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Underrated US Cities

superjohn said:
Fly instead of a 4 hour drive? You'll have a way longer day of traveling if you fly.
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It depends on the airport. If it's a major airport, sure. But a regional or smaller, like HPN (White Plains) or John Wayne (Santa Ana), you can still park 30-45 minutes ahead of your departure, clear security and board on time. Even TF Green wasn't too bad when I was still in Quincy after 9/11. Parking garage is right there, no shuttles to gate, quick security.
 
storrsroars said:
It depends on the airport. If it's a major airport, sure. But a regional or smaller, like HPN (White Plains) or John Wayne (Santa Ana), you can still park 30-45 minutes ahead of your departure, clear security and board on time. Even TF Green wasn't too bad when I was still in Quincy after 9/11. Parking garage is right there, no shuttles to gate, quick security.
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Summer 2019 managed a RT flight to Oslo (with a stop in Dublin) from Stewart Airport in Newburgh. Surreal flying across an ocean, land, walk to your car and drive home with none of that typical “airport” stuff.

Westchester is great but my fastest curb to gate is definitely Billings, MT. I’ve done it in 3 minutes.
 
30 years ago, on my first trip to Louisville, my ex-wife left me a voice mail while I was in flight to exit through the main front door and look for her car in the front row of parking, and find the key on the back driver's side tire. It struck me as impossible, but worked.

She also cursed Pennsylvania as "the state that never ends" during the years she semi-regularly drove Louisville to Fairfield County straight through. I did it once: Tracy Kidder's "House" on the trip west, and Garry Wills's "Lincoln at Gettysburg" on the return.

I imagine stopping in Pittsburgh if I were to drive again.
 
Hey Adrien! said:
Summer 2019 managed a RT flight to Oslo (with a stop in Dublin) from Stewart Airport in Newburgh. Surreal flying across an ocean, land, walk to your car and drive home with none of that typical “airport” stuff.

Westchester is great but my fastest curb to gate is definitely Billings, MT. I’ve done it in 3 minutes.
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Pre-quarantine I was flying back and forth between LA and Miami two or three times a month. One of the signs that I knew I was entering middle age was how excited I was when I found a parking lot at LAX where my car would be about 100 feet from the gate on my return flight. From stepping off the plane to starting my car was about 90 seconds. It made me so excited every time. Sometimes being an adult blows.
 
superjohn said:
Fly instead of a 4 hour drive? You'll have a way longer day of traveling if you fly.
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Maybe so.

But I would rather wait in the airport and read, or listen to music on my headphones, or just doze, than driving it.

Even for 2 hours, I hate driving. That's just me, and based on the average age of the survey, you may well be a lot younger than me.

Truth be told, I have not flown for many years. Not out of fear, but out of inertia. In the summer, I pay the fee for a nearby private beach club, drive 30 minutes, sit on the chair, swim in the pool or the ocean, socialize with people, have supper at the restaurant and I'm okay with it.

Lousy Covid put out of business the local Healthtrax, my other recreation spot outside of the summer.

Been to the Caribbean many times over the years, California, Atlanta, Vancouver, Seattle, too.

To each their own.
 
Improviser said:
Maybe so.

But I would rather wait in the airport and read, or listen to music on my headphones, or just doze, than driving it.

Even for 2 hours, I hate driving. That's just me, and based on the average age of the survey, you may well be a lot younger than me.

Truth be told, I have not flown for many years. Not out of fear, but out of inertia. In the summer, I pay the fee for a nearby private beach club, drive 30 minutes, sit on the chair, swim in the pool or the ocean, socialize with people, have supper at the restaurant and I'm okay with it.

Lousy Covid put out of business the local Healthtrax, my other recreation spot outside of the summer.

Been to the Caribbean many times over the years, California, Atlanta, Vancouver, Seattle, too.

To each their own.
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"supper"?

Yeah, you are old. And I'm 65.
 
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superjohn said:
Fly instead of a 4 hour drive? You'll have a way longer day of traveling if you fly.
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My rule of thumb is fly for 8 or more hours unless I'll need a rental car. Then maybe 12 hours. My fiance's family lives in NC and she'll drive like 13 hours to get there instead of flying to Charlotte. It's insane.
 
storrsroars said:
It depends on the airport. If it's a major airport, sure. But a regional or smaller, like HPN (White Plains) or John Wayne (Santa Ana), you can still park 30-45 minutes ahead of your departure, clear security and board on time. Even TF Green wasn't too bad when I was still in Quincy after 9/11. Parking garage is right there, no shuttles to gate, quick security.
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I usually fly out of Providence. 35 minutes away, mostly short lines, easy cheap parking and quick luggage. Downside is you need a connection almost every time.
 
BigErnMcCracken said:
Pre-quarantine I was flying back and forth between LA and Miami two or three times a month. One of the signs that I knew I was entering middle age was how excited I was when I found a parking lot at LAX where my car would be about 100 feet from the gate on my return flight. From stepping off the plane to starting my car was about 90 seconds. It made me so excited every time. Sometimes being an adult blows.
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as a fellow angelino (7 year transplant) any win at LAX is huge. Worst airport situation for any global city. The biggest reason why I have LA as overrated
 
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XLCenterFan said:
You may be right but I just can't bring myself to do it. Whenever I am outside of New England and I see or hear "brewery," all I think about is how I live in beer country and they couldn't possibly do it better. It would be like living in Las Vegas and traveling to experience a casino...or living in Hawaii and traveling to experience the beach. Then the locals try to tell you “this is the best beach.” Right.
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I agree to extent on the NEIPA as I've tried many across the country and they aren't the same level.

Vegas is Vegas was other reasons than the casinos it's everything it can offer.

I've been to Hawaii one of my favorite places but I've been to better beaches in the Caribbean. If you are talking surfing then it's different
 
BigErnMcCracken said:
Pre-quarantine I was flying back and forth between LA and Miami two or three times a month. One of the signs that I knew I was entering middle age was how excited I was when I found a parking lot at LAX where my car would be about 100 feet from the gate on my return flight. From stepping off the plane to starting my car was about 90 seconds. It made me so excited every time. Sometimes being an adult blows.
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When I was young I would go to stadiums and park near the entrance. Was pretty sweet to be go right in (no walk) and quickly get my beer and stuff. Also no long line, cuz I'm right there. Problem always was leaving, and hoping to beat the rush at the end of games.

Nowadays I park as close to the exit as I can, even if they wave me forward. When the game is over, I'm walking by hundred or more cars stuck, waiting to get out. I walk pass them, hop in my car, and simply drive right out of the lot. Saves about 30 minutes or longer.
 
BigErnMcCracken said:
Pre-quarantine I was flying back and forth between LA and Miami two or three times a month. One of the signs that I knew I was entering middle age was how excited I was when I found a parking lot at LAX where my car would be about 100 feet from the gate on my return flight. From stepping off the plane to starting my car was about 90 seconds. It made me so excited every time. Sometimes being an adult blows.
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Speaking of middle age.....I just try to remember where I parked. A few years ago I discovered a technology on cell phones called a camera.
 
Hans Sprungfeld said:
Again for curiosity without argument, are these people concentrated in Humanities, Social Sciences, STEM, or Professional schools.

Here, I'm asking because the New Haven people I had in mind were in Law, Education, Sociology, and Fine Arts, and the only person I ever knew who was at UCSD was a college suitemate who did post-doc training in his medical specialty back when UCSD was much younger and more science/research-focused, which I believe has been balanced over time.
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Humanities.
 
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Chin Diesel said:
Speaking of middle age.....I just try to remember where I parked. A few years ago I discovered a technology on cell phones called a camera.
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When finding my car at night, I discovered another technology (thanks to my daughter), its called the panic button on the key fob.
 
Hey Adrien! said:
Summer 2019 managed a RT flight to Oslo (with a stop in Dublin) from Stewart Airport in Newburgh. Surreal flying across an ocean, land, walk to your car and drive home with none of that typical “airport” stuff.

Westchester is great but my fastest curb to gate is definitely Billings, MT. I’ve done it in 3 minutes.
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Is no-frills Norwegian Air still flying out of SWF? Huge fan of HPN... but if you’re cutting it close and have to lean on the gas pedal, just need to be careful of Greenwich police speed traps on King Street. Same with Westchester County/NYS police on the southern end of 684.
 
karstenkibbe said:
Is no-frills Norwegian Air still flying out of SWF?
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No, they stopped 9/2019, a month after our trip.

By that point, they were leasing flights from a budget Spanish airline, its name I forgot. Only our Dublin>Oslo>Dublin flight was Norwegian Airlines.

Weird being on a flight to and from two English speaking countries with a Spanish speaking crew. It was like being on a Greyhound bus: a few TVs playing whatever movie they want to play and that was it for entertainment. No bad for a red eye, but the return flight got pretty boring by the 7th hour.
 
Jaker said:
If you haven't hung out in Elko, you are missing out.
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I'm calling BS on that.

I've spent enough time in Fallon while in the Navy to know remote piece of crap locations in NV.
 
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Hey Adrien! said:
No, they stopped 9/2019, a month after our trip.

By that point, they were leasing flights from a budget Spanish airline, its name I forgot. Only our Dublin>Oslo>Dublin flight was Norwegian Airlines.

Weird being on a flight to and from two English speaking countries with a Spanish speaking crew. It was like being on a Greyhound bus: a few TVs playing whatever movie they want to play and that was it for entertainment. No bad for a red eye, but the return flight got pretty boring by the 7th hour.
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Hopefully when Europ opens up Norwegian starts flying from SFO again. That red eye they had to London was very convenient.
 
ColchVEGAS said:
Agree with Milwaukee. I travel there for work pretty regularly and was impressed the first time visiting 10 years ago. Summer is a better time, which I am sure goes without saying. Tons of bars and food all within walking distance of downtown. The walk to the lake was not that bad either.

Bringing the family up to Saratoga after Memorial day. Any recommendations as we have never been?
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PJ's BBQSA..the best BBQ I have ever had.
 
Chin Diesel said:
I'm calling BS on that.

I've spent enough time in Fallon while in the Navy to know remote piece of crap locations in NV.
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Battle Mountain, NV is another garden spot. On a mountain south of town, a huge BM, visible for miles from I-80, is boldly outlined in white rock. Probably the most apt expression of community essence I've ever seen.
 
Portland Maine. Go to the bowling alley on Muntjoy Hill or the Blue Spoon. Plus zJohn Ford, the famed director (Grapes of Wrath, Stage Coach) grew up there and there is a statue, not of him but of his brother in town. That would be kind of like putting up a statue to Chuck Lincoln, Abraham’s less successful brother who Abe kept in jobs, but hey, they have their reasons I guess. Great restaurants. Great location. Great Views. Solid brews. And a nice arts scene. And if you go to a Seadogs game on Wednesdays you might win a free washing machine in Washing machine Wednesday promotion which to me is the ultimate minor league baseball promotion by a mile. Terrific beaches 20 minutes away. Excellent skiing within an hour. Oh, and New England’s smallest lighthouse to boot.
 
Hoophound said:
Burlington is a great place. I also like Portland ME, though it probably isn’t underrated. Saratoga and Lake Placid NY are great. Cincinnati is surprisingly cool as is Pittsburgh.

And yes, Hartford. Simply because West Hartford, Glastonbury etc. are dope and most everywhere else in America, they’d be in Hartford. The first time I took my wife to West Hartford we went looking for a house (we were considering moving back to CT). We got some slices at Luna and took a stroll. We went and looked at some beautiful homes and then had drinks and dinner in WeHa. Next day we went to a game at the Rent. She was totally ready to move. She came back to Florida and told everyone, “Believe it or not, Hartford is an awesome place.” She wasn’t getting the whole West Hartford/Hartford thing. To her, it was Hartford.
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Agree on Cincinatti. Over the Rhine and that Marketplace are terrific. The Precint is a great steakhouse and you can go to Reds games for cheap. To your point about Hartford-West Hartford etc, Hyde Park in Cincy reminds me of West Hartford, though not as fake. In Connecticut it would be its own town.
 
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