Ask the Travel Forum about US Cities

[citanul]

I figure amongst us, we can probably produce a really great guide to the bulk of the US. So let's see it! Help build a resource for anyone coming to your city, whether for a day, a week, or years. Anyone with more info about a city already documented, feel free to add on! If you see a city you want to ask a question about, just ask.

I suggest, for ease of searching and reading, that you put the name of the city or cities you want to post about in BOLD CAPS.

To get the ball rolling, I will shortly start off with Chicago.

[citanul]

CHICAGO

General:

Chicago is the third largest city in the US, by population. Chicago is famous for architecture, museums, theater, meat, pizza, sports, bad airports, and political corruption. One of the most striking things about Chicago is the ethnic segregation between neighborhoods - there's distinct Korean, Vietnamese, Polish, Ukrainian, Swedish, etc neighborhoods. There are also large gay and lesbian neighborhoods. As with any other city, there's gentrification, and always a new hot place to live, eat, or be seen.

Museums:

Downtown Chicago features the fantastic Art Institute, which frequently has discounted admission (or free admission), and is packed with art you know, but had no idea was in Chicago (like Suerat's "A Sunday on La Grande Jette", and Nighthawks). Just south of Downtown you'll find the main museum campus, with the Field Museum (natural history), the Shedd Aquarium, and a planetarium obviously named after someone that I'm too lazy to google. Also on this campus is Soldier Field. Downtown also has a modern art museum, and many smaller museums. South of Downtown you'll find Hyde Park, home of the University of Chicago, and the Museum of Science and Industry. Scattered around, you'll find museums for things you didn't think there were museums for, like holography.

Food:

While thought of as a town of meat-eaters, Chicago is one of the premier food destinations in the US. There's no shortage of great steakhouses, with the Chophouse, Mortons, Gibsons, Select Cut, N9NE, Lawry's, Sullivans, and Keefer's starting the list. However, the city is also famous for its high end cuisine, with restaurants like Tru, Alinea, Spiaggia, Charlie Trotters, Everest, Moto and Aruns filling in much of the super-high-end.

Deep-dish pizza is a calling card, and invention of, Chicago. You'll get different choices for what's the best, but Gino's East, Lou Malnatti's, Pequods, and Giordano's are all always mentioned. They all have their own idiosyncrasies, and it's best to just try them all! Similarly, there's debates about where you can get a great italian beef or a great hotdog, but you can't go wrong with any of many places, including Portillo's.

More interestingly, if you're not up for steak, pizza, hot dogs, or dropping $100 on dinner, ethnic food is everywhere. Thai (Tac Quick, Sticky Rice), Vietnamese sandwiches (Ba Le), Ethiopian, Indian (Udupi Palace), and many others are all great, exciting food for under $10. On the north side of Chicago, where you can't spit without hitting an Irish pub, you can't go wrong with a buffalo chicken sandwich, burgers, beer, and some sports. At the Duke of Perth (Scottish), you can get all you can eat fish and chips twice a week for around $10, and it's very good. Stop by next door for Belgian waffles.

Theater:

While Chicago houses the famous Shakespeare Theater, the Goodman, and the Steppenwolf, possibly the theater of most popular interest is Second City. Second City is a sketch and improv comedy group that has been a feeding and proving ground for future SNL actors for decades. Tickets are decently priced, and if you go to the late show, you can stay for the free after hours show.

Hotels:

If you're coming to Chicago, just stay downtown. It's not the place to go if you're looking to live here for years, but it's by far the most convenient place to stay for a few days or a week. Public transit is decent, but not nearly as good as the New York system. Downtown is central, and cabs will run you under $15 to most places you want to go. Don't fall for the trap of a cheap hotel by Ohare or Skokie. They're both nowhere.

Where to go at night:

Lincoln Park, West Loop, Wrigleyville, Wicker Park, Andersonville, and Lincoln Square are all popular places to go out at night. Downtown is not, unless you're middle aged. Each of those neighborhoods has a distinct personality, but a few minutes of research will lead you to the one that matches you best.

--------------------

Alright, that's a good start, I think. If you've got a question, please put CHICAGO at the top of your post.

citanul

[T50_Omaha8]

ATLANTA

Atlanta is a city dominated by suburbs. While Atlanta is America's ninth largest metro area, the city proper is much smaller, containing roughly one tenth the population of the metro area. The one constant thorughout the metro area is growth, whether in the city's three balloning skylines or the sprawling suburbs to the north. Atlanta had a larger raw population growth than any other city in the United States since 2000, and over the next decade it is expected to become one of the five largest cities in the US.

Despite the constant claims of Atlanta as a tourist city with plenty to see and do, I can think of numerous cities throughout the US that would be more interesting destinations for a long weekend.

But whether you're from the southeast and want to get the feel of a really big city, or if you happen to be passing through one of the world's busiest airports, Atlanta is worth a visit.

THE CITY

The city is distinctly focused around a north-south axis. At the bottom is downtown and Turner Field; a couple miles north is the modern skyscaper block of Midtown; a few miles north of that is the staggering growth of Buckhead, Atlanta's most exclusive area.

If you're interested in old neighborhoods or the city itself, check out the neighborhoods east of downtown. The most interesting neighborhoods include the Old Fourth Ward, Cabbagetown, Poncey-Highland, Inman Park, Virginia Highlands, and Ansley Park. This list is in increasing socioeconomic order, and also roughly from south to north. These areas are all safe enough to explore. Castleberry Hill, directly southwest of downtown, is also among the more interesting places.

The only very-unsafe neighborhoods are somewhat well hidden to the southwest and west of downtown, and you can't get yourself into too much trouble in them without trying.

You'll need a car in Atlanta; there's no sense struggling your way through MARTA. You'll need a map, too. The city's winding roads rarely follow a grid, and many streets change names multiple times.

ATTRACTIONS

Atlanta has a few good tourist attractions. In Downtown, the Georgia Aquarium, CNN Center, and the Coke Museum stand side by side next to Centennial Olympic Park. The Aquarium is worthwhile for an afternoon, but I can't comment on the brand new Coke museum; hopefully it's a bit more exciting than its predecessor, which now stands empty next to the blighted Underground Atlanta.

As far as Underground Atlanta goes, I think my father summed it up pretty well last time we went: "I feel like I'm walking into a Mexico City subway station!" Along with the central Five Points area as a whole, this is not the most appealing part of Atlanta for tourists. Near eastern end of Underground Atlanta is the State Capitol, built right after the Civil War.

One very underrated downtown attraction is the restaurant on top of the downtown Westin, once the tallest hotel on Earth, which I would recommend mainly for its bar. When downtown was in its prime, this place was tough to get into, and walking in off the street was of considerable difficulty. Nowadays, however, one can walk in and get wisked up 73 stories no-questions-asked as long as a minimum $8 is spent on drinks (enough for a couple beers). The views are great, and one can get a close-up view of the other big skyscrapers downtown and the multitude of skyscrapers--finished and under construction--that trail off to the north.

Outside of Atlanta, the main attraction in Stone Mountain, a giant granite dome out in the eastern suburbs. They have really made quite a park out of it, with all sorts of non-mountain-related crap, which I wouldn't suggest devoting too terribly much time to. The best thing to do is climb the mountain via the trail on its western side.

RESTAURANTS

Atlanta is chock-full of nice places to eat, most of which are in Midtown or, more often, Buckhead. Bluepointe, One Midtown Kitchen, and Pricci stand out as some of the best of these new chic restaurants. Some of the more local (and relaxed) places include the Carroll Street Cafe in Cabbagetown or Apre Diem at 10th and Monroe.

But no trip to Atlanta is complete without a trip to the Varsity, the world-famous fast food restaurant. Be sure to have your order ready when asked "What'll ya have!?" and don't respond with any questions: the menu is self-explanitory in the eyes of the impatient cashiers.

If you make it out of the city, the Waffle House is a great cultural experiece from the South, and can be found at many freeway interchanges.

If you want southern-style BBQ, head to the Barbecue Kitchen on Virginia Avenue in College Park, which is just west of I-85 near the airport.

BARS & CLUBS

Atlanta's nightclub scene is as fragmented as everything else in the city, but there are a few major centers to nightlife:

1) Buckhead is the epicenter of Atlanta's clubs. This is focused around Buckhead Village, which is about a mile south of the business and shopping center of Buckhead. Take Peachtree Street north until you reach a major fork in the road at Pharr Rd. You can't miss it.

2) Virginia Highlands, east of Atlanta, is a more local and relaxed alternative. This area mainly consists of bars.

3) Underground Atlanta is the only place bars can stay open until 4am, thanks to an initiative deisnged to shut down the Buckhead club scene and redevelop Underground. I would take considerable care before stumbling out into the surrounding streets at 4am, however.

4) Midtown is home to numerous clubs, but take notice that this is the gay center of Atlanta. Plan your visit accordingly.

HOTELS

I don't know much about hotels in this city, but there are ample lodgings throughout the major growth axis to the north of downtown. Some famous downtown hotels include the aforementioned Westin downtown or the Marriot Marquis. A more creative and interesting option, however, might be to stay in a bed and breakfest converted from a historical Victorian mansion in Inman Park.

[goodgrief]

Nothing about the Chicagoland casinos?

[goodgrief]

Post deleted by nation

[T50_Omaha8]

[ QUOTE ]
Atlanta is soooo not worth a visit.


[/ QUOTE ]

It would sure be worth a visit if you were from Brimingham, Greenville, or any other number of worse places in the South. And it's a transit hub thousands of people have to come through every year. I think I made it pretty clear that it's a place you shouldn't come too far out of your way for.

[Lazy Meatball]

putting in a request for CLEVELAND. Going to the ALCS next week and need good places to eat and drink within walking or cab distance of Jacob's Field.

[StevieG]

[ QUOTE ]
putting in a request for CLEVELAND. Going to the ALCS next week and need good places to eat and drink within walking or cab distance of Jacob's Field.

[/ QUOTE ]

Looking forward to this trip report already.

[citanul]

LOS ANGELES

Thread 1 (Travel)
Thread 2 (El Diablo General Discussion

[Cancuk]

Can we add Canadian cities as well?