In New York City make it a point to go to Magnolia Bakery on 11th and Bleeker. You will hear the cupcakes extolled to the skies (They were even featured in a Saturday Night Live skit). They are the best you can get, but they're outdone by the runner-up: the famous banana pudding. You will never taste a smoother, creamier concoction. Bananas and wafers hold court at the top of it all. It once actually raised me out of a bad mood.

Aurora, NY, in the Finger Lakes region, might be the best kept secret. It is a quaint village which rests on Cayuga Lake, the largest of the Finger Lakes. If you like wineries, lake views in abundance, and plenty of outdoor recreation then you’ll love it here. We have some of the finest accommodations including The Aurora Inn and E.B. Morgan House – check them out (www.tourcayuga.com). Dorie’s Bakery and Café, Pizzaurora, Fargo Bar and Grill or Pumpkin Hill Bistro are among the favorite dining spots. You can taste local wines at more than 15 vineyards along the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail – secure a guided tour with some friends and you can relax while taking in some of the best views along the way of waterfalls, state parks, etc.

BOSTON IS NOT ONLY THE MOST HISTORIC CITIES IN THE U.S, WITH 5 PRESIDENTS BORN HERE. IT HAS A 37 MILE HARBOR WALK WHERE YOU CAN RIDE A BIKE ON PART OF IT, IT GOES THRU 3 TOWNS. BEING ON THE OCEAN, AND HAVING DOZENS OF ISLANDS TO GO TO IS AIDED BY THE FACT THAT MOST ARE VERY CLOSE, AND THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF BOATS TO TAKE ONE TO EACH ONE, AT VERY CHEAP PRICES.
FOOD IS IMPORTANT HERE, BECAUSE OF THE PROLIFERATION OF MANY NATIONALITIES, YOU CAN EAT FOOD FROM MANY COUNTRIES. LASTLY, BECAUSE OF THE MANY IRISH SETTLED HERE IN THE 1800'S THERE ARE SO MANY FRIENDLY PEOPLE, SOME MAY SAY "NOSY", BUT THEY CARE ABOUT PEOPLE FROM OTHER PLACES. IN THE SUMMER YOU CAN FIND FREE MUSIC OUTDOORS EVERY NIGHT. HEAVEN IS CAPE COD, DOZENS OF TOWNS ALL DIFFERENT, IS ONLY 60 MILES AWAY.

There is nothing quite like a holiday on Britain's Inland waterways. Camaraderie when you meet other boaters, friendliness when you tie up at the pub for a drink or a meal. A holiday of contrasts, taken at a slow pace. The variety is endless, city, town, village and country, wide canal, narrow canal and river. Every bend brings forth some new feature. You can never see it all, no matter how many times you return. But why worry?Barge holidays are for relaxation, for unwinding from every day pressures, for doing what you like, when you like.

Oklahoma City, OK - The Bricktown area not far from downtown OKC is a beautiful place full of resteraunts, entertainment, and shopping. It's only a hop, skip, and a jump from the River where you can rent a boat to row in, or you can ride the canal through that part of the city - which is perfect to do on a beautiful sunny afternoon.

I live close 2 Boston, and the best thing about it is the North End and the Farmer's Market I love evrything about the place!

I live in Richmond,Virginia,which is right in the middle(just about) of the state. We are close to the mountains and to the beach. The fall and spring are beautiful,with the changing of the leaves,to the great shopping in a variety of venues. Un Carytown,there are unique boutiques,fabulous restaurants(NY deli,Double T's BBQ,Cappola's,CanCan just to name a few) We host several universities throughout the state and in Richmond(Virginia Commonwealth/Medical College of Virginia(my alma
matter) near by Ashland,Randolph Macon. There are great hotels,The Jefferson,The Berkely Hotel. Great downtown areas,one in particular,Shockoe slip/shockoe bottom has great shops,places to eat/bars,and lots of history. You can take a walk or a boat ride(very small,like a large canoe led by very entertaining hosts) and stroll,ride through the canal,learn about history, the rail system and other fun facts,and then go to eat or shop at La Difference. The weather here is amazing,we truly have all 4 seasons and a baseball team( Richmond Braves,which thanks to our mayor, are leaving soon) Most of the school systems are good(Chesterfield and Henrico counties are the best)! Come visit,especially if you like shopping,history,or just want to see the views of the James River. We also have The Richmond Symphony,several theaters(Landmark) and great music venues.

I live in Richmond,Virginia,which is right in the middle(just about) of the state. We are close to the mountains and to the beach. The fall and spring are beautiful,with the changing of the leaves,to the great shopping in a variety of venues. Un Carytown,there are unique boutiques,fabulous restaurants(NY deli,Double T's BBQ,Cappola's,CanCan just to name a few) We host several universities throughout the state and in Richmond(Virginia Commonwealth/Medical College of Virginia(my alma
matter) near by Ashland,Randolph Macon. There are great hotels,The Jefferson,The Berkely Hotel. Great downtown areas,one in particular,Shockoe slip/shockoe bottom has great shops,places to eat/bars,and lots of history. You can take a walk or a boat ride(very small,like a large canoe led by very entertaining hosts) and stroll,ride through the canal,learn about history, the rail system and other fun facts,and then go to eat or shop at La Difference. The weather here is amazing,we truly have all 4 seasons and a baseball team( Richmond Braves,which thanks to our mayor, are leaving soon) Most of the school systems are good(Chesterfield and Henrico counties are the best)! Come visit,especially if you like shopping,history,or just want to see the views of the James River. We also have The Richmond Symphony,several theaters(Landmark) and great music venues.

Buffalo NY, Besides being the inventor of "Buffalo Wings" or chicken wings as we call them here and having one of the 7 wonders of the world at our finger tips (Niagara Falls) Buffalo hosts some of the best architecture in the state. Eaters and drinkers are never disappointed since our bars are open till 4AM. Sports fans can either catch a football game or even better, in my opinion, a hockey game. Our fans are among the best and most brutal in the country. Summer is the best time to visit for people not used to the bitter cold and constant over cast. There are constantly festivals and outdoor music to be had. Our weekends start on Thursday, see you in June!

Living in Chicago is the best of all worlds. You can go to the opera one day and a ball game the next. Have a taste for any kind of food and you will find it with a walk or short drive. The city is green and clean.

I live in New Hope, PA and I am 42 years old, its boring here and I am ready to move......toomany bars and not enough straight men.

Philadelphia, PA is chock full of history and little-known museums. We are so much more than cheesesteaks and pretzels (although they are the best in the world, here!). The art museum (remember Rocky?) is the third largest art museum in the country. We have so many museums......I can't even name them all. Elfreth's Alley, where Betsy Ross lived, Ben Franklin, the Liberty Bell, the Consitution Center...it all started here!!!

And if you travel an hour outside the city you have the Amish, Longwood Gardens, Valley Forge, Washington's Crossing...some of the best wine is from right here.

AND, you're only 2 hours from DC, and 2 hours from NYC!

Fargo, North Dakota may sound cold, but we are the hottest destination of the upper Midwest! Our job market is rapidly expanding due to a MicroSoft campus, growth in research at North Dakota State University and because we are situated as a major transportation hub. Two major interstates cross here and provide a direct link in any direction - espcially into Canada. The number of airline flights in and out of town are expanding and we find ourselves becoming a global community, very quickly! The shopping is delightful, because you can find pretty much anything to buy here from new, hip fashions at West Acres mall to antiques a.k.a "funky junk". Our summers are full of sunshine and warm weather (with low humidity), so you can enjoy bike paths, riverboat rides, and our own Fargo Marathon! Our winters are filled with cross country skiing, sledding and museuems. Those museums are not only art, but lots of local history ones, too! We have a superb community theatre, opera and symphony in addition to an ecelectic downtown, brimming with exceptional restraunts and hotels. This is a happening locale, that is simply in the midst of the most abundant agricultural land in the United States! Please come and join us for a visit!

NOTHING is best about my city, Sierra Vista, AZ.
For some reason it's growing really fast but there is NOTHING to do in this town, especially for the kids. Traffic is terrible as there is only 1 main street, we get by-passes mase but before we know it it has street lights put on them. It's a terrible town and trust me, if I could move out of here I would.

Steamboat Springs, Colorado
AKA Ski Town USA, Steamboat is well known for it's trademarked Champagne Powder (yes, they are the official city to TM this phrase, and are legally the only ones that can use it!).
But the phrase "I stayed here for the summers" is a common response for why locals love this valley, and I actually did Stay for Summer.
Steamboat's summer is way underrated, as is Colorado as a summer hotspot. Or coolspot, mind you, since summers in Steamboat remind me nothing of summers growing up in Virginia. Cool mountain nights, where sweaters are usually required, bug free living, save the mosquitoes down by the river, and outdoor endlessness, where every activity is out my backdoor and at my fingertips; those are the reasons I live here. Oh and the 350-450 inches of Champagne in the seemingly short short 5 months of winter, that keeps me happy during the cold nights! But I'm laying out on my deck in a suit by March 15 on average, because our sun is so hot and our spring is so.... Steamboat.

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania is home to many beautiful places: Appalachian Trail, Indian Echo Caverns, Hershey Park, Hershey Rose Gardens (includes a butterfly house & children's garden), Hershey Spa (imagine being immersed in chocolate -- divine!), there is also an old drive-in movie theater in the small town of Dillsburg (located on the outskirts of Harrisburg), Ski Round Top for winter sports fans, there is Nissley Vineyards, the Renaissance Fair in the summer & fall. Harrisburg also offers many cute bed & breakfast places, plenty of historical sites (Gettysburg and Carlisle) and museums. In downtown Harrisburg you can ride the Pride of the Susquehanna, an old fashioned riverboat. Young ones can get an ice cream cone in the boat snack shop & adults can listen to the history of the city as well as get great photos of the beautiful capital dome. Our capital building is one of the most beautiful... daily tours take you into the rooms where decisions are made & you can admire the amazing wall murals & stunning chandeliers. The Whitaker center has operettas, ballets & concerts as well as a "please touch" museum for children. There are educational 3D movies in the 3 story theater. Downtown has some shopping, restaurants & clubs but if you're like me, skip that and feed the ducks at Italian Lake while you admire the breathtaking fountain. I could go on because there's more....

The main reason that I moved back to the Washington, DC area is the amazing diversity that the area provides. You have the opportunity to sample cuisine from all around the world, talk with diplomats and politicians from a wide array of backgrounds, and attend embassy parties. Don't miss Dim Sum at the Fortune restaurant and Ethiopian food in Georgetown.

If you can make it through the long winter, Minneapolis is an absolute playground in the summer, and the city (as well as St. Paul, the other "twin") is designed to support outdoor activities. There are miles of bike and walking trails along the Mississippi and the city's many lakes; parks with band shells, recreation fields, and lots of lawn for lounging; and of course the lakes themselves, always full of swimmers and sailboats. When you're done enjoying the outdoors you can find one of the many awesome eateries in the city (which has an amazing dining scene that visitors - and many residents - are sadly unaware of) and sip a glass of wine and enjoy a nosh on an outdoor patio until long after that late evening (9:00 or later) sunset.