It took us 45 states to finally come to a state that doesn't have one single NBA alumni player born within its borders and honestly, we're not surprised that it is Vermont. However, we were able to discover that the state does have local basketball legend in Taylor Coppenrath. Born in the city of Barnet, Taylor Copenrath didn't play varsity basketball until his junior year of high school but somehow was able to become the Vermont Player of the Year his senior year in 2000.
Coppenrath then went on to play four years of college basketball at the University of Vermont where he led the team to three straight America East Conference titles averaging 21.4 points per game. Coppenrath is currently the all-time leader in field goals made at the university with 851 and second all-time leading scorer with a total of 2,442 points. During the 2004-05 season, Coppenrath led UVM to its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory over Syracuse. While he declared himself for the NBA Draft in 2005, he was not selected but did participate in the NBA Summer League as a member of the Boston Celtics. When he wasn't picked up by the team, he headed overseas where he played for a decade professionally.
Wondering where to go in 2020 for an amazing deal, to beat the crowds, or for a truly once-in-a-lifetime travel experience? These destinations are on travel addicts’ radar for rightfully hyped 2020 events, new offerings, and recent developments that make them a must-visit right now.
On top of the majestic scenery its long been known for, Montana is a newly trendy nature getaway celebrated for its expanding luxury hotel scene, culinary offerings, and shop-local boutiques, according to an American Express study detailing where cardholders are traveling in 2020. But Montana is also about to get more accessible than ever before thanks to emerging flight routes sure to stir up competition. Launching two brand-new seasonal routes to Big Sky country, American Airlines will fly from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Bozeman and Kalispell, Montana, beginning mid-year and continuing through Labor Day. Take advantage of the new direct route before the secret gets out, and so that they’ll continue next year.
One of the cities featured in Booking.com’s travel trends for 2020, Urugay’s capital Montevideo is a stable and LGBT-friendly destination to visit in South America—a continent that’s seen dips in tourism of late thanks to political instability in travel destinations like Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. Travelers identified the city as a trending travel destination for anyone seeking an immersive, one-stop escape; according to the study, “over half (54 percent) of global travelers say they want to go on one long trip to a place that has all of their favorite activities and sights close together.” Montevideo’s offerings include beaches, nightlife, markets, theaters, culinary prowess, and festive Gay Pride Day celebrations in September.
Europe’s intensely overtouristed spots (Venice, Barcelona, Santorini) have new Eastern European hotspots to thank for stealing away some of the spotlight: Romania is making a name for itself as one of the top five most trending Airbnb booking destinations for 2020. The nation that’s home to Transylvania, Dracula’s castle, and well-preserved medieval towns nestled among rolling hills has seen a 298 percent annual increase in Airbnb bookings.