From the adventures of the lovely chinook...

To Mr. Pocks wild ride through SoCal...

To the postcard swap...

Use this thread to put together your Visitor Information Center for your place of residence

Sooo...If I, or another plimate was to visit your lovely place of residence, what would you as an ambassador or your State/area inform them of the great things they can see or do.
Here is the place to brag on your neighborhood.

California;

Sequoia National Park with trees so bid you can drive through them.

Joshua Tree National Park with their huge spires, it appears the hand of god
stacked them.

DeathValley National Park One of the hottest driest places on earth...so hellish, that even the rocks appear to want for an escape.

Monterey

Yosemite, where El Captain Kirk climbed El Capitan

The Beautiful Channel Islands

I'll add more later...

New Jersey (H3ll to worthians)

Sandy Hook - one of the most beautiful national parks on the east coast. Boasts great beaches with a view of Manhattan skyline, fishing, water sports and Gunnison Beach

NJ is temporary home while waiting to move back to Noo Yawk.

I'll add some Noo Yawk stuff later.

If you visit Maine...

The obligatory tourist stop is Portland Head Light. Supposedly the most photographed lighthouse in the country, and certainly the most recognized lighthouse in Maine, it's also where yours truly tied the knot.

If you really want to see where I grew up, you would hit up Bald and Speckled Mountains. I grew up just down the road from Shagg Pond (which is shown in the first picture on that page), and hiked there too many times to count. Also, if you're into rock climbing, I've heard that the face of Bald is a good climb. I've never done rock climbing, but always thought it was pretty cool to see people scrambling up the face of it.

Avoid the hugely touristy Bar Harbor, and hit up Boothbay Harbor instead. Still touristy but not quite as bad. Boothbay also has a very cute aquarium.

For state parks/historical sites, our family is partial to Reid, Fort Knox, and Baxter State Park is home to Mt. Katahdin.

For entertainment, I'd recommend the Oddfellow Theater. It's usually really funny (although they get some great local musical acts too), and it's always family friendly.

And for some seriously beautiful pictures, the Height of Land/ Height of the Land near Rangeley is pretty amazing. Especially at dawn or dusk.

If you come in the late summer/early fall, hit up a county fair. There are also a few covered bridges if you want that, some more cool forts, and, you know, fall foliage and fresh lobster. Please don't tailgate, ask us to do a Maine accent, or b***h about how slow we drive.

California Central Coast.

Santa Barbara Zoo is a smaller zoo, but one of the only places you can see the Channel Island foxes without getting on a boat. Just down the road from downtown Santa Barbara, which is a touristy area with tons of shops and restaurants.

Up the coast, there's Hearst Castle, which is amazing and well worth the visit. And, if it's a Thursday, hit the San Luis Obispo Farmer's Market for fresh fruits and veggies, dining from local restaurants and hear local bands.

If you're driving down the 101 between Santa Barbara and Santa Maria, make sure to stop and do the hike up to the Gaviota Wind Caves. It's just a brief detour, totally free, and offers an amazing view of the ocean.

Washington state:

First is Mount Rainier one of my favorite places anywhere. It is about 60 miles south of Seattle.

The Olympic Rain Forest is next. This is an almost surreal place with the moss hanging everywhere. It is the only rain forest in the northern hemisphere. Dotted all thru-out the forest are natural hot springs (really just holes in the ground filled with very hot mineral water). They feel really nice after a day of hiking.

We have the Cascade Mountains swinging around us to the north, east and south of us. The Olympic Mountains are to the west. Both these mountain ranges are covered with snow thru-out the year.

Seattle:
Well, of course, there is the Space Needle, a left over from the World’s Fair here in 1962. The ‘saucer’ at the top is a revolving restaurant that makes a complete turn every hour. The view is fabulous, the food is just so-so.

After you leave the Space Needle you can get to downtown on the Monorail, another left over from the World’s Fair.

Another must see is the Pike Place Market, a farmers market right in downtown Seattle. If the go there you must stop and watch the fish tossing. Those guys really get going sometimes.

Lastly, to the north of downtown is The Woodland Park Zoo, a wonderful world award winning zoo. Really, check this link out, it is a fantastic zoo.

Phoenix, Arizona

Desert, HOT and Cactus

New Jersey. Where Jimmy Hoffa resides.

Kentucky

Red River Gorge contains over 80 natural arches, and miles and miles of trails in the Daniel Boone National Forest.

Mammoth Cave is the worlds longest cave system.

Cumberland Falls is 60 feet high and one of three places in the world you can see a moonbow.

Kentucky Horse Park will be the first place outside of Europe to host the world equestrian games in 2010.

And of course there are the horse races.

Lots of other parks and things to see.

Kentucky rules.

BOO...I'm hovering over the DV button for your lame response in a thread that deserves some hot Arizona loving...Don't make me get the hand saw Moe.


What I would like to do is after we all put this together, maybe start a thread with an all editable travel visitors info. We can add comments, places to go, eat, stay, members that live nearby...etc.

So, go back (please) and add that one Canyon place...and other stuff.

New Jersey
Where the Jersey Devil resides...

Fine, but it will have to wait until Monday

Ok...thanks

He's making excuses.
/bitch slaps Moe

Noo Yawk

You can't beat a visit to The Cloisters. 10 minutes away from me. Great programs and great hangout place for everyone from families to goths.

The gem of 42nd St., Grand Central Terminal offers shops, food, The Oyster Bar, The Campbell Apartment and of course, subway and Metro North transportation hub. Check out all the old movies from the 30's and 40's for scenes on the staircase. And we can thank Jackie O for saving this beauty.

And also 10 minutes away, Arthur Avenue's Little Italy in da Bronx - can't be beat for a real Italian food experience. Nothing like walking down the street sampling the seafood, breads, cheeses, and of course, parking my car at Patsy's or Mario's valet parking. Always entertaining. MMmmmmmm. Mozzarella cheese....spadini...stuffed artichoke...Dominick's...

The other gem of 42nd St., Bryant Park, behind the New York Public Library. Once a great place to buy drugs of any kind, now an oasis where you can enjoy lunch, entertainment, movies, Fashion Week, and just chill out at lunch time. It's right across the street from my office!!

Also at one time, a haven for drug dealers, you can now find great fresh food and other products at the Union Square Green Market - food, flowers, wool, plants, and just a great place to chill at lunchtime when I worked 1 block away.

California.

But more locally:

The Auto Club Speedway is home to NASCAR for 2 weekends out of the year.

There's also the Citizens Business Bank Arena which will host the LA Lakers on October 24.

Don't forget about the local sports team. A Quakes game is usually an economical and enjoyable experience.

Victoria Gardens is also a cool place to shop, hang out and find some good eats.

So ya wanna come to Balwmer HoN?
Mobtown?
Heroin Capital USA?
The City that Bleeds?
Hollywood East?

I'll give it to ya in pics, because thats how I roll.

Yeah it is a tourist trap, and I found out there is an almost identical one in South Flori-duh but you kinda have to go to Harborplace.


The Pride of Baltimore II


The Aquarium footbridge


Federal Hill offers a great view, and more condoms than needles.


Outdoor movies on the AVAM


American Visionary Art Museum, sponsor and creator of the kinetic sculpture race.


Like fish?? Check out the Aquarium, expensive but worth it.

HUNGRY?


GO TO LITTLE ITALY...f**k the crabs, crabs are over-rated.

GO TO LITTLE ITALY.

Sabatinos, Valeggias, these are the old standbys and in this town you WANT the old standbys, classic homemade Italian restaurant food.
Don't get dessert, all desserts in ALL Little Italy Restaurants come from Vaccaro's. Take the short walk, have CAPPUCCINO PAPA Cappuccino with Kahlua, Tia Maria, Amaretto di Saronno and whipped cream topping and a piece of rum cake, or anything...Vaccaro's is a more important MUST GO than anything else in B'more.

SINGLE? Like it that way? Want company you pay for? Go to the block, there are other clubs in Fells, and next door to the Pen, but go to the block, it is a great red light experience (for those who like that sort of thing).

Looking for real drunken human contact? Have you ever eaten Tapas? If you are a Tapas person Federal Hill bar scence is you. If you don't mind a lower class with sprinkled college kids, go to Fells Point. Jocko stud? Go to Canton.

Fells is I think the best overall experience. You can see the fascia from the "Homicide Life on The Street" precinct, and the place from the opening sequence of "Sleepless in Seattle"



Fells.

Next Day? Head to Fort McHenry take the water taxi.


GO TO VACCARO'S!!!!

Thank you Ma'am may I please have another!

My pleasure

Welcome to Ohio!!!


We have many exciting things to see here!

If you're looking for the club scene look no further than in Downtown Columbus for the Sugar Bar. This is one of the hottest new clubs in the CO. Great DJs and a live atmosphere makes this place one of the best places to get your party on.

If you're looking for something a little more homey and natural then stop by Logan, OH for the Lily Festival. The festival is held on the private property of the Bishop family nestled in the Hocking Hills. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes as you may be walking on grass, gravel, over tree roots, ---you get the picture. You're in the hills!

And of course, for those of you who have ruined your brain cells with countless hours of head-banging and glue-sniffing, then crowd surf your way down to Clevland for the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.The striking I. M. Pei design is a worthy testament to the subject matter: bold, modern and controversial. Once you enter the glass-encased shrine, however, the only issue is how to sample six floors and six decades of rock memorabilia in a single visit/

For more information on visiting Ohio please see Madhatteraggie before choosing your final destination.

Since no one else has done Wyoming, I guess I'll toss in the bit that I know. This is all in southeastern Wyoming.

My personal favorite while living there was Vedauwoo (vee-da-voo), in Medicine Bow National Forest. Good for day hikes, picnics, and camping. Beautiful scenery, lots and lots of wildlife, and lots of opportunities for cool photography.

We always went in this, which was probably the funnest vehicle I've ever owned. I was sad to see it go, but a V8 4x4 wasn't really practical anymore...



US Highway 287 between Laramie, WY and Fort Collins, CO has some amazing scenery.

Medicine Bow, Wyoming was a pretty cool little day trip. We went to collect petrified wood, but there's also The Virginian hotel, a cute little museum, and the Como Bluff dig site (dinosaur stuff). You're not actually allowed on the dig site, but you can learn more about it at the Fossil Cabin, a little museum that is built with fossils and dinosaur bones from Como Bluff.

If you like football, Laramie's University of Wyoming Cowboys are a huuuuge deal in Laramie. Every hotel sells out for pretty much every game, so call in advance.

I think that's it, for me. I was broke and working all the time when I lived there, so I didn't get to hit a lot of the more interesting places.

Edit: DUH! The Wyoming Territorial Prison is right in Laramie. Butch Cassidy and all that...

If you're in the area, head on over to Buellton and eat at Andersen's Pea Soup. They put a fresh loaf of onion bread on your table that is out of this world. And the pea soup is excellent too.

And don't forget to stop in Solvang. Can you say smorgesbord?