Citysearch rates best restaurants and bars of 2007

by Grant Martin on

The annual list of best restaurants and bars was posted by Citysearch a few hours ago, highlighting the new food and drink hotspots in the nation’s top cities.

So get your “Oh, I’ve already been there; I’m way over that” snide statements ready and check out the guides to

Or you can check out the bars on the Citysearch blog here. I did a cursory search through the New York and Chicago bars and restaurants and have to admit that I haven’t been to any of the 40 establishments. Nothing like a hipster best-of website to make you feel like a social invalid.

I’ll be playing dungeons and dragons in my parents basement if you need me.

Riverboat gambling along the Ohio, Missouri and Mississippi

by Jamie Rhein on

Martha’s post on gambling hot spots made me think of gambling boats that head away from shore to give passengers time to make or lose money. It seems a bit romantic–rolling the dice while rolling on the river.

Several states allow travelers to indulge in trying out Lady Luck, and each state’s riverboat cruise experience varies due to the state’s laws. You might be on a historic style boat that evokes images of days gone by–Mark Twain comes to mind, or be docked on a flat barge that doesn’t go anywhere. From what I’ve heard, this is a fairly inexpensive way to have a boat ride if you don’t gamble. I have relatives who’ve headed to Lawrenceburg, Indiana to partake in Argosy’s flavor. Since they aren’t the biggest gamblers, they enjoyed the food, but thought the several hours that Indiana’s law requires gambling boats to be out on the river a trifle long.

The Web site Riverboat Casinos lists the riverboat casinos, state by state, and provides helpful info about each. Argosy is the casino in Indiana where you are more likely to win. Too bad my relatives didn’t know this.

AXE rates best and worst airports for “connections”

by Grant Martin on

It took me a while (halfway through writing the article) to figure out what the exact meaning of the term “connection” was, but now holding the context and the source of the data in the correct light, I can understand why AXE would sponsor a study on travel.

Instead of the “layover” interpretation of the term, 860 participants were asked where the best airports were to make a “connection”, as in, with another person.

The results? Quite opposite to those of a functional nature; Philly, Newark and JFK topped the list of airports in which to meet a member of the opposite sex, while Houston, Sacramento and Tampa were at the bottom (in that reverse order).

Why? Because more often than not, you’re stuck on the eastern seaboard waiting for your delayed flight and have to commiserate with other stranded passengers. Airports with no delays and smooth operation don’t seem to have those problems.

Additional consideration was given to airports with good bars and restaurants inside of security in which to socialize, as well as meditation rooms and magic shops.

More info can be garnered from the PR Newswire.

Top 10 gambling destinations

by Martha Edwards on

I’ve never been much of a gambler. Maybe it’s because I’m cheap and parting with money that I’m probably not going to get back just doesn’t seem like a good idea, or maybe it’s because I’m not much of a risk taker. Nonetheless, lots of people love to gamble and as long as they’re not sending themselves into serious debt, all the power to them. But where does one go to gamble? The casino down the road is a bit boring .. and smelly. You could head to Vegas, but everyone does that. According to MSNBC, here are the top 10 gambling destinations in the world:

  • Aruba
  • Atlantic city
  • Goa, India
  • Macau, just off the coast of China (It’s just like Vegas, apparently)
  • Mississippi Gulf Coast
  • Monte Carlo
  • Nassau and Paradise Island
  • Niagara Falls
  • Sun City, just outside of Johannesburg in South Africa

I guess it shows how much of a gambler I am — I’ve never been to any of these places, other than Niagara Falls (but I went there for Maid of the Mist, not the slots)

Debauchery tourism: travel for partying, sex and drugs

by Abha Malpani on

“There is no future! Why save money? Why worry about traditional morality!?”, the anything goes attitude when on vacation seems to be the latest travel-trend amongst western 25-34 year-olds, according to the 2007 World Travel Market’s annual Global Trends report.

A wild spin off the nudist, lifestyle and hedonist resorts concept, the travel industry has tagged this as “debaucherism”, and as long as it’s legal, the hotels will take care of all your demands. Well, almost all: a complimentary copy of Playboy and a box of cigars in your room, and room-service for sex toys, erotic DVDs, and velvet restraints (!). Some of these hotel rooms that encourage debauchery to attract clients even have in-room stripper poles (hmmm.) Gambling and strip-club tours that include chauffeur driven limousine transport and entry to the clubs and all-day US$5000 in hotel pool-parties are among the popular requests.

The crowd hungry for these types of self-indulgent escapes are mainly recent out of university workaholics who just want to liberate themselves and experiment, or those who get a rise by imitating binge-drinking-and-partying celebrities.

Hot debauchery spots include Las Vegas, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Dubai (!!!!), Hanoi and Macau.

Photo gallery: Sex and tourism — how do they mix?

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