| American City Breaks |
City Breaks in America
Philadelphia
 
In November of 1682, William Penn sailed from Great Britain to the new world on the Welcome and landed in Upland, near what is now Chester (south of Philadelphia). Penn named his colony Pennsylvania and began to plan the city that is known as Philadelphia, a Greek word meaning City of Brotherly Love. He fashioned the center of this city as a grid; streets running north to south where numbered from First to Eighth, and streets running east to west where named after trees.
As resentment toward England’s heavy-handed tax policies grew, so did the restlessness of the 13 colonies. In 1776, the colonies’ representatives met in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall to announce their freedom from Britain and to pen their names to the Declaration of Independence. Britain’s determination not to relinquish control of the New World motivated the Redcoats (as the British infantry was known) to cross the Atlantic Ocean, marking the start of the Revolutionary War. The war lasted for eight years. Thanks to the tireless efforts of George Washington and his troops, who endured the brutal winter of 1777-1778, the struggle for freedom was won. In 1787, delegates of the 13 colonies forming the United States met in Philadelphia to unify the new country’s governmental structure with the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. Philadelphia, centrally located, was the capital of our country from 1790 to 1800.
Four distinct seasons with moderately cold winter and hot, humid summer. January average temperature, 33 degrees Fahrenheit; July average temperature, 75 degrees; average yearly rainfall, 41 inches; normal seasonal snowfall, 21 inches.
Sports: Philadelphia is home to The Phillies (baseball), Eagles (football), Flyers (hockey), Sixers (basketball), Kixx (indoor soccer), Wings (indoor lacrosse), Phantoms (minor league hockey), Bulldogs (roller hockey), as well as collegiate athletic teams. Sports complexes include the First Union Spectrum, the First Union Center and Veteran’s Stadium.
The Hot Spots: Among the region’s hot spots for tourism are Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Betsy Ross’ House, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Franklin Institute, Italian Market, Valley Forge, Longwood Gardens, Rodin Museum and The Philadelphia Zoo.
Memphis
 
Memphis spills up out of the rich black soil. Memphis lingers on the warm breeze with the sweet smoke of barbeque pits and the melancholy mojo of the best guitar you ever heard. There's just something real about Memphis. From the holy grails of music landmarks to the restaurants, from the basketball court to the acclaimed zoo, from the elegant hotels to the mystical nightclubs on legendary Beale Street, there's an irresistible soul that's drawn people here for more than a century.
There are few cities around with as much to do as you'll find in Memphis. In addition to the legendary Memphis nightlife or Memphis attractions, there's irresistible food and captivating museums and something quirky fun and real for everyone in the family. Use the search below to find the perfect Memphis attractions for your next Memphis visit.
Memphis is also gaining fame as a rich multicultural destination, with vibrant African-American, Hispanic, Asian, and even Native American cultural attractions and communities.
Did you know that....
• Memphis was named by American Heritage Magazine as the Great American Place for 1998.
• Memphis is the Pork Barbecue Capital of the World.
• Memphis' Official City flower is a shrub, the crepe myrtle.
• Memphis' Official City tree is the dogwood.
• Memphis is the home of the first Greyhound and Continental Trailways bus lines.
• Memphis is home to FedEx, the world's largest overnight package delivery company.
• Memphis is home to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, founded in 1962, by entertainer Danny Thomas. St. Jude is one of the world's premier centers for research and treatment of catastrophic diseases in children and has treated more than 16,000 children from the U.S. and 60 foreign countries. Peter Doherty, Ph.D., chairman of the hospital's immunology department was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1996.
• Memphis is home to one of the busiest cement terminals in the country, which is located at the foot of the Interstate 240 bridge across the Mississippi River. The Lone Star Industries terminal supports the Memphis "Home of the Blues, Birthplace of Rock'n'Roll" neon sign. More than 400,000 tones of cement are shipped each year through the Memphis port.
• The Piggly Wiggly, the world's first self-service grocery store, opened in Memphis in 1916.
• Memphis is the site of the first Welcome Wagon, founded here in 1928.
• Cleo Wrap of Memphis is the world's largest manufacturer of Christmas wrapping paper producing two billion feet of gift-wrap each year.
• Memphis is the hardwood capital of the world.
• Memphis is the largest spot cotton market in the world, with nearly half of the U.S. cotton crop going through Memphis.
• Memphis has one of the top urban park systems in the nation covering 7,000 acres.
• Memphis has the world's largest artesian well water system.
• Memphis is the only five-time winner of the nation's cleanest city award.
• The Memphis Zoo was grounded in 1905 when Natch, a black bear mascot for a Memphis baseball team, was kept chained to a tree in Overton Park.
• Some other Memphis celebrities include Academy Award-winning actress Kathy Bates, Cybill Shepherd, Michael Jeter, Tim McCarver. Other current or former area residents include: Dixie Carter, Rick Dees, Wink Martindale, Peter Taylor, Morgan Freeman, George Hamilton, Aretha Franklin, Pat Kerr Tigrett, Dana Buchman, Shelby Foote and Justin Timberlake.
• 24 of the 97 stars featured in the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame are from within a 100-mile radius of Memphis.
• The Memphis Musicians Union, founded in 1873, is the oldest musicians' union in the country.
• Already known as the "Father of the Blues," W.C. Handy was told by George Gershwin, "Your work is the grandfather of mine."
• Memphis is the site for some of the more intriguing films of the past few years: "The Firm" starring Tom Cruise, "The Client" starring Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones, "The Rainmaker" from director Francis Ford Coppola, "A Family Thing" with James Earl Jones and Robert Duvall, "The People vs. Larry Flynt," and "The Road to Graceland" starring Harvey Keittel.
• Volney, the lion who roared at the beginning of all the old MGM movies, lived at the Memphis Zoo until his death in 1944
Chicago
 
With attractions and activities galore, Chicago is everyone's kind of town. See all the famous sights, then catch a show in the theater district or a Cubs game at historic Wrigley Field, followed by a latenight visit to a blues club or jazz bar. Culture hounds will delight in the multitude of museums, including the prestigious Art Institute and the Chicago Historical Society. Families will find plenty to do at Navy Pier and to explore at the Field Museum and the Lincoln Park Zoo. You could spend all day strolling through Hyde Park or shopping along the Magnificent Mile. Discover vibrant ethnic neighborhoods, architectural landmarks, delicious restaurants and world-class hotels. From the top of the Sears Tower to the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago offers so much to do, visitors keep coming back for more
Millennium Park, at the north end of Grant Park along Michigan Avenue, is the city's newest urban showpiece. The architectural highlight of the park is the Frank Gehry-designed Pritzker Music Pavilion, home of the free summer music concerts performed by the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra. Another popular attraction is "Cloud Gate," a huge elliptical sculpture by British artist Anish Kapoor. The piece looks like a giant silver kidney bean, and it's truly an interactive work of art: trying to spot your own reflection can be strangely compelling.
Lincoln Park Zoo at 2200 N. Cannon Dr., at Fullerton Pkwy. (tel. 312/742-2000; www.lpzoo.com), continues to expand and improve its exhibits -- an especially impressive accomplishment considering that the zoo still charges no admission fee. First the entire African habitat was revamped, then the Great Ape House was completely rebuilt (complete with extensive outdoor habitats). The latest project is the Pritzker Children's Zoo, which is scheduled to open in spring 2005. If it's anywhere near as elaborate as the other new exhibits, I expect it to be a must-see attraction for families.
One of the most famous exhibits at The Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive (tel. 773/684-1414; www.msichicago.org), is the U-505, a German submarine captured at the end of World War II. Years of sitting outside took their toll; after a year of renovations, the sub goes back on display in a new, climate-controlled exhibit, due to open in spring 2005.
Shopping
The stretch of Southport Avenue west of Wrigley Field has become a new shopping hot spot, thanks to an influx of young professionals with plenty of disposable income. Among the coolest new boutiques: Jake, 3740 N. Southport Ave. (tel. 773/929-5253; www.shopjake.com), which stocks a variety of trendy jeans lines for both men and women; Flirt, 3449 N. Southport Ave. (tel. 773/935-4789), with an eclectic mix of fun, feminine pieces; and Kuhlman, 3724 N. Southport Ave. (tel. 773/472-6332; www.kuhlmancompany.com), featuring stylish menswear at fairly affordable prices. And should you be looking for something a little more youthful, stop by Beansprout, 3732 N. Southport Ave. (tel. 773/472-4780), a kids' clothing store filled with outfits that look good (lots of fun, bright colors) and are -- best of all -- quite practical (the owners promise that everything is machine-washable!)
Chicago After Dark
River North is filled with nightspots -- from laid-back pubs to cooler-than-thou lounges. The city's coolest new place to grab a drink manages to channels a little of both. Rockit Bar and Grill, 22 W. Hubbard St. (tel.312/645-6000; www.rockitbarandgrill.com), is the brainchild of popular nightlife impresario Billy Dec, so the beautiful people are definitely regulars here. The sophisticated décor comes courtesy of Oprah Winfrey's favorite designer, Nate Berkus. But the feel is more neighborhood hangout than fashion show.
Highly anticipated Sound-Bar, 226 W. Ontario St. (tel. 312/787-4480), was supposed to offer the ultimate sound system for late-night clubhounds. While I hear that the sound system blasts away just fine (and attracts some internationally-known D.J.s), the crowd itself can be a little more unpredictable: hard-core club kids one night, wide-eyed conventioneers the next. Still, the space itself is impressive (nine separate bars, each with its own color scheme), so it's worth a try.
The orderly configuration of Chicago's streets and the excellent public transportation system make the city quite accessible -- once you identify and locate a few basic landmarks.
Charlotte
 
If you're looking for a destination with activities and attractions to keep everyone happy, Charlotte is the place. Paramount's Carowind theme park provides families with an exciting day of water sliding and roller coaster riding, while Discovery Place offers more fun, but with education thrown in while the kids aren't looking. Anyone with a need for speed can head to the Lowe's Motor Speedway to watch NASCAR racing, while history buffs will enjoy the city's historical museums. Quiet days can also be had picnicking at a park or window shopping along the streets of downtown.
Charlotte is the demure Southern belle who wants to be taken seriously. She's a financial whiz with a penchant for the arts and a business-oriented lass rebounding from urban blight and flight who's both modern and traditional.
Once a sleepy Southern town, Charlotte had something to prove. Often mistaken for Charlottesville, Va., (home of the University of Virginia) or Charleston, S.C., (the port where the Civil War began), Charlotte, the largest city between D.C. and Atlanta, had an identity problem. Or, more accurately, many identities.
Now, the Queen City of the South has come into her own. With a median age under 33, Charlotte saw the nation's third-largest increase in the number of young professionals under 40 between 1995 and 2000. More than 2 million people call Metrolina home, growing at a 37% clip since 1990. The top travel and tourism destination in the state, half of Charlotte's visitors come for business, and seven Fortune 500 companies are headquartered here.
Yet much of Charlotte's personality has roots in her history. Located near the junction of interstates I-85 and I-77, she is a bustling hub in the New South's economy that grew in 1768 along an established Indian trading route (now Trade Street) and its intersection with Tryon Street. After naming the city for the wife of King George III, residents quickly chafed under British rule; they signed the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence in May 1775 — well before that more famous document was signed in Philadelphia — at the crossroads of Trade and Tryon streets, henceforth known as Independence Square.
The location of most landmarks is still given in relation to The Square at Trade and Tryon. It remains the heart of "uptown" — as civic leaders dubbed the central business district (there's no downtown here).
Charlotte is the nation's second-largest financial center, thanks in no small part to patron saint (now retired Bank of America chairman) Hugh McColl, who transformed a modest regional bank (NCNB) into the world's largest bank holding company (Wachovia, also based in Charlotte, isn't far behind at No. 4). But Charlotte's role in finance can be traced to 1799, when a 12-year-old found a 17-pound gold nugget and turned Charlotte into the epicenter of American mining until the California Gold Rush 50 years later.
Now Charlotte's uptown streets are lively with renewed residential development, restaurants and the arts. Traditional neighborhoods such as Myers Park, Dilworth, Elizabeth and South End flow easily into modern developments like SouthPark. Historic trolleys clang with commuters and visitors; Panthers and Bobcats prowl the sidelines of professional sports; and NASCAR growls with its dominance of the nation's sponsorship dollars.
Yet Charlotte's livability makes her so pleasant. She combines a moderate four-season climate, gracious magnolia-perfumed neighborhoods within 10 minutes of uptown office towers, a reasonable cost of living, vibrant cultural scene and a central location with easy access to spectacular Blue Ridge mountain vistas and coastal surf. So take a few days to take in all Charlotte has to offer and enjoy her Carolina Southern hospitality. You'll see why a native Charlottean is increasingly hard to find.
In the past decade or so, Charlotte has been sprouting skyscrapers, including the 40-story, trapezoidal steel-and-glass tower of the Bank of America Plaza and the stunning 46-story Hearst Tower, the completion of which was set for 2001. The city has attracted and taken to heart a professional football team--the Carolina Panthers. Suburban districts have mushroomed, with landscaped housing developments and enormous shopping malls springing up in every direction. This is the New South, built squarely on the foundation of the Old South.
The largest city in the Piedmont, Charlotte was named for George III's wife, Queen Charlotte. Evidently, however, its residents didn't take their royal affiliation too seriously. When Lord Cornwallis occupied the town briefly in 1780, he was so annoyed by patriot activities that he called it a "hornet's nest," a name that has been proudly incorporated into the city seal.
Indeed, more than a year before the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia, the Mecklenburg Declaration, proclaiming independence from Britain, was signed in Charlotte on May 20, 1775. The Captain James Jack monument (211 W. Trade St.) is a memorial to the man who carried the document on horseback to Philadelphia and the Continental Congress. According to Charlotte's citizens, Thomas Jefferson used their declaration as a model for the one that he wrote.
In 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis convened his last full cabinet meeting here. After the Confederacy fell and the local boys came home from war, the city set out on a course that eventually led it to a position of industrial leadership in the South. The Catawba River provided water power for the rapid development of manufacturing plants and textile mills. Today, more than 600 textile plants lie within a 100-mile radius.
For years, the Charlotte region was also the nation's major gold producer. A branch of the U.S. Mint was located here from 1837 to 1913. The exquisite 1835 mint building, designed by William Strickland, is now part of the Mint Museum, which houses one of the southern Atlantic region's major art collections.
Today, the city is booming, and business is just fine, thank you very much. The banking, insurance, and transportation industries keep feeding the economy. With all this growth, a new generation of Charlotteans is champing at the bit for recognition that their city has hit the big time. There's not much here for the casual tourist, but business travelers are certainly coming to town in droves.
Atlanta
 
Atlanta has been dubbed everything from the "capital of the new South" and "the next international city" to "the best place to do business." It's also a great place to visit. Fueled by the prosperity of local mega companies like Coca Cola and Holiday Inn, the prestige of hosting the 1996 Summer Olympic Games and the energy of young upwardly mobile types who have migrated to the city in droves - Atlanta is on fire. And this time it's a good thing. From world-class restaurants and a myriad of cultural attractions to a hip nightlife and sporting events galore, the city is cosmopolitan in every sense of the word. But Atlanta has also managed to maintain its historic character. Stop by the Atlanta History Center or visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Site, a moving tribute to an American icon. Browse through the former home of famous author Margaret Mitchell or pop into the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum for details on the life and times of the former president and his family. Whether you choose modern urban endeavors or old southern pleasures, Atlanta will not disappoint.
As elegant as the white-columned mansions in its intown neighborhoods, as cleverly irreverent as the urban music industry that has a toehold here, as bold as the skyscrapers that mark its leadership in finance and commerce, and as proud and sure as its legacy in the civil rights movement, Atlanta is much, much more than a Southern city with a big airport.
With a growing, diverse population of 430,000 (more than 4.1 million in the 20-county metro area) and an eye on business, Atlanta has become increasingly cosmopolitan while holding onto its easygoing charm.
The change is evident not only in the abundance of new housing, shopping centers and office construction, but even in residents' voices. Visitors still will be treated to the soft lilt of the native Atlanta accent, but they'll also hear the sounds of the Northeast, the Midwest, Central and South America, Africa, Europe and Asia. Multicultural influences are also evident in the city's dining and entertainment offerings.
According to the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, 31% of metro Atlanta's 18.8 million visitors in 2003 came for business purposes.
Shopping, sports and eating are the city's near-official pastimes, but this city can also keep culture-seekers busy for days. History museums radiate from downtown to the suburbs and specialize in everything from the earth's beginnings to the Civil War to the civil rights era. Visual arts museums are concentrated in Midtown and downtown, but excellent galleries can be found in just about every retail neighborhood. Nighttime in Atlanta is filled with music ranging from classical to hip-hop.
Peachtree Street — the real one — is still the main surface-street drag, but these days it leads travelers from the downtown convention district to the shopping district of Buckhead, passing hip bars, booming nightclubs, hotels and restaurants all along the way. Between downtown and Buckhead is Midtown, where the Woodruff Arts Center and much of Atlanta's arts offerings are located.
Although the city's main business, convention and government district is centered downtown, a growing number of companies — including UPS and Home Depot — have established headquarters or regional offices in an area north of the city known as Perimeter Center. Hotels, stores and restaurants have followed. Some of Atlanta's best shops, dining spots and entertainment can be found in smaller neighborhoods such as Virginia-Highland, Inman Park, East Atlanta and Vinings
Artistic High — With the eighth-largest membership base of American art museums, the High Museum of Art has become one of the Southeast's leading fine arts institutions. Part of the Woodruff Arts Center complex in Midtown, the High often features the top traveling exhibitions, and this winter is no exception. Through Jan. 16, 2005, the High is hosting 20 works by Vincent Van Gogh owned by the Kroller-Muller Museum in Holland. In a separate exhibit running through Jan. 23, the museum is also displaying rare works by Monet, Picasso and Pissaro. The permanent collection includes works by Georgia folk artist Howard Finster and Monet's Autumn on the Seine, Argenteuil.
New Orleans
 
It's a great year to visit New Orleans - 2003 is the bicentennial of the Louisiana Purchase. The city is celebrating in a big way... and New Orleans is a city that knows how to celebrate! The city's reputation for decadence is legendary, and you don't have to wait for Mardi Gras to party in the streets. But you'll also find wonderful jazz, amazing food and intriguing museums. Ride a streetcar, visit a casino or just spend time strolling through the French Quarter - a weekend in New Orleans offers limitless possibilities.
New Orleans is a very user-friendly city -- that is, if you don't count the unusual directions and the nearly impossible-to-pronounce street names. It's a manageable size (only about 7 miles long), with most of what the average tourist would want to see concentrated in a few areas.
Some find spending the entire time they're in New Orleans in a haze of delightful decadence a perfectly acceptable way to enjoy a trip. But for those of you who feel that there is a lot to see and do -- not to mention eat and drink -- in perhaps too short a time, a little planning is in order. This section contains some of the ins and outs of New Orleans navigation and gives you some local sources to contact for specialized information.
How to Make Like the Locals Do -- We are so proud of you. Not for you the "I went to New Orleans but I never got off Bourbon Street." Not for you any old tourist trap, or maybe even any other tourist. You want to make like the locals do. Having said that, by and large this book avoids tourist traps, and while it won't help you avoid tourists, it does feature many a spot that has prompted many a local to say, "You've got that place in there?! No one knows about that!" (Not to blow our own horn or anything.) But here are a few more residents-only suggestions, plus a few specific venues, featured elsewhere in this guide, that have their own traditional following. Be aware that making like a local sometimes means heading into areas that will prompt your cab driver (yes, take a cab, if you don't have your own car) to shake their heads about your foolhardy behavior. Ignore them, though do please be cautious. Here, in no particular order:
Po' Boys at Gene's -- This is an authentic dive, which, for New Orleans, is about as authentic as it gets. It may be a little too local for you, so just plan to get food to go (it's not really eat-in, anyway). All you get at Gene's are po' boys, but oh, that's all you need. Particularly when the po' boy is the classic Creole hot sausage and cheese (American cheese, please!), fully dressed. Divine. Gene's also offers a roast beef po' boy and a hamburger, but that's it for menu options. No chips, no dessert. One drink comes with your generously sized sandwich. $5 total. Don't you feel local already? Gene's Po-Boys is at 1040 Elysian Fields
Fried Chicken at McHardy's -- When beloved friends of ours married, they served fried chicken from McHardy's, 1458 N. Broad St. (tel. 504/949-0000), at their wedding reception. And you know what? No fancy-pants expensive, catered extravaganza had better food. It's the best fried chicken we've ever eaten (moist, tender, slightly crispy skin, perfectly seasoned, 50¢ a piece), bar none.
After Church at Galatoire's -- It's been a tradition since there has been a Galatoire's: residents, all of them in their Sunday finery, standing in line (because that's what you do) at the restaurant many still think is the finest in town, a place where, when the hand-chipped ice was replaced with cubes produced by a (gasp!) machine, demonstrations were held. We exaggerate, but not by much. Purists will tell you that changes like this mean Galatoire's simply isn't what it used to be, but chances are, they are saying that while being waited on by the person who has waited on them for the last 40 years. So you be the judge.
A Real Gospel Brunch -- Speaking of church, forget the so-called "Gospel Brunch" at the House of Blues. Go see the real thing in a real place of worship, like the Guiding Light Missionary Baptist Church, 2012 Washington Ave. It's humble, but it's right and true, and the singing of the choir (not to mention the sometimes fiery preaching) is what it's all about. You may well be the only non-parishioner there, but the congregation is always welcoming. Worship begins at 7am on Sunday, but you don't need to be there before 8:30am. Remember to put some of those dollars you saved by not going to the HOB into the collection plate, but also note that said plate is passed early and often, so pace your giving.
Crescent City Farmers' Markets -- This is the collective name for the three weekly produce (and other foodstuffs) wonderlands in various city locales. It's the place to commune with local gourmands. You may not want to cart home fresh produce, though sampling in season is always a pleasure, but you can bring home some powerful Creole cream cheese, fresh breads and biscuits, and other regional treats. Local chefs do demonstrations (crawfish and shrimp quesadillas!), and gourmet snacks are on sale as well. The markets are held on Thursday from 3 to 7pm at 3700 Orleans Ave.; Tuesday from 10am to 1pm in the Uptown Square parking lot at 200 Broadway; and Saturday from 8am to noon at 700 Magazine St.
Snake & Jake's Xmas Club Lounge -- Tiny. Cramped. Full of Christmas twinkle lights and locals drinking and some out-of-towners, also drinking, because they consider it their own local lounge when they come to town.
Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers -- Every Thursday night, Kermit Ruffins, he of the smooth trumpet and gravely, Satchmo-inspired voice, plays at Vaughan's Lounge. Because this is his home turf, he feels much freer here, and his sets veer away from tourist-pleasing, conservative performances to looser repertoires. And because his band is called the Barbeque Swingers, and because he loves to cook, he often makes free BBQs before the shows.
Wee Watering Holes -- The tiny, long, narrow, and claustrophobic Carrollton Station and the just plain tiny Circle Bar are two music venues popular with locals, who come to see rock acts and singer/songwriters (along with some touring groups). Fans like to drink here as well, regardless of who is onstage. Wait, we can say that about virtually every place on this list!
Super Sunday -- All year long, the Mardi Gras Indians work on their elaborate costumes of hand-sewn beaded mosaics and feathers, creating concoctions that would make even over-the-top designer Bob Mackie burst into tears of helpless envy. And once a year they meet on their home turfs to compete, with chants, drums, and costumes, to prove once and for all which tribe is the most glorious, and who is the prettiest. All that work for nothing but honor, pride, and beauty. Watching them parade and square off is one of the great sights of New Orleans, and hardly anyone goes. Perhaps that's because of the location (the Uptown Indians start and end at the corner of Washington Ave. and LaSalle St.; the Mid-City tribes start around Bayou St. John and Orleans Ave.; in both cases, just drive around looking for feathers and listening for drums); perhaps it's because the Indians are supposed to parade on the Sunday closest to St. Joseph's Day (Mar 19), but that's only if the weather is good (rain and wind are hard on feathers: "Ever seen a wet chicken?" one Indian pointed out) and if the Indians feel like it. Take your chances, though, because it's a sight you won't see anywhere else.
Miami
 
Whether you're into sports, sunshine or salsa, Miami sizzles all year long with exciting entertainment venues and attractions, world-class hotels and restaurants, great beaches and a nightlife that never sleeps. While South Beach, chock full of hip nightclubs and pastel-hued buildings, gets all the press, other sections of Miami are just as hot and offer culture, recreation and more. Spend the day soaking in the sights and sounds of Little Havana or soaking up the rays at Haulover Beach Park. Explore the Art Deco District or take the kids to the zoo. At the end of the day, chill out at any of the area's cool bars and nightclubs. In Miami at night, the day is just beginning.
A week in Miami is not unlike watching an episode of, say, Access Hollywood with a little CNN thrown in for good measure. Miami: the city to which J-Lo fled when she and Ben Affleck were on the outs; the place where the paparazzi camps out for days hoping to catch a glimpse of something or someone fabulous; the place where former President Bill Clinton kibitzes with the head of a top modeling agency at a St. Tropez-ish beach club; where Janet Reno throws a politically driven dance party at a South Beach nightclub. And that's just a small sampling of the surreal, Felliniesque world that exists way down here at the bottom of the map. Nothing in Miami is ever what it seems.
What used to be a relatively sleepy beach vacation destination has awakened from its humid slumber, upped its tempo, and finally earned its place in the Palm Pilots of cutting-edge jet-setters worldwide. But don't be fooled by the hipper-than-thou, celebrity-drenched playground known as South Beach. While the chic elite do, indeed, flock to Miami's coolest enclave, it is surprisingly accessible to the average Joe, Jane, or José. For every Phillippe Starck-designed, bank-account-busting boutique hotel on South Beach, there's a kitschy, candy-coated Art Deco one that's much less taxing on the pockets. For each Pan-Mediterranean-Asian haute cuisinerie, there's always the down-home, no-nonsense Cuban bodega offering hearty food at ridiculously cheap prices.
Beyond the whole glitzy, Entertainment Tonight-meets-beach-blanket-bacchanalia-as-seen-on-TV, Miami has an endless number of sporting, cultural, and recreational activities to keep you entertained. Our sparkling beaches are beyond compare. Plus, there's excellent shopping and nightlife activities that include ballet, theater, and opera (as well as all the celebrity-saturated hotels, restaurants, bars, and clubs that have helped to make Miami so famous).
Leave Miami, be it for the Keys, the Gold Coast, or the Treasure Coast, and you'll expose yourself not only to more UV rays, but to a world of cultural, historical, and sybaritic surprises where you can take in a spring baseball game, walk in the footsteps of Hemingway, get up close and personal with the area's sea life, soak up the serenity of unspoiled landscapes, catch the filming of CSI: Miami or a big-budget Hollywood flick, and much more.
Forget what you've heard about South Florida being Heaven's Waiting Room. That slogan is as passé as the concept of early bird dinners (which you can still get -- they just no longer define the region). In fact, according to some people, South Florida is heaven. So what are you waiting for?
Houston
 
This sprawling city hums with the energy and independent spirit that turned it from swampland into the fourth-largest city in the U.S. Everything is big, from the towering skyscrapers, to the huge sports Astrodome that links with two Six Flags theme parks to create one gargantuan entertainment complex, to the city's prominence in aerospace, oil, shipping and finance. Even the architecture makes big, bold statements, like the medical center towers that resemble two giant syringes. A thriving business center, the city has become increasingly cosmopolitan, with an influx of diverse ethnic groups and a strong emphasis on the arts. Opera, ballet, symphony and theater are all top-notch, and museums abound. The midday heat is easily escaped inside the numerous attractions and shopping areas, particularly in the pedestrian-friendly 6.5-mile underground city. Since you're in the place that broadcast man's first step on the moon, you may want to pay a visit to Space Center Houston, where you'll be whisked into outer space through simulations and films. Once back on earth, you can hop on the tram to the complex's NASA/Johnson Space Center to watch astronauts and engineers at work and in training.
Situated on a flat, near featureless Gulf Coast plain, Houston sprawls from its center in vast tracts of subdivisions, freeways, office parks, and shopping malls. In undisturbed areas you'll find marshy grasslands in the south and woods in the north. Meandering across this plain are several bayous on whose banks cypress and southern magnolia trees chance to grow. Many visitors, imagining the Texas landscape as it is usually drawn -- barren and treeless -- are surprised by such green surroundings, but, in fact, the city is at the tail end of a large belt of natural forest coming down through East Texas, and the climate is much the same as coastal Louisiana and Mississippi -- warm and humid with ample rainfall.
Houston is the fourth-most populated city in the United States. If we compare the populations of greater metro areas rather than cities, then it ranks only 10th. Yet in geographical expanse Houston ranks second. The city is more than half as large as the state of Rhode Island and continues to expand outward. But in the past few years there has been a strong shift in residential construction toward downtown and the inner city. Town houses in the central part of town are going up at a furious rate, and lofts, condos, and apartments are now a major part of downtown construction.
Houston is not usually considered a tourist destination; most visitors come here for business or family reasons and are lured into playing tourists only after getting here. It is a business town, and the oil and gas industry remains the big enchilada, but other sectors have added so much to the local economy that oil and gas's contribution is only about 50%. The Texas Medical Center is the largest concentration of medical institutions in the world. It is virtually a city within a city, with 14 hospitals and many clinics, medical schools, and research facilities. Construction and engineering companies also contribute much to the economy, and the newest big player is the high-tech industry.
Houston's society is socially and economically wide open. Houstonians inherently dislike being told what to do, and this dislike cuts across the political spectrum: opinion surveys show that gun control is highly unpopular but so is government control over reproductive rights. Among urban planners Houston is famous (or infamous) as the only major U.S. city that doesn't have zoning, allowing the market to determine land-use instead. On the plus side, this love for individual freedoms gives Houston a dynamism that is palpable and has brought a flood of newcomers from around the world, who have found here a welcoming city. Houston seems to be growing more cosmopolitan every day, as ethnic restaurants and specialty shops spring up throughout the city along with exotic temples and churches -- Taoist, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Russian Orthodox -- built much like they would be back in the mother country. On the minus side, this is the land of Enron, the go-go company that preached to state and federal governments to deregulate the energy markets and then profited illegally from it. This is also a city that is struggling with an air pollution problem that has the local government painfully considering unpopular regulations to keep the city habitable.
The arts give proof to the city's dynamism. In the performing arts, Houston excels: an excellent symphony orchestra, its highly respected ballet and opera companies, and a dynamic theater scene that few cities can equal in quantity or quality. There are some excellent museums, too, and, if art isn't your bag, there's the world-famous NASA Space Center, which is unlike anything else on this planet. While you're enjoying the attractions, keep your eyes open and you can appreciate another thing Houston is known for, its architecture, which stands out for its bold, even brash character. This is, after all, home to the first dome stadium -- the Astrodome -- which was billed at the time as "the eighth wonder of the world." Several buildings are striking not only for their dramatic appearance but for their irreverence -- one skyscraper is crowned with a Mayan pyramid, another wryly uses the architectural features of Gothic churches for a bank building, and a pair of towers in the Medical Center unmistakably represent two giant syringes. There is little that is staid about this city, and the more time one spends here, the more this is appreciated.
Galveston is the opposite of Houston -- far from being a boomtown, its population of 60,000 isn't even double that of 1900. Once Texas's commercial capital, two events changed everything: the Great Storm of 1900, which remains the deadliest natural disaster ever to strike the U.S.; and the dredging of the Houston Ship Channel in 1914. Today, Galveston is a good destination for families who want to visit small-town Texas, combining small-town easiness with a good mix of museums and activities that children can enjoy. Its old commercial district has more historical buildings than all of Houston, and is popular with visitors. But the main draw for visitors (mostly Houstonians) are the beaches.
East Texas is something else again. It borders Louisiana from the coastal cities of Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Houston all the way north to where the state meets Arkansas. The biggest attractions are large national forests, state parks, and the many rivers and lakes. This is why the area is visited more by campers and fishermen than any other species of traveler.
Pheonix
 
Nearly perfect year-round weather and several impeccably designed championship courses have made Phoenix one of the top golf destinations in the world. But there's more to this mild-mannered metropolis than pristine greens and tee times. The greater Phoenix area also offers visitors an array of impressive cultural attractions. Visit the internationally renowned Heard Museum for an in-depth look at Native American history or peruse the fine collection at the Phoenix Museum of Art. Enjoy a ballet performance at the ornate Orpheum Theater or catch a Broadway show at the state-of-the-art Dodge. In addition to golf, the city offers access to numerous outdoor endeavors including rock climbing, hot-air ballooning, desert jeep tours and more. Family-friendly attractions, first-rate shopping, dining and entertainment, and spectacular recreational activities make Phoenix a must-visit destination.
Pre-1960 Phoenix was a quiet place where a few retirees and wealthy eccentrics warmed up, and a small population of crusty hombres called home. Now it would be difficult to find a third-generation Phoenician among the 1.3 million residents. The people are new, the buildings are new, the grass is new. But the old Wild West is not entirely obscured. Sure, a cowboy or Indian facade only serves notice that you'll pay top dollar for that Lasso Latte, pardner. But the sun still shines an average of 300 days a year. And there is Phoenix's own in-town outback: The city is virtually ringed by mountains that can be explored on foot, bike or horseback. So if you try, that second-degree burn from a brush with your seat-belt buckle won't be the only definitive Valley of the Sun experience you have.
Why go now
You can catch the last wildflower blooms in the tens of thousands of cactus-strewn acres that make up the Phoenix Mountain Park System. If you prefer putting greens to greenery, you'll find more than 120 courses on which to prep your game for Minnesota's season.
Pick of the peaks
No matter where you stay, a desert adventure is close at hand. Piestewa Peak is steep and often crowded; Papago Park is centrally located, fairly flat and thus kid and grandparent friendly; South Mountain is the largest with seemingly nonstop trails; Camelback offers great valley views, if you're up to the summit challenge. Because I like to enjoy nature at a faster pace, I throw my vote to Pinnacle Peak and McDowell Regional Park in the extreme northeastern corner of the Phoenix area. The trails there are little-used, scenic and thoughtfully de-rocked (don't ask, I cannot imagine how). Maps, descriptions and updates can be found at www.phoenix.gov/parks. Not only do these natural jungle gyms offer a real-live Phoenix experience, they'll keep the innocents from the ever-present maw of the mall.
Central Arizona combines some of the oldest human dwellings in the Western Hemisphere with the homes of contemporary Native American tribes and America's fastest-growing major urban center: metropolitan Phoenix. Metropolitan Phoenix's population of 1,200,000 makes it the seventh-largest city in the United States, and its location in the Valley of the Sun brings it an average of 330 days of sunshine every year.
Modern Phoenix can be traced to 1865, when the U.S. Army established an outpost and reopened the irrigation canals the Hohokam tribes had built centuries before. Within a year, fields bright with barley and pumpkins earned the area the name of Punkinsville, and its 300 residents were convinced that their new city would rise "like a phoenix" from the ashes of a vanished civilization. And rise it did. The Sun Belt boom began when low-cost air-conditioning made summer heat bearable. From 1950 to 1990, the Phoenix urban area more than quadrupled in population, catapulting real estate and home building into two of the state's biggest industries. Cities planted around Phoenix have become its suburbs, and land that for decades produced cotton and citrus now produces microchips and homes. Glendale and Peoria on the west side, and Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, and Gilbert on the east, make up the nation's third-largest silicon valley.
Today the area offers visitors a tremendous range of activities, from hiking in superb parks on some of the country's most-traveled trails to golfing on championship courses. Southwestern cuisine, which has swept the country, was born here, and Phoenix's first-class resorts have raised the art of pampering to new heights. The White Mountains are a nearby escape, with Old West towns, the stunning Salt River Canyon, and more great hiking.
The Valley is very much a work still in progress; so much is changing, and so quickly, that even longtime residents have a difficult time keeping up. But at the heart of all the bustle is a way of life that keeps its own pace: Phoenix is, after all, the world's largest small town.
Los Angeles
 
Modern myth has it that these days everyone in Los Angeles has written a screenplay, is writing a screenplay or is just visiting. For those in the latter category we offer a road map of ideas to help make a getaway to this ultra-hip, ultra-happening haven easy, fun and exciting. While L.A. will always be associated with movies and movie stars, it is also a culturally vibrant city that boasts a range of interesting attractions from prestigious art museums and galleries to fabulous theater, both well-known productions and smaller fringe shows. Art enthusiasts will be wowed by the extensive collections at the J. Paul Getty Center and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Visit the La Brea Tar Pits on Museum Row and then check out the trendy shops on Melrose Avenue. Families will not want to miss the Zoo or the action at Universal Studios Hollywood. Of course, no trip to L.A. would be complete without a stop at the Venice Beach Boardwalk or a visit to Mann's Chinese Theater and the Walk of Fame.
Santa Monica & the Beaches
These are nearly everyone's favorite L.A. communities and get my highest recommendation as the premier place to book a hotel during your vacation. The 60-mile beachfront stretching from Malibu to the Palos Verdes peninsula has milder weather and less smog than the inland communities, and traffic is nominally lighter, except on summer weekends. The towns along the coast all have a distinct mood and charm, and most are connected via a walk/bike path. They're listed below from north to south.
Malibu, at the northern border of Los Angeles County, 25 miles from Downtown, was once a privately owned ranch -- purchased in 1857 for 10¢ an acre and now the most expensive real estate in L.A. Today its 27 miles of wide beaches, beachfront cliffs, sparsely populated hills, and relative remoteness from the inner city make it popular with rich recluses such as Johnny Carson and Barbra Streisand. Indeed, the resident lists of Malibu Colony and nearby Broad Beach -- oceanfront strips of closely packed mansions -- read like a who's who in Hollywood. With plenty of green space and dramatic rocky outcroppings, Malibu's rural beauty is unsurpassed in L.A., and surfers flock to "the 'Bu" for great, if crowded, waves.
Santa Monica, Los Angeles's premier beach community, is known for its festive ocean pier, stylish (and expensive) oceanfront hotels, artsy atmosphere, and somewhat wacky residents. Shopping is king here, especially along the Third Street Promenade, a pedestrian-only outdoor mall lined with dozens of shops and restaurants.
Venice Beach, my favorite L.A. neighborhood, was created by tobacco mogul Abbot Kinney, who set out in 1904 to transform a worthless marsh into a resort town modeled after Venice, Italy -- hence, the series of narrow canals connected by one-lane bridges that you'll see as you explore this refreshingly eclectic community. It was once infested with grime and crime, but regentrification has brought scores of great restaurants, boutiques, and rising property values for the canalside homes and apartment duplexes. Even the movie stars are moving in: Dennis Hopper, Anjelica Huston, Nicolas Cage, and Julia Roberts reside in this pseudobohemian community. Some of L.A.'s most innovative and interesting architecture lines funky Main Street. But without question, Venice Beach is best known for its Ocean Front Walk, a nonstop Mardi Gras of thong-wearing skaters, vendors, fortune tellers, street musicians, and poseurs of all ages, colors, types, and sizes.
Marina del Rey, just south of Venice, is a somewhat quieter, more upscale waterside community best known for its man-made small-craft harbor, the largest of its kind in the world.
Manhattan, Hermosa, and Redondo beaches are laid-back, mainly residential neighborhoods with modest homes (except for oceanfront real estate), mild weather, and residents happy to have fled the L.A. hubbub. There are excellent beaches for volleyball, surfing, and tanning here, but when it comes to cultural activities, pickings can be slim. The restaurant scene, while limited, has been improving steadily, and some great new bars and clubs have opened near their respective piers.
L.A.'s Westside & Beverly Hills
The Westside, sandwiched between Hollywood and the city's coastal communities, includes some of Los Angeles's most prestigious neighborhoods, virtually all with names you're sure to recognize:
Beverly Hills is politically distinct from the rest of Los Angeles -- a famous enclave best known for its palm tree-lined streets of palatial homes, famous residents (Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty, Annette Bening), and high-priced shops. But it's not all glitz and glamour; the healthy mix of filthy rich, wannabes, and tourists that peoples downtown Beverly Hills creates a unique -- and often snobby-surreal -- atmosphere.
West Hollywood is a key-shape community whose epicenter is the intersection of Santa Monica and La Cienega boulevards. Nestled between Beverly Hills and Hollywood, this politically independent -- and blissfully fast-food-free -- town is home to some of the area's best restaurants, clubs, shops, and art galleries. WeHo, as it's come to be known, is also the center of L.A.'s gay community -- you'll know you've arrived when you see the billboards. Encompassing about 2 square miles, it's a pedestrian-friendly place with plenty of metered parking. Highlights include the 1 1/2 miles of Sunset Boulevard known as Sunset Strip, the chic Sunset Plaza retail strip, and the liveliest stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard.
Bel Air and Holmby Hills, located in the hills north of Westwood and west of Beverly Hills, are old-money residential areas featured prominently on most maps to the stars' homes.
Brentwood is best known as the famous backdrop to the O. J. Simpson melodrama. If Starbucks ever designed a neighborhood, this is what it would look like -- a generic, relatively upscale mix of track homes, restaurants, and strip malls. The Getty Center looms over Brentwood from its hilltop perch next to I-405.
Westwood, an urban village founded in 1929 and home to the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), used to be a hot destination for a night on the town, but it lost much of its appeal in the past decade due to overcrowding and even some minor street violence. Although Westwood is unlikely to regain its old charm, the vibrant new culinary scene has brought new life to the village. Combined with the high concentration of movie theaters, it's now the premier L.A. destination for dinner and a flick.
Century City is a compact and rather bland high-rise area sandwiched between West Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. The primary draws here are the 20th Century Fox studios, Shubert Theatre, and the Westside Pavilion, a huge open-air mall. Century City's three main thoroughfares are Century Park East, Avenue of the Stars, and Century Park West.
West Los Angeles is a label that generally applies to everything that isn't one of the other Westside neighborhoods. It's basically the area south of Santa Monica Boulevard, north of Venice Boulevard, east of Santa Monica and Venice, and west and south of Century City.
Hollywood
Yes, they still come to the birthplace of the film business -- young hopefuls with stars in their eyes gravitate to this historic heart of L.A.'s movie production like moths fluttering to the glare of neon lights. But today's Hollywood is more illusion than industry. Many of the neighborhood's former movie studios have moved to more spacious venues in Burbank, the Westside, and other parts of the city.
Despite the downturn, visitors continue to flock to Hollywood's landmark attractions, such as the star-studded Walk of Fame and Grauman's Chinese Theatre. And now that the city's $1 billion, 30-year revitalization project is in full swing, Hollywood Boulevard is, for the first time in decades, showing signs of rising out of a seedy slump, with refurbished movie houses and stylish restaurants and clubs making a fierce comeback. The centerpiece Hollywood & Highland complex anchors the neighborhood, with shopping, entertainment, and a luxury hotel built around the beautiful Kodak Theater designed specifically to host the Academy Awards (really, you'll want to poke your head into this gorgeous theater).
Melrose Avenue, scruffy but fun, is the city's funkiest shopping district, catering to often-raucous youth with secondhand and avant-garde clothing shops. There are also several good restaurants in between.
The stretch of Wilshire Boulevard running through the southern part of Hollywood is known as the Mid-Wilshire district, or the Miracle Mile. It's lined with tall, contemporary apartment houses and office buildings. The section just east of Fairfax Avenue, known as Museum Row, is home to almost a dozen museums, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the La Brea Tar Pits, and that shrine to L.A. car culture, the Petersen Automotive Museum.
Griffith Park, up Western Avenue in the northernmost part of Hollywood, is one of the country's largest urban parks, home to the Los Angeles Zoo, the famous Griffith Observatory, and the outdoor Greek Theater.
Downtown
Despite the relatively recent construction of numerous cultural centers (such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall and Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels) and a handful of trendy restaurants, L.A.'s Downtown isn't the tourist hub that it would be in most cities. When it comes to entertaining visitors, the Westside, Hollywood, and beach communities are all far more popular.
Easily recognized by the tight cluster of high-rise offices -- skyscrapers bolstered by earthquake-proof technology -- the business center of the city is eerily vacant on weekends and evenings, but the outlying residential communities, such as Koreatown, Little Tokyo, Chinatown, and Los Feliz, are enticingly ethnic and vibrant. If you want a tan, head to Santa Monica, but if you want a refreshing dose of non-90210 culture, come here.
El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic District, a 44-acre ode to the city's early years, is worth a visit. Chinatown is small and touristy, but can be plenty of fun for souvenir-hunting or traditional dim sum. Little Tokyo, on the other hand, is a genuine gathering place for the Southland's Japanese population, with a wide array of shops and restaurants with an authentic flair.
Silver Lake, a residential neighborhood just north of Downtown and adjacent to Los Feliz, just to the west, has arty areas with unique cafes, theaters, graffiti, and art galleries -- all in equally plentiful proportions. The local music scene has been burgeoning of late.
Exposition Park, south and west of Downtown, is home to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the L.A. Sports Arena, as well as the Natural History Museum, the African-American Museum, and the California Science Center. The University of Southern California (USC) is next door.
East and South-Central L.A., just east and south of Downtown, are home to the city's large barrios. This is where the 1992 L.A. Riots were centered. It was here, at Florence and Normandie avenues, that a news station's reporter, hovering above in a helicopter, videotaped Reginald Denny being pulled from the cab of his truck and beaten. These neighborhoods are, without question, quite unique, though they contain few tourist sites (the Watts Towers being a notable exception). This can be a rough part of town, so avoid looking like a tourist if you decide to visit, particularly at night.
The San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley, known locally as "the Valley," was nationally popularized in the 1980s by the notorious mall-loving "Valley Girl" stereotype. Sandwiched between the Santa Monica and the San Gabriel mountain ranges, most of the Valley is residential and commercial and off the beaten track for tourists. But some of its attractions are bound to draw you over the hill. Universal City, located west of Griffith Park between U.S. 101 and California 134, is home to Universal Studios Hollywood and the supersize shopping and entertainment complex CityWalk. About the only reason to go to Burbank, west of these other suburbs and north of Universal City, is to see one of your favorite TV shows being filmed at NBC or Warner Brothers Studios. There are also a few good restaurants and shops along Ventura Boulevard, in and around Studio City.
Glendale is a largely residential community north of Downtown between the Valley and Pasadena. Here you'll find Forest Lawn, the city's best cemetery for very retired movie stars.
Pasadena & Environs
Best known as the site of the Tournament of Roses Parade each New Year's Day, Pasadena was spared from the tear-down epidemic that swept L.A., so it has a refreshing old-time feel. Once upon a time, Pasadena was every Angeleno's best-kept secret: A quiet community whose slow and careful regentrification meant nonchain restaurants and boutique shopping without the crowds, in a revitalized downtown respectful of its old brick and stone commercial buildings. Although the area's natural and architectural beauty still shines through -- so much so that Pasadena remains Hollywood's favorite backyard location for countless movies and TV shows -- Old Town has become a pedestrian mall similar to Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade, complete with huge crowds, midrange chain eateries, and standard-issue mall stores. It still gets our vote as a scenic alternative to the congestion of central L.A., but it has lost much of its small-town charm.
Pasadena is also home to the famous California Institute of Technology (CalTech), which boasts 22 Nobel Prize winners among its alumni. The CalTech-operated Jet Propulsion Laboratory was the birthplace of America's space program, and CalTech scientists were the first to report earthquake activity worldwide.
The residential neighborhoods in Pasadena and its adjacent communities -- Arcadia, La Cañada-Flintridge, San Marino, and South Pasadena -- are renowned for well-preserved historic homes, from humble bungalows to lavish mansions. These areas feature public gardens, historic neighborhoods, house museums, and quiet bed-and-breakfast inns.
San Francisco
 
A few years ago San Francisco was riding high on the wealth of the dot com explosion. And it showed in outrageously high priced hotels, restaurants and real estate. When the bubble burst, the city was forced to adjust. In fact, now is a great time to visit the somewhat humbler, but just as fabulous, cultural mecca of the Left Coast. Hotels and restaurants have lowered their prices, making it easier to enjoy a weekend here. One of the best things about San Francisco is that you can be in a museum in the morning and on a mountain in the afternoon. Mind-expanding cultural attractions exist alongside invigorating outdoor activities. Gaze at the work of Jackson Pollock at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in the morning and then head to Muir Woods to peer up at gigantic redwoods in the afternoon. From the hippie haunts of Haight-Ashbury to the colorful Victorian architecture of the predominantly gay Castro District, and from Japantown to Chinatown, San Francisco is all about neighborhoods. Each has a distinct look and vibe. You could easily spend a day in each or hop on a streetcar to sample a few.
No indicator better defines the city's mood than the beloved local restaurant scene, and after a rather boring couple of years, during which our dining rooms played it safe, closed, or cut back while awaiting more freewheeling times, it is smooth sailing once again. Eateries all over town are now abuzz with chatter and the clinking of wineglasses, and new and exciting restaurants are popping up faster than you can say "Exactly how long do I have to wait for a reservation?"
Sure, even during harder times, the City by the Bay was still a fantastic place to visit with all the classic offerings: stunning bay vistas, Victorian architecture, swank boutiques, killer restaurants, walkable beaches, those oh-so-charming cable cars, the trademark dash of liberalism, and only-in-San Francisco style (remember the gay marriages of 2004?) -- all tightly tucked into about 7 miles squared. But for us locals, the change is obvious and very welcome. The city feels exciting again.
So, what can you expect from the country's most romantic European-style city, which was founded on -- and still revels in -- the pioneers' boom-or-bust lifestyle? Whatever your heart desires! Like an eternal world's fair, it's all happening in San Francisco, and everyone's invited.
Politics of the City Today -- Shaken but not stirred by the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, San Francisco witnessed a spectacular rebound during the 1990s. The seaside Embarcadero, once plagued by a horrendously ugly freeway overpass, was revitalized by a multimillion-dollar face-lift, complete with palm trees, a cable-car line, wide cobblestone walkways, new restaurants, and a skating, biking, and walking promenade. SoMa, the once-shady neighborhood south of Market Street, exploded with new development and became home to the Museum of Modern Art; the beautiful and attraction-packed Yerba Buena Gardens; the überluxurious Four Seasons and W hotels (and allegedly the St. Regis in 2005); a slew of hip clubs, cafes, and condos; a new baseball stadium; and, most influential, dot.com companies. And the tourist and shopping mecca Union Square got a gussied-up central plaza.
But what comes up must come down. And in San Francisco, it came down harder than Marina District homes on landfill during an earthquake.
When the Internet industry bubble burst, which was evident by spring 2000, it left serious damage to San Francisco in its wake. Contrary to the previous years' soar in population, rental and housing prices, and salaries, it was unemployment, commercial space availability, and dismal economic forecasts that were hitting new highs.
San Francisco definitely bore the brunt of the recent economic hiccup, but, not surprisingly, the city founded on the boom-and-bust mentality of gold seekers survived the experience just fine. New businesses slowly filled the dot.com office spaces, the Ferry Building Marketplace and its Farmers Market became the city's gastronomic Disneyland, and waiters who fled the restaurant industry for high-tech jobs returned to the dining rooms and resurrected the recognized importance of excellent service with them.
Of course, San Francisco still has typical big-city problems -- and then some. Homelessness and panhandling have gone largely ignored. Visitors new to the city will be surprised by it's dirtiness in some areas. Those with enough funds to buy a spacious home in most parts of the U.S. can't afford a one-bedroom condo here. Rental units are still expensive enough to have changed the city's demographics: Artists, young transplants, and others seeking an alternative lifestyle can no longer afford to move here and sustain their lifestyle. Parking is beyond a nightmare, even in the outer neighborhoods. Public transportation is embarrassingly inefficient. Congestion and impatient drivers make cruising the town an anxiety-ridden and very slow ride.
But the city's in good spirits -- especially since electing Mayor Gavin Newsome in 2003. After barely settling into office, the young (and media savvy) mayor created international controversy and heightened Bay Area pride by allowing gay marriages in San Francisco. It didn't take long to be overruled by the higher-ups. But not before Mayor Newsome won the respect of locals, many of whom see alternative lifestyles and equal rights as trademark San Francisco, at least in theory if not in practice.
As a whole, San Francisco is doing just fine. Its symphony is in the black, restaurants' cheaper prices (lowered during harder times) and new exciting destination haunts woo locals to dine out, and though many of the once instantly rich residents lost it all in the stock market, many argue it's been a good thing for the city. We needed a little reality, not to mention elbowroom for those making under six figures.
Anyone who remembers the old, liberal, truly progressive, and funky San Francisco knows those days are long behind us. But even without the hard-core alternative edge, San Francisco rightfully retains its title as Americans' favorite city destination.
Portland
 
Portland is a laid-back and friendly city in the Pacific Northwest with a reputation for great scenery, a good standard of living and fine micro-breweries. The city is bike and pedestrian-friendly, and visitors won't want to miss the famous Japanese Garden, one of the largest and most beautiful displays of its kind outside of Japan. Gardening enthusiasts will also want to see the International Rose Test Garden and Washington Park, while other attractions include a wealth of museums and of course, the great outdoors.
It's not easy being green" is the slogan of Portland, Oregon's favorite destination for travelers. And yes, they have had to work many years to make the city so attractive, starting with a pleasant location, good weather and the ability to grow anything throughout most of the year. Over the past four years, Portland has been lauded by several magazines as "one of the best cities in which to live" (Money), "reaching new levels of cool" (Travel & Leisure) and in the "top 25 art destinations" (American Style).
Portland has been "The City of Roses" for a long time, and today, you can visit their International Rose Test Garden (open since 1917) to see some 9,000 roses of 590 varieties on just a four-acre spot. There's much more to see and do here, of course, and twice a year they roll out a "Deals" program to make it less expensive than at the regular prices, moderate enough to begin with. The two programs last all year.
From October through May, they have the Portland Big Deal (now in progress), while Cool Summer Deals is the program covering the months of June through September. We've reported about both in past issues here. Special hotel rates are established, and Shop Portland Discounts offer 15% off your first purchase of $25 or more at participating retailers. There's also tax-free shopping (since the state has no sales tax), and more. For information, visit www.travelportland.com or phone 87 PORTLAND (same as 877/678-5263).
Their new streetcar system is nice to see, with Euro-designed cars following a nearly five-mile loop through downtown, the art gallery-filled Pearl District, and Nob Hill (home to many restaurants and upscale shops). Moreover, there's a 330-block area called "Fareless Square," in which passengers ride free on the streetcar and other forms of transport. You can also get day passes, an especially popular one is the three-day Adventure Pass, costing just $10. Check out www.trimet.org for details.
Getting to Portland isn't difficult, with 16 passenger airlines flying into the airport, and service by Amtrak or bus. The Union Station is right downtown, and the airport is only 20 minutes away by car or 38 minutes by the Airport Max light trail service.
Highlights
Once you've seen downtown Portland, head for the Rose Garden, which is located in Washington Park. Come during the Rose Festival (May 29 through June 22). Most interesting of all Portland sights, I think, is the Japanese Garden, said to be "the most authentic Japanese garden outside Japan," a claim I am ready to support until proved otherwise, though I have seen most of my Japanese gardens inside Japan, so I can't be sure. Portland is a sister city to Sapporo, Japan, lending weight to claim. This 5.5-acre bit of heaven includes a teahouse, five beautiful garden styles, and commanding views of the city and Mount Hood (it can stand in for Mt. Fuji). There's a free shuttle from the entrance to the admissions gate, running about every 15 minutes, except in winter, when it operates less frequently. There are five distinct gardens (tea, strolling pond, natural, sand & stone, and flat), all opened in 1963. Admission $6.50 ($1 less for seniors, $2 less for students), and it's open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Public transportation is available on Bus 63 (phone 503/238-RIDE for schedule). More information can be had through the Japanese Garden Society of Oregon, phone 503/223-1321 or visit www.japanesegarden.com.
Next on your list should be the Portland Classical Chinese Garden, a walled city block featuring the work of more than 60 Chinese artisans who spent about a year designing and laying down the intricate patterns of the place, building nine structures and organizing 500 tons of rock imported from China. Also a sister city to Suzhou, the garden opened in 2000. Ponds, bridges, colonnades, walkways, a teahouse and rock groups, help depict its name, Lan Su Yuan, the Garden of Awakening Orchids. Make the experience even more memorable by having a tasting in the tea house. Unlike the Japanese tea ceremony, it features several blends, with little munchies on the side. Tea alone is available all the time, and costs from $3 to $5, but serious tasting (involving three to eight types) runs from $15 to $35 and should be ordered in advance. The "tea ceremony" runs $10 per person. Admission to the garden is $7 ($1 off for seniors, $1.50 off for students). Garden contact information: www.portlandchinesegarden.org or phone 503/228-8131. More information on The Tao of Tea can be had from Veerinder Chawla, who sometimes conducts the tea ceremony, at www.taooftea.com.
Stay, Eat, Drink, Sleep
You may as well stay at a superlatively cool hotel, designated "one of the 80 best new hotels in the world" by Conde Nast Traveler magazine, the Hotel Lucia, unarguably minimalist, and right in the center of downtown. Supporting its hip image, the hotel has a Thai restaurant, and black & white photos of famous people in unusual poses (e.g., President Nixon playing the piano) line the hallways and other public areas. Rates run from $115 to $210 per room. Located at 400 SW Broadway; phone 877/225-1717 or 503/225-1717; fax 503/205-2051; website www.hotellucia.com. (As we went to press, the hotel's site was down; however, a representative stated that this was only a temporary situation and would be remedied soon.)
At the less expensive end of the scale are some of the 67 Best Western hotels in Oregon, four in Portland itself, five more nearby. Rates at the Portland Inn at the Meadow run about $69 per room this spring. More information at www.bestwesternoregon.com or at 866/340-4876.
For the best dining out in town, consider Paley's Place, serving dinners only to an appreciative clientele. A typical entrée might be braised lamb shank at $22 or Chinook Salmon at $26. The cook, Vitaly Paley, began his career as a concert pianist in the former Soviet Union, but became a chef at New York's Union Square Café and Chanterelle before moving to Oregon. Ruth Reichl in Gourmet called the Portland area "the Burgundy of the north," and raved about Paley's in 2001. Contacts: www.paleysplace.citysearch.com or phone 503/243-2403.
Other good eateries include a few in the hot and new Northeast dining quarter, in a neighborhood of urban renaissance. I especially enjoyed Tabla, a Mediterranean bistro open since about mid-2003, where the mushroom blinis ($7) and duck confit ($11) are exceptional (200 NE 28th Avenue, phone 503/238-3777). You couldn't do better than to have dessert at the Noble Rot, which also features entré es like salmon, halibut or duck leg at $9 or $10 (2724 SE Ankeny Street, phone 503/233-1999, www.noblerot.biz). Less innovative, but with plenty of atmosphere, were Taqueria Nueve (serving big portions) and Navarre, an Italian spot at 10 NE 28th, phone 503/232-3555.
Las Vegas
 
Casinos, naturally, continue to draw tourists to Las Vegas. From penny slots to high stakes table games in private salons, you'll find it here. But there's much more to Las Vegas than gambling. Our weekend itinerary highlights attractions of a different sort, from the choreographed fountains at the Bellagio to the Elvis-A-Rama museum. Las Vegas is also surprisingly family-friendly. In an attempt to appeal to kids, the hotels have spent millions developing technically sophisticated indoor amusement rides like the Race for Atlantis.
For 50 years, up until the early 1990s, the name Las Vegas was synonymous with adult entertainment. It existed for one reason and one reason only: gambling. Then the city attempted to remake itself as a family destination, adding roller coasters, animal attractions, and arcades to its predominantly adult lineup. The strategy didn't really take, as an explosion of topless shows and after-hours nightclubs over the past two or three years would seem to indicate. But the legacy of Las Vegas' family "experiment" lingers: fabulous theme hotels such as the Luxor, New York-New York, the Venetian, the Aladdin, and Paris Las Vegas, as well as amusement parks such as Wet 'n Wild and the Adventuredome provide a minivacation's worth of excitement -- no slot machines or blackjack tables required.
Whatever the current state of its on-again, off-again attitude toward families, Las Vegas has never become a family destination in the sense that Orlando or Cape Cod are. Every year, about 35 million people come to Las Vegas for the traditional reason -- to gamble, plain and simple. There are few supermarkets, post offices, video-rental stores, or other conveniences of everyday life on the Strip -- just casinos, wedding chapels, gift stores, strip clubs, and discotheques. Las Vegas is a fantasyland.
The Strip, the 3½-mi stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South between Russell Road and Sahara Avenue, is the heart of Las Vegas. Its soul is the downtown area north of the Strip, whose core is Fremont Street. By exploring these two areas, you'll experience both the commercial lifeblood and pioneer spirit of this most flamboyant of American cities.
Minneapolis
 
With its gleaming skyscrapers set amid glittering lakes, Minneapolis makes for an attractive and fun getaway. A truly year-round destination, the city offers activities for every season. In winter, one can explore the downtown area through more than seven miles of glass-enclosed skyways. In addition to keeping you warm, they create a lively thoroughfare filled with specialty shops, restaurants and services. Whether you want to escape the winter cold or the summer warmth, the Mall of America offers shopping, dining and entertainment options for any time of the year and every member of the family. Art lovers have plenty to see at the Minneapolis Art Institute, Walker Art Center and the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, which all house world-renowned collections. The theater scene is thriving. With more than thirty theaters, Minneapolis has more seats per capita than any U.S. city except New York. See a Broadway show and enjoy dinner and live jazz at a fabulous restaurant. With kids in tow, check out the Science Museum of Minnesota, where visitors can produce their own video, or come face to face with a shark at the UnderWater Adventures Aquarium. In summer, the action moves outside. Known as "The City of Lakes," Minneapolis has 22 lakes located within city limits and many more in the surrounding area. In town, hordes of locals and tourists in-line skate or stroll around Lake Calhoun, stopping for ice cream along the way. Just outside of town, Fort Snelling State Park offers outdoor recreational activities from hiking to biking and golf to boating. No matter when you visit, Minneapolis offers lots for everyone to enjoy.
Drawing comparisons between Minneapolis and St. Paul is a difficult task. St. Paul has a slightly reserved, antique feel about it; Minneapolis is hipper, noisier, and busier. Both cities have tall, gleaming glass skylines; St. Paul's is designed to blend with the city's Art Deco and Victorian architecture, while Minneapolis's is more eclectic. St. Paul has preserved much of its architectural heritage, while most of downtown Minneapolis is new. Both cities straddle the Mississippi River, and riverboat traffic calls at the Twin Cities from as far away as New Orleans.
There are 2.4 million people in the Greater Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area, but Minneapolis wins the population race with 368,400. The strong Scandinavian strain in the cities' ancestry has not prevented them from constructing miles-long skyway systems. Residents can drive downtown, park, walk to work, go to lunch, shop, see a show, and return to their cars without once setting foot outdoors -- a blessing in the blustery Minnesota winters.
Boston
 
Famous for everything from the Red Sox and Paul Revere to Cheers and clam "chowdah," Boston is a popular destination for so many reasons. Part history lesson, part modern metropolis, the Hub offers attractions to suit every taste and interest. Plus, it's incredibly easy to get around, either on foot or by the user-friendly public transportation system, called the T. Hop on the Freedom Trail, a well-preserved pedestrian path that weaves in and out of historic neighborhoods, from the lively Boston Common and Public Garden to the gold-domed State House and Fenway Park. Between landmarks, you can shop the fabulous stores on Newbury Street, have a delicious authentic Italian meal in the North End or browse the antique shops and distinctive red-brick buildings of Beacon Hill. The more culturally inclined will not want to miss the city's world-class museums, theater and music venues. Family friendly to the core, Boston also boasts a renowned aquarium, children's museum and science museum, making it a great getaway for all.
Boston bills itself as "America's Walking City," and walking is by far the easiest way to get around. Legend has it that the street pattern originated as a network of cow paths, but the layout owes more to 17th-century London and to Boston's original shoreline. To orient yourself, it helps to look at the big picture.
This section provides an overview of the city's layout and neighborhoods, and lists information and resources that you might need while you're away from home. As you familiarize yourself with Boston's geography, it might help to identify the various neighborhoods and landmarks on the free map provided with this guide.
A line of red paint or red brick on the sidewalk, the 3-mile Freedom Trail links 16 historic sights, many of them associated with the Revolution and the early days of the United States. The route cuts across downtown, passing through the busy shopping area around Downtown Crossing, the Financial District, and the North End, on the way to Charlestown. Markers identify the stops, and plaques point the way from one to the next.
The nonprofit Freedom Trail Foundation (tel. 617/357-8300; www.thefreedomtrail.org) is an excellent resource as you plan your visit. Call for a guide or, even better, check out the interactive website. It lists a plethora of tours, talks, and other activities, and if you're interested, it offers the only legal way to rub gravestones.
This section lists the stops on the trail in order, from Boston Common to the Bunker Hill Monument. It's important to remember that this is the suggested route, and nobody's checking up on you. You don't have to visit every stop or even go in order -- you can skip around, start in Charlestown and work backward, visit different sights on different days, or even (horrors!) omit some sights. Here's a suggestion: If you find yourself sighing and saying "should" a lot, take a break.
A hard-core history fiend who peers at every artifact and reads every plaque can easily spend 4 hours along the trail. A family with restless children will probably appreciate the enforced efficiency of a free 90-minute ranger-led tour. The excursions, from the Boston National Historic Park Visitor Center, 15 State St. (tel. 617/242-5642; www.nps.gov/bost), cover the "heart" of the trail, from the Old South Meeting House to the Old North Church. At press time, tours were offered daily from mid-April to November. You don't need a reservation, but call for schedules and to check whether off-season tours are available.
The best time to start on the trail is in the morning. During the summer and fall, aim for a weekday if possible. Try not to set out later than midafternoon, because attractions will be closing and you'll run into the evening rush hour.
A Pep Talk: Get Lost!--Almost nothing is as stereotypical or as distressing as sightseers shuffling along in lockstep, looking only at what's described in their travel guides and going only where the Freedom Trail takes them. This is a guidebook, not the boot-camp curriculum, and getting really lost in downtown Boston is nearly impossible -- it's just too small. If time allows, wander away from the trail and look around on your own. I promise you won't be sorry.
Listen Up: The Audio Freedom Trail--The Freedom Trail Foundation (tel. 617/357-8300; www.thefreedomtrail.org) rents handheld digital audio players, for use with or without headphones, that allow visitors to take a narrated tour of the Freedom Trail at their own pace. The 2-hour narrative includes interviews, sound effects, and music. Players rent for $15 for the first adult, $12 for each additional adult, and $10 for each child; they're available at the Boston Common Visitor Center, 147 Tremont St.
Trail Mix--Faneuil Hall Marketplace is a great spot for a break. Time your walk right, and it can be the starting point of a picnic lunch. Visit the Quincy Market food court for takeout, and then head toward the water. Two good places to picnic are nearby, across Atlantic Avenue on the other side of the Big Dig. At the foot of State Street is Long Wharf, Boston's principal wharf since 1710 and a busy sightseeing-cruise dock. Pass the Marriott to reach the brick plaza at the end of the wharf. The granite building dates to 1846, and the plaza affords a great view of the harbor and the airport. Or set up your picnic at | | | |
