I'm traveling the country... what should I do?!

ASTalumna06 · #1 06-02-2010, 12:00 PM

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!

knight_shadow · #2 06-02-2010, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Dallas

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)?

ETA: Adding this so I can fill it in tomorrow:

Dallas
- Downtown/West End
- Uptown/Knox-Henderson/Oaklawn
- Addison
- Greenville (Above and Below Mockingbird)

Fort Worth
- West of DT
- Stockyards

Arlington
- Arlington Highlands
- Entertainment District

ComradesTrue · #3 06-02-2010, 12:12 PM

Instead of looking for something to do in Dallas, just head 30 minutes west to Fort Worth. It is a much better city, especially for tourists. The Stockyards just north of downtown has the old west feel, but there are also many great museums in the art district which is just west of downtown.

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

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.

Uncle Julio's- yes these have sprung up in various parts of the country, but the food is really good in the DFW locations.

Joe T Garcia's- probably the most famous of all restaurants in Fort Worth. It is near the Stockyards, so could make a nice lunch or dinner while you are out sightseeing. No reservations- you just show up and stand in line, which depending on time of year and day of week could be for up to 2 hours. Dinner choices are fajitas or enchiladas. That's it! But atmosphere, drinks and food are all good. Hopefully you will hit DFW in the fall and not the summer. You most likely will be eating outdoors on the patio- it comprises probably 90% of the seating and is huge, huge, huge. Some sections are covered and have a ceiling fan.

If you are in Dallas over a weekend, then seriously plan for the weekend to be in Fort Worth. I promise there is much more to do, it is much more scenic, and the people are much more friendly. I have lived at least 7 years in each city. I know them well.

ETA: okay, while in Dallas do go to the JFK museum. Just because. I would also suggest a tour of the new Cowboys stadium (aka JerryWorld or the DeathStar) because it is just insane. The stadium is located in Arlington, mid-way between Dallas and Fort Worth.

SydneyK · #4 06-02-2010, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blondie93

Joe T Garcia's- probably the most famous of all restaurants in Fort Worth. It is near the Stockyards, so could make a nice lunch or dinner while you are out sightseeing. No reservations- you just show up and stand in line, which depending on time of year and day of week could be for up to 2 hours. Dinner choices are fajitas or enchiladas. That's it! But atmosphere, drinks and food are all good. Hopefully you will hit DFW in the fall and not the summer. You most likely will be eating outdoors on the patio- it comprises probably 90% of the seating and is huge, huge, huge. Some sections are covered and have a ceiling fan.

I second this. It sounds like it's changed since I was there last (I'm sure I had a chimichanga - I wasn't limited to only fajitas or enchiladas). I still have an "Eat at Joe's" T-shirt.

In Atlanta, eat at Canoe (on the Chattahoochee).

epchick · #5 06-02-2010, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blondie93

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

Ewwww.

knight_shadow · #6 06-02-2010, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epchick

Ewwww.

Not even taquerias?

epchick · #7 06-02-2010, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

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'

) 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."

ComradesTrue · #8 06-03-2010, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epchick

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.

Benzgirl · #9 06-02-2010, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blondie93

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 · #10 06-02-2010, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blondie93

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.

knight_shadow · #11 06-02-2010, 12:15 PM

^^^ Tarrant County pusher

To ASTalumna06 - listen to Blondie93. I'll fill in some more Dallas stuff eventually.

amanda6035 · #12 06-02-2010, 12:17 PM

When you are in Atlanta, go to Stone Mountain. Stay for the evening lazer show on the lawn. Cafe Intermezzo for coffee and desserts.

ComradesTrue · #13 06-02-2010, 12:22 PM

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

ISUKappa · #14 06-02-2010, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blondie93

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

No kidding!

ASTalumna06 · #15 06-02-2010, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

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

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!