"City of Pines" Top 5 Page for this destination Baguio by JaneCajuguiran

Ahh, Baguio... what more can you ask for? When you live in a tropical country like I do, just the climate of Baguio during the cold months of December, January, and February is a treat on its own. Add to these the spots which might interest the not so adventurous city slicker. Top of my family's list is the strawberry fields in the La Trinidad valley where one gets to pick his own strawberry's right out of the plantation. But you don't just get to see the strawberries. Look around and you'll find fresh vegetables ready to be harvested or get to choose from the small stalls that line the entrance to almost half the dirt road of the farm. Next, just because you are in the area, pass by the Benguet State University where you find delicacies that are developed right there. For the garden-loving folks, the university has a garden where they sell seedlings and mature decorative, medicinal and other plants. As you move on towards La Trinidad, you may want to pass by the flower farms to pick flowers (what else?). As you go back to the city, try visiting the mines view park which is at a cliff to take a breath-taking and scenic view of the rock formations and its surrounding areas where little boys dangerously wait and search for coins that tourists drop for them.

when in Baguio, Never (and I mean NEVER) forget to go to these places: Mines view park, burnham park, Grotto, Camp John Hay (for the adventurous, try the nature trail which is about 1 or 2 kms and have breakfast there!) which has a beautiful hotel called the Manor, The Mansion (which is the summer residence of the President of the Philippines), the Cathedral, The Strawberry field in La Trinidad, and the Export processing Zone (to find export overruns at its cheapest). Don't forget to pass by Narda's to get your souveneirs and the Good Shepherd to buy your ube and strawberry jams plus their angel cookies which are certainly made in heaven. Teachers camp, Botanical Garden, Wright Park are among the places not to be missed either. These places are like the trademarks of BAguio. You've not been to Baguio if you hadn't seen them.

I just got back from Baguio and I found that there are other places to see. First is the TAm-awan Village (I wrote a whole page for this). Next, the Maryknoll Ecological Center, Balatoc mines, Crystal Cave and the Asin Salt Spring. There are a number of museums in the city too.

Perhaps to me, Baguio will always be Baguio - a place where my family (my parents and brothers, and now my own family) we will always go back to to enjoy and be together to build memories we can cherish.

• Pros:inexpensive, offers a variety of activities, some areas are scenic and picture-perfect
• Cons:congested because everyone wants to be there!