The holidays typically mean plenty of time with loved ones, an abundance of delicious meals, and time off from school and/or work. Many people also travel to exotic destinations and enjoy making memories outside of their homes.
2020 has placed restraints on our ability to tour different spots, so the Another Zelda Podcast team began daydreaming of safer locales and thought, “What if we could travel to different locations in the Zelda universe?”
Here are our top areas in the Zelda series we would like to visit. Let us know yours!
Andy
If someone were to somehow offer me a way to live in Hyrule or any land from the Zelda franchise, I would accept it without even a moment of hesitation. There are so many locations that come to mind where I would love to spend a vacation (and possibly even live) that it’s difficult to pick only a few. Despite the struggle, I was able to pick out my top 3 locations that I would like to visit. Ironically, only one of them is in Hyrule.
3) Romani Ranch
Typically, I am one to enjoy a nice staycation when given the opportunity, but sometimes, in order to fully relax, one needs to get some fresh air, and what better place is there than Romani Ranch in the land of Termina? I can just imagine sitting out in the field, enjoying the warm breeze and letting any stress from work and academic life just melt away. This may not be everyone’s cup of tea, so it’s worth noting some of the attractions. On the west side of the ranch, there is a circular track where you can bet on puppy races. Honestly, I don’t even care about the betting; I just think having a bunch of small dogs together is an absolute win. Then, in the evenings, you can “relax” (or get stoned) with a nice glass of milk (Chateau Romani). Plus, I always had sort of a game-crush on Malon/Cremia, so that may influence this choice a little bit...
2) Palmorae Beach
For those who know the beauty of the beaches in Costa Rica, Fiji, or the Virgin Islands, Palmorae Beach from Breath of the Wild matches their beauty, and it’s in a video game! Not only is this beach beautiful, but it would be more than suitable for a wide variety of activities. A long, thin strip of land curls out into the ocean, creating a large cape. The cape would reduce the risk of any rip-tides or currents, so swimmers could enjoy themselves without that safety concern. It would also protect the area from the waves, so water-sports such as jet-skiing and wakeboarding could also be possible. Jet-skis and speedboats may not exist in Hyrule, but if there is a will, there is a way. Perhaps I could befriend a Zora and have it tow me while I wakeboard (or just settle for wind-surfing instead).
Along the coast, there are taller rock formations that would suffice for small-scale cliff-jumping. The tallest rocks are only about 8 times Link’s height, so it wouldn’t be too intense. I’m not complaining, though, since I am acrophobic. I have gone cliff-jumping in real life when I had 6-year-old cousins doing it, so there’s not really much choice if I wanted to have some dignity.
Anyway, Palmorae Beach is absolutely stunning, and I love water-sports (in fact, they’re the only sports I like other than shooting and archery), so I had to make it one of my top picks. There are two reasons I didn’t choose it as my first spot: the first is because I could travel to a similar location in real life or do any of these activities at a local lake. The second is simply because I have a bias towards the game that made me a Zelda fan, and there is nothing like this upcoming place in real life.
1) Skyloft
Skyward Sword was not my first Zelda game, but as soon as I began watching the opening cinematic with the beautiful overture, I instantly became a Zelda fan. Skyloft just has a special place in my heart and, in my opinion, is the perfect opening town for a Zelda game, though Ordon Village is a close competitor. The beautiful orchestral music and art style immersed me into the game so much that I had begun daydreaming about gliding through the skies on a Loftwing when I was supposed to be studying for exams. This was when I was in the 8th grade, so they weren’t that important.
Skyloft’s community is almost utopian. They are so isolated from the world's issues and seem to all enjoy peaceful lives. It sort of reminds me of The Shire from Lord of The Rings. I would never want to be a farmer (I’m too much of a nerd for that), but I would totally permanently move here if I could. Since I’m a college student right now, I think it would be cool to attend the Knights Academy and even learn the art of swordplay. I may have emphasized this too much, but the main thing I would be doing if I could vacation to Skyloft would be finding my own Loftwing and lazily flying around the sky, just like Link did prior to the events of Skyward Sword.
As I mentioned at the beginning, there are many places in Hyrule and its adjacent lands, so it was hard to narrow these places down. However, these ultimately had the most sentimental value to me and have activities that I would enjoy doing on a vacation.
If you would like to connect with me, I have a YouTube channel, Zeldom, where I post videos about Zelda theories and lore. You can also find me on Instagram @official_zeldom.
Stephanie
Rain streaks across the window. November rain has arrived with a vengeance. The most exotic place I’ve ventured to this year was my refrigerator. The ability to pack up and fly away for a few days or a week had been taken for granted. Since the spread of the pandemic, I’ve fantasized about my next dream vacation. Japan? Spain? I’d settle for a domestic trip to Sedona, where the red mountains paint an otherworldly picture.
But why stop there?
The Legend of Zelda series has been influential in my life, and one of the many reasons why the series pulls me into the games every single time without fail is the fantastical destinations you traverse as Link. So, it only makes sense to think about where I’d go on a… Hyrulean vacation!
My heart was dead set on visiting a location in Ocarina of Time’s Hyrule, but selecting the subset location was a bit more challenging. Let me set the scene.
Gorons. Gorons. And more Gorons. I’ve packed my bags and am headed to Goron City! Set on a mountain with a fabulous view, I would reside in a room within the vast complex filled with the happy-go-lucky rolling rock-eaters. With their outgoing nature and love for food (I may have to warn them I have a sensitivity to rocks), it would seem like the ideal choice for me. During the day, I could walk down the Death Mountain Trail and pop into Kakariko Village. There, I could chase the Cuccos and sample some potions! At night, I would hike back up Death Mountain and sit near the top with the Great Fairy and admire the stars. Goron City has such a perfect location to admire the land I grew to love during my childhood. Admittedly, nostalgia has much to do with the choice, but I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.
I’ll list my runner up, as I have a sneaking suspicion this will be on someone else’s list: Lurelin Village.
Did you bring your towel and swimsuit?
How can you beat such an idyllic beach with perfect sand and laid-back villagers? Even in a quaint, simple destination such as this, there are limitless things to do: catch crabs, walk the shoreline, discover the multiple beaches that roll on for miles, check out the merchant’s wares, gamble, and even cook with Kiana (simply one of my favorite mechanics in Breath of the Wild). Have I convinced you yet? Did I mention there’s an inn where you can rent out a fluffy bed for 40 rupees? What a steal! Lurelin Village is a place I look forward to visiting in all my BoTW playthroughs and thus deserves an honorable mention.
I firmly believe there are places, real or fictional, that bring people peace. Some mindfulness sessions ask you to picture a destination where you feel at peace. There is no doubt in my heart that Goron City and Lurelin Village are such places that spread a smile across my face and bring me that warm and fuzzy feeling—something that I, and everyone, needs, especially in 2020.