Travel News - Alternatives for Popular Tourist Destinations in the US

Alternatives for Popular Tourist Destinations in the US (http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/12-06/popular-alternative-us-tourist-destinations.html)

I thought this was a pretty interesting list of things you can do near/at various popular destinations in the US if you're looking to avoid the tourist "traps" or even looking for something different to do in a particular area. I like the idea of the Boston Harbor Islands...may have to check it out the next time I go to BOS! The SFO Cheese school has some appeal as well.

Although is Miami more family friendly than WDW?? :)

- San Diego --> Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
- Las Vegas Strip --> Fremont Street
- Walt Disney World --> Miami
- Faneuil Hall Marketplace --> Boston Harbor Islands
- Times Square --> take a food tour of NYC! I agree! PLENTY of good food in NYC! :D
- Washington DC's Memorial Parks --> Internationa Neighborhoods
- Grand Canyon --> Red Rocks State Park
- Niagra Falls --> Watkins Glen State Park
- Chicago's Navy Pier--> Roscoe Village neighborhood
- SFO's Fisherman’s Wharf --> Cheese School of San Francisco
- MSP's Mall of America --> MSP's many museums

Some of those in the list are in the same city or metropolitan area as the well-know tourist spot. On the other hand, Watkins Glen, which is near where I live, is 150 miles from Niagara Falls, NY, and correspondingly farther from Niagara Falls, Ontario. It would be a completely different trip, as I see it.

Umm, i would take Orlando over Miami sny day.... Tourists and all...

Consider Letchworth State Park as an alternative to Watkins Glen. :) It's known as the Grand Canyon of the East, and it's closer to Niagara.

Alternatives for Popular Tourist Destinations in the US (http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/12-06/popular-alternative-us-tourist-destinations.html)


- MSP's Mall of America --> MSP's many museums

Really! When I flew home from Europe on Icelandair last summer, I sat next to an Icelandic couple who made an annual shopping trip to the Mall of America to buy their children's school clothes, having figured that the cost savings on the clothes made up for the cost of the airfare.

However, unless you come from one of the rare North American cities that has no shopping malls, the Mall of America is just an overgrown, poorly lit mall with the same stores, food court tenants, and theaters showing mindless movies as any other mall.

Really! When I flew home from Europe on Icelandair last summer, I sat next to an Icelandic couple who made an annual shopping trip to the Mall of America to buy their children's school clothes, having figured that the cost savings on the clothes made up for the cost of the airfare.

However, unless you come from one of the rare North American cities that has no shopping malls, the Mall of America is just an overgrown, poorly lit mall with the same stores, food court tenants, and theaters showing mindless movies as any other mall.

I have a Belgian friend who is going to the US for the first time this coming August...one thing they plan to do is SHOP...tends to be much cheaper! :)

I have a Belgian friend who is going to the US for the first time this coming August...one thing they plan to do is SHOP...tends to be much cheaper! :)

Anyone who has spent a reasonable amount of time in Europe knows this. Pretty much everything is cheaper in the US.

A while back I trying to look for various award flight options and I was looking at the Aeroflot site and they were advertising 3 day shopping trips to NYC. The fact that the sold such a package suggests that such a demand is there.

Some of those in the list are in the same city or metropolitan area as the well-know tourist spot. On the other hand, Watkins Glen, which is near where I live, is 150 miles from Niagara Falls, NY, and correspondingly farther from Niagara Falls, Ontario. It would be a completely different trip, as I see it.
And yet still worth doing! Anyone (like me) who's been to Watkins Glen and hiked the gorge trail and its 18 waterfalls, is sure to tell all his/her friends, and want to return again. By contrast, IMHO Niagara Falls is "seen it once, been there done that".

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Some of those in the list are in the same city or metropolitan area as the well-know tourist spot. On the other hand, Watkins Glen, which is near where I live, is 150 miles from Niagara Falls, NY, and correspondingly farther from Niagara Falls, Ontario. It would be a completely different trip, as I see it.

Watlkins Glen is a real gem though. We srumbled upon it while driving back from Niagra Falls in 1985. We loved it.

Re alternative to the Mall of America:

Roughly a mile from the mall is the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. If you need some time to clear your mind or wear out the little ones, stop in the visitors center and take a hike.

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/MinnesotaValley/visitor_center_bloomington.html


Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1976 to provide habitat for a large number of migratory waterfowl, fish, and other wildlife species threatened by commercial and industrial development. Located in the heart of the Twin Cities metro area, the Refuge offers a variety of free outdoor recreational experiences for individuals and families. The Refuge also has two Education & Visitors Centers, gateways to over 14,000 authorized acres. The main Center is located in Bloomington, one mile east of the Mall of America. A smaller Center is located south of Carver. The Refuge stretches over 50 miles from Fort Snelling State Park beyond Belle Plain, Minnesota. http://www.fws.gov/midwest/MinnesotaValley/intro.html

Alternatives for Popular Tourist Destinations in the US (http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/12-06/popular-alternative-us-tourist-destinations.html)


- Chicago's Navy Pier--> Roscoe Village neighborhood


??? Roscoe Village is fine but Andersonville (for one) is far better: in addition, Andersonville is about a 5-10 minute walk to Argyle/Broadway which is also worth visiting.

I have a Belgian friend who is going to the US for the first time this coming August...one thing they plan to do is SHOP...tends to be much cheaper! :)

If a Dane, Swede or -- even more certainly -- a Norwegian have half their wits about them when on a trip to the US, they can more or less cover at least half of the economy class airfare for the trip by shopping in the US to replace "domestic" shopping.

I've quite enjoyed "Urban Caving" in and around Detroit. If you like old buildings and abandoned sites you'll have a good time.

Since the majority of your list includes parks, I would add Big Bend in south Texas (particularly the south rim) and Isla Royale in the UP of Michigan. The latter is only accessible by ferry 2x a week but is the most remote and untouched camping I've seen in the US.

Among all these places I am familiar with the San Diego & Niagara falls which are great destinations to visit.

Freemont Street isn't a tourist trap like the Strip?


Please.

Red Rocks State Park and Watkins Glen State Park are definitely a sight to see, although I agree with what the other guy said; the later is definitely a totally different destination, travel-wise. Kinda weirded out too about Miami being an alternative to WDW, since most folks go there for some PG fun. I'm not doubting Miami's wholesomeness but you know what I mean. :D

Umm, i would take Orlando over Miami sny day.... Tourists and all...

Ditto. I have to visit the so called "Gold Coast" on an annual basis. When I do, I spend as little time and money there as I can.

Disneyland --> Joshua Tree National Park (at the right time of the year)

Yes, they are 120 miles apart, and maybe more of a "do this also" than "instead". We took a road trip last January, 2 days at DL then 2 days at Joshua Tree. So many places for our 6 and 8 year olds to explore, with really grippy rock that makes climbing a lot of fun. Weather in January was perfect, and a *lot* fewer people there :-) The kids both claimed they liked JT and DL equally.

This is a great thread -- I like to keep a list of "next tier" places like these to do when we're going someplace; they're often the most memorable.

Anyone who has spent a reasonable amount of time in Europe knows this. Pretty much everything is cheaper in the US.


not so much nowadays, on a recent camping trip we checked prices at a couple of UK stores and Walmart, Target etc in the US and ended up bringing most of the camping kit with us instead of buying in the US.
Mostly clothes are the same price unless you buy something specific like Dockers or Levis
Lots of the fruit and veg is a higher price than in the UK but I was impressed by the amount of fresh cilantro for $2:D