Anyone else enjoy this hobby?
The best place I’ve ever found is the boardwalk at Venice Beach near L.A.
Any other nominations?
Malls are nice. About the only place around here, really.
It’s fun to work near the food court and watch people come through and see what they do. Was a wonderful place to girl watch as well.
You’re usually there because you’re waiting around, anyway. Lots of potential drama. Reunions, people having to leave one another’s presence, etc.
Tompkin Square Park.
Or, for a different perspective, the World Trade Center observation deck.
Great place!
My favorite isn’t too far from there: Santa Monica Place, right by the beach.
Beach settings are the best for this. In addition to Venice Beach, I like Huntington Beach, and also Mission Beach/Pacific Beach.
Malls and airports are both good. Just about any place where you may have to wait around for a bit.
Here’s a little diversion for you while you watch and wait:
Pick out someone who also seems to be waiting for your flight. Observe the person and count to 5. Then, without looking at them, try and describe them to yourself in as much detail as you can (as if you’re describing him/her to a police sketch artist). I also like to make up stories about people I’m observing. “His name is Claude. He’s a hired killer, going to Cleveland to kill …”
It helps the time pass.
I like to play “find the spy” at the airport. I pick out who is most likely waiting to hand off a microfilm or secret plans to James Bond when he comes strolling by.
I enjoy planting myself on a bench in Central Park for an afternoon and watching humanity drift by. In Burlington, we have a closed off street which is a pedestrian mall (think 3rd St. Promenade in Santa Monica) and any of the second floor resturants are fantastic for observing people who don’t know they are being watched. I like making up stories about people, their names, where they are going. Whether they are meeting someone.
Why would you want to watch birds when people are so strange and interesting? Give me a cup of coffee and a sidewalk cafe, and I’m good for hours.
Sloppy Joe’s Key West, old favorite, new favorite, South Beach.
the Fashion Institute of Technology’s seating area on 27th and 8th. What a load of eye candy!
Airports and malls are good, but I think zoos and rock concerts are the best.
In front of Graceland. Anytime is good, but ESPECIALLY during Death Week.
Union Square in San Francisco – there’s a great mix of people from all over the world, plus the people who live and work in the area – it’s also interesting to watch the hustlers work the tourists.
Disney World. You get to see people from all over the world on vacation. You can definitely pick out the foreigners.
Nothing beats a boat launch ramp for fascinating human viewing.
New boat owners, new couples, bad communication skills…sheer stupidity…I could spend hours there!
OH! How could I forget? Branson, MO is definitely on my list.
For Denver the only real choice is 16th Street Mall. For those who have never been to Denver it isn’t what you think of as a mall. Its just the street in the center of downtown, closed to traffic, but its the only place around here around to see a good collection of business people, wandering teenagers, street people(police, street preachers, musicians, homeless) and women who want to be looked at(I love the business skirt look, hehe). And Of course it has the prerequisite sidewalk seating bars and restaraunts from which to kick back, sip a pint of Guinness, and watch the show.
Same thing. 
Ditto, Swiddles. I like to sit in a mall food court with a buddy. One of us picks a group of people and the other has to figure out their relationship to each other, and why they’re at the mall, zoo, airport, etc.