GreekChat.com Forums - I'm traveling the country... what should I do?!

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ree-Xi

06-02-2010 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06 (Post 1938211)

Starting in July, I'll be traveling for 6-8 months for work. I'll be spending at least 2 weeks in each place that I visit, and there's a good chance I'll be staying the weekend in most of them.

I'm looking for fun things to do, and I'm especially looking for great restaurants where I should eat, as I'll probably be eating out 90% of the time. That's where you all come in... I need suggestions!

Places I'll be visiting:

New York City
Chicago
Philadelphia
Boston
Atlanta
Orlando
Houston
Dallas
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Honolulu

I've been to NYC twice, but there's still so much there that I haven't seen or experienced. I've been to Orlando before, but I've only really visited Disney parks. And I basically grew up in Boston, but I'm curious to see if anyone suggests places that I haven't been to/heard of before.

Help!

I'm sure that others will give you great advice (or you already know Boston, the only place I "know" well), but I wanted to say that it's an amazing opportunity! It might be a little lonely (missing family), but when will you ever get the chance to spend so much time in those cities? Even if it's afterwork or weekends, it's so cool!!

IrishLake

06-02-2010 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaggieXi (Post 1938258)

Here's some things to do while in Philly:

- If you like History: check out the Liberty Bell and the National Constitution Center.

- If your big on food: check out the Reading Terminal Market. Tons of different cuisine and eat a real cheesesteak. Pat's & Gino's are legendary. Be sure to heed the rules when ordering. Its either "wit" or "wit out". Also, if you've never had one "Eat a Ritas". It will change your thoughts on water ice completely. Also, you could go eat at a Steven Starr restaurant - fun places with good/interesting food: http://www.starr-restaurant.com/

- If your an animal lover: try the Philadelphia Zoo, one of the best in the country. If you still are interested in animals, you can take a quick ride across the bridge into Camden, NJ to check out the Aquarium.

-If you are into art:check out the world famous Philadelphia Art Museum, you can even run up the stairs like Rocky! Other museums, like the Franklin Institute (very cool, but can be over run with kids) or the Mutter Mueseum, owned by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and has very weird medical artifacts (not for the squimish!)

- For sports, you can try to go see a Phillies game or catch a regatta.

There are also cute towns within the city to walk through such as Manayunk (said "Manny-unk"), Old City, and Chestnut Hill.

I second this Philly list. Definately spend a day downtown, walk around, tour the US mint (do they still do that?), visit Chinatown, do the Liberty Bell and Independance Hall. Go out and tour Valley Forge National Park. If you're a shopper, you MUST go to the King of Prussia mall... I am NOT a shopper, and even I loved it there. There are some other cute little small towns around there, I like West Chester (good restaurants and Iron Hill Brewery). Victory Brew Pub in Downingtown is one of my favorites too.

I have some Houston suggestions too... but they mostly involve driving to Galveston and enjoying the beach!

Oh, and definately join Tripadivsor.com. You'll get lots of great advice on places to visit.

groovypq

06-02-2010 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IrishLake (Post 1938293)

Victory Brew Pub in Downingtown is one of my favorites too.

I second that. :-)

GeorgiaGPhiB

06-02-2010 03:11 PM

I love my hometown! So things to do ....

1. Coke! The coca cola muesum that is

2. Little Five Points for some weird fun

3. The Aquarium ... if fish are your thing

4. Six Flags over Ga

5. Stone Mountain Laser Show

6. Shopping - Lenox Mall

7. High Muesum of Art

Jill1228

06-02-2010 06:22 PM

San Francisco:
The Golden Gate Bridge (pictures do not do it justice)
Chinatown
Alcatraz
Union Square (kick ass shopping)
Fisherman's Wharf
Lombard Street
Cable Car (my favorite line is the Powell and Mason line)

PM me if you have any questions

epchick

06-02-2010 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blondie93 (Post 1938219)

As far as where to eat while in Dallas, well obviously Mexican.

Ewwww.

knight_shadow

06-02-2010 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epchick (Post 1938394)

Ewwww.

Not even taquerias?

epchick

06-02-2010 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knight_shadow (Post 1938396)

Not even taquerias?

Well those are usually only tacos right? Those are probably alright because how badly can people really screw up tacos.

The times I've been to Dallas (shoot even Midland, etc) I've NEVER encountered a good Mexican restaurant. It's Tex Mex which is completely different.

Even on the food network/travel channel (which BTW Bourdain, Laredo is not the 'Capital of the Border' :mad: ) when they go to places like that---like Guy who went to that one "Mexican" restaurant in San Antonio where their enchiladas is covered in chili beans--the food just doesn't look appetizing.

Of course, it's just like the GC Italians who hate it when people say Olive Garden is real Italian food. It's not, but its what people are used to eating. Like my step-dad's sisters who came from NJ and thought they could handle the salsa some the restaurants served because they can "handle the fire sauce from Taco Bell."

Benzgirl

06-02-2010 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blondie93 (Post 1938219)

As far as where to eat while in Dallas, well obviously Mexican. In order of my preference:

I love Mexican but whenever I get to Dallas (4-5 times a year), I always seem to find Tex-Mex, which I don't like and they don't seem to know the difference.

knight_shadow

06-02-2010 06:48 PM

The taquerias up here are usually the closest to "real Mexican food" that I've seen (outside of eating at some of my frat brothers' parents' homes). They're more than just tacos, too.

But co-sign on the Tex-Mex (which I can only stand in small doses).

knight_shadow

06-02-2010 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blondie93 (Post 1938219)

Gloria's- a locally owned place with restaurants all over Dallas. The one in Oak Cliff is the original, but any of them are good. One margarita will do ya. Great place for dinner during the week while you are working in Dallas.

Didn't catch this earlier, but Gloria's is Salvadorian, not Mexican.

epchick

06-02-2010 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knight_shadow (Post 1938401)

The taquerias up here are usually the closest to "real Mexican food" that I've seen (outside of eating at some of my frat brothers' parents' homes). They're more than just tacos, too.

Wait, i think I might be thinking of something different. Are the 'taquerias' you're talking about like an actual restaurant or those RV looking things that drive around town?

I don't have experience with the 'on the go' mobile taquerias but we do have several 'taqueria' shops here, which are just ok...nothing to rave about.

knight_shadow

06-02-2010 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epchick (Post 1938409)

I'm talking about the shops/restaurants, but we have the mobile ones too (RV, trucks, and shopping carts lol).

Of course, with any "trying to be authentic" restaurant, it's going to be hit or miss, but the ones I've visited have been pretty spot-on. The bad ones that I've visited were mostly in Central TX as opposed to North.

ASTalumna06

06-02-2010 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knight_shadow (Post 1938217)

Are you visiting Dallas proper, or somewhere else in the Metroplex? And will you have access to a vehicle while you're here (the area is very spread out)?

1.) I have no idea! haha
2.) Yes, I'll have access to a car.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blondie93 (Post 1938228)

By the way... what a great list of cities to visit! What a great experience. Lucky you.

I know! I'm pretty excited. And if everything goes according to plan, I'll get to visit these places twice! I work for an insurance company and we're going "paperless" and I'm doing the training and support for this new computer system across the company. We're training all of the underwriting staff first, then claims, which will probably start in March of next year.

And I must say, the times that I'm visiting these places is basically perfect (in terms of weather). Approximate time of year for each:

New York City = mid-July
Chicago = August
Philadelphia = August-September
Boston = September
Atlanta = early October
Orlando = October
Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco = November and December (not sure exactly what order these will be in yet)
Honolulu = early 2011

Thank you everyone for your suggestions so far! :D

ComradesTrue

06-03-2010 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epchick (Post 1938399)

The times I've been to Dallas (shoot even Midland, etc) I've NEVER encountered a good Mexican restaurant. It's Tex Mex which is completely different.

You are 100% correct. I was referring to Tex-Mex. For those of us who grew up in Texas, but not in a border town or with Mexican relatives, it is pretty much all we know so we like that flavor. It is funny, though, because we do refer to it as "Mexican" even though we know that in the true sense of the word Mexican is different. However, you really don't hear anyone in the DFW area saying "Let's go out for Tex-Mex." We just call it Mexican, even though that is technically incorrect. Oh well.

And yes, Gloria's is El Salvadoran, but there is quite a bit of cross over to the Tex-Mex fare. Yummy, yummy, yummy.

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