Pat’s and Geno’s are … okay. If you’re playing tourist and you want the “experience”, then sure. Pick one or the other.
If you want an actual good cheesesteak, I recommend Cleaver’s on 18th near Chestnut. Best I’ve found in Center City in the 5+ years I’ve been performing my cheesesteak study.
Near Duluth, MN:
Lake Superior Related:
Canal Park
Aerial Lift Bridge
Vista Cruise
Great Lakes Aquarium
Lake Superior Maritime Museum
Park Point (10 miles of white sand beach) Good luck swimming tho - the water is usually too cold
Brighton Beach
Gooseberry Falls
The Lakewalk
Virtually anywhere along the shore of the lake (The North Shore)
Leif Erickson Park & Rose Garden
Other:
Glensheen Mansion
Besides Lake Superior, we have at least a dozen area inland lakes within a 20-minute drive - also rivers and creeks
Lake Superior Hiking Trail and dozens of other trails
Sammy’s Pizza
Thompson Hill
Enger Tower & Park
Jay Cooke Park & Swinging Bridge
Skyline Parkway
Hawk Ridge
Lake Superior Zoo
Spirit Mt
Bentleyville Christmas light display
I thought I lived in the Scandinavian Capital! Lutefisk is big here at Christmastime. Never tried it - never will. Not a drop of Scandinavian blood in this girl!
Eastern PA here – Agreed on the previously mentioned Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets and Peanut Butter Kandy Kakes and Knoebels Grove if you get anywhere even close to that part of the state. Something not yet mentioned: Birch beer – I’d say Kutztown is the best brand but any will do if you’ve never had it (it’s soda, not beer).
As for where to get that Philly cheesesteak – Pat’s is the original and Geno’s is literally across the street so it’s easy enough to try them both. Certainly there may be some more to your personal taste in other local places but Pat’s is the original and it to Pat’s that all others should be compared.
The are many local variations on the cheesesteak as you move away from Philadelphia.
Around the Lehigh Valley (Allentown area) you will find most places typically serving their sandwich with “sauce”; each place has its own recipe, usually a thin, reddish, somewhat vinegary, spicy topping. Just order “A cheesesteak.” and the server will probably ask “Sauce and onion?”
In small towns like mine with a large Italian population sauce may mean something more like a marinara. Locals may order a “WOP”, having marinara, fried onion and fried green pepper, hot peppers being optional.
Move farther north to the Bloomsburg area and you will find the “steak in the grass” served with a bunch of shredded lettuce on the roll.
For purists, the cheese on a Philly cheesesteak is Cheez Whiz. Many places (including Pat’s) offer alternative cheeses but the Whiz is what makes it a “Philly cheesesteak”, all others are just a “cheesesteak”. Around here these are often shown on the menu as two seperate items: Philly cheesesteak and cheesesteak.
Those things you get in other parts of the country such as a New York strip open face on Texas Toast are NOT Philly cheesesteaks no matter what they call them on the menu.
I forgot about Birch Beer! Great addition by Turble. There was this one place we went to when I was a kid in the late 80’s/early 90’s in the Manheim, PA area that basically was a tap you could get it from that was outside. It was like a quarter a gallon and just simply wonderful. Wonder if that’s still around.
And 150% agree, NY strip on a roll or toast or something is a sandwich of some sort. But it’s not a Philly Cheesesteak.
BTW, if you’re not a fan of whiz (and that’s okay, I’m not either), try your cheesesteak with American instead. Usually it’s a melted American-cheese-sauce, so it’s kind of like Whiz but without the orange color or weird aftertaste.
Texas culinary must-tries:
[ul]
[li]Texas barbecue- brisket and sausage, pinto beans, and either cole slaw or potato salad.[/li][li]Chicken fried steak w/ cream gravy & mashed potatoes[/li][li]Tex-mex: ideally the old-school combination plate with a tamale, cheese enchilada, rice, beef taco and refried beans (tamale & enchilada covered with chili and/or chili gravy).[/li][/ul]
Not that I think the Gulf coast seafood is bad, but I’d leave it off the list, because it’s basically Louisiana seafood, only a less intense version.
Sorry, wrong window post. MODS please delete.
On the other hand, here in Cleveland, I’ve never heard of cassata cake, and a Polish Boy is basically just an oversized hot dog, topped with the usual hot dog toppings like kraut and mustard (the best mustard in the world, incidentally, Cleveland Ballpark Mustard).
This might be an East Side / West Side thing. More so than most cities with a river through them, Cleveland is very firmly divided into two sides.
For other things to see and do around here, in addition to the art museum, orchestra, and sports mentioned by panache45, we also have an excellent natural history museum, plus some more niche museums like the Crawford Auto and Aviation Museum, if you’re into that sort of thing. And all three of those museums, plus Severence Hall (home of the orchestra) are all within easy walking distance of each other (that’s where all of the millionaires used to live).
We also have an excellent public parks system, the Cleveland Metroparks, which also runs a very good zoo, as well as some nice public beaches (when we say “lake”, think “freshwater inland sea”). And less than a half-hour from downtown, there’s Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Right between the Browns Stadium and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, there’s the Great Lakes Science Center, a fairly good science museum. And just east of downtown is Playhouse Square, the nation’s second-largest theater district.
Well, if you’re ever in or near the area around Viburnum, Missouri, chances are you were either sent here by your job (because you work in the forestry or mining industries), or you’re here for the hunting, fishing, floating, hiking, nature trails, or what-have-you. So on that note I have nothing to recommend.
As for food, the nearby(ish) town of Ironton has a delicious restaurant in a former Catholic girls’ school that is absolutely to die for. The food at Thee Abbey Kitchen is magnificent and prepared with care and love. The atmosphere, however, is more in keeping with the building’s original purpose, and tends towards the austere.
While you’re in Ironton, drive five miles this way and see Elephant Rocks State Park - worth half an hour or so of your time. Drive ten miles that way and see Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park - worth a weekend. Don’t waste your time driving to Taum Sauk Mountain State Park - it is literally a parking lot and a plaque, with a just-OK view of the surrounding area (if it’s not a cloudy day), and that’s it.
And if you’re really in the mood for a drive, head past all the meth labs and crushing poverty into the Winona/Eminence Area, about an hour and a half away, where you can see Alley Springs State Park and Rocky Falls Shut-Ins.
Best thing to do in Cleveland is walleye fishing. Absolute best in the world. Huge fish and rarely a skunked day depending upon when you go.
if you can stand all those Norwegians being chased by that one Swede, the Swedish Club has a dinner on 21 December. The Sons of Norway keep an annual list of events in the NW. Also, the annual Ballard Seafood Fest and Syttende Mai celebrations are good bets.
I can’t believe I’m the first Chicagoan to chime in. And, yes, I’m well aware I’m a transplant.
The Art Institute of Chicago is world class and worthy of a full day visit if you’ve got the time to allocate. It’s a truly diverse collection, particularly strong in Impressionism.
The Chicago Symphony is also one of the finest orchestras in the USA.
There’s an amazing theatre scene here as well, and with some digging, inexpensive tickets can be found to anything besides Hamilton.
I get tired of the endless pizza battles, it’s seriously not worth a civil war debating pizzerias. I like Pizzeria Due, but that’s probably because the crowds are a bit less so it’s a good place to take visitors. Pequod’s is also good, but can be crowded. I prefer Gino’s East over Lou Malnatis and Giodarno’s, but they’re all fine.
I’m not really impressed with the hot dogs, but maybe that’s just me. I associate hot dogs as a kids food, and maybe for a baseball game. No, I don’t put ketchup on my hot dogs. I don’t put it on hamburgers either, ketchup is for fries.
Grand Canyon, if you can count fours’ driving time as “nearby.”
Green corn tamales. I’ve never seen them anywhere than here.
Soapapillas. Basically, deep-fried quick bread dough with honey. They are more widespread than the tamales but a delicious dessert.
Being an Endless Mountains kid it was just one of those things (like Wise potato chips) that I was so flooded with as a kid that it fell off my radar screen. I’ll have it now and then but I would much prefer a RC-Cola or a teaberry milkshake. (think sugared Pepto and ice-cream)
Since we’re around Bloomsburg, Bill’s Old Bike Barn and Museum and Bill’s Custom Cycles.
and be sure to check out some of the YouTube walk-throughs as well. And its not totally a guy thing; Bill Morris added a doll shop, soda shop, and lots more to “Billville” (no ego there at all of course 
) and if you are a biker don’t pass up the shop. I often score seriously scarce N-OS parts for dimes on what I would expect most places along with some great vintage clothes and gear. For eating head for Morris Family Restaurant ------ Bill’s extended family will appreciate it and the food is fantastic!
Oh --------- and if you come into Bloom from far out east on 11, you will pass a place in a little town called Wyoming called Victory Pig Pizza. Stop by but DO NOT EAT ANYTHING!!! The food is terrible and the service sucks. But the t-shirts are cool as Hell! Where I am now its Sadies Big Beaver although I hear Sadie has closed her beaver for good. 
How about Navajo Tacos/Frybread? I miss almost nothing from Arizona, but I do miss those.
Sweet! This is awesome. Keep it coming.
I have so many road trips to plan!
Good lord, son, that’s like saying “I went to the High Museum but didn’t look at any art”! Although the paper hat IS a must do at any age…
IIRC I had a bacon double cheeseburger and fries. It was in Athens. We visited The Tree That Owns Itself and ate at The Grit (I was with a bunch of vegetarians).
I’ve spent my fair share of time in Seattle, and this is the first I’m hearing of it being a destination for lutefisk. 
If you asked me to name must-try foods in Seattle, I’d suggest a Deluxe burger and fries from Dick’s, the 12-egg chili-cheese omelet at Beth’s Café, the chili burger at Mike’s Chili Bowl, a Seattle dog (with grilled onions, hot peppers, brown mustard, and cream cheese), Ezell’s fried chicken, or Ivar’s clam chowder.
Aberdeenshire has castles galore. Crathes is a favourite of mine. Food- & drink-wise, there are the Speyside whisky distilleries, Aberdeen Angus beef, and Cullen Skink to try. Culture? One of the highland games, of course.
Now you’re just talkin’ out your ass! or, is that your ass is talkin’?
How much is Kohler paying you?