If I could time travel, there are a few eras and places I'd like to visit. I'd go to Greece in 530 BC. I wouldn't stay for long, but I'd love to see it. Even if just for a few days. I'd have to be careful about how I dressed and what I said. I don't speak ancient Greek too well, and only that Attic dialect at that. That's why an extended stay would probably be unwise.
I wouldn't mind visiting year 0, 33 AD, etc. Just to see how much Christ was hyped and how much was legit. First of all, did he even exist? (I suspect that the stories are based on an actual person, but you never know.) I'd like to see some of what he actually did? What was he like? (I'm fairly certain that tales of his exploits have been exaggerated and embellished over the years. I mean, look what happens in a game of "Telephone"... The message is usually horribly distorted after only a few minutes and a couple dozen people. Imagine what could happen over millions of people and thousands of years! I believe that the stories we hear today still have a basis in truth, I just want to know how much.)
After that trip, I'd probably head to England, 1370. See what Chaucer's England was like.
From there, I'd just set the dial forward a bit and head to the early 1600s. Very early 1600s. Like 1601 maybe. I'd seek out Shakespeare and the globe. Maybe go see a play or two. I'd like to at least see a tragedy and a comedy. The Tempest would've just been written, I think. I'd also want to explore some other cultural aspects of the era, 'though, again, I wouldn't stay too long. This time for fear of disease.
Once I'd done all that, then I might poke around more modern times. Sure, I'd take a look at 1885. See what life what like, what's changed in the past hundred and twenty odd years. I don't think I'd fit in very well in the 19th century. I think I'd have to make up some tale about being raised in a far-off land or something, just to explain my seeming oddities.
Other things I might like to see: the roarin' twenties, the dirty thirties, and the psychedelic sixties.
As you can see, my time machine would mostly have me concerned with the past. There are all sorts of times and places I'd like to visit. Maybe I'd poke around the fifth and sixth century, see if I could pin good King Arthur down. Settle the debate as to his existence once and for all. Or visit the New World, before the arrival of Europeans. The possibilities are just about endless!
That being said... I might eventually decide to take a peek at the future. Just to see how badly we screw things up. Or if we actually manage to salvage the situation. At this point I think the best thing we could do is die out quietly. Try not to screw up the environment any more than we already have. Try not to kill of any more critters or do too much more damage. Maybe once we're gone nature can start re-balancing herself.
With that in mind, I'd probably go ahead and visit year 2500. See where we're at in 500 years. See if we've managed to eradicate ourselves yet. Maybe I'll get a shock and find out that we discovered a way to fix things. That'd be nice.
(By the way, I'm assuming that, for some unexplained reason, I don't have to worry about the usual paradoxes here. I'm assuming that, although I can talk to the people I meet and interact with them to an extent, I will have a net zero effect on events. I can't give people ideas, convince them to do or not do something, change their opinions. And I definitely can't maim or kill people (thinking of the "kill your own grandmother paradox here"). Much as there are things in history that I'd love to change, I shouldn't be the one to do it. Who knows what could happen as a result?! There are just too many variables. As much as I would have good intentions, I could end up creating a much worse situation in the end. So for my own safety and piece of mind, and for the integrity of the time line, I will "leave no footprints".)
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