Welcome to another Monday, Atlas Obscura Community! Where are you planning to travel? Let us know in the comments, and we’ll reply with places to see and foods to try while you’re there.
Let Us Know Where You Want to Travel, and We'll Give You Reasons to Go!
We’re planning to do a 5 day trip in Chicago, IL and Madison, WI in late May-early June. Suggestions?
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Our Chicago weekend guide and local events chapter have a ton of things for you to do in Chicago!
As for Madison, I’m such a huge fan of the city. A good percentage of America’s organic food is grown in Wisconsin, so the food is delightful and fresh. There’s also Wisconsin supper clubs which are well worth a visit and cheese curds which are well worth a taste. The city has an absurdist approach to drinking, including the use of flabongos (made from the city’s official bird - the pink lawn flamingo) and the now-closed Tiki Shack which offered “beer roulette” from a vending machine for $2. The Wisconsin Historical Museum was surprisingly interesting (I, for one, learned that “planned obsolescence” was invented by a Wisconsinite) and I’ve been to multiple University of Wisconsin sporting events, all of which were a blast.
Happy travels!
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I’ll be heading to LA later this year and will only have a day to sight-see. We’ll be in the vicinity of this hotel:
But I am overwhelmed with the all the opportunities for cool things nearby! What should I prioritize?
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I’ll be in Sacramento starting tomorrow until Saturday. Any interesting stuff for literary and foodie types? Also, any great cafes for just hanging out, observing people and writing? Preferably close to downtown. 
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@shatomica, go to the Japanese Cultural Village on the edge of Little Tokyo! I went to Little Tokyo when I went to LA but I regret that I didn’t know about this when I went there.
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Well if you have a car I would recommend going to Walnut Grove - which is not too far from Sacramento. It is the home of the first Japanese Buddhist community in the USA. Jodu Shinshu community. The town as well is a look into the small river towns that run all along the Delta near Sacramento.
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Please please please make your way to the House on the Rock. It is essential if you are in that part of Wisconsin. Hard to describe but nothing like it in the world. Also a few Frank Lloyd Wright homes in that general area as well.
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Too bad I won’t have a car - this sounds like it would have been interesting.
Hey there @shatomica - a few really cool things to do around there. Off the top of my head:
High tea at the Biltmore
Paul Kaufman Shoe Store and Gallery
The Last Bookstore
Wandering the Public Library - especially all the murals in the Kids Section
Bradbury Building - iconic (Blade Runner)
Grand Central Market
Nickel Cafe
Concert or play - Disney Concert Hall or Mark Taper Forum
And depending on when you are here - if Lacha Vavoom is happening at the Mayan - well - I can only say go. For the love all things bizarre - go!
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OK! So just Sac proper! There is the central promenade down in the center of town. Historical downtown. The Railroad Museum is kinda cool if you like those kinds of things. It is a bit of a weird city. Some things like the foodie and literary you mentioned but then not as well. Tapa the World is a fairly good Spanish style restaurant. Mikuni is a good Sushi bar. Crocker Art Museum interesting as well.
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You’re a hero, Carlyle!
In Summer going to Västervik and Vimmerby Sweeden and suggestions of places to check out and restaurants with good vegetarian options.
Great suggestions from Carlylecoash. I’ll also add, since you’ll be downtown…
- Clifton’s Republic - The rebirthed Clifton’s Cafeteria. Hipsterized, but in the best possible way. https://www.cliftonsla.com/
- The Golden Gopher - Oldest bar in LA (1905) http://213hospitality.com/goldengopher/
- King Eddy Saloon and the Prohibition Tunnels - An AO favorite. Go see where Charles Bukowski got regularly drunk. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/underground-tunnels-los-angeles
- Olvera Street - Oldest area in LA. Oldest buildings, oldest church. Union Station across the street is beautiful. Chinatown right next door is also worth checking out. https://www.olvera-street.com/
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Thanks so much! I think my husband already had the Railroad Museum in his list so we’re definitely seeing that. I’ll check out your recs.
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Heading to San Diego this weekend. This will be my third time there, and in the worst weather.
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My favorite thing I’ve done in Sacramento is eat (ha), best of all dim sum (probably at Hong Kong Islander) or from a bakery. I love Ettore’s and Pushkins, for more fun there’s Pegasus, and ABC Bakery is terrific.
There’s tons of great dining and you could stumble around downtown blindly to find it (just imagine everything will close by 9 p.m., because it probably will), but if you were interested in a shamelessly touristy dinner, you could try the Delta King riverboat’s Pilothouse.
For people, poetry and jams, I recommend Luna’s Cafe. For books, you’ve got Time Tested, Beers, and for comics and coffee, Oblivion.
Finally, to make someone like me very jealous, you could take an underground Sacramento tour. I’ve heard good things and I am very much looking forward to going someday!
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Dimsum! Thanks for the cafe and book recs, and I’m now curious about that tour.
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You’re welcome! One more thing: visiting Sutter’s Fort and learning about the Donner Party made a huge impression on me when I was young. I would definitely visit again.
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