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So, if we come to visit, what's cool to do where you live?

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Chat' started by ken2v, Nov 29, 2012.

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  1. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    Lompoc/Central Santa Barbara County, California:

    Lompoc Wine Ghetto

    Think of it as a business incubator for small vintners. It's not much to look at but with 19 producers (I thought it was now 20) w/i steps it takes the drive out of party time. Most grow or source from the Sta Rita Hills AVA, a warm day/ocean-affected/chalky-soiled sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez AVA. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are king in the AVA. Thankfully it's not all Burgundian/Carneros as some growers/vintners are doing awesome things with Rhone, Italian and even some Spanish varietals and blends. A handful of other small wineries are arrayed across town.


    La Purisima Mission State Historic Park

    The first mission here was located in what is now downtown, though it was wiped out by an earthquake not long after is was founded. The second rendition is several miles to the NE, and it is said to be the most exactingly and fully restored mission in the system, mostly the work of local/regional craftspeople and history lovers. Pack a lunch. Hike or ride the 2000 acres that adjoin the mission. Bring apples to feed the "period" livestock. Special events crowd the calendar throughout the year, and the two best (imo) are the fundraiser put on by the wine folks and the yule season concert in the chapel. For the latter the grounds and pathways are illuminated with farolitos and candles warm the chapel. Good stuff.


    La Purisima Golf Course

    What? You expect me not to include a course?! If any of you has 8 large lying around, you can buy this beauty. Thread across 300 acres of oak-studded hills and wetlands, and adorned with an ark full of critters (for mega-fauna I've seen everything short of a bear), "The Piranha" as we lovingly call it is as much about the aesthetic joy as the play. It's a tough bugger -- ask the LPGAers who visited several times long ago and never returned -- mostly for the afternoon "breezes" we get here. It's not a Pebble-like must-play, but all golfers should give it a go if up this way on a central coast road trip.


    Full of Life Flatbread

    Just over the hill in Los Alamos, Full of Life is where the slow-food movement and outstanding pizza intersect. Nothing more needs to be said. Oh, wait, there is one ... awesome regional wine offerings including our favorite Mourvedre on tap!!


    Secret Government Stuff

    The paranoid feds try real hard to keep the lid on satellite and missile launches out of Vandenberg. If you happen to be around when one goes off, it's pretty cool. The wily bastards did a sneaky afternoon launch a few months ago. I thought it was an earthquake until I realized I've never felt an earthquake that rocked and rolled like that. So I went out front, looked off to the west and there it was. Take that you nefarious Russians you!! lol


    Jalama Beach

    Up past Santa Barbara, the California coast makes a northward turn that effectively never ends. This gives us beaches that tend to be windier, with huge variations in surf, and most that are accessible run on for miles. Jalama is the picture postcard -- and the divey burger shack does the famous Jalama Burger (which is far far better perfected here in town at Jalama Beach Cafe). Our beach, Surf, is controlled by the feds, so we have some weird restrictions at times, and folks keep on being eaten by great whites. But in season it is a walker's dream. Up north, Guadalupe Dunes harbors towering heaves of sand and lagoons.



    So, what about you guys???
     
  2. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    The author is right on with his assessment of winter activities.

    Sheboygan and Kohler are known for their picture-perfect location on the shores of Lake Michigan and also being premier golfing destinations. One day my colleagues from the law firm of DeWitt Ross & Stevens sat down and started brainstorming about some of the lesser-known destinations in the area. Later, a number of my friends joined the discussion. Read on to discover some of the lesser-known wonders of Wisconsin:


    http://blog.travelwisconsin.com/2012/11/26/the-sheboygan-and-kohler-loop-off-the-beaten-track-destinations/

    Here are a few of mine:

    MN is known as the "Land of 1000 Lakes", but in reality, Wisconsin has more lakes. In summer there are the obvious choices, boating, fishing, swiming at most of them. In winter, most are dotted with ice shanties for fishing.

    Milwaukee: Summerfest-the largest 10 day music festival. Also held at the Summerfest grounds, there is a series of 3 day ethnic festivals, held almost every weekend throughout the summer.

    Festa Itialiana, Germanfest, Polishfest, Irishfest, Pridefest, Indian Summer, Mexican Fiesta. And also Bastille Days held on the streets of downtown Milwaukee.

    BTW, the Summerfest grounds are on the shore of Lake Michigan on the site of what used to be an Air Force missile site. The underground bunkers are all filled in and just a few of the original barracks buildings remain. The main walking path running through Summerfest was the original runway. Just some useless trivia!

    Take a tour of Miller Brewery which includes free samples:beer:. Then head over to Miller Park for a Brewer game and sample some of our famous sausages. Both the racing ones and the edible delicious ones, such as a polish or bratwurst with the "secret stadium sauce" that Bob Costas is always raving about. The field has a retractable roof, so no rain worries.

    I would also recommend a visit to the WI State Fair, held just a few minutes west of Milwaukee, in the city of Greenfield. 2013: Aug 1st-11th. Deep fried everything, plus the famous cream puffs, racing pigs etc. The focus is still rural WI, so plenty of animals and judging competitions for the best ones.

    The city has done a nice job of developing a river walk area in downtown, loaded with brewpubs and restaurants. It's not San Antonio, but it's coming along. The city also has two famous German restaurants in Karl Ratzsch's and Mader"s both located in downtown Milwaukee. Also downtown is Ward's House of Prime, where you can order any size prime rib, from 12 oz up to 168 oz. No, that isn't a typo.

    Obviously Ken2v doesn't have to worry about me becoming a travel writer and taking away his job.:wink2:
     
  3. leo21

    leo21 VIP Whale

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    Well, in my part of the 'burbs, not much. But in the grand city of Chicago, there's plenty.


    • My fave museums are the Art Institute and the Museum of Science of Industry.
    • It's a great treat to visit State Street, that great street and visit the department store formerly known as Marshall Fields but not for the shopping. Come see the architecture. I spend more time looking at columns and stained glass in that place than the goods.
    • In that neighborhood, we have the Chicago Cultural Center. They have rotating exhibits and on the top floor, a beautiful Tiffany glass dome. Free.
    • On the other side of Michigan Avenue, you have Millennium Park, which has a wonderful garden, modern art (every hear of the Bean) and a water fountain that tons of fun. Free.
    • Keep walking up Michigan Avenue and you end on the Mag Mile with all it's sights. It's pretty interesting to see buildings from all different eras en route. And again, even if you don't want to shop, it ends up being fun to see everything.
    • Chicago also has Lincoln Park Zoo, which is again free. And you have miles and miles of lakefront with public beaches to enjoy.
    • There's a ton more stuff in the different neighborhoods but these are the things I end up doing over and over again.

    But if you don't like urban sights, I can redirect you for a road trip to Springfield, especially for Lincoln fans. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is amazing. They break down every part of his life and they add multimedia to the exhibits in a way to make everything more fascinating. Springfield has the preserved Lincoln home and Lincoln's tomb. There is also a wonderful Frank Lloyd Wright home and even the site where the Donner Party departed. It's a great place to bring your whole family and you can walk to most sites in downtown Springfield.
     
  4. Dougie

    Dougie I am IN!

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  5. AliGee

    AliGee Low-Roller

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  6. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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    If you are young enough, I can probably sneak you into the grommet plant on Bring Your Kid To Work Half-a-Day.

    And, a replica of the World's Largest Cheese is located in Perth, ON, which is not too far away on a good weather day. I can also show you the previous replica of the World's Largest Cheese which is now retired from display.

    Bring your camera or smartphone, there is bound to be some great photo-ops with the World's Largest Cheeses.

    [​IMG]
     
  7. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    Somehow I just knew Flusher would chime in on this thread.:thumbsup::evillaugh
     
  8. Username

    Username VIP Whale

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    Too MANY to list.......but we are very selfish and want to keep it to ourselves.... :) ...as we hate traffic....so stay away..... :)
     
  9. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe... with Reno being right down the road.
     
  10. zamboni

    zamboni VIP Whale

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    If you enjoy the smell of hog shit and minus zero weather, I have a room to spare. There is nothing to do here. My ship in the Navy had more people on it than this town has.

    Don't ask me why I still live here. I don't know, either.
     
  11. C0usineddie

    C0usineddie VIP Whale

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    San Diego here.
     
  12. Bubbavegas

    Bubbavegas VIP Whale

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    Oklahoma City here.

    The Bricktown and Downtown revival area. Live bands a few times a week, some great dining options from BBQ to fondue to oustanding steaks and seafood, great club scene as long as you know which are the best and which are just cheese and flash. last but not least the excitement of Loud City at the Peake when the Thunder are in town.

    Paseo and Plaza districts the "bohemian" districts. world renowned artists in several media and plenty of local artists as well, eclectic dining covering everything from traditional Brazilian (not that Brazilian BBQ stuff). molecular gastronomy, traditional pub far to grass fed burgers. The food scene here has thank God exploded the last several years in many areas, no longer just BBQ, Tex Mex and Steak places, and we are getting chefs with some real chops in the area helped by one of the strongest, stable and fastest economies in the US, rated 6th and 71st in the world in economic performance by the Brookings institute recently.

    A world class and ever improving zoo and museum area in the NE side for the kids and kids at heart, a growing film row showing independent and classic films as well as lectures by Hollywood A lsiters like DeNiro who was here in the summer and should you dare 13 NA casinos within 30 minute or less drive. Plus great trail walks, river area for water sports, 3 lakes and numerous city operated stocked ponds regular marathons and half marathons as well as the mud run craze for the outdoors minded. I am proud as hell how our city has turned itself around, unlike when I went in the USMC in 83 and actually had three guys from the NE and 2 from Detroit who honest to God thought we still had covered wagons and Indians in loin cloths running round, (which we do you just gotta pay to see em).
     
  13. dw2121

    dw2121 Low-Roller

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    I live in Vancouver, WA and there is plenty of cool things to see especially if you like fishing and the outdoors like me. There is so many choices of what to see within a couple of hour drive.

    Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood
    Johnston Ridge Observatory on Mt. St. Helens
    The Columbia River Gorge and it's waterfalls
    Long Beach, WA the longest driveable beach at 26 miles long
    All of the micro brews in Portland :beer:
    and of course fishing and hunting.
     
  14. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    I'm a recovering Oregonian so this really resonates.

    Good input, gang.
     
  15. earth-3

    earth-3 VIP Whale

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    In the summer, my neighbor likes to sun bathe topless in her back yard. With the jungle of plants on my deck, I think she feels: If she can't see me, I can't see her. hehehehe!
     
  16. Joe Strummer

    Joe Strummer VIP Whale

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    "The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow"
     
  17. zamboni

    zamboni VIP Whale

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    I'm there, dude. Got a spare bedroom? :nworthy:
     
  18. Jerseyguy

    Jerseyguy MIA

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    A lot less to see and do than there used to be .

    A lot of the beaches washed away along with boardwalks but there's still a ton of stuff to do and see in NJ. Depending on what time of year it is ,you can do just about everything from surfing to skiing. OH,AC also.
     
  19. addicted

    addicted High-Roller

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    Well we have the 2nd tallest capitol building in the US, built in 1923 completed in 1932 at a cost of $500million [​IMG]

    The place is clearly a work of art, and offers the best views of the city.

    There are a variety of good restaurants here in Lincoln.

    downtown O street has more bars on any given block than you can count on both hands, upwards of 50 unique places to get a drink within a 5 block radius...it is just a short walk to or from memorial stadium (if you know what the cornhuskers are)

    Omaha is less than an hour drive away with plenty to do and one of the best zoos in the country.

    10 minutes out of Omaha is Council bluffs where a harrahs, Horseshoe and ameristar can be found
     
  20. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

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    Come to Nashvegas is you like music. No surprise that it seems like all the new shows in Vegas are from Nashville. There is live music pretty much everywhere all the time. Went to the grocery store after work and there is a guitar duo playing at the doors going in and out!
     
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