Looking for something cool to do in a city not too far far away.
December 2, 2017 1:02 PM Subscribe
Looking for cool or interesting events within a short flight from NY in the next two weekends.
So I will be taking what is called a mileage run in one of the upcoming weekends to gain the last few miles needed for a status upgrade. So instead of doing some boring flight to some random airport and back, I'd like to find something really cool going on that I normally wouldn't be able to experience. I'd prefer to keep the flight on the shorter side as to try to keep it as a day trip but am open to ideas. Would need to be near a major city/airport.
Beer or food festivals, interesting expos, or just anything that would be worth seeing.
Origin: NY
Destination: within a 3 hour flight of NY
Dates: Dec 9, 10, 16, or 17
Extra Challenge: Easyish access to a major airport
So I will be taking what is called a mileage run in one of the upcoming weekends to gain the last few miles needed for a status upgrade. So instead of doing some boring flight to some random airport and back, I'd like to find something really cool going on that I normally wouldn't be able to experience. I'd prefer to keep the flight on the shorter side as to try to keep it as a day trip but am open to ideas. Would need to be near a major city/airport.
Beer or food festivals, interesting expos, or just anything that would be worth seeing.
Origin: NY
Destination: within a 3 hour flight of NY
Dates: Dec 9, 10, 16, or 17
Extra Challenge: Easyish access to a major airport
Best answer: Ever been to Pittsburgh? You can definitely jam pack a weekend of stuff here.
I just did a DC weekend and also can confirm that it is a good time (if a bit depressing right now in an existential way).
posted by soren_lorensen at 2:03 PM on December 2, 2017
I just did a DC weekend and also can confirm that it is a good time (if a bit depressing right now in an existential way).
posted by soren_lorensen at 2:03 PM on December 2, 2017
My uncle lent several pieces from his collection to the Lumia exhibit at the Smithsonian.
posted by brujita at 2:15 PM on December 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by brujita at 2:15 PM on December 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: The MFA in Boston just received an extraordinary donation of Dutch Golden Age art and are currently displaying a number of the works prior to their formal donation (when they will probably be hard to see for a while as the new center for study of Dutch art there goes through the process of setting up). JFK/LGW-BOS is a very easy trip.
posted by praemunire at 3:03 PM on December 2, 2017
posted by praemunire at 3:03 PM on December 2, 2017
Detroit! Look up some of the Detroit tourism articles in the NYT. There is tons to see!
posted by decathexis at 3:32 PM on December 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by decathexis at 3:32 PM on December 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
MONTREAL.
You can do a ton of stuff over the course of a weekend in Montreal - plus, great restaurants!
posted by KazamaSmokers at 4:13 PM on December 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
You can do a ton of stuff over the course of a weekend in Montreal - plus, great restaurants!
posted by KazamaSmokers at 4:13 PM on December 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
Bermuda. When you step out of the airport and see turquoise ocean in front of you, priceless.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:42 PM on December 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:42 PM on December 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
+1 Montreal!
I don't know if it'd be appropriate to post my medium-ish list of recommendations here (restaurants, museums, where to find events), or somewhere else (in my profile?).
MeMail in any case (this offer is open to all!) and I'll be happy to share.
posted by vert canard at 7:48 PM on December 2, 2017
I don't know if it'd be appropriate to post my medium-ish list of recommendations here (restaurants, museums, where to find events), or somewhere else (in my profile?).
MeMail in any case (this offer is open to all!) and I'll be happy to share.
posted by vert canard at 7:48 PM on December 2, 2017
Best answer: Which airline?
Thinking about the "something really cool" part of your question, DC has the Metropolitan Cooking Show Dec 9-10. Admission's only $21.50. The Smithsonian museums are also an amazing way to spend the day, if you've never been. (Growing up around there, I always took them for granted until I moved away and still am shocked at the fact that museums expect me to PAY WHAT?) Everyone loves Air and Space, but allow me to put in a plug for the underappreciated Renwick.
posted by basalganglia at 6:29 AM on December 3, 2017
Thinking about the "something really cool" part of your question, DC has the Metropolitan Cooking Show Dec 9-10. Admission's only $21.50. The Smithsonian museums are also an amazing way to spend the day, if you've never been. (Growing up around there, I always took them for granted until I moved away and still am shocked at the fact that museums expect me to PAY WHAT?) Everyone loves Air and Space, but allow me to put in a plug for the underappreciated Renwick.
posted by basalganglia at 6:29 AM on December 3, 2017
Response by poster: It looks like I will be making two trips in the next two weekends, one to DC and one to Boston. Thanks for the suggestions!
The airline is American Airlines and I should be able to retain my platinum status.
posted by wile e at 6:12 AM on December 5, 2017
The airline is American Airlines and I should be able to retain my platinum status.
posted by wile e at 6:12 AM on December 5, 2017
For your DC trip, I second basalganglia's recommendation of the Renwick Gallery. My other favorite Smithsonian is the Freer and Sackler Galleries. In both cases, they are lesser-visited museums that afford the visitor a calming, quiet, contemplative experience relative to the mad-houses up and down the rest of the Mall.
If you want to visit the African-American History and Culture Museum (which I also highly, highly recommend though it is HUGE and you do need several hours to see it), be aware that you must get a free timed ticket. They release a big block of them at the beginning of each month and those go fast, so there are probably not any left for December. But, every morning at 6:30 AM they release another lot for just that day, and getting one of those is like oldschool Ticketmaster refresh-refresh-refresh-pounce-omg the one I wanted is gone by the time the next screen loads!-refresh-refresh. So, if you want to visit the AAHCM, set your alarm to 6:30 AM the day you want to visit and get your refreshing finger ready.
posted by soren_lorensen at 6:44 AM on December 5, 2017
If you want to visit the African-American History and Culture Museum (which I also highly, highly recommend though it is HUGE and you do need several hours to see it), be aware that you must get a free timed ticket. They release a big block of them at the beginning of each month and those go fast, so there are probably not any left for December. But, every morning at 6:30 AM they release another lot for just that day, and getting one of those is like oldschool Ticketmaster refresh-refresh-refresh-pounce-omg the one I wanted is gone by the time the next screen loads!-refresh-refresh. So, if you want to visit the AAHCM, set your alarm to 6:30 AM the day you want to visit and get your refreshing finger ready.
posted by soren_lorensen at 6:44 AM on December 5, 2017
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posted by COD at 2:01 PM on December 2, 2017 [2 favorites]