Where are some interesting religious centers in the Southeast United States?|146062

A friend (who is a religious studies major) and I would like to plan a day trip to visit one. For example there is Symmes Chapel in Greenville, SC if you_ve heard of that. Any other ideas?

Liberty college in Tennessee and Bob jones University in Arkansas come to mind.

What should I do in Austin during the day in February?|158846

I have a friend coming into town that has never been to Austin, we are in our 20s and besides the oasis and Mt Bonnell I can_t think of anywhere else to take him, any ideas?

What about the state capital building? It is unique to the city and rather interesting. Zilker Botanical Gardens is also nice.

Not to sound stupid, but what is the oasis? And Mt Bonnell?

Jennalee - Thanks for the andwers to my questions!

Go to the Alamo and Riverwalk for a day trip. Go to Salt Lick Barbecue. There_s some caverns worth seeing in New Braunfels. Also if you don_t mind a drive, there_s an awesome Pioneer Museum (living museum) towards Houston. My sister and I went there with the kids after going on a factory tour of Blue Bell Ice Cream - it was a memorable day. Oh, and the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Park is wonderful too.

How long does a typical Mardi Gras parade take to reach downtown?|142800

I was just curious on how long a parade takes from it_s start time to reach downtown and it_s terminus. For example, if a parade start at the typical location uptown at 4:15pm about what time should it be arriving on Canal St in downtown? We are staying downtown near Canal and Magazine and were wondering about how long the parades take to reach that area after they begin.

The other answers are correct and a parade that is scheduled to start at 4:15pm should get to Canal Street between 7:00pm and 7:30pm.

You are almost certainly asking about the Endymion parade. It is one of the longest parades so the _tail_ of the parade will leave the formation area at about the time the head reaches downtown. You won_t miss it.

That also means the parade will be on Canal Street for almost two hours. If you want to watch it all you won_t be done until after 9:00pm. Another option would be to make reservations for 9:00pm, watch the parade until about 8:30pm, and then go to dinner. Be sure you can get from your spot on the parade route to the restaurant ___ without having to cross the route ___. Ask the restaurant for suggestions.

All of the parades in New Orleans now (post-Katrina) start uptown on Napoleon Avenue, which is the _formation area_ and is about 4 miles from Canal Street.

Parades almost always start 15 to 30 minutes late and it will move at a slow walking pace with several stops. 7:30pm is a realistic time for the _head_ of the parade to reach Canal Street.

Carnival this year is very early and the size of the crowds cannot be predicted right now. If it appears the parades are well attended you need to take your _spot_ on the route well before the parade arrives if you want to be up front. If that is not so important to you it is OK to wait until the parade_s arrival is imminent to go to the parade route.

Finally, the absolute top problems for everyone during Carnival are traffic and parking. If you drive here or rent a car, PLEASE park your car in a lot or garage and leave it there for the duration of your visit (unless you travel well away from the city center and any parade routes (remember there are parades in the suburbs).

Hope you have a great time!

About 1 1/2 hr to 2 hrs., except for parades like Endymion, Bacchus, and Rex, which may be longer.

If all goes well I think that it should arrive at around 7:30,hope this helped

that is a qusetion that has many answers, it can take anywhere from 2 and 1\2 to about 5 and 1\2 hours on an average so many things come in to play that affect this factor.
here are a few things that can make the time change (rain, how many bands a parade has, break downs, accidents) your best bet is to eat early and find a resturant that you can walk to and from where you want to watch the paraide and back and if you get hungry i would just grab a lil bite after. and don_t try to drive to a resturant because there is no way you will ever get back in time the traffic is just too bad

What is the best place in Texas to travel in November?|155689

I_d like to get away from the hassle of Thanksgiving this year. As I do most of the work and want to rest this year. Where would you go and what would you do? Have you been there yourself?

I live in the hill country between Austin and San Antonio. The drive on 281 is really kinda pretty if you like the country. It is a 2 lane highway and along the way you can see some smaller towns. It gives you an idea what Texas is really like instead of the big cities. Canyon Lake is north of SA. It is nice to go and drive around. The dam is awesome. Highway 35 is a mess in Austin, so if you want no hassles stay away from it. Hope you have a good time and have fun in Texas. We are very friendly down here.

Just west of Austin is Fredericksburg, Texas that has great German heritage and food. A good one day trip.

I would go to San Antonio for a stop on my way to South Padre Island. A week in a condo at South Padre is about as relaxing as it gets. Winter is the season for shelling along the beach, as well. And....it is warm!

I don_t know what part of Texas you are in now, but I would recommend Jefferson, Texas. It is a quiet little town that has several nice hotels and bed and breakfasts. We love it there. At the end of the month, it will be our fifth time going in three years. There is even a General Store there. It_s like stepping back in time. It_s awesome. Just google Marion County Chamber of Commerce and you will see everything you need to know about the city.

There are two places I recommend: Austin and San Antonio. Both are very close to each other (about a 45 min. drive between the two)

Austin is a fun, hip, younger town because of UT, but there_s a lot of great restaurants and beautiful scenery (like Lake Travis and a quirky place called Hippie Hollow).

San Antonio has the Alamo and the River Walk. It_s very historic. The other missions (San Jose, etc.) are on the southside and if you drive just a little northwest (on the way to Austin, actually) are great historic German towns like New Branfuels and Groene (pronounce _green_).

November is a great time of year to visit. It_s not too hot, but the temperature is warm enough so that you don_t really need a jacket. It_s also the end of the tornado/hurricane season so there_s not a lot of rain. During the summer and early fall San Antonio gets a lot of thunderstorms whenever there are tropical storms in the Gulf.

I grew up in San Antonio. I live in Chicago now, but I go back for the holidays and definitely appreciate it more now that I_ve been away. I think you_ll enjoy both cities. And they_re close enough in proximity that you can spend quality time in both during the same trip.

What neighborhoods in Baltimore do you recommend living in?|131884

I wanted to live in a 1-bedroom apt. that is close to bars and restaurants. Any suggestions? I have heard that Federal Hill is a hip place to live. Are there others?

Federal Hill is nice, lots of bars and restaurants and is near the water. Its not super convenient in terms of daily shopping and pretty horrible parking. Its also gentrified and pretty segregated. Expensive too, if you_re on a budget. Not ideal for someone without a car. the bus system in baltimore sucks.

I recommend the Bolton Hill Neighborhood. Its historic, beautiful and quiet yet just a short walk from downtown and a bunch of cooler bars and restaurants on Charles Street. Its a few blocks from Maryland Institute of Art, Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, galleries and a weekly flea market, so its the artsy neighborhood. A little less expensive. A block from the Light rail (Train) and a few blocks from the Main Rail, Pennsylvania Station. Good Parking

Charles Village is cool. Pretty collegey feel as Johns Hopkins University is in Charles Village. Bars and shopping that cater to younger folks. A lot less segregated but the neighborhood has patches of blight. Big awesome farmer_s market every weekend. Cool free book store (The Book Thing). Lots of cool, inexpensive apartments to choose from. Okay Parking. A little ways from the closest light rail station.

Waverly and Abell are up and coming neighborhoods that surround Charles Village. More families, Churches, YMCA, Grocery shooping, and close to big box shopping centers. More community involvement.

Mt. Vernon is close to Bolton Hill but less isolated and further downtown. LOTS of shopping, bars, restaurants, a few night clubs. Apartments are more expensive here but you_ll be right in the thick of things without being all the way downtown. Center of Baltimore LGBTQ life and a 5- 10 minute walk to the Inner Harbor (Main attraction of baltimore) Nearby huge Unitarian Church. Light Rail ride through it. Parking sucks

Canton is similar to Federal Hill accept more Young White professional. Most segregated part of Baltimore City. Starbucks, microbreweries, condos. Nice apartments, yet pretty expensive. The bars in Canton are okay.

Last but not least Hampden is the quirky, yet towny, weirdly artsy neighborhood that Baltimore is famous for. The main strip in 36th street where there are countless cool bars and restaurants, comic store, SPCA, cafes, bookstore, salons, hipster shops, vintage clothes, art, junk, souvenirs. Lots of festivals. Inexpensive apartments and houses, and pretty good parking. Where most of the middle class white families left in Baltimore live, yet fairly integrated

If you are thinking of Baltimore suburbs, I_d mention Towson which is right outside the city limits. Takes only about 15 minutes to get to downtown. Ample shopping of every kind and bars and restaurants of all kinds. Lots of housing to choose from. Lots of parking.

If you have a car Baltimore is easy to get around because it is so small. All of these neighborhoods are within 3-5 miles of each other. Yet it is great to be able to walk around on foot and do things. The above represent the hippest neighborhoods in Baltimore.

Check out
http://www.livebaltimore.com/nb/list/
for more info

What are some things not to miss on a visit to Kauai?|118316

Going in January and already have lodgings booked--just looking for suggestions of neat places and activities!

taking the boat to the fern grotto is touristy but fun. also, you must go on a sailboat tour of the napali coast, its gorgeous. we used captain andy_s and were very happy, but there are several other companies as well. if you can get a reservation at the beach house restaurant in poipu its the best meal on the island (one of the best ive ever had) call now, they fill up fast.
almost forgot, be sure to set aside a day to go to the canyon (waimea) the _grand canyon of the pacific_ it was so cool and beautiful, like the grand canyon but prettier because it had waterfalls and greenery. be sure to bring some shoes you dont mind ruining, there is red dirt all over the island, its hard to get out of footwear

My husband I were married and honeymooned there. We had fun snorkeling at Tunnels Beach. It_s a dead coral reef but still lots of cool fish and such to see.

I lived on Kauai for many years. I met and married my hubby there. One of our favorite hide-aways was Koke_e Lodge. It_s nothing fancy, but it is a magical place, pearched at the top of Waimea Canyon, with a look-out over the Kalalau Valley. There_s a cool mist that shrouds over you in the morning and you can hear the wild roosters crowing, collect eggs and pick wild plums. At night you can light a fire in the fireplaces. The hiking is incredible and there is a small museum and State Park information center to help you with trails and safety.

Be sure to make reservations way in advance:

KOKEE LODGE (Cabins)
Kokee State Park
P. O. Box 819
Waimea, HI 96796
(West Side)
Tel. (808) 335-6061
Rates: $35 and $45 per night per cabin

Aloha,
Cindy

What is there to do in Biloxi, MS besides the Casinos?|155284

We_re planning on going to Biloxi for Labor Day weekend, but I_m having second thoughts because there doesn_t seem to be much to do there besides gambling and I don_t like the whole Casino atmosphere anyway. Are there good clubs, sites to see, outdoor things to do, a nearby beach perhaps? Anything major? Also, how is the city now after Hurricane Katrina?

The one year anniversary of Katrina is August 29. I feel that the area is doing extremely well considering the massive devastation, however, it may still seem like a disaster area to someone who did not see the immediate aftermath. There are a couple of casinos open. The beaches are pretty much empty, there is still alot of debris in the shallow water. There are no clubs, restaurants, gas stations, homes, or hotels left on HWY 90 (the beach front road) this extends roughly from the LA state line to AL state line. I would recommend Gulf Shores AL, it is one of the most beautiful beaches and they have so much to offer.

I would say in the summer time if you like the beach you could hang out on the pretty beach with the white sand not like the dirty looking sand in Atlantic City.

I lived there a loooong time ago. There are boating excursions to some islands about 5 miles out. That could be fun.

you can find the answer you are looking
http://www.biloxi.ms.us

the white beach is a great place to chill at...I_ve been there...that_s about it (other than the casinos-we went there too)

Don_t go to Biloxi right now unless you want to go to a Casino. The place was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Parts of the beaches are opened, but most are still closed because of debri, and the beach that is opened is dirty and VERY packed, it_s hard to enjoy yourself. Even the mall has stores that haven_t reopened because of the damage. All tourist or beach based stores and resturants are gone, and the entire town just looks like it was blown up. There is rubble everywhere. Go to Pensacol, FL instead, that_s a good beach town with a lot of tourist stuff to do.

my sister lives in biloxi MS and im sorry but there is nothing left there is a waterpark though but by the casinos its sad and scary there are casinos upside down and well u get the point there are no hotels srry