Travel Bug
Fort Lauderdale, it’s More than Spring Break
I must be honest. I’m not really a fan of Florida. I really don’t understand why Florida is even so much of a tourist attraction. I cannot pretend that Florida doesn’t have some really cool stuff and that I would like to see more of the state. But that so much of the state is based on tourism for the sake of tourism has always been a sore spot of mine. Especially when some pretty meaningless attractions completely eclipse very cool and/or very historical attractions. Being my fourth article on a Florida locale I felt this a disclaimer worth giving.
Today Fort Lauderdale is a prime Spring Break location for college students. In fact, I suspect it will grow in popularity with mounting concerns over the safety of tourists in Mexico (which is tragic but a topic for a future feature). It is also a favorite wintering spot for Canadians and Americans from the frigid northern tier states, in fact the entire Dixie Highway system (a predecessor to our modern interstate highway system) served the purpose of getting those northerners down to Florida in a systematic and efficient (for it’s time) manner.
Fort Lauderdale’s development really began to take off in the 1920s and 1940s (the Great Depression in between really slowed development in that period). But this timing worked out well because the Dixie Highway was rolling out it’s routing in the late 1910s and early 1920s, officially becoming part of the National Highway System in 1927. The Dixie Highway was not a single road, but a specific network of roads with termini to the north in Sault Ste. Marie, MI (perfect for Canadians) and Chicago, IL.
But accessibility really just facilitated the movement of people toward Fort Lauderdale and other points in Florida. People still needed a reason to stop here and World War II really gave that reason with the establishment of a Naval Air Station. Of course, after the war soldiers that were stationed here returned and many sure did seem to appreciate the climate of Fort Lauderdale more than they did of the climate where they came from. Thus, a city was truly born. Though this makes Fort Lauderdale a mere infant for an American city on the Atlantic coast, and even a child compared to cities on the west coast!
It was in the 1950s when college students started to migrate down to Fort Lauderdale for Spring Break. With many students at east coast colleges now equipped with cars in addition to regular rail service to Fort Lauderdale, it was remarkably easy for this community to develop into such a destination for students! At its peak in the 1980s, 350,000 students would descend on this city of only about 150,000 people! Of course, there is such thing as too much of a good thing and this led the city to make some changes to its laws and policies governing the Spring Break crowds. In fact, the similar laws and regulations passed helped Mexico’s emergence as a Spring Break location. But conditions are moving back toward students favoring communities like Fort Lauderdale.
Today Fort Lauderdale is the home port of over 42,000 boats and home to some of the hottest beaches in the United States. Boasting many of the same wonderful amenities of Miami, though often at a discount in comparison, this is truly a pleasant home base when visiting south Florida. And with only 25 miles separating it from Miami, you can still enjoy what that city has to offer, too!
Tags: history, florida, road trip, ft. lauderdale, dixie highway, spring break
Oh, Seattle!
Seattle might just be the most beautiful large city in the United States. Anyone that would like to argue this with me, bring it on. I’m well armed. The other superlative I’m willing to apply to this city is that it’s the most intelligent large city in the United States (and indeed the census indicates that of the largest cities in the USA, Seattle has the highest percentage holding bachelor’s degrees or better). Really, I just love this city, and there is a LOT to love about it! Here are just a few of the awesome attractions I would take you to if you were traveling with me!
I’d like to be a snob about Seattle, but some of the coolest things about the city have become very touristy. The epitome of this would be the 100+ year old Pike Place Market where you can buy the freshest fish anywhere, and even watch some of the vendors throwing their catch around! This is also a great place to grab some food, there are a number of vendors in the immediate area—though know you’re cheating yourself if you’re not picking up some seafood!
Seattle’s waterfront is also a great place to stop. The waterfront is home to the Seattle Aquarium, the Olympic Sculpture Park, and is where the Washington State Ferries and many scenic boat fleets pick up passengers to take out into the waters of the Puget Sound and beyond the Pacific Ocean. Though what I love most about it are the unique buskers and other “characters” and, of course, a stop at Ivar’s for my chowder fix. Ivar’s is a local chain, but you’re doing it wrong unless you stop by the location on the waterfront and sit outside, watching the ferries to the islands come and go.
Rail geeks and history lovers alike all seem to get pleasure from the King Street Station. What I enjoy most about this spot is watching its evolution, especially since beginning renovation efforts. Each time I have come through this fully functional train station (where you can grab a train north to Vancouver, east to Chicago, or south to Los Angeles!) it is one step closer to being restored to its original glory. Once fully restored it will be even more of a destination and worth a few moments of your time.
Fairly close to King Street Station (easy walking distance) is the Pioneer Square area. Pioneer Square was a blighted area until it collided head on with urban renewal in the 1960s. Today this part of town is the center of the nightlife, as well as home to wonderful shops and cafes. It is also home to half of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, the other half of which can be found in Skagway, Alaska.
Boeing has had an immense influence on Seattle, some of which is reflected in the Museum of Flight. I’ve been to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC as well as the Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio—but this is probably the best aviation museum on the west coast. Considering how space intensive doing an air and space museum right is it’s amazing that Seattle has such a gem. Unlike many museums dedicated to aviation, this one seems to run more exhibits and relies less on a permanent collection. This can make a museum more fun to visit again and again! An extra bonus, on the first Thursday of the month admission is free from 5 to 9pm.
Not unlike Pike Place, the Space Needle also requires recognition. While it is expensive to ride the elevator to the top, it’s pretty cool and worth the trip, especially on a sunny day! But if you’re afraid of heights or can’t get over how much money they really expect you to shell out to ride to the top, walking around the bottom and taking in the sight is pretty necessary too. Furthermore, it’s location at Seattle Center puts you close to the remaining three attractions that are worth a visit!
Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame are two museums housed in one crazy looking building and charge one admissions price. For what the museums on Music Row in Nashville do for country music, EMP does for rock music. Seattle has a remarkably music history ranging from acts like Bing Crosby, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Sir-Mix-a-Lot, and Heart. The SFM is also unique, as one of two science fiction museums in the world, and the only one in the United States. Both museums are far from traditional, truly only in Seattle.
The Pacific Science Center is a science museum and if you’ve never been to a science museum before, you should do yourself a favor and make this your first one! This museum has had some incredible benefactors that have facilitated extreme growth for this facility, which was actually the United States Pavilion in the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle!
The Children’s Museum is also at Seattle Center and very easy to get to from the Pacific Science Center. And I’m telling you, you don’t need kids to enjoy this! Just, you know, don’t go to this with anyone who’s opinion of you really matters. It turns out that even when you get older, simple hands on exhibits can still be a ton of fun, heck maybe they’re even more fun when you’re an adult! But keep in mind it is children’s museum so if you can’t tolerate being around kids, don’t even do it!
I must also give an honorable mention to Underground Seattle. While I have personally yet to have the opportunity to take one of the Underground Seattle tours, I have it on high authority that these are awesome. Essentially, after the Great Seattle Fire in 1889 a number of decisions were made about rebuilding, which included regarding streets to be two floors higher, this created a sort of subterranean Seattle that has a fascinating and even somewhat notorious history. Indeed, these tours may be the best glimpse into the real history of Seattle, and let me tell you, it hasn’t all just been pocket-protector sporting nerds!
So if I were taking you out to Seattle, these are some of the places I would take you. Do you have any favorite spots?
Tags: usa, underground seattle, space needle, seattle, pacific northwest, pike place, washington
Top 10 Must-Do Things in Miami!
Not to be confused with Miami Beach, which is home to South Beach and the Art Deco Architectural District, is the city of Miami—the Magic City! A city that always elicits images of tall, skinny, and deeply tanned women in vividly colored swimsuits strolling along the perfect golden sandy beaches on perfectly sunny days. Of course, when I visited Miami there was a hurricane not far off shore, the sky was gray, and beach was completely deserted. Talk about a buzzkill! But this city still has a lot to offer the traveler, even when you’re not visiting during Spring Break!
Though with so much to do, between my own experience and a little bit of research (read: calling friends that have been to and loved Miami) I think I’ve got a great list of the top 10 best things to do in this city!
1. Jungle Island is a tropical paradise that has been a part of Miami for decades. Not intended to be like today’s polished “fake fun” attractions, Jungle Island marries the beauty and wonder of the nature of the tropics with enough “attraction” to bring in intrigued guests. Admission is kind of pricey, but is reportedly worth every penny, especially if you’ve never been close to a tropical, jungle environment before.
2. Miami Jet Ski Rental will rent you a jet ski to enjoy with few of the restrictions and limitations imposed by a lot of other companies that rent. Folks who rent from these guys seem to have a little more fun because they get a lot more freedom. Now, you’re not about to see me on a jet ski, but if this is something you’d like to do, these are the guys to do it from.
3. Club Space Miami starts the party after I’ve typically been in bed for a few hours, but that shouldn’t deter you! Ranked as one of the best dance clubs in the United States by a number of different sources this super modern, super hot club is a landmark amongst everyone that even has pretensions of being trendy.
4. Miami Culture Tours offers tours that appeal to almost everyone’s interests. Normally I wouldn’t bother to list a tour company, but these guys have more than just one or two tours. Of greatest note are their eco tours that show off Miami’s more natural side (something that may be a challenge for some to see). Additionally they also offer walking tours of some of Miami’s most historical neighborhoods and airboat rides!
5. Imagine the cutest animal you’ve ever seen, but make it bigger and make it live in the water. Bam! You’ve got yourself a manatee. Now, you can see manatees in a number of aquariums around the United States and around the world, but in Miami you can actually see them in the wild from many of the less busy beach areas and waterfront parks.
6. Coral Castle Museum strikes me as just being bizarre, but thankfully bizarre can often mean wonderful. This museum features sculptures made out of 1,100 tons of coral rock, and indeed we’re still not entirely sure how the original sculptor was able to sculpt so effectively with this rock, the his secret died him. But this sure is a mystery worth taking in!
7. The Charles Deering Estate is a historical mansion in Miami and is now owned by a historical society that use it exhibit art in addition to offering tours. This is a nice low key attraction and really gets you in touch with some of Miami’s history and foundation within Florida and even nationally.
8. Vizcaya Museum & Gardens the allure and attraction elements that make the Deering Estate a pleasure are what make Vizcaya alluring. This National Historical Landmark exhibits classic Spanish influenced architecture, virgin tropical forest, and even a restored historic village on its grounds. This is truly a gem and one of few old attractions that has not been victim to hurricanes and development.
9. Miami Metrozoo commonly ranks amongst the best zoos in the United States. This is a very well earned accolade. Having visited this zoo myself, I can attest that it can hold it’s own against the San Diego and Cincinnati zoos, both of those also routinely getting high marks. Particular items of note are being able to talk to the zookeepers during animal feedings and getting to ride some of the animals (usually elephants and/or camels) but there is so much more! If you like animals (and even if you don’t!), this is where you’ve got to be!
10. Tobacco Road is Miami’s oldest restaurant (established in 1912!). It is ground zero for southern blues in this city and there’s no shortage of outstanding live music offered here, everyone says the food isn’t so bad, either. Swing through here for a lesson in Miami history that doesn’t disappoint!
So there you have it, 10 awesome things to do and places to see in the Magic City. Been to any of them? Did you like them or hate them? Let us know!
Tags: top 10, beach, zoo, nightlife, florida, southeastern usa, miami, historical
College City, USA—Boston, Massachusetts!
I frequently talk about great cities to go to college (e.g. Pittsburgh, PA) or, more commonly, colleges that are great despite their city (e.g. Tucson, AZ). But the granddaddy of all college towns and cities everywhere is none other than Boston, MA. In the metropolitan Boston area there are 51 colleges and universities! These schools range from the world famous ivy, Harvard, to big public commuter schools like, University of Massachusetts-Boston, and even a few women’s colleges, including Simmons and Pine Manor. So odds are if you love Boston, you’ll find a college here to fall in love with. And, heck, even if you don’t like Boston (like me!) you’ll find a college here to fall in love with.
It was the search for the perfect undergraduate college that drove me to the Boston area. During a business trip to the area I evaluated Brandeis, Emerson, and Harvard. Oddly enough, none of which I decided was even right enough to file an application with. Though with that experience perhaps I can lend insight for those of you lusting for Boston University, Tufts, or Northeastern too.
I really disliked Boston. But don’t let that sway your opinion. I’ve visited a lot of cities and those that know me best can vouch for my pickiness. So learn from my mistakes!
Boston is not a city meant for cars! It’s not! Many of even the major roads are narrow, curvy, and terribly congested! Furthermore, road maintenance in Boston is particularly challenging because of the overuse of what roads they have and the difficulty of shutting them down. So if you’re going to visit this city, leave your car at home or at a hotel in the suburbs. Boston has OUTSTANDING public transportation that can do the driving for you. The great public transportation options also mean that, for example, you don’t have to attend Harvard to enjoy some of the outstanding cultural activities on or near that campus.
Plan! Some cities are easy to visit if you’d like to fly by the seat of your pants, like San Francisco. However cities that aren’t laid out following a grid or just don’t even seem to have any parallel roads are not good for this. For a visit, know what you want to do and see and where it is, there’s a word for people that try to guess about this stuff in Boston. “Lost.”
Ask a local, before you go. There are some sights in Boston that every person will visit, regardless of how obnoxiously tourist they are (e.g. Faneuil Hall, Boston Common) but Boston has a lot of secret, hidden gems. Indeed it is these places that you need to know about, especially when it comes to eating and shopping if you’re on a budget!
If you’re going to visit a college, be sure to ask the admissions office for recommendations. The folks in the admissions and recruitments offices are paid to make their school look excellent to prospective students. That said, they know what’s on campus and nearby that is excellent to do, see, and eat (and hopefully they’re wise enough to know what’s nearby within a student’s budget).
Just a sampling of some of the on-campus gems in Boston include: McMullen Museum of Art (Boston College), Rose Art Museum (Brandeis University), Babcock Arboretum (Eastern Nazarene College), the Paramount Center (Emerson University), Harvard Yard and the Charles River (Harvard University), the nine galleries at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s on-campus nuclear reactor, the Gallery of Mount Ida College, and the Chapel at Saint John’s Seminary.
But simply, more than in any other big city I have ever visited, knowing where the locals go is crucial in Boston. There is a lot to do and see here, but it can quickly become overwhelming and just really unpleasant incredibly quickly. And truly, that’s what happened to me. So learn from my mistake!
If indeed you are looking at Boston as a place to attend college, I strongly urge you look up the LiveJournal community for the school of interest and ask lots of questions, as well as to check out reviews on websites like Unigo. The information you’ll find in places like these will be crucial to your understanding of how your school fits into the community and even to some degree whether or not you’ll like it. If you’re still positive after check in with real students in the LiveJournal community and aren’t scared off by Unigo reviews, give the admissions office a call and don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions about the locale! Failing all else, you’ll get points for seeming genuinely and deeply interested in the culture and life that the school is in the midst of.
Tags: college, northeastern, harvard, new england, massachusetts, boston
San Diego, the Definition of California
San Diego is a city very close to my heart and I feel that San Diego, more than any other city in the state, feels like CALIFORNIA (all capital letters!). It is both very warm and very green! It has a uniquely international feel, yet American patriotism is almost palpable. And despite everything that this city is, it is still classic California laid back. A wonderful way to see this outstanding city is along its 59-Mile Scenic Drive! Throughout the city and area the scenic drive is marked by blue and yellow signs featuring a white seagull, which are posted every quarter-mile along the route (which can also be helpful if you want to spontaneously do little bits and pieces of the drive). Let’s get started!
1. EMBARCADERO: Start your scenic drive at Broadway and Harbor, and prepare to travel north on Harbor. Here is Broadway Pier, where you can take a harbor excursion, and the Cruise Ship Terminal, where cruise ships dock when in town.
2. HARBOR ISLAND: You’ll pass San Diego’s Airport, Lindbergh Field, (Charles Lindbergh’s famous flight began in San Diego) on the way to Harbor Island. Enjoy the drive along the island, and don’t forget to get photos of the incredible views of San Diego Bay, Point Loma, and downtown!
3. SPANISH LANDING & SHELTER ISLAND: Most of San Diego's sport fishing fleet is docked here! And if you travel to the very tip of Shelter Island you will find the "Yokohama Friendship Bell" from Yokohama, one of San Diego's sister cities.
4. POINT LOMA & THE CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT: As you travel to the end of Point Loma you’ll see gravestones in the military Fort Rosecrans Cemetery. The Old Point Loma Lighthouse, which began operation in 1855, is located near the end of the point, though no longer in use, it is open for viewing! It is also an excellent spot to watch gray whales migrate south during the winter. There’s a lot to do here and checking in at the visitor’s center is the best way to take advantage of what this place has to offer on a given day.
5. MISSION BAY AQUATIC PARK: Next up, visit Mission Bay Park, a gorgeous spot with 27 miles of beaches. Even from the parking area you can see wind surfers and catamarans zipping across the water, or enjoy a walk on the pathway around the bay.
6. SOLEDAD MOUNTAIN: To get to the peak of scenic Soledad Mountain, you’ll travel through one of many exclusive residential areas of La Jolla. Turnoff to Mt. Soledad Park and from this lookout point, you can see San Diego County for miles in every direction!
7. UCSD CAMPUS: As you leave the park, take in the sights of this exclusive neighborhood as you descend toward UCSD. UCSD’s campus is well-known for its spectacular architecture, Nobel Prize-winning faculty members, and contemporary art installations. Personally, I love the UFO-looking library! While at UCSD it might be fun to also take a side trip to the Birch Aquarium (it’s more educational than Sea World).
8. LA JOLLA COVE PARK: This is a favorite spot for swimming, snorkeling and kayaking. Further south along the coast is the Children's Pool, a popular gathering place for harbor seals. From the Cove, you can walk up Cuvier Street to the entertainment district around Prospect Street and Girard Avenue.
9. MISSION BEACH: I’ve avoided listing “normal” beaches along this drive because usually once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all, but I would be remiss to omit Mission Beach. Here you can get the feeling of an eastern resort town with a wonderful boardwalk and even a roller coaster, but see it done west coast style!
10. SPORTS ARENA: After Mission Beach, if you’re into swap meets, this is the place! In the morning from Thursday through Sunday one of the largest open-air markets in the state is held. While not for everyone, it can be fun if you’re short on quirky souvenirs!
11. OLD TOWN STATE HISTORIC PARK: The Park represents San Diego's Hispanic heritage from 1821 to 1872, when the area was the center of San Diego. Free walking tours are offered daily at 2 p.m. from the park headquarters.
12. JUNIPERO SERRA MUSEUM: If you’ve still got a hankering for history, the Junipero Serra Museum is the next stop along this route. This museum displays artifacts and photographs depicting the early days of San Diego.
13. HILLCREST: Hillcrest attracts a large gay and lesbian community, but even if that’s not your style, this neighborhood is known for its bountiful number of clothing shops, trendy boutiques, art galleries and restaurants.
14. BALBOA PARK: Balboa Park is the largest urban cultural park in North America. Many buildings in the park are Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, constructed for the Panama-California Exposition (1915-16), and used for the California-Pacific International Exposition in 1935. The park, which covers 1,400 acres, includes 15 museums, lush gardens and the Old Globe Theater complex.
15. SAN DIEGO ZOO: This world famous zoo occupies 100 acres of Balboa Park, and houses 4,000 animals of 800 exotic species. The exhibits feature animals in their natural shared environments, and the zoo is known for its conservation work, especially with giant pandas from China.
16. BALBOA PARK MUSEUMS AND ORGAN PAVILLION: Balboa Park's museums are devoted to art, history, space, sports, physical and natural sciences and are universally outstanding. The Organ Pavilion features the world's largest outdoor pipe organ, with free concerts performed there on Sunday afternoons.
17. SEAPORT VILLAGE: This is a neat little cultural area located on the waterfront and just a little further north is the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum, which pays tribute to the over 200,000 service men and women that served aboard the USS Midway.
18. CONVENTION CENTER: Very cool to drive by, the convention center is a wonderful example of the revolutionary concrete and glass architect, Arthur Erickson.
19. GASLAMP QUARTER DISTRICT: If you’re into nightlife, this is where you want to be! Though not to be written off as culturally unimportant, this part of town dates back to the California Gold Rush, where these were lawless avenues home to saloons and gambling halls!
20. HORTON PLAZA: Your journey ends here. I hope it was wonderful! Horton Plaza is a nice shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. I personally would recommend looping back for the Gaslamp District for some fun, but it could be a challenge to find parking!
This drive misses my very favorite must-see sight in San Diego, the Hotel del Coronado. The Del, as locals refer to it, is a historic but still very lively resort. It boasts many of the same luxurious amenities as its east coast counterparts such as the Greenbrier and the Homestead, but has always possessed more of a fun and playful image with it’s beachfront location. Non-hotel guests are welcome to dine and shop in resort establishments. Though as far as I’m concerned, the greatest wonder of all is the preservation of such beautiful architecture that is so rare to find in California!
So this is San Diego in a nutshell. With any luck visiting all of the sites along the 59 mile drive took you more than a day, as almost every one of these stops can easily be a half or even a whole day on a vacation!
Tags: california, travel bug, san diego, scenic drive
Washington, DC’s Walk to Remember
Since taking over responsibility of the travel column here at PurplePJs I’ve wondered how I was going to tackle this city. Indeed, I spent 15 weeks in this city (15 of the best weeks of my life so far). For each American, what happens in this city affects you each day of your life, though often in understated quiet ways that you may not even realize. Many college students study what happens in this city in a course or in a major. And some of us are privileged enough to get to be a part of what this city really does.
I’m talking about none other than Washington, DC!
The first thing I loved about DC is how it is pedestrian friendly. Public transit is fairly accessible and useful to get to the parts of the city that most folks want to visit. The second thing I loved about DC is that it’s not the crime-ridden hellhole that some folks will have you believe—I will add that there are parts of DC you don’t want to be by yourself, ever but it’s not the WHOLE CITY, not even close.
Most of what you’ll love is in the NW (DC is divided up into quadrants: NE, NW, SE, SW). The food in the NW is the best and it’s got the greatest concentration of things that’ll make you go “wow!” A word of advice: when preparing to take on DC try to pack light. Before entering a number of buildings and monuments you will be subject to a bag search and possibly even a metal detector. So think hard about what you really need before you head out.
One great way to spend a whole day is to museum hop around the National Mall. I suggest starting early, really early. Hop on a red line train to Union Station and plan to get there just before dawn. As you emerge from Union Station you’re on “the Hill.” The laws and policy that you love and hate are crafted in the buildings that you can see here. On weekdays you can actually enter these buildings to sit in on hearings and if you’re lucky even meet some of your elected representatives or, more likely, some of their staff. If there’s a hearing you’re interested in sitting in on, I suggest it highly.
But on this morning, you want to head out toward the US Capitol Building. It’s only a few blocks away. There are signs everywhere in this part of the city directing guests toward points of interest. While you can’t go in unless you’ve contacted your congressman’s office to arrange a tour, you can still access some of the landing headed up to what was once the main entrance to the building. This is an ideal place to watch the sunrise. There is a great feeling that this, right here is something of importance. It is an experience for everyone to have at least once.
Enjoy and savor the sunrise and begin your stroll along the Mall, which should at this point be directly ahead of you. You can essentially make an entire day of just strolling along the Mall visiting each of the museums. I strongly recommend the Botanical Gardens, the Air and Space Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Smithsonian Castle, and the Museum of the American Indian. And perhaps most excellent about these museums is that admission is FREE (and so is getting your bag searched when you enter each one).
There are no fixed food establishments right along the Mall. However, there are street vendors! Now, DC street vendors don’t just sell hot dogs! In fact, if you can think of the type of food you want, you can likely find a street vendor that’ll sell it to you (I’m personally a huge fan of the one that serves al dente pasta usually near George Washington University). Though it’s fun to let serendipity determine what’s going to be in your belly, I’ve never encountered a genuinely bad street food vendor in DC.
As you progress along the Mall to what is essentially the back yard of the White House there are two items of particular note. One is the National Christmas Tree and about 100 feet from that is the Zero Milestone. When the Zero Milestone was placed it was supposed to be the stone that all road distances in the USA were to be measured from. That stone hasn’t quite lived up to that goal, but is used for measuring distances on roads in the DC area, and what it represents is the beginning of the organized road transportation network in the United States.
As you near the end of the Mall there are a few memorials that you have heard of, most likely the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. I won’t lie, these are both incredibly impressive and pretty important for you to enjoy. However, there are two less well-known memorials on this end of the Mall: the Vietnam War Memorial and the Albert Einstein Memorial. These two memorials are amongst the most intriguing of the memorials along the Mall, and are visited by far fewer than enjoy the other two, but they are close to each other! The Einstein Memorial is also fun because you can actually sit in Albert Einstein’s lap!
If you’ve made it to the Einstein Memorial it’s time to head up toward George Washington University to get onto Metro and find your way back to where you came from that morning, your feet are probably killing you! There is so much more in DC than what is just simply on the Mall, but it’s a wonderful way to spend a day enjoying just another one of those uniquely American experiences.
Tags: washington dc, national mall, lincoln memorial, us capitol, washington monument, albert einstein memorial, vietnam war memorial, district of columbia
The City of Food—Chicago, IL
Chicago is known for a number of things: the windiness from being on the shore of Lake Michigan, the hometown of current US President Barack Obama, railroads, and seemingly always having a mayor from the Daley family. Personally, what makes Chicago shine for me is the food! In fact, I think that’s what works for most people in Chicago, you’ll be pretty hard pressed to find lots of skinny people. But I think of it more as being fat and happy rather than grotesquely fat—just please make sure your shirt is long enough to tuck into your pants or skirts!
Though finding the tastiest food in town does take some skill. In fact when I’ve visited this great city, I usually rest my fate into the hands of a local. The locals know the off-the-beaten track stuff that will simply blow your mind. If you stay to the well-trodden touristy areas I can guarantee that you will not share my sentiment for the high quality of the food in this city! Rather you’ll consider me crazy because all you can associate with Chicago is stereotypically over greased up deep-dish pizza and the same ol’ same ol’ from the nationwide chains.
Personally, I’m a fan of the Logan Square area. In fact, this is usually where I base my Chicago adventures on the couch of a good friend. It’s nowhere near downtown, in fact, it takes about 30 minutes to get there on a good day. This is a SAFE distance from the downtown tourist traps! In fact, the further you get from the downtown core, the cheaper the eats and the lodging get. You can gauge your distance from downtown by noting the number of 6+ level buildings: if there are none or virtually none, you’re safe.
Above all, I simply just cannot live with myself unless I can get a burger from Kuma’s Corner. I will never wait two hours to eat at a cozy establishment playing loud metal, never, never, never …unless I’m in Chicago at this restaurant. They break all of the rules of burger craft so I have to break all of my rules about waiting, loud music, and being just a little too close to everyone else. Perennial favorites here include the Goblin Cock (it’s an entire Chicago-style hot dog with all of the fixings, on top of a burger) and the Famous Kuma’s Burger which features a fried egg and bacon on top of a huge burger. These guys say they’re the best burger in Chicago and I think that’s selling them short, a self-described meat enthusiast, I’ve got to say these guys have the best burger on the continent.
Though because it is Chicago, the top place to get a hot dog is of the utmost importance. The reference place to visit for your encased meat fix is, without a doubt, Hot Doug’s. Here you can get your standard Chicago dog, but you can get so much more! Their offerings of sausage are broad and range from the fairly typical to some types I’ve never seen anywhere else, such as wild boar sausage, Thai chicken sausage, and cherry pork sausage. Furthermore, on Fridays and Saturdays you can get duck fat fries! Though regardless of when you go, this establishment is cash only and do expect to have to wait 20-30 minutes for your order to be taken (longer if around lunchtime). But if you’re not looking for anything too unique from your dog in Chicago, Superdawg is also a great choice—can’t really say it’s the next best thing because these guys make out of this world hot dogs too!
The Logan Square area of Chicago also boasts one thing a lot of other eastern and Midwestern cities seem to struggle with: a huge variety of bars! As someone that doesn’t typically rock out in bars, I can truthfully say I’ve been to a fair number of them in this area of Chicago that didn’t repulse me at all! Furthermore, many of them serve food and since visiting Chicago, my perception of bar food has been completely warped forever. In fact, that experience may be what’s ruining bars in other part of the country for me. Additionally, Chicagoans take their beer seriously. It doesn’t take much looking to find bars with expanded beer lists, often featuring lambics (perfect for the non-beer fan!), and high-test suds. And it takes no concerted effort to find a bar serving Old Style, which is apparently a Chicago tradition. My understanding is that it is fit only for folks who think Pabst Blue Ribbon is a classy beer (so if you’re from Atlanta you’re set).
So of course, Chicago is good for a lot of things! I’ve personally enjoyed a swim in Lake Michigan at dawn (ignore the fact I did it with my clothes on), taking in the grandeur of Union Station, visiting the “bean” in Millennium Park, wonderful summer street festivals, and even strolling around all of the shops made for tourists and wealthy in the Gold Coast and Magnificent Mile parts of the city. But don’t forget to take where you eat seriously! Getting a meal at Olive Garden, Outback, or worse yet a national fast-food chain is unforgivable!
Tags: master chef, food, travel bug, chicago, bar scene, hot dogs, midwestern usa, illinois
America’s Art Deco District: Miami Beach
Before the thought of sliding into a bathing suit crosses my mind, when I think of Miami Beach I think of Art Deco! The term Art Deco may be meaningless to some of you, but indeed it is one of the most unique and easy to identify architectural styles found in America. During the Art Deco heyday, it wasn’t seen very much outside of America. Now many Art Deco structures are in immediate danger, but not in Miami Beach! Indeed the Art Deco district in Miami Beach is the largest remaining collection of Art Deco architecture in the world.
Art Deco was a very popular design movement between approximately 1925 and 1940. It is regarded a design movement because its influence spread far beyond just architecture, it was represented strongly in the visual arts of the time as well. Indeed it seemed to be the result of a number of other movements (including neoclassical, constructivism, modernism, art nouveau, and cubism) seemingly merging into each other at precisely the right time.
One of the most remarkable things about Art Deco was its success during the Great Depression. Of course, now that we have an interest in preserving this form of architecture what has come to hurt the Art Deco movement is that during the Great Depression the erection of new buildings essentially came to a standstill. As a result, Canada, for example, has virtually no examples of Art Deco, and neither do many American cities. However, Art Deco can still be found in New York City (most notably in the forms of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building), Los Angeles, and en masse in the Architectural District of Miami Beach.
But back to Miami Beach, the Art Deco buildings, in their time, helped propagate the image of the city as a glamorous, tropical playground. And indeed it very successfully kept its place as Florida’s vacation crown jewel until Orlando developed significance with the opening of a number of theme parks a few decades later.
However, it is your author’s opinion that if you’d like to get a vacation away from the same old, same old in Florida, your odds really are better in Miami Beach than Orlando. Art Deco is simply one of the better-known aspects of this culturally rich and diverse city that is also known for the eternally trendy South Beach district, world-class ballet, and deliciously varied and diverse restaurants.
Though if traveling to Miami Beach is just simply out of the question, you can still enjoy the Art Deco from a distance!
All photos in this feature are courtesy of Chuckles, who is the columnist for Behind the Wheel!
Got any cool photos of places you've visited or even your home town? Use the submission form at the bottom of the page to get in touch with the columnist about presenting them here in a feature on Travel Bug!
Tags: florida, miami beach, southeastern usa, art deco, architecture, south beach
Leave Your Heart in San Francisco!
There is no other city on earth like San Francisco. To that extent I urge you to pack your walking shoes, leave your assumptions and expectations at home, and experience the first real American city on the Pacific with your eyes wide open and your brain turned on.
San Francisco has been a city for longer than other Pacific coast cities were even villages worth noting on maps. Indeed once the territory of San Francisco became American territory, quick work was made of growing it into a city as it was one of the few communities on the Pacific that was able to have a protected port (the Pacific can be a might beast!). Though because of it’s relative youth when compared to eastern cities like Boston and Philadelphia, it has in some ways been more successful at holding onto it’s history rather than losing touch with it and then working hard to rediscover it. Though there is one mistake not to be made: San Francisco is well aware of how wonderfully unique it is.
Due to the age of the city, it is very easy to navigate by foot, bicycle, and public transportation. In fact, if you’re trying to see San Francisco on a budget it is recommended that you find a hotel in a more affordable outlying area (e.g. Daly City, parts of Oakland), but near a BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) Station for a quick and easy ride into the city. This can easily save $40 to $100 per night. But back to navigation, San Francisco is also one of the oldest cities to have a complete grid system for its roads, with substantial disregard of the steepness of the terrain! With that said, if you are even half-good at reading maps (and have a map with you or a smartphone with a good map app) it’s almost impossible to get seriously lost.
The most challenging thing as a travel columnist is telling you what to make a priority to see in San Francisco. For the sake of this article, I’m going to put my American History minor hat on while throwing in some of my absolute must-see places.
San Francisco’s Chinatown is the largest in the United States and it is also considered to be the oldest and most historic. When the first transcontinental railroads were being built cheap labor was brought in from China to help build the railroads, the vast majority of these workers coming through San Francisco. More relevant to the average American, it was the Chinese restaurants in this neighborhood where the westernized Chinese cuisine that most of us know (and love!) originated!
Pro tip: If you simply must stay in the city of San Francisco, Chinatown has many relatively affordable (south of $100 per night including taxes) hotels, though they do tend to be older and more cramped--but it's a great central location that is also fairly safe!
Across town is the Presidio of San Francisco, which is part of the Golden Gate National Recreational Area. For 218 years this area served as an army post for three different nations. Centuries of architecture, history, and memories have been skillfully preserved in this scenic area, ideal for bikes and even walkers. Furthermore, it can be planned as an awesome picnic spot going to or from the Golden Gate Bridge.
Of course, there is nothing that screams San Francisco more loudly than the Golden Gate Bridge. Since it’s opening in 1937 as the, then, longest suspension bridge in the world. The Golden Gate Bridge does have sidewalks where visitors can walk or bicycle across the bridge. Indeed, bike is a great way to see the bridge, and when you’re finished with the bridge, you can keep riding your bike down into Sausalito to catch a ferry back to San Francisco… but you may actually want to visit around Sausalito.
While not in San Francisco itself, Sausalito is a real gem and easy to get to by bike from San Francisco (and there are plenty of places in San Francisco where you can rent a bike affordably). Sausalito is a slice of a small coastal town and has gone to great lengths to preserve this feel. It is home to some of the most exquisite seafood restaurants in the area as well as a great concentration of galleries and other artisan shops. While many of the items for sale may be beyond your price point, there’s never any harm in looking!
Back to the city of San Francisco, no visit to this city would be complete without trying out the iconic cable cars (the only transportation system listed on the National Register of Historic Places). While the cable cars may epitomize the concept of tourist trap, they can also be a wonderful means of sparing your feet as you make your way down to Fisherman’s Wharf. And you can tell me you’re not so much of a tourist that you won’t go down to Fisherman’s Wharf, but I’m good at picking out a liar. Besides, you’ll miss the sea lions trying to sun themselves if you miss the Wharf. What kind of person are you if cute sea creatures sunning themselves don’t just melt your heart? Look, it’s just something you’ve got to do at least once in your life along with things like the Grand Canyon and the Smithsonian Natural History Museum to really be an American.
Coming to mind are so many more San Francisco attractions that are just utterly stunning and completely worth your time, like the Twin Peaks, Embarcadero, the Palace of Fine Arts, the Sutro Bath ruins, the beaches on the west side of San Francisco with the oddly-shaped wind-beaten trees, Little Italy with all of it’s outstanding restaurants, the Market Street Trolleys, Haight-Asbury, Golden Gate Park, and so very, very much more! But I can’t give it all away, this is just one city that you’ll have to see and discover for yourself!
Photos are the property of their generous owners who gave permission for their use. Chinatown Gateway - Ruthanne Reid (flickr) (website); Golden Gate Bridge - Sandra/fire starter 100 (flickr); Cable Car - David Glass Photography (flickr).
If you have photography of a location that you'd like to see on Travel Bug, please use the submission form at the bottom of the page to get in touch with the columnist who would be very happy to share your work with the world!
Tags: california, western usa, cable cars, presidio, san francisco, sausalito, chinatown, fisherman's wharf, golden gate bridge
Columbus, O-H-I-O!
Compared to its counterparts in Ohio, Columbus doesn’t get half of the recognition it deserves (and might even be getting dragged down). While Cleveland, Toledo, Akron, and Canton rank amongst the most miserable places to live in the USA, Columbus represents a lot of what those cities are not. And finding it may not require one looking much further than the state’s flagship university, Ohio State University, which is centrally located within Columbus and largely sets the tone of the city.
Ohio State is an absolutely massive university of about 52,500 students on its main campus in Columbus. That’s larger than the biggest city in West Virginia! Of course, these students need something to do when they’re not hitting the books, and their campus and city certainly bring forth a number of interesting and unique opportunities, a few highlights of which we’ll discover here!
Ohio Stadium. Ohio State is possibly best known nationally for its outstanding football program and to go along with that outstanding football program is Ohio Stadium, where everyone’s welcome unless you’re wearing or espousing anything positively portraying the University of Michigan. When completed in 1922, this stadium was the largest poured concrete structure in the world. Today it’s still impressive as the sixth-largest non-racing stadium in the world.
Orton Hall. After satisfying your inner athlete, you’ve got to feed your inner nerd. On campus, Orton Hall is built of 40 different types of building stone, all of which are found in Ohio! On the outside walls of the building the stones are laid in stratigraphic order according to their relative positions in Ohio's bedrock. Yup, this is nerdy stuff, but you’ll only find this at Ohio State!
Franklin Park Conservatory. This is truly a top-notch conservatory, featuring plant life from virtually every climate system globally. They also have a comprehensive collection of colorful and unique glass sculptures by Dale Chihuly cohabitating with the plants to really create a unique visual experience. Columbus winters are no joke, and a well-heated, warm, and colorful conservatory is not something you can ever go wrong with!
Not only is Columbus home to Ohio State, but it is also the capital of Ohio. Like most state capitals, the Ohio Statehouse is an impressive structure. Group, self-guided, and audio tours are available free of charge in this magnificent facility. Compared to the cities to its east and even to its south, Columbus is a relatively young in its development into a big city. The present Statehouse opened in 1861 and it truly serves as a window into Ohio’s diverse and fascinating past!
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places is German Village, a neighborhood just south of downtown Columbus that is rich in history. German Village is particularly scenic featuring some particularly outstanding parks, including Schiller Park, which often offers outdoor performances of classic theater productions throughout the summer. And of course, you’ll have to get your fix of schnitzel at Schmidt’s Sausage Haus!
Columbus also has some top-notch shopping! It boasts two premiere shopping complexes, Easton and Polaris. Both of these complexes can boast some of the finest shopping in the state (I know some places around Cincinnati might want to argue this). Either of these shopping malls could have been plucked right out of the affluent suburbs of Orange County, California.
Art and culture is also not lacking by any means in Columbus! There are monthly gallery hops in the ever-trendy Short North District, near Ohio State (where you can also indulge in some delicious Jeni’s Ice Cream!). Periodically, gallery hops are also held in other areas of the city, but the Short North never fails to be a good time!
So while Ohio might sound like a depressing or even just a boring state, it’s got a real gem for a state capital and is a great “college city”. So whether you’re thinking about applying to Ohio State or looking for a little road trip, Columbus is a great place to visit.
Photo credits: Ohio Stadium Rotunda - OZinOH (flickr); Franklin Park Conservatory - Tom Cox (flickr); Short North at Night - Nick Koogler (flickr, website)
Tags: ohio state capital, shopping, franklin park conservatory, ohio, ohio stadium, osu, culture, short north, columbus, ohio state