It's a hotly debated topic. Where are the best places to level in Classic World of Warcraft? Believe it or not, there are some players that enjoy their early leveling sessions just as much as raids and high-level PVP combat. Depending on the kind of experience you're looking for, some places are more fun than others no matter your race, class or faction.

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Not sure where to go? You have to level to get into that raid group anyway, so you might as well enjoy the grind while it lasts. Here are the best places to level if you're still in the one to 30 brackets.

10 Loch Modan, Alliance (Levels 10-18)

Not only is it one of the more scenic parts of Azeroth, but it also contains some interesting Dwarven ruins, lore, and architecture. The terrain is rugged and natural, with plenty of different features that include mountains and forests. A famous landmark in this zone is the Stonewrought Dam, part of Loch Modan's northern border, which forms the huge lake that dominates the center of the zone. There are close to 60 quests in this relatively small space, which is plenty to keep you busy, plus the zone is an easy step away from the Alliance starting area of Dun Murogh.

9 Tirisfal Glades, Horde (Levels 1-12)

As the only Horde starting zone in the Eastern Kingdoms, Tirisfal Glades takes up the cozy northwestern corner of the continent and is fairly isolated from any Alliance areas. The Western Plauguelands is on the eastern border and the infamous Scarlet Monterey is also in this zone, so high-level alliance players do visit from time to time.

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The zone is fairly compact, with the capital of Undercity and its handy suburb of Brill close by, lower level players don't have to spend a lot of valuable questing time running between vendors and trainers.

8 Darkshore, Alliance (Levels 11-19)

Darkshore is a zone that doesn't get a lot of attention from higher-level players outside of using the dock of Aubrdine as a transit point, but there's a lot of interesting lore and geography in this zone. Most of the lower level Alliance players here are Night Elves, as their starting area of Teldrassil is only a short boat ride away, but other lowbies in the know make the cross-continent trek to enjoy what could be the game's most underrated zone. The quests on the coastline are about murlocs and shipwrecks, while feral animals and an Old God make up the inland features.

7 Stonetalon Mountains, Contested (Levels 15-25)

There are so many zones attached to the Barrens that quiet little Stonetalon Mountains often gets overlooked. There are few flightpaths here and the hilly terrain slows travel down a little, which might explain why most players stay in Ashenvale to level and then run right through into Desolace.

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For those with the patience to explore, Stonetalon has a lot to offer when it comes to quests, lore, and scenery. Stonetalon Peak, the most northern part of the zone, is sacred to Druids. Those familiar with the history of Azeroth will recognize Stonetalon Peak as the zone where three armies of orcs, humans and night elves united to fight the Burning Legion.

6 Wetlands, Alliance (Levels 20-30)

Most Alliance players wander north through the mountain passes from neighboring Loch Modan to find this zone, with Horde players traveling through much later for a few specific quests. There's plenty of Dwarven lore on this side of the mountains too, along with more dangerous enemies like orcs, crocodiles, and red dragons. As one of the higher level zones on this list, the Wetlands has some of the more dangerous encounters, wild spaces, and chances of contact with Horde players than others. It also has more options when it comes to travel than most low-level zones, with the city of Menethil equipped with both a flight plan and a harbor that connects to Kalimdor.

5 Silverpine Forest, Horde (Levels 10-20)

Silverpine Forest is everything The Barrens is not. It's cool, misty, verdant and best of all, not very big. Most of the zone is occupied by the placid and substantial Lorderon Lake, with the better part of quests, towns, and resources located along the western shoreline. You can get a fair amount of questing and resource faring done without losing time for travel.

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Shadowfang Keep, the notorious dungeon and famous landmark, is in this zone along with other important places like Dalaran and the Greymane Wall. That means some dangerous enemies, even for a low-level area, the ideal choice if you like lore and a challenge.

4 Duskwood, Contested (Levels 10 to 30)

Although this isn't officially an Alliance zone, the location next to Elwynn Forest means this isn't a zone for Horde lowbies. Most members of the other faction don't even find Duskwood until they wander in from the higher-level area of Stranglethorn Vale to the south. It's the Alliance answer to Tirisfal Glades, complete with a hazy mist, permanent darkness, a vast graveyard, and even a wandering abomination. Alliance players that want a chance to experience the Forsaken without actually playing one would enjoy leveling in this zone, and they can stay for up to 20 levels if they wish.

3 Durotar, Horde (Levels 1-10)

It's more about location when it comes to leveling in Durotar. A small suburb of The Barrens and a major city, Durotar has a lot more variety when it comes to geography, plus the Orc capital of Orgrimmar is nearby. That means early and easy access to trainers, the Auction House, and most importantly, the bank. It's a small starting zone that packs a lot of variety into a few levels and little space. Players can explore caves, islands, and cities, and do quests that include kill quotas, training, and delivering packages. The zone is also nicely isolated, so thee's little chance of Alliance players showing up to gank innocent questors.

2 Teldrassil, Alliance (Levels 1-11)

If you like to level in an isolated area where nary any other factions from either Horde or Alliance are found, Teldreassil is the zone for you. It's an ideal place to learn the game if you're new to World of Warcraft, as it's confined to what is simply a giant tree in the middle of the ocean, and the quests neatly lead you through the zone to the capital city, Darnassus. This is where a major character in ancient lore, Tyrande Whisperwhind, calls home. Players who level in this zone have easy and early access to class and profession trainers and transportation. Access to the port of Auberdine is available via a quick flight should they want to travel to the Eastern Kingdoms.

1 The Barrens, Horde (Levels 10-33)

This one is a matter of opinion. Some like the fact that this zone is vast and open, filled with quests and resources to last for more than 20 levels, while others see the size as a drawback. You have to admit, there's something for everyone in the Barrens, and even though it's a Horde zone, there's enough space to accommodate players of both factions. Alliance players do have some quests here, and it's easy to get there for lower levels players from Darkshore via Ashenvale, but the selection is limited compared to Horde folks. Wailing Caverns, one of the first really challenging lower level dungeons, is in this zone and is equally popular with both factions.

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