If you'd like BONUS MEMBERS ONLY videos then consider becoming a J&L Member: ua-cam.com/channels/wsdHkL8rByIJV3mTJTc9-w.htmljoin If you'd like to tip us and help support the running of our channel (but please don't feel obliged): www.ko-fi.com/joelandlia
Have you guys been to our state or national parks? Camping, hiking, boating, RVing, Vanning? Or is that even your thing? lol If city life is more your jam I apologize, but America's national nature parks/places are pretty spectacular if you ask me. Just a thought. ;)
Charlotte is a banking/business hub for the region, and it's a major airline hub. That's...really about it, as you learned. There's plenty to do for locals, but it's not the sort of place one travels to. Good job making the most of it!
Maybe take a quick trip over to Raleigh. I think you’ll like it as well. It’s still North Carolina, but it’s a little bit of a different vibe if you want to get a different flavor
I think it's a good thing that you went to a city that's not a typical tourism city. And yes, Charlotte is a beautiful town...it just doesn't cater to tourists (which, as a Nashville native, I find refreshing). I think that if you just go to big touristy cities, you'll get the wrong impression of the US. But if we went to the UK and only saw London, Edinburgh, Manchester, etc...we wouldn't really be getting a good feel for what the UK is. I think you've been coming to America with stars in your eyes...caught up in the magic of what you think America is. And don't get me wrong, I love my country...but most of it is normal, quiet, and even a bit bland. And while no one wants that in a vacation (holiday), I think for your channel, it's good to get a bit of that perspective. The US isn't just a big party, charming shops, and ornate museums. It's a country filled with ordinary people who have to go to work and live ordinary lives. So I'm glad you got to see some of that and maybe have some of those stars fade into reality. I actually suggest an over correction to this, and say to go to Las Vegas. Do it up big. Then, once you get your fill, try something a bit quieter and more inclined towards our country's natural beauty...like, perhaps a national park. And definitely check out Asheville. It's very young and hip, with a college-like quirky bohemian vibe that is a lot of fun (I like to think of it as "the Denver of the Smokies"). Also, once you're in Asheville, you're not far from Chattanooga, which is another very nice college town.
@UCV8y9vg_2Ig_eMKQ5_2pltA no every city has a college, nothing here revolves around that college, there are hundreds of thousands of people and like 10k at that school. If you visit Chattanooga you wouldn't even know that the college was there. Knoxville is a college town, Chattanooga is a tourist destination
From your description of what you like, I think you should be in Savannah... old historic town, more parks in the center than you can shake a stick at, riverfront cafes and shops, a nearby beach, etc.
You should go to Anchorage, Alaska. If you stay in Anchorage in downtown, there you can go walking to shopping, gift shops, and museum, restaurants, bars (close & around 5th Avenue) to move further away from Anchorage you will need a car to travel to the rest of the towns (Eagle River, Wasilla, Palmer), and sceneries, hiking trails, etc Alaska is a very outdoorsy state. Come in June (after mid-May - mid-August). North of Anchorage are Eagle River, Chugiak, Wasilla, Palmer, (way North about 6-8 hrs is) Fairbanks, South of Anchorage you will hit Girdwood (where Alyeska Resort is located), further down is Seward, Homer. Small towns in between (going South and North pass Wasilla or Palmer). Like I mentioned tons of outdoors things to do in the Summer plus we do have loooonngg days 😁 ☀️
Charlotte is a banking city second only to NYC in banking in the US. The city is located here (not on water) because it was the location of the first gold rush in the US. There is an old goldmine nearby that you could have visited. There is also a sanctuary for birds of prey, a whitewater rafting center (man-made) and a large amusement park called Carowinds. We do have large parks but they are mostly outside of the downtown area in among the suburbs...where people live...downtown was for offices only until very recently. A lot of progress has been made on the downtown area in the past 20 years. It's still a work in progress.
Being from NYC, I'll be the first to say that Charlotte doesn't have as much to offer as NYC, LA, Chicago, or Miami. But in terms of how catered to tourists Charlotte is, it depends on what kind of tourist you are. If you're a nature lover (like I am), you'd visit the Botanical Gardens at UNC and check out other parks and hiking trails around the area also. There's so much natural beauty in North Carolina to explore. Also there's great nightlife, particularly in South End. Not to mention Carowinds, a large amusement park on the outskirts. A few art museums as well. Not sure what more a tourist could expect from a standard city lol
There’s also lots of nature to see in New York City at a place called Central Park, more than you can shake a stick at in a typical tourist visit, so all in all NYC would have been a much better choice.
I've been anxiously watching Joel and Lia's videos from this trip, thinking they would be like the Gareth Leonard videos (he checked off the right boxes). I was looking forward to seeing them visit the greenway trails to Freedom Park, and Queens Road in Myers Park, and NoDa, and visiting the U.S. National Whitewater Center, which would have been loads of fun. Or boating on Lake Norman and checking out Davidson. But none of that happened. It seems they didn't know about these places, which tells me they didn't research Charlotte before coming. Instead, they spent their time in a post-pandemic business district (Uptown), and going to the mall and to Target and Dunkin Donuts (Charlotte is the headquarters of Krispy Kreme!) and Bojangles (where they didn't even order their signature food, fried chicken). You guys are very engaging and fun to watch, but please do yourselves a favor and spend a little time researching a place before you show up. I know you're still young, but as an older seasoned traveler, I advise to do a little Google research, or check with the Visitor Information Center. Or ask the locals. That will make your time spent much more worthwhile, and will also be entertaining and informative to the viewers watching. Thanks and best of luck.
I think they should have researched. They do seem a bit spoiled and dependent on others to do the work for them, but that can be said about most people their age.
I live northeast of Charlotte. I was "proud" when Lia mentioned Concord Mills Mall when she was listing shopping places. She pronounced "Concord" the way we do and not how they do in Massachusetts. 😀 glad they ended up enjoying their time
I would advise any city you visit in the US you Google “events” happening in that location so you can find more things to do and also have an experience unique to that city or state. We Americans hold many random events at expo centers/community centers/parks/lakes. But I would say mainly expo centers.
Yeah uptown (city center) is dead. Especially after Covid where everyone works from home now. Southend, plaza midwood and Noda neighborhood are the trendy area. Freedom park is the best park.
Darlings.. always seek out a Chamber of Commerce in the city your visiting. They'll have pamphlets on what to see and do as usually well may have "discount" coupons for the attractions.😁🌈❤️🌈❤️
Wished they got to see Biltmore & Asheville during height of Spring floral display but they arrived up there in the mountains 2 weeks too early. Savannah & Charleston on the coast were in peak azalea & magnolia season then & would have been a colorful sight to see. Hope they come back to the area again for a do over next Soring, rent a car 1st thing, and head to the coast on a road trip because NC is really a pretty state with lots to experience.
Oh my gosh! When you come back you have to go to Chicago! It is a beautiful city! There is so much to do and see! Great restaurants, art, shopping, night life, it is beautiful!
There are some bad parts of town but none of us ever go there. Chicago is an absolutely stunning city. So many of our great museums are right on Lake Michigan, which is just glorious in the summer. We also have such beautiful parks right on the lake. I used to ride my bike down at the lake at night after work and it was amazing.
@@MiltonGoinsHome Well, my first memory in life were the 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention riots in Chicago. And I have lived here peacefully my whole life. Sh@t happens in big cities.
There are bad sections in every city. Chicago gets more attention than it deserves with regards to crime because it's not even in the top 25 most dangerous U.S. cities.
And also many American pizza places provide the marinara or garlic butter sauce to use with the pizza crusts since they don't have many toppings. Kind of like eating them as breadsticks instead of letting the dry parts go to waste .
Y'all really should try the national parks like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon. Go to Las Vegas and drive to the Grand Canyon. Or go to Reno, Nevada and take a ride over to Lake Tahoe.
Charlotte isn’t really a tourist destination but it’s a good place to live and get to the mountains or beaches for the weekend. Coolest place is the Whitewater Center, Carowinds, or the speedway for a race.
Yeah, they know now. But it's a reference to a past video where they actually thought they were camera cases. But commenters have corrected them, and I think they realize now, and are just poking fun at themselves.
Thats just what I've appreciated about the videos for this trip. You've chosen a city that's not a tourist destination. That downtown area on a weekday afternoon that's not that particularly interesting, that's what's happening to a lot of our city centers.
Camera cases hahahaha you guys are so funny. I’m so glad you guys found something fun to do in the train station shopping area. You two always find the fun and adventure wherever you are!
That's my only gripe about downtown Charlotte. No shopping. The outdoor mall you went to is called the Epicenter and just filed bankruptcy and will probably sold to builda high rise apartment building...probably why everything was closed. 20 years ago people only worked in downtown (it's actually called Uptown here) and there was literally nothing but office buildings. More people are moving downtown in the last 15 years. With the LYNX light rail development there has been an influx of people and it actually is pretty hopping with restaurants and nightlife. You need to consider that things are still off due to covid. The bankers will be returning to the downtown offices in June, I hear. So it won't be as dead during the day.
Many cities in the US are like Charlotte in the sense that people live there and there might be nice restaurants, shops, attractive houses, etc. but there's really nothing to do!! People work, go home, hang out with friends and family, go to church, go shopping, watch sports on tv.... and drive everywhere in their cars.
Except there are fun and interesting things to do in Charlotte. They just didn't do any research to find out what they are. It seems they didn't check the visitors bureau, or ask the locals, or even ask Google.
You'll enjoy Asheville. Go see Biltmore House, the largest privately owned house in the US. It was built during the Gilded Age by one of the Vanderbilts. There's also a very lively art scene and brew pub scene. Don't miss the drum circle on Friday nights.
You decided to go to Charlotte despite great recommendations from viewers on TONS of places to visit.Charlotte is a new city and is a business center,not a tourism place.However,there are a lot of youngish people who live there so there MUST be some places to hang out! North Carolina has charming, wonderful, historic places to explore with beaches, rivers,mountains, and more.
There are but it's covid. It's usually a little more bustling downtown. The bankers have been working from home and I think are returning to the offices in June. There are more things to do and places to see on the outskirts of downtown like in NoDa, SouthEnd, and PlazaMidwood. They just didn't do enough research to know where to go.
They should have taken a stroll or bike ride on the greenway from Uptown/Midtown over to Freedom Park. Then a bike ride or walk along Queens Road. And they should have hopped on that lightrail train and gone to NoDa. And for a full day, ventured up to the Whitewater Center. Or Carowinds possibly. Or kayaking or boating on Lake Norman. Like many American downtown areas, Uptown Charlotte is mainly just a business district other than a few museums. It seems they came here without researching the area, and it didn't seem that they even asked any locals what to see. I was waiting for the video showing them doing some of these things but all we got was visits to Target, Dunkin Donuts, Bojangles and the shopping mall.
So... there's this super useful app called UA-cam. A lot of people use it to check out different places to go on vacation (holiday) to get an idea whether it's the kind of place they'd like. 😉 Also, why would you come to the US and look for afternoon tea? It's equivalent to an American visiting London and searching for Texas BBQ. what's the point?
Thank you Joel and Lia for your honest opinions it is much appreciated especially those who have not been to Charlotte. Please ignore the nasty comments and any attempts for those who want to post nasty comments UA-cam gives you a feature to block or warning for those who attempt to post nasties. Thank you! Thank you!
@@saratemp790 I think he/she was talking about trolling. Commenting just to be mean, triggering or good ole fashioned nasty. Disagreeing is fine, being offended is fine. Having pride for your city is fine. Trolling for the sake of trolling doesn't do anyone any good I think was the point.
The reason you can’t find a place that serves afternoon tea is that there in no place in the whole country that serves afternoon tea. I hope you’re not terribly disappointed.
Darling, I'm in Southern California and I can count at least 10 venues that serve a 'daily' High Tea/ afternoon tea. And I live 30 miles east of Los Angeles...☕🍰🥧🧁🥪🧀🥐
I'm in Ohio, and there are even places to get afternoon tea. My fave though, in the US, is in The Langham Hotel in Chicago and Boston. It's gorgeous and yummy.
Charlotte is a banking hub - not touristy, except the speedway. Ashville is nice. Or head down to Charleston. As you know the US is huge. In most cities, people work in the city, live somewhere else, and play somewhere else. In Charlotte, not a ton of people live in the city center, thus zero nightlife there. They are going to find recreation north at Lake Norman, West in the Blue Ridge or drive 4-5 hours to the beaches. We're so big, that people may do weekend get-aways 4-5 hours away, driving and think nothing of it. So, no, not a lot to do in downtown Charlotte on a warm Friday afternoon.
I live in Charlotte and I think it’s amazing and a great tourist destination, actually. Covid really hit uptown (and broader city) pretty hard so closures and weird hours are a vestige of that. I wish you all were able to get suggestions ahead of time so you could have gotten a better picture of the city. I hate that you didn’t have a great time.
Many “city centers” (downtown areas) are bustling during the work week for business people and dead on the weekends. There’s most likely a fun adjacent city that’s much more fun with shops, fun restaurants, galleries and people all around
If you need something fun to do, you need to go to an Amusement/Theme Park, Water Park, Zoo, Aquarium, or even a Renaissance Festival! I highly recommend buying a Season Pass to your favorite park in your area so you can go all year. This is what I would look for in a city to live in, if I wanted to move. If you had your own bike or rented a bike along the sidewalks, you could ride on trails, bike sharrows, or those bike lanes you were walking near. This is what many people do when they have no car and can't use public transit.
PS Please don't go to Asheville without visiting Biltmore and the River District. Please go tubing on the French Broad River and rent a car and drive up to Mt. Mitchell on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's the highest peak in eastern North America.
Boston has many afternoon tea spots, North End , Italian restaurants, bakeries, historical sites,(Paul Revere’s house, Old North Church. Also Science museum, art museums. Then you have Red Sox baseball.
I drove a cab in Dallas for a while years ago. Europeans were often confused by the city layout and what to do with their time. Great place to live, not so much to visit unless part of a large group with planned things to do.
Haha, you’re right about the connecting hub in Charlotte. I work for American Airlines and CLT is our second largest hub, it’s a mainly connecting hub getting people onto the east coast. The city center is very industrial, it’s the surrounding areas where you find the charm and fun things to do
If you want to visit a US city with lots to do, I would recommend our capitol: Washington DC. You should reserve 2 weeks to go to all the museums, monuments, and special interest sites (the mint where you can see millions of dollar bills being printed, the FBI headquarters, the national library, the national zoo). Add to that the places you can go within 2 hours drive (Great Falls, Luray Caverns, Kings Dominion ...) - maybe you should reserve 3 weeks.
But everything closes around 5pm. When we were there in 2014 we couldn't find a restaurant or bar in the evening. (We were at the Marriott near the White House). Sure, during the day there's lots to do, but no nightlife at all!
No nightlife in DC? Are you kidding me? I lived there for 16 years so I know that's completely false. You just have to do minimal research and you'll find that the area around the Mariott is a business and government district, not where the nightlife is. Georgetown, Capitol Hill neighborhood, Dupont, Adams Morgan, U St., among others, have everything and more to do at night. And people everywhere. Not to mention Old Town Alexandria and Clarendon across the river.
@@shawnmarie459 That makes no sense. The Smithsonian closes at 5 but DC has an excellent nightlife in multiple areas. There's way too much to choose from. It's hard to get my head around the idea you couldn't find a bar or restaurant in the evening in DC. There are TONS!
Charlotte is very much a place you live. My family is from North Carolina, a place called Fayetteville, and Charlotte or Wilmington is where most have moved to. I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip.
IDing for alcohol. When I pull beer at Orioles Park, we were instructed to card anyone that looked 30 or younger. Some establishments card everyone, regardless of age. I’m 61, and even now, I’m occasionally carded.
This is what I noticed when I went to Charlotte and would have commented on for people who have not been there. I would have talked about the banking industry there, and shown all the huge banking headquarters there. With very impressive buildings. Clearly there is a lot of money there. I would have talked about their city planning, that made the city nice. Such as they have several museums right downtown, like the Children's Museum and others. I would have talked about the light rail there. Also the scooters for rent. I would talked about the many sitting plazas and benches there, the statues and fountains. They put great care there into making the city very neat and tidy. They do have a lot of small parks there that are very cute, just a block or so from where you were. Surrounded by residential buildings. And you could shown some of the historical Victorian houses in the 4th Ward.
How was the pizza? How were the garlic knots? Did you figure out that the dip was marinara? How was Krispy Kreme, what did you think? Which doughnuts did you get? Was that the first time trying KK? So many unanswered questions......
If you want to go to similar size cities with a lot to do. New Orleans Austin Portland San Diego Nashville. Bigger cities Boston SF DC chicago LA Seattle etc.
You did not make a mistake. As long as you learn something it's a success. Even if it's not what you expected, you learn something you succeed. If you don't know what to do, just get out there and get lost. You'll find something. "Be a traveler, not a tourist. " (Anthony Bourdain)
I used to work in uptown Charlotte( city center) at a hotel. Although it has gotten better, there is not anything to really do. It is a place for business.People would ask all the time what is there to do and I wouldn’t be able to tell them much. It is not for tourist. I live outside of Charlotte and never go to the city center now that I do not work there. Like I said it is better than it used to be if you can even imagine.
There are a few places in the United States where you can spend a week without traveling and be entertained as a tourist. Without traveling is key. The United States is still very young from a global sense and it is very spread out when you look at population densities. You had Native Americans pre-colonization but they didn't exactly set up cultural hubs and theme parks. Anyone, coming from a high population density area that has 1000+ years of history, visiting the United States should plan on significant travel AFTER traveling to the United States. There are very few cities in the United States where you can "stay busy" as a foreign tourist for an entire week without leaving that city.
High guys. Thera are not many places for afternoon tea in the US unless you are in a major city and in a 5 star hotel. Have done afternoon tea in the past in the Plaza Hotel in NYC. My daughter and I celebrated her 9th birthday there. After afternoon tea we then went to theatre. It was a very special and fancy experience. She is now 37 years old and we both still remember fondly the experience. We live in New Jersey with easy access to NYC. Love following your adventures. From Elaine in NJ
You are in the United States. We don't do afternoon tea with scones and clotted cream! It would sound just as ignorant were I to be wandering around central London whining about how I can't find a hot dog stand. Grow up!
Charlotte used to have a lot of people walking downtown, but between Covid-19 which diverted people to working at home, and the development of South End, it's had an effect. At lot of young people now hang out at South End. The place you went with the closed cookie bakery used to be a big hang out with lots of entertainment and restaurants, but it's all but closed down and different people have different ideas of how to re-develop it.
Cant believe you guys haven’t been to Chicago yet . The most architecturally beautiful city in the world . Great food . Great neighborhoods , beautiful lakefront , the best museums, and very clean !
For the record. I think you need to have a different Bojangles experience. Lol some location service southern fried chicken and some serve Cajun fried chicken. 100% go for the Cajun fried chicken. And actually just order fried chicken with whatever side you want. And if you do get biscuits and gravy again… The gravy gets poured over the biscuits and the mushy mess together is actually pretty tasty
I hear ya. A local foodie needs to take control & order meals/donuts/desserts for them when they come over to USA. Lol. And it was criminal serving only 3 garlic knots here. They got robbed & that pizza place should be shut down.
@@chnalvr I'm not from the Pacific Northwest, but I've been there and it's wonderful. I hope they will choose to go there on one of their trips, especially Seattle.
I was thinking the same thing when you said you were going there. I went to Charlittle in the early 80s for a week of training. Found out that when workers left town for the evening that all the stores shut too. Even the downtown McDonalds shut by 6pm
The Charlotte population (both city and metro) has tripled since the early '80s. There's plenty to do around there but the didn't check the visitors bureau (or Google) to find out where to go and what to do. I can't imagine traveling that far without doing that first.
Joel, Lia, America has a lot of cities and towns that are mainly for living, not really tourist destinations. That's even the same here in my home state of Florida. Some towns are mainly made for living. Some towns are mainly used as a "College Town" in which the main focus is the University that is in town. Others are used as a "Beach Town" in which the only thing there is to do is to go to the beach. Then there are "Cities" in which is made just for businesses and living, but nothing else. That's basically the deal.
I've been through Charlotte probably 30-40 times changing planes but never "been" to Charlotte. Now I know what it's like. BTW, it's the only airport I've ever been through that has restroom attendants. Yes, I do mean the type that are stationed in the restroom and you tip.
Charlotte is a major airport for connecting flights. Its location is very near the Atlantic shore and pretty much splits the eastern seaboard in half. It's a convenient place to fly out because it has a centralized position, which allows many directions of travel. Charlotte isn't very touristy, which y'all already know.
When I was in Charlotte when the granddaughter was auditioning for America’s Got Talent, and everything was closed over the weekend downtown. It was hard to find many places to eat because we were staying in a hotel
Have you been to St Louis , Missouri yet? If not I would consider it. It's pretty easy to get around to all the snazzy things off the metro train. A lot of really neat restaurants and little sandwich shops, coffee shops, etc. There is the Fox Theater and Powell Symphony Hall here down in the arts district. Also, baseball season with the St Louis Cardinals if you are into that. There are a lot of large arenas and shows that happen here. For being such a small city there is a lot of commerce. I grew up in the rural areas about 30 mins car drive south but now I live just east of Forest Park. Which a huge beautiful park with a ton of museums. If you come you must go to the Botanical Gardens! Check it out if you haven't. I haven't been able to keep up with your vlogs like I used to. My dad is critically ill and last college semester was intense. 😂😭 It just ended so I'm trying to reboot. Give st Louis a look. It's nice if you need to use public transport. I've lived here for years with no car. I'd say just be careful with where you look for your air BNB. Make sure you aren't in a extra sketchy block or something. I'd recommend Tower Grove area. Or Central West End. Cheers!
If you'd like BONUS MEMBERS ONLY videos then consider becoming a J&L Member: ua-cam.com/channels/wsdHkL8rByIJV3mTJTc9-w.htmljoin
If you'd like to tip us and help support the running of our channel (but please don't feel obliged): www.ko-fi.com/joelandlia
Have you guys been to our state or national parks? Camping, hiking, boating, RVing, Vanning? Or is that even your thing? lol If city life is more your jam I apologize, but America's national nature parks/places are pretty spectacular if you ask me. Just a thought. ;)
"Camera cases!" Hahaha classic Joel and Lia. Do they not have beer cozies in UK?
lol, I was wondering if someone else commented on that
@@w1975b me too
🙌💯 Came here to say this 🤦♀️😂
Also needed to comment on the can coozies! Not camera cases. 😅
The first time was probably a mistake, but I'm sure this time it was intentional to trigger people, and it totally worked. I'm so triggered!
Charlotte is a banking/business hub for the region, and it's a major airline hub. That's...really about it, as you learned. There's plenty to do for locals, but it's not the sort of place one travels to. Good job making the most of it!
Charlotte is a VERY small large city!(LOTS of those in America!)
The chat tried to convince them to go to DC in the spring instead of Charlotte. They commented that the chat was buzzing. but nooooo
Maybe take a quick trip over to Raleigh. I think you’ll like it as well. It’s still North Carolina, but it’s a little bit of a different vibe if you want to get a different flavor
@@cupolove1:I remember being stationed at Ft. Bliss & making the observation that El Paso was the "littlest big city" in America!😜
@@cupolove1 this was two months ago
Glad the day turned out well! I was dying with the “they have phone cases” bit. 🤣 Looking forward to the Asheville series!!!
I think it's a good thing that you went to a city that's not a typical tourism city. And yes, Charlotte is a beautiful town...it just doesn't cater to tourists (which, as a Nashville native, I find refreshing). I think that if you just go to big touristy cities, you'll get the wrong impression of the US. But if we went to the UK and only saw London, Edinburgh, Manchester, etc...we wouldn't really be getting a good feel for what the UK is. I think you've been coming to America with stars in your eyes...caught up in the magic of what you think America is. And don't get me wrong, I love my country...but most of it is normal, quiet, and even a bit bland. And while no one wants that in a vacation (holiday), I think for your channel, it's good to get a bit of that perspective. The US isn't just a big party, charming shops, and ornate museums. It's a country filled with ordinary people who have to go to work and live ordinary lives. So I'm glad you got to see some of that and maybe have some of those stars fade into reality.
I actually suggest an over correction to this, and say to go to Las Vegas. Do it up big. Then, once you get your fill, try something a bit quieter and more inclined towards our country's natural beauty...like, perhaps a national park.
And definitely check out Asheville. It's very young and hip, with a college-like quirky bohemian vibe that is a lot of fun (I like to think of it as "the Denver of the Smokies").
Also, once you're in Asheville, you're not far from Chattanooga, which is another very nice college town.
They actually have been to Vegas already
Chattanooga is not a college town
@@HBC423 The University of Tennessee in Chattanooga doesn't qualify Chattanooga as a college town? Please explain that to me.
@@HBC423 Please explain to me how Chattanooga isn't a college town. Oh please, please, do so. Explain that.
@UCV8y9vg_2Ig_eMKQ5_2pltA no every city has a college, nothing here revolves around that college, there are hundreds of thousands of people and like 10k at that school. If you visit Chattanooga you wouldn't even know that the college was there. Knoxville is a college town, Chattanooga is a tourist destination
From your description of what you like, I think you should be in Savannah... old historic town, more parks in the center than you can shake a stick at, riverfront cafes and shops, a nearby beach, etc.
Agree, Charleston and Savannah. We do have places with afternoon tea service in Savannah.
You should go to Anchorage, Alaska. If you stay in Anchorage in downtown, there you can go walking to shopping, gift shops, and museum, restaurants, bars (close & around 5th Avenue) to move further away from Anchorage you will need a car to travel to the rest of the towns (Eagle River, Wasilla, Palmer), and sceneries, hiking trails, etc Alaska is a very outdoorsy state. Come in June (after mid-May - mid-August). North of Anchorage are Eagle River, Chugiak, Wasilla, Palmer, (way North about 6-8 hrs is) Fairbanks, South of Anchorage you will hit Girdwood (where Alyeska Resort is located), further down is Seward, Homer. Small towns in between (going South and North pass Wasilla or Palmer). Like I mentioned tons of outdoors things to do in the Summer plus we do have loooonngg days 😁 ☀️
Lia enthusiasm on the scooter is everything🛴💨
Charlotte is a banking city second only to NYC in banking in the US. The city is located here (not on water) because it was the location of the first gold rush in the US. There is an old goldmine nearby that you could have visited. There is also a sanctuary for birds of prey, a whitewater rafting center (man-made) and a large amusement park called Carowinds. We do have large parks but they are mostly outside of the downtown area in among the suburbs...where people live...downtown was for offices only until very recently. A lot of progress has been made on the downtown area in the past 20 years. It's still a work in progress.
Being from NYC, I'll be the first to say that Charlotte doesn't have as much to offer as NYC, LA, Chicago, or Miami. But in terms of how catered to tourists Charlotte is, it depends on what kind of tourist you are. If you're a nature lover (like I am), you'd visit the Botanical Gardens at UNC and check out other parks and hiking trails around the area also. There's so much natural beauty in North Carolina to explore. Also there's great nightlife, particularly in South End. Not to mention Carowinds, a large amusement park on the outskirts. A few art museums as well. Not sure what more a tourist could expect from a standard city lol
There’s also lots of nature to see in New York City at a place called Central Park, more than you can shake a stick at in a typical tourist visit, so all in all NYC would have been a much better choice.
@@oaktree1628 I mean I really enjoyed my time in Charlotte and I didn't regret visiting, but people have different interests
I've been anxiously watching Joel and Lia's videos from this trip, thinking they would be like the Gareth Leonard videos (he checked off the right boxes). I was looking forward to seeing them visit the greenway trails to Freedom Park, and Queens Road in Myers Park, and NoDa, and visiting the U.S. National Whitewater Center, which would have been loads of fun. Or boating on Lake Norman and checking out Davidson. But none of that happened. It seems they didn't know about these places, which tells me they didn't research Charlotte before coming. Instead, they spent their time in a post-pandemic business district (Uptown), and going to the mall and to Target and Dunkin Donuts (Charlotte is the headquarters of Krispy Kreme!) and Bojangles (where they didn't even order their signature food, fried chicken). You guys are very engaging and fun to watch, but please do yourselves a favor and spend a little time researching a place before you show up. I know you're still young, but as an older seasoned traveler, I advise to do a little Google research, or check with the Visitor Information Center. Or ask the locals. That will make your time spent much more worthwhile, and will also be entertaining and informative to the viewers watching. Thanks and best of luck.
Great advice! I still can't believe they went to Philidelphia and missed the Rocky steps. 🫣 The Philadelphia Museum of Arts is iconic!
I think they should have researched. They do seem a bit spoiled and dependent on others to do the work for them, but that can be said about most people their age.
I live northeast of Charlotte. I was "proud" when Lia mentioned Concord Mills Mall when she was listing shopping places. She pronounced "Concord" the way we do and not how they do in Massachusetts. 😀 glad they ended up enjoying their time
Conquered
I would advise any city you visit in the US you Google “events” happening in that location so you can find more things to do and also have an experience unique to that city or state. We Americans hold many random events at expo centers/community centers/parks/lakes. But I would say mainly expo centers.
Yeah uptown (city center) is dead. Especially after Covid where everyone works from home now. Southend, plaza midwood and Noda neighborhood are the trendy area. Freedom park is the best park.
Lia: I'm American, I walk everywhere 😆😆😆😆😆
Ha! Those are not camera cases, they’re beer/drink koozies. You slide your beverage can into them! 😂
It was a joke.
Y'all are hilarious, "camera case"😂😂 I wonder how many people took that seriously?😄
Darlings.. always seek out a Chamber of Commerce in the city your visiting. They'll have pamphlets on what to see and do as usually well may have "discount" coupons for the attractions.😁🌈❤️🌈❤️
Wished they got to see Biltmore & Asheville during height of Spring floral display but they arrived up there in the mountains 2 weeks too early. Savannah & Charleston on the coast were in peak azalea & magnolia season then & would have been a colorful sight to see. Hope they come back to the area again for a do over next Soring, rent a car 1st thing, and head to the coast on a road trip because NC is really a pretty state with lots to experience.
Ok the "camera case" thing had me 😂
Oh my gosh! When you come back you have to go to Chicago! It is a beautiful city! There is so much to do and see! Great restaurants, art, shopping, night life, it is beautiful!
There are some bad parts of town but none of us ever go there. Chicago is an absolutely stunning city. So many of our great museums are right on Lake Michigan, which is just glorious in the summer. We also have such beautiful parks right on the lake. I used to ride my bike down at the lake at night after work and it was amazing.
After the 2020 riots on Michigan Avenue and their attacks on police, I certainly would not want to go there again.
@@MiltonGoinsHome Well, my first memory in life were the 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention riots in Chicago. And I have lived here peacefully my whole life. Sh@t happens in big cities.
There are bad sections in every city. Chicago gets more attention than it deserves with regards to crime because it's not even in the top 25 most dangerous U.S. cities.
I don't think Chicago is such a safe place anymore. Crime has been going up since 2020. Murder rates also.
I lowkey wanted to see you try the garlic knots with "some sort of tomato-ey sauce". It's called marinara sauce btw lol
And also many American pizza places provide the marinara or garlic butter sauce to use with the pizza crusts since they don't have many toppings. Kind of like eating them as breadsticks instead of letting the dry parts go to waste .
Y'all really should try the national parks like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon. Go to Las Vegas and drive to the Grand Canyon. Or go to Reno, Nevada and take a ride over to Lake Tahoe.
I agree. You need to hit the West.
or Yosemite national park in California.
even sequa national park sorry for any misspells or mistakes in spelling.
Who wouldn’t be in awe of the Grand Canyon
Charlotte isn’t really a tourist destination but it’s a good place to live and get to the mountains or beaches for the weekend. Coolest place is the Whitewater Center, Carowinds, or the speedway for a race.
The “camera case” is actually a drink koozie 😂
I think their messing with us.
Yeah, they know now. But it's a reference to a past video where they actually thought they were camera cases. But commenters have corrected them, and I think they realize now, and are just poking fun at themselves.
Thats just what I've appreciated about the videos for this trip. You've chosen a city that's not a tourist destination. That downtown area on a weekday afternoon that's not that particularly interesting, that's what's happening to a lot of our city centers.
Camera cases hahahaha you guys are so funny. I’m so glad you guys found something fun to do in the train station shopping area. You two always find the fun and adventure wherever you are!
That's my only gripe about downtown Charlotte. No shopping. The outdoor mall you went to is called the Epicenter and just filed bankruptcy and will probably sold to builda high rise apartment building...probably why everything was closed.
20 years ago people only worked in downtown (it's actually called Uptown here) and there was literally nothing but office buildings. More people are moving downtown in the last 15 years. With the LYNX light rail development there has been an influx of people and it actually is pretty hopping with restaurants and nightlife. You need to consider that things are still off due to covid. The bankers will be returning to the downtown offices in June, I hear. So it won't be as dead during the day.
Come to Seattle! There is so much to do here…but come in the summer when it’s not rainy. 😉
NC is full of secrets. Gotta talk to the locals
Many cities in the US are like Charlotte in the sense that people live there and there might be nice restaurants, shops, attractive houses, etc. but there's really nothing to do!! People work, go home, hang out with friends and family, go to church, go shopping, watch sports on tv.... and drive everywhere in their cars.
Except there are fun and interesting things to do in Charlotte. They just didn't do any research to find out what they are. It seems they didn't check the visitors bureau, or ask the locals, or even ask Google.
You'll enjoy Asheville. Go see Biltmore House, the largest privately owned house in the US. It was built during the Gilded Age by one of the Vanderbilts. There's also a very lively art scene and brew pub scene. Don't miss the drum circle on Friday nights.
You decided to go to Charlotte despite great recommendations from viewers on TONS of places to visit.Charlotte is a new city and is a business center,not a tourism place.However,there are a lot of youngish people who live there so there MUST be some places to hang out! North Carolina has charming, wonderful, historic places to explore with beaches, rivers,mountains, and more.
There are but it's covid. It's usually a little more bustling downtown. The bankers have been working from home and I think are returning to the offices in June. There are more things to do and places to see on the outskirts of downtown like in NoDa, SouthEnd, and PlazaMidwood. They just didn't do enough research to know where to go.
They should have taken a stroll or bike ride on the greenway from Uptown/Midtown over to Freedom Park. Then a bike ride or walk along Queens Road. And they should have hopped on that lightrail train and gone to NoDa. And for a full day, ventured up to the Whitewater Center. Or Carowinds possibly. Or kayaking or boating on Lake Norman. Like many American downtown areas, Uptown Charlotte is mainly just a business district other than a few museums. It seems they came here without researching the area, and it didn't seem that they even asked any locals what to see. I was waiting for the video showing them doing some of these things but all we got was visits to Target, Dunkin Donuts, Bojangles and the shopping mall.
Charlotte's Botanic Garden has a $14 million orchid house but it's miles and miles outside town.
So... there's this super useful app called UA-cam. A lot of people use it to check out different places to go on vacation (holiday) to get an idea whether it's the kind of place they'd like. 😉
Also, why would you come to the US and look for afternoon tea? It's equivalent to an American visiting London and searching for Texas BBQ. what's the point?
Thank you Joel and Lia for your honest opinions it is much appreciated especially those who have not been to Charlotte. Please ignore the nasty comments and any attempts for those who want to post nasty comments UA-cam gives you a feature to block or warning for those who attempt to post nasties. Thank you! Thank you!
So you like them giving their honest opinion, but you don't want anyone else giving their honest opinion on them?
@@saratemp790 I think he/she was talking about trolling. Commenting just to be mean, triggering or good ole fashioned nasty. Disagreeing is fine, being offended is fine. Having pride for your city is fine. Trolling for the sake of trolling doesn't do anyone any good I think was the point.
There's a lot of places outside of Charlotte to check out, Hickory, Ashville, Boone, Blowing Rock, Cherokee....
The reason you can’t find a place that serves afternoon tea is that there in no place in the whole country that serves afternoon tea. I hope you’re not terribly disappointed.
Please watch their Philly series.
Darling, I'm in Southern California and I can count at least 10 venues that serve a 'daily' High Tea/ afternoon tea. And I live 30 miles east of Los Angeles...☕🍰🥧🧁🥪🧀🥐
I'm in Ohio, and there are even places to get afternoon tea. My fave though, in the US, is in The Langham Hotel in Chicago and Boston. It's gorgeous and yummy.
This is false lo
Plenty of tea places in DC.
Charlotte is a banking hub - not touristy, except the speedway. Ashville is nice. Or head down to Charleston.
As you know the US is huge. In most cities, people work in the city, live somewhere else, and play somewhere else. In Charlotte, not a ton of people live in the city center, thus zero nightlife there. They are going to find recreation north at Lake Norman, West in the Blue Ridge or drive 4-5 hours to the beaches. We're so big, that people may do weekend get-aways 4-5 hours away, driving and think nothing of it.
So, no, not a lot to do in downtown Charlotte on a warm Friday afternoon.
I live in Charlotte and I think it’s amazing and a great tourist destination, actually. Covid really hit uptown (and broader city) pretty hard so closures and weird hours are a vestige of that. I wish you all were able to get suggestions ahead of time so you could have gotten a better picture of the city. I hate that you didn’t have a great time.
Many “city centers” (downtown areas) are bustling during the work week for business people and dead on the weekends. There’s most likely a fun adjacent city that’s much more fun with shops, fun restaurants, galleries and people all around
8:17 "I'm American, I walk everywhere!" LOL!
If you need something fun to do, you need to go to an Amusement/Theme Park, Water Park, Zoo, Aquarium, or even a Renaissance Festival! I highly recommend buying a Season Pass to your favorite park in your area so you can go all year.
This is what I would look for in a city to live in, if I wanted to move.
If you had your own bike or rented a bike along the sidewalks, you could ride on trails, bike sharrows, or those bike lanes you were walking near. This is what many people do when they have no car and can't use public transit.
There are parks and waterways in Charlotte such as the Greenway, Freedom Park, lake Wiley, The US Whitewater Center, lake Norman, and Carrowinds
"In my mind I'm going to Carolina..." -James Taylor
ua-cam.com/video/Yx_LHSrjsCg/v-deo.html
PS Please don't go to Asheville without visiting Biltmore and the River District. Please go tubing on the French Broad River and rent a car and drive up to Mt. Mitchell on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's the highest peak in eastern North America.
You guys should come to Boston if you haven’t been here. Bean-town has lots of stuff to do for sure
Boston has many afternoon tea spots, North End , Italian restaurants, bakeries, historical sites,(Paul Revere’s house, Old North Church. Also Science museum, art museums. Then you have Red Sox baseball.
I 2nd Boston! I only lived there for 2 years, but there are Plenty of things to do :)
I just made the same comment! 😄
I'm happy they didn't go to Boston in March, though. Yuck!
@@loosilu definitely, best time summer and fall
Excellent job showing us around the lovely city. I'm sorry the scooter ride didn't work out.
You should go to The Biltmore estate in Asheville. It’s beautiful. It’s the estate of the Vanderbilt’s ( Anderson Coopers family). You will love it.
They did. This was filmed in March.
I drove a cab in Dallas for a while years ago. Europeans were often confused by the city layout and what to do with their time. Great place to live, not so much to visit unless part of a large group with planned things to do.
Omg you guys are so cute. The little spongy case Lia put her phone is a soda can "coozie" do you not have those?? Lol
Legends that are 1st time laughing at the camera case/coozie bit need to do some homework to find the original 😉😂
Haha, you’re right about the connecting hub in Charlotte. I work for American Airlines and CLT is our second largest hub, it’s a mainly connecting hub getting people onto the east coast. The city center is very industrial, it’s the surrounding areas where you find the charm and fun things to do
8:45. Best day in Charlotte. I like your attitude. “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade “
But when life gives you [poop], you can't make [poop]-ade,
If you want to visit a US city with lots to do, I would recommend our capitol: Washington DC. You should reserve 2 weeks to go to all the museums, monuments, and special interest sites (the mint where you can see millions of dollar bills being printed, the FBI headquarters, the national library, the national zoo). Add to that the places you can go within 2 hours drive (Great Falls, Luray Caverns, Kings Dominion ...) - maybe you should reserve 3 weeks.
We tried to talk then into going to DC instead of Charlotte. They would have been there at cherry blossom time!
But everything closes around 5pm. When we were there in 2014 we couldn't find a restaurant or bar in the evening. (We were at the Marriott near the White House). Sure, during the day there's lots to do, but no nightlife at all!
No nightlife in DC? Are you kidding me? I lived there for 16 years so I know that's completely false. You just have to do minimal research and you'll find that the area around the Mariott is a business and government district, not where the nightlife is. Georgetown, Capitol Hill neighborhood, Dupont, Adams Morgan, U St., among others, have everything and more to do at night. And people everywhere. Not to mention Old Town Alexandria and Clarendon across the river.
@@shawnmarie459 That makes no sense. The Smithsonian closes at 5 but DC has an excellent nightlife in multiple areas. There's way too much to choose from. It's hard to get my head around the idea you couldn't find a bar or restaurant in the evening in DC. There are TONS!
Charlotte is very much a place you live. My family is from North Carolina, a place called Fayetteville, and Charlotte or Wilmington is where most have moved to. I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip.
Uh oh, the secret's out -- America's not all glitz and glamour.
the National white white water training center is about 20 minutes away form you. But in Ashville don't forget the Biltmore. I know you'll like that.
I screamed when y'all said Asheville! So glad y'all went there!
IDing for alcohol. When I pull beer at Orioles Park, we were instructed to card anyone that looked 30 or younger. Some establishments card everyone, regardless of age. I’m 61, and even now, I’m occasionally carded.
This is what I noticed when I went to Charlotte and would have commented on for people who have not been there. I would have talked about the banking industry there, and shown all the huge banking headquarters there. With very impressive buildings. Clearly there is a lot of money there. I would have talked about their city planning, that made the city nice. Such as they have several museums right downtown, like the Children's Museum and others. I would have talked about the light rail there. Also the scooters for rent. I would talked about the many sitting plazas and benches there, the statues and fountains. They put great care there into making the city very neat and tidy. They do have a lot of small parks there that are very cute, just a block or so from where you were. Surrounded by residential buildings. And you could shown some of the historical Victorian houses in the 4th Ward.
Charlotte seems like a great place to live.
How was the pizza? How were the garlic knots? Did you figure out that the dip was marinara? How was Krispy Kreme, what did you think? Which doughnuts did you get? Was that the first time trying KK? So many unanswered questions......
If you want to go to similar size cities with a lot to do. New Orleans Austin Portland San Diego Nashville. Bigger cities Boston SF DC chicago LA Seattle etc.
Get a clue guys! No Americans have afternoon tea and scones. To attempt to find that is actually ridiculous. We don't do that. Ever.
YOu can definitely find it in the bigger cities. There are even some tea rooms. They were more trendy about 10 years ago.
You needed to travel more--folks in the US drive a lot. I would have gone to the outer banks for tourism stuff.
“camera cases” 😂😂😂
I think you did a great job on representing my hometown. Five stars to you too.
That wasn't a camera or phone case. It was a cheap beverage koozie! 🤣😆 Silly Brits!!!
You did not make a mistake. As long as you learn something it's a success. Even if it's not what you expected, you learn something you succeed. If you don't know what to do, just get out there and get lost. You'll find something. "Be a traveler, not a tourist. " (Anthony Bourdain)
Do you contact the tourist or visitors' center, or the local office for special events? They usually guide you to interesting places to visit in town.
I used to work in uptown Charlotte( city center) at a hotel. Although it has gotten better, there is not anything to really do. It is a place for business.People would ask all the time what is there to do and I wouldn’t be able to tell them much. It is not for tourist. I live outside of Charlotte and never go to the city center now that I do not work there. Like I said it is better than it used to be if you can even imagine.
There are a few places in the United States where you can spend a week without traveling and be entertained as a tourist.
Without traveling is key. The United States is still very young from a global sense and it is very spread out when you look at population densities. You had Native Americans pre-colonization but they didn't exactly set up cultural hubs and theme parks.
Anyone, coming from a high population density area that has 1000+ years of history, visiting the United States should plan on significant travel AFTER traveling to the United States. There are very few cities in the United States where you can "stay busy" as a foreign tourist for an entire week without leaving that city.
High guys. Thera are not many places for afternoon tea in the US unless you are in a major city and in a 5 star hotel. Have done afternoon tea in the past in the Plaza Hotel in NYC. My daughter and I celebrated her 9th birthday there. After afternoon tea we then went to theatre. It was a very special and fancy experience. She is now 37 years old and we both still remember fondly the experience. We live in New Jersey with easy access to NYC. Love following your adventures. From Elaine in NJ
You are in the United States. We don't do afternoon tea with scones and clotted cream! It would sound just as ignorant were I to be wandering around central London whining about how I can't find a hot dog stand. Grow up!
YOu turned down DC in the spring for this!
@Spring is in The Air 🇺🇸 We tried to tell them, the chat was buzzing about DC in the spring. but noooooo.
Charlotte used to have a lot of people walking downtown, but between Covid-19 which diverted people to working at home, and the development of South End, it's had an effect. At lot of young people now hang out at South End. The place you went with the closed cookie bakery used to be a big hang out with lots of entertainment and restaurants, but it's all but closed down and different people have different ideas of how to re-develop it.
Cant believe you guys haven’t been to Chicago yet . The most architecturally beautiful city in the world . Great food . Great neighborhoods , beautiful lakefront , the best museums, and very clean !
The discovery place is pretty cool
“Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina in the morning”. (Very old tune)
The camera case is actually a Soda Can Coozie. 🤣 not sure if you was joking. But that was funny.. 😆
the moment brits realize they are in America and theres no queen or high tea.🤔🙃😁
Suggestion: up northwest in Wyoming or Montana. Up in the mountains. Yellowstone. Cowboy county. Beautiful landscapes and skies.
For the record. I think you need to have a different Bojangles experience. Lol some location service southern fried chicken and some serve Cajun fried chicken. 100% go for the Cajun fried chicken. And actually just order fried chicken with whatever side you want. And if you do get biscuits and gravy again… The gravy gets poured over the biscuits and the mushy mess together is actually pretty tasty
I hear ya. A local foodie needs to take control & order meals/donuts/desserts for them when they come over to USA. Lol. And it was criminal serving only 3 garlic knots here. They got robbed & that pizza place should be shut down.
You REALLY need to go to Seattle for a visit. It's beautiful and there's literally tons of things to do.. Also Portland Oregon is nice.
Portland used to be nice. Outside of Portland there are nice pockets and beautiful nature to explore….
Agree! Both cities are beautiful in the spring, summer and fall with way too much to do!
@@chnalvr I'm not from the Pacific Northwest, but I've been there and it's wonderful. I hope they will choose to go there on one of their trips, especially Seattle.
Are you serious 🤣 that and camden new jersey are the last place to visit. And oregon. Come on, really. Should they visit CHOP 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@Brandi6666 CHAZ😝😜😂
The Piedmont area or the Outer Banks would have been a better choice for tourists events/activities!
"Camera cases" 😂 Those are beer cozies. You don't have those in the UK? You put a can of beer in it to insulate it to keep it cold.
I was thinking the same thing when you said you were going there. I went to Charlittle in the early 80s for a week of training. Found out that when workers left town for the evening that all the stores shut too. Even the downtown McDonalds shut by 6pm
Charlotte in the 1980's? LOL. Have you ever. Looked at the city today?
The Charlotte population (both city and metro) has tripled since the early '80s. There's plenty to do around there but the didn't check the visitors bureau (or Google) to find out where to go and what to do. I can't imagine traveling that far without doing that first.
Lol lol Charlittle lol lol man we’re the 15th largest city in the US out sizing San Francisco
I’m glad they got to see Asheville and the Biltmore but maybe would’ve got a lot out of going south instead to Charleston.
Joel, Lia, America has a lot of cities and towns that are mainly for living, not really tourist destinations. That's even the same here in my home state of Florida. Some towns are mainly made for living. Some towns are mainly used as a "College Town" in which the main focus is the University that is in town. Others are used as a "Beach Town" in which the only thing there is to do is to go to the beach. Then there are "Cities" in which is made just for businesses and living, but nothing else. That's basically the deal.
Though a Seeming mistaken destination, this video turned out to be charming. So much attitude! We need it.
Take a cab or something to Carowinds or Whitewater Center. Those are usually where locals go over the summer. Or lake Norman boating.
I’d say Chicago but STAY NORTH of downtown. The lakefront, restaurants, really lovely.☺️
I've been through Charlotte probably 30-40 times changing planes but never "been" to Charlotte. Now I know what it's like. BTW, it's the only airport I've ever been through that has restroom attendants. Yes, I do mean the type that are stationed in the restroom and you tip.
There's Carowinds, which is on the border of NC and SC.
So what happened to the We're not going to be back in the US for a while video??
That's what I was thinking! I started watching it then had to do a few things. Came back and now it's gone :(
They just finished the live stream of it.
It was a livestream
@@AyeeeItsCam usually you can watch it later
Charlotte is a major airport for connecting flights. Its location is very near the Atlantic shore and pretty much splits the eastern seaboard in half. It's a convenient place to fly out because it has a centralized position, which allows many directions of travel. Charlotte isn't very touristy, which y'all already know.
When I was in Charlotte when the granddaughter was auditioning for America’s Got Talent, and everything was closed over the weekend downtown. It was hard to find many places to eat because we were staying in a hotel
I make my mimosa with 1/3 prosecco, 2/3 OJ & 1 ounce Grand Marnier. Soooo good!
Have you been to St Louis , Missouri yet?
If not I would consider it.
It's pretty easy to get around to all the snazzy things off the metro train. A lot of really neat restaurants and little sandwich shops, coffee shops, etc.
There is the Fox Theater and Powell Symphony Hall here down in the arts district.
Also, baseball season with the St Louis Cardinals if you are into that. There are a lot of large arenas and shows that happen here. For being such a small city there is a lot of commerce.
I grew up in the rural areas about 30 mins car drive south but now I live just east of Forest Park. Which a huge beautiful park with a ton of museums.
If you come you must go to the Botanical Gardens!
Check it out if you haven't.
I haven't been able to keep up with your vlogs like I used to. My dad is critically ill and last college semester was intense. 😂😭 It just ended so I'm trying to reboot.
Give st Louis a look. It's nice if you need to use public transport.
I've lived here for years with no car.
I'd say just be careful with where you look for your air BNB. Make sure you aren't in a extra sketchy block or something.
I'd recommend Tower Grove area. Or Central West End.
Cheers!