Go ahead and brag about your country

[girlbug2]

Pretend you have an opportunity to advise some touring foreigners about where in your state or country they should visit. Include:

1. Some thing or place they should definitely not miss seeing

2. The best "cheap" restaurant, preferably a local best-kept-secret

3. The one tourist trap to avoid. Horror stories appreciated.
_________________________________________________

Okay I'll go first.

Since some say California is almost a country unto itself, that is what I'll focus on. Specifically Southern California, although San Francisco will always have a special place in my heart.

1. The San Diego Zoo. Arguably the best zoo in the country, maybe even the world. While you're in the neighborhood you can also enjoy Sea World and some lovely beaches.

2. A local best kept secret restaurant, if you like Mexican, is Taco Mesa. It's located in Costa Mesa in an old Taco Bell restaurant building that's been painted over badly to look as tacky and out-of-place as possible in the wealthy Orange County area. But friends, the food is just great and quite cheap for what many consider to be authentic, gourmet-style Mexican.

3. Avoid the South Coast Plaza. IMO, the SCP is a huge scam. Folks, it's just a very large and very overpriced MALL. Spend ridiculous amounts of money on the same brand name clothes, luggage etc that can be had for a fraction of the cost that you would spend at any other mall in the country.

_______________________________________________________

Tell us what's so great about where you live; who knows, it may inspire a vacation.

 

[crushing]

West Michigan:

1. Some thing or place they should definitely not miss seeing
It's a toss up between the beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline with its sandy beaches and Founder's Brewery, maker of some of the best beer in the world. Heck, pick up a growler of brew and head to the lake!

2. The best "cheap" restaurant, preferably a local best-kept-secret
Bernie O's Pizza. I'm not so sure it's "cheap", but it's darn good stuff! New York and Chicago can have their arguments about pizza, but I'm going with Bernie O's!

3. The one tourist trap to avoid. Horror stories appreciated.
Stale green traffic lights are as good as red! If it turns yellow while you're under it, you could get a ticket.

 

[Carol]

NH has....me!! Yes, come to NH and you'll get, free of charge, a tour of the area by a genuine cynical New Englander. And maybe even a MA workout too.

Okies...in all seriousness there is....

1. A lot of natural beauty, the mountains in particular are a must see. The drive up to the region where the mountains/lakes are is a gorgeous one, and the area has a low-key resort town feel. We've got 53 miles of seashore too...although the water up here is a bit chilly.

2. Newicks Seafood Restaurant, on the Great Bay in Dover. Its got the 70's family-seafood-restaurant feel with simple wooden bench tables, wooden captain's chairs and paper placemats that the kids can color. But the seafood is to die for and they have decent drinks. They also have a retail market so you can take some fish home (or back to where you are staying).

3. Not a lot of tourist traps or bad places because.......there just isn't that much to do in NH! The nightlife here is simple and a bit restrained. There are things to see and stuff to do, but its nowhere near what you'd find in CA or even Boston. Its more of a place to unplug and get away than to plug in and charge up.

 

[Tez3]

Swaledale, North Yorkshire

1. The moors, ancient castles and abbeys, good fishing, racehorses, the original Richmond, cobbled market places, Roman and Viking archeology,Aysgarth Falls (as seen in the Kevin Costner Robin Hood), Swaledale and Wensleydale cheese, highest pub in England, tiny hamlets still with their Viking names,(Arkengarthdale, Askrigg,Gunnerside, Keld), Black Sheep Brewery.

2 Any village pub that serves homemade food!

3. No tourist traps as such but very narrow roads, sheer drops in places and sheep on the road. Rain.

 

[Frostbite]

Swaledale, North Yorkshire

I figured you'd be talking about the pudding.



Anaheim, California (not too far from girlbug's Costa Mesa)

1. Disneyland, of course, although there is plenty to do within a short drive. Knott's Berry Farm, Universal Studios, Legoland, all within an hour or two.

2. There's a great deli near my office in Orange called DeSimone's. Cheap, fresh, really nice people. They even have been known to make stuff that's not on the menu if you ask--they went out and bought sauerkraut because I wanted a Rebuen! Also, they have the "spaghetti sandwich." It's a sandwich. Made with spaghetti. :fanboy:

3. Disneyland. Hey, you've got to take the good with the bad. Also, I totally agree with South Coast Plaza. I could afford to shop there if I didn't mind only wearing one Jimmy Choo. I'd have to put the second on layaway.

 

[Tez3]

Yorkshire pudding is properly served first on it's own covered in gravy not as an accompaniment to the main course, puts people off a lot that lol!

 

[CuongNhuka]

Country: United Cantons of Nebraska

1. The Henry Doorly Zoo. The largest inbetween the Rockies and and Denver. If you're more of an art snob, visit the Museum, we have about a dozen of note. Into music? We have a massive local music scene, with several venues, and more local events then I could possibly count. Are you an Athlete? We have dozens of half marathons and 10Ks, several marathons, and a few super marathons.

2. There are simply too many greasy spoon places worth visiting to count. My fav is Ahmads Persian Cuisine.

3. Avoid the winter. Theres no telling if it's going to be a fairly warm winter, or if we're going to get a couple feet of snow.

Thinking about moving? Here are some other reasons to come visit our wounderful country:

1. Our Economy is not collapsing faster then a three story house with no main support collumn.

2. Our governmental structure is functional, transparent, and helpful (for example, our DMV is a shinning beacon to the rest of the world)

3. An average, but improving high school system, and a wonderful college level system.

 

[terryl965]

Texas Dallas/Ft.Worth we have everything the Rangers, Maverick and the allmighty Cowboys---wait they all are bad so drive to San Antonio, Austin, New Bruanfels and have a blast. DFW is all about nothing and it is boring as hell, sorry been here to long.

 

[David43515]

Since I`m an immagrant, I`ll try two.

First, HOME:
If you ever find yourself in Toledo Ohio consider yourself lucky. They have one of the finest art museums in the U.S. with several world-class exhibitions every year, and they always have the largest collection of art glass in the U.S. The Toledo zoo is one of the top 5 in the country and every Christmas they decorate with literally millions of lights. It`s a great family event and a fun date. In summer you can`t miss a Mudhens baseball game or a trip down the road to Cedar Point, the amusement park people have been known to travel 1000`s of mile to attend.

Every fan of MASH knows about Tony Packo`s Hungarian hotdogs and the food there is great and cheap. But another great place ic Charlies Coney Island with locations all over town. Great Greek and Lebanese foood along with traditional diner favorites.

Stay away from downtown Toledo. Despite years of effort to restore it....it`s a hole.

Now for my Home away from Home.

Sapporo, Japan
Sapporo hosts the Snow Festival (Yuki Matsuri) every February and the Yosokoi Matsuri every May(?). Yosokoi is a huge outdoor dance competition with teams of 20-120 dancers competing against each other. It`s a blast to watch. Sapporo is the heart of Japan`s Beer industry, so in the summer there are huge outdoor beer gardens everywhere where you can relax and try lots of different brew while you enjoy local snacks and Hokkaido`s famous lamb BBQ. There are nearly a dozen amazing golf courses. And we hosted the winter olympics, this is a skier`s paradise. Did I mention that you can`t swing a dead cat without hitting an absolutely stunning woman? Although to be honest, Japanese women frown on being struck with dead cats. (Who knew?)

I spend most of the week just outside Sapporo working in a resort town called Rusutsu. The best resturaunt in the area just opened last December. It`s called Pirate-man and is about 500 meter`s from the resort. The food is all made from scratch and is AMAZING. There is usually one guy running it, sometimes two, so his costs are next to nothing. You can get one of the finest meals you`ve ever had for $20 U.S. or a darn good one for $10.

Don`t eat at the resort. The Prices are astronomical and the food is mediochre at best. The service is wonderful...but doesn`t make up for it. But that`s the price you pay for some of the best skiing in world.