I wanted to go somewhere in the U.S. that I have never been before. So I chose Memphis, TN. When I tell people (friends,family and co-workers) that I am going on a long weekend to Memphis they look perplexed. I have found that every place I have traveled, whether inside the U.S. or Europe, I have enjoyed because it was somewhere different. Do you ever decide you want to go somewhere you have never been just to check it out? I do. I hope I can post my experience when I return and let you know if I liked it. I don't mind going somewhere that I have been before like the beach, Vegas, or NYC. However, I want to get around as much as possible. It is amazing how different destinations can vary from state to state. I think Memphis will be another place that I will find to be unique and fun in it's own right. What do you think?
Audrey

I think your friends are afraid to leave their "comfort zone" so cannot imagine that you will do what they won't. It's a trait I think many friends of we travelers have. "I wouldn't do that, so why would you?"

I've found something to like about practically every place I've visited, really. By the way, my son did a jaunt to Memphis (an Elvis fan), and had a wonderful time. So did my sister as some part of a river cruise trip....... she loved it! I'm betting you will!

The whole point of traveling is to go someplace that you have never been, and experience a different culture, landscape etc. In my entire lifetime I will not see all of the places that interest me. But, many of my friends and family think I am a bit crazy. My next trip is to Honduras and most people I tell this to ask why would I possibly want to go there? Wait until they see my pictures and then they will understand

Wonderful, Audrey. Travel to new places for new experiences is a great way to live. Keep doing it and the heck with anyone who doesn't get it!

Audrey: This is so funny, I did exactly the same thing a couple of years ago - needed a trip and decided to go to Memphis!

I took my housekeeper, who needed a trip even more than I. She got free plane tickets from another woman she works for and we were off! Neither of us had ever been to that part of the country - we just threw a marble at the map and it landed there.

We had a wonderful time - stayed at the Peabody, visited Graceland, Beale Street, took a river cruise, ate at the Rendevous for delicious barbecue and went to the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel.

Then we rented a car and went on a road trip thorugh Tennessee and Mississippi. We had no reservations, just stopped wherever looked interesting - it was so much fun!

Like you, I want to go eveywhere. I'm curious about it all. It's like so many places, so little time.

You go, girl!

So true. My friends and family both think I'm peculiar on choices to travel and how much I travel. Many of my friends do not travel at all, or only to the next state under obligation. The "adventurous" ones go to Florida. My oldest friend who I play Scrabble with twice monthly said to me once last year, out of the clear blue, "Do you know I have never had a passport in my life and you are getting yours renewed AGAIN." (Made me pause a bit- as she made me sound "abnormal".)

But I do the same, audreyh1. I like to pick a city or place I've never been, just because. A few trips I have called adventures, and they truly were. Some of those were the best. You can find some pleasant surprises out, and so many of those are the ones few others have found.

I spend a day in Memphis several years ago and thought it was a terrific city. I have always wanted to go back when I had more time.

I agree with the others though - there are some people who don't want to go outside their comfort zone or aren't interested in doing things out of the norm.

When my husband and I went to New Orleans on our honeymoon, we got some interesting responses from several people. My favorite was "Why didn't you go to Hawaii like everyone else?" Classic.

This is a subjest that is endlessly fascinating to me.

I also know a lot of people who never travel anywhere different. Depending on their income level, they go: camping in the same place every year, to the same hotel in Reno or Las Vegas, to a timeshare or condo in Cabo San Lucas or Maui.

Some of them, I know, are scared to try anything different because they didn't grow up traveling. Some, I think, just aren't that curious. I absolutely don't understand this.

The most common response I get is this:

Me: "I'm so excited. I'm going to Prague (Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Kenya, etc.)"

Them: "Wherever that is."

I know, obviously, that the non-travelers are not reading this board but I'd sure like more explanations from anyone out there who knows some of them!

Excellent attitude about traveling. How can travel be an adventure if youu never go anywhere new. My biggest challenge is identifying new places or areas (to me and my wife) that would be interesting to visit for a week.

Memphis is a nice place to visit, especially if you like barbecue, blues and/or Elvis.

Audrey, tell those friends of yours that we're just not that scary here in Memphis. Maybe a little scary, but not much.

I really love seeing new places and sometimes intentionally pick less traditionally tourist spots. Helps satisfy my flawed, curious nature.

LOL, I can 100% relate. l got soooo many perplexed comments from friends when I did this, they thohgt I was loopy. Last year I flew several times from Hawaii to Washington DC which is a long haul. Since I got a free stopover on the way back, each time I chose a different layover and stayed solo 3 days in a city I had never visited:
Chicgao (LOVED IT)
New York City (LOVE LOVE LOVED IT)
Philadelphia (Liked it, did not love it)
Vancouver (LOVED it)

Next on my solo list: Boston
My husband is not a city lover so this method of quick stops works perfectly for us!

There aren't many places I don't want to go explore at least once!
I've always been fascinated with the idea of bidding blindly on a plane ticket, not knowing where you were going until you got it.

I did the same trip that gualalalisa did--exactly! except with a friend, not a housekeeper.

Memphis is great.

I needed a vacation on another occasion and thought "Which state haven't I visited?" Well, I ended up going to North Carolina. Again, it was fantastic. Enjoy your adventures.

I agree that every place has something interesting to offer if you "delve". At my middle age, however, I'm beginning to panic that there aren't enough vacations or money left to go to all the places I really have to see on this planet. Therefore, I choose very deliberately where we will go. And it is always somewhere we have never been before.
Maggi

Actually I see nothing wrong with wanting to go to a city like Memphis. My future travel plans are to stay away from beaches, either N or S on the East Coast. Too many people at one place, in one season with not too much to do except go to the beach and shop. I'd rather go to someplace that isn't a tourist trap and just enjoy the local sites and sounds of the place. Unlike you most people are sheep, be flattered when everyone give you the "huh" or "why" reaction.

I went to Pittsburgh a couple years ago, because it was probably the largest city in the US that I've never visited or even seen the downtown. Didn't have too much expectations, but I enjoyed the weekend totally, despite poor weather.

My only rule about travel is that it should be someplace that I haven't been before (although I will confess to multiple trips to Hawaii). You have only so many trips in you, so why duplicate?? Memphis sounds as good as any place! Let us know how you liked it!

My problem with travel is we have always had the rule "someplace we've never been" because the world is so huge and no way will we ever see it all! Now, however, there are a lot of places we've not been for 10-20 years and would love to see how they've changed. So, since we are still working and only have limited time, it does make for decisions.

I might have a little insight into the people who travel to the same place every year.

My family has been going to the same area of the Sierras for generations. When I was a kid, we went to the same lake for a week every summer. My mom is interested in travelling to see different places, but my dad is not. He likes to be on his "home turf", which is how he feels about this area. He knows it like the back of his hand - knows all the best fishing holes, the best swimming holes, and all the legends and lore. He has eaten ice cream on the porch of the same general store almost every summer of his life.

He works hard all year long and wants a week in the summer to relax - and this is relaxation for him. To travel to unknown parts is more anxiety than relaxation and he does not care for cities or air travel. I think he needs the restoration that going to this one area every year provides.