Being a Tour Guide

loopy82

If you had a first time guest to your city/state and you were their tour guide what things would you bring them to see/do? What's awesome in your area that other places don't have.

coastiegrl25

In Arkansas  i would take them on a fall tour to see all the mountains and leaves.  Other than that just some historic sightseeing I guess.  In NJ the beach and lighthouses would be at the top of the list.

loopy82

Mine will be on the state, as my suburb is lame, generic and probably like every other suburb out there. I guess we do have the MN Zoo, but I really do not think it is worth the money at all. There is a free zoo in St. Paul if my guests were into that sort of thing.

Even though I don't think it is all that great, a trip to the Mall of America would be in order.

Downtown Minneapolis has some neat places such as the Guthrie Theater, Mill City Museum, Stone Arch Bridge and the overall St. Anthony Main area, Nicollet Mall (especially for the Mary Tyler Moore fans), the new Twins stadium - Target Field.

Northern MN (Up North) - Duluth and along the North Shore is really pretty, Gooseberry Falls, Split Rock Lighthouse.

Stillwater is a very neat town.

Scenic drive south along the Wisconsin border on Highway 61.

SPAM! Yes, we have the Spam factory here. I have never been though and I don't think I would actually bring a guest there.

The Minnesota State Fair.

Drive/ Walk along Summit Avenue.

If my guest wasn't from Wine Country - There are some cute/neat vineyards/wineries around here.

Bemidji for Paul Bunyon and Babe the Blue Ox.

calindi

I'd tell them to take themselves to South Beach... I won't go there unless I absolutely have to, since it's impossible to park, everything's ridiculously crowded and expensive, and the sand is awful.  But it's a tourist hot spot, and the main reason most people want to go to Miami, so they should check it out.

If they want a quiet beach experience, I'll take them to Key Biscayne.  If they're here on a Sunday, I take them to this awesome champagne brunch that has a great view of the bay and the city.  They have to try a mojito and Cuban food while they're in town.  Also, we'll drive down to Key Largo (about an hour away) and go on a snorkeling trip.

CASK85

Chicago has a lot of stuff to do. . . these are some of my faves:

Cloud Gate "Bean" Sculpture

Navy Pier 

North Ave Beach

The Field Museum (and while I'm there show them the view from museum campus, which is to die for)

Take a ride on the L through the loop 

Pizza and hot dogs!

loopy82

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_being-tour-guide?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:e5043799-11fb-44f2-81d2-50f45a1838e3Post:c1e1228c-9678-43c4-bff7-3246cc1655b9">Re: Being a Tour Guide</a>:
[QUOTE]In Arkansas  i would take them on a fall tour to see all the mountains and leaves.  Other than that just some historic sightseeing I guess.  In NJ the beach and lighthouses would be at the top of the list.
Posted by coastiegrl25[/QUOTE]

I've never been to Arkansas before. My Aunt lives there in the Ozarks. My mom visited. I am told it is very pretty there. Nor have I ever been to New Jersey.

SeaTea02

It would depend. Time of year, their interest, and how far we want to travel.

NC has mountains and beaches, but they are a 3 hour drive from where I am: smack dab in the middle of the piedmont.

We have a ton of Museums around here, there are local food tours, and gardens. I might take them to a Hurricanes game. It would really depend on the person.

If we wanted to drive a bit, there are a few historic districts around like Old Salem. There are a few vineyards too. If they really wanted a drive the Biltmore Estate is pretty cool.

loopy82

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_being-tour-guide?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:e5043799-11fb-44f2-81d2-50f45a1838e3Post:2a5cee23-b7ab-45e1-8b0b-fed202988f57">Re: Being a Tour Guide</a>:
[QUOTE]I'd tell them to take themselves to South Beach... I won't go there unless I absolutely have to, since it's impossible to park, everything's ridiculously crowded and expensive, and the sand is awful.  But it's a tourist hot spot, and the main reason most people want to go to Miami, so they should check it out. If they want a quiet beach experience, I'll take them to Key Biscayne.  If they're here on a Sunday, I take them to this awesome champagne brunch that has a great view of the bay and the city.  They have to try a mojito and <strong>Cuban food</strong> while they're in town.  Also, we'll drive down to Key Largo (about an hour away) and go on a snorkeling trip.
Posted by calindi[/QUOTE]

Yum! I want to try traditional cuban food. I've had some Cuban sandwiches here, but I wouldn't be suprised if they are not anywhere near the real deal.

CSI: Miami has me wanting to go to Miami in general - the opening credits it looks awesome. Does it really look like that there?

mana8503

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_being-tour-guide?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:e5043799-11fb-44f2-81d2-50f45a1838e3Post:ccb10cd0-9865-44b1-95cc-c8d6e6800827">Re: Being a Tour Guide</a>:
[QUOTE]There are a few vindeyards too. If they really wanted a drive the Biltmore Estate is pretty cool.
Posted by SeaTea02[/QUOTE]

I'm going to the biltmore estate at the end of this month - so excited!

leia1979

In my actual town there's not much to do other than shopping, but if someone were visiting, there are lots of things, depending what they like. Lots of linkys here.

The Tech Musem
Winchester Mystery House
Rosicrucian Egyptian Musem

At this time of year, there's Christmas in the Park in San Jose as well as the outdoor ice rink. In summer, I'd take someone to the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz or Great America or Raging Waters.

Then there's always the San Francisco thing: Union Square, cable cars, Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, and Golden Gate Park. Last weekend we were in SF and saw the big tree lit in Union Square and then went to North Beach (the Italian part of SF) to an Italian seafood restaurant followed by an Italian cafe for dessert.

One great thing about the Bay Area is that there's tons of great restaurants, too. I think just about anything you can think of can be found around here.

mana8503

I'm kinda surrounded by fun cities, although I'm more of a country girl.

Baltimore has the inner harbor. 
Lancaster, Pa is an hour away (Amish Country)
Philly is an hour too
Washington DC is maybe 1.5-3 hours away

JMM4208

When someone comes to my hometown, there is a sightseeing list a mile long. Normally the day goes as follows:

-Take them down to where US Hwy 421 ends (FYI It turns into a gravel road and drops off into the ocean)
-Tour the Ft Fisher Battleground, since its free
-Ft Fisher Aquarium is always fun
-Tour the USS North Carolina and tell them funny facts I know from working on it in high school
-Lunch at Merrits Burger House - its been around since before my parents were born, looks sketchy but is the best cheeseburgers ever
-Drive around downtown spouting off more random factoids I have. (I'm a local history nerd)
-Tour the USCG cutter Dilegence, if its in port
-Shopping at the Cotton Exchange and Mayfaire Towncenter
-End the day with ice cream, arcade games, and a walk on the Kure Beach Pier.

I can taylor the tour to personal interests, if you hate touring historical places. BTW excluding shopping purchases you wouldnt spend over $20.

calindi

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_being-tour-guide?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:e5043799-11fb-44f2-81d2-50f45a1838e3Post:0cfb23e6-91e2-4c67-ad11-54ed3e657e21">Re: Being a Tour Guide</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Being a Tour Guide : Yum! I want to try traditional cuban food. I've had some Cuban sandwiches here, but I wouldn't be suprised if they are not anywhere near the real deal. CSI: Miami has me wanting to go to Miami in general - the opening credits it looks awesome. Does it really look like that there?
Posted by loopy82[/QUOTE]

I seriously dislike Cuban food.  And that's odd, because I like most cuisines.  It's heavy on the pork and beef dishes, lots of oil, onions, etc.  It's a very heavy cuisine.  They do croquettas, which are fried sticks with ham & cheese inside (most common, though they also come in chicken, cheese, and fish options).  Or empanadas, which are also fried pockets with meat inside.  Lots of fried things.

The only good Cuban food that I really like is guava with cheese - it's a yummy combination, and not one I had until I moved down here.  Oh, and their coffee.  Other than that, not interested.

Miami is beautiful, but it's very fake and superficial.  The Miami that most people visit is South Beach, which has 1970's era buildings and plays up the glitz and glamour of Art Deco.  A cocktail will run you close (or more than) $20 around there.  The stores are elegant, but again ridiculously expensive.  There are some good restaurants, but again... crazy expensive and snooty.  The clubs are $20 entrance fee, start letting people in at midnight, and you have to wait in line for 2 hours usually - and it's not first-come-first-serve, if someone who the bouncer perceives to be hot shows up, they get to cut the line.  People wear outfits that cost more than my monthly rent.  So you end up in a popularity contest, being judged before you're allowed to give the bouncer your $20 to push and shove to get to the bar to pay another $20 for a vodka tonic.  Yeah, TOTALLY not my scene!

The real Miami has some character, but it's not like you see on the TV shows.  It's Calle Ocho and Coconut Grove - the first is totally Cuban, it's like you're in another country, and has some great restaurants and bars.  The second is a bit more modern, but has an artsy feel, and again, some great restaurants but can be overrun with college kids.  Anyway, I could take or leave Miami.

Blue & White

Hi, my name is Blue & White and I'm "home"-less.

If they visited me where I live (in VA), I would take them to the Norfolk Botanical Gardens (if it were summery weather) and/or Busch Gardens and/or Colonial Williamsburg.

If they visited me in Jersey (where I don't live), I'd take them to NYC to see a Broadway show, make them eat a bagel, make them eat pizza, and make sure we didn't have to drive anywhere.

If they visited me in Florida (where I also don't live), I'd let them go to the beach by themselves...and take em to Disneyworld AND Universal (cause it's better) and...take them to eat yummy fish at a local restaurante.

I want to visit Chicago next.  Just sayin.  I already saw some Chicago sites to see

Wrkn925

Roomie's friends just came to visit from CA.  They were really interested in going to an actual White Castle because they could only buy the burgers at a grocery store.

Our caves are really neat.  There are some great tours, and one is a boat tour of a waterway that goes through a huge cave.
I could take them to where the Kentucky Derby is held.

Every September, there is a Chicken Festival in London where the first KFC was founded.  They have a parade and a Colonel Sanders look-a-like contest.

In my hometown, there is a restaurant that had been deep frying burgers since the 1920s.  It's an open kitchen restaurant, and all the ladies wear ankle length skirts.  It's AMAZING.

Then there's the Corvette plant and Corvette Museum, it's the only place Corvettes are manufactured.

Saddest part?  I haven't been to half of these places since Elementary school field trips.

JMM4208

@Sea North Carolina definitely is pretty and diverse. My drive from home to school is 6 hours and its a beautiful flow from beach to mountains. I love Old Salem, I actually hadn't been until my boyfriend took me last year. I really want to go to a canes game, I bet theyre a blast.

@mana The Biltmore Estate is always lovely, especially when its decorated for Christmas. Right outside of the gates is the fanciest McDonalds, it apparently has a grand piano in it, but ive never been.

@cschiano I love the bean. We went to Chicago with the Gospel Choir and a group layed under it in a circle and the reflection looked like a kaleidoscope when they moved their legs in sync. (very touristy thing to do but I was amused)

CASK85

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_being-tour-guide?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:e5043799-11fb-44f2-81d2-50f45a1838e3Post:ec4b3bcf-f97b-4d9b-8862-dc65c8de2a95">Re: Being a Tour Guide</a>:
[QUOTE]Hi, my name is Blue & White and I'm "home"-less. If they visited me where I live (in VA), I would take them to the Norfolk Botanical Gardens (if it were summery weather) and/or Busch Gardens and/or Colonial Williamsburg. If they visited me in Jersey (where I don't live), I'd take them to NYC to see a Broadway show, make them eat a bagel, make them eat pizza, and make sure we didn't have to drive anywhere. If they visited me in Florida (where I also don't live), I'd let them go to the beach by themselves...and take em to Disneyworld AND Universal (cause it's better) and...take them to eat yummy fish at a local restaurante. <strong>I want to visit Chicago next.  Just sayin.  I already saw some Chicago sites to see :)</strong>
Posted by Blue & White[/QUOTE]
I'll be happy to give you recommendations! Or maybe even be a personal tour guide :) 

skyler1108

I live in LA so things I take people to do when they are in town:

-Hollywood sign
-Hollywood ( the Chinese Theatre, Kodak Theater and the Walk of Fame, you know those pink stars that are on the sidewalk)
-The different studios
-The Santa Monica pier
-The Pacific ocean
- Downtown LA ( The Staples Center, LA Live, fashion, jewery and flower district, Walt Disney Concert Hall)
-San Pedro fish market
-Disneyland!
-Universal Studios

I'm sure there is more that I am missing

SeaTea02

JMM - is your home town the coastal region of NC and you go to school out of state or are you going to school in the costal region?

In other words, where are you from? I am from the Research Triangle Park (near RDU) area.

mana8503

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_being-tour-guide?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:e5043799-11fb-44f2-81d2-50f45a1838e3Post:290642ed-c43c-4f93-ab93-2d3a4abe4695">Re: Being a Tour Guide</a>:
[QUOTE]@mana The Biltmore Estate is always lovely, especially when its decorated for Christmas. Right outside of the gates is the fanciest McDonalds, it apparently has a grand piano in it, but ive never been. Posted by JMM4208[/QUOTE]

I LOVE Christmas, that's why the BF is taking me there while it's decorated.  Him and my Dad grew up in NC (western, in the "hills").  I've visited NC my whole life, 3-4 times a year, but I've never been to the Biltmore house.  Ok so fanciest McD is on the list too! 

jacquiroxx

I'm not a tour guide but I do work at the front desk at a hotel in our "downtown" area in Athens.  For those of you who aren't aware, Athens- or "The Classic City"- is home to the University of Georiga, America's oldest public university AND my future alma mater.

That being said, I would definitely take you to see some of the major highlights on campus:
-Sanford Stadium: The 6th biggest college stadium and the pride of UGA.  Don't go to Georgia if you don't like football- it is the highlight of student life in the autumn.
-The Coliseum (sp?): Home to our basketball and gymnastics teams.  Our gymnasts were National Champions 5 years in a row with their streak ending in 2009.
-Historic North Campus: Highlights include The Arch and The Chapel.

However, there is more to Athens than a simple college town.  It is a HAVEN for: foodies, music junkies, and partyers.

I'd recommend The Last Resort Grill for dinner- voted #1 by locals for the past 3 years, East West Bistro- fusion food between Asian and Mediterranean, or La Dolce Vita- authentic Italian food and a very personal, intimate atmosphere.

For music, all you have to do is open your ears.  When it's warm there are street musicians all over the place.  When it's cold, there are less, but they're still there.  The B52's, REM, Widespread Panic, and the Indigo Girls were all started in Athens and the music scene here is very much alive and well.  We have many small, personal venues that big names come to and share the stage with our local bands.  If you like music, you HAVE to visit Athens sometime during your life.

As for partying, we are not short on places to do so.  UGA was recently named the top party school in America, though that's not really something to be proud of.  Considering Athens is a dry town on Sundays and you can't have open containters on the street, that's a pretty big accomplishment.  There are more than 50 bars in a 3x6 block area and none (or close to none) have a cover charge.  A service called Designated Dawgs will drive you home in your car for FREE if you're drinking, so you don't have to worry about having a DD.

I haven't even told you about all the historical stuff that's fun to do, nor have I told you about the mass amount of historical houses in Athens that are featured on the Antebellum Trail... if you ever want to come to Athens, just let me know.  I'll get you a sweet deal on a hotel room (Holiday Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Springhill Suites, Hotel Indigo, or Marriot) and show you around personally or at least point you in the right decision

Wow I talk a lot... I guess more of my heart is in Georgia than I thought...

niknik15

skyler - I'm going to LA next weekend so I'll have to check out some of those places you said that I didn't already have on my list.

I'm terrile at being a tour guide. My grandma came down to visit me a coule of weeks ago and we stayed within two miles of my apartment, except for a short drive around downtown, and you couldn't even see the riverwalk from the car (sad I know).

But if I were to give someone a better tour, some of the options would be: 
-Riverwalk
-one of the rivers to go tubing
-Alamo
-Tower of Americas
-Six Flags
-Spurs game
-Natural Bridge Caverns
-Fredricksburg
-Gruene
-some wineries in the hill country
-6th Street in Austin
-and last but not least my favorite place to eat, Alamo Cafe

purplepeopleeater11

I'll do state too as I think most of the cool stuff is everywhere but the capital.

It would depend on the season, if it was winter we have some great ski resorts up north, amazing museums in the Detroit area like the Henry Ford (there's a pretty cool art museum in Kalamazoo too though.)  Oh, and Frankenmuth to go to Bronner's, a giant Christmas related store.  And maybe into Frankenmuth for some Bavarian-ness.

The spring in Michigan is just like the spring anywhere else, so you could go to the generic places like museums and the like. 

Summer time I'd take them to the west coast for the beaches!  We have some amazing beaches around the Holland, Grand Havena and Ludington area(s).  The UP is gorgeous during this time of year and I'd probably hit of Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island (there are no vehicles of any kind here in case you didn't know.  Just bikes and horses).

Fall I'd go to Michigan wine country, just because I feel like colder months and wine tasting are appropriate.  This is also on the west side of the state because apparently lake front winds are great for grapes.  There's also some brilliant color tours up north around Petoskey. 

desertsun

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_being-tour-guide?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:e5043799-11fb-44f2-81d2-50f45a1838e3Post:67ddc413-c6dc-4315-945d-5606059be707">Re: Being a Tour Guide</a>:
[QUOTE]  Oh, and Frankenmuth to go to Bronner's, a giant Christmas related store.  And maybe into Frankenmuth for some Bavarian-ness.  Summer time I'd take them to the west coast for the beaches!  We have some amazing beaches around the Holland, Grand Havena and Ludington area(s).  The UP is gorgeous during this time of year and I'd probably hit of Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island (there are no vehicles of any kind here in case you didn't know.  Just bikes and horses). Fall I'd go to Michigan wine country, just because I feel like colder months and wine tasting are appropriate.  This is also on the west side of the state because apparently lake front winds are great for grapes.  There's also some brilliant color tours up north around Petoskey. 
Posted by purplepeopleeater11[/QUOTE]

You are making me so homesick! I grew up about an hour north of Grand Rapids, and we went to Ludington almost every summer to camp and swim in Lake Michigan.

And fall was always my favorite season -- so many trees, and so many beautiful colors EVERYWHERE.

Mackinac Island fudge, walking the bridge....

*sniffle*

desertsun

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_being-tour-guide?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:e5043799-11fb-44f2-81d2-50f45a1838e3Post:1bd2e3ca-5307-4962-bb94-d428e2524aa2">Re: Being a Tour Guide</a>:
[QUOTE]Chicago has a lot of stuff to do. . . these are some of my faves: Cloud Gate "Bean" Sculpture Navy Pier  North Ave Beach The Field Museum (and while I'm there show them the view from museum campus, which is to die for) Take a ride on the L through the loop  Pizza and hot dogs!
Posted by cschiano[/QUOTE]

I love the Shedd Aquarim and the Art Institute, too!

CASK85

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_being-tour-guide?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:e5043799-11fb-44f2-81d2-50f45a1838e3Post:02985f84-0f4c-429d-ae78-90e16c3fd844">Re: Being a Tour Guide</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Being a Tour Guide : I love the Shedd Aquarim a<strong>nd the Art Institute, too!</strong>
Posted by desertsun[/QUOTE]
good call! I still haven't been since they opened to modern wing over a year ago. . . I'm a slacker.

JMM4208

@Sea my hometown is Kure Beach (near Wilmington, NC) , and I go to school instate at Appalachian State in Boone. Cool, i'm pretty familiar with the RDU area because my BF works for NC State.

@mana Let me know if its epic!

jemmini6

Around the Phoenix Metro area:
- Desert Botanical Gardens (wish the Chihuly exhibit was still there)
- Chase Field (the baseball stadium w/ a pool)
- Mill Ave (bar district near the university)
- Old Town Scottsdale (another bar/shopping district)
- ASU (best school in the state and my alma matter)
- Four Peaks Brewery (best beer & bar food ever)
- Salt River Tubing (in the summer of course)
- Filibertos (best Mexican fast food)

Around the state:
- Grand Canyon (although I've still never been there myself)
- Tombstone
- Sedona
- Petrified Forest
- Lake Havasu

motoLyn

Disneyland
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Hollywood
Santa Monica
Venice Beach
Rodeo Drive
Getty Museum or Getty Villa
Surf City
Knotts Berry Farm
Wine tasting at some local vineyards
Sea World is in San Diego but its just a hour and half drive from me
Los Angeles or San Diego Zoo
Aquarium of the Pacific
Grummans Chinese Theater
Griffith Observatory

Living in Southern California there are endless things to do.

Sosteadilygo

Newport mansions, beaches, Thames Street
The Narragansett Towers
Mews Tavern in Wakefield
Federal Hill
Waterfire
Caserta Pizza
Iggys and Oakland Beach
Chepachet antiques
Westerly beaches
Jamestown lighthouses
Galilee
Thayer Street
Wickenden Street

I could go on and on, I love Rhode Island. :0)

mookow86

I'm not from Pittsburgh but it is way more interesting than where I'm actually from so we'll go with that.

We'd go to the Strip District (an old warehouse district with ethnic grocery stores, farmers markets, etc.) on a Saturday morning. One of my absolute favorite experiences in the city!

We'd also take the incline up to the top of Mt Washington to view the city at night.

We'd do the obligatory Primanti Brothers. Unless they were absolutely against french fries and coleslaw on a sandwich, in which case we'd go to my favorite restaurant instead and get some a-ma-zing mussels.

We'd go down to Point State Park and walk along the rivers, walk across some of the bridges, and walk around the stadiums. Maybe visit the Andy Warhol Museum too.