When you’re tired of fighting the crowds at the famous landmarks listed in the tour guide, it’s time to veer off the beaten path. See the sights while avoiding the crowds in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York City and Tampa, popular cities with unique attractions and quirky establishments.
Atlanta: You will find lots of Southern hospitality in this thriving city. Atlanta boasts sophistication and culture. After you've visited historic sites and spent some hard-earned cash on shopping, consider a city tour unlike any other or dine on ethnic cuisine on a "highway."
Segway Ghost Tours: Too tired to take a walking tour through Atlanta? Maybe a tour through this southern city on a Segway is more your speed. The Ghosts and Legend Tour, which is recommended by the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, begins with a 30-minute Segway orientation – then you set off through the streets of Atlanta. You’ll hear about the ghosts who haunt Atlanta college campuses and also stop at the State House and Centennial Olympic Park. The tour lasts approximately two hours and reservations are required.
Buford Highway: Forget Chinatown in San Francisco and Little Italy in New York, Atlanta has the Buford Highway corridor. "The Buford Highway Corridor is Atlanta's Chinatown, Little Korea, Vietnam and Latin America rolled into one street," according to the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau. "You'll find Korean barbeque, Vietnamese bakeries, pho shops, dim sum, Mexican breakfast, farmers markets and more. It's one of the few places, if not the only, where you can barbeque your own food at the table, crack raw eggs into a bubbling bowl of brothy tofu and eat out of a pot."
Las Vegas: Blinded by the lights of Las Vegas? Gambled most of your money away? It's time to step away from the Strip and enjoy the Las Vegas that locals know.
SkyMania Fun Centers: Jump for joy with the first all-trampoline-walled playing field with suspended rotating goals. Play a mean game of dodgeball or burn some calories with SkyRobics. Finally, a place the whole family can enjoy in Sin City.
Southern Nevada Zoological-Botanical Park: Las Vegas generally doesn't conjure up images of zoo and plant life, but just 15 minutes away from the Strip sits a three-acre zoo. It boasts exotic reptiles, various species of plants, ostriches and other animals. While you're there, make sure you get a look at the last family of Barbary Apes in the United States.
Ethel M Chocolate Factory: Any chocolate lover will be willing to leave the bustle of the Strip for a taste of Ethel M Chocolate. Take a free, self-guided tour of the factory, learn the chocolate-making process and of course, sample the final product. If you have a party of 10 or more, you can schedule a guided tour.
Los Angeles: After you've taken pictures of the Hollywood sign and measured your hand-print against more than 200 celebrities at Grauman's Chinese Theater, it's time to ditch the tour guide.
Griffith Park Observatory: View the galaxy during a live planetarium presentation. Afterwards, take a look through the original 12-inch refracting Zeiss telescope and solar telescopes. On some nights, the observatory sets up other public telescopes for out-of-this-world celestial views. When you return home from your Los Angeles vacation, you can boast that you saw the stars.
Head Downtown: From tours to restaurants to museums, you'll find something to do. According to the Los Angeles Times, downtown is a neighborhood worth visiting. Visit the Japanese National Museum or Museum of Contemporary Art or stroll through the Jewelry District. The Los Angeles Times recommends making reservations for a performance at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, as well.
New York City: No matter where you go in New York City, there will be people, so don't expect much alone time. The biggest crowds will be in the obvious places: Statue of Liberty, Times Square and any other famous landmark. The great thing about New York City is there are so many things to see that aren't listed in a travel guide.
Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company: Talk about great souvenirs. Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company is a must-visit location for superhero fans. Shop for capes, grappling hooks and anything else you need to save the world. The best part? All proceeds go to 826NYC, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping students craft their creative and expository writing skills.
Chinatown Ice Cream Factory: Three reasons to make the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory your first stop in New York: chocolate caramel pecan, zen butter and strawberry shortcake. These are just a few of the many ice cream and sorbet flavors made on site. Try one of the traditional Chinese ice cream recipes, like Lychee.
Tampa Bay: Tampa Bay is more than just another beach destination. It's also home to dinosaurs and crustaceans, making this a great place to bring the kids.
Dinosaur World: Travel back to pre-historic times at Dinosaur World. The outdoor dinosaur museum boasts more than 150 life-size dinosaur replicas. Take the kids and dig for real fossils, discover dinosaurs at an excavation site and have a subterranean picnic.
Gus' Crabby Adventures: Be "crabby" on your vacation to Tampa. Set sail with Gus Muench, a 31-year veteran blue crab commercial fisherman, and learn how to pull and bait crab traps, and catch, clean and steam stone and blue crabs. "It's a blast and you get to eat the crabs once you're done with the trip," says Lisa Humphrey, public relations representative at Tampa Bay & Company. The four-hour excursion also showcases manatees, pelicans and dolphins in their natural habitat.