-Bugsy You're viewing the original Hometown Invasion Tour website as it appeared when launched in 2006. Back then, a site built with tables and flash was commonplace. A few changes were made, but it appears as it did eleven years ago. View a modern version or see what I've been up to the last ten years at www.bugsy.me |
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Your Towns Tell everyone about your hometown!
Latest Towns: Beulah, MISubmitted by Angela Duncan It's a small town on the east shore of Crystal Lake, which is altogether 45 minutes southwest of Traverse City. More and more people are coming up for summer vacations, to go camping, canoeing and swimming. Baraga, MISubmitted by Bugsy At the base of the Keweenaw, Baraga is a small town of about 1,300 people. The town is set on a Native Indian reservation, the Ojibwa Tribe, which is about 30% of the population. <br /> <br /> The biggest employers in the town are probably the Prison and Casino, along with several shops that manufacture cary-lifts. <br /> <br /> The winters are long, but there are four full seasons, which I enjoy each. Lots of snowmobiling in the winter, as well as ice fishing. The town is right on Lake Superior, and the ice fishing villages are great to see on the bay in the winter. Hunting is also big back home along with the rest of the UP.<br /> <br /> There's not a full-scale stoplight in all of Baraga County. But I like it that way. Growing up in a small town and close-knit community. A friendly town. Midland, MISubmitted by Katy Midland is a pretty little town, but there are lots of places in it that make it very unique. It is home to the Tridge (a 3-way bridge) and Dow Chemical Company was founded here. In addition, the local arts center brings some of the most widely acclaimed performers and right next to the Center is the Dow Gardens, a massive park that used to be the backyard of H.H. Dow.<br /> The Midland mall is pretty small, but has quite a few high-end shops. The best part about Midland is that I live here, and I make it exciting! haha Lansing, MISubmitted by Angie It's the capital of Michigan, but it's not very big. All we really have going on is the Lugnuts. haha. It's just west of East Lansing! We've also got the Potter Park Zoo, which is cool. Except for the time someone got shot there. We have Common Ground Fest as well, I haven't been there for a while, but the last time I was there I saw Third Eye Blind and that was awesome. Lansing's not that bad, right? right? Oh and Silver Bells in the City is kinda a big deal here too. At Christmastime everyone gets all excited to see the big Christmas tree lit outside the capital and stands out in the cold to see it. :oP We're crazy. Sault Sainte Marie, MISubmitted by Marissa Ainslie Sault Sainte Marie is a small town in the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan, set on Lake Superior. It is home to the famous Soo Locks, as well as Lake Superior State University. There is a casino, and a Chippewa Indian reservation, as the area is populated largely by people of native american descent. <br /> <br /> The International Bridge, which connects Michigan to Canada, is only minutes away from downtown, and makes for an exciting and unique experience if visiting the Soo. It is a popular place for camping and fishing, and Portage Avenue boasts an array of fudge, ice cream, and souvenir shops for out-of-towners to enjoy. Ypsilanti, MISubmitted by Bonnie Wheeler Its full of character to say the least...there are clubs, bars, and tons of places to eat... Oak Park, ILSubmitted by Jen Sharing a border with Chicago, Oak Park is the nearest Western suburb in the Chicagoland area. With a population of over 50,000 peeps, Oak Park is just a 15 minute 'L' ride(that's the elevated train system for all you foreigners) from the heart of downtown. It's the hometown of numerous notable Americans, such as: Ernest Hemingway (who went to my high school)Frank Lloyd Wright (His house and museum are only two blocks from where I grew up) and the voice of Homer Simpson, among other characters, Dan Castelleneta. (Who also went to my high school!) Oak Park is has a rep for being very liberal, and last year was named the 5th sexiest city in the country, (I want to say by Forbes, but I'm not positive) I have no idea why because it's mostly kids and old people, but there it is. What I like about Oak Park is how it's so close to the city, but is a completely different from the busy, crowded atmosphere. It's an ideal place to grow up, and to raise a family. (But if I lived there as a single 20-something I'd shoot myself). <br /> Nothin' but love to the OP though! ;) Flushing, MISubmitted by Mary It's a fairly small town just west of Flint. Has a population of about 10,000. It doesn't have any of the bad riff-raff of Flint, thankfully. Most of the community is connected in one way or another. Downtown Flushing is two stop-lights long, with historical buildings occupied buy private businesses. There is a train depot on the west-end of downtown that is currently Flushing's historical museum. The A&W is an old-style where you can park at the order box and they'll bring you your food, that hold's monthly cruises in the summer. Riverview Park hosts several events every summer, such as movies in the park and the Irish Festival. There are two privately owned icecream parlors, and three bars. The nature trail runs along the Flint River and is great for a walk or a jog, just don't go alone after dark...the river hobos might get you. Althought it can be boring, you'll find some way to entertain yourself if there isn't something going on. Flushing has the old town charm. Cedar Lake, INSubmitted by Kristy Vaughan It used to be a small summer town back in the day. We have a lake obviously. Small roads. The people here are pretty hillbilly besides a select few of us. Everyone pretty much knows everyone around them and is in everyone elses business. It's a lot of woods around. We just put up some condos right on the lake front. That's about it. there are about only 9,000 people here. we have little drug stores, walgreens, 2 dairy queens, fast food, drive through smoke shop (how many people have that) and a couple little things here and there. We have 5 funeral homes here though. what is that? and that's about it for Cedar Lake. Glendale , AZSubmitted by Chris Well it's a city and the population is 232,00 . adjacent to Phoenix; inc. 1910. It is located in a rich agricultural region irrigated by the Salt River project. Glendale has become one of the fastest-growing U.S. cities, marked by a population increase of more than 52% between 1980 and 1990. It has food-processing plants and is a shipping point for fruits and vegetables. Luke Air Force Base, a large jet fighter training center, is in Glendale. The American Graduate School of International Management and the Glendale Historical Society are also there.It also has Arrowhead mall which is quite big and has places to shop and dine at. West Colombia / East Colombia , TXSubmitted by Jaimelle it the location of the first capital of texas and still has that small town texan charm. its amazing Torrington, CTSubmitted by Lysa Torrington was a town until about 3 yrs ago, it's now a city. The population grew to 45,000 people. There isn't much to see here, but shopping is one thing you get tired of. WIth them adding a second walgreens, a target, a second stop and shop, and a SUPER walmart, i guess you can take it from there. people spend most of their time relaxing at a nearby park or enjoying an afternoon movie. my favorite things about it, are... well there isn't much things to do other then shop, take walks, and go fishing! Findlay, OHSubmitted by Stephanie I grew up in Findlay and lived there until I was 11. It's the county seat of Hancock County. It's a mix between the old and the new: the downtown area is reminiscent of times long ago, and yet is experience large modern growth. I know Ohio is stereotyped as flat and boring, but it's really gorgeous and friendly. Findlay still has that small town feeling. The song "Down by the Old Mill Stream" was composed by the shores of the Blanchard River (which flows through Findlay) by Tell Teller; you can still see his house today. There's an old fasioned ice cream parlor called Deutse's that is absolutely amazing. CedarFalls, IASubmitted by Katie Krueger Cedarfalls is a college town. Not much here accept alot of bars. Bar hoping is what people do on weekends. We also have galaxy bowling. My town is a very safe town. Its kinda of a preppy town.<br /> We dont really even have a mall. Its not a small small townbut its not real big either. Berkley, MISubmitted by Kristin Berkley is a small suburb just north and west of Detroit. Small and unassuming, it was primarliy built after World War II. It's a great place for first-time homeowners and small families to get their start. Close to Royal Oak and Birmingham for great food and shopping, and right along the Woodward Corridor, making it a quick drive to Downtown Detroit to enjoy the Tigers, Lions, Redwings, Greek Town, the Theatre District and other great Detroit places to visit. And best of all, don't forget the Metro Detroit area's greatest Beer Garden - the Berkley Front, with over 40 brews on tap!! Escanaba, MISubmitted by Katie MacKenzie Escanaba is a beautiful city in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan. It is surrounded by little bay de noc and nature, but still has the city atmophere of restruants, movie theater and a mall. Some may know Escanaba from the movie, but we "yoopers" really don't act like that. Grand Rapids, MISubmitted by James It is a wonderful place to live and the Western side of the State is streaming with tradition and respect of one another. I hope to someday have a place here. It offers so much and is so community based. Generousity flows fluently and people take care of one another. Durango, COSubmitted by Jeff Frisbie Durango Colorado is located in the southwest corner of Colorado at the southern end of the Rockies surrounded by the San Juan Mountains and the La Plata Mountains. It is an incredibly beautiful area in the Four Corners region. The town is at 6500' ft. but is within a days drive of high desert in New Mexico, the San Juans to the north with Red Mountain Pass at 11,000 ft. and the main road north. To the west is Mesa Verde, the Anasazi ruins, and Moab, Utah about 2-3 hours away.<br /> <br /> Durango is an historic mining town and has a popluation of about 15,000. There is a small public liberal arts college, Fort Lewis College, on a ledge above town. Purgatory, Durango Mountain Resort, is about 25 miles north at 8500 ft. Silverton is at 9600 ft. and is where the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad takes daily trips. The town is filled with more restaurants than you would expect in a town this size and is a very popluar tourist destination especially in the summer. A diverse population with music, theatre, numerous street fairs, and of course kayaking and rafting right in town, mountain biking, hiking, camping, skiing.<br /> <br /> It's an incredible place to live! Bellevue, PASubmitted by Karen Tikkanen Davin My hometown is Bellevue, Pennsylvania, located just 5 miles from downtown Pittsburgh. It is one square mile in size with a population of almost 9,000. We have tight quarters here compared to where I grew up (Baraga, MI!), but it still has a small-town feel. Bellevue is over 100 years old with many older homes. We discovered a hand written note on one of our closet walls dated 1896! <br /> One of the unique things about our town is that it's a "dry" town...no bars allowed. I love being able to walk to...the grocery store, pharmacy, bakery, bank, doctor, dentist, chiropractor, YMCA, library, church, restaurants, fire department, police station, hospital, school, barber, etc. <br /> We're big on sports here as we are only a few miles from Heinz Field where our world champion Pittsburgh Steelers play, PNC Park where the Pirates baseball team plays, and Mellon Arena, home of the Penguins hockey team. My family enjoys biking, canoeing, ice skating, camping and fishing. <br /> I appreciate being close to some of the best medical facilities in the nation as well as many universities. We also have a zoo and museums of all kinds. <br /> Come and see us! Okeechobee, FLSubmitted by Linda English Okeechobee, on the north side of the big lake in Florida, is not your typical tourist area. It's small town feel is reminicent of the farms and ranches before everyone discovered the wonderful winter weather. Folks have a southern drawl and a friendly attitude you seldom find on the Gold Coast or the Treasure Coast. Lake Placid, nearby, has thirty odd murals painted on the sides of buildings. Okeechobee is an endearing blend of old and new, and especially enticing during the winter months when the snowbirds fly south. Jefferson, GASubmitted by Crystal Its a very small country town just outside of athens. There is really nothing to do in Jefferson. We all go hangout in Athens. Athens has tons of local bands that play at bars and small clubs. there is a place called the grill that stays open 24/7. its a college town. Its really nice to be in Jefferson because you are so close to a party city but you are able to escape it all when you want to. you have the best of both worlds right at your finger tips. Greenwood, INSubmitted by Alex Well, Greenwood is just about 5-10 minutes south of Indianapolis. It's a fairly big suburban town, with about 30,000 people, more than half not actually living in the city itself (long story short- unincorporated school district). <br /> ANYWAY, Greenwood is pretty much a big place, but not SO big. It has just about every restaurant one can imagine, tons of golf courses, a few movie theaters, Greenwood Park Mall (one of top malls in the state), and just a lot of everything one can imagine, so there is a wide variety to choose from; and if one cannot find it in Greenwood, the drive to downtown is a mere 15 minutes. <br /> I know (from personal experience too) that a lot of people just hang at other people's homes, or go to one of a few parks. Our parks are pretty awesome; Craig Park is pretty big since it is connected the Little League park AND has a couple miles of trails as of the last couple of years.<br /> Greenwood is just so unique because it has a semi-"big city" feel but is not really since it doesn't have the population. Everything seems to be accessible with a car (some even walking/biking).<br /> In recent years attempts at revitalizing the "Old Towne Greenwood" have had mixed results,and you can always know when you're in it, separated somewhat from the other Greenwood that everyone knows of.<br /> I could keep going on and on about G-town, but I won't. Negaunee, MISubmitted by Katie C Negaunee is a small city of about 5,000 residents in the Central UP. The word Negaunee means "pioneer" in the Chippewa Indian language. We have an elementary, middle, and high school. Iron Ore was discovered here in 1844, and we currently have 2 large iron ore mines in the region that are still operating. Every July we hold a celebration called Pioneer Days. It's a week filled with various activities downtown, including class reunions, a Negaunee High School alumni softball tournament, a "night on the town", a car cruise, battle of the bands, and fireworks. <br /> <br /> Negaunee has a very rich sense of community and strong tradition of school spirit. The "Miner" is the high school's mascot. Negaunee is home to the Lucy Hill Luge run, the only Naturbahn luge hill in the United States, and one of only five lighted luge hills in the world. Westerly, RISubmitted by Sarah My hometown is about 35 minutes away from Providence -- so all the clubs & the most amazing mall is practically a hop, skip & a jump away if u ever feel u need a brake from this tiny town*<br /> <br /> Westerly said to be a pretty high-end town.. Christopher Reeves had a home here, so does the Perdue family. Mansions in Watch Hill.. yaht clubs & all that snobby stuff lol<br /> <br /> We're all about the beach.. touristville USA in the summer basically. It's a quiet little town but we have our crazy antics from time to time. Cabannas on the beach are usually where everybody is during the night. The movie theater across the river & the bowling alley are the usual places too if nobody is having a party at their house :P<br /> <br /> Misquamicut Beach is basically where all the life is in the summer: live bands.. bars.. parties on the beach -- all that fun stuff is what keeps this town alive* xoxo Burlington, NJSubmitted by Lindsey K One side of the highway is all housing developments, the other row home after row home with of course the inevitable ghetto. burlington is technically the caption of west jersey. it's 45 minutes from the shore and the mountains. also minutes away from one major city (philadelphia, pa) and 3 hours from another (new york, ny). as much as you try to escape it your whole life, you'll never find a place like it. i mean where else can you read a headline like "young boy accidently injects himself with nerve gas"?<br /> <br /> viva burlington! Walkerton, INSubmitted by Britee Its VERY small. like, we're talkin super duper small. theres not really a whole lot to do here. the main reason i like it, is because its so small. its peaceful. most the time people spend their time playing basketball or hanging out at the park. im not gonna lie...its quite boring. lol Canton, MISubmitted by Nicole Canton is home to one of the nations largest high school campuses. There are a total of 3 schools- Plymouth, Canton, and Salem- and four buildings- the three highschools and phase 3 gymnasium- on a couple hundred acres. It is known as Plymouth Canton Educational Park, or PCEP. The Park is a great place to go to school because of the diverse group of students, the variety of classes you can take and all the clubs and sports available. Just coming to Canton to see the campus and talk to the students is tottaly worth it. O'Neill, NESubmitted by Nicole O'Neill is the Irish Capital of Nebraska.We're located about 60 miles or so from the South Dakota border. We have the world's largest shamrock permanently placed in concrete on the intersections of hwys 275/20/281. In March we celebrate St. Patrick's Day in a big way. In fact, everyone is a little Irish that weekend! <br /> <br /> The community is a great place to live, work and raise a family! Farwell, NESubmitted by randy lukasiewicz Farwell is my hometown. I prsently live in Omaha but have enjoyed recently displaying my photos and sponsoring the Annual Farwell Athletic Club Reunion celebrating this small Polish village's contribution to society via baseball. Around the turn of the century and for years, local town team baseball was a real live community building activity. Just ask any of the older folks. The story is always the same. The Sherman-Howard League had it's beginning in Howard county and is one of central Nebrasks'a oldest leagues and one that continued into the 1960's. By way of www.farwellathleticclub.com and an annual exhibit (2nd weekend of June) , I hope to preserve the stories and memories of small town Americana and the Farwell Athletic Club, or FAC or what they stood for...Faith, Attitude and Community!<br /> This little village also has the distinction of having the Oldest Polish Catholic Church West of the Mississippi and now has a University! Yes, the Farwell Athletic Club has introduced the "Universytet Poznan of Farwell" t-shirt and bumper sticker in honor of the original Polish town name. Here is a Polish joke you can WEAR! Fort Washington, MDSubmitted by Joy Though currently residing in East Lansing, MI, my home is nestled just southeast of Washington, DC. It's a short journey off the Beltway down Route 210 and despite not actually having a true town center, unless one counts a couple shopping mall strips, there is actually a Fort. Built along the Potomac River in the early 1800s as the only defense against invasion upon DC until the Civil War, the Fort still remains today having never seen any battles. A lighthouse rests at its base lines along the Potomac and most residents visit to take long walks along the trails or to hold picnics in the designated areas outside the Fort walls. There used to be a fantastic fire works display held just before the DC show - which can be seen when near the west Fort walls that looked up the river to the city - every Fourth of July, but that sadly stopped in the mid 1980s due to government budget cuts. If coming by in winter though and a good amount of snow has actually fallen there is a fantastic sledding hill as you approach the front gates! Jonesport, MESubmitted by Etta Abrahams Jonesport is a real Downeast lobster fishing town of about 1800 year-round residents, including Beals Island. It has a wonderful shoreline filled with wild roses, and is more Maine in accent than, I think, any other coastal Maine town. <br /> We've been mentioned on NPR for Tall Barney's, a restaurant and hangout for the locals, and recently had a visit from a young woman who is kayaking and biking around the country. We came here by chance in 1978, bought our house, put in plumbing and wiring, spent summers here off and on, and now, retired from Michigan State, live here year 'round and love it--it takes some adjustment: no shopping malls, no movie houses for 60 miles, and the town is "dry." Great people! Chicago, ILSubmitted by Jen Even after almost completely burning to the ground in 1871 (legend has it, farmer Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over a lantern and nearly wiped out the city), ‘The Windy City’, AKA, the home of broad shoulders and deep dish pizza, AKA, Chicago (an Iroquois word meaning ‘smelly onion’) is one of the largest cities in the U.S. Positioned along the West side of Lake Michigan, Chicago’s skyline is one of, if not the most recognizable skylines in the world, mainly because of the country’s (and the world’s up until the late 90s) tallest building The Sears’ Tower and it’s shorter side kick, the John Hancock. The Sears’ Tower still boasts the highest usable of any building, as Malaysia just stuck a large antenna on top of a building. (Cheaters.) FYI, Donald Trump is in the process of building a new condo overlooking the Chicago River (which by the by, is dyed green every St. Patty’s day) that will supposedly be even taller. Though the weather lives up to it’s namesake, Chicago was actually dubbed ‘The Windy City’ because of all the loud, ‘windy’ politicians that didn’t shut up. (Of course today, with indightments being the norm in the cities government, things have quieted down a bit.) Chicagoan like to say, “If you don’t like the weather, wait a day,” because it will change. <br /> There is one telling question that every Chicagoan must be able to answer. The issue divides the city, turning families, friends, and coworkers against each other. ‘Cubs or Sox?’ You must pick a side, there is no middle ground. Both teams’ respective field’s can be reached via the red line on Chicago’s elevated train system, AKA, the ‘L’.(Although we all know the White Sox don’t count as a team, so there’s really no point in mentioning them.) Ask any Cubs’ fan about the infamous ‘Curse of the Billy Goat’, or the ‘Bartman Ball’ and they will eagerly tell you the tales of woe. Though baseball rules the city, Chicago still loves ‘Da Bears’, and ‘Da Bulls’. In the glory days of the mid-eighties came the smash hit ‘The Super Bowl Shuffle’, complete with rhythm challenged 300 lbs linebackers attempting to bust a move. And unless you lived under a rock during the 1990s, you are aware of the greatest basketball to ever play the game, Michael Jordan, who led the Bulls to 6 world championships. <br /> If there is anything that Trumps sports in Chicago, its food; rich, greasy, coronary causing food. A visit to the American Heart Association’s public enemy number one is not complete without a slice of deep-dish pizza. The best, in my opinion, is the sausage pizza from Gino’s East. Part of the fun of Gino’s East is partaking in vandalism; customers are encouraged to write on walls, tables, and chairs, (just no carving). Other notable Chicago food-finds include, but are not, limited to Eli’s Cheesecake factory, Weber’s grill, Portillo’s, and a Chicago-style hotdog (a word of warning, it is considered a cardinal sin to put ketchup on a hot dog here, don’t even ask). <br /> Virtually anyone who’s anyone in the comedy world performed at ‘The Second City’ at some point in their early career including: Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, Conan O’Brien, and literally the entire original cast of Saturday Night Live. The long-running sketch ‘The Super Fans’ and take on restaurant The Billy-Goat Tavern (cheeseborger, cheeseborger, cheeseborger) were both alive and well even before SNL made it to TV. Chicago is also home to Oprah, Vince Vaughn, Walt Disney, Andy Richter, Frank Lloyd Wright, Ernest Hemingway (see ‘Oak Park’) the band ‘Chicago’ and the Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan. Most tourism books will tell you to see Navy Pier, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Museum of Science and industry, and while those are all must-sees, my personal recommendation would be to bypass the crowds and take a bike ride down the Lake Shore Path on a summer night. Even the most jaded resident is blown away by the view of the lit-up Ferris Wheel along the lake front. If you’re looking for the quintessential photo op, head down to the Shedd and Soldier Field for the city’s best view of the skyline. (Incidentally, Soldier Field now looks as though a space ship landed on the Coliseum, so you can’t miss it.) I really can’t say enough about Chicago, although if you are still reading this, I’m sure you disagree. Perhaps I’m a bit biased, but I can honestly say Chicago is one the most amazing cities in the country, if not the world, and a must for anyone passing through the mid-west.<br /> College Station, TXSubmitted by Siera Home of the Fightin' Texas Aggies! What could be a better reason? Longview, TXSubmitted by Siera It lies in the very heart of East Texas. It's surrounded by the beautiful Piney Woods of Texas. It's just an awesome town to grow up in and I am so proud to say that I was born and raised there.<br /> Also, if you're lookin for some celebrity trivia: Matthew Mcconaughey is from Longview, as well as Robin Wright Penn.<br /> It's bigger than a small town, but smaller than a big city. It's just the right size if you ask me. It's got a lot of southern charm and very nice locals.<br /> I know you'll love it! Austin, TXSubmitted by Sonya Crocker Austin is not my hometown, but it is where I have lived for 2 years. It is a big city with an intimate feel. It is eclectic and involved with events like the annual kite festival that have huge turnouts. It has beautiful lakes and a river that runs right through downtown. The capital is beautiful, 6th street is famous for its bars and fun environment, there are tons of amazing local resturants. Our motto is "Keep Austin Weird" and we are the only county in Texas that had a democratic majority. At least stop by Austin, you won't be disappointed.<br /> <br /> actually, the only CENTRAL county in Texas to have a democratic majority.. Dallas, TXSubmitted by Stephanie Dallas.<br /> <br /> Reunion Tower.<br /> Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza (From which Oswald fired those infamous shots. <br /> About 400 photographs, interviews, artifacts, videos, etc.)<br /> The Conspiracy Museum.<br /> Dallas Museum of Art (23,000+ pieces).<br /> Fair Park (277+ acres of museums, flea markets, and events.<br /> Deep Ellum (Elbow Room, July Alley, Art Bar & Cafe, Green Room).<br /> Live Music (Club Clearview, Curtain Club & Liquid Lounge, Galaxy Club).<br /> Gypsy Tea Room.<br /> The West End.<br /> Six Flags Over Texas.<br /> Texas Motor Speedway.<br /> Largest Starbucks in Texas (Cole and Lemmon). <br /> The Galleria.<br /> <br /> The Cowboys. The Mavericks. The Stars.<br /> <br /> Why not?! Eaton Rapids , MISubmitted by Evelyn Small town with a lot of different people, but mostly caucasians...very artsy, a lot of historic homes and very community oriented. A lot of beautiful sight-seeing opportunities and a lot of farm life. White Bear Lake, MNSubmitted by Mark and Linda Vukelich White Bear Lake Minnesota has a population of about 25,000. It is a suburb of St. Paul, the Capitol of Minnesota. It is located on beautiful White Bear lake - hence the name of the town! The Twin Cities has a lot to offer. We are home to 3M, Pillsbury, Medtronic, Norhtwest Airlines, Target, St. Jude Medical, Best Buy and several other Fortune 500 Companies. We are also the home of the Minnesota Wild, Vikings, Timberwolves and Twins. (We hope to take Bugsy to at least one game while he is here!)If you like shopping, The Mall of America has everything you can think of! White Bear Lake has a small town feel in a large metropolitan area. We also have a nice downtown area and lots of cafes and coffee shops. We also have Century College - which is a two-year college with an enrollment of 12-13 thousand students. The Capitol building in St. Paul is an exact replica of the capitol building in Washington, D.C. It is very beautiful! It is a great town and has everything a small town in America might have to offer. St. Clair Shores, MISubmitted by Scott St. Clair Shores is a small suburban Detroit community located on the shores of Lake St. Clair. It's a quiet residential community and a great place to raise a family. Leisure time finds residents boating, fishing and hanging out near the waters edge in the numerous parks and marinas located throughout the city. Toledo, OHSubmitted by Tim Hatch Home of some famous people including Jamie Farr and Danny Thomas too name few. We're also known for our Famous Restraunt Tony Packo's which serves a great Hungarian Hot Dog. We have many things to keep you occupied, such as the Mud Hens Baseball Team, which is affliated with the Detroit Tigers, and the Metroparks. On Friday's we have a get together by the Maumee River to celebrate the Weekend, it's called Rally by the River, which features some local bands and even some nationally known bands.<br /> Our history is that of Making Glass, thus it was once known as the Glass Capital of the World, and also for the World Famous Jeep. The Liberty was being made in parts of the orginal 100 + year old Plant, which Diamler Chrysler is going to tear down in the coming year, to make way for something else. Favorite things about Town are going to the Baseball games and hanging out with friends and family. We are just a short drive down US 23 or I-75, so come down vist a bit and see how things are here. We're friendly people and I would be glad to have you stay with me. Westfield, INSubmitted by Valerie Stipe Hi Justin! I'm Nancy's friend from E. Lansing. We've lived several places since Michigan. Green Bay, WI; San Antonio, TX; Austin, TX and now we're north of Indianapolis in Westfield. I've got three kids, but you've probably read our Christmas letters. Anyway we'd love to have you visit us. Westfield is a small town that was an important stop on the Underground Railroad. There's a Quaker influence in the community and a few of the houses in town are on a tour of historic homes. The downtown is still intact but the farm fields all around are selling out to residential developers. During the 13 years we've been here we've seen how a small farming community has become suburbanized. They've constantly been building schools (I drive a school bus here). My parents live in Lawton, Oklahoma (they live just south of the Witchita Mountains Wildlife refuge)and they'd like to have you too. Also we have friends in Austin who would probably take you in. I have family in Carrollton, Georgia who I could contact if you need a place there. I'll write your mom sometime soon or call. Good luck with everything!<br /> Greenville, MISubmitted by Ben Greenville is a growing city about 45 minutes away from Grand Rapids. There are many farms around, so it is a country town, even though we have grown to around 10,000 people. An interesting little fact for Midwesterners: Greenville is the birth-place of Meijer! For those of you who don't know about Meijer, it's basically a smaller version of Wal-Mart. Greenville is a great place to live, as you can live out in the country, but still be close enough to G.R., Lake Michigan (1 hr. drive), and Lansing (1 hr.). The local Electrolux factory, which recently shut down and moved to Mexico, made gliders for the Army during WWII. The easiest way to get there is to take US-131 to M-57 from Grand Rapids, and from Lansing, Take 127 north to M-57 West. Homer, AKSubmitted by Doug Koester Hey there, My dad heard you on WGN in Chicago...<br /> Homer, Alaska is located at the "end of the road". It pretty much is the end if you check it out on a map. Actually where I live is about 17miles outside of Homer so it is really the end. It is unique both in terms of its people and its beauty. We have many amazing artists creating here along with a boat load of fisherman. There is about 5000 full time residents 10,000 if you count the outlying areas. Its often mentioned in the top 10 in Outside magazine? and other magazines as a great place to live. Why? perhaps beacause we are relatively warm for Alaska. In addition to being surrounded with breathtaking views of mountains and glaciers. From my home one can see a few of them gleeming blue surrounded by green covered mountains and the crystaline blue waters of Kachemak bay. The bay is one of the richest in the world in terms of wildlife and biodiversity. Whales, otters, seals, sea lions, porpoises are frequent inhabidents.<br /> Homer was named after Homer, Pennock a con man from New York. However the people here are warm and friendly glowing with that inner light that being around so much beauty cultivates.<br /> Why should you visit? mmmm I would say follow the path of your heart and if says come to Homer do it! <br /> Spokane, WASubmitted by Tanya It is located on the east side of washington state, the population has to be around 200,000-300,000 if not more, this place has been booming since the late 80s. Health Care is a huge industry here. I work at one of the largest hospitals in town which is also the towns largest employer, it is Sacred Heart Medical Center (www.shmc.org). There are 3 other hospitals in town as well. We have Riverfront park that was built in 1974 for the EXPO that year, it was built over the old train shipping yards, right in the center of downtown. There is the beautiful Davenport Hotel that was restored in the last ten years and reopend for business. The downtown area is being revitalized and it now has a more big town, and classy feel to it. Silverwood theme park is a short 40 min drive away and it is the largest theme park in the Northwest, must see it!<br /> Since Spokane is located so close to the boarder of Idaho and close to mountains, lakes and streams, there is a lot of out doors stuff people do here. It's a great place if you would like to know more ask me.<br /> I have two boys 6 and 8 so I am sure I could hook you up with the K-12 elementry school visit. Waterford, MISubmitted by Adam Nestled about 35 miles Northwest of D-Town (that's Detroit), Waterford has a nice, small town feel. There isn't a straight road to speak of, since the town is dotted with small to medium sized inland lakes (Cass Lake beingf the largest at 1 mile wide and 5 miles across). It has an interesting mix of wealthy, lakefront homeowners and middle class to lower middle class "inlanders". We also have one of the busiests airports in the Country - mainly used for private aircraft and private business jets that haul everyone from local sports stars to automotive executives.<br /> The restaurant situation sucks. Mt Pleasant, MISubmitted by Amy ok ... I live in Mt Pleasant but my hometown in TRAVERSE CITY , MI.<br /> <br /> Every high school student I knew couldnt wait to leave TC for college... but once they leave they realize it's one of the nicest places in MI, and they realize how lucky there were to grow up in such a great city! <br /> -its the cherry capital of the world!<br /> -lots of awesome beaches, marinas, lighthouse, and other spots along the bay.<br /> -there's a good mix of young and old people, liberal and conservative, low/middle class who are from the area ... and more and more wealthy tourists and seasonal residents, which kind of causes a clash around the area.<br /> <br /> There is so much to see and do in this town, I think you would get some really nice photos, and get to talk to a lot of interesting local people and places- especially in the downtown area. Winterset, IASubmitted by Alicia Miller Winterset is a town of aprox 4,758 people It is located aprox 30 miles south west of the capital of Iowa, Des Moines. Jesse Hiatt developed a apple that he called the "Hawkeye".It is now known as the "Delicious".There are 6 coverd bridges in and around Winterset, which is located in Madison County. Roseman, Holliwell, <br /> Cedar, Cutler-Donahoe,Hogback, and Imes are the names of the 6 bridges. For more information:<br /> http://www.madisoncounty.com/bridge<br /> The Movie "Bridges of Madison County" was based and filmed in and around Winterset. <br /> Here are some other historical sites around Winterset in the Madison County area.<br /> http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/IA/Madison/vacant<br /> Wintesret set is also the birth place of John Wayne and Fred Clarke, baseball player, lived hear also.<br /> The city park is the home of Cutler-Donahoe Covered Bridge and Clarks Tower. Clarks Tower stands about 25 feet and over looks Middle River and its valley. Was built in 1926 in mermorial to the Clarks family, the settlers of this area.<br /> Local eats: Pizza Hut, Godfathers Pizza, Subway, Hardees, Cooking from the Heart, NorthSide Cafe, Montross, Rudys, StarLight Cafe, Espresso YourSelf, Breadeaux Pizza, Caseys Carry out Pizza, China Cafe,Chancers.<br /> My favorite is Chancers, for good food, right price, quantity, fast, friendly sevice.<br /> Hotels and Motels: Super8Motel(31 rooms). So if you are coming for Coverd Bridge days in October, book early, or you will be staying in another town and driving.<br /> Bars and Pubs:Chancers(pool and archade games), Pheasunt Run(pool,darts, and cribbage boards), Gold Star(pool, darts, archade, bowling).<br /> Video Rentals: Gold Star and Video Escape.<br /> Grocery Stores:Fareway(closed on Sundays)<br /> Just Ice Cream: We got it, Frostys<br /> General Stores and Gas Stations: 2 Caseys, Kum and Go, Git and Go, White and Shorts Phillip 66.<br /> And much more.<br /> We might be a small town, but we do have it and can bring it. Yes, we do know how to live it up around here.<br /> Anchorage, AKSubmitted by Kayleen One word, beautiful! Even though I was only born here, never really enjoyed it myself, what I've heard is: you have to have to have to go fishing for the salmon; the glaciers are unbelievable; black bears put a whole new meaning to "large and in charge"; Mt. McKinley and Denali National Park are great places to enjoy scenery; and last but not least when you see 30 bald eagles in one tree you can't help but to stop, take a picture, and enjoy life! I'm sure you'll remember the landscapes and scenery for a life time, even when your pictures get old and faded! Rouses Point, NYSubmitted by Xan You will more than likely have to drive through my hometown of Rouses Point (pop.2,500) to get from NY to Vermont. <br /> <br /> Rouses Point sits in the northeastern corner of NY directly on the border of Quebec and on Lake Champlain which separates NY from Vermont. The town is home to one of the only bridges in the state that spans the lake and home to Fort Montgomery (which was recently sold on Ebay). It's a quaint, picturesque town, with a gorgeous view of the lake, friendly locals, and plenty of history. <br /> <br /> If you're passing through I would recommend stopping to eat at the Anchorage (which sits right on the water) and ice cream from Gino's. And if you decide to stay in the area I have plenty of friends who I'm sure would be happy to take you in for a night. <br /> <br /> <br /> San Diego, CASubmitted by Martin Molina The best weather in the nation. Average tempt. is 74. You will love it out here. And, above all, a hole bunch of Spartans (MSU alumni of San Diego). You have to come down and visit us. The beaches are great, you have got the desert, and the mountains a short trip away. A whole conglomerate of different geographical slices of southern Cal. The seventh largest city, and a lot of diversity, with Mexico just 1/2 hour down the freeway.<br /> <br /> Let us know when are you coming and I am sure we may be able to set you up with a place to stay while you are here.<br /> <br /> Enjoy your trip.<br /> <br /> Martin Molina Piedmont, SDSubmitted by Cindy Piedmont is a small "valley" in the Black Hills. We are a suburb (if you can call it that) of nearby Rapid City. We are surrounded by the Black Hills. THere are many beautiful, scenic spots here- though recently some succomed to fire due to the drought SD has been experiencing. You will find people from all walks of life here in ths sleepy little town. Oddly enough, the bar life is very active. They are trying to revive our park and recently we founded a library. You find many people involved in clubs and volunteerism is very active because we really have no official government here. A lot of Homes here are rural or in small neighborhoods from run-down to top of the line. People are very friendly in Piedmont. We actually still wave when we pass one another on the service road. We have two elementray schools, but the older kids are bussed 15 miles to Sturgis for Middle and High school. We are trying to change that, and build Middle/High schools out here. I'd have to get back to you with formal histry of Piedmont, it is an old town and definately not self sufficient, but within the last 10 years we now have 2 gas stations,a grocery store, pharmacy, bank and even a coffee shop! Des Moines, IASubmitted by Mindy C'mon, you can't go to a city without seeing it's capital! If anything, Des Moine's capital building IS worth coming for. Not like many in the state. The botanical center...not much else in America like it. Quite a nice little town with a lot of interesting stuff in the cracks. Richmond, MISubmitted by Jeff E. Richmond is a quaint litte town with a resident population of 6000. The town still maintains much of its 1950's charm. Lots of the businesses are still locally owned, and that makes for a great environment to vacation and visit. I have since moved away, but hope to return and let my own kids have a chance to experience living in Richmond.<br /> <br /> The most senic area is driving right down main street. You have a great residential area that is split between 3 business districts, muttonville, the grainery district and the old downtown district. Muttonville was actually annexed to Richmond many years ago, it contains the strip malls, dealerships and the newer buildings. The grainery district is marked by 4 historic land marks; first is the large Catholic church, St. Augustine, built in the 1800s using field stones gathered by local farmers, then adding a school later on; next is the old butcher shop which was started in the early 1900's by the Breeze family and later purchased by the Evans family and renamed Richmond Meat Packers. Finanally, there is the old Grainery and the Cook Hotel (wouldn't stay there). The grainery is closed but still standing and the Cook is a great local watering hole. Stop by Richmond next chance you have. Tampa, FLSubmitted by Rocky Tampa is located in South Central Florida. If you're a tourist, Tampa has a lot of semi-cool things to do. It gets very hot here in the summer, and around November it starts cooling off. In the winter the temps get in to the 50's and 60's with the lows some nights getting in to the 30's <br /> There are still some natual places still left in the area, and I like to go hiking there when I get a change. Of course we have a lot of alligators, but once you've been around them, their pretty laid back as long as you don't bother them. Sorry this isn't in order as far as the requested subjects go, but as the history goes, I could write hunderds of pages on that. Basically, Spanish explorers came here in the 1500's then the Seminoles and Ceeks in the 1800's Tampa became a major trading port and still is today. About 300,000 live in Tampa proper, about 2 million on both sides of the bay. The most scenic area would be downtown, channelside, too many to mention. <br /> I really don't have a favorite thing about Tampa. <br /> You should visit my town because we need your money to keep us afloat! HAHA!! Tampa really does have a lot to offer (if you're a tourist) Plus, it's not like Gary Ind, but not the greatest place either. Hope that explains it. I lived in Baraga for a short time many many years ago, and that was the best time of my life! Cicero, NYSubmitted by Paul J Carlucci This is one of the fastest going towns in upstate new york . The street i myself live <br /> on has grown 100 fold traffic wise in the past 10 years. The town is allso dealing<br /> with an on going traffic problem because of <br /> the growth of the town. They have also used a fuel mix in past years to try and decrease<br /> the polution because of the AUTOS .This would be the spot were a f-cell auto would be a life saving addition to the WORLD. <br /> Beside all that this town is like any <br /> other U. S. town ,good hunting good fishing<br /> and sports oreinted. Popu. is about 10,000<br /> people.<br /> Falmouth, MASubmitted by Jennifer DeLuca Falmouth, MA is one of the towns that makes up Cape Cod. My beautiful hometown has miles upon miles of beaches, adorable little boutiques, delicious and midly-priced restaurants and friendly faces. Katherine Lee Bates was born in my town (author of the song "America the Beautiful"). The most scenic area would have to be Sporhs Garden, which is a large garden estate the Sporh family donated to Falmouth. Also you must check out Old Silver Beach in West Falmouth and take the long back road heading down to Nobska Lighthouse. I have no idea how many people live there...maybe around 50,000? In the summer-because of all the tourists--that number doubles or even triples. It can be annoying but I guess I can't complain because they help support Falmouth's economy. My favorite thing about my town in my dad's house on the cliff...in a neighborhood called The Cliffs. I think I miss it so much because he sold it two years ago to move to Boston. Lastly, make sure to head down to Cape Cod Bagel...you'll never have a better homemade bagel/cream cheese in your life. Have fun! Wish I could be in Falmouth to show you around. (I work with Jen Healy)! Good luck on your travels. Schaumburg, ILSubmitted by Jennifer It is a nice town. Its huge with a mall and the headquarters for Motorola Laughlin, NVSubmitted by Karen Larabee Laughlin is 90 miles south of Las Vegas in the southern most tip of NV and separted from AZ by the Colorado River. We have 9 casinos along the Colorado River.<br /> I live in Ontonagon, MI in the summer. There are 4,000 people living in Laughlin in the summer and 8,000 in the winter. My favorite thing is the casinos and much cheaper rooms than Vegas. The best time to visit is before Christmas or near the end of January as the temperature is warmer...Don Laughlin from MN started the town with aone small casino which is now the Riverside Hotel and Casino. He is a generous man who also built the bridge between Laughlin and Bullhead City, AZ. baraga, MISubmitted by jen my town is a place if your driving throught baraga on the high way u would probly miss it and juss see gas stations n the grocier Store.. but theres Alot of houses And stuff you see here.. its the Rez haha u probly see some nice Cars n some Crappy crappy ones. but yeh its Very small..!! but its all good Alliance, OHSubmitted by Abbie I grew up just outside of this small town in North Eastern Ohio. Its home of the Carnation. They have a great Carnation festivial in August just before the big Hall of Fame activitys in Canton. I grew up on a farm in Marlboro Twship and have many great memorys. If you get a chance take a drive down into southern Ohio into holmes county where there you will find a lot of amish great cooking and some nice senic areas! Bristol, CTSubmitted by Sarah My town its pretty fun we have ESPN and Lake compounce oldest theam park. Milwaukee, WISubmitted by Dan Just getting it off the ground, but you can learn load more about my "new" hometown at http://creamcitychronicle.blogspot.com Tucson, AZSubmitted by Troy Neiman Tuscon is located 2 hours south of Phoenix AZ,(population: a little under 50,000) and is an old city with a progressive attitide. I suggest you come and visit the bicycle Co-op here in Tucson I volunteer and work for called Bicas. We build and fabricate bicycles for area children and adults in exchange for work trade and donations, and for general enjoyment and personal satisfaction. We also organize fun local events to support our sociocultural cause, such as bike-in-movies, gallery nights, auctions, and other such bike related fun...The town has an eclectic mix of commerce, art, Music, and dramatic scenery...For a lifestyle change you will take with you when you leave, come visit me in Tucson! Newberry, MISubmitted by Lori S. Small town - but a great place to raise children. Plenty of nature - we are the "Moose Capital" of Michigan!! key west, FLSubmitted by Nicole not my home town but where i live (military). key west has allot of water and historic things, the dry tortugas a great national park that is in the middle of the ocean it was a fort that the us started to build in the 1800's and never finished, we have a very good hands on aquarium (touch a shark) and a tank that has everything you can touch (hence the name touch tank) sea cucumbers, horseshoe crabs, hermitcrabs, starfish ect, also we have wonderful cuban food (we are only 90 miles from cuba)..the coast guard has allot of boats and on any given day you can see the navy's jets flying overhead they are all a great sight to see.. the population is 25000 and the island is only 4 miles long and 2 miles wide..key west was originaly a sea spong town the people who lived here harvested and cleaned sponges for export it wasnt untill the early 1900's that the keys were even conected by a bridge which didnt survive long but now we are and it takes 3 hours to get to us from miami in the most beautiful drive (you are surrounded by ocean on all sides the gulf on one side and the atlantic on the other) we have the sothern most point of the U.S. my favorite part is the water and the food you couldnt find better cuban cuisine in cuba than we have.. o and the drive is breathtaking,, on the way down you can walk on the original railroad bridge that never saw completion in bahia honda state park it has beautiful natural beaches.. Castle Rock, COSubmitted by Kevin Flannery It's about 2 hours from Breckenridge, Keystone, A-Basin, Copper Mt., Winter Park. It is about 3 hours away from Vail and 4 hours from Aspen. It is always sunny there also. So you get all the seasons as well as never having overcast for more then 2 days. Greatest place on earth. So I vote on a trip to CO this year :-) Jackson, MISubmitted by Amanda Andrews Well we're known as Prison city michigan for boasting the big prison..people generally sit around, and complain how boring the city is. Tallahassee, FLSubmitted by Mitch Well it's not my hometown but it's where I live. Tallahassee is known for, of course, two things: The State Capitol and home of Florida State University. I've been here three months and really enjoy it. It's close to Wakulla Springs and would is just a few hours from Jacksonville, Tampa and Orlando. Oxford, MISubmitted by Michelle Once known as the "Gravel Pit Capital of the World", there is a nice downtown area that hosts festivals, parades, and has many cute shops and restaurants. Close enough to Detroit to visit the city for an afternoon, far enough away that we still have cows and deer. New Salem, NDSubmitted by Lyndsay Sundeen Hi There!<br /> <br /> I was listening the to KDWB radio and they were interviewing you about your United States excursion. I live here in the Twin Cities but my family lives in North Dakota. I don't know your exact route....my family lives in New Salem ND, which is the western part of the state (this is also the pretty part of North Dakota). My sister and her husband run a family dairy farm...it's one of the largest dairy farms around that area. My stepdad is the "Newspaper Man" he owns the small town newspaper and writes and prints the newspaper weekly. The best part about my town is we have the World's Largest Holstein Cow, which is a statue. This Cow is well known, it has been featured in books and on the beginning credits of Road Rules MTV. Our town revolves around this cow....our school's mascot is the Holstein. We have a town celebration in the summer called "Cow Town, Hoe Down." During this celebration we play a game called "Cow Bingo," where we bring in a cow (from a local farm) fence it in, in the center of the town. We draw a bingo card on the ground where the cow is fenced in. We take bets on what number the cow is going to poop on. It's pure crazy! Let me know if you decide to head out to western ND. New Salem is located 30 miles west of the state's capital, Bismarck. Good luck on your trip! <br /> <br /> all my best!<br /> <br /> Sincerely,<br /> <br /> Lyndsay Sundeen Algoma, WISubmitted by Johnna Mae My hometown is Algoma, Wisconsin. The things that are unique about my hometown are that pretty much any where you walk on the east side you'll se LAKE MICHIGAN. In the summer people normally go to the giant beach and swim in Lake Michigan. Also there is a yearly festivle that goes on called "shanty days". Its where there is alot of people, music, fun, games, food, its a nice family event. The most scenic area would be Lake Michigan. To me, looking out at lake michigan when the sun is setting without any clouds and looking at the lighthouse, is just amazing and beautiful. I honestly dont know the history of algoma. Not alot of people live in Algoma, its a very small town with friendly people. My favorite thing abuot Algoma is that it has nice people, beautiful landscapes, and my best friends live there.I think you should visit my town because it is one of a kind. No other city is like it.Thanks. Asheville, NCSubmitted by Amy Located in the Blue Ridge mountains, Asheville is a very art-centered town, with many galleries, museums, and theaters. During summer the downtown area comes alive, especially on Friday nights with the "Drum Circle." You can grab a bongo, conga, snare, or any other kind of drum and join in the Bohemian festivities. <br /> This city is also known for its various festivals, the largest one, Bele Chere, being held in late July. The Bele Chere festival, whose name means "beautiful living," draws a crowd of nearly 300,000.<br /> While there are many upbeat activities around the area, Asheville is really known for its peaceful setting in the mountains. With hiking, kayaking, camping, and many other outdoor activities within an hour's drive, Asheville is the perfect place for outdoors-lovers. The Western North Carolina area is home to Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi, as well as some great white-water rafting spots. Asheville and the Western North Carolina region are a must-see for anyone who likes to get away from it all. Knoxville, TNSubmitted by Krystyn Knoxville is a college town-home to The University of Tennessee. For the younger crown, there is a great restaurant/bar strip near the university. Within an hours drive you can visit Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and the Smoky Mountains. There are more than 173,000 people living in Knoxville. The weather is great here-not too cold, not too hot. The Fall is beautiful up in the mountains! Fairmount, INSubmitted by Rebecca Wilkinson Fairmount Indiana and Grant County are the hometown of actor James Dean - where "cool" was born. The James Dean festival is held the third weekend of September every year. Fairmount is also the hometown of Jim Davis the creator of a famous cat "Garfield". Another accomplished people include former television journalist Phil Jones, former director of the National Hurricane Center Robert Sheets, and author Mary Jane Ward. <br /> <br /> Attractions include the James Dean Historical Museum, James Dean Memorial Park and Gravesite (Park Cemetery) and the James Dean Memorial Gallery.<br /> <br /> Fairmount is considered to be the culture and literature center of Indiana. Fairmount has produced 14 times the national average of persons listed in "Who's Who in America," has produced three college presidents, several authors, scientists, artists, actors, inventors and the founder of the state of Oklahoma.<br /> <br /> Not bad for a town with a population of around 3500 and land area of around 3.411 sq. kilometers.<br /> <br /> Fairmount is also home of the Madison Grant Argylls. The school is small but powerful. Fairmount sits on the south edge of grant county and north edge of madison county, thus Madison Grant High School was born.<br /> <br /> Leisure activities include baseball, basketball, football, skateboarding, golf, and visiting Play Acres Park and the James Dean Festival.<br /> <br /> Fairmount is small, peaceful, and friendly...everyone enjoys visiting - just ask all the James Dean fans who return year after year.<br /> <br /> casper, WYSubmitted by Jette Hi you know me and we talked about this earlier but casper has some of the worst drivers of all time!!! Although we say there is nothing to do! We can find alot to do on a tuesday night, (including taking pictures of our shoe prints in the snow!) San Antonio, TXSubmitted by Melynda Dye you can come hand out with our church youth group... a great bunch of christians.There is always the Alamo, River walk, six flags, spurs, sea world, Cha-cho's tacos... the list goes on and on... Vale, ORSubmitted by Jennifer Vale is a tiny little town of about 1500 people. Vale was a stop along the Oregon trail and there are murals and historical sights to see throughout the area. You can also see the ruts from the wagons if you travel south of vale just a few miles. There's a lot of open area and the main recreation is hunting of all kinds. NASHVILLE, TNSubmitted by Laura Henry What can I say? It's the Athens of the south, my hometown and favorite town to be in! Go 30 minutes outside the city, and you're in the true deep south, but in the city it's self, all you'd expect from a larger city....but with the comforts of a SOUTHERN town! Cruise up and down broadway and check out the local acts at one of the many small bars, but expect to be greeted by everyone you don't know as if they're your best friends! Centennial park is not to be missed, with our replica of the Parthenon and the statue of Athena. Also not to be missed is Silverado's Dance Hall (if you want to go to a real country club!) Taking a quote from a Rodney Atkins song....."If you're wonderin where I'll be, take out a map of Tennessee, and you'll find me, right there in the middle!" Loup City, NESubmitted by Loup City Chamber of Commerce We are located in North Central Nebraska, only 50 miles off Interstate 80. Our town is known as the Polish Captial of Nebraska and we celebrate our Heritage with an annual Polish Days the first weekend in June. We have a beautiful lake just 5 miles east of town that boasts of 65 miles of shoreline. Great fishing, hunting, biking and bird watching opportunities in our area. Our town had 996 wonderful residents at the last census. Amasa, MISubmitted by Helen Any town you grow up is unique to these townspeople - witnessed by the return of those who graduated and went out into the world. Here, people spend time going out to camp for fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, ATV and other camp activities (you know what they are if you've ever been) Folks work in the woods, or wood-related industries. Amasa has 250 residents and surrounded by deep woods. We have 2 huge "come home" gatherings - one on Memorial Day and the other on 4th of July. There are MANY smaller social get togethers during the year. Mines were the history which got the town going. Tempe, AZSubmitted by Paul Bork Me (paul) my roomates aaron and duke live in a sweet house about 5 minutes from beautiful Arizona State University. Its kind of funny because I am from Idaho, Aaron is from Iowa and Duke is from Ohio (lots of "i's" and "o's" in there) so we all come from pretty different backgrounds. well one thing pretty unique about our town is it has the biggest college in the US and is also the numb er one party school so that can answer part of question 2. but what else do people spend their time doing? since the weather is so nice all year long, we go do lots of hiking, swimming, jumping off our roof into our pool, anything we can that involves being outdoors, sporting events, or some sort of event. Phoenix is definitely a huge metropolitan city so there are lots of "big city" things to do. One aspect of the ASU area is that there is always something going on, I work at a bar on Mill Ave which is one of the craziest bar scenes and every week there is some sort of event going on to where something big is happening. the most scenic place is definitely on top of one of the many mountains that are sparatically placed throughout the valley. I am not lying when i say sitting on top of "A" mountain overlooking the desert with a blood red sunset is one of the most beautiful things i have ever scene. I dont know much of the history of tempe but scottsdales historic downtown looks as if you just stepped into the old west with its authentic saloonish style stores and restuarants. about 180,000 people live in tempe but in the greater phoenix area there roughly 3 million arizonians. My favorite things about the town are the weather (number 1), the readily available options for entertainment, whether it be going to a nice dinner where you might find paris hilton, a college bar near asu, a cultural festival at tempe beach park, a d-backs or suns game, or a sweet hike up camelback mountain. You should visit our town because it is one of the biggest cities in the country, it always has something going on, and we can show you a time that you've never had before. Portage, INSubmitted by Lindsay my hometown is a medium size town.there is not a whole lot going on,but it still is home to everyone. we have resteraunts,the mall,the movies,and alot of bars. chicago is only a short drive but its so gorgeous when you take the train to chicago in the winter when its snowing and to see the tress lit up with colorful lights. Marietta , GASubmitted by Kevin Tighe Marrietta is the home to Kennestone Mtn. Battlefield and the last stop for the Confederacy before Union soldiers under General Sherman marched into Atlanta and burned the city.<br /> <br /> Marietta is a city of about 30,000 people and the county seat of Cobb County. The Square in Downtown Marietta offers a variety of things during the year and great places to seat and watch people during lunch. <br /> <br /> There is a wonderful taste of Southern architecture in the city, that includes the antibellom plantantion homes to the buildinhs that surround the square. Even with this, the present comes to life in the fact of the Dobbins Air Force Base and Lockheed. Marietta is the home to the <br /> F-22 Raptor and the C-130, the work horse of the Air Force. Gaithersburg, MDSubmitted by Amanda McMahon At just under 60,000 residents, Gaithersburg is a happening suburb. The community I live in is the Kentlands, which is a neo-traditionalist community. The new urban areas like this are plenty in Gaithersburg, and help to give this city a town feel. NIST is also here, making the area pretty high-tech. One of the most scenic areas is that of the man-made lakes of the Kentlands/Lakelands areas, as well as Great Seneca areas. The man-made areas were made for National Geographic, and help give the city a small-town appeal. <br /> <br /> I moved here from your hometown, and like the neighborhood, and the many neo-traditional areas. This alone is a reason to stop by! Kingman, AZSubmitted by Joe Sassmen Hey man, just wondering if you had given any more thought to coming through Kingman, the hometown of Andy Devine. Baraga, MISubmitted by Brittany and Rebecca ok..my hometown is awesome all our friends live here and i just love it..we no u are from Baraga too and that is just awesome becasue it rules!!!!!!!! New Orleans, LASubmitted by Maitri V-R Come see, photograph and breathe in New Orleans as it rebuilds after the Federal Flood of 2005. Plenty of great people and wacky photo ops. Visit the city that America has almost forgotten! Cripple Creek, VASubmitted by VTLinda Was an iron mining town at the turn of the 1900's. Boasts a total of about 50 residents now - nestled deep in the Appalachians. A true, real piece of mountain culture - visit the shot tower used to make minnie balls for the Civil War, or Crockett's Chapel, where the land was donated by Davy Crockett's nephew in 1848, or Yonce's Store where a resident bought oranges in the 1920's and when his wife didn't know how to "fix 'em", they threw them to the hogs, because they warn't fitten to eat. It's also where the bluegrass favorite "Goin' up Cripple Creek" originated in the late 1800's. I love the place because it hasn't changed in over 50 years, possibly even a hundred. Folks are just who they are - and in my opinion, they're just wonderful! Grantham, PASubmitted by Rob Johnson I am teddy and hooters friend from MI. I go to school at Messiah College in Grantham PA. Grantham has no town but is located outside of harrisburg PA. Deffinately one of those citys to pass through and stop by a few nighs and hang out. I live in a house of 9 guys who are nuts and love to hang out reallly bad. If you are in the area please stop by. It would be cool to see you again bugsy. Bardstown, KYSubmitted by Bob Sallee Bardstown is a very historic town. It is widely recognized as the bourbon capital of the world. It is home to My Old Kentucky Home with an outdoor drama which celebrates the song writer Stephen Foster who penned several songs Jennie with the Light Brown Hair, Camp Town Ladies, Swanee River and several others. There is a Civil War museum here which houses many fine artifacts from the war. It is also recognized as one of the finest collections of Civil War memorability. St. Joseph Proto Cathedral is the oldest church west of the Allegheny River (Pennsylvania). Bardstown is in central Kentucky 45 minutes from the captial Frankfort. Nebraska City, NESubmitted by Leroy Frana Home of Arbor Day (J. Sterling Morton Founder)and the National Arbor Day Foundation Lied Conference Center and Arbor Day Farm. Well established within 50 miles of both Omaha and Lincoln NE and 2 hours of Kansas City MO. Noted for many years as the location of the famous Morton House Kitchens and now the home to the American Meter (gas meters) Plant and Cargill Processed Meats. Home the the Public School Pioneers and Lourdes Central Knights. FINDLAY, OHSubmitted by ROB ANDERSON I LIVED IN FINDLAY FROM 1976 THRU 1981. STEPHANIE IS RIGHT ON THE MARK...WHAT A GREAT LITTLE TOWN ALSO KNOWN AS "FLAG CITY". A COUPLE OTHER MEMORABLE ITEMS, PRESIDENT GERALD FORD VISITED HERE, IT IS THE HOME OF COOPER AND HERCULES TIRE AND RUBBER, IT ONCE WAS HOME TO MARATHON OIL BEFORE BEING PURCHASED BU US STEEL. AT THE END OF THE 1800'S THE LARGEST KNOWN NATUAL GAS AND OIL RESERVES WERE DISCOVERED UNDER FINDLAY LEADING TO A SIGN THAT WELCOMED VISITOR STATING "OUR WOMEN DON'T CHOP WOOD" BECAUSE MANY HOMES HAD GAS SERVICE LONG BEFORE MUCH OF THE COUNTRY. NFL SUPERBOWL QUARTERBACK BEN ROTHLESBERGER IS FROM FINDLAY. THE UNIVERSITY OF FINDLAY IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS HAVING THE BEST COLLEGIATE WESTERN AND ENGLISH EQUESTRIAN PROGRAMS IN THE NATION. LASTLY, IT ALSO WIDELY STATED THAT DAVE THOMAS (OF WENDY'S FAME) WORKED AT A RESTAURANT IN FINDLAY NAMED "WILSON'S" THAT TO THIS DAY SELLS SQUARE BURGERS, THICK CUT FRIES, AND THICK FROSTY DESERTS...COINCIDENCE, I DON'T THINK SO! Plano, TXSubmitted by Bill & Debby Moilanen Has been one of the outstanding school districts in the nation for many years. Debby is a Principal at Wyatt Elementary. Plano is a northern suburb of Dallas. Plano also is a very progressive city, and is home to some large corporations. Debby's work phone is 469-752-3829. My work/cell phone is 214-457-3013. Please let us know if you can visit our city and stay with us. Greenville, SCSubmitted by ozbroomy Awesome Downtown that was a dump 10 years ago. All sorts of great outdoor activities to do like Mountain biking, kayaking, golfing and fishing. Some great hidden gems around the foothills of the Smoky Mountains Kalamazoo, MISubmitted by LNC Kalamazoo, home of Wastern Michigan University and a vibrant newly-renovated downtown known for Pharmacia-Upjohn (now Pfizer, makers of VIAGRA(!)), its excellent summer festivals, as well as its offbeat nooks and music/arts scene- the KIA art institute, Civic Theatre, Air Zoo, State Theatre, Rose Street Market, Food Dance Cafe, Zazio's, Epic Bistro, Water Street Coffee Joint, Bell's Brewery, and many more-- light up each night in the city. The cultural life of downtown K-zoo is contrasted by the college lifestyle sector just to the west. Among the suburbia surrounding Kalamazoo, you can find small town gems such as the Verhage (KL Ave) Cider Mill, Paw Paw's St. Julian Winery, and the killer Chinese/Mongolian food at Mattawan's one-of-a kind Chinn-Chinn all are worth seeking out. Kalamazoo is worth seeing. Plan a solid weekend you won't soon forget. Lexington, KYSubmitted by Jessica Larson Lexington: land of amazingly beautiful & sturdy slave made limestone walls, bluegrass (only blue during sunset), horse fences that denote class and social status (wire vs wood, 3 boards vs 4 boards, single vs double, black vs white), whisky disterlleries (Woodford Reserve is the most beautiful), and of course: Keenland in April. Need I saw more? It is not my "hometown" as in I grew up here, but it is my current hometown b/c my home is here for the next year.<br /> Have fun on your travels! Longview, WASubmitted by Nicole Riegger we have green lush grass and big hills every where. People usually end up breaking the law Shelbyville, TNSubmitted by Meeegan Holt Shelbyville is known as the Walking Horse Capitol of the World. Each August, the town hosts the Walking Horse Celebration. People come from all over the world to buy/sell/show horses for LOTS of money.<br /> <br /> If you come to Shelbyville, I can almost guarantee you a walking horse ride.<br /> <br /> Our high school basketball team isnt so bad either<br /> We also have a lot of pencils..<br /> <br /> We are 30 minute from the middle of Tennessee and 30 minutes from the Jack Daniels Distillery.<br /> <br /> happy trails! San Antonio, TXSubmitted by Brent Tolliver * What's unique about your hometown?<br /> The Alamo, Fiesta, TexMex food, Tejano music Capital of the World<br /> * What do people spend time doing?<br /> Visiting the River Walk, Six Flags, Sea World<br /> * What's the most scenic area?<br /> Downtown, the Hill Country<br /> * How many people live there?<br /> 1.2 Million<br /> * What are your favorite things about the town?<br /> Downtown/River Walk/Driving down I-35 in my VW Rabbit<br /> * Why should I visit your hometown?<br /> Wilmington, NCSubmitted by Lauren Hiya! Ok, my town... it\'s by the beach! But what makes it unique? In 3 words...Screen Gems Studios. Seen Domestic Disturbance, Dawson\'s Creek, Muppets in Space, The Black Knight, One Tree Hill, or Idlewild? If so, then you\'ve seen Wilmington! Right now they\'re filming several movies, one with Richard Gere. Soon a film will be coming out called Hounddog starring Dakota Fanning. That too was made here. Screen Gems is the largest studio on the East Coast and 2nd largest outside of Hollywood. You can tour the studio too! And you have a pretty good chance of running into someone \'famous\' at a local bar or club. Being as it\'s on the coast it\'s a fairly old town but only recently has had a big population boom. UNCW, the local university, now caters to 11,000+ students. If you want to go into Marine Biology this is the place to study. We even have two Nobel Prize winners for professors (I\'m a student there so I may be a bit biased...lol). But the question is why SHOULDN\'T you visit Wilmington? There are plenty of things to do, tons of young people to meet (remember those 11,000 I mentioned?). There are festivals (like WingFest or the Azalea Festival), you can go for a walk by the Cape Fear River or surf off Wrightsville Beach. NC is in the middle of the East Coast so we\'re a little southern, a little northern. Wilmington is a 1.5 hour drive from Raleigh (the capital), about 2-3 hour drive from Charlotte (home to the Panthers), 4 hour drive to Kitty Hawk (first flight). And if you want just that little bit more excitement, come in the summer during hurricane season. That\'ll certainly keep you on your toes (I\'ve been through my fair share and so far they haven\'t been all that bad). So really, even with the threat of hurricanes, there\'s not reason NOT to come here. It\'ll make for one fine pit stop on your way to Atlanta or DC! Plus I know you can get a free place to stay here. Richland, PASubmitted by Samantha Krick Richland is a small town in Lebanon County. We are in the heart of Amish Country! Horse and Buggies are a daily occurance on our roads with a large population of Amish families, farms, and stores nearby. We are close to Lancaster County and Hershey Park, and a little farther along are Philadelphia and Gettysburg. There is definately a lot of history in this area! Taneytown, MDSubmitted by Heather Known to other Marylanders as Bumbf*ck or not known at all, Taneytown is smalltown America at its best! The people are very prideful of their town and there is a lot of history. Helotes, TXSubmitted by Elysia Well Helotes isnt really my hometown...San Antonio is but Helotes is where i live now.<br /> When i first moved here when i was 6 there was like nothing here, now theres stores, restaurants, arcades, and businesses EVERYWHERE! Theres also alot of traffic and people moving out here! Soon enough it'll be on the map.<br /> Lysh Elkins, WVSubmitted by Rachel Elkins is an Appalachian town of about 6,000 and it is great. There are always different festivals going on (mostly during the summer) and has a good mix of hillbilly/hippy like people. It is the county seat of the state, has its own hospital, and a small 4-yr college, so the town reflects that with its diverse group of people. It is within miles of the Mongohalia National Forest that provides ample trails for hiking and mountain biking. The Cheat River provides great swimming holes (mostly locals know where to find them) and leisure tubing (usally followed by a floating cooler!). Its history started back when as a railroad town, and they have recently added a scenic tour of the area using the original train.<br /> Elkins provides a mixture of small town life, great outdoor activities, and a couple great downtown bars. I will be a senior at U of Michigan and it wasn't til I moved away that I've come to appreciate my hometown as much as I do now. As many like to say, its "almost heaven" Oakesdale, WASubmitted by Alicia Hoshauer Oakesdale washington is a farming based community, the population is no more than 500 people. You know everyone, and everything. There is a grocery store that is bout the size of gas stations grocery store. The school is pre-school through 12th grade. The high school has roughly 100 people in it. We do have two gas pumps but one you have to have a gas card to use and the other one is open from like 10am-4:30pm. If you like small towns, you definetly need to visit this one. Good luck on the rest of your journey. I see you went to seattle? I am currently living over here, going to school! well enjoy the rest of the trip!<br /> <br /> Alicia Hoshauer Boerne, TXSubmitted by Jessica Holzman Boerne is a unique little town just 30 miles north of San Antonio. It is refered to as the "Key to the Hills" since it is the beginning of the Hill Country. Main Street of Boerne is filled with Antique shops and food. It's crazy because for a little German town, we don't have any German restaruants, just Tex-Mex and American food. When I first moved down here in 2000 from Dallas, there were only 4-5 stop lights and now we are expanding rapidly. It has grown so much that we are building another high school just to keep up with the growth. For a small town, we have 5 elementry schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high schools (the new one will be completed in the fall of 2008 and both will be 4A). The most scenic area would have to be at a little ranch in Pipe Creek (By Bandera) where I volunteer to help the disabled on horseback. Most people spend time at La Cantera Mall or at our new Bass Pro Shop and Palladium IMAX/movie theater. I spend time at the ranch with my horse who has been blind for 6 months now. In our newspaper, they have the police reports from the previous week and majority of the police calls were about horses, cows, goats, and other 4 legged animal running around in the streets. They also had one about a deer attacking a person and dog. Many people living out here today on big ranchs have been here for decades, even centuries, and they continue to pass it down the to their children. For those who have "snow days", here in Boerne, we have "flood days." So Long from B-Town Boerne Danville, VASubmitted by Frank Martin First off, I wanted to tell you that I think what you are doing is freakin awsome. I would totally do that if I could. I am really glad that you are going for your dreams. anyway, about my town, well, I was reading in your article that you like small places..... well, Danville is def. it. our population is right at 50,000. Our hang out....is the mall....its a slow town.....with fast people..... we are literally right on the border of NC, so there really is alot of "southern hospitality"....you have never had sweet tea until you try ours...lol... we are def. growing....but we are really not as big as we sound... Danville is a ton of fun, and i think that you should def. stop in....The town right next to me...(where i went to Hargrave Military Academy) well, there population is a full 1,298! the truly amazing thing about chatham is that it has ONE stoplight.......and it was the last confederacy way back when......amazing right. I think that you should really stop by! It is totally cool with you stayin in the guest room if you like...<br /> thanks for your time man! <br /> <br /> good luck! Machias, MESubmitted by Aurora Machias is in the middle of nowhere Maine. Right next to Jonesport where someone else has posted about their town. And oddly I think I know them lol. Machias has a small waterfall. Machias means Bad Little Falls... (It's Indian). The Pasamaquaddy tribe isn't too far from here. <br /> We're right on the coast, so we have beaches, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, sailing. We're 90 minutes from Bangor wheter there is a mall. I attend the University of Maine at Machias - which is the center of town. Machias is prettiest in the summer, everything has bloomed. There's a back road here that is gorgeaus called Black Woods Road - and saves u a good 20 minutes on your drive. At night alot of college students spend time drinking lol. We have an interesting bar AJ's.. recently renamed the "Thirsty Moose Cafe" - you'll see some pretty sketchy town women getting jiggy on the dance floor, lol! If you want to hop over to Canada real quick for some A&W it's only 45 minutes. There's a neat little museum called the Burnham Tavern that tells the history of Machias. I'd say 500-600 people live here. Machias is a great place to visit, it's beautiful, and the people are fun to hang out with. If your coming up this way you should definitely email me. Wishing you the best on you travels! <br /> ~Aurora~ Alamogordo, NMSubmitted by Gabe Dommers my home town of la luz is a quiet little town that is really spread out but has history. the town of la luz is called the light. and indians first discovered here and use to use it as a base camp. they use to make camp and use to make a huge fire in this village to show where the camp is. and also it brings the history of billy the kid who use to travel thru this part. and also their is the famous holloman air force base. that is where they have the stealth planes. and also where the recent movie transformers was filmed. and there is white sands what is the only white sands in the world and also has had alot of famous movies filmed here. and can be seen in space.<br /> <br /> i am not sure how many people live here. but i know all of the people here are really friendly u can never find no one bad here everyone waves or says hi.<br /> <br /> I love this town cause it is a really quiet place and is peaceful.<br /> <br /> Most people just drive to the city of alamogordo and normally just go to parties or hangout at the small mall.<br /> <br /> i think u should visit here cause it would give u some nice peace and quiet and would give u time to see the history and the beauty of the state. Palmer, AKSubmitted by Celia Palmer is part of the Mat-Su Valley (short for Matanuska-Susitna), which consists of a few small towns. Palmer, Wasilla, Big Lake, Houston, Talkeetna, Willow, Sutton, they can all be referred to as the Valley. Palmer is a nice small town, with a pretty close community, though we don't have as much to do as cities along the coastline with the fishing and such in the ocean. You can stand in Palmer and see mountains around you for 360 degrees. You can't look anywhere here without seeing a mountain in front of you. There's a lot of hiking to do around here, some fishing in rivers, hiking glaciers. The most scenic area is probably a place called Hatcher's Pass, where people go to snowboard and cross country ski, sled, and snow-machine in the winter. In the summer, Independence Mine is open up in Hatchers Pass, and you can look at what was once an old gold mine. Theres a river through Hatcher's, tons of mountains. About 70,000 people live in the "Valley" itself, but in Palmer, there is probably about 6,000. Remember, the Valley consists of a lot of towns! Palmer is pretty cool, it stays light all day in the summer! Except around 2 am, it will get dark, but not pitch black, and yes its the opposite in the summer, its dark most of the time and around 2-3 pm itll get light for a while. i'd say you should visit Palmer and the Mat-Su Valley, because really you've probably never seen anywhere like this before. i mean... you can turn in a circle and never NOT see mountains. and i dont mean hills... i mean mountains. alaska has the tallest mountain in the U.S. (mt. McKinley) which is in Denali... but you can see it from here on a clear day... we even have a McDonalds hamburger named after it.. the McKinley Mac. you should check it out. Pittsburgh , PASubmitted by Tasha & Carol Home of the Pittsburgh Steelers! Visit the famous Kennywood Park and Andy Warhol Museum. Also known as the city of bridges and home of the Primanti Sandwich. Springfield, VASubmitted by Rachel Edwards My hometown can honestly be described as dull to those who have lived here their whole lives. But, for a first time visitor it can be quite the adventure. We are twenty minutes from the amazing nation's capital of Washington, DC. This opens up a whole opportunity to those wanting to do something unique, by going to explore the place that makes our country what it is. People from Springfield often are caught going to DC for a day trip with their friends, just to have a good time. Visiting here can only benefit those who love America. Wasilla, AKSubmitted by Todd Small, but growing very steadily. Hunting, fishing, and ATV's are a big part of the community life. Cozy little town to be in, really, and if your from small town settings, you'd fit in well. Kennesaw, GASubmitted by Cassie Kennesaw is great! It is in the heart of where the civil war took place so there is tons of history. From Kennesaw Mountain Battelfield park to Wild Man's Shop, there are some interesting things to do here. My sister and I love to exercise and we often hike up Kennesaw Mountain and see a number of people doing it too. A lot of people here like to go to the lake too, although it's not the cleanest lake in america. :P <br /> My favorite part of the town is the food. People down here know how to cook some fried chicken! We have the best sweet tea too! One of my favorite resaurants is Stilesboro Biscut which is only open in the morning but they have the best biscuts!<br /> Philadelphia, PASubmitted by Molly Philadelphia is home of the Philadelphia Eagles, Phillies, Flyers, and 76ers. Visit the the Art Museum and run up the steps just like Rocky. The Countrys first capital. The Declaration of Independance. The Liberty Bell. Philly cheesesteaks. The Constitution. and much more Knoxville, TNSubmitted by Rhiannon Coulombe Well, to be honest, my hometown is Nashville, TN, though i've been stationed in Knoxville, Tn for the past 2 and a half years. <br /> Knoxville is about 45 minutes from the Smokey Mountains National Park (the most visited national park in the states.)<br /> I am somewhat familiar by now with the mountain area, and the Knoxville area. I am a music major, in guitar performance to be exact, and enjoy lots of music that is full of feeling and tales. Such as Elliott Smith, M.Ward, Jeff Buckley, The Pumpkins, blah blah blah!!!!<br /> Anyway, i have had a similar dream as you since i was a bout 12 years old, and i've yet to make it as far as you. (I am determined to be in your shoes before too long.<br /> What you've accomplished is very inspiring, and my friend Matt and myself would be more than happy to host your stay in our town. <br /> We have a diverse group of friends (who all happen to be in the restaurant business) and all have an appreciation for the arts, creativity, and are terribly interested in things that are out of the norm.<br /> It's not an extremely large town (the third largest in TN behind Nashville and Memphis.) Knoxville was the site of the Worlds Fair Park in 1982, and the only region in Tn that was pro-north during the civil war. We hold the University of TN and recently the arts have begun to conquer our downtown area (bringing in some interesting restaurants, venues, and even just buildings!!!)<br /> Around here we go to shows when getting out of work allows, much of us are in school still, or again, are in our twenties, we many times just have house get togethers with bon fires and lots of fun indie music and classic rock records.<br /> I hope this has been somewhat convincing to you. We love to share what we have to offer. I have a spare bedroom in my house with 2 other roommates, it has a queen size mattress on the floor!!! or one of the three really clean and comfy couches in the living room area. Oh, and a beautiful Cat named Corah Jones. She's a dark grey tabby with a white chin. So entirely friendly, and she'll talk to you to!!<br /> Anyway, hope you're travels are going awesome. . maybe we'll see you soon!!<br /> Rhiannon Carrollton, GASubmitted by Mary A small town outside of Atlanta, like most others, we're 40 minutes from Six Flags and 1hr away from ATL. There isn't much to do here but wish we lived somewhere else. Just this past year we got a Super Wal-Mart. The home of the University of West Georgia the town is made up of mostly college students and the older generation. I think the favorite things about Carrollton and the bars with local musicians almost every night. We have a great sculpture yard that students have contributed to and they are really works of art. That's about it. Camas, WASubmitted by Craig Tyler As a 23-year old college graduate, I took your trip over two consecutive summers. Visiting 49 states (not R.I.), 47 of them by car, I can tell you from experience that Camas will easily fit into your coffee table book.<br /> <br /> Camas was started as a Mill Town back in the 1800s and is slowly becoming less of that nature. The high school mascot "Papermaker" still remains, but jobs are being cut at the mill making way for high tech innovative companies coming from Portland. Beautifully nestled at the opening to the Columbia River Gorge, Camas sits right on the river with views of Mt Hood to the east and Mt St Helens to the north. Small town feel yet big enough to serve every need, it's not only a great place to be from, it's a place I will always come back to. Berwick, LASubmitted by Charis R Yoder My hometown is a great place to live. We have one of the best elementary schools in the state. People enjoy spending their time conversing with everyone in the town. We all try to keep our yards nice and clean and alwyas wave at others when passing by. This October we will celebrate 100 years as the town of Berwick!! My favorite thing about Berwick is everyone is so friendly and help one another. <br /> Justin you should visit my hometown because you will love the stories these ole' cajuns have for you to hear! Seward, AKSubmitted by Gwendolyn Seward is a cute little town in South Central AK (the best part of the state!) Seward has Mt Marathon, a mountain that every year hundreds of people run up and down for the annual 4th of July marathon. There are lots of things to do around here. Kayaking, climbing, hiking, boating, and great scenery for photography. Seward was one of the original American settlements. This was were the original iditerod (or syrum run) with Balto originated. It's a town of only about 4,000. I love how beautiful it is here, a wonderful place for artistic insperation! You should come visit because Seward is one of the most beautiful places on the planet, and has some of the nicest people! Cape Elizabeth, MESubmitted by Matty It's a gorgeous, small town rich in history as it's home to Fort Williams and Portland Headlight - the most photographed lighthouse in the world. It also is home to several gorgeous beaches and has some incredibly huge houses. Akron, OHSubmitted by Tyler Craig Akron is the home of the 1st Hamburger (though it is still in debate with some punks from Texas). It's close to alot of stuff: Cedar Point, the amusement park with the most record breaking roller-coasters; Cleveland, US' poorest city full of fun little places; Cuyahoga National Park, one of the largest and most visited parks; and finally, the Akron Art museum which open to the public on July 17th and has been recognized as one of the most important architectural designs in the world for this year. That's all. It's a fun little place. <br /> <br /> PS- Craig Tyler just entered something below. His name is mine reversed! No way! (I hold no relation to him). Mentone , INSubmitted by Camron Parker The most unique feature about my town would have to be the 2,000 pound concrete egg in the center of town to commemorate the days when Mentone was known as the "Eggbasket of the Midwest" (altough some would say the "World.") In the town's earlier days, Mentone was famous for the amount of poultry products that came from this tiny town located in Northern Indiana. This small 1,000 person town is quite rural with its small, local stores, acres upon acres of corn fields, and friendly neighbors you would expect to live in the Midwest. From the fields, the barns, and the tractors, to the friendly neighbors who know all of your business, not to mention the easy going lifestyle, oh, and "The Egg", Mentone is definitely a worthwhile stop on your awesome journey. Kwethluk, AKSubmitted by Vicky Kwethluk, Alaska has been my home for the past 5 years. I moved here to take a teaching job among Yup'ik Eskimos. This is a very friendly, caring village with about 800-900 people in it, one school (K-12 with about 220 students), two small grocery stores, a video store in someone's house, and a few city offices. <br /> The most scenic area could either be the air strip which is next to Birch Hill and lies 1.4 miles out of town via a gravel road or the "pyngani" which is slightly out of town where the Kwethluk and the Kuskokwak Rivers meet. <br /> You should visit my hometown because it's a treasure. Two cultures coexist at times and collide at times: the youth are influenced by the same music, TV, and movies as kids in the lower 48, but they also carry on the importance of subsistance hunting, traditional roles, and sometimes their native language. The people are genuine. Feasts are held to celebrate birthdays or a child's first catch and to remember loved ones 40 days, 1 year, 5 years, etc..after they've passed on. Bastketball is ESSENTIAL to existance! Bingo is important to some. Kids walk down the road just out of town to hunt ducks and muskrats. Only teacher housing and the school have running water, so the natives "pack" water from the river and they take steams (sort-of like saunas) to stay clean! Names are passed down from generation to generation. Outsiders are often welcomed with open arms, if they are open to the culture! <br /> The history is not written, so it's a bit hazy, but Kwethluk is said to mean "bad river." <br /> I have fallen in love with my village!! Some people search all their lives for a place like this: where they're loved and accepted, but at the same time not smothered!! I wish more people could hear about the wonderful extended family I now have in Kwethluk!! Stroudsburg, PASubmitted by Desmond It IS thee best town in all of Pennsylvania, it is only second to nothing! Millers Creek, NCSubmitted by Patrick Millers Creek is a very very small town in the foothills of the Blue ridge Mountains in northwest North Carolina. Millers Creek is just 15 minutes down the mountain from the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway. Its also 45-60 minutes from many ski resorts up around Boone, NC. There is nothing at all to do in millers creek but there is many outdoor activities you can do around the area. Wilkesboro is a bigger town just a few miles down the road from millers creek. That is where the Walmart is. Wilkesboro is also the home of where Lowes hardware was first founded and where Tyson chicken is located. Wilkesboro hosts merlefest every year, one of the largest bluegrass festivals in the world. If you want some good fried chicken or some smoked BB-Q. come to millers creek.<br /> There are not many attractions in millers creek, but there are plenty of friendly people and beautiful views of the Appalachian Mountains and rich valleys.<br /> If you would like to see a very nice small town full of charm and fantastic views, come to Millers Creek, North Carolina. East Leroy, MISubmitted by Aunt Shirley My town is more a post office with a grain elevator next door. A small grouping of homes and a large rural mail delivery. We may be small, but we have wonderful folks and several nice churches. East Leroy is also home to the elementary school for the Athens Area School District! We are primarily a farming community with many residents working in Battle Creek or surrounding area. It was also home to your Great Granpa Stoddard's farm! Sobiski, WISubmitted by Kat Sobiski is that littlee old town out in the country 3 bars 2 churches and 1 child care so drop your tot at child care go out drinking and repend at chirch for you go back to the farm nerest town a mear 30 minets away is greenbay Dayton, OHSubmitted by Blondie Dayton is beautiful at night. Theres a little tavern in Oregan District called the Oregan Express. You can sit up top of it at night and watch the trains go by. You can see all the Dayton night lites and watch people act crazy as they bar hop down the streets of Oregan. I would suggest this to vacationers or passbyers. It can really be a great place if you can get past all of the panhandlers on the courners! Farmington, NMSubmitted by DaveO Farmington, NM is an energy boom. It's not a bad place in the mile-high semi desert, and has lots of recreational opportunities within the immediate area. There is alot of beauty where the high desert meets the mountains. It's too bad the redneck oil producers & grunts from TexAss have to drill excessively in the region, including southern Colorado. It creates methane gas to seep out of the ground, and despoils ground water too. A high note is the Rocky Mountains,which visibly jut into the sky only 40 miles from Farmington. Recreational opportunities include mtn and road cycling, winter snowsports, lakes/water recreation, hiking,windsurfing, and great touring on motor vehicles/motorcycles. Alot more things to do in the Four Corners country, where four states of NM-AZ-CO-UT meet. Rosedale, NYSubmitted by Bryan sometimes bad thing happen in my neighbor hood. But all in all lots of people are really nice everyday I sit around saying im so bored. I just want to have one day of awesome non-stop fun I hope u guys come and visit my hometown. |