Board 8 > Planning a road trip with my buddy from China

(+) Yeah! (+)

I have a few ideas, but where should we go and what should we go to get a real "American experience" for him? He wants to immigrate over here eventually, so I want him to see the good stuff. Keep in mind I'm based in Southeast Michigan, and he can only take a week off work.

I only have a few current ideas:

-Washington, DC is pretty much a requirement
-Go to a gun range at some point (since I know how to shoot and he can learn)
-We need to do something scenic to show off some of the beautiful parts of nature. He lives in a big city so he doesn't get to see that often.

Probably won't happen for a few months, but I appreciate the help!
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strip clubs
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Lick the Liberty Bell
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Oregon has some really impressive nature stuff.
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the leader of his college's communist party?
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Where are you starting from and how long will this happen
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Yosemite and Highway One/Big Sur are unparalleled when it comes to nature.
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It's pretty much the opposite direction from D.C. but the Grand Canyon is very much worth a visit.
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trdl23 posted...

I have a few ideas, but where should we go and what should we go to get a real "American experience" for him? He wants to immigrate over here eventually, so I want him to see the good stuff. Keep in mind I'm based in Southeast Michigan, and he can only take a week off work.

I only have a few current ideas:

-Washington, DC is pretty much a requirement
-Go to a gun range at some point (since I know how to shoot and he can learn)
-We need to do something scenic to show off some of the beautiful parts of nature. He lives in a big city so he doesn't get to see that often.

Probably won't happen for a few months, but I appreciate the help!

Washington DC basically knocks 2 days off your week just traveling if driving.

Shooting guns seems pretty extraneous to me.
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I'd hit up Cedar Point. A nice strip club. Some parks. A nice restaurant and movie theatre. Arcade or something. Cleveland Cavaliers game. I'd stick to mostly events and local attractions.
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NFUN posted...

the leader of his college's communist party?

Uh... huh?

SantaRPidgey posted...

Where are you starting from and how long will this happen

trdl23 posted...

Keep in mind I'm based in Southeast Michigan, and he can only take a week off work.

OliviaTremor posted...

Yosemite and Highway One/Big Sur are unparalleled when it comes to nature.

I've always wanted to go to Yosemite, but man is that a ride. Not sure I can make it there and back in one week.

Not_an_Owl posted...

It's pretty much the opposite direction from D.C. but the Grand Canyon is very much worth a visit.

See above, though I have been to the GC before and it is amazing.

Corrik posted...

Washington DC basically knocks 2 days off your week just traveling if driving.

Shooting guns seems pretty extraneous to me.

I just want him to contrast it to what he's used to over in China. Also, guns are something he'd never get the chance to do over there, and shooting is fun. Sticking to more local stuff is probably good for most of it though.
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werent you friends with a college party leader while you were visiting or studying abroad in china
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Isn't NYC closer than DC if you want to show him a unique city?

I love DC but it's not that spectacular for tourists imo. It's pretty normal just with a bunch of museums. And the touristy stuff is the worst part of the city by far.

Chicago would be a cool place to go too. The history there is more natural. Michigan has cedar point right?
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Also if you go east you can camp/hike on the Appalachian trail for a day. Prob the best low key American style nature on the east coast.
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NASCAR race at Michigan or Pocono
NFL game/MLB game/WWE event
Amusement park, Cedar Point (Then take the ferry to that island for minigolf lol) or Knoebels (Show him rural PA, the mountains are nice and there are some caves that are pretty cool like pens cave. Or go to the little league world series in PA! China may have team represented!)

I would say Washington is not worth it given you are driving and only have a week and want to do other stuff, but to each their own.

Or show him the lovely streets around Detroit, that should be fun.
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NFUN posted...

werent you friends with a college party leader while you were visiting or studying abroad in china

Nah, I just went out drinking with him, though he was pretty chill. This guy is the one I played League with and we became really close.
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Go to a Chinese buffet, under $10 preferably
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foolm0r0n posted...

Isn't NYC closer than DC if you want to show him a unique city?

I love DC but it's not that spectacular for tourists imo. It's pretty normal just with a bunch of museums. And the touristy stuff is the worst part of the city by far.

Chicago would be a cool place to go too. The history there is more natural. Michigan has cedar point right?

Oh, right, Chicago, duh. That's a great place and we can just take the train there, plus I have a friend who lives there!

Cedar Point is in Ohio but it's pretty close. Still, I think they have roller coasters in China.
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foolm0r0n posted...

Go to a Chinese buffet, under $10 preferably

I am 100% showing him American "Chinese" food. He's going to think it's hilarious.

LOLIAmAnAlt posted...

NASCAR race at Michigan or Pocono
NFL game/MLB game/WWE event
Amusement park, Cedar Point (Then take the ferry to that island for minigolf lol) or Knoebels (Show him rural PA, the mountains are nice and there are some caves that are pretty cool like pens cave. Or go to the little league world series in PA! China may have team represented!)

I would say Washington is not worth it given you are driving and only have a week and want to do other stuff, but to each their own.

Or show him the lovely streets around Detroit, that should be fun.

I dunno about NASCAR, but depending on the time of year, a sports event is a good call. I guess I can pass on DC since everyone here is saying "no," but I really wanted him to see some history stuff while he was out here.
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Cedar Point is supposed to be the best in the world, so it may be worth going to regardless. Chicago is a good option, but there isn't really too much around Chicago to go to. You're probably better driving east towards NYC/Boston through Pennsylvania and upstate NY. You'll go through the Appalachians which are beautiful. NYC itself is, well, NYC. Stay a day maybe. Boston would be way more interesting for him with the old cobblestone streets, history, harbor, Harvard/MIT, etc. If you really want a cool experience, you could even go to Acadia National Park which is stunning.

All of that is possible for a week. I've gone from Cincinnati to Boston then Montreal and back in like 5 days and had an awesome time.
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trdl23 posted...

where should we go and what should we go to get a real "American experience" for him

Flint, Michigan.
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OliviaTremor posted...

Cedar Point is supposed to be the best in the world, so it may be worth going to regardless. Chicago is a good option, but there isn't really too much around Chicago to go to. You're probably better driving east towards NYC/Boston through Pennsylvania and upstate NY. You'll go through the Appalachians which are beautiful. NYC itself is, well, NYC. Stay a day maybe. Boston would be way more interesting for him with the old cobblestone streets, history, harbor, Harvard/MIT, etc. If you really want a cool experience, you could even go to Acadia National Park which is stunning.

All of that is possible for a week. I've gone from Cincinnati to Boston then Montreal and back in like 5 days and had an awesome time.

Is Cedar Point that great? I guess it's because I've already been there a lot that I just assume it's the baseline. Boston/NY is probably a good bet considering I have a bunch of friends around Cambridge, and I've never been to NYC myself. Maybe we'll catch a Broadway show. I really need to see one.
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Depending on where he's from in China most of those things aren't that different.

National landmarks is a solid choice because it's something he can take pictures of, young chinese people love to take pictures.
China has theme parks too. They have Happy Valley, ChimeLong and Disney.
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trdl23 posted...

OliviaTremor posted...

Cedar Point is supposed to be the best in the world, so it may be worth going to regardless. Chicago is a good option, but there isn't really too much around Chicago to go to. You're probably better driving east towards NYC/Boston through Pennsylvania and upstate NY. You'll go through the Appalachians which are beautiful. NYC itself is, well, NYC. Stay a day maybe. Boston would be way more interesting for him with the old cobblestone streets, history, harbor, Harvard/MIT, etc. If you really want a cool experience, you could even go to Acadia National Park which is stunning.

All of that is possible for a week. I've gone from Cincinnati to Boston then Montreal and back in like 5 days and had an awesome time.

Is Cedar Point that great? I guess it's because I've already been there a lot that I just assume it's the baseline. Boston/NY is probably a good bet considering I have a bunch of friends around Cambridge, and I've never been to NYC myself. Maybe we'll catch a Broadway show. I really need to see one.

Cedar Point is like the best amusement park in America for adults.
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OliviaTremor posted...

Cedar Point is supposed to be the best in the world, so it may be worth going to regardless. Chicago is a good option, but there isn't really too much around Chicago to go to. You're probably better driving east towards NYC/Boston through Pennsylvania and upstate NY. You'll go through the Appalachians which are beautiful. NYC itself is, well, NYC. Stay a day maybe. Boston would be way more interesting for him with the old cobblestone streets, history, harbor, Harvard/MIT, etc. If you really want a cool experience, you could even go to Acadia National Park which is stunning.

All of that is possible for a week. I've gone from Cincinnati to Boston then Montreal and back in like 5 days and had an awesome time.

Driving from Michigan to New York has to be about 10 to 11 hours. Again. You wasted 2 whole days just driving.
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That also doesn't mention about $80 pa turnpike one way. NJ turnpike $7 one way. New York City bridge entry fee $15 each way. And PA entry from NJ $10.

That is about $214 in tolls alone. (Trust me, I was pissed when I drove to Brooklyn and realized all these added toll costs).
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trdl23 posted...

Is Cedar Point that great?

Yeah it's one of the best parks for gigantic coasters. There are a few other parks that come close, but CP is probably the best. My favorite amusement park is Knoebels though, which I'll talk about below.

Corrik posted...

That also doesn't mention about $80 pa turnpike one way.

It's about 50 one way, but still expensive.

Take route 80 instead, it's more north and free, so less miles traveled.

Things off of 80 that could be interesting and American.

Knoebels - An amusement park that looks like it's from the 50's. Hidden in the mountains of PA, it has rides that no other parks offer. It's also free (entering and parking) so you could try it out hassle free. If you choose to go here, I could give you a guide of the place. It's the complete opposite of Cedar Point but IMO it's got more charm and the ride selection is great, not as many coasters but the other rides more then make up for it.

Skirmish - A large paintball facility, they have something like 40 different fields.

Penns Cave - A pretty big limestone cave tour by way of boat becasue the cave is filled with water. Penn State is also down the street, go drinking downtown at a wild college town. Or see a football game there with 100k other people

Pocono Raceway - To see nascar or indycar on an oval, which is one of the most american things to be done. But I know that may not be your thing.

Little League World Series - The middle of nowhere place that kids from all around the world come to play baseball. I was there once, I think it was free to enter. Taiwan used to win a lot, so there is that.

There is other stuff like the pocono's along R80 as well.
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LOLIAmAnAlt posted...

It's about 50 one way, but still expensive.

I was about to call bullshit on you. Then I went to the website and it says ur right $55 + tax to $64 for entire pa turnpike.

But, I paid fucking $64 dollars from new Stanton to New Jersey both ways and now I am fucking pissed and wanna know why I was overcharged.
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LOLIAmAnAlt posted...

Yeah it's one of the best parks for gigantic coasters. There are a few other parks that come close, but CP is probably the best. My favorite amusement park is Knoebels though, which I'll talk about below.

Huh. I guess I was spoiled then. I just figured they were all around as good as CP. (Never ridden anything like the Raptor elsewhere!)
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trdl23 posted...

LOLIAmAnAlt posted...

Yeah it's one of the best parks for gigantic coasters. There are a few other parks that come close, but CP is probably the best. My favorite amusement park is Knoebels though, which I'll talk about below.

Huh. I guess I was spoiled then. I just figured they were all around as good as CP. (Never ridden anything like the Raptor elsewhere!)

I never realized the rich nature of Amusement parks that I grew up around when I was younger either.
Six Flags Great Adventure (Very comparable to Cedar Point, has some amazing rides)
Hershey Park (Over the last few years it's getting comparable to Cedar Point)
Dorney Park (Owned by the CP group, has some legit good rides but just smaller in grandeur)
Knoebels (The best park.)

The only park that has more coasters then CP is Magic Mountain in California.
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Corrik posted...

LOLIAmAnAlt posted...

It's about 50 one way, but still expensive.

I was about to call bullshit on you. Then I went to the website and it says ur right $55 + tax to $64 for entire pa turnpike.

But, I paid fucking $64 dollars from new Stanton to New Jersey both ways and now I am fucking pissed and wanna know why I was overcharged.

I really don't think they tax you and if they do it's included in the price stated on the ticket.
And if you get off 1 stop before Gateway at the boarder on Ohio it's under $50 from New Jersey. For whatever reason that's a special exit that charges extra money per axel.

I do not know why you paid 64 one way.
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My friends have a religious pilgrimage to Knoebels every once in a while and I don't understand it at all and that's okay
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foolm0r0n posted...

My friends have a religious pilgrimage to Knoebels every once in a while and I don't understand it at all and that's okay

Your friends know what's up and sound fun.
Tell them that a random internet guy approves of their actions.
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Take him to China Town
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