Where to eat. Where to stay. Where to shop. Tips from locals.
Today's post is brought to you by an idea shared through a comment by Chiot's Run.
In talking about taking a minimalist trip the notion came up of asking locals where to eat. I then thought how many times I have asked a local where to get a so-and-so when visiting somewhere. Thus came today's idea.
Is a tiny house part of the sustainable movement?
Having lived in several different states in my years, I can chime in on a couple of areas of interest.
Cleveland Ohio – Eat at Great Lakes Brewing Company, Tour the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame and the Westside Market (and shop too!) Stay at the Renaissance Hotel – attached to Tower City. There is a Hard Rock Cafe, public transportation and it's affordable! Plenty to see and do in Downtown Cleveland.
Chicago Illinois – Eat at Smith & Wollensky, Tour Navy Pier and Soldier Field, Stay anywhere affordable, Walk Michigan Avenue, See a Cubs game!
Great resources. I have always wondered what to do in Cleveland. Do you run into Drew Carey there at all?
He comes to Cleveland Indians games, eats and drinks downtown, and frequents the comedy clubs. He's a nice guy. Mostly, his fans just want to take a picture with him.
I'd agree with the Westside Market in Cleveland – awesome. Great Lakes Brewery is right next door to the market. I'd skip the Rock Hall – kind of expensive – unless you're really into music of course.
In Canton, OH, I'd recommend hitting up Muggswigz for a great cup of coffee.
In Seattle I'd recommend: Tilth for good yummy local food, Elliot Bay Brewery & Pub on Bainbridge Island is quite tasty as well. You can visit the Kubota Gardens for free, or swing through Bloedel Reserve for about $16 per person. If you head to Charlottesville, VA visit Monticello and go to the Mellow Mushroom for some good pizza & brew. And don't miss seeing Ash Lawn Highland, mush more understated than Monticello – but equally as interesting! If you're ever in Eastern PA I'd highly recommend heading to Longwood Gardens, it's FANTASTIC. I find myself pining to go back for a visit in each season even though it's a 7 hour drive from me. Here where I live in Malvern you can swing through Chiot's Run and I'll fix you a tasty local meal and Mr Chiots will make you a raw milk latte to die for! We don't have restaurants nearby – or attractions. When we travel we typically look for houses to rent by the week and I find they're usually much less expensive or equally priced to a decent hotel and much more comfortable. You can also save money by cooking for yourself with a full kitchen. If you can find another couple to travel with and split the cost that really helps in the savings – we just did this in Seattle and each spent what we'd spend on a cheap hotel and spent a week in a 4000 sq ft home with gourmet kitchen. If we're not staying in a house we're camping, because that's how we prefer to relax!
I enjoy rentals too. We have rented a cabin in north Georgia mountains, a stone house in Tennessee, and a beachfront condo in Nags Head. Affordable and fun.
Awesome Amie! So you have a good couch to crash, huh?
I was raised in Hampton Roads, Virginia (includes Norfolk and Va. Beach).
I suggest eating at Nick's Fresh Seafood on Laskin Rd. in Va. Beach.
I suggest camping at First Landing State Park.
I suggest shopping at the Chrysler Museum Gift Shop.
I suggest taking a tour of the Moses Myers House in downtown Norfolk.
Before moving to Columbus, Ga I was in Savannah, GA for about 2 and a half years. The best place to eat would be the Pirate's House downtown…and you must take a ghost tour around the downtown area! So spooky!
Orlando…best place to eat Dandelion Cafe (vegetarian/vegan), downtown or Willow Tree Cafe (German), Sanford. Best place to stay…Animal Kingdom Lodge (watch the animals from your room). Best place to shop…depends on what you're looking for. There are a lot of great shops in several of the older towns (Sanford, Mount Dora, Deland, or Winter Park) Best place to take a tour…Winter Park boat ride or Morse Museum (collection of Tiffany).