Destination Cities Take a Hit

By Jeralyn, Section Economy
Posted on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 02:57:36 PM EST
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Las Vegas and Miami are feeling the economic downturn. That's really too bad as both cities are a lot of fun to visit. Maybe instead of grants for law enforcement, the next stimulus bill could include some incentives for the rest of us to vacation so workers in the tourism industry won't lose their jobs.

The Miami article begins with a nod to a new book by author Steven Gaines, “Fool’s Paradise: Players, Poseurs, and the Culture of Excess in South Beach.”

The gossip-larded social history of Miami Beach spans the decades-long transformation of what the author calls “the little sand bar across the bay” into a fast-and-louche Eden, where corruption, street crime and profligate spending were as integral to the landscape as sand and swaying palms.

Gaines has previous books on the excesses of the Hamptons, evangelical preacher Marjoe, Studio 54, the Beach Boys, Alice Cooper and designers Haltson and Calvin Klein, among others.

Way back when around 1971, just before law school, I spent summer evenings acting in an off-off Broadway play about Charles Manson and Gaines was my guide to places like the back room at Max' Kansas City. I doubt he'd remember me but I'm happy to plug his new book anyway because he's fun to read and it was a really fun summer:

So, if money weren't so tight right now and you could afford to take a little time off, where in America would you travel, just for fun?

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Destination Cities Take a Hit | 31 comments (31 topical)

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DC (5.00 / 1) (#6)
by Cream City on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 05:56:14 PM EST

I never can get enough of our beautiful Capitol city -- and all the free museums. All museums ought to be free.

But I'd wait a little while, because I've always wanted to get there at cherry blossom time.:-)

If you go at cherry blossom time (none / 0) (#8)
by andgarden on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 06:00:13 PM EST

you'll be inundated with other clueless tourists. The time of year to go is October IMO.


But that would be letting (none / 0) (#9)
by dk on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 06:03:24 PM EST

the clueless tourists win!

The Cherry Blossoms really are pretty.


: Indeed they are (5.00 / 1) (#10)
by andgarden on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 06:10:37 PM EST

In all seriousness, the only time you don't want to go to Washington is in June through September, and arguably January to March.

Well, I find that I can escape the tourists (none / 0) (#11)
by Cream City on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 06:12:33 PM EST

by going to the more esoteric museums -- and the great Library of Congress.

Btw, I agree DC is nice in October. One of my fave visits was a for a conference on Halloween weekend. What a hoot it was, riding the subway to one of my destinations, along a subway line past several campuses. The costumes were political, sometimes politically incorrect, often quite creative.


The Library of Congress (none / 0) (#14)
by MKS on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 06:53:28 PM EST

is visually stunning....My favorite building in D.C.


: It used to be good for reading to (none / 0) (#20)
by jussumbody on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 11:32:19 PM EST

I went there when I was young and before Reagan ruined the place. You could have any book on any subject delivered to your desk within minutes. By the 90's you had to wait a couple hours and most of the books you requested were not found (probably thrown in the trash, or at least that's what someone who worked near there told me once). The last time I went it was only open to people working on dissertations and stuff who had obtained passes from their congressmen. It was WAY better than the internet is now. I couldn't even tell you what the building looked like but it was one of my favorite places in DC (growing up around DC, all those white sepulchres look the same).

North Shore Oahu (5.00 / 1) (#12)
by MKS on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 06:35:46 PM EST

It is hard to get better than that....Wonderful people, wonderful outdoors, close enough to Honolulu....

: Agreed and (none / 0) (#15)
by Jeralyn on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 07:13:24 PM EST

I'd love to revisit Maui, Kuaui and Kona on the Big Island as well.

Boston (5.00 / 2) (#29)
by cal1942 on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 09:55:11 AM EST

One of our daughters qualified for the Boston Marathon.

We're ecstatic and very happy for her. Every marathon she's run has been an emotional experience for all of us and the fact that she qualified for the Holy Grail of Marathons and the ancestoral ties to Revolutionary era Boston are just overwhelming.

We've been planning this trip since the day last October when she qualified.

Congrats! (none / 0) (#34)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 02:01:44 PM EST

Qualifying for Boston is an achievement all by itself. A huge amount of time and effort to train for it.

My wife qualified at Sacramento and ran Boston about a dozen years ago. I ran one marathon, NYC, about a decade ago with the intent to qualify for Boston, but my time was no where even close.

Where did your daughter qualify?


: She qualified (none / 0) (#35)
by cal1942 on Tue Feb 17, 2009 at 10:30:08 AM EST

at Grand Rapids. Doesn't sound very glamorous but 26.2 miles is 26.2 miles.
It was an ideal situation for her. She lives in a suburb of GR so she got ample rest before the race, did not have to take a trip away from home prior to the race.
Additionally running at GR meant that one of her friends, a much younger, faster runner who had already qualified, was able to run with her as a pacer. To say the least we were all very moved by her friend's generosity. In January her friend's husband was layed off putting her run at Boston in jeopardy. We're taking her and her husband with us. There's no way we'll let such a great friend miss the opportunity to run at Boston. I told her she was now a member of our family.

Probably Key West (none / 0) (#1)
by andgarden on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 03:02:12 PM EST

Nowhere else is guaranteed to be warm this time of year.

: Key West is another (5.00 / 1) (#2)
by Jeralyn on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 03:05:26 PM EST

of my favorites. NORML holds a legal conference there every December, and this year was the first one I've missed in a long time.

Fallingwater and Winterthur. (none / 0) (#3)
by oculus on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 03:18:38 PM EST

Oh, and Chicago, based on NYT review of Edward Munch retrospective at the Art Institute.

And, of course, Manhattan. New play opening this week starring Jeremy Irons and Joan Allen: Impressionism. Plus Gergiev conducting LSO in Prokovief symphonies and concertos and Renee Fleming in her signature role: Rusalka, at the Met.

: Ah, well, New York for theater (none / 0) (#18)
by Cream City on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 07:58:44 PM EST

any time, you're right.
For Chicago, give it a bit more time because springtime is marvelous in the Midwest. The Munch show will be there -- we're doing it next week, but then . . . for us, Chicago is that balmy site to the south.:-)

My partner and I are going to Vegas (none / 0) (#4)
by dk on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 05:44:36 PM EST

for a few days at the end of March. It's been so cold here (in Boston) this winter, I can't wait.

Orbitz has some very reasonably priced air/hotel packages.

North Dakota (none / 0) (#5)
by DaveOinSF on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 05:51:19 PM EST

And Minnesota and Nebraska and Montana

Why? 46 down, those 4 to go.

Twin Cities -- don't miss (none / 0) (#16)
by Cream City on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 07:56:39 PM EST

the Devil's Kitchen restaurant, especially for breakfast. Fun place in decor, waitstaff (in pajamas at breakfast time), good food reflecting local resources -- such as my rec, the porridge with wild rice and berries.

But then, I agree with the Ojibwe that wild rice -- "the food that grows on water" -- was given to us by benevolent gods/spirits/your pick.


: Sounds lovely (none / 0) (#30)
by DaveOinSF on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 10:22:33 AM EST

thanks for the rec.

: Just did a quick google search... (none / 0) (#31)
by DaveOinSF on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 10:24:36 AM EST

Is it Hell's Kitchen or Devil's Kitchen?

Mine are Alaska and Arizona (none / 0) (#26)
by BrassTacks on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 01:21:26 AM EST

Yeah, I know, it's strange that I have those two left.


Anywhere but Vegas (none / 0) (#7)
by SOS on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 05:59:33 PM EST

that place turns me off.

: I used to hate Vegas as the king of tacky (none / 0) (#13)
by MKS on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 06:39:52 PM EST

When I first went there a long time ago I was expecting casinos like in the James Bond movies....What I saw instead was slot machines everywhere and old fat guys in bermuda shorts. The buffet line at Caesers was gross--people herded in like cattle.
The new casinos are very nice...spacious, luxurious and relatively cheap....And the shows are quite good with big name stars...Not the best place in the world but not at the bottom either.

OOPS! I am sorry (none / 0) (#19)
by BrassTacks on Sun Feb 15, 2009 at 08:02:11 PM EST

Feel free to remove the above link since I forgot to shrink it.

Here's what I should have posted,
Obama's long weekend in the windy city

Wow, he was already back from (none / 0) (#21)
by Amiss on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 12:30:40 AM EST

Camp David? I am getting more disappointed in his behavior daily.


Honestly, I do not. (5.00 / 3) (#24)
by Amiss on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 01:03:56 AM EST

However, I feel he seems to be more interested in traveling and the socializing aspect of being president than I would have appreciated especially in these dire times is all. His long weekend is followed by a trip to Denver I understand, as well.

After all, we are in a deep recession, and I feel the Obamas should be setting the example.

I feel you are just a tad touchy about Obama as well, which is unusual for me, as I agree with you on a lot of what you post.


: I missed the rationale for going (5.00 / 1) (#33)
by oculus on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 10:30:45 AM EST

to Denver to sign the stimulus bill.

Yes, he was back from his last weekend trip (5.00 / 1) (#27)
by BrassTacks on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 01:25:27 AM EST

For four days before he left for a long weekend in Chicago. I guess he doesn't want to exhaust himself like those folks on the Hill this week. He and Michelle don't seem to care for being in the White House and take every opportunity to get out of it. Bless their hearts, It's going to be a looooong 4 years for them.


We can help them out.... (none / 0) (#28)
by kdog on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 09:09:01 AM EST

by getting the TSA's act together...flying is bad enough in coach in a seat that can barely contain my skinny 150 lb arse...the lines and the shoes off and the confiscation of my shaving cream is just too much hassle piled on top.

Used to need a reservation (none / 0) (#32)
by oculus on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 10:29:16 AM EST

for Hillwood. It is lovely and interesting.

Walter Reed medical museum: all those large jars, filled with formaldehyde (sp) and some human body part. Gross.