Over the past couple of years I've been fortunate to visit a number of places on vacation. Here's my list of the BEST OF THE BEST!
1. Stone Mountain - near Atlanta, Georgia - Not really for the faint at heart. This climb was both exhilarating and steep. Pretty sure that I have never climbed up a mountain that was as steep. The view at the top was breathtaking, as was the $15 for 2 gatorades and a snack in the food shop at the top. Hey, sometimes the lessons are easier to apply than others.
2. Las Vegas - The strip was easily the most exciting place we visited. We stayed at Bill's Gamblin Hall, which sounds sketchy, but it was pretty nice and the price/location can't be beat. Seriously, we are right across the street from Cesar's and if you look carefully in the scene from "What Happens In Vegas", with Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz where they are sitting down to eat/have a drink, you can see our place in the background right next to The Flamingo. It was a blast! We walked a lot. If it's people watching you're interested in, then the slice of life you'll find in Vegas will easily top even the busiest airport as far as the melting pot that you'll see. If you take a cab from the airport, be sure to tell them not to take the tunnel or you'll be taken for a ride *wallet emptying style*
3. Zaloos Canoes - Jefferson, NC - This trip we try to take once a year. When the temps soar in the Piedmont of NC, they are very reasonable in the mountains. We pack a cooler with food/drinks and plow into a canoe where we paddle out of sight and let the picnic begin. This is not Little House on the Prarie style. We literally lay and drift down the New River until we have the "Oh Crap" moment when we realize that we have to paddle our hearts out oDr we'll miss what inevitably becomes the last pick up of the day.
4. Spoleto Festival - Charleston, NC - WHAT A BLAST! There is so much to see and do here. This is an arts festival that begins with Memorial Day weekend each year and runs for a couple of weeks. The best part is that this usually falls before the humidity goes ApeCrap in Charleston so you can traverse the entire city without feeling too uncomfortable. One of my favorite places to eat is Bubba Gump's near the city market. Sure, it's a chain, but there's nothing like eating outside on the sidewalk while watching all of the action on Market Street.
5. Dallas, TX - You could literally have a great time just walking around the airport with all of the shops and bars. Here's a tip that I learned on my second visit, which was just a layover - ALL the airport shops close around 10-11, so if you get in any later than that, you're screwed. Otherwise, pull out your credit card and start walking because there is so much to see. Once into the city, the historical significance is all over the place. We drove along the path that Kennedy took when he was assassinated. No visit should be considered complete without a visit to see Cowboys Stadium at Arlington. The tour will set you back around $15 and is well worth it. During my visit, we actually got to go onto the field while the Cowboys were practicing. That was AWESOME!!! You don't have to be a Cowboys fan to appreciate this masterpiece of a stadium.
6. Myrtle Beach - Do yourself a favor and head to North Myrtle where you can avoid the puke/urination fests that plague the downtown area. All you have to do is walk around the downtown area and the smell of urine will be in the air. There will be plenty of souvenir shops with cheap, bright pieces of junk. There is one worth catching although the name is a little off. The Gay Dolphin is a souvenir shop and judging by the condition of the store, it appears that this place was around for a long enough time where no one thought the term "Gay" referred to sexuality. They've easily packed double the inventory that you would expect per square footage in this location. North Myrtle on the other hand is a lot of fun! There aren't people tripping over themselves in drunken stupors or the like. You'll have to head downtown if you're looking for that. We rented a condo across the street from the beach and literally hung out there. There is plenty to do as far as places to eat/shop/walk, etc. The beach makes the whole experience worthwhile though.
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