What is the weather like in Washington DC in late february?|128770

Planning a trip there and I would like to visit during the a less busy time. Would this be an appropriate time to visit if I am going to be walking 90% of the time outside (will there be snow?).

Is early March a busy time for tourism? Sorry for so many questions but I appreciate the help!

February can be miserably blinking cold. It_s also when we get the most snow. I spend as much time indoors in January and February, as they are the most unpleasant months.

If you_re going to be walking a lot, try coming in April, when the weather is still a bit chilly, but starting to warm up a bit.

Good time to visit as there are not so many tourists around but wrap up warm! It can be very cold at that time of year. Snow is possible but doubtful be wrapped up against the frost or cold winds which are chilling.

It would be still very cold. Until the middle of April, Washington remains cold and windy.

Are there any good nudist resorts on the beach in the United states?|113310

I was hoping to go to the Hedonism II resort in Jamaica but it looks like it is just too expensive for me right now with the airfare and all. What about a nice beach nudist resort in the US? I have seen ones with pools and lakes, but not an ocean beach. Im 59 and my wife is 36 and we are in good shape and enjoy nude recreation. Any recommendations?

No not really. There is Haulover Beach in Miami. It is not a resort, just a legal nude beach. Of course Florida can be pretty rainy and humid this time of the year.

We own a nudist resort in Palm Springs, CA which is the sunniest city in the US. We have lots of guests who used to go to Hedo, Grand Lido, Mexico etc stay with us as we are a great value and very popular.
Our site is http://sunnyfun.com

We also get lots of couples trying topless and nude sunbathing for the first time as we are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US.

This year I have found many Americans have decided to no longer spend their vacation dollars in Mexico and the Caribbean giving that money to non nudist owned hotels. I hear from any nudists saying they cancelled their out of country vacations this year as they want to support American and Canadian nudist resorts.

Go to the American Assoc for Nude Recreation site for more info on places to go in the US.

Not that I know of. Most nude beaches are remote and on public lands, precluding a resort being right there on the beach. The closest you_re going to find is Haulover Beach near Miami. It_s at least within a short walking distance to (alas clothed) hotels.

Not really a resort, but there is Gunnison Beach in NJ


http://www.gunnisonbeach.org/

Sandy Hook, NJ and Fire Island, NY

What is the best surrounding city of Nashville?|112912

My husband and I are looking to move to the Nashville area next year but would rather live in a surrounding city to save money. I have heard that Hermitage and Hendersonville are pretty nice. Any other suggestions? We are looking for a family friendly area that is relatively close to activities and shopping.

Your best value will be in Hendersonville or Gallatin. Hermitage isn_t bad, however. All 3 are reasonable options. If you have lots of $$, Brentwood and Franklin to the south are trendy and higher-priced.
White House and Springfield are more rural bedroom communities.
The southeast corridor toward Murfreesboro is much more crowded and has higher crime rates.

I grew up in Tennessee and it_s such a gorgeous state. I like the Franklin area. I hear it_s pretty expensive now because a lot of the country music stars live around there. You can_t go wrong anywhere you live in Tennessee. When I go home and go over a hill and look down in the valley it never ceases to take my breath away.

id go with hendersonville

Brentwood very upscale, that would be my choice

How do I travel from San Francisco to Winchester House in San Jose and get back to San Francisco by four pm?|125912

We are goin on a tour of Alcatraz at 6pm and can_t arrive back any later than this. Thanks heaps.

You_re going to want to take Caltrain. Unfortunately, the Baby Bullet trains are not an option. The first northbound train arrives in SF at 5:24pm (not enough time to get to Alcatraz by 6).

There is a limited-stop train that leaves San Jose Diridon at 2:40pm and gets you to SF at 4:02pm.

There_s no bus route directly from Winchester Mystery House to San Jose Diridon. If you don_t mind a bit of walking, the simplest way to go is:
- walk north on Winchester Blvd (away from 280) and turn right on Forest Av.(~ 3/4 mile)
- go into the Valley Fair Mall bus depot on your right
- catch an eastbound 23 bus (going toward Alum Rock Transit Center)
- ride the bus until you get to the corner of W San Carlos St and Bird Av (also known as W San Carlos St and Montgomery).
- walk north on Montgomery (aka Bird) - stay on the western sidewalk
- turn left on San Fernando St and you_ll see Diridon Station

In order to make the 2:40pm train, I_d leave the Winchester Mystery House no later than about 1:15pm.

you won_t make it -the cost of the Winchester house _ the size means you spend a full day wandering. enjoy your trip -you can spend a full day in SF _ one in SJ (there_s a yummy Thai restaurant across from the mansion).

Do you have a car or are you relying on public transportation?

How far is the distance from Austin texas to Leesville Louisiana?|126772

I am planning a trip to Leesville Louisiana from Austin Texas and I would like to know what is the distance from here to there....

That is exactly 6 and 1/2 hours, if you are traveling the back way through Brenham and on hwy 8 through Louisiana. That also is the best scenic view by the way.

Total Est. Time: 6 hours, 0 minutes
Total Est. Distance: 334.74 miles

map

How bad is traffic on the 125 S freeway in San Diego in the morning around 9am?|166143

I_ll be using 8 W to the 125 S to 54 E around 9 in the morning and I was wondering how bad traffic would be. I know there_s construction going on too, but don_t know how much time it_ll take to get through there.

Traffic shouldn_t be that bad. I would recommend you turn on your TV when you wake up and listen to the Traffic News for any reported accidents or construction detours. Good Luck!!!

How do you get from the Upper West Side to Crown Heights Brooklyn?|138894

How do you get from the Upper West Side to Crown Heights Brooklyn (Eastern Parkway boulevard)? I live on the upper west side and don_t know the subway lines really yet, I just moved to new york.

Take the number 2 train. It stops right on Eastern Parkway. There is a stop called _Eastern Parkway_ right in front of the Brooklyn Museum.

Gotta be the #8 and ask the token booth person if you have to change

What are some of the best creole and seafood places to eat in new orleans?|136803

I would like the secrets of new orleans in getting cheap rates in hotels, in French Quarters, in Big Easy..Please. Have not been there in twenty years. Going this weekend. PLEASE!

Best Seafood try
GW Fins
808 Bienville St.7

http://www.gwfins.com/


Best Creole
Commander_s Palace
1403 Washington Ave.

http://www.commanderspalace.com/


or

K Pauls Louisiana Kitchen
(504) 596-2530
416 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA

http://www.kpauls.com/


The above are fairly pricey, for more affordable try
Eat
(504) 522-6533
900 Dumaine St
New Orleans, LA

http://www.eatnola.com/

or

Coop_s Place
(504) 525-9053
1109 Decatur St
New Orleans, LA

http://www.coopsplace.net/


As for best pricing I use hotwire. Just choose the French Quarter and you should end up with a good location. They had something this weekend starting at $63 for a 3 star, $89 for 4 star in french quarter.


http://www.hotwire.com/

the best place to stay is india house its like 20 bucks a night
the BEST restaurant is called COOPS its on DECATUR after jackson plaza (where the cathedral is)
lso its just down from the famous cafe du monde, which does the delicious beignets (the square doghnuts)
in coops they do a taster plate for 12 dollars with gumbo, cajun fried chicken , rice and red beans and jambalaya
but i reccomend the cajunfried chicken as u get a large portion of gorgeous jambalaya with it:)
also the best po_ boys are from johnnys which is left off decatur before jackson plaza they are world famous, the muffalatta, meatball, oyster and catfish were great ( i tried em all )
also if you dnt like the harem of bourbon street
frenchmarket is much better place to see some amazing jaz acts away from all the breast baring tourists

New Orleans native here..... Cafe maspero on decatur is the best, If you are looking for po boys....then go right out side of the quarter to mothers....hands down the best.

LakeView Harbor,

MAndelina_s ( 5- star resteraunt.)

Thank you for visiting New Orleans!

NOLA is one of the world_s special places with an ambience unique in North America, and remains so even after Katrina devastated it in 2005.

Katrina flooded about 80% of New Orleans with salt water, and the water stayed for almost a month. Much of the city is still struggling to recover and all you have to do to see devastation is drive around. It will take years for NOLA to fully recover from Katrina.

However, the parts of the city that tourists usually visit were not flooded. It_s not a coincidence - the French Quarter and other old parts of the city were built on relatively high ground and only suffered wind damage from Katrina. Almost all of the damage has been repaired and you have to look closely in the FQ and city center to see that Katrina happened at all.

Note that the City of New Orleans is only part of the greater New Orleans area. The GNO area had a population of about 1,400,000 before Katrina and is estimated at about 1,250,000 now (July, 2008). The absent 150,000 are mostly from the City of New Orleans and the parishes of Plaquemines and Saint Bernard, which were the worst-flooded parts of the metro area. Jefferson Parish - just to the west of the City - suffered relatively minor flooding and has fully recovered.

You can drink the water, the electricity _ phones work, and services like the post office, hospitals, schools, and police/fire/EMS are operating. Restaurants, stores and shopping centers are open.

Municipal services like street cleaning _ trash collection collapsed after Katrina. Those services were fully restored in late 2006 and it is no longer an issue.

I recommend staying in the French Quarter (Vieux Carre_) if you can. There is a very wide range of selections available, from moderate guest houses to very exclusive _boutique_ hotels. Search Yahoo Travel and Travelocity for ideas and also check the hotel websites. Go to www.frenchquarterhotels.com for some non-chain hotels. A great hotel that��s downtown but outside the FQ is the Le Pavillion:
http://www.lepavillon.com/


A very inexpensive option for students and international visitors is the India House hostel:
http://www.indiahousehostel.com/


You don_t need a car to get around in the French Quarter, Central Business District, or Warehouse District. Also, the parking regulations are Byzantine and there are lots of Parking Control Agents. If you drive or rent a car, leave it in a lot or garage unless you are traveling away from downtown.

The regional transit authority (www.norta.com) sells 1 and 3 day passes that offer unlimited use of buses and streetcars for the day(s) you select. There are also lots of taxicabs.

Louisiana is the only US state that offers tax-free shopping for international visitors:

http://www.louisianatravel.com/shop/tax_��


Regarding crime, use the same common sense necessary in every major city in the world and there is little chance you will be a victim of anything except a need to visit the gym.

New Orleans has mild weather from late October to early May and the city stays green all year most years (rarely freezes and almost never snows). We pay for the mild winters with hot, humid summers �C particularly in July _ August. Just wear light, cotton clothes and take it easy during the afternoon. The good news for summertime visitors is that hotel rates are lower.

Things to do in New Orleans:

Mardi Gras and the Jazz Festival are world famous events, but New Orleans hosts many festivals and celebrations throughout the year:
http://www.nola.com/festivals/


There are many sightseeing opportunities in the greater New Orleans area, including carriage rides/tours, plantation tours, swamp tours, ghost tours, and even Katrina disaster tours. The steamboat Natchez also does a harbor tour. There are numerous tour companies and your hotel can help with the arrangements. Try to avoid scheduling an outdoor tour until you know the weather forecast for the day in question.

The Saint Charles Streetcar is the oldest continuously operating street railway in the world and is a _tourist attraction_ in its own right. It is part of the public transit system, as are the Canal Street and Riverfront streetcar lines:
http://www.norta.com/


There is always music, but the bands change: Go to www.bestofneworleans.com and click on Music then Listings or to www.offbeat.com and click on Listings, then Music.

Note that music clubs often advertise _No Cover_, meaning there is no charge for entering. However, clubs with _No Cover_ often require that customers buy a beverage each for every _set _ of music (which can be every 20 minutes) so KNOW THE PRICE before you sit down. Clubs do that because some people will sit in the club all evening drinking nothing (clubs only make money from the drinks they sell - not from the music). It is also a good idea to pay for each round of drinks (in clubs on Bourbon Street) as it is delivered so there can_t be any confusion at the end of the evening.

An incomplete guide to bars _ clubs:
http://blog.nola.com/brettanderson/2008/��


About certain alcoholic beverages: Realize that some famous drinks are VERY potent compared with regular cocktails that have only 1 to 1 ? ounces of alcohol. For example, a Hurricane is basically 3 or 4 ounces of rum in something like red Kool-Aid, and a Hand Grenade has at least 4 ? ounces of Everclear + rum + vodka mixed with melon liquor. They don��t necessarily taste like an alcoholic beverage and it is easy to over-indulge.

Wander around the French Quarter, enjoy the architecture, watch the street entertainers (do tip), and visit some of the historic buildings that have been turned into museums (go to www.frenchquarter.com and click on Historic Attractions).

Assuming the weather is good, you can collect a sandwich lunch and eat in the riverfront park (watch the shipping) or in Jackson Square (a very nice park).

The Riverwalk shopping center has an air-conditioned food court with dining overlooking the river (www.riverwalkmarketplace.com). The Canal Place shopping center is in the French Quarter and has a cinema and higher-end shopping (Saks 5th Avenue, Brooks Brothers, etc.)

The lobby for the Westin Canal Place Hotel is on the 11th floor and overlooks the French Quarter. It is a great place for an afternoon drink/snack:(www.westin.com).

Cafe du Monde is in the French Quarter and you shouldn_t miss having cafe au lait _ beignets (www.cafedumonde.com). Another great coffee shop is the Croissant d_Or (at 615 Ursulines Street), which is open from 7:00am to 2:00pm and has food in addition to pastry.

The Palm Court restaurant is very nice, has moderate prices, and traditional live jazz starting at 8:00pm: 1204 Decatur Street, tel 504-525-0200 (reservations are important and they are not open every day). The Palm Court is closed from about July 25th to about September 25th each year.

Maximo_s Italian Grill has great food and atmosphere: 1117 Decatur Street in the French Quarter, (504) 586-8883.

All of the famous restaurants (Antoine_s, Arnaud_s, Brennan_s, Commander_s Palace, etc.) have reopened. The Pelican Club (on Exchange Alley in the FQ) is not as well known but is the same type experience. Reservations are a good idea, and probably essential on weekends. Tujaques Restaurant (823 Decatur Street) is very traditional and has moderate prices:
http://www.tujaguesrestaurant.com/


Cafe Degas is a very French restaurant near City Park at 3127 Esplanade - which is not within walking distance of downtown (5 to 10 minutes by taxi). They are closed on Mondays _ Tuesdays (504-945-5635).

The Napoleon House restaurant is at 500 Chartres Street in the FQ, and has a menu of great local dishes:
http://www.napoleonhouse.com/


Preservation Hall has traditional live Jazz, and doesn��t serve alcohol so all ages are welcome:
http://www.preservationhall.com/


New Orleans has ballet, opera, a symphony orchestra, and theatre:


http://www.nobadance.com/


http://www.neworleansopera.org/


http://www.lpomusic.com/


http://www.lepetittheatre.com/


There is a free ferry across the Mississippi at the _foot_ of Canal Street. It is a short trip but like a harbor cruise w/o a guide:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/canal_stree��


The Aquarium, Audubon Zoo, and the new Insectarium are world-class attractions (www.auduboninstitute.org) and you should see them if you can. The Zoo is several miles from downtown. You can drive to the Zoo (which has free parking) or take public transit from the French Quarter.

The Louisiana State Museum is in the French Quarter:
http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/
New Orleans is also home to a number of other museums, such as the National World War II Museum (www.ddaymuseum.org) and the New Orleans Museum of Art (www.noma.org). Both can be reached by public transit: The WWII museum is in the central business district but a long walk from the French Quarter. NOMA is not within walking distance of downtown but has free parking. Go to
http://www.neworleansmuseums.com/
for info on more museums.

Harrah��s Casino is in the Central Business District:
http://www.harrahs.com/casinos/harrahs-n��
(age 21 required for entry)

New Orleans City Park has a variety of attractions, including an amusement park with rides and attractions for children + free parking. City Park also presents _Celebration in the Oaks_ from late November to early January: (www.neworleanscitypark.com).

Check www.frenchquarter.com for ideas about other things to do.

Hope you have a great time!

What is a good way to make a road trip economical?|138244

My husband and I are travelling to move to Arizona from Long Isalnd New York, we will need to have a place for lodging, food, meals, gas, and any emergenices that may pop up. What is a good way to plan this road trip without spending too much. We do have money saved but we want to use it wisely. Thank you for your answers.

i can answer this! i just moved to arizona from washington state. one way we saved extra money was really to make our lunches. we were on the road for 3 days... i made sandwiches for the first day and packed yogurts, pudding chips ect... kept the mayo mustard and bread in the cooler so when we got to the hotel room we made sandwiches for the next day... now i was driving an explorer while my boyfriend drove the uhaul... i looked out for the cheapest prices in gas since i was able to go faster... one i felt that i found it then i_d call him and let him know (trust me this saved.. one exit difference meant a difference in 60 cents per gallon)... we didn_t stay at fancy hotels... no need it_s not a vacation it_s simply a place to rest your head and get ready for the next day... we actually came out on top when we got to arizona... spent 300 less than we thought we would by avoiding fast food (which moves through your body quicker making more rest rooms stops) and if you have water/gatarode or pop buy it ahead of time in bulk you_ll save more money!!! hope this helps. oh and welcome to arizona you_ll love it!!!

Maybe you could choose a destination that_s downhill all the way.

Great advice! We are moving from Washington State to California in 6 days, so this will help some!

I usually stay at Motel 6 when I drive across America. They usually have the lowest rates and they are purposely located along the Interstate highways.

If you go to their website, they_ll provide you a map of all their locations between your start and end destinations.


http://www.motel6.com

become a member of AAA. They will help plan the fastest route and the membership comes with perks like discounted motel and travel discounts. They will also point out where you can run into construction and advise you on ways around if possible. It_s well worth it. They helped me out so much on my move to Arizona from Kentucky.

Well if you folks are willing to go extreme :), ride a van, sleep in it (u can remove the backseats and lay a mattress there). And then save on food. Those two are I believe you can save the money most.

Get a tripik from AAA (auto club).

Well I think obviously the first answer would be to have a car that is good on gas. If you are moving your entire life, though, you might not be able to fit it all in a small hybird car!!! But, that having been said, the first thing to do would be to contact AAA. They will give you a Trip Tik, which they will mail you maps for free, and highlight the best routes,marking where they may be detours, etc. They will also give you state books which will have coupons and discounts for hotel and restaurants. Now, food will be what you_ll end up spending the most money on, so it would be cheapest to buy things at a grocery shop, like snacks and sandwiches,etc ahead of time, and keep a small cooler easily at reach in the car. Every so often you_ll need to stop and refresh the ice, but think about how much eating out every meal of the day can add up! So, settle for a few bags of chips or whatever you_d like to snack on rather than a pricey meal. Other than that, it would just be the same common sense, you_d use when traveling anywhere. Best of luck to you!!!

Will I get refunded for my hotel stay if a family member passes away?|148463

I have to be out of state for a whole week in sept, I need to book the hotel ASAP. I have had a close family member who has been sick for over a year. I am concerned how this person_s health will be by sept. I am also concerned that this person could die. My job is paying for the hotel and I am concerned that if something happened, and I couldn_t go, would they be able to get reimbursed for the trip, the plane and all? I really need to start making arrangements.

Airlines will normally grant a refund for the death of a traveler or immediate family member. However, they will require a death certificate. Don_t expect them to take your word for it. They don_t usually give refunds for non-immediate family members. Of course, you may be traveling on a refundable ticket depending on your itinerary, so it might not even be an issue.

Your company will not lose the entire value of the ticket as long as you cancel before your scheduled departure. It can be applied to the cost of a future trip less a change fee. Your company_s travel department will know all about this.

The hotel should not be a problem because you don_t typically pre-pay hotels. You pay them when you check out. You usually have to provide a credit card guarantee, but you don_t get charged unless you fail to cancel before the hotel_s deadline (which is typically 4pm or 6pm local time). There are exceptions, but this is how most hotels work so you shouldn_t have any problem.

It_s nice of you to worry about this, but my experience is that corporations understand that emergencies happen. Companies that mandate nonrefundable tickets are aware that there is a risk of losing money if you can_t go. However, they save enough money overall that they_ll accept losing a few bucks occasionally.

Good luck. I hope that your relative pulls through.

Probably not unless you have trip insurance that covers _death in the family_ as a reason to cancel reservations.