Sell your Hometown like you really mean it!
10Tell us why we would want to vacation in your hometown.
Seriously.
We all know the Disney vacations can be a bit pricey and not everyone has the cabin on the lake to go to so let us know why we would even consider your hometown for a vacation.
Someone (cough, cough, @fuzzmanmatt, cough) in another topic called my hometown a “miserable tourist town” and I thought to myself that this person just didn’t know what was there. This got me thinking about all the small medium and large cities around the country that the average person knows very little about. To be honest, I have not a clue why anyone would want to visit Dallas, New York, or even Bucksnort, TN.
So convince me to spend a week or two in your hometown.
BTW: If all you can say is, “You wouldn’t want to.” than let us know where it is and why we wouldn’t.
- 21 comments, 54 replies
- Comment
I’ll start.
Traverse City, Michigan. Everyone knows Michigan has a thumb but not everyone realizes it has a little finger too. Traverse City sits at the bottom of Grand Traverse Bay off Lake Michigan. It is know as the Cherry Capital of the World and is the home of the annual Cherry Festival. It is also the summer training camp for the Detroit Redwings. You can spend weeks at the Interlochen Center for the Arts (Check out this years lineup. Hello! Diana Ross!)
The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians have three casino resorts in the area. There is camping (Interlochen State Park is across the road from the Interlochen Center for the Arts), trout/salmon/panfish fishing, swimming, boating/sailing, water skiing (snow skiing and snow mobiling in the winter), and some of the most challenging golf courses in the Midwest. TC (as it’s commonly referred to) has a good selection of both fine dining and casual dining. And the wine…wow! You have to take the local winery tours but be sure to have a designated driver because there are 10 wineries on Old Mission Peninsula alone including Mari Vineyards owned by Marty Lagina of The Curse of Oak Island fame.
@Mehrocco_Mole I’ve been to Traverse City, when we lived in Alma, Michigan next door to the whorehouse for three months. I still have nightmares about that.
Anyway, I loved Traverse City. We went on one of the wine tours. I don’t remember much about it, but I’m pretty sure it was very good.
@Mehrocco_Mole
No, really, I know what’s there. I honeymooned up there. Not to Badger you, but I prefer Ludington. I went to elementary school in Midland, my dad worked in Bad Axe while we lived in Harbor Beach during middle school, high school was split between Mt Pleasant and Grand Rapids. I went to Ferris (hated it), and finally have settled back in GR. Petoskey is nice, I had friends who interned at the yacht club in Bay Harbor, that was a blast. Lots of people love TC, I don’t. It’s too big for it’s own good. I was pretty much miserable from Chums Corner all the way to the Walgreens on the bay. The worst combination of tourists and elderly drivers just put me on edge, and made sure I didn’t want to come back.
@fuzzmanmatt I was born in Midland (Jefferson Acres, Seibert and Adams Elementary, Jefferson Jr. High) Moved to TC after the 7th grade. Lived about a half mile south of Chums Corner after I got married. Worked at WPBN-TV for almost 10 years (started at the age of 14) until I joined the Navy. I will admit TC has grown big time since I left but there’s still a lot to do there.
Hicksville, NY. Cool name. Tell people you’ve been there and they will be impressed. Or just laugh. Whatever. Home of Billy Joel. Nuff said. Go to Ikea. Should take at least a week to find your way out. Enjoy their Swedish meatballs and lingonberry jam while you’re trapped there.
@heartny As few IKEAs as there are around HICKSVILLE is not a location I would have guessed for one their stores to be in!!
Tulsa, Oklahoma. Oil Capitol of the World. All you visitors stay the hell away. Traffic is a bitch now as it is.
You probably don’t want to go to Dallas on purpose, but if you ARE there for some reason then visit The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.
Fort Worth has a much better collection of museums (Amon Carter, Kimbell, and Modern are top tier, plus Cowgirl and Science. All within a few blocks.)
@compunaut one of my favorite memories from high school centers on the sixth floor museum. We went on a field trip two consecutive years to the Amon Carter and the Sixth Floor museums as a combined trip between the American History juniors and the AP Art History seniors.
The second year, a few of us decided to skip the sixth floor and went around the corner to a bar. We sat on the patio, some of us having ordered beers, and relaxed. We weren’t hoodlums, we were honors students. A big part of our group at this bar were probably the top 5% of the graduating class.
About twenty minutes into our stay the American History teacher (who was maybe in her late twenties and therefore didn’t seem to carry a lot of disciplinary weight) came marching up to the railing outside the patio and demanded to know what we thought we were doing cutting out of a field trip and (shock!) drinking beer.
Without missing a beat our future salutatorian said “We didn’t think there have been a lot of new developments in the JFK story since we were here last year, so we decided to check this place out instead.”
She was furious, but he did have a point. I believe we were “allowed” to finish our beverages with some mild rushing before being escorted back to the museum.
Some of us had more beers with that teacher when we ran into her at Mardi Gras the year after we graduated. She was much less uptight when we weren’t her responsibility.
@compunaut @djslack Honestly my only experience with Dallas was overnighting at the former NAS Dallas while ferrying helicopters from the rework facility in Pensacola, FL to various Navy and Marine bases in California. So the only thing I really saw were the insides of bars.
@compunaut I heard that the zoo in Fort Worth was better than the one in Dallas…I’ve been to the one in Dallas and I need to take the tot on a zoo outing at some point…so that may be the next stop…I’ll let you know my thoughts…
@amehzinggrace @compunaut Went to the zoo in Fort Worth a couple weekends ago, was pretty alright but it looks like they’re doing some work on a number of exhibits currently. Did get to see an ocelot though.
@amehzinggrace @ThomasF My kids loved the Ft Worth Zoo when they were younger. Paying the extra $$ to ride the train & merry-go-round was well worth it for us.
It is halfway across town from the Museum District, however.
Normal, IL. We’ve a Normal Fire Department, Normal Water supply, and Normal Police. Nothing suspicious to see here at all. We’ve an extensive bike trail (Bronze in the American League of Cyclists), an uptown Normal scene that’s trying to be hipster, and a Downtown Bloomington scene that’s historic. Did you say historic?!
Did you say newer stuff?
We’ve a “Mass VR” here which allows you to experience a full 4v4 no-tether experience in a warehouse, Mars Rover VR, 360 Airline VR, an Occlus, and some Vives. We’ve also some escape-the-rooms, and a few trampoline parks.
Did you say alcohol?
We’ve a distillery you can sit and drink at and given it’s home to 2-4 colleges based on who you ask, we’ve got alcohol to go around.
We’re right on the edge of 3 highways and have a super nice train station with the money Obama gave us when he said “Let’s rebuild America” those years ago (included a Tesla charger!)
10/10 would live.
My hometown is really just a whistlestop, but it is also the name of the local USPS address which encompasses a much larger area. You just missed the annual horse show, but there are a variety of places you can rent a horse and ride, and hunt clubs if you have some kind of membership exchange; lots of country clubs too. We’re adjacent to a battlefield park with a museum, historical re-enactments, and nature trails; there are lots of paved walking/biking trails in the area if you like that sort of thing. Parts of the town’s namesake, a famous-ish general, are buried in the cemetery of our church. We’re close to the city, which has the usual stuff: history, food, world-class shopping blah blah blah, and in the opposite direction is one of the world’s greatest gardens with, as I’ve said before, one of the world’s greatest restrooms. There are also lots of arboreta in the area HOWEVER within half a mile of my place is a SPECTACULAR public garden (with a much lower entrance fee than that Dupont place) which is a totally hidden gem and worth a visit from wherever you are. There are a variety of places to stay, including a highly-rated B&B, but the 'town’s eponymous hotel is right across from a French patisserie which has spectacular pastry for what are pretty reasonable prices for patisserie. The hotel’s restaurant is also highly rated, but there are some very good restaurants in the immediate area, though a couple are pretty overrated imho. There’s some good local theater too.
@aetris Hm…What is Chancellorsville, Virginia?
@aetris Sounds a bit like Devon, PA.
@cinoclav - You’re VERY warm - but Devon isn’t an official USPS mailing address…
@aetris @cinoclav Okay, thanks to the big clue and https://www.businessinsider.com/5-us-generals-buried-in-more-than-one-place-2015-9 Imma guess Erie, Pennsylvania.
@aetris Wayne?
@therealjrn - You’re wrong but on the right track - great researching! @cinoclav got it, but extra points for knowing the general’s sobriquet.
@aetris @cinoclav It sounds like a pleasant place to visit
@aetris
Sounds like DE, or MD, or se PA.
And sounds v nice!
I have been to that awesome DePont garden you mention in passing. Damn that place is beautiful.
DIPLOMAT! RAT-A-TAT! FAT CAT! AWESOME!
@f00l - Longwood Gardens are beyond fabulous, but tickets ain’t cheap and are timed these days. Chanticleer, the garden near me, is fabulous and a lot cheaper. If you’re ever in the area be sure to check it out - and drop by to say hi! I’ll treat you to your choice of patisserie!
@aetris
That offer is so cool!
I was there for my brother’s wedding in Wilmington. More than 30 years ago now. His kids are all married. None of them live anywhere close to the Chesapeake area at the moment.
But if I get back that way …
@f00l - Just so’s you know, here’s part of the selection at Au Petit Delice:
@aetris I do have the distinct advantage of living 10-15 minutes away. I’m right on the edge of Haverford by Merion Golf Club. Technically in Havertown with an Ardmore mailing address. Your clues all stood out to me. As much as the Devon Horse Show is world renowned, as well as the gardens nearby, the true giveaway is that I remember Longwood being voted as having the best restroom a few years back.
@cinoclav - Those restrooms are worth the trip! Oh, and the gardens are nice too.
@aetris Every couple of years we try to get there for the Christmas show. I’ll have to remember to drink a lot of water before I go next time. I used to live a lot closer, having spent my early years living near Rt. 1 and Cheyney Road in Glen Mills.
@aetris
/giphy sigh
Meth Capitol of the USA, you’re welcome
@tinamarie1974
What place isn’t the Meth HQ Of The US these days?
/giphy meth
No, you don’t want to come here. I’m still trying to find my way out.
@Barney I thought you already left Alma.
@Mehrocco_Mole Ha! Alma MI, the town of which nightmares are made.
South eastern Massachusetts… I think it’s better to live here than to visit here. We have access to beaches (Cape Cod), skiing an hour+ north, 1.5 cities (Boston and kinda sorta Providence), dense enough to be around people if you like with rural town pockets if you don’t, good seafood / food, nuts about sports (with good teams most of the time), and lots of good schools.
The only reason I’d live somewhere else is to be close to my kids if they move away or Hawaii. Live here, travel to other places.
@zinimusprime Love the Cape during the summer such a good time.
@Targaryen Once you’re there it’s great, but that 495S 2-lane gauntlet is painful…
@zinimusprime Yeah, and there is always that back up at the beginning and the end of the weekend on the Bourne and Sagamore which sucks… but other than that it’s good!
@Targaryen @zinimusprime yep. we did a weekend trip to the cape when we visited our son in Boston… had a great time. Traffic was a bitch. Next time we are headed north to Portland to eat lobster…
I live in a fine place with many good points. But it’s not really a standard “tourist destination”.
If you already have a reason to come here, come! There is much to enjoy.
If you don’t already have a reason, don’t come. We have enough people already!
If you come, Welcome!
Have a great time!
Enjoy some BBQ or Tex-Mex while you’re here!
(Not mentioning the location, deliberately)
@f00l - Come on, at least give us some clues?
@aetris
I’ve mentioned my loc at other times. Just didn’t mention it here, to be contrary.
DFW.
DFW Officially Has Too Many People.
It’s a pretty decent place to live.
Whether one does or does not agree with the prevailing local political tone (which is changing anyway, tho I don’t know what direction the local politics are headed, things are way too unpredictable …)
@f00l - Well, I’ve only been to the airport, but there did seem to be a LOT of people there! And I’d like to start a movement to change the gate names to DFWA - it’s hard to tell the difference between B,C, and D over a loudspeaker!
Conveniently split by a major highway, all parts of this town are quickly and easily accessible! One of the buildings in town holds a Guinness World Record. Come visit and see if you can guess which one! Like lakes but hate “lake people”? This town is within 30 minutes of two different lakes. Not too far, not too close. Come visit Casey’s General Store; famous for their artisan pizza. Relax at one of two different public parks. Take a dip in the public swimming pool. Drive around and admire the intricate mix of gravel and asphalt roads that make up our side streets. Take the edge off by visiting the local bar. (assuming it’s still open…) Or, try the liquor store on main street; it has the cheapest booze in town! Are you super into courthouses and post offices? Great! We have one of each! Before you head home, be sure to gas-up your automobile and grab some road snacks at either of our friendly gas stations. Thanks for visiting!
@medz - Des Moines? We have in-law relatives out in Cherokee, but I’ve never been out that way myself.
@aetris @medz
Gosh. I might have to move.
@aetris @medz Des Moines has far more than 2 gas stations and more than 2 public parks.
@medz Been there, couldn’t get out of town fast enough.
@medz
Are you my neighbor? This sounds suspiciously like my town. We even had the world’s smallest Walmart (now changed to the smallest super Walmart)
@chienfou oh no. That town ain’t big enough for a Walmart.
Ever been to Spencer, Massachusetts? It’s the home of the creator of the lock stitch sewing machine. Travelers often stopped for the night at Jenk’s Tavern in Spencer, as did General Henry Knox, pushing his cannons through the streets of the town on his way to Boston from Ticonderoga, and George Washington in 1789. Spencer still has colonial-era milestone markers showing the route of the old post road. That is about it. Oh, there are two recent celebrities from my town. Patrick Ricard currently playing on the Baltimore Ravens and, Leah Van Dale or Carmella as she is currently known in the WWE.
My “hometown” for the last 30 years has been Provo, Utah. The home to BYU, Utah Lake, and Rock Canyon. If you come in the winter you can ski at Sundance. If you come in the spring/fall/summer months all sorts of outdoor recreation opportunities await you.
We have some of the finest one off restaurants I’ve ever eaten at including Block, Communal, and Black Sheep. If big chain restaurants are your thing, we have plenty of those.
We have two bars, including the bar with an American flag on the wall with only 48 stars, because, fuck Alaska and Hawaii.
Lots of indie coffee shops, but interestingly enough, the only Starbucks in Provo is inside the Marriott hotel.
And that’s just Provo, the surrounding area has plenty of attractions.
But please, leave after a week. After years of being on “most livable” lists I’m really tired of all the population growth. And with the NIMBY attitude towards high density housing, prices for living here are out of control.
@j37hr0
Like Puerto Rico, they aren’t real states anyway.
@j37hr0 @therealjrn
I can’t afford Hawaii. Tho I have gotten wet at Waikiki.
But I’ll take Alaska!
Just lemme get some bear repellent.
/giphy bare bear
My actual town is not that big of a deal. The cool stuff is in the towns close by.
Obama did come and golf here though.
@RiotDemon Mike Pence was in Tulsa today, not golfing though, he was working.
I don’t know about your home towns, but West Covina had a hit show and song about it!
@madoka iiiin West Covina where Madoka was born and raised…
26 miles of man-made beach, a working non-navigational lighthouse, home of Barq’s root beer, used to have great seafood, home of a large air force base, home of a confederate president, used to have lots of large historical homes (two hurricanes took care of most of them), there is a movie using the city name, hot… the only number higher than the temp is the humidity (mostly), casinos with buffets (:-) , short trip to other interesting places
@nasman6 If you want to celebrate Mardi Gras, but New Orleans is too much for you.
@nasman6
Nearby Pass Christian?
That image is taken shortly after Katrina
The look was similar after Camille.
@nasman6 I was once in an outdoor wedding in July in Pascagoula where the bride’s mom kept us in our tuxes for a long photo shoot after the ceremony. I feel you on that humidity. (Not that it’s not humid where I am).
yea, the humidity is like a wet wall. Near the Pass, Biloxi actually.
4th of July parade is still a month away and chairs have gone out already for peoples favorite seat spots
@CaptAmehrican but you can move their chairs if they or not there? Or, hey I need a new chair and this one looks nice!
@tinamarie1974 people don’t. It just simply is not done. I always want to go out on july 3 and move the chairs on the south side of the street to the north side and the north side to the south side . But no nobody messes with the chairs
@CaptAmehrican The fact that people don’t move the chairs is a pretty impressive selling point for your hometown.
Port Hope, ON, Canada
My hometown is pretty historic. It has one of the best preserved main streets in Ontario. It is pretty small, but not too small where you can’t get stuff you need.
There have been several movies filmed there, most recently the new IT movies. It’s actually kind of weird seeing all the places that I grew up on film like that.
Also, we once had a pretty bad flood, so now there is an annual event called “Float your fanny down the ganny” where townspeople build a float and race down the Ganaraska River.
We have a pretty fun “Fall Fair”, complete with demolition derbies. I spent several summers working as a Carnie.
The town is also right off of Lake Ontario, which has a beach, fishing, boating, etc. Lots of small creeks and such, hiking trails, and other outdoorsy stuff.
Just don’t stay too long, you might turn radioactive.
@lichme that all looks pretty fun!
@lichme @moonhat That looks real nice, Lich!
I’m from New York City. I was born and raised here, left for a while, and came back four years ago, hopefully for good.
If you want an up close and personal example of the diversity of humanity, I highly recommend taking some walks through New York, past the tourist traps and into where people actually live. (Though the tourist traps can also be wonderful - I’m a big sucker for the city holiday markets and the museums.)
I like the fact that I don’t need to own a car, that I can take public transit and walk everywhere.
I like the fact that I can pick my adventure, based on what I’m feeling and how much I’m willing to walk.
I like the fact that I’m ten minutes walk away from small businesses with Chinese, Nepali, Filipino, Peruvian, Colombian, Mexican, Irish, and Italian food, run by owners who identify as such.
I like the way the sun set over all this gives it a warm and lush glow, as people build lives and communities in mostly harmony.
/image Union Square Greenmarket
/image Bryant Park Holiday Village
/image Museum of Natural History origami Christmas tree
/image Fette Sau Williamsburg
/image SriPraPhai Woodside
/image Sean Og’s Woodside
Sell my hometown?
I’ve already listed it for sale a few times & no one believes I own it.
Maybe I should print up an official-looking deed or something.
@daveinwarsh You live on the Brooklyn Bridge? Cool!