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Post by iamkristinl16 on May 30, 2022 3:02:35 GMT
I know someone from Egypt who is visiting the East coast. He is currently in North Carolina but going to DC tomorrow for a week before going home (he has been in several different areas already). In talking about what to do, US culture and society, food, activities, etc it has gotten me thinking about what people do for fun and socialization in MY area. At first I thought "not much" unless you go to the twin cities. But after thinking about it more, I came up with some other things. My family isn't as active socially as some others, but people like to get together with friends for a BBQ or bonfire, go to the lake, camp, fish, hunt, hike, go out to eat, attend festivals or outdoor concerts in the summer. Being a visitor here, with someone to guide you around and included you in their life would be much more fun than being a tourist who is traveling alone with nobody to show them around.
Yesterday, he took an electric scooter around the town he is in and found a race track and had a snow cone for the first time. He said his mind was blown by the snow cone. That made me wonder, what else would you tell someone from another country to try while they are in the US or specifically DC? What was your favorite thing that you saw or did when on vacation somewhere (even if not in the US)? Were there any small, surprising things that you enjoyed more than you thought you might? What would you suggest to a visitor or tourist who was in your town? What things make it unique?
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Post by katlady on May 30, 2022 4:20:11 GMT
San Diego County is a tourist attraction. We have lots to do - beach, hiking (one popular trail is up to Potato Chip Rock), Old Town, Balboa Park (zoo and museums), seeing military ships and planes, cruising on the bay and seeing seals, eating Mexican food from the little mom and pop shops, etc. The house in Top Gun is now a bakery and opened this year.
My first time to the east coast, I was surprised how OLD everything is. Other than the missions, it is rare to see a building from the 1800's in So.Cal. I really liked seeing the old buildings and even the old cemeteries. In Montreal, it was neat to walk on a brick street. I also enjoy cities that have good mass transit.
Hope your friend enjoys his visit to DC! I would tell someone to go eat local foods, not chain restaurants. I don't know if DC has any food specialties, but I would try to find that.
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Post by malibou on May 30, 2022 8:31:29 GMT
I'm in Ventura County about 3 hours north of katlady. Loads of things to do here. Beaches, hiking, world class mountain biking Magic Mountain 1 hour Disneyland under 2 hours Universal Studios 45 min Hollywood Walk of Fame under an hour Both of the Getty Museums about 40 min and they can easily be done in one day Santa Monica under an hour with Venice Beach nearby, Los Angeles about an hour Huntington Botanical Garden under an hour Incredible sunsets at the beach 20 min with some mighty fine seafood restaurants to boot Buttloads of strawberries are grown in my county as well as celery, lemons, raspberries, and avocados Ventura has a charming mission, and eclectic downtown Santa Barbara 40 min Farmers markets abound and are open all year long Hollywood Bowl 40 min Spotting movie stars quite common It's not hard to find things that visitors are interested in around here. |
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Post by Basket1lady on May 30, 2022 12:13:14 GMT
I’m from Minnesota too and think that what you’ve described is rather unique to the midwest. Sure, other places have boating and bbqs, but it’s a way of life in Minnesota. Maybe it’s all the focus we have on water? I spent my summers in a bathing suit eating various jello salads! —I brought Snicker Salad to a bbq yesterday and it went untouched for a while. Then one person tried it and then another. There wasn’t much left at the end and most people had 2-3 servings. Calling a sweet dessert like that a salad is very Minnesotan!
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Post by iamkristinl16 on May 30, 2022 16:50:45 GMT
I'm in Ventura County about 3 hours north of katlady. Loads of things to do here. Beaches, hiking, world class mountain biking Magic Mountain 1 hour Disneyland under 2 hours Universal Studios 45 min Hollywood Walk of Fame under an hour Both of the Getty Museums about 40 min and they can easily be done in one day Santa Monica under an hour with Venice Beach nearby, Los Angeles about an hour Huntington Botanical Garden under an hour Incredible sunsets at the beach 20 min with some mighty fine seafood restaurants to boot Buttloads of strawberries are grown in my county as well as celery, lemons, raspberries, and avocados Ventura has a charming mission, and eclectic downtown Santa Barbara 40 min Farmers markets abound and are open all year long Hollywood Bowl 40 min Spotting movie stars quite common It's not hard to find things that visitors are interested in around here. When you say “mission” what does that mean? He has been eating mostly at local restaurants but says he has been disappointed. Especially when they say they are the “best” at pizza, Rueben’s, etc. He has now been on the quest for the best steak and says it is at Texas Roadhouse. I think he should branch out and try a wider variety of dishes.  |
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Post by ~summer~ on May 30, 2022 16:57:19 GMT
In my general area I’d say:
Golden Gate Bridge
Marin Headlands
The redwoods
Yosemite
Big Sur
Victorians, fog, and steep streets in SF
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Post by malibou on May 30, 2022 17:06:51 GMT
I'm in Ventura County about 3 hours north of katlady . Loads of things to do here. Beaches, hiking, world class mountain biking Magic Mountain 1 hour Disneyland under 2 hours Universal Studios 45 min Hollywood Walk of Fame under an hour Both of the Getty Museums about 40 min and they can easily be done in one day Santa Monica under an hour with Venice Beach nearby, Los Angeles about an hour Huntington Botanical Garden under an hour Incredible sunsets at the beach 20 min with some mighty fine seafood restaurants to boot Buttloads of strawberries are grown in my county as well as celery, lemons, raspberries, and avocados Ventura has a charming mission, and eclectic downtown Santa Barbara 40 min Farmers markets abound and are open all year long Hollywood Bowl 40 min Spotting movie stars quite common It's not hard to find things that visitors are interested in around here. When you say “mission” what does that mean? He has been eating mostly at local restaurants but says he has been disappointed. Especially when they say they are the “best” at pizza, Rueben’s, etc. He has now been on the quest for the best steak and says it is at Texas Roadhouse. I think he should branch out and try a wider variety of dishes.  the Spanish built 21 Missions and outposts in California between 1769 and 1833. They are very interesting to tour. The Missions are a huge unit of study in 4 grade here. Did you ever read Island of the Blue Dolphins as a kid? That takes place on the islands off of Santa Barbara, and the girl from that book is hurried at the Santa Barbara Mission. CA Missions |
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Post by cindyupnorth on May 30, 2022 17:07:40 GMT
I'm in northern MN, so unique to this area, is the lakes and fishing. Namely Walleye, Bonfires and beverages. Paul bunyan and Babe. Lots of dishes with wild rice in them, and walleye. ATVs on trails. Lots of biking and walking trails thru the woods. In the winter, snowmobiling, cross country skiing and ice fishing.
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Post by freecharlie on May 30, 2022 17:09:28 GMT
Eat a burrito the proper way...smothered in green chile sauce
My town has like 1200 people, so there isn't really anything to do here. Depending on the person, they could go out to the grasslands if they like that sort of thing.
I love Black Canyon of the Gunnison, it isn't as touristy as the Royal Gorge and actually more impressive. Most people would take out of towners to Estes Park, which is nice, but full of tourists (duh).
When we were in Albuquerque, I was very impressed with their Veteran's Park.
In Saint Petersburg, the Drunken Clam is amazing.
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Post by lisae on May 30, 2022 21:23:38 GMT
I don't know if you friend had a chance to go to the Biltmore House while in NC but that is our must see. However, it would depend on the country one was coming from. European travelers might find the house boring after opportunities to see grand houses in their home country. And I've taken a couple of Americans to Biltmore who really didn't care for it that much. Just wasn't their thing. Most people enjoy a day at Biltmore.
The waterfalls in the far western part of the state are beautiful and what the area is known for.
As for food, I really can't think of anything you get here that you can't find anywhere else in the south. I had an aunt who used to buy Cheerwine when she would visit us from her home in the midwest because it wasn't sold there.
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luvnlifelady
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,421 
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Post by luvnlifelady on May 30, 2022 22:30:04 GMT
San Diego County is a tourist attraction. We have lots to do - beach, hiking (one popular trail is up to Potato Chip Rock), Old Town, Balboa Park (zoo and museums), seeing military ships and planes, cruising on the bay and seeing seals, eating Mexican food from the little mom and pop shops, etc. The house in Top Gun is now a bakery and opened this year. My first time to the east coast, I was surprised how OLD everything is. Other than the missions, it is rare to see a building from the 1800's in So.Cal. I really liked seeing the old buildings and even the old cemeteries. In Montreal, it was neat to walk on a brick street. I also enjoy cities that have good mass transit. Hope your friend enjoys his visit to DC! I would tell someone to go eat local foods, not chain restaurants. I don't know if DC has any food specialties, but I would try to find that. Yes, I lived in San Diego County from 2005-2018 and a bit north of that for a long time before that. Then I moved to Pittsburgh. One thing I like about the eastern areas are the old buildings. In fact, we live in one from the late 1800's. |
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luvnlifelady
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,421
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Post by luvnlifelady on May 30, 2022 22:32:48 GMT
Pittsburgh has a nice zoo, sporting events, take a river cruise on the three rivers. There are the two old inclines, eat at Primanti's (known for putting coleslaw and fries on a sandwich).
Plenty of trails/parks too. See a show at one of the performing arts theatres downtown. Kennywood is an old amusement park and Sandcastle is a water park.
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StephDRebel
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,663
Location: Ohio
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Post by StephDRebel on May 30, 2022 22:49:36 GMT
Near DC i would 100% have them go to peking gourmet for dinner!
Around me (RVA) pimento cheese is everywhere
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Post by lucyg on May 31, 2022 0:25:40 GMT
I live near Northern California’s wine country, the Napa and Sonoma valleys. That’s usually the #1 attraction for out-of-towners, at least the ones who aren’t super outdoorsy and just want to see the mountains and the redwoods. We have a mission, too (what’s left of the Sonoma Mission, which I think was the farthest northernmost mission), plus the Golden Gate Bridge and all of San Francisco’s attractions. I also live near the Jelly Belly headquarters/factory, and that’s a big attraction for people with kids. There’s a fun factory tour, restaurant, shopping. I’m on the outer edge of the S.F. Bay Area, so we are also within range of a wide variety of amazing international cuisines. |
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Post by SallyPA on May 31, 2022 0:32:10 GMT
Yellowstone. The Tetons. Beartooth Scenic Highway.
No specific foods, although several local bars offer “Rocky Mountain oysters” 🤮
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Post by KiwiJo on May 31, 2022 0:40:51 GMT
One of the things I like to do with overseas visitors (especially from big places such as Australia, USA, Canada etc) is to drive from the west coast of the country to the east coast in about 45 minutes. Black sand and big surf, wild unspoiled scenery on the west coast then to golden sand, gentle waves, cafes along the beach on the east coast. |
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Anita
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,643
Location: Kansas City -ish
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Post by Anita on May 31, 2022 1:52:55 GMT
There's a WWI museum and a steamboat museum I'd send people to. They'd likely want BBQ since KC is famous for it, but I don't like it so I wouldn't suggest it. I'd send you to a steak house, and there is no shortage of those around here.
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
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Post by finaledition on May 31, 2022 2:10:59 GMT
I live in a big small town in Northern California. There’s many things to see and do nearby, but if you were going to do one thing in my town, I’d insist you to our drive thru dairy! It was founded in the early 1900s and had all your staples-it was actually a great place to find some hard to find items during Covid. But it’s best known for its soft serve ice cream. A couple years back, the owners let some of their workers take over their social media accounts (teens love working here) and it has become explosively popular. The car lines wrap around the block. Such a small business but beloved by all that live here and apparently many surrounding areas as well.
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Post by malibou on May 31, 2022 6:44:59 GMT
Eat a burrito the proper way...smothered in green chile sauce My town has like 1200 people, so there isn't really anything to do here. Depending on the person, they could go out to the grasslands if they like that sort of thing. I love Black Canyon of the Gunnison, it isn't as touristy as the Royal Gorge and actually more impressive. Most people would take out of towners to Estes Park, which is nice, but full of tourists (duh). When we were in Albuquerque, I was very impressed with their Veteran's Park. In Saint Petersburg, the Drunken Clam is amazing. Dh and Ds just hiked Black Canyon and can't stop talking about it. According to them, it's the steepest, deepest, and narrowest canyon in North America. |
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Post by compeateropeator on May 31, 2022 11:31:22 GMT
My state is Vermont.
Must taste:
Maple/maple syrup. Maple creemees (soft serve ice cream) There are also many local specialty products that use Maple.
Cheeses - many small artisan cheeses (goat milk and cow milk.)
Craft beer- you can find them everywhere, from on rural dirt roads to Burlington that has a beer tour.
Craft distilleries- again they are everywhere.
Lots of farm to table type restaurants
Must see/must do/Some attractions (not sure anything is must see but these are all cool places…hahaha):
Rock of Ages - granite quarry
Shelburne Museum
Ben and Jerry’s factory
There are many Artist studios and places like Simon Pierce (glass blowing)
Dog Mountain
Hope Cemetery
Cabot Cheese - although they don’t give tours anymore
Fairbanks museum and Planetarium
The beauty of our state
Wonderful hiking
Skiing
Mountain biking
kayaking, canoeing
Covered Bridges
Quintessential small rural towns, country stores, etc
Fall/autumn
Many festivals on town greens or at larger venues
Lots of great music options, local to well known names
Lots of church breakfast/suppers where you can get great meals
variety of farm league/lower semi pro type sport teams to watch
working farms that offer a glimpse of producing a variety of agricultural products
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Post by sillyrabbit on May 31, 2022 14:05:51 GMT
I live in Kentucky. The obvious answer to what we're known for in the state is horses. Some of the most beautiful horse farms on the planet are in this area. Within less than an hour's drive from my house, there are several bourbon distilleries to tour (we're also known for our bourbon) and the corvette factory (where all corvettes are made) as well as the National Corvette Museum. We are known as the birthplace of bluegrass music (Bill Monroe was born where I live), and Louisville is the home of Muhammad Ali and has a wonderful museum devoted to him. There's also tons of outdoor activities with lakes and fishing and hunting plentiful. There's actually tons to do here when I really think about it.
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Post by janniepea on May 31, 2022 14:19:59 GMT
I live in a big small town in Northern California. There’s many things to see and do nearby, but if you were going to do one thing in my town, I’d insist you to our drive thru dairy! It was founded in the early 1900s and had all your staples-it was actually a great place to find some hard to find items during Covid. But it’s best known for its soft serve ice cream. A couple years back, the owners let some of their workers take over their social media accounts (teens love working here) and it has become explosively popular. The car lines wrap around the block. Such a small business but beloved by all that live here and apparently many surrounding areas as well. We LOVE this place! My brother lives within walking distance so we often go. Best place ever! |
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Post by slowrunner70 on May 31, 2022 14:41:08 GMT
Former Clevelander here.
The Rock Hall is a must. As is the West Side Market. A show at Playhouse Square.
Drinks on East 4th.
If you're into sports, a Browns or Cavs or Guardians game.
A lunch or dinner cruise on the Goodyear or the Nautica Queen.
A concert at Nautica Pavillion or Blossom Music Center.
The Cleveland Museum of Contemporary Art.
Bagels from The Cleveland Bagel Company.
A Christmas Story House.
Museum of Natural History.
The Metroparks and the Zoo.
The Aquarium.
Severance Hall.
Cleveland Museum of Art.
Edgewater Park.
Lake View Cemetary.
The FREE stamp.
Great Lakes Science Center.
The Flats (for bars)
The Cleveland signs.
A meal at Hansa Brewery with dessert from Farkas Bakery right across the street.
Breakfast from Brewnuts or Blackbird Baking Company or Breadsmith
Pizza at Il Rione.
There's so much more..... the possibilities are endless
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Post by cecilia on May 31, 2022 15:10:32 GMT
Hot Springs AR:
Bathhouse Row/downtown
Garvan Woodland Gardens
Lake Hamilton
Oaklawn Casino Racing Resort
Lake Catherine
Lake Ouachita
Gangster Museum
NW Arkansas:
Crystal Bridges Museum
Little Rock/North LR
President Clinton Library
Pinnacle Mountain
The Painted Tree (shopping)
River Market
Argenta District (NLR)
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Post by lucyg on May 31, 2022 15:15:21 GMT
I live in a big small town in Northern California. There’s many things to see and do nearby, but if you were going to do one thing in my town, I’d insist you to our drive thru dairy! It was founded in the early 1900s and had all your staples-it was actually a great place to find some hard to find items during Covid. But it’s best known for its soft serve ice cream. A couple years back, the owners let some of their workers take over their social media accounts (teens love working here) and it has become explosively popular. The car lines wrap around the block. Such a small business but beloved by all that live here and apparently many surrounding areas as well. We LOVE this place! My brother lives within walking distance so we often go. Best place ever! and finaledition … I really need to know the name and town where this place is. |
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Post by bc2ca on May 31, 2022 15:27:42 GMT
Some of the CA Missions are still active Catholic churches and some fall in the historical ruins category. katlady covered San Diego nicely. I'll just add eating a fish tacos, California burrito* or Carne Asada fries should be on a visitor's list when visiting here. *a true California burrito is stuffed with fries instead of rice and beans |
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milocat
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,422
Location: 55 degrees north in Alberta, Canada
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Post by milocat on May 31, 2022 16:10:10 GMT
had a snow cone for the first time. He said his mind was blown by the snow cone. I think that can be what is so amazing, something simple you might not even have thought to offer/show and yet it would turn out they just loved it. It doesn't have to be a world famous attraction in your town. We had cousins of my MILs vusit from Ireland and they were just in awe of the bigness of everything. The land, the super wide highways, the vechiles passenger and commercial, the buildings. The size of the oifield shops and the land around them, the size of the farming equipment. How spread out everything is. We could have taken them river boating or on a side by side or quad ride but the weather wasn't great. So we went to the dinosaur museum. |
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TrishC
Junior Member
Refupea #1776
Posts: 54
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Post by TrishC on May 31, 2022 16:35:24 GMT
I live in Kentucky. The obvious answer to what we're known for in the state is horses. Some of the most beautiful horse farms on the planet are in this area. Within less than an hour's drive from my house, there are several bourbon distilleries to tour (we're also known for our bourbon) and the corvette factory (where all corvettes are made) as well as the National Corvette Museum. We are known as the birthplace of bluegrass music (Bill Monroe was born where I live), and Louisville is the home of Muhammad Ali and has a wonderful museum devoted to him. There's also tons of outdoor activities with lakes and fishing and hunting plentiful. There's actually tons to do here when I really think about it. There's also Mammoth Cave which would be close to the Bowling Green area where the National Corvette Museum is located. And there's the Louisville Slugger museum in downtown Louisville which is neat. The Bourbon Trail is very popular. |
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
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Post by finaledition on May 31, 2022 19:23:41 GMT
We LOVE this place! My brother lives within walking distance so we often go. Best place ever! and finaledition … I really need to know the name and town where this place is. Meadowlark Dairy in downtown Pleasanton. If you follow them on Instagram you’ll see what flavors they currently have.  |
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Post by ~summer~ on May 31, 2022 20:08:24 GMT
and finaledition … I really need to know the name and town where this place is. Meadowlark Dairy in downtown Pleasanton. If you follow them on Instagram you’ll see what flavors they currently have. neat! I am only about 30 minutes from there |
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