Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with tourist

How to appeal a tourist visa denial?

forforf — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:52:34 -0800

My sister-in-law in Japan was denied a tourist visa to visit us here in the US. It's especially disappointing because my wife and sister haven't seen each other in over a decade, nor has she ever met our kids. Is there anything we can do at this point? Some background: My wife's sister-in-law immigrated from South Korea to Japan to be with her fiancé, whom she eventually married. She overstayed her visa in Japan pretty significantly, but now, due to the marriage, is there legally. They are not well off, and have saved for a considerable amount of time to visit us. However, when she interviewed at the embassy for a visa she was turned down due to the risk she would stay in the US illegally. Obviously, my sister-in-law, wife, and kids are all extremely disappointed, my sister-in-law is especially distraught.
I've done some google searching and read some previous askme's (like this one). I'm worried now that there is no recourse, but I'm still holding out some faint hope that someone might have some options to pursue. Has anybody been through something similar that can offer some advice?

Fun things to do in Kansas City?

damn dirty ape — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:35:57 -0800

Fun things to do in Kansas City? I'm spending the weekend in KC and have a couple of things planned, but wouldnt mind hearing some other recommendations. What shoudlnt we miss? Where should we eat? What are some off-the-beaten path activities? Thanks.

I'm bored and hungry in Denver - please help.

anthropoid — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:04:04 -0800

In Denver for a conference and I need things to do and places to eat/drink. Would love Lesbian or queer-friendly suggestions too. I am staying right near the 16th St. mall and need to fill up Thurs/Fri evening and also pretty much all day Saturday and Sunday. I do NOT have a car, so Boulder, mountains, Coors Brewery, Celestial Seasonings, etc. are not possible, unfortunately.

I've checked previous posts here, here, here, here, here, and here but the info seems to be 2 to 3 years old and much of it requires a car. I do now have a list of tourist-y things to do from these posts (art museum, capitol hill, museum of natural history etc.) and I understand that I cannot leave this city without seeing Casa Bonita.

So what I would really like to know are the good little nooks that the locals know and love.

Specifically:

- places to eat (don't forget about breakfast/brunch!)
- lesbian bars/cafes or even just queer-friendly places
- good people-watching
- good shopping
- neighborhoods/streets to avoid since I will be by myself (I live in Brooklyn so you can use that as your barometer).
- how best to get to suggested destinations

A lengthy post for such a simple question!

What should I do in Dawson City?

Brodiggitty — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:21:52 -0800

Yukonfilter: One day in Dawson. What should we do/avoid? My girlfriend and I are driving the entire Dempster Highway so we can spend one full day and two nights in Dawson City this weekend. Our main goals are to visit Robert Service's cabin and to try panning for gold. The rest is up to you.

What is the best way to try gold panning? I know there is one claim anyone can use, but I don't have a pan. Is there a place that rents just pans? Can I pick one up on the cheap? Or should I go to one of those tourist sites that rent the pan and give a lesson? Which will give me the most bang for my tourist buck?

I'd love to hear about any sleeper attractions, cheap but good places to eat, traps to avoid, etc.

Any thoughts on Diamond Tooth Gerties? We don't gamble.

Don't stop in Gary, Indiana.

ben242 — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:00:56 -0800

I'm going on a road trip from NYC to Chicago, then to DC, then back to NYC. I have plenty of time for stopovers and I'd like to see more than I-80. What should I stop to do during this trip? I've already been warned not to stop in Gary, Indiana.

I'm a foodie and would totally dig a side-trip that involves finding the best [food] in [place].

Photography is a serious hobby for me, so suggestions in this vein are welcomed.

I'm a city guy, born and raised. Things that are way off the beaten path are fascinating to me. Interpret this any way you like.

The ALA took my baby away.

klangklangston — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:13:50 -0800

Things to do in Anaheim on June 28th? I'm currently planning on driving down and dropping off my girlfriend at the ALA conference, then bummin' around until the meet-up at 8pm. I'm looking for things to amuse me. I like music, baseball, drinking, museums… Lunch ideas? Breakfast ideas? Things that I shouldn't miss? Cheap things?

Greensboro to Cape Fear

jammy — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:18:41 -0800

NorthCarolinaFilter: A friend is traveling between Greensboro and Cape Fear and back again - They would love to hear some ideas on what to see? what to do? Especially interested in any recommendations of the historical variety (museums, tours, etc.).

Alternatively, suggestions or tips on interesting ecological or sustainability projects in this region would also be welcome - also, social justice projects.

Thanks!

“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?

What's fun in Portland, OR?

bashos_frog — Fri, 23 May 2008 10:40:39 -0800

Going to Portland for RailsConf, and wondering about potential after-conference activities. I have a very broad notion of fun, so any and all suggestions would be welcome.

Help me give my 50 year old uncle a 4 hour tourist ride through San Francisco

Chuck Cheeze — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:04:51 -0800

My 50 year old uncle is visiting San Fran this Thursday for the first time. I am picking him up at SFO at 11 and we want to be back to Novato by about 330 to beat (most of) the traffic. On the way out we will certainly go up to the Marin Headlands, and he is a big seafood guy so I am guessing we will catch lunch down near the Wharf or maybe at the Cliff House. Obviously we don't have much time, so what recommendations do you all have for a few cool things to see in the city on the way out? I think we'll do Lombard, but otherwise I'm not terribly interested in super-touristy stuff. Maybe some historic spots?

actually, it's not a plate of beans. it's more like a whole field of them...

roombythelake — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:38:16 -0800

Question about audience reaction to "The Ruins"--spoiler of one line of dialogue, comments (if anyone else actually saw it) may contain more. The line "Four American tourists don't just disappear" provoked a slow crescendo of laughter when I saw "The Ruins" in a Canadian theatre tonight. (We love you here, though, really we do...) Since I have such a large group of non-Canadians handy, I figured I'd ask how that line went in the film's home market.

Was it trying to show the character to be naive (he's generally not, otherwise), or was the moment meant to be played straight, and misfired in my showing only because audiences here always laugh at overly jingoistic lines in American films? Was there laughter in your theatre too? If so, was the movie wanting us to laugh, or was it a bad moment of breaking our suspension of disbelief?

Bonus points if you, along with three other young American tourists, have ever been...ah, shoot, I said I wouldn't give spoilers, didn't I?

New York City in one post or less

regicide is good for you — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:24:14 -0800

New Yorkers, please give a Canadian a crash course in your city. I'll be arriving shortly, and it'll be my first first time there in a while. I already know a bunch of places I want to visit or revisit (but mostly plan to wander) - but coming from a city with only two subway lines, the thought of your transit system somehow gives me both claustrophobia and agoraphobia at the same time.

Advice on quickly orienting myself, and on getting around in general (I can't afford cabs)?
Things to generally beware of, and things to generally be on the lookout for?
How to live like a New Yorker (avoid tourist traps, tourist prices, etc.)?
Points of etiquette I may not be aware of?

And anything else you think might be helpful...

Today in the sacred city of Peoria...

nax — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:08:00 -0800

What makes a city or place sacred? We keep hearing about the sacred city of (fill in the blank) in Iraq and Pakistan, et al. I understand that these places are sacred because of ancient religious connotations and events. My question is, how does a place go from being the tourist site (Hey, family, let's go on the tour of Mohammed's birthplace!) to being a sacred site. For instance, right now the Alamo's a tourist destination. But it figures in our national mythology too. How long before it's "sacred." What other sites might be sacred in another 10 (or whatever) generations? What sacred sites weren't sacred in Ur-grandpa's day?

How can a tourist get a doctor in NYC?

kaydo — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:17:56 -0800

How can an international visitor see a doctor in NYC? Will it cost more than my entire trip? Im staying in midtown manhattan, and I think I might need a doctor. What I thought was food poisoning began on Wednesday night. Its now Friday morning and I still cant eat or drink anything. Further complicating things, is that Im due to hop a plane to SFO in a few hours. Regardless, I plan to wait until daylight to do anything.

Present condition also makes it a bit difficult to get to a pharmacy, so I figure that a doctor is the best option.

Im quite unfamiliar with the American healthcare system. How would I go about finding someone? Whats a ballpark estimatee on getting someone to visit me? Is there anything else I need to consider?

I'll be asking the hotel for recommendations in the morning. This place is tiny, so I doubt they have an existing relationship with a doc,

Ohio! Because it's in the way!

nax — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:25:41 -0800

I'll be in Dayton (actually Kettering) OH for one day at the beginning of April. I could drive up to the Cleveland area to visit my son, but I'll be doing that anyway 2 weeks later. What should I do? Don't mind driving up to an hour or so, as previous threads on the topic seem to indicate that the best thing to do in the Dayton area is to drive through it on your way somewhere else. I like museums, local color, historic sites, nature.

Things to do in NYC with a bad knee?

felix grundy — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:10:11 -0800

Bad Knee, Big City, or: How do I entertain my mother while she's here in New York this weekend? Usually we're good with museums and just wandering around, but she just had knee surgery last week, and while she's mobile enough to get around anything that requires lots of standing will probably just be too taxing.

More specifics:
She had knee surgery because her knee troubles have been keeping her from running half-marathons, so it's not like she's generally incapacitated, and I want to try to avoid making her more frustrated than she already is with her temporary lack of mobility—thus while we could probably get a wheelchair and I could push us around MoMA, I think this would be more exasperating than fun.

They arrive Friday afternoon and are leaving Monday morning. They'll have a car, but unless we leave the city I doubt we'll use it.

I think we'll probably go see a play in the afternoon on Sunday, but that's still up in the air. We also have dinner reservations every night that they're here, at the kinds of places where dinner can pretty much take the whole evening, so the evenings are pretty well covered.

I've thought about movies, but while she enjoys them she's not exactly a cinephile, so the fact that we're seeing something that's rarely shown is not likely to outweigh the fact that we're sitting in the dark and not really spending time together.

She and her husband (who will also be here, but who has no mobility problems and is hence not at the forefront of my considerations at this moment) are both really into food and wine—are "foodies," if you will. (Hence the dinner reservations, which were probably made before they even booked a hotel room.)

They're staying near Wall Street, right off of the 2/3.

Touristy stuff is fine; they're not snobs (except about food), and though I kind of am I can probably swallow it down for a weekend.

Thanks in advance for your brilliant ideas, fellow New Yorkers.

Where in LA should I take my anachronistic sister?

kidbritish — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:38:40 -0800

Where in the Los Angeles area should I take my charmingly anachronistic sister? My sister will be visiting for a weekend (of Feb 15) for a Highland dance competition, and I'd like to find some interesting things to do in Los Angeles. Her interests include Jane Austen, books, language, history, Britain, Scotland, old movies, Gilbert & Sullivan, etc.

Can you recommend a nice and/or slightly anachronistic restaurant? Also, do you know of anything else that she might find interesting? I'm thinking the Huntington Library & Gardens, and perhaps the Silent Movie Theater. Last time, we went to the Museum of Jurassic Technology, and she seemed to enjoy it.
(She's an adult, mid-20s if it matters.)

If I were selfish, I'd take her to see Siouxsie, but I don't think she'd appreciate it very much!

Do you know the way to San Jose?

nax — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:18:27 -0800

San Jose California last 3 days of Feb. About a third to half that time will be blocked off to visit with relatives and see our daughter in her touring show. What else should we do? Head up the bay to SF, or is there cool stuff in town? (We'll be staying perforce in an airport hotel, no help for it-- should we rent a car, or is public trans good?)

Which NYC bus routes have the most to see?

ThePinkSuperhero — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 08:46:13 -0800

What New York City bus routes are the most scenic? I thought it would be a nice idea to take some visiting family members on those big red tourist buses, but the price is too rich for my blood (it's more than $50 per person, if I remember correctly). It then occured to me that for the low price of a Metrocard, we could take public buses instead. So which bus lines should we ride to see all NYC has to offer? Manhattan preferred, but outer borough lines won't be ruled out.

trying to have an unusual time in new york city

donabean — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 13:58:09 -0800

Trying to plan a honeymoon in New York City-looking for an affordable (150$ or under) hotel that is decent, in a good location for someone trying to find their way around the city, and maybe with some character(although the character is definitely not as important as having my own bathroom). I would really like some suggestions of good sites to see with a surreal or fortean/paranormal flavor. My fiancee loves to do grave rubbings(charcoal rubbings of old or unusual graves), so any pointers on what cemeteries would have the oldest gravestones would also be appreciated. We are planning for the beginning of august time frame and for around a week- thanks in advance!

Help me find affordable tickets!

nataliecay — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:23:11 -0800

Cheapest way to find decent tickets to Radio City Christmas Spectacular in New York? I am going to New York next Thursday-Sunday and really want to see the Christmas show at Radio City... this will only be my second time to New York, so I was looking for some 'insider' tips on how to efficiently buy tickets. I heard that for Broadway shows you can go the day of and get 1/2 tickets... is that the case for this as well? Or do they sell out in advance?

Also, any other tips for two twentysomething females doing the New York at Christmas-time tourist thing are more than welcome! (Bar recs, must see's, etc.)

Is Lonely Planet my best bet?

kyleg — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 23:45:30 -0800

What is the best UK travel guide to give to an American student spending the semester there in the spring? She'll be in Gloucestershire, with short trips to London and around the Continent depending on time and budget.

Your ideas for nontraditional, off the beaten path, interesting, insightful things to do or see in or close to Venice, Florence, and Rome, Italy?

Askr — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 08:13:54 -0800

What are your favorite nontraditional, nontouristy, alternative, culturally-insightful things to do in or near Venice, Florence, and Rome? I mean the deeper anthropological kind of culture, not museums, opera, etc. I'm not looking for the usual must-see tourist destinations or the things that epitomize a city. I want the fascinating little finds you accidentally stumbled on and loved, but which few or no tours would have found because they aren't "sights". If it can give me a glimpse of how contemporary Italians see the world, to appreciate a bit more what it's like to be them, that's a turbo bonus. No points off for plain old fun activities either. I've read every Italy thread on here and haven't quite found what I'm after. My parents invited me on a guided package tour of Venice, Florence, and Rome next week and the following week. Italy's not high on my list of travel destinations and I'm not a package tour kind of guy at all, but it's free, foreign, and family, so I'm going and am sure I'll have a good time. I'd like your help in reducing that touristy malaise feeling and replacing some of it with interesting insights and experiences.

There is a lot of the usual museum/monument time on the itinerary. I'm not a museum/monument kind of guy. Paintings paintings paintings, churches, aaagh! Don't care! Don't wanna take all the same obligatory pictures everyone has taken for a century or follow a guide around the whole time as they tell me about this or that set of ruins. For me, travel is about learning about how the world looks through other cultures' eyes. I know some of this can be informed by their history or past cultural products such as art or architecture, but what I want is to get glimpses of what life is like for ordinary people there right now to the degree I can in a very short time - what their big issues are, what their worldview is and how it differs from mine. Optimism, cynicism, assumptions, prejudices, filters, priorities, norms, oddities. A guided package tour of sights is not a great way to do this but it's what I have to work with.

So I want to break away from the tour group at least once per city and go do my own thing - - interesting, educational, insightful, off the beaten path kinds of things, especially any that help me understand what life is like for normal contemporary Italians. I don't want to see sights (I'll already see plenty, e.g. David, Sistine, etc.); What I want is some hint of contemporary cultural anthropology. It could be anything - some interesting local custom, some political event, some unique civic activity, some un-famous piece of history that influences the present in a fascinating way, some cultural fixture (e.g., I wish there were some soccer games during my stay). What have you found in or near these three places that was your special find that people wouldn't normally find on a tour, and which enriched your experience and understanding of Italy and Italians?

One hurdle is that I speak almost no Italian, not having planned to go there. So it would need to be something observable absent language or there would need to be English speakers or literature, a tall order. Below is the itinerary, including what I'm considering skipping. There are a fair number of free afternoons and evenings built in. What is nearby that's not on this list, that you loved, that isn't a "sight" but was a great find? Not looking for restaurant/bar recommendations unless they happen to deliver what I'm looking for. If you don't have anything in the sort of cultural anthro insight category, yeah, just list anything fun or interesting or unusual that's not a major tourist sight. For example I keep seeing recommendations to go to Siena near Florence. But why? What do people like about it?

No need to focus on these knowns in your reply:
-This is a very short time to develop any real cultural insight
-Art and architecture and ruins and history are important
-Don't discount what you can learn from quality guides
-Not speaking Italian limits your options

Grazie!

Itinerary:

Nov 12-14: Venice
-backstreets walking tour (also planning on "getting lost")
-St. Mark's Basilica & Doges' Palace
-Accademia art museum. SKIP THIS
-a free afternoon
-2 free evenings and 1 planned dinner

Nov 15-17: Florence
-Accademia Gallery w/ David
-"Renaissance walk" - Duomo, Baptistery, etc. SKIP ONE OF THESE TWO
-Oltrarno area - walk/talk re Roman, medieval and 19th century Florence. SKIP ONE OF THESE TWO
-Uffizi art museum. MAYBE POP IN FOR AN HOUR OR TWO. (I know it's huge)
-2 free afternoons
-2 free evenings and 1 planned dinner

Nov 18-20: Rome
-Vatican Museum, Sistine, St. Peter's.
-Some free time in Vatican area for crypt, dome, whatever.
-Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon
-Free afternoon near area of Palatine ruins, Mamertine prison, etc.
-A few free hours in heart of city
-Evening stroll through historic heart of city.
-2 planned dinners and 1 free evening
.

Help me figure out my trip overseas!

pontouf — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 10:17:52 -0800

So I'm going on a trip this summer with my bf... my plan is to at least hit up Germany and Ireland, hopefully England too. I'm planning on this trip lasting for about a month, probably starting in August sometime. So my simple question is, what do you recommend? My more in-depth question is behind the link... So, I have a friend in Germany - that portion is already taken care of as far as what to do and where to stay. We will probably go there first, then travel with my friend up to Amsterdam for a few days. From there we will go to either England or Ireland, depending on my budget/plan. My main question has a few parts. First of all, what is/are the cheapest ways to get around, both while in one of these countries and/or traveling between them? Secondly, where should I stay in Ireland or England? Since we are going to be there so long and the USD is so poor, I don't want to stay in a hotel, at least not most of the time. Thirdly (and lastly) what should we do/see? Typical and especially non-typical touristy stuff is helpful. I want to visit Ireland because of my Irish roots and to see some castles. I want to visit England because it seems like a really neat country... My budget is $4000 (how does that figure sound for this trip? Does that sound like it might also cover an additional person's expenses in part?) Soooo... Go!

What do non-tourists do around Frankfurt?

yeara — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 12:26:23 -0800

I'm spent over four months in my my life on vacation in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. I've done all of the touristy stuff. I'm bored out of my wits. What else can one do around here? I'm visiting my parents for the nth time and I'm totally bored. I'm 22, low budget [15-20 Euros a day on entertainment and transport], cannot drive here and I do not know anyone else.