Is Albuquerque worth visiting? I don’t think under normal circumstances you should make Albuquerque a special destination. Would I go again… in a heartbeat, but I think that had more to do with the company than the city itself. I went with my best friend; I think we could have fun in Antarctica. This is not to say there weren’t a lot of interesting nooks in the city. It is just that when measured against other places (especially if you are bringing your family) you may want to reconsider. Having said that, if you are forced to go there are certainly ways to have a good time.

The Landscape

The surrounding mountains are actually very nice. I have always been a fan of the mountains; Albuquerque is engulfed by beautiful ones. It is then like someone dumped a combination of the little towns found in the South and something out of North Korea in the center of them. One would think they went out of their way to make this place look as ugly as possible. There are some decent houses, but even those are surrounded by God awful, half-built, soulless buildings. Somehow what you see in Breaking Bad is a pretty version of the city. Is Albuquerque worth visiting for the beauty…NO! If you must there are two areas which you will spend your time (neither of them is in the “war zone”, the area between San Mateo and Wyoming on Central Ave.) The two sections to visit in Albuquerque are Downtown and Old Town.

Downtown

Be careful or you will miss this one. I almost did, even when standing on top of it. This is the more “fun” section where everyone goes out. By everyone I mean the tweakers, strung out on meth. Yes, there are non-drug addicts also, just not many of them. I never saw a Downtown so empty on a Friday night. Really this area is dead during the day, and only somewhat lively at night.

I guess the best bars were the strip clubs, so many women just coming up to me, not sure if it was my paper money or my full set of teeth! Dining wise, I really enjoyed the food hall 505 Central. It had a great bar and better food than the one in the Sawmill Market, and I loved the vibe. Downtown itself is not very big by most cities’ standards and some of the bars have weird rules. I was going to recommend Boots and Bourbon, but they wouldn’t let me in the second time because I looked drunk. For the record, I had three drinks at this point. No sir, I am not drunk… and you are making it hard for me to get that way! A small area with bars and breweries, that is about 3 or four blocks. It is your only game in town at night. Is Albuquerque worth visiting for its downtown? Nope

Old Town

Definitely the more aesthetically pleasing of the two areas, it is the section of the city where you go with your family. If you hate them and won’t take them to Disney that is. It is small as well, but busy during the day and dead at night. Is Albuquerque worth visiting just for Old Town? Once again No! It is your typical touristy area, if you want a bad key chain, T-Shirt, or bottle opener this is your place! Having said this, there are some good wine stores and if it is a nice enough day, it is great to sit outside and drink. You can also walk to the overpriced Sawmill market, an expensive food hall that was just mediocre. There are some other places to eat in the area that I will get into in later posts. For now, if you have any decency and a family stay in Old Town.

The Food = Not Impressed

I tried… really, I did, but the food was only OK. I like to eat, and I ate a lot, but many of the meals were clear misses. The first thing you need to know is that Green chiles are huge here. They are known for their Tex-Mex. I had Green chiles on multiple occasions and did not enjoy them in this city. Now I loved the Green chiles in Denver and had delicious homemade chiles in another life, but here in Albuquerque, they just didn’t get them right. All the Mexican was missing a spice level that I expected. We did our best to try as many of the top spots as possible, they all were just OK. My favorite was TINO’S TACOS in the food hall. I thought it would be a drunk night throw away, but it was pretty good.

The food scene did start improving, but I wouldn’t say this is a foodie destination. More chiles on everything, good Hot dogs at the Doghouse, a local spot that was in Breaking bad. I didn’t really try the fine dining, because that is harder to find then Bigfoot riding a unicorn in Albuquerque. Bottom line, the food was decent, but I wouldn’t describe it as good. Oh, as a side note, buy some Pepto, you’ll thank me later.

The Atmosphere (The Feel of Albuquerque)

I always judge a place by how quickly I see someone going to the bathroom in the street. 3-Minutes, that is all it took. Many people think of Breaking Bad when they think of Albuquerque, given the show was filmed there. For me, it felt more like an episode of the Walking Dead. The amount of tweakers strung out on meth was unbelievable (and sad, yes, they are out of their minds, but they are also human beings). It has decimated an already depressing city.

Maybe Albuquerque is worth visiting just to scare kids straight. Nancy Regan has nothing on these people when it comes to antidrug ads. Being yelled at by a crazy lady. Seeing a man take a #2 in a dumpster, and the number of solo conversations was unbelievable.

The whole place looked like an alternate universe. There were even addicts in Old Town, although not as many. The buildings were old, at times in the middle of town at a reasonable hour there was no one around. Not even a car, hell not even a dog barking. Every city has a feel (but Charlotte), the feel you get from Albuquerque is depression.

Is Albuquerque worth visiting? At Times I Thought Yes

Even after the subpar food and depressing environment I still had fun. This might have had more to do with my friend joining me. Misery loves company… and it loves Tequila. I had both. We were able to scrap together a damn fun trip. Every city has its spots, whether it be a drunken visit to the rattlesnake museum (really a glorified pet store without puppies) or one of the many breweries. Albuquerque can be an adventure.

There is plenty to do outside of drinking and eating subpar Mexican food. If you like hiking, you can go see the Native American drawings that must have been done by their kindergarten class. The desert is nice and there are plenty of trails to explore. Of course, there are a lot of deserts in America, but if you are in Albuquerque, might as well hit theirs. Noticed I didn’t mention balloons. This trip wasn’t in ballooning season so I cannot speak to it. If you love hot air balloons, then Albuquerque is worth visiting at the right time.

Bottom Line: Is Albuquerque worth visiting?

While it is possible to have a great time in Albuquerque, there are certainly better places in the Southwest to visit. Hell, there are better places in Iran, I am sure. This is an interesting city. I wouldn’t go out of my way to see it, but if you are forced to go, accept it for what it is and have a great time! Just know when to quit!

The post Is Albuquerque worth visiting? appeared first on Man in Flight.

This is not to say that I did not love Denver in some ways, I did. Under the right circumstances I believe Denver would be a great place to live. The cities in this country are becoming almost uninhabitable. The city policies are to blame, making travel to these areas undesirable.

As a tourist, this is coming from an outsider, who just visited the city for three days. My eyes are peeled when I travel to get a feel for what to write about. I will

I may say something that a local will disagree with and I respect that. Here are my pros and cons of Denver as seen through the eyes of a tourist.

Five Reasons Why I Love Denver

I figured I would start on a positive note and give the reasons why I love Denver. These are in no particular order; they highlight the good things that stood out to me. The below list highlights the pros and cons of Denver, starting with the pros.

#1 Reason I Love Denver: The Food

The reason I lover Denver is the food. Anyone who reads my site knows all I talk about is eating, Denver had great things to eat, especially meats. I love game and it was plentiful throughout the city. buffalo, rabbit, elk, yak, rattlesnake (not sure if this is game) are available in various forms throughout the city. When a restaurant knows how to do wild game right, the “gamey” flavor that could be off putting is not as pronounced. The most popular spot for game is the historic Buckhorn Exchange, I had a wonderful buffalo steak in this establishment and some not so wonderful bull testicles.

Game is not the only thing that Denver is great at, I cannot mention the pros and cons of Denver without discussing the on point Mexican scene. I mentioned this in my last post here, but it bears repeating. Denver produces some amazing Mexican food, especially while using green chiles in its dishes. I may just be hungry as I am writing this, but the city is worth visiting for the green chiles alone. If you visit Denver, hit as many Mexican spots as possible. Food, (especially Mexican and Game meats) is one of the main reasons I love Denver.

#2 Reason I Love Denver: Nature

Denver is a city located extremely close to plains and mountains. This gives the area a beautiful look and feel. Surrounding the city, the mountains provide a gorgeous backdrop, they are exactly what I want to look at when I enjoy a beer. I love nature, where I am currently living in Charlotte there is not the same type of environment. Denver on the other hand is surrounded by it. In a 15-minute drive from the center of the city you can get to the foothills. In an hour and a half drive you can visit the Rocky Mountain National Park, it looks extraordinary, full disclosure I did not visit it this last trip, but I will go back just to experience it. Hiking, biking, exploring are all simply better when you are this close to nature. Call me a tree hugger, but I love the outdoors (love to eat what lives in the outdoors as well, hence my obsession with game meat).

# 3 Reason I Love Denver: The Denver Zoo

Man, I must have lost my mind, talking about a zoo as to why I love this city. Let me tell you two things, first there is nothing wrong with a 44-year-old man walking around a zoo by himself. Especially at 9:15 am with a beer in his hand. That is not creepy at all, so all you highfalutin parents out there can kiss my…. Secondly, this zoo is amazing. I usually do not like zoos, I hate seeing animals in cages. This zoo gave the creatures plenty of places to roam, which made me feel a little better for them. The variation of animals was great (I know that is the point of a zoo, but this place had everything).

Hippos, lions, gorillas, spider monkeys they were all there, I felt like a child again. Of course, children do not drink before 10am, but I digress. To make things even better they had Dole Whip which is tasty. It is like the Denver zoo was making up for the trips I lost due to the virus that shall not be named. I was supposed to go to Disney, where Dole Whip is everywhere and South Africa where they have terrifying animals. Yes, it was not the same as either, but at least I got a taste of what I missed. The Denver zoo was one of the highlights of my trip and is highly recommended.

# 4 Reason Why I Love Denver: Plenty of Ways to Get Intoxicated

Maybe this is both a pro and con of Denver, but who does not like to chemically forget the world when traveling, I know I do. Denver has a lot of legal ways to do so, the three they are famous for are beer, whiskey, and Pot. Let me start with beer. Denver is consistently ranked as one of the best beer cities in the country, I included a link if you want to read more. If you desire a hoppy IPA (since that is all American breweries make) Denver is the place to go. If whiskey is your thing than I would recommend Stranahan’s whiskey. Spend the $30 and take the hour-long tour, you will find it is well worth your money.

The real advantage of Denver is that it is one of the few states to legalize pot (for fun). Walking into a pot dispensary was wonderful. I felt like Charlie walking into Willy Wonka’s shop, if Charlie loved being baked. The variety was not as huge as I would have liked, I do not smoke, so I settled on an edible. It put me in a great place, they said it helped with energy, but the only fuel it gave me was enough juice to destroy a burger in under 3-minutes. I know the legalization will make its way throughout the country, but as of now, us residence of southern states, need to travel.

# 5 Reason Why I Love Denver: Indie Shops/Areas

When discussing pros and cons of Denver, a pro is their love for independent places. I do not know if Indie is the right word, it is those hipster spots that pop up in every city. Denver has great ones. First there was the Tattered Cover bookstore. An independent establishment that somehow survived (and thrived in) the Amazon apocolypse. I found the store charming, but they were not fully open because of “the disease”. There is also the RINO arts district in the northern part of the city. I really liked this area as well, although it felt like the most hipster place in one of the most hipster cities I have visited.

My inner bohemian came out, because I enjoyed the art on the buildings and the feel of the neighborhood. This is where the Denver Central Market is located as well, and I am a sucker for food halls. I am not saying this was an amazing food market, but it did the trick. The only place I ate at in this market was the High Point Creamery, do to circumstances that shall not be named, they were only seating people outside. Since it was 90 degrees, I opted for ice cream to go.

Those are my five pros, when measuring the pros and cons of Denver. As you can see, I did love Denver in some ways. Unfortunately, the city rubbed me the wrong way in others. I will continue with my pros and cons of Denver and discuss some of the cons, and why I hate Denver (but not really).

Five Reasons Why I Hate Denver

The great food and indie atmosphere of this city was counterbalanced by some negative things. I would not say I absolutely hated Denver, but there were certainly things that I did not like about this city. What is so frustrating much of it could be avoided with a competent government. Below are the five reasons I hate Denver (or more accurately, things I did not like about the city),

#1 Reason I Hate Denver: The Homeless Problem

Maybe I sound cold hearted, but there is a threshold of how far you should let the problem of homelessness get out of control. I do not hate homeless people and understand most of them are going through bad times or mental illness. The way Denver allowed them to take over their city is harmful to both the residents and homeless themselves, not to mention the tourists.

You pay good tax money for a park and cannot bring your children because they are doing drugs in the middle of the day. Trying to walk down the street is a treat. Who allows entire tent cities to be formed on sidewalks? Most of the homeless are either mentally impaired or abusing substances. You can smell the pot as you walk by their tents. I saw three fights between them, I was also screamed at and told to go back to Mexico (for the record I am Italian).

A city should not allow its taxpayers to fear for their safety because they are trying to be “woke”. If you allow homelessness to run rampant, you will lose both your tax base and tourism. In terms of pros and cons of Denver, homelessness is certainly a con.

#2 Reason I Hate Denver: Destruction of Property

Another con on the pros and cons of Denver list is Denver allowed looting and destruction of property. Part of Denver looked like a war zone. Protesting is fine (although I do not think most of the people give a damn about the cause, they care about looking virtuous). What is not fine is trashing your own city. It is not fine to pull down every statue around the capitol building and smash random windows, what point are you trying to make?

Buildings were trashed, windows boarded up and statues torn down. The city officials did nothing to stop this, at least it seemed like they did not. Who wants to visit a city that has been ransacked? The events were not political protests; this was criminal behavior. Unfortunately, the same is going on throughout the United States, but I did not realize it was so prevalent in Denver.

#3 Reason I Hate Denver: Thin Air

Ok, moving off my soap box for this pros and cons of Denver article, onto something that cannot be prevented. I certainly had trouble with the air. It was nothing major, but two factors contributed to this problem being exacerbated. First, I walked everywhere and although I am in good shape, when you walk 35K steps a day a difference in the air will have an influence on you. Secondly, we are in strange times where we are to wear masks whenever entering a building. The thin air plus mask usage led to a lot of discomfort for me.

There were times when I was excessively thirsty, in addition I got tired way sooner than I usually do when traveling. My sleep was disturbed, which is a symptom of altitude sickness. It was nothing major and I am sure after some time my body would adjust, but it played a factor in my energy levels. To prevent any side effects, make sure you are hydrated and have some Aleve on hand.

#4 Reason I Hate Denver: Punk Hipster Kids

Alright back to my crotchety old man mindset. Denver is a young city, population wise. I was told the average age was around 36, making me the town elder. This partially explains why they had such terrible riots. I do not have a problem with young people, it is just the blatant rudeness they showed on my trip. Three times I am walking and someone with a scooter almost crashes into me. Once I dove out of the way. Did I get an apology? Of course not, not one of them even stopped to look if I was ok. I like scooters, but they are being driven by kids with no consideration for other people.

Then I had the truck full of kids with a flag on their car just lapping the city blasting their music. All they wanted was attention, it was sad. I could not sit outside and enjoy a beer because every 10-minutes they would ride by. Of course, there was also the smell of pot drifting in the air. Not just in some places, it was everywhere. There are edibles for sale people, you do not need to smoke at 8:30am, keep the air clean. Most of these people just do not have consideration for those around them.

#5 Reason I Hate Denver: Strange Weather

Weather can be either a pro or con of Denver, depending on your experience. Another nitpick, and I am sure I did not spend enough time in the city to get a good feel for it, but the weather in Denver is odd. I went in the middle of September, coming from Charlotte I was looking forward to the cooler temperatures. Especially since the city received a snowstorm a week earlier. Well, to my disdain it was 90 degrees every day. Walking was already somewhat difficult because of the thin air, add to that the heat, it was bothersome.

The thing that really annoyed me was the wild temperature swings. It would be 55 degrees in the morning then jet up to 90 in the afternoon. Yes, it was a dry heat, I am not sure why people say a dry heat is better, it never is. Like I said this is probably more my experience than others, but it something that irked me when I was there.

Conclusion: Pros and Cons of Denver

Those are my pros and cons of Denver; my goal was to give an honest assessment of my trip. Would I go back to Denver? Certainly, most likely I may spend more time in the surrounding parks than the center of the city, but I would return. It is my hope that the city gets cleaned up a bit. If you are a local from Denver, let me know what I got right and wrong on this list.

The post Pros and Cons of Denver appeared first on Man in Flight.

From an outsider looking in, what is Denver known for? Denver, Colorado is known for its breweries, a great selection of meats, a younger population, and its beauty. These are just a few of the things that Denver seems to be famous for. Not to be forgotten, Denver is also known for its green chilis and excellent Mexican food. This list is not all inclusive, but it is what stood out to me.

Denver is a interesting city, but I was mixed about it overall. Maybe it was the fact that I travelled alone (a bit too soon) or some of the negative things that were highlighted because of the times we are in. Let me save that for a later post and discuss in more depth what Denver is known for.

Denver is Known for Its Beauty

At least on the outskirts, Denver is a beautiful city. It could be just me, I love the mountains, even if I did not visit them directly on this trip, they were all around me. Denver is near the mountains, but not in them so you get the benefit of being able to visit this city without all the hills on the streets.

The landscape is extremely beautiful, especially if you can get to a rooftop bar. If you desire to get a better look the obvious solution would be to go to Rocky Mountain National Park. If you are visiting from out of town you need to rent a car or take a tour. The park is about an hour and a half out of the city.

You do not have to travel an hour and a half to enjoy the mountains of Denver, the closest mountains (or really foothills) are about 12 miles away from the city. You can also visit Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, which has hiking trails as well as roaming buffalo (those are separated). This is only about a twenty-minute drive from Denver Center City. The proximity to the mountains as well as its abundance of nature makes Denver known for its beauty.

What Food is Denver Known For?

This is where I can almost say I am an expert, if you have read this blog before you know how much I eat. Denver was no different. I tried and I tried to consume everything the city had to offer. Luckily there are things in this town that help increase your appetite, I will get to that later. I would say Denver is a great eating town, I am not sure if it falls on my list here of my favorite food tourism cities. I would not hate you if you included it. Below is what Denver is famous for in terms of food.

Green Chilis/Mexican

Being from the east coast I did not realize just how bad are Mexican food is here in Charlotte. Most of the people I spoke with (who never visited the city) did not know Denver was such a hub for Mexican food. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. From my first bite of the free salsa I could taste the difference. The Mexican food from Denver to Charlotte, or even New York is not comparable.

Green Chilis take their dishes to a whole new level. If you go on the outskirts of town, they are grilling them fresh on the side of the road. Every Mexican restaurant has a bunch of dishes with green Chilies. When they add pork to it, you can put these chilies on a shoe, and it would taste amazing.

My personal favorite Mexican restaurant in the short time I visited Denver was La Loma (linked their website here) close to center city. The menu has a slew of items that include green chilis, you can also add them to any dish. I am a sucker for old lady recipes in restaurants. When I saw Grandmas famous green chili, I had to try this spot. If you are asking what is Denver known for, green chilis is on the top of the list…of course there is a more famous food.

Rocky Mountain Oysters

I did not see these in a slew of places, and I am starting to think they may be more of a novelty then a staple. Rocky mountain oysters are bull testicles for those of you who do not know. Not to be confused with the ones on Fire Island in New York. When served, it is best, they are somewhat fresh, (who likes the taste of old balls) and deep fried. I had mine at the famous Buckhorn Exchange and let me tell you… they were just OK.

My Opinion…

It was not even the guilt or disgust of what I was eating, I am just not a huge fried food guy (except with Chicken). I heard someone got them grilled, which sounds just awful also. I think my real issue with these, besides the fact that I was eating testicles, was they had a real organ like taste, almost like a gizzard. Try as I may I have never been able to enjoy organ meat. Rocky mountain oysters may be what Denver is known for, but they are not my cup of tea.

Game Meat (Meats in General)

Besides eating the testicles of an animal, the selection of creatures to eat seems endless. Given the areas proximity to the mountains and plains there are a lot of options which we do not see that often here on the East coast. At the Buckhorn Exchange I had a delicious Buffalo steak. Not gamey, like it is so many times, it was perfect. I know we can find buffalo here, but it’s never the same level of freshness and rarely in steak form.

I also had a great rattlesnake and rabbit hot dog. Well, the meat was great, spiced well, I was not crazy about the topping I chose (curry on a hot dog…is not wonderful). When in Denver swing by Biker Jims Gourmet Dogs for a selection of unusual hot dogs. I also had the mystical jackalope hot dog, which means I could have been eating anything from pig to possum.

Elk, beef, rabbit, duck and especially lamb are delicious in Colorado. It may be the best place for meat in the United states, although Texas may disagree. When going to Denver have as much game as possible, I do not think you will be disappointed.

Denver Omelet

I would be remiss if I did not mention the Denver Omelet in this part of the post. It is the only omelet I know named after a city, so I should at least touch on it. I had an extremely nice meal at The Delectable Egg, a place not too far from my hotel in the center of the city. For those who do not know it is an omelet with ham, cheddar cheese, bell peppers and onions. Nothing groundbreaking. Was my Denver omelet better than others I had, I am not sure…but admittedly it was damn good at the Delectable Egg.

What is Famous For: Beer

Denver has more breweries than any other city in the United States. I thought Charlotte had a lot of breweries, but it cannot even touch Denver in terms of volume. Needless to say, I drank a lot of beer when I visited. I hit many breweries, my favorite was the Great Divide Brewery, which is about three blocks from Coors Field. I had a good lager and the atmosphere was perfect.

Another great place to grab a drink is Tap Fourteen, which is a rooftop bar (not a brewery, but full of local beers). The atmosphere was what I really enjoyed about this spot. Admittedly, the customer service was lacking. The bartender was good, but when I walked in at exactly 11:00am the guy acted like I stole his first born. Still it had a great feel to it and a perfect view. Overall, I found it to be a really nice place with a good selection of beer.

I liked the beer a lot in Denver. My problem with breweries is they are extremely similar. Whether in Charlotte, Denver, or Asheville everyone has the same lineup of beer. A lot of IPAs and other hoppy products and a few weird flavors like grapefruit or strawberry (I do not consider those beers). They may finish it off with some subpar pilsners. Do not get me wrong I like a brewery now and then, but give me a whiskey any day of the week. I would say above all Denver is known for beer.

What is Denver Known For: Legalized Marijuana

While we are talking about getting F-d up, let us talk about the legal drugs. As a libertarian I am all into the legalization of Marijuana. If you like pot and you are not hurting anyone, well then get baked. My stance changed a bit (but not really) after this last weekend in Denver. Denver is known for having a younger crowd who like to smoke. My problem is that at times it is all you can smell.

Maybe I am turning into a crotchety old man, but when I go for a peaceful walk at 8:00 am I do not want to be overwhelmed with the smell of pot (or any smoke). Cars pull up people are high. Walking down the street people are high. I get that it is legal, but a little courtesy and responsibility would allow it to become more widespread. Stop proving the naysayers right!

This is not to say I did not wander into a pot store…I certainly could have! An edible may or may not have fallen in my mouth, which brought me to the sunken place from Stranger Things and making me crave both Ramen and hamburgers. Hypothetically, for the record, I settled on a hamburger from Cherry Cricket. I vaguely remember it being great. All I am asking for is some common sense when smoking or eating…after all aren’t pot heads known for their logical thinking?

Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey

If beer or pot are not your thing let me recommend a tour at Stranahan’s whiskey. It is a bit of a trek so you will need to grab a Uber. I really enjoyed this place. I had an amazing old fashion before the tour and loved the tour itself in which you are given what looks like about 6 shots. One of the highlights of my trip to Denver was Stranahan’s whiskey . I would have stayed longer but I had a date with bull testicles right afterword. To find out more about tour times there is a link in the heading of this paragraph.

What is Denver Known For: Easy Transportation

Maybe this was just my experience, but I felt like Denver was incredibly easy to navigate. First, leaving the airport you can catch a train to center city. The cost is $10.50, and it brings you directly to Union Station. The train and tickets are right outside the Westin hotel.

Once you get there you can walk the 10 blocks to your hotel like I did. I was only carrying a small backpack, so it was easy. Or like an intelligent person, go to the 16th street mall and take the free bus that runs up and down the street. Just jump on and off and it takes you almost to the capitol building.

Of course, there is always Uber or Lyft for those hard to reach spots. Those are good options as usual and relatively cheap. I walked a lot, the city is very easy to get around, when the weather is nice take a stroll instead of a car. I averaged around 33K steps a day to give you an idea of how much I footed it.

To Recap….

So what is Denver known for? To consolidate what I said above about Denver is famous for

1. Great Food, like Green Chiles and Game meat
2. Edible testicles
3. Beer, Beer, and more Beer.
4. Legalized Pot in so many wonderful forms.
5. An awesome transportation system (in my opinion)

Those are the main things that I took away from my trip to Denver, but obviously the list is not all inclusive. My flight was so cheap I can see myself flying out again to explore the mountains a bit.

Conclusion: What is Denver Known For

So those are my takeaways from the city of Denver. Did I love everything about the area? No, and I will write another post shortly on the things I both loved and hated about the city. It is a different place, certainly with an interesting feel. It was also my first trip solo since the apocalypse ruined my life. When I once again grab a travel partner, I may return and my view may change. My eyes may open to some different aspect of the city. For now, the above is what I believe Denver is known for.

The post What is Denver Known For appeared first on Man in Flight.

So, when is the best time to visit Charleston? A three to four-day trip in the time frame from early October to mid-November is the ideal time to visit Charleston. March and April would be my second consideration. Both make outside activities more pleasant, due to the preferable climate. Avoiding the heat and humidity is key for this city. To get the best memories from your trip you need to be able to walk the area easily, something that is not pleasant to do in the Summer months. A rule of thumb for all these regions is Deep South + August heat = misery. Ok, maybe misery is too strong of a word, but it may feel miserable at times.

I have traveled to Charleston in all seasons, I love it in all seasons. The fall is just my optimal time to visit the city. Most activities are more enjoyable in this period. Summer is only good if you are going specifically for the beach. Let me break down why I think that October – November is the best time to visit Charleston.

Why October – November is the Best Time to Visit Charleston

Weather…there article done. Oh, wait I have about half a page more to write. Seriously, if you never have been in the deep south during the summer, than you have never knocked on the door to hell. It is funny, I go to New Orleans every summer, and the pure volume of alcohol makes it a bit easier to take the heat. Charleston is not New Orleans; the heat can get down right overbearing in the summer. It is also less socially acceptable to be drunk at 10:30am.

The average high temperature in July and August is close to 90 degrees. That is only half the story. Add to this heat a humidity that makes it feel like you have a 100-pound safe strapped to your back. The combined southern heat and humidity is a special kind of awful. It makes even the smallest things uncomfortable.

Let us compare this to mid fall temperatures and it is much more reasonable. The average high for October is 75 degrees, in November that falls to 67 degrees (source). This is the perfect weather to enjoy Charleston. To make things even better the humidity is (mainly) gone at this time. This is important for reasons I will get to in a moment. One last note about Charleston’s weather in October. Rainfall is also considerably less in the fall than the summer. Average rainfall in the summer months can reach up to 9 days a month. In October and November that falls to about 4 days. So, when is the best time to visit Charleston? The searing heat of summer shows why we should push your Charleston trip off to fall.

Outdoor Activities in Charleston

It is especially important to avoid the heat of Charleston in the summer because of the plentiful outdoor activities to enjoy in this city. As mentioned, unless you want to spend the weekend on the beach many of your experiences will be better with less heat and humidity. Let me just name a few.

Carriage Rides in Charleston

It is bad enough I am making these poor horses cart my fat arse around, now I am going to double down on this and am making them lug me in the dead of Summer? Take my advice, give you and the horse a break and go in October. I enjoy a good carriage ride around town, you learn a lot of history and get to see the city. Take my word for it is better in cooler weather. You feel more comfortable at this time. One bonus certain body functions of the horse aren’t as tough on your nose in the cool months of October or November.

Plantation Tours in Charleston

One late spring while staying in Charleston, we chose the Middleton Place as our home base. We stayed in an interesting room on the plantation. The atmosphere was amazing, the environment was beautiful, it was great to just explore. Except…once again the heat was overbearing. We could not walk more than 10-minutes in some areas due to the heat. I believe that was in May, I can imagine how bad it would have been in August.

Just Exploring the Streets

As anyone who has visited this site knows, I love walking the streets of any city. Strolling from one café to another to enjoy a cold drink. Here again, the heavy humidity doesn’t lend well to this. I do not like eating in the heat, unless it is New Orleans and I am too drunk to care. October is the best time to visit Charleston because it lends well to doing just about nothing.

I can go on, but you get the point. Any outside activity besides a beach is no fun in crippling heat. Fall just has better weather, which makes for a superior time.

Festivals in October/November

The cooler weather also allows for some great festivals and events. I will go by last year, but nothing is guaranteed in 2020 travel. Events such as the Charleston Gallery Association Art walk and the Charleston Greek Festival occur in October. After 2020 I am confident we will get to a more normal schedule, but double check the dates.

Given we are entering into the holiday season in October you can also enjoy many Halloween related activities such as the Lowcountry Halloween Fest, among others. In November Christmas starts to pop its head out a bit. Besides the decorations, the Festival of lights starts on or around November 15th. Once again I would double check these dates. You get nice weather and that warm and fuzzy holiday feeling.

There are also great festivals NORMALLY in Charleston in the springtime frame. If you are a runner in April, they have the Cooper bridge run. Hotel rooms are not easy to come by at this time, but the run itself looks great to those who like running. Unless there is She-Crab soup at the other end I will watch.

Why Not December in Charleston?

The weather is still nice in December, but it can get colder especially by the water. It can also be strangely hot. I have been to Charleston, on Christmas day no less. The main reason I prefer October and November to December is I am a Christmas nut. When we got there on Christmas day it was 75 degrees, people were in shorts. Nothing kills the Christmas buzz more than a warm Christmas. I am not drinking hot eggnog or hot chocolate while getting a tan. This is my preference; you may think differently.

March-April

I touched on this before but let me reinforce that if you can’t come to Charleston in October or November, April and March also usually have great weather. April more so than March, March is a bit unpredictable in Charleston, with a little more rain than the fall and a bit cooler. Still both months are a great time to visit Charleston.

When is The Best Time to Visit Charleston?

As I mentioned (many times) October and November are the best time to visit Charleston. The second best time is March-April. If I had to pick the perfect time to visit Charleston, probably right around Halloween. Cool weather, great events, for a first time visitor to the area I cannot see any drawbacks. Every trip is different, weather can be unpredictable, but on a whole late October should work out to be the best time to visit Charleston.

The post When is The Best Time to Visit Charleston? appeared first on Man in Flight.

My friend who joined us on the trip had someone curse him out, on his way to get a cigarette. I guess lung cancer and heart disease are OK, but Corona is a death sentence? It is funny how we are terrified of the things we are told to be, but tune out, other, obvious risks.

I have traveled during some interesting times in the past. We went to Istanbul during Easter, during the referendum, when the leader was holding a vote to increase his power. The area felt almost warlike…probably due to the tanks and rifles… as always, there is an eeriness in the air whenever you are traveling during a crisis…

So what was New York like? It was a complete dichotomy; the world was ending and yet, no one knew it (or cared). Yes, a lot of things changed, it was like the city was closing down around us. Below are my experiences with traveling to New York during the Covid 19 outbreak…

The Build Up

The day we left, mayor Bill De Blasio was encouraging healthy people to go to restaurants and bars. By Saturday, all bars and restaurants were ordered to remain at half capacity. By Sunday night, all bars and restaurants were closed for any dine in meals. Lucky for us, we were able to eat our fill before New York shut down.

Empty Plane

The airport was nearly empty when we got to Charlotte. Our bus from the parking lot did have a fair number of indestructible millennials on it, but for the most part the crowds were significantly reduced. We get to our gate and there were around 10 people waiting for the plane. Three of those people were waiting for another plane, so there was a total of 7 on a usually full flight from Charlotte to New York. I have to give it to American Airlines, they could have canceled the flight, but decided to keep it running…

When we landed in LaGuardia it was also creepily quiet as well. Some people had masks, most still didn’t, but the airport on a whole was empty. The roads were still crowded, but we were traveling in New York during rush hour. Getting to the hotel we saw more (or less) of the same.

New York Half – Full

One thing I noticed almost immediately were the streets were much more manageable than usual. Our first stop was the Chelsea Market, and it was surreal. The place is usually prohibitively crowded, but there was almost no one there. Check out the picture below.

Chinatown (yes, I had to go to Chinatown) was also empty. At least the restaurants we visited. We went to Shanghai Dumpling (formerly Shanghai Cafe) there were only around 15 people eating there at 1PM; this was a place that at 11:00 am typically had a line out the door. It was a theme I noticed throughout the city and even the streets; as you would expect, there were fewer people…

Times Square

Look at the difference in crowds…

Now look below…

For those of you that know me, you know that I would rather tour the streets of Wuhan and let people cough in my mouth than visit Times Square…but I was traveling with out of town guests, one of which had never been to New York. Seeing Times Square when in New York is like getting a colonoscopy, everyone has to do it at least once, but it’s a pain in the ass. The last time I went, I couldn’t walk the streets they were so crowded; this time it was a different story. Well, here is hoping dirty Elmo and discount Mickey are starved off the streets!

The End was Not Near

Turn on the news or read the internet and you would have pictured New York during Corona to look like Mad Max. Contrary to popular belief, there were not bodies lined up on the streets. For the most part it was empty, comparably, but there were still people enjoying life. Some bars were a third full, but some had a line out the door. We went to a Starbucks Reserve which was full, but not overwhelming, one morning. Nobody seemed to blink at the Corona virus in many places. Yes, people were talking about it, but they didn’t feel the impact or weight of the city…

For example, the bar in my hotel was empty the first night, but people spilled out on the street on Saturday. We went to a comedy show that was half empty…or half full, but there were people making fun of the virus and not panicking. My group took a cruise around the Statue of Liberty, ate out a lot, and even went to the top of the Empire State Building.

Precaution Not Total Isolation …

I would rather live my life and risk getting a disease that kills 1% of the people affected, then hide in fear for 6 months. Of course things have changed a lot since last week, I am not taking any trips today. If I do go somewhere (14-days after I got back), A. the place has to be open, B. I avoid crowds if there are any. I did self-quarantine when I got back. Having said all this, I am starting to think the cure is worse than the disease…

We all have to explore our own personal risk appetite. I don’t think it is fair to bow to the whims of the most paranoid around us. The virus is real and scary, but there are reasonable steps and there are “close the whole world down and hide under the bed steps.” I have been held up for the past nine days to make sure I have no symptoms, so I am not a complete monster… I am glad that I went, as New York may never be the same after half the independent restaurants/bars go out of business…

The City Was Closing Around Us

One strange thing was watching New York closing around us. When we arrived many of the museums were closed, but a lot were still open. As mentioned, the bars and restaurants were at mandatory half capacity. This was a law that was not enforced very well, as there were signs on the tables just made the available tables more crowded.

On the Statue of Liberty cruise, we learned that One World Trade center closed. They even roped off the street so you couldn’t see the memorial pools. While Essa Bagel was hopping, the bars were already on a delayed opening by Sunday, and as we were leaving, it was announced that they were shutting down for good. The city that never sleeps, was officially put to bed…

Conclusion: Visiting New York During the Corona Virus

Some call me crazy, some selfish, but I am going to live my life. As mentioned, I did self – quarantine when I returned. I have been working from home since I left, and limited my time outside. Ask the restaurant owners if I was selfish, or the bars that are barely hanging on because of this virus. Some of us have to be selfish, or there will be nothing left to go back to…Charlotte may be where I live, but New York is my home, and I was not going to allow a virus to scare me away from it, I know we must be hypervigilant during this time….but the life lived in fear, is the life half-lived…

It’s up to you, New York
New York
New York

The post Traveling to New York During the Covid 19 Outbreak appeared first on Man in Flight.

First, what is a Hurricane Drink? It is a rum based cocktail; the good places use light rum and finish it off with dark rum on top. It is mixed with fruit juice (preferably homemade), commonly passion fruit and orange juice.

The creation of the cocktail is credited to New Orleans tavern owner Pat O’Brien. The bar allegedly started as a speakeasy called Mr. O’Brien’s Club Tipperary and the password was “storm’s brewin'”.

In the 1940s, O’Brien needed to create a new drink to help him get rid of all of the less-popular rum that local distributors forced him to buy before he could get a few cases of more popular liquors such as scotch and other whiskeys. He poured the concoction into hurricane lamp shaped glasses and gave it away to sailors. The drink caught on, and it has been a mainstay in the French Quarter ever since..but today you can only get the original in a few bars.

This isn’t a one-shot drink, good places make it taste like candy, while giving you 4-5 hits of rum. You probably should sip them, I never do…hence my “incident” on my plane ride home. I love these at all times of day. It is best to start them before 9 AM so you can get a nice lunch time nap… All Hurricane Drinks aren’t created equally, the below are my favorites.

Pat O’Brien’s

Hurricane Drink Price: $8.50 (with signature glass)

Not the best Hurricane in New Orleans, probably below average in my opinion, but I have to include them. After all they invented the damn drink, even if they did cheapen it with a thick corn syrup base. Located on Bourbon Street this place is always packed and has a nice patio. They also have food, crappy as it may be, the alligator is a safe choice if you must. Go, have a Hurricane Drink, take a selfie for Instagram and move on. There, I got Pat O Brien’s out of the way, now onto where you should REALLY go….

Curio

Hurricane Drink Price: $9 Happy Hour: $ 6

An unassuming bar right outside of the Hotel Monteleone, it is me and my crews traditional morning Hurricane Drink. So much so, that I am more likely than not, going to grab some and bring the late sleepers one as a wake up call. The cocktails are really a work of art. I was told by the bartender that this is the recipe Pat O’Brien’s used to use, until they swapped real juice with the corn syrup mix mentioned above. The cocktail may take a bit longer to make, but it is worth the wait.

Notice the color, a bit more orange/yellow than most of the other places we visited. Real juice isn’t hot pink, and you can tell by the flavor that this juice is legit (not a mix). What is even better, buy a Hurricane drink at happy hour (3PM-6PM) and you will get it for only $6. They have food also, and it looks delicious, but I only went for the drinks.

Fritzel’s European Jazz Pub

Hurricane Drink Price Varies

This bar is about as ‘divey’ as they come, complete with the hottest bathroom in America. We always end up here on our trips to New Orleans, and always have fun. The Hurricane Drinks are better than most, although their pricing scheme is a bit suspect. The sign outside reads Hurricanes $5, we walk in sit down and get three. The bill was $30, apparently there is a different price for takeaway Hurricanes. My assumption is those aren’t as good…

Having said this, the drinks themselves are great and I always seem to have a good time when I come here, they usually have free music, which never disappoints. Of course, every time I hear music in New Orleans it is good…

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar

Hurricane Drink Price: Its foggy

Admittedly, it gets a little dicey when remembering the Hurricanes at this old establishment. Lesson: Jurricanes at night are less remembered than daytime Hurricane Drinks. I know I enjoyed it…it was definitely better than Pat O Brien’s, I don’t think they use a mix. It was just past 6 PM in New Orleans, and at this point details start to escape me…

This bar has been around for hundreds of years so they must be doing something right. The also serve something called a Purple Drink, but I was too drunk to remember this when I got there. Just know this…between all the bars on Bourbon Street, gravitate toward this one.

and finally….

The Gazebo Cafe

Hurricane Drink Price: $9

I really love the Gazebo Cafe; they have a little to go window right outside the main restaurant. It is the perfect place to get your second Hurricane when on your way to breakfast in the French Market.

I would say this is a close second in terms of favorite Hurricane Drinks in New Orleans. For about $9, you get an amazing beverage, of which they do the second pour of dark rum to finish it. I hit up this spot every time we pass it, usually on the first morning.

I did eat there one time and listened to the free live music they were playing. It has been a while since I tried the food, but I remember I liked what they served. As usual in this city, I always enjoy the music.

Conclusion on The Best Hurricane Drink

Admittedly, this is almost a best Hurricane Drink in the French Quarter list, not all of New Orleans. Really, where else are you going to drink them? I am not running around the Garden District or the business district with a red Hurricane Drink in my hand. If you are near Frenchmen’s Street, I will give an honorable mention to Iggy’s a local bar that somehow I ended up spending a few hours. The people were friendly, even to those of us that wandered off from the French Quarter.

If it is your first time in New Orleans, and you want to experience a great Hurricane Drink, this list won’t lead you astray… just remember to pace yourself…(drink WATER!).

The post Top Five Best Hurricane Drinks in New Orleans appeared first on Man in Flight.

This post is a long time coming. I have been going to Charleston for years and it has a special place in my heart; amongst my favorite reasons, this is where my wife and I got married. We have spent many weekends exploring the city (and prepping for the wedding). Since then, we have continued to return to the city throughout the years, once even on Christmas day. Needless to say, I love this city. The last time we went was last month, and once again,  we had a great time. To be fair there are some drawbacks to this classic town, but for me the charm of the city keeps me coming back.  Listed below are the reasons why.

The Food in Charleston is Amazing

Certain cities in the United States are food destinations such as New York and New Orleans. Charleston should be added to this list, it should be a destination for anyone who owns a mouth. Like other food destination cities, there are certain dishes I would only get in Charleston. My favorite being She-Crab soup. I would bathe in this stuff if it were socially acceptable. A rich, creamy broth, with chunks of crab and added sherry that gives the soup a nice burn. This is one of those items that can’t be (or shouldn’t be) had outside of Charleston.  My two spots are Middleton Place Plantation which is somewhat of a drive, and Amen Street Fish and Raw Bar. There may be natives who stumble upon this site and have a better spot, pray-tell me about it..

Another item that seems to have been born here is shrimp and grits. Two simple ingredients and such a deadly combination. I had it last month, at High Cotton. This restaurant is highly recommended for all meals, they can make a shoe taste good.

All in all, there are so many good restaurants, with so many good items, that one section can’t begin to capture it. I very rarely have a bad meal in Charleston, when I do my wasted hunger is a greater loss than the money.

One additional thing I love about the town is they have a great bar scene. My favorite is Thoroughbreds Lounge, inside the Charleston Place Hotel. The open setting, combined with the piano player makes for a very cool atmosphere. The drinks are also wonderful, as is the sweet, savory, spicy nuts they put on the table. The Gin Joint is another bar that I attempt to get to at least once a trip. A bit small inside, but it has a great atmosphere with some very nice drinks. These are just two of many great bars in Charleston.

After all these cocktails you may want to eat again. Pizzeria Di Giovanni serves a pie the size of a football field. It wasn’t New York Pizza, but it hit the spot. Speaking of wanna be New York Pizza avoid the place with the name New York City Pizza on Bay Street, after eating a slice here I finally found out what they did with all those horse droppings from the carriages. 

Charleston has Great History

Whether you want to see where the civil war started, Fort Sumter, or you just want to look at old southern mansions and plantations, Charleston is your place. This is one of the oldest and historically significate cities in the United States. Charleston is ranked as the 11th oldest city in the U.S., and is as important as any in the country.

Just walking around the city is like going back in time. Stroll through the streets and admire the old homes. Walk down Rainbow Row and enjoy the street or make your way to the marketplace, which has an terrible history, but now sells local products with a museum underneath. Walk to The Battery, where you can overlook the Atlantic, and spot Fort Sumter on a clear day. I would recommend taking a short walking tour, the history can be so subtle you may miss something.

For the braver soul learn about the cities haunted past. We have taken two tours now, one a walking ghost tour, which taught us as much about the city as it did scare us. The second was something that had us rethinking our sanity. We took a tour of the old Charleston jail, where a number of local famous criminals died. The woman who lead the tour is either a liar, a crazy or a brave badass (my vote is the latter). The stories she told would make me rethink my career choices if I were her. Of course, on the other hand, she also offers a private ghost study at 2 AM, that I may be crazy enough to check out…

Charleston is Beautiful

Whether it is Christmas in Charleston or the dead of the summer I feel like I am in a Hallmark movie when exploring the city.  It almost looks fake at times; no city can be this perfect. Expensive shops and galleries line Meeting Street. You have horse and buggy tours pulling people around town. In once section there is water, other parts of town there are picturesque plantations. The area is truly like a painting. It is also one of the cleanest places I have ever been too, that is saying a lot with the amount of people (and horses) on the streets.

It is no wonder why we (and thousands more) chose to get married in this town. I can think of no better back-drop. We got married in the center, at the Mills House hotel. For this reason, we always at least stop by for a drink every time we return. 

For a more rustic feel, check out the Middle Place Plantation (mentioned early regarding their she-crab soup). Just walking around the grounds is beautiful, on a cool day, I can spend hours wandering the trails. I even saw a tiny alligator swimming in one of the lakes. Where there are small alligators there are big ones so watch your step.

Negatives about Charleston: It is Expensive

Charleston is unnecessarily expensive. Yes, I love this town, but some weekends we are talking $400 + for a room in downtown Charleston. There have been times when our trip cost more than a trip to Istanbul, with flight. 

The meals aren’t much of a deal either. Yes, the food is great, but expect to drop $150 on a dinner for two. Drinks, around $15 a pop in most places. During the week you can find some good happy hour deals, I try and ramp up my drinking in this time frame. 

The Parking Racket

On top of the stomach-turning cost of the hotel, almost all decide to screw you even more by charging around $30/night to park…at their hotel. This for those who didn’t parachute through the window.

To make matters worse, some of the independent lots are owned by criminals. Example: During this last trip we parked in a lot behind the Hilton run by the scumbag behind the Hilton. Every morning I would pay the $8 a day as advertised. So how surprised was I to find that me and everyone else in the lot had their car booted? So, when this idiot gets there, I show him the money that is still partially in the slot.  He says he doesn’t care and proceeds to charge us $50 anyway. Then, charges my wife’s card for the last day of parking, after he booted us and stole our money!

This is such a common theme that the local news did a story on it, of course city officials could care less, half of them are probably on the take.

Other than these annoyances. I can think of no reason why you shouldn’t visit this city, park accordingly and thoughtfully.

Conclusion

Charleston, South Carolina is among a small handful of cities that should be visited by all Americans. It is the perfect place for a long weekend and has something for everyone. Beaches, hiking, great food, it is just an all-around great city.

The post An Honest Review of Charleston, South Carolina appeared first on Man in Flight.

Take out the Amish and Lancaster just feels like any other country town, with not much to keep yourself entertained. I know Hershey Park is fairly close, about a 45-minute ride. You can also take a road trip to Philadelphia, which is around an hour and 20 minutes away. I have yet to do either of these things, but as a child I did both. I travel to Lancaster for work, whatever fun I have is in the immediate area. Below are my observations, both good and bad of Lancaster, PA.

The Area Is Very Beautiful

Driving from the Harrisburg airport to Lancaster, I must say the area is very nice. Farm houses, limited power lines (the Amish don’t use much electricity), and rolling hills are what I noticed first. It is peaceful driving around the county. There seems to be an ample supply of petting zoos and small markets stores selling T-Shirts and trinkets. A lot of the town has a very old-timey feel, although there are a lot of stretches of commercialized property.

Lancaster, PA is Somewhat Boring

I keep going for work, so I am not here to be entertained, but I must say it isn’t the best place to be stuck in for a week at a time. Outside of visiting an Amish farm or taking a buggy ride, there isn’t a whole lot to do in the area. The town seems to be stuck in two separate time warps. One that was in the 1800’s, where many of the Amish live, the other is the 1980’s.

The supermarkets there are terrible, at least the ones I visited. The town also still has the old school Walmart’s that look like Kmart’s. Hell, they didn’t even sell beer in the Walmart. Even if I wanted to be entertained by an Amish farm, it would be difficult, as they all close so early. Lastly, everything seems like a trek to get to, I would just as soon hang out in my hotel room. Better than driving minutes and dodging horse-drawn buggies.

Amish Restaurants are Great

All that said, I did venture out to try the food in certain areas. I will risk banging up a rental for the right meal. If I am going to be stuck in Lancaster I am going to find what is unique to the area. I went to two separate Amish restaurants and had a good experience with both. First, I hit Good and Plenty, a restaurant with two dining options.

I could have tried the “family style” which is basically all you can eat or just order from the menu. Instead, I ordered from the menu and I was not disappointed. To start, they bring out “fresh baked bread” which was just white bread slices. It came with apple butter and whipped butter. You can get me to eat an old shoe if it had enough of their apple butter on it, so their generic white bread didn’t last long…

I ordered the fried chicken, the chow chow (which is sweet pickled vegetables) and finished my meal off with some Shoo Fly Pie. I never had Shoo Fly Pie, for those of you who don’t know what it is I would rename it Gateway to Diabetes. It is pretty much a crumbly crust filled with straight molasses. To this day I can’t decide if I liked or hated it. I need to try it again…

Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant & Smorgasbord 

The other Amish restaurant I went to was the Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant & Smorgasbord, which was also delicious. Apparently, most of the Amish restaurants have buffets, because a quick Google search and there are at least five of them. Once again, I decided on the sit down menu, although I did go to the salad bar. One of the stranger items on the menu is shown below. No, I didn’t castrate Rudolph, those are red beet eggs, and while they taste as good as they look, I will not be going back for them. The turkey (see above) on the other hand was delicious. It was so fresh I think I passed him on the way into the restaurant. The meal was complete with cranberry sauce and “filling”, which is another name for stuffing. It was Thanksgiving in July minus the beer, football and obnoxious relatives.

One disappointing item I discovered had nothing to do with the Amish. I had a theory that since I was so close to Philly, the cheesesteaks must be great. That theory was way off base, the picture below shows a sauce filled, soggy mess. The bread was nothing special and it didn’t have nearly enough cheese. Overall it is entirely possible to gain 5 LBS in a week there if you like country cooking and baked goods, just stay clear of the cheesesteaks.

The Amish Themselves are Varied and Every Where

I am not sure what I expected, but I certainly didn’t expect to be driving down roads with a horse and buggy behind me. If you hate bikers, you will despise the Amish buggies. They are all over the road and seem to be a bit of a hazard. I find it funny they don’t drive cars, but the technology that built the roads is A-OK.

In reality there are about 30 different types of Amish, from the strictest sects to the Mennonites who actually drive cars and have cell phones. It was eye opening for me to see someone in Amish gear with a smart phone, but that is why I like to travel, to learn about other places and people.

Other Attractions

There are other things to do in the area besides eat that I did not try. They have a bunch of breweries, such as Benford Brewing Company. Living in North Carolina I have had my fill of breweries. There are also a lot of parks that add to the area. Lastly, there is an amusement park called Dutch Wonderland. I thought about going then I realized I wanted to live, so I changed my mind. Driving past it at night, it looked like a place where serial killers go for a conference. I would choose to take the 40-minute drive to Hersey, but that is just me.

Final Thoughts on Lancaster, PA

I, by no means think you should plan a trip to Amish country as a primary vacation. If, however you are close to the area, in Philly or Hershey Park make your way to an Amish farm. Our country is so varied, with so many different cultures it is a good idea to see as many of them as possible. Have a slice of Shoo Fly Pie, eat some turkey and learn how people live without cell phones. I personally think I have had my fill, but that isn’t my choice. I will be back multiple times for work…Lancaster, PA gives you the opportunity to see a different side to our country, which makes it worth a quick visit…

The post Observations From Amish Country: An Honest Review of Lancaster, PA appeared first on Man in Flight.

Christmas in Charlotte is nice, partly because in the last few years I (Ok, and my wife..maybe, mostly my wife) have incorporated a few traditions to bring out my festive side. I usually hit one place a week, starting the week after Thanksgiving. So, breakout the eggnog and the ugly sweaters, let me tell you about my Christmas in Charlotte.

Old Mecklenburg Brewery Christmas Market

Nothing makes me merrier than having a couple of pints of beer and a few pounds of sausage. The Old Mecklenburg Brewery Christmas combines the Christmas feeling, with a nice buzz. Come here at Christmas and you will witness the most efficient beer station in the states. It is runs like an assembly line, which is perfect given the crowds. The atmosphere is magical, albeit with an unusual number of dogs and babies for a brewery..

The market itself is always fun, with local venders selling a variety of goods. There are many artists, jewelry makers, and people selling honey for $3000/ounce (slight exaggeration). Most of the venders have just the right mix of indie local goods and overpriced specialty items that the Hipster/Bankers eat up. Somehow it works for me, but I am usually only a spectator. There are also fire pits, mulled wine, and other things to get you in the spirit. After walking around, grab a seat inside-if you can, and order some of the best sausage in the area. The Old Mecklenburg Brewery Christmas market is a great way to start the season.

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

My favorite thing to do when celebrating Christmas in Charlotte is the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. This, of course, is best enjoyed in the cold and at night. The display is one of the better exhibits of Christmas lights I have seen. The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is not close, located in Gaston County (not really Charlotte), but well worth the drive. A benefit of having the location so far away is that none of my friends can see me looking like an 8 year old when I am enjoying the lights and the Christmas music. The decorations are spectacular, and the entire area is set up to make you feel as if someone shoved a candy cane in your ….hot chocolate..  Get your mind out of the gutter this is a Christmas post!

Besides delicious hot chocolate, beer and wine can also be purchased, along with popcorn and other snacks. If the lights weren’t festive enough they have other activities, like a horse and carriage ride, and a full band/choir playing/singing Christmas music. In the last couple of years, they even had a Santa that was so realistic he had me helping little old ladies across the street (to show I was being good). The thing I love most about the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden at Christmas is how peaceful it is at every turn. Yes, it can get crowded, but there are major stretches where I don’t see a soul. Combined with the cold, Christmas music, and the lights it is one of the more peaceful and festive Christmas experiences in the city.

Holiday Home Tour

We have done this for the past two years, and it is another great way to get into the season. It entails walking through people’s very nice, historic homes that are (usually) decorated. The tour takes place in Charlotte’s Fourth Ward. While waiting to get into the homes, you can enjoy a neighborhood that is geared toward Christmas. There is music playing, people handing out cookies, etc.  The homes vary in decorative extravagance, but really given the location, all are envy worthy. Some homes have a better story, some are decorated nicer than others, but all are worth seeing. There is the bonus of getting a thimble full of liquor or a small piece of chocolate at the end of each tour. Just don’t wear high heels, I think those are frowned upon..

Finish your night off with the Uptown Christmas Market, which is in walking distance.  By walking distance, I mean about ten minutes away. It is a lot like Old Meck with shops and things, except there is no brewery. There is however, beer and mulled wine, if you are so inclined. Walking around uptown is also a nice experience. The light displays Charlotte puts up are usually pretty good at getting me in the Christmas spirt. During the day they also have a place to ice skate, copying every major city in the US…

McAdenville

I went to McAdenville for the first time a couple of days ago, and I can see the appeal.. If your idea of fun is sitting in traffic for a couple of hours while looking at pretty good lights, then have at it.. To me it was like a brighter, more colorful version of my morning commute..minus a bit of the swearing. It is still fun, even while watching the parents drive through the lights and seeing the glow of the kids IPads and iphones in the back seat…

The town was mentioned on MSN as one of the countries quaintest Christmas towns. Therefore, I feel like I had to add it to my list.  Enough people have mentioned it to me, to where I got the gist of what was going on before I even got into my car. Of course, there is no there is no beer or mulled wine to be had, due to driving. One tip, leave about 20 minutes before the lights are set to come one, around sunset. Keep circling until dark if need be. The traffic is significantly less, although still bad, if you leave immediately before sunset. If you get there at the wrong time instead of spending Christmas in Charlotte, you will fell like you are spending New Years in McAdenville..

Christmas in Charlotte

That is the extent of my Christmas in Charlotte. It isn’t Washington DC, New York City or even Detroit for that matter, but it does offer enough to make my heart grow three sizes too big. If only for a month and a half.. After that I go back to being the scrooge of Charlotte. If you are in Charlotte for Christmas, I wish you cold weather and a festive season.

The post Christmas in Charlotte appeared first on Man in Flight.

Washington D.C. is packed with activities and every season has a different feel. Speaking of different feels, the city has a noticeable change from the last two times I have visited it.  I’m not sure if it was the heat of the summer or the lunatic in the White House, but there is definitely more tension in the air. Still any American (or anyone for that matter) who wants to get a true understanding of American history needs to come to this city. There is so much to do, the food is good (maybe not New York good) and with so much history, it is the most important city in the country.

So, onto the highs and lows of the Nation’s Capital, Washington D.C.

The Good: Washington D.C. Monuments

You know all those National Treasure movies…well it’s time to see those landmarks in person. As a side, no way in hell that dude is getting into any of those security laden areas. No matter how many times I visit this city I am drawn to and remain in awe of the monuments. The Washington Monument is amazing (whoever designed it had a very high opinion of Washington), and needs to be seen in person to be fully appreciated it. My absolute favorite is the Lincoln Memorial.

Take the long stroll past the Reflecting Pools to get to the memorial and you can overlook much of the city from the stairs. We are drawn to this site every time we visit, the inscriptions and the statue itself can’t be missed. Be sure find the footprints where Martin Luther King stood giving his famous Dream speech. The only thing I don’t like about it are the tourists who take selfies and almost look bored lounging on the steps.

There are so many other monuments that I am not doing the area justice, I can’t mention everything, but be sure to visit the World War Two Memorial, Vietnam Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial.

The Good: Washington D.C. Museums

I believe Washington surpasses New York with the sheer volume of museums. You have all the Smithsonian’s, The National Gallery, Ford’s Theater, and the Spy museum to name a few. The best part about it is most of them are free. Well free in the sense anyone can just walk in, not if you take into consideration how much we get screwed every year on April 15th. The Spy Museum and Ford’s Theater do have a fee. I can’t speak for the Spy Museum, but Ford’s Theater is worth the price of admission.  It is nice to be able to spend an entire day seeing history and not have to reach into your wallet too deeply.

Mixed Feelings: Food in DC/Georgetown D.C.

I know when I only gain two pounds on a trip the food isn’t as amazing as it could be. D.C. has its bright spots, and it even made it onto my top cities for foodies post. There were a lot of meals I had that were good, but nothing I would consider outstanding. I had decent soup dumplings in Georgetown at Dumplings & Beyond. They were good, not great, with no alcohol available. Plus, I had to hire a private detective to find my waiter the service was so bad.

There were some highlights, China Boy is always good for quick, cheap dumplings.  I also never had a bad meal Sichuan Pavilion (we eat a lot of Chinese in D.C.), it is always our first spot for dinner. Lastly, I need to mention once again (mentioned it in my previous foodie post) a spot in Crystal City, the delicious kabob joint Kabob Palace. I don’t care if my Turkish friends laughed at it, the place (which is open 24 hours) serves some of the best kabobs I have ever had. Kabob Palace in Washington DC is definitely worth a stop for some good cheap middle eastern food.

I will also say for those who enjoy an adult cocktail, the Round Robin Bar is also a must. Not to be confused with a place to get endless fries and a colon cleanse. The Round Robin Bar is a high-end bar located in the Willard Hotel. The place is beautiful, classy and all the drinks are spectacular. You shouldn’t be ordering just any drinks though, the mint julep was invented here and it needs to be tried. At $15 a glass it might seem high for one cocktail, but they are well worth it.

Mixed Feelings: Expense in Washington D.C./Georgetown

At times D.C. felt very reasonable, and at other times I felt like I was in Deliverance because of how badly I was being ripped off. Drinks in D.C. were pretty much the same price as other cities, even cheaper than those in Charlotte. Hotels are sometimes reasonable, we stayed at the Hotel Lombardy for around $100/night, a 4-star hotel close to the White House. I have stayed at the Willard for a little over $200 a night, it is worth every penny. Yet, like most cities, prices vary greatly from one weekend to the next.  Food felt like it was a bit pricier than in other cities, nothing outrageous, but nothing that I would call a great deal.

Parking is really where they screw you, our hotel charged $40/night parking. It is almost better getting your car its own room in the city.  There are other parking decks available throughout the city, but most of them are closed on Sunday rendering them useless. It creates a situation like a roach motel…cars go in, but don’t come out.  Overall Washington DC is neither a deal nor overly expensive.

The Bad About Washington DC: Crowds

Given that so much is free the city is a mecca for every class trip or family getaway. Washington D.C. gets very crowded, especially near the monuments and the Smithsonian Museums.  Kids sitting and climbing on Lincoln like he is a playground. That is something I find annoying about people, who probably never even cracked a history book outside of being forced to, taking a selfie near a major historical monument. 

Some of the museums are worse than others, but at peak times they are all a mad house. The Natural History Museum and the Air and Space Museum are both mucus factories, with thousands of little kids stuffed into them. I can feel myself getting hand, foot, and mouth disease just by touching the door. Some of the other areas aren’t as bad, so pick your spots and times wisely.

The Bad National Museum of African American History and Culture (How it is Operated)

This is not a testament of the museum itself, I never actually entered the establishment. This is geared more toward how it is run. After walking 30 minutes in 90+ degrees we get to the gate and are immediately and rudely blocked while trying to enter. We are then told “as it says on the website you need tickets to enter.” In true government official fashion, they create a awful, complicated policy and make it our fault when it isn’t understood. No one thinks to put a sign up? No one thinks, since EVERY OTHER DAMN MUSEUM can be entered freely that this should be as well? I never actually could get into the museum, I am sure it is wonderful, but I wouldn’t know.

The Ugly About D.C.: Our Current Political Environment (i.e. Trump)

Trump has created an almost depressing environment that can be felt throughout the area. I am no liberal by any means…in fact I think it is a four-letter word, but this guy is hated by both parties for the utter stupidity and classlessness that comes out of his mouth. The atmosphere now is thick with tension, there are addition barriers and restrictions everywhere. Look at the picture above, it tells you all you need to know about how inclusive the city feels. The White house was closed off, even more than normal, with the street in front of it blocked with tape. What is worse, is that it attracts every tree hugging protester from here to Seattle. The whole city just felt uneasy and I blame this environment.. 

Georgetown, D.C.

I am by no means an expert to speak about Georgetown, I only spent about half a day there. Of course, not being an expert never stopped me from dolling out advice. The area was pleasant with a college feel to it and a lot of interesting restaurants and bars. We visited the Exorcist Stairs, which are famous for a scene in the movie by the same name. They really looked like stairs, but if you are a movie buff they are easy to get to and worth checking out. You can then go to The Tombs, a bar right around the corner, where St Elmo’s Fire had many scenes filmed.

The best attraction in Georgetown is the National Cathedral. I suspect this is a site that is missed by most when visiting the area. It should not be, the building is beautiful and there is a lot of history in it. There are many famous people buried here, including Woodrow Wilson and Helen Keller. The building itself is massive and there seems to be some strange art work in every nook of the building. I think, at least on your second trip, you would be cheating yourself by not visiting Georgetown. One thing, there is a cost of I believe $12 to visit this Cathedral.

Recap

To tie it all up, D.C. is great town, with tons of free things to do. If you are visiting for a short time hit the major attractions like the National Gallery of Art, Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials. You should also fit in as many free Smithsonian Museums as you can. End your day with a strong mint julep from the Round Robin bar. If you have time hit Ford’s Theater and take an Uber to Georgetown to see the National Cathedral. Wrap it all by hitting Kabob Palace on your way out. I can’t imagine you having a bad time following this advice..

The post An Honest Review of Washington D.C./GeorgeTown D.C. appeared first on Man in Flight.