Can someone give me good advice on where to live in the States?|176888

My husband is going to graduate soon (I_ve already done so) and now we_re trying to find a place to live. He_s going into the medical field, so we can basically live anywhere where there is a hospital. We want to live somewhere between Idaho and Michigan, but none of the southern states. There has to be high mountains, and lots of trees and lakes. We_re starting a family, so most importantly, there must be good schools and family-friendly neighborhoods, including low crime rates. And (as if we weren_t being picky enough), we_d like to live in a place that isn_t too much in the city but not too far away, say a town of 15,000-30,000. The places I have looked that seem the closest are Pennsylvania (I know, it isn_t between Idaho and Michigan), Missouri, and Minnesota. Any good suggestions in these states or others? I am willing to research as many suggestions as I get, so please don_t be shy. Thank you.

I live in Hanover, Pa 17331 (Yes, there are 2 Hanover, Pa_s). It is a great town. About 20,000 people, low crime, great schools (South western School District is the best). Hanover is a growing community that still has that small town appeal, but with all the city ammenities. There is a small/ Medium hospital in Hanover, but there is a LARGE hospital in York, about 25-30 minutes away. Hanover is only about 1.5 hours to Baltimore, 2 hours to Philadelphia and 1 hour to Harrisburg. It sits in the perfect location. Oh, and we are only 20 minutes from Gettysburg (Lots of History around Here). Mountains not far from us (There_s skiing in Gettysburg). There is a state park with lake about 5 minutes out of town. I highly suggest checking it out!

I live in Michigan, and I really would not recommend you move here. The economy is awful, the state is cutting funding for schools, state police, human services, medicaid....basically everything. If I had to live in Michigan for the rest of my life, I would choose to live in Ann Arbor. It is a great town. It is hilly, has rivers and lakes, it has great schools, and what I think is really cool; it isn_t a huge city and it is filled with such diveristy.

I am planning a road trip from L.A to San Francisco, what is the best route to go, what are some not-to-miss p?|162451

I am planning a 4 to 5 day road trip from L.A to San Francisco, what is the best route to go, what are some not-to-miss places and attractions to see? I have heard of one part of the road called _17 mile_, where does it start and end? Any advices from your personal experience would be greatly appreciated.

17 mile drive at Pebble Beach just south of Monterey. Here_s a map of it.
http://www.pebblebeach.com/page.asp?pageName=_17_Mile_Drive_Main

From LA, take the Pacific Coast highway through Malibu. Stop at Gladstones for lunch. Skip Oxnard, Ventura, and go straight to Santa Barbara. Take time for an afternoon in Montecito (small town just south of Santa Barbara). In Santa Barbara, go to Brophy_s on the pier for dinner or lunch. State street is the main area. farmer_s market Wednesday night is great.
Leaving Santa Barbara, take the 101 north and go to Solvang. Its the a little Danish community.
Then take 101 up to San Luis Obispo. Check out the Madonna Inn. You don_t need to stay there, they will let you tour unused rooms.
From San Luis Obispo, take Highway 1 through Morro Bay, Cayucus is an artist colony on the water, good place to stop for the night. Next day go to San Simeon early to visit the Hearst Castle. From there, up to Carmel or Monterey which ever is more your taste. Then on to San Francisco.
There are a few great wineries in the Monterey area also. Look into visiting Lockwood.

You have two options, you can either ride along the coast, or you can go further inland and hit a couple national parks. Both ways would be great.

If you go along the coast, you will want to take Highway 1. You can visit Santa Monica, Malibu, Santa Barbara, Carmel by the Sea, Monterey Bay, and San Simeon (to see Hearst Castle).

The other option is to drive through Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, and Yosemite National Park. If you are going in the fall, this would be a great route to take to see the Fall Foliage. However, if you are prone to car-sickness, I would not recommend it. There are lots of twisty roads going through the mountains, but the views are spectacular.

101 or highway 5..

drop by Monterey BAy.

I moved from the Bay Area to Los Angeles almost 9 years ago, and still go back and forth as much as possible. I don_t really like the drive. I HIGHLY recommend taking AMTRAK. The Coast Starlight train leaves from L.A. every day, and it_s a beautiful trip along the coast. The reclining seats are much wider than those on an airplane, and you don_t have to deal with the hassle of check-in lines.

You don_t have to stay in your seat. You can roam the train. There is a viewing car with large panel windows and the seats turned out so you can watch the views of the hills and the ocean. There is a snack bar if you get peckish, and a dining car if you want something more substantial. Most of the trains I ride have had power outlets, so you can keep your phone/computer charged.

The idiot drivers, the cost of gas, road fatigue, finding and paying attention to directions, hunting down a decent place to eat, or even just a much-needed bathroom... I deal with NONE of that. It_s about 8 hours of STRESS-FREE travel, and you actually get to enjoy the trip!

I travel back to the Bay about every other month, (in fact, I_m going back up to Santa Cruz this Friday) and this is the only way to do it. You don_t NEED a car once you get there. Once in San Francisco, you can get around just fine on MUNI and BART. Indeed, you can travel the entire Bay Area with ease on public transit... Unlike here in L.A.

Your plans wouldn_t have to change much. You still have a day of travel, 2-3 days in The City, and you can pass out on the train for the return trip home... Can_t do THAT while driving. ;)

A coach ticket will run about $49-79. For a little more, you can get a private roomette with all your meals included.

Good luck and good travel.

HOOPLA!
Rock E. Horror

What is the most fun and best valued hotel on the vegas strip?|160548

There are alot of fun hotels on the strip. Im just looking for some suggestions for a hotel that is decently priced but still lots of fun for a married couple in their late 20_s (almost 30, but im not comfortable with that number yet)

MGM and Mandalay are nice IMO. They have great pool areas. Before you go check the Las Vegas hotel promotion site
http://www.vegas-hotels-online.com

Caesars Palace is awesome if you are going in the summer. The pools are amazing, they have tons of shopping (the forum shops), and just great overall amenities. That is usually my first choice, but I haven_t stayed there since it was bought by Harras. I would also recommend any MGM Mirage hotel. That includes Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mirage, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, NYNY, TI. If your going for super upscale, Wynn is supposed to be the nicest these days. If your definition of fun is more like doing something sexy the Palms has a younger crowd, but I_ve never been there because it is not on the strip. I would not stay at Tropicana unless I had to stay at someplace cheep...

The Tropicana is a dump but affordable and walking distance to several hot spots. Monte Carlo is not a bad choice and this time a year they are giving rooms away - also center/south strip. The Mirage and TI are not as expensive as they used to be and are in a great location. Excalibur, again south strip, is hurting for customers and might be some good deals.

I would say Excalibur or the Luxor, south Strip, are having good deals right now and they are decent places. Don_t stay at Circus Circus, you will regret it. That places is dirty and smells bad. The Sahara and the Stratosphere will also have some good deals if you want to be north of the Strip. Mid Strip would be Bally_s or Harrah_s.

Planet Hollywood is a bit pricey. NYNY is hopping with Coyote Ugly and a lot of energy in there. You could try the Mirage for pricing and also TI. TI has a new owner so things might be changing. Stay away from Circus Circus, too many kids. Do not go beyond Wynn to the north. The properties up there are too far from the main strip. You will find that you won_t be in your room that much .. just to sleep so you could go as cheap as you want.

There is the Rio,the Tropicana,the Flamingo. Those are resonably priced hotels and casinos. I haven_t been to any of those but my parents had their honeymoon in the Tropicana and they liked it?!!

circus circus

What are good places to visit on my road trip from NY to TX?|172670

My three friends and I are planning a road trip from Upstate New York to Austin, Texas but we_re not sure where we should stop on the way. Does anyone know any exciting sites or really cool or obscure places to visit along the way? We are all 21 and looking to see some really cool things along the way.

Well, you_re covering half of the country, so you_ll find plenty of cool and obscure things and dozens of them. If you want my humble advice for just one place, hit New Orleans. It_s not really out of your way, and you_ll find plenty of interesting stuff there.

Stop by up north in Ohio (even though it is probably out of your way) and go to Cleveland. It may sound like a desolate city, but it is actually cool. Check out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, or the really neat Science Center. Also, Cleveland has a lot of cool, modern restaurants and bars. Have fun! :)

Is there an airport shuttle I can take from McCarran Airport to MGM Grand?|151660

How much does it cost, one way? And do I have to have a prior booking?

buy your round trip it will be a bit cheaper and you can get one when you get of the plane and pick up your lugage..you just might have to wait until they fill up the bus before it leaves

I_ve taken both the shuttle and a taxi and I think it_s six of one, half-dozen of the other.

A shuttle is about $8-$10 one way. MGM is the first drop-off.

My taxi last week cost $9.40.
However - ask the driver how much BEFORE you get in. My mother did that and they wanted $40 to go to MGM. If you choose the taxi, tell them NOT to take the tunnel, which is the longer way.

So, if you have 2 or 3 people, a taxi would probably be your best (cheapest) bet. I still usually take the shuttle because it_s quick and right there by the door, and I know I_ll be first off.

You can buy the shuttle tickets right at the exit of the luggage claim. If you get a round-trip ticket, you will have to call them the day before to arrange pick-up, but the timing for that has been hit-or-miss for me and I just take a taxi back.

I_ve taken the shuttle every trip so far.. and never had it take 30-45 minutes.... you just walk right out the door and you_ll see the shuttle ticket area ... they tell you what shuttle you should get on, and thats it.. I don_t see how thats not easy?

The shuttles sometimes wait for a few more ppl to get on before they leave.. but it never takes more than 5 or so minutes... MgM would probably be the first stop too...

I_ve taken cabs two or three blocks that cost more than $12 dollars, and they just raised their rates. I_d go with the shuttle... thats $6 for the shuttle vs cab fare plus a tip ...

Spending an extra 15 minutes on the shuttle never bothered me.. I_d rather spend that extra 20bucks on gambling or food ;)

Take a taxi. Taxi will have you to MGM in 5 minutes. A shuttle will take 30-45 minutes. If you are traveling with someone the taxi will be cheaper. Don_t forget to start your trip with a pocket of dollar bills. The usual tip for taxi or bell hop is $1 per bag.

Using Terminal 1 when you arrive at baggage start looking to your right for the exit for taxi service. Limo is straight ahead and shuttles to your left.

Have fun
Bev

I also recommend just getting a taxi, the MGM is actually very very close to the Airport so the fare wouldn_t be that much, actually about the same that the shuttle but much more hassle-free and fast. Have fun!

I would highly suggest taking a taxi. Last time I stayed at MGM, my window actually overlooked the airport - it was that close! It will save you time and cost about the same in the end. Have fun!

You can but its so much easier and quicker to take a cab, i think that the shuttle was about $6 each way and a cab about $12

Taxi= Much easier.

Basically the same price, and cheaper it its more then just one person. No wait, and faster to the hotel.

Yes.

take a taxi

How long does it take to get from Washington state to California driving?|162046

We live in Tacoma And we want to get to anaheim

A little over 16 and 1/2 hours.
Look here:

http://maps.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTExNmIy��

From my experience it took about 20 hrs with minimal stops only about 3 or 4 stops for gas but one of the ppl driving wouldn_t go over 60 mph

I live in California, and I have family from Spokane that drive here, so I think it takes a few days.
Actually, it depends on if you make stops or other things like that, so time varies

www.mapquest.com

If you leave really early (6:00 a.m.) you can make it to Redding, California by 8:00 p.m. You_ll hit some traffic in Olympia and then again in Portland and Salem, Oregon - once you get past Salem you won_t have much traffic until you head up the Siskiyou Mountains in Southern Oregon (it_s mostly truck traffic and snow/ice issues). You_ll be pretty tired by the time you get to Redding, so spend the night and leave really early the next morning and you_ll get into Anaheim about 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. the next night. You_ll have some traffic issues around Sacramento and LA.

It_s a good drive - you_ll see some beautiful countryside in the Napa Valley.

What are the best US cities for life and small business?|173625

We currently live and run a small museum of live tarantulas and reptiles in Helen GA, which is an European like little town with many tourists coming to and lots of walking zones. However we are a little bit tired of Georgia and would like to move to a different city/state. Does anyone know about a any city /town that is very much visited by tourists, has a big walking downtown, you do not need car in as our business is not a common store and is dependent on tourism and travelers. Thank you for all your suggestions.

Hello there partner!

I see you are looking for a city that depends on tourism,so you can have your business.Well, you asked the right guy.I might be a redneck from Mississippi but I sure know a lot about America and have been to every one of the 50 states.
In your case the best cities for y_all would be Orlando, Florida and Branson, Missouri.Orlando is the busiest city in the state of Florida and attracts many tourists and families.Many little businesses thrive thanks to the many,many tourists that caome to Florida.
Branson, Missouri is another wonderfull excellnt choice. I live in St. Louis Missouri and go down to Branson about 2 times a year. A small but tourist packed town because all of the parks and shows and attractions.The third biggest tourist attracted city in the nation. I think many families and kids would love to go to a museum full of live tarantulas and reptiles.
A bounus about living in Branson is the low cost of living. Great communities and houses and apartments that don_t cost much.
Branson is also a great atmosphere in which to raise children,because you never have to go out of town to have A LOT of fun.

I hoped i helped your decision about where to move.
cheers,
Mitch