Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with tourism

How do I get to Cadillac Ranch from Amarillo?

jackypaper — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:17:55 -0800

I'll soon be driving west through Amarillo. I'd love to visit Cadillac Ranch, but this Google Maps image isn't clear on the proper exit to take from I40. When I'm westbound, what's the easiest way to get to the strange and wonderful Ranch?

Please help us make our trip to Yellowknife super awesome?

lbo — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:20:09 -0800

How can we make sure we're adequately prepared for our 12-day, 5,000 mile road trip from Salt Lake City, UT to Yellowknife, NT at the end of August? My husband and I will be driving a '99 Honda Accord that has about 160,000 miles on it. It's had regular maintenance and is in good shape. We have AAA, a properly inflated spare, a standard car emergency kit, and we'll be having it in for an oil change and check up before we leave. We've got passports ready to go, a good atlas, books on tape, plenty of music, games, camera, binoculars, etc. What would we be idiots to forget to bring along with us or to do before we leave?

We'll be staying in the following towns/cities along the way and hotels are already booked:
Shelby, MT
Edmonton, AB
High Level, AB
Yellowknife, NT (2 nights)
(back to) High Level, AB
Hinton, AB
Revelstoke, BC
Calgary, AB
Whitefish, MT
Idaho Falls, ID

What should we make certain to see or do that we haven't thought of yet, or what would we regret missing (especially short hikes, perfect spots to see wildlife or take great landscape photos, excellent restaurants, etc)? We'll be making visits to Jasper, Banff, Yoho, Mt. Revelstoke, Glacier, Kootenay, Radium Hot Springs, and Waterton Lakes.

Wise advice/warnings/recommendations of any sort would be wonderful.

Highlighting Tokyo

gnutron — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:10:55 -0800

Tokyo for a week in mid-September. What must I see and/or do? Staying with friends in Arakawa-ku and meeting another friend in Nagoya for a day.

Paying homage to the sushi gods at Tsujiki is really the only priority on my list right now. What are some other can't-miss places, restaurants and experiences?

Yes, I know it will be hot.

For instance, does tulsa have any World Record size corn dogs?

rileyray3000 — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:01:00 -0800

I'm going to tulsa in a month. I recently ate the biggest steak in Amarillo - 72 oz - at the big texan. Is there anything similar in Tulsa I should sacrifice my health for? The world's biggest cheeseburger? A dinner roll the size of a baby? Anything? I know. It's silly. And it's probably going to cost me 100 bucks for 40 dollars worth of chow. But I'm on a mission now. And I need to do it before my inevitable ulcers kick in when I hit 40.

So what can I consume in Tulsa or nearby that is of heroic proportions and that will make a fine addition to my facebook achievements?

Also, any general non-epic food suggestions for Tulsa tourism (or thereabouts) are also welcome.

Where-ever Shall We Go?

mmahaffie — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 07:59:22 -0800

What's cool to see/visit in western Pennsylvania? I'm considering organizing a family trip into central and western Pennsylvania. There's a family function (my lovely wife's family) near Johnstown and I have always wanted to visit Mahaffey, PA (founded, I think, by an ancestor). So I wonder of there are a few places out that way worth taking my teen and tween daughters to see.

Cheap NYC fun

HotPatatta — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:43:20 -0800

The Staten Island Ferry is said to be "one of the best values in New York City" because it's free and offers great views of the city. What are other "best values" in NYC, including shopping, food, activities, and anything else that's surprisingly inexpensive. I'll be moving to the City later this summer I need to not blow my nestegg.

Finding my English Heritage...

timpollard — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:24:10 -0800

My Google-fu has failed me - I'm looking for contact details for English Heritage's management-level events organisers (the folks who book acts to appear at EH venues) and I can't find any current information - can anyone help me please? Thanks!

Southampton - fun and cheap?

CruiseSavvy — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:59:05 -0800

Can you suggest fun and cheap places to stay and things to do in Southampton, England? I'll be in Southampton for several days at the end of this month, and would love to know about any good places to stay (hostels?) and fun things to do.

I'd rather not spend more than $100 a night on a hostel / hotel ... and less would be even better. I don't mind sharing, but prefer a women-only dorm. I won't have a car, so public transport or walking distance to the cruise ship terminal is important. (I'm in town to take pictures of ships.)

Are there interesting museums or must-see historical / cultural points of interest?

Also, where's the best place to get online with a laptop? (I'm guessing Starbucks is my fallback, but if there are cooler / cheaper options I'd like that too -- I'll have lots of photos to post each night.)

Thanks!

Where to apply to become a tour guide in Japan?

DoctorFedora — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:10:02 -0800

Getting a job as a tour guide in Japan? For reasons not worth going into here, I'm looking for information (i.e. companies to contact, for example) on becoming a tour guide in Japan for English-speaking groups. Preferably in Kansai or Chubu regions, though I'm mostly just looking for a step in the right direction and then hopefully working from there.

Assume for the purposes of this question that a work visa is a nonissue, although places that could be applied for from within the United States would probably be preferable. Japanese language skill is sufficient for this sort of thing.

Oakland Introduction

mikoroshi — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:20:47 -0800

Help us get the best out of our Oakland exploration We moved to Sacramento a year ago and already are chafing from the cute-but-tiny-ness. We've got our eyes on the Bay area in the next year or so and think that Oakland might be the place we'll want to end up. Our few friends in SF don't know the Oakland so well, so we've a plan to make monthly excursions over the next few months.
I found this thread, which will be great for house hunting time, and a thread from 2005 which talks about up and coming neighborhoods, but I hear the city's done some changing in the last 3 years. So, which areas have, um, up and come? What we're looking for is not necessarily "sell us on Oakland", but more, what's to do, where is cool, what's it got to offer from a locals perspective?
Examples; funky indie-rock dance nights, rock shows, hole in the wall bars, art scene (noticed Oakland has lots of split use artist/residential spaces, which is quite exciting), coffee houses, books stores, funky restaurants, all the usual liberal accoutrement's.
It may also be good to mention here that we've come from 8 years in DC, so we're down with ethnically diverse and/or developing neighborhoods, but it'd be helpful to know what areas are still sketchy for the hanging out/living.

Family Fun In Montreal?

briank — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 08:43:25 -0800

We're thinking about driving up to Montreal for a 4-day weekend next week -- 2 adults and a 7-year-old girl. There hasn't been a "what to see and do" post about Montreal here since 2005, so tell me what's to see and do these days with a focus on family fun. As I said, we're driving (from Boston), so things to do in les environs are okay, too.

Medical care for travelers in the Netherlands?

rivenwanderer — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:59:33 -0800

My friend is going on a 2-week vacation in the Netherlands starting tomorrow night. Her brother did something to his knee a couple of days ago and they're worried that it'll need more medical attention later. What's medical care like for tourists in the Netherlands? To my knowledge, they haven't gotten any kind of travelers' insurance for the trip. They have relatives (cousins, uncles, etc) in Amsterdam and will have some money with them, but not loads and loads of cash to spare. They have BCBS health insurance in the US.

How can I send picture postcards of a city without being in it?

defenestratedego — Fri, 30 May 2008 09:30:15 -0800

I was in Milan and Zürich for the last two weeks and I had promised to bring back/mail postcards to certain close friends and family. Sadly, I misplaced my package of postcards and didn't get a chance to buy any more. Is there any way to buy scenic picture postcards online or are there any shops that sell such postcards? I live in New York if that helps. Thanks for the anticipated help.

“I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.”

blue_beetle — Sat, 24 May 2008 12:07:29 -0800

Great places in the world to visit (or short-term volunteer opportunities) when traveling alone?

Family-type things to do in DC

rodii — Thu, 15 May 2008 07:26:51 -0800

What to do in DC for a couple days with kids? Yes, I'm aware that DC has a plethora of things to do. I'm looking to refine my list and get ideas I haven't thought about (I haven't been there much in the last couple decades).

I find myself in DC with my teenage kids next week (Thursday, Friday and some of Saturday). The kids aren't a problem--they're interested in everything and excited to be going. We'll probably do some monuments and some museums, but which ones? Is the Air and Space Museum still cool? Is the Capitol an interesting place to visit? Are there things to do or see, ideally near the Metro, that tourists tend to overlook? Free or cheap are good but not critical.

(Complicating this is the fact that next weekend is Memorial Day weekend, which I imagine brings crowds and patriotic pageantry that I would rather miss. But we're splitting for Chincoteague on Saturday, so hopefully we'll miss most of that--right?)

Anniversary in Ensenada

billtron — Mon, 05 May 2008 10:37:57 -0800

Where should I take my partner for our anniversary in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico? We're looking at the two-night packages at Las Rosas, but would like suggested alternatives, preferably smaller and more intimate. Also looking for good spa and massage recommendations. If San Felipe is waaay better, please let me know. I researched it online and it looks like a marina and golf courses for American weekenders, which is sort of what we want to avoid. Oh, we're also interested in a day hike, maybe inland in the mountains.

Inauguration Day as a tourist - worth it?

TheTelf — Mon, 05 May 2008 06:19:05 -0800

Planning on visiting the US from the UK early next year, and thought it'd be interesting to try to coincide visiting Washington DC with Inauguration Day (whoever gets elected). Is this a good idea? More specifically, will I need to book way in advance for accommodation? I assume that the parade is just open to the public, but are there other public events to see throughout the day? Is it a good time to be a tourist in the city, or will everywhere be closed/full?

It'll be my first time in Washington, and, indeed, my first time visiting the US.

People in the Czech Republic have clean underwear, right?

_Mona_ — Sun, 04 May 2008 07:14:16 -0800

Later this month, my boyfriend will be going to Prague on business for two weeks. Instead of packing two weeks worth of clean clothes, he'd like to take less and do laundry while he's over there. The big question is how? Are there public laundry facilities there? How do you find them? Specifically, he'll be at the Corinthia Towers Hotel. And, hey, as long as you're here: Got any general travel tips for the area? He travels internationally so there's no "OMG! I'm leaving American soil!" freak-out going on. This just happens to be a place he's never been so: should he get a phrase book, is it relatively easy for foreigners to get around, what should he make time to see, etc?

Things to do in Seoul?

nile_red — Sat, 03 May 2008 23:41:09 -0800

What to do with 10 days in Seoul? I've read the previous posts (for shorter trips), and basically, I was just wondering if you guys knew of any must-sees to tackle in my 10 day trip, bearing in mind I have a little more time.

Seattle tourism recommendations please.

damn dirty ape — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:18:01 -0800

Seattle tourism recommendations please. I'm going to spend a weekend in Seattle soon and would like to hear some tourist options both typical and off-the-beaten-path. Thanks.

Safe globetrotting for an independent but wimpy female

exquisite_deluxe — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 19:05:57 -0800

Where's an exotic, yet secure, place to travel for a single gal? Wanderlust has bitten me badly, and I'm itching to go somewhere that will challenge and enthrall me. I've already done fairly extensive travel through Italy and South East Asia. My usual style is "flashpacking", ie. backpacking but not afraid to splurge. This will be the first time I'll be 100% on my own traveling. I'm also open to volunteering or working to extend my trip.

Me: 31 years old, Canadian, petite female, traveling alone.
Time: 3 - 6 months, probably starting this summer.
Budget: $3000 -$6000.

I'd love to hear your personal experiences and suggestions! So far I've been considering Argentina, New Zealand, or central/Northern Australia, but I worry that I'm playing it too "safe" with the last two choices. Thanks in advance!

What are fun/interesting/cheap things to do in LA for a week?

adi — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:35:09 -0800

What are fun/interesting/cheap things to do in LA for a week? I'll be staying in "West Hills" (whatever that is) from the 21st until the 28th and will have a car. It's my first time in LA. The only thing I have so far is the Reagan Library, La Brea Tar Pits and Griffith Park.

I do enjoy TV and pop culture quite a bit, so if there are things like this that can be done on the cheap, I'm up for it. Any cool vineyards?

I want to swap stuff

leigh1 — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:04:26 -0800

I would really really love to exchange souvenirs from all over the world. I would happily go and buy some local souvenirs and send them to you, if you send me yours. We could do that with money involved, or without, like an exchange. Do you know web page where I could hang with people that want the same?

Where to eat & what to do in PGH

The Michael The — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:10:07 -0800

I'm going to be visiting Pittsburgh this weekend with four friends, staying downtown (I think City Center is the correct term?) near the Mellon Arena. We're already planning on visiting the Church Brew Works on Friday and seeing a Pirates game on Saturday. What can you recommend in terms of places to go and great eating options within walking distance of downtown/PNC Bank park? Two of us are vegetarians, and we're into cool record stores, bike shops, pubs, brunches, great independent restaurants and shops, and things unique to the city.

Best places to visit in England

celine — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 07:53:11 -0800

What are the best places to visit in England, preferably around London? I have been living in London for two years and a half, but apart from the city itself, Oxford and Cambridge, I don't know anything about England.

What are the best places to visit around London, preferably for one-day trips?
What are the nicest seaside places?

I would like to go to Brighton, Bath and Stratford upon Avon, but any more original idea would be welcome. I am open to all sorts of suggestions. I just want to discover more areas in England - areas worth taking pictures of if possible as I am into photography.