance, and the artists always try to stay on top of trends! Rumor has it no two Musicals are the same.
Finally, before you depart, take a tour through the carefully maintained subway. It's the pride and joy of Gear Station, tended to by the world-famous Ingo and Emmet. Take a short trip to Anville Town while you're at it, it has such industrial-era charm!
And if you're thinking, 'But wait... why should I go to Nimbasa City in the spring specifically?' It's because it's the off-season, so everything is cheaper!
Floaroma City
Floaroma Town is known for its huge fields of beautiful flowers, and that is exactly why we recommend a trip there in the spring. Imagine standing in front of a meadow stretching towards the horizon, covered in thousands of flowers in full bloom! The sight alone is extremely relaxing, but the scent of all those flowers is intoxicating as well. Many people simply lay in the flower fields for hours, taking in the quiet atmosphere of the place.
The town also offers a lot of specialties made from honey, as many colonies of Combee rush to the flowers come spring. They make for good souvenirs to bring back home and keep a taste of the flowers on your tongue, or to offer to your relatives. They can also be used as a thematic snack when going to visit the meadows themselves. Be careful your delicious honey snack isn't snatched by a particularly zealous Combee if you do! Fortunately, the wild Pokémon in the area aren't otherwise aggressive and seem to be willing to let humans approach them, which makes this destination ideal if you have younger children. The only exception to this is Drifloon, which is mostly located in the nearby Valley Windworks, but it has been known to be confused with balloons by young children before.
Summer
Undella Town
We could have recommended off-season Undella Town for its quiet, almost melancholic atmosphere, but the location comes to life in the summer, when estival weather makes a trip to the sea an appealing prospect. If the crowded beaches of Alola or Hoenn aren't to your liking anymore, try this exotic yet secluded location offering white sandy beaches and turquoise waters without the noise of a crowd! There are not many accommodations nearby, so you might want to plan your trip carefully, but the quiet feeling of an almost private beach is a worthy trade-off. Our personal recommendation is to enjoy a delicious Casteliacone as you sit on the beach for a perfectly Unovan experience.
For perhaps more adventurous tourists, the area contains a famous scuba diving spot home to some mysterious ruins. The town municipality compensates anyone extracting ancient artifacts from unexplored parts of the ruins if they donate it to the town museum, so you might even refund part of your trip if you happen upon a rare find!
The Sinnoh Champion Cynthia owns a summer house in the city, so lucky vacationers might get a glimpse of her as she's relaxing. She even takes on Trainers she senses are strong, and her hot-bloodedness isn't abated in the slightest by the weather!
Levincia
While also a city near the sea, Levincia attracts a very different crowd of people: it's the best place in all of Paldea, and probably all of everywhere, for raves. It's not for the faint of heart or those looking for a peaceful vacation! You are now entering... the Iono Zone!
The city is constantly alight with neon signs and electronic music booms throughout the streets, flowing from the many nightclubs scattered pretty much everywhere. The night absolutely never ends in summer; take your pick of pool parties, beach parties, city plaza parties, or even raid parties, where you simply move from one to another. Many have attempted marathoning all the fun night-time activities Levincia has to offer, but few have managed not to feel exhausted afterward. The numerous shops in the city offering various energy drinks might help, but beware of the come down!
To relax after a hard night of partying, the port and beach near the city proper both offer a pleasantly cool and soothing sea breeze. More conventional drinks are on offer for you to sip on as you enjoy the view, and if you're exploring the beach, you might even find a few Pokémon casually enjoying the waves!
Our personal recommendation, if there's a night where you don't really feel like going all out but still want to appreciate Levincia, is to make the short trek up north to the Million Volt Skyline and admire Paldea's shiniest city.
Snowbelle City
Some people simply don't like heat. They want to live in relative coldness, and they dread the arrival of summer and its accompanying daze. To those people, we offer the safe haven that is Snowbelle City. Even in the midst of summer, the temperature never goes above 'chilly'!
While Snowbelle City itself doesn't have much to offer besides being a cool base of operations, it is surrounded by interesting locations. Should you go south from there, you will find a dense forest (perfect for protecting against the sun!) leading you to the Pokémon Village, a peculiar place where Pokémon roam freely, allowing one to witness them in as natural a habitat as can be. Do note that access to the Village is heavily regulated, since the Pokémon are not in captivity and you will have to adhere to a strict path and guidelines. The volunteers in charge of the place do not take kindly to people overstepping, even if it comes from good intentions.
If you would rather go east, Grande Vallée Way is a very photogenic location. Its most remarkable feature is its long bridge, a vibrant example of the achievements possible when humans and Pokémon work together, and from which many a photograph has taken their best landscape picture. You might also see painters lurking near the bridge! The damp atmosphere and ample shade are much appreciated in summer, although one might still get sweaty; this route is not the easiest to trek. It's a perfect way to combine sightseeing and exercise!
Stow-on-Side
Located in the temperate region of Galar, which makes it ideal for summer, Stow-on-Side is a great city to tour if you're interested in history. The 'city that flourishes around ancient art' is home to an impressive collection of murals thought to depict the ancient events of the Darkest Day and the legend of the twin heroes saving the region from a fearsome beast. Most archaeologists are still trying to decipher their meaning, but even in their mysterious state—or perhaps because of it—they garner a lot of tourist attention.
It's not the only attraction for history enthusiasts. Stow-on-Side as a whole is big on archaeology, and many shops will offer souvenirs based on famous artifacts exhumed near the city over the years. You will encounter several museums and open-air excavation sites to visit, retracing the rich history of the area, Galar, and its ties with Kalos. While most of it is still unknown, the thrill of the mystery is part of the charm!
Of course, Stow-on-Side is still situated in rugged terrain, which makes it ideal for hiking trips. It is very much possible to spend all of your vacation days outside the city climbing atop the craggy plateaus surrounding it, only coming back to rest for the night. If you do, it is recommended to take precautions against dust and small debris, but the view of Galar you get that way is very much worth it. On good days, you might even see Hammerlocke far in the distance!
Fall
Ecruteak City
Johto as a whole is a very calm, quiet region. Clients looking for thrills should look elsewhere, but if lazy visits and colorful landscapes are to your liking, look no further than Ecruteak City, a city of tradition and honor.
The city is small in population but is central to Johto, as it hosts three of its most historically important buildings: the Bell and Burned Towers and the Ecruteak Dance Theater. The Burned Tower, formerly known as the Brass Tower, was struck by a tragic disaster more than a century ago, leaving it in a state of dereliction surrounded by mystique. Indeed, it is rumored that the legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh made use of its powers to resurrect unfortunate Pokémon that had perished during the raging fire that took the Tower. Visitors are only allowed to approach it and visit the first floor, as the rest of the structure is still fragile.
The Bell Tower is still proudly standing and is a remarkable monument dedicated to Ho-Oh as well. Its decorated and well-preserved interior holds many carvings and statues of the Legendary Pokémon and is a must-see for any connoisseur of early history. Its top floor, battered by high winds, allows for a unique view of the city and even the whole region. One can imagine the majestic phoenix Pokémon roosting atop the tower when it felt tired, an occurrence that hasn't happened for decades now. One can still dream!
The real autumnal interest of Ecruteak City can be noticed while going to visit the Bell Tower. The Bellchime Trail is lined up with beautiful maple trees, as is the city itself, and they are absolutely vivid in fall. From golden yellows to blazing reds to subdued browns, the town breathes fall! Those maple trees are unique to Ecruteak and rarely seen outside of Johto at all; they are considered part of the sacred towers themselves. You can see a lot of care goes into maintaining them.
In the city itself, the Ecruteak Dance Theater is home to the Kimono Girls, who sometimes hold public performances that are said to be so refined, they leave you literally breathless. They are usually booked months in advance and also pretty expensive, but the experience is unmatchable and the price tag comes with a visit to the theater, a complete tea ceremony, and a short conference from the Kimono Girls themselves to explain the history behind their dance.
Celestic Town
Celestic Town is more a village than a true city, making it an excellent choice for shorter vacations. Still, it's packed with ruins and monuments dedicated to the legacy of worship to the Pokémon of space and time, as well as to the Lake Guardians. The town has taken great pains to ensure those artifacts are preserved, and attempts at restorations are underway, financed by grants from the Pokémon League. In case some pieces are deemed too fragile to be exposed to the public, copies are made instead to be showcased. It is definitely worth it to tour all the available museums!
Fall is a great season to visit Celestic Town, since most of the traditional festivals dedicated to the pantheon are held then, sometimes within a few days of one another, overseen by the village chieftains and in the strict respect of oral tradition passed down for centuries. The three Lake Guardians in particular all get a dedicated festival, complete with offerings and a religious march through the city. Visitors are allowed, and even encouraged, to join the march and participate in the festivities, so the atmosphere seems like straight out of another time, though it doesn't make it less enjoyable!
Shalour City
Another seaside location in our catalog might seem odd, especially since it's in fall instead of summer, but Shalour City has a very distinct ambiance from Undella Town. It is more... melancholic. One can experience contemplation and introspection by sitting on one of the numerous benches lining the shorelines and looking at the rolling waves, feeling the autumnal wind carry whispers of change and renewal. The Tower of Mastery, the crown jewel of the city, accessible when the tide is low, encourages that mindset of self-reflection and finding inner strength through martial arts courses and meditation classes. Most of those can be taken at an initiate level only, but even one afternoon can relax one's mind.
The nearby Reflection Cave is a more battle-oriented way to implement this mindset, as the crystalline walls scattered throughout, after which the cave is named, will rather force you to look inwards as you're battling. Trainers willing to reevaluate their fighting style and analyze their weak points could not find a better place to do so.
Before leaving, we encourage you to try the local specialty, the Shalour Sablé. It's a kind of shortbread that's been refined in the city for decades if not more, and the recipe has been perfected by various bakeries throughout the city. Having a bag of those to go while walking along the sea under a cloudy sky is part of the whole experience of Shalour City!
Malie City
Another surprisingly not-summer destination, Malie City, despite being in the tropical region of Alola, is most attractive during the slightly colder season of fall. The reason lies in its heavy festival life in fall, no doubt influenced by the inhabitants from Johto. Interestingly, this city manages to weave together the solemn tradition of festivals from Johto with the festive ambiance from Alola, resulting in festivals that are enjoyable in many aspects. Parades with brightly colored idols and mythological figures are held next to streets filled with more stalls than you could ever hope to visit in one sitting. You will see couples holding hands and children excitedly running by, elderly people chatting with the street food vendors and eager teenagers vying for prizes, all clad in typical clothing appropriate for the events.
Without a doubt, we could not recommend a visit without stopping by the nearest malasada shop to grab a bite as you settled down to watch the fireworks bringing most of the festivals to a close. They're the local specialty, and no matter your appetite, a Big Malasada is sure to fill you up for the rest of your night! If you're not feeling that hungry, they also sell bags of smaller malasadas in different flavors. Find the one you like best!
During the day, you can visit the beautiful Malie Garden, with its zen atmosphere resulting from the loving care being poured into it. It is rather expansive and includes a lake, a tea shop, and even some roaming Trainers looking for a challenge if you so desire. It's not uncommon for tourists in Malie City to spend at least a day on the banks of the garden's lake, enjoying the gentle buzzing and admiring the tower.
Winter
Montenevera-Glaseado Ski Complex
Is there a more thematic winter activity than skiing? Montenevera is a Paldean city buried under a significant amount of snow, and it takes full advantage of its position, with express permission from Glaseado Gym, by setting up a mountain-wide resort! Whether you use a pair of skis, a snowboard, or even a modest sled, slopes of perfectly white snow await you, and with them, the thrill of downhill races like you cannot get anywhere else. The ski resort also doubles as a natural reserve of Pokémon, so any visitors are advised not to litter and to avoid going off-piste not to disturb the roaming wild Pokémon. The two entities work in tandem, as Glaseado Gym has set up courses and cable cars. It even offers demonstrations at times, courtesy of the Gym Leader Grusha, who's said to be impossible to contest in the snow. For its part, Montenevera provides accommodations: very cute cabin-like hotel rooms, plenty of restaurants and cafes to go around when you really crave that hot chocolate, and ski rental shops.
After a nice day of going up and down the mountain, you could gather around the Montenevera Plaza, where musical concerts and rap battles are often held. Heated music might just be the thing you need to ignore your aching muscles! All accommodations are fully soundproof, so those concerts do not spell disaster for anyone wishing to go to bed early. You'll have a good time no matter what!
Circhester
Some people simply don't like the cold. They want to live without ever shivering, and they dread the arrival of winter and its accompanying chill. To those people, we offer the safe haven that is Circhester. Hotel Ionia, with which we have partnered, is more than ready to welcome you in its very comfortable rooms and suites, which include double beds and luxurious bathrooms. You'll find a large recreational area behind the soberly decorated lobby with TVs, newspapers, as well as a billiard and a table football table. A heated pool is available to residents for a quick dip, and some of the suites even have smaller, private pools, although the city has other ways to sate your bathing needs.
Indeed, while Circhester does experience snow in winter (and, frankly, most of the year), the Hero's Bath, the giant hot spring in the middle of the city, ensures you can find warmth no matter the weather outside. The water is naturally rich in minerals and is said to be excellent for the skin and immune system, not to mention it's an absolute joy to soak in when it's cold outside. Most of the hot spring is encased in glass, allowing you a full view of the snow outside, and for the most adventurous, part of it even extends outside!
If you're really hesitant to get even your feet cold, know that the hot spring is connected to the whole underside of Circhester, injecting heat directly into the nicely paved roads, causing walking in the city to be pleasantly warm, if a little bit humid. A small part of it is even harnessed for city heating! Truly, Circhester was made for hot spring enjoyers!
Mahogany Town
Johto's streak of oddly solemn yet relaxing towns continues here with Mahogany Town, a secluded spot hidden between forest and mountain biomes. The atmosphere is almost spartan, and the cold is pervasive. It is a place of contemplation and abstinence. While that might seem odd, not every vacation destination has to be extra. Sometimes it is better to take a bit of a breather from a bustling life and slow down for a few days or even weeks.
That is exactly what Mahogany Town offers. It does not even have a hotel, instead relying on locals to rent rooms. The Souvenir Shop is tiny compared to most other tourist destinations, and everything is smaller and more intimate. It is more centered on the human condition; Mahogany Town is the place to reflect on where you stand, where you came from, and where you intend to go. It is a frozen parenthesis in the world.
As rugged as they look, the locals are friendly and most of them will be happy to chat with you for hours with a warm cup of coffee or three in the cramped space of an old-fashioned kitchen with a gas stove as blizzards howl outside. You can relax in front of an ancient fireplace with a book from a bookshelf that has seen far more books than most people do. It's convivial, in an unusual way of being. It's the Mahogany way.
Mount Hokulani
While snow is rare in Alola, it's not unheard of. Mount Lanakila wears a white crown all year round, and, in winter, Mount Hokulani gets its fair share of snow. But you'll see no ski resort on this mountain, nor restaurants, cafes, or any other kind of tourist attraction. The mountain has no accommodation to speak of, requiring you to take the Exeggutor Express from Malie City or climb up yourself.
So what does it have? What's of so much interest that you would climb up in the cold? It has an observatory. Mount Hokulani Observatory is one of the most advanced astronomical stations to exist, and the view of the sky in the winter, when the air is crisp and clear as glass, is incomparable. The observatory offers nightly visits to anyone interested in the stars, which include a tour of the observatory, detailed explanations about astronomy and the giant telescopes used in the facility, and even the use of one of said telescopes to look at the stars yourself! They promise that if you find a celestial body of interest, it will be named after you!
Mount Hokulani itself has restricted access due to the observatory, so this destination is better used as a one-day trip, either for a very quick breath of fresh air or within a longer stay in Alola. It's not to say it's uninteresting, though, as it keeps causing the heads of many to turn towards the infinite above, the beauty of twinkling stars forever etched in their mind.
Conclusion
With the destinations detailed in this flyer, we of the Goldenrod Travel Agency™ hope that something caught your eye. Whichever season you pick, whichever destination you choose, we guarantee that you will have a good time! These destinations have been tested by hundreds of like-minded fellows, and their reviews are extremely positive. These reviews can be viewed on our website. If you need additional information, please come to our office or contact the phone number below.
We help your dreams become reality. Safe travels!
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