What about your own back yard?
 

I've lived in a number of nice cities in my adult life. And I always find that, when it is time to move on, I have somehow not visited some major attractions right in my back yard. For instance, when I lived in LA, I never once went to the beach.<BR><BR>Have you ever lived someplace and missed some big attraction that tourists flock to? What was it?

We live in Ky and my husband has never been to Mammoth Cave or the Corvette Museum.

I live in New York City and have never been to the statute of liberty or to the top of the world trade center. I will make it there someday.

I live in California but have never been to Yosemite. The only time I'm free is during the summer, and the park is overrun with people then.

I live near Washington, D.C. I've never done the paddle boats in front of the Jefferson Memorial, the FDR Memorial, or any of the large Smithsonian art museums except the Hirshhorn. <BR><BR>I've pledged to visit every Smithsonian museum with the kids this summer. Two down, 13 to go.

I lived in Philadelphia for a year, 5 blocks from the Liberty Bell and Freedom Hall, and didn't visit either until years later when I returned for a meeting.

Hi<BR><BR>I often found I would go for entertainment outside Baltimore when there's actually a fair amount entertaining right here.<BR><BR>Still haven't been to the Maryland Science Center, Baltimore Zoo...it was ages before I discovered how fantastic the Federal Hill neighborhood, the Cross Street Market and Little Italy are.<BR><BR>DAN

I live near Seattle and I have yet to visit the EMP (Experience Music Project).

I personally don't, at least while I'm living in the States. But my mother lived within 40 miles (multiple towns) of Niagara Falls and didn't see them till she was 60. She only went then because I took her!

Interesting question. My husband and I lived in Florida for a year and never made it to Disneyworld or the Keys.

I have lived in L.A. Area for 30 years and I haven't been to Catalina yet. Don't know why but will have to try to go soon.

This is a great question. I combat this by "pretending" I'm a tourist twice a year. I stay at a different hotel in the city (or surrounding area), eat at restaurants I haven't tried, attend a particular event e.g., symphony, theatre, or sports game, and just pretend that I've never been to the city even though I've lived here for 11 years now! It makes me realize how much there is to do in Seattle as well as give me the chance to do things that I don't "normally" see and/or do. BTW, I have been to EMP - don't go in the summer or on any weekend - the lines make Disneyland look like a picnic! :)

I live 45 minutes from Nashville for the past 25 years and never been to the Grand Ol Opry.

I live near Washington, DC and have never visited the Holocaust Museum, even though I have studied the Holocaust extensively.

Never been on the Freedom Trail or most of the sights along the way. Will have to wait to chaperone one of the kids field trips.

OK, this is truly embarrassing.<BR><BR>I have lived in Boston for 10 years, yet have never been to:<BR>1. Plimoth Plantation<BR>2. Salem (except for a wedding)<BR>3. Rockport<BR>4. Nantucket<BR>5. the Berkshires<BR>6. coastal Maine<BR>7. nor have I been to any of the Harvard Museums, except I once went to one of the museums for a wedding (see a trend?!)<BR><BR>Otherwise, I have travelled extensively in New England and my own new city (Boston).<BR><BR>I grew up in a half hour outside NYC in NJ and while growing up there I never went to:<BR><BR>1. Ellis Island<BR>2. The Statue of Liberty<BR>3. The Met, MOMA, Guggenheim etc - but I did go to the Frick Collection once)<BR>4. Central Park (except to drive through)<BR>5. Greenwich Village<BR>6. Little Italy<BR>7. the upper east or upper west side (except to drive by the Dakota once in 1982 after John Lennon was killed)<BR>8. A Broadway play<BR><BR>I never did any of these things in NYC until I was married and in my twenties and living in Boston.<BR><BR>In hindsight, I was completely B&amp;T (like just about everyone in NJ)!!!

Dear Cali, <BR>Catlina is entirely overrated. Don't worry about not seeing it!!

OK, I just remembered: I DID go to Rockport once, for a wedding (again, the trend continues).

This is probably pretty common. While living in Wisconsin for several years, I rarely made it to Chicago and never visited Minnesota or Iowa (mostly because my car was getting old, and I had to wait to finish grad school to buy a new one). I grew up in NC and never visited Cape Hatteras or many other places in NC or Virginia. Since moving back (now with a new car and more money), I have more than made up for it. Also, I tend to be more into foreign travel than domestic, but since my two-year old was born this has mostly reversed out of necessity, and I have been seeing lots of places along the East Coast for the first time.

Lived near ATL for 10 years and still have not made it to MLK memorial or Carter Center. Did try to go to MLK one afternoon when viewing Elton John photo exhibit at High Museum; started to rain, so we headed home. Will try again this summer.

Ilisa could just as easily have signed me "name" ... for some reason I have avoided going through the entire museum ... have only looked at the beginning sections two times. Ciao

I lived in Florida until I was 25 and never went to the Kennedy Space Center. I lived in Miami for 3 1/2 years and never went to the beach. I've lived in western North Carolina for 3 years and I've never been to the eastern part of the state.

Live in CA. Never visited Hearst Castle, Universal Studios (did do City Walk and have seen several shows at the Ampitheater). Never been to Las Vegas and haven't gotten to the Getty yet, but that's fairly new and I'll work that in.

Living in Southern California, I have so much to enjoy in my own area. I just got back from a weekend in San Diego and am off to the Central Coast in a few weeks. Fortunately driving doesn't bother me and I enjoy seeing new places. I have friends and family living all over the Southern California area and am always getting invited to stay at various homes, so I take advantage of the gracious offers. And when people come to visit, I always try and plan new activities, whether it be a museum we've never been to, a dayhike along a new trail or checking out a new play in town. I read the weekend section of the paper to get ideas as well as keep a copy of a travel guide for the local area for my guests to look through. I love to explore new areas, whether it's on foreign soils or in my own backyard.

I've never been to the Fourh of July on the Mall (but I have been to the Holocaust museum--before I moved here . . . .)

I grew up in NY and I never went to the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island. <BR><BR>I have been living in Atlanta for over 7 years and I have never been to the Zoo, MLK memorial, or the Carter Center, nor the Cyclorama which everyone says you need to go when you have guests in town.

I live in Los Angeles/Hollywood ,Plus studied art at UCLA and have yet to make it to the Getty...(shame on me). I do have to mention that I have a different opinion of Catalina.It's changed so much in the past few years, lots to do now and it is really a lovely way to escape the traffic in L.A.<BR>Definately, in my opinion, NOT overrated at all!

Since around the time of my 50th birthday, I do exactly what Idsant does. Once a year I check into a hotel at a distance from where I live, and not necessarily downtown Chicago either. This is the only way I've found that you see the things in your own back yard with the tourist's interest and eyes. Because of the changes over my lifetime, there are sections that I do try to avoid as they are too painful. Bit the bullet last summer and went through the old neighborhood that I grew up in as a child in the 1950's. I literally cried to see the marble stripped right off the churches, and to see one being used as a used furniture store. But mixed in here and there, there has been some rebirth and rebuilding too. I finally got up to the Glencoe Botanical Gardens and it is so awesome that I can't believe it took me 50 years to get there.<BR><BR>Don't overlook the museums and landmarks close to you, and don't think that if you saw them 10 or 15 years ago that you've done that now. For instance, our Field Museum and Art Institute are forever changing and evolving. There is so much to see, and so little time. Now I have to practice what I preach and get back to Rainbow beach on 79th Street and the lake this year.

I live in Boston, and like 'ulitmate loser' I have never been to:<BR><BR>1. Plimoth Plantation<BR>2. Nantucket<BR>3. Martha's Vineyard<BR>4. Cape Cod (except for a wedding)<BR><BR>I figure they are just too close, and that one day I'll ge to them!

Alright, enough confessions already. Figure out what you like to do, find a spot within 50 miles to do it in, and go this weekend! Or try something you might like. I live in suburban Maryland and have never been to Camden Yard, but that's okay because I hate baseball. But I've been to all the significant art museums in Washington/Baltimore, Great Falls and most of the other national parks, etc. C'mon now, do it!

Great topic. I lived in Perth, Australia for 18 months, with very young children and didn't get out to Rottnest Island. Wanted to go up to Monkey Mia but didn't get there either. Makes me think what I should go out and see soon. I live in Sydney.

I live in California. Had a lovely trip to Italy with my family over Easter. We put in a swimming pool last year and my child will is recovering from surgery this entire summer. Therefore, we'll be spending the summer enjoying OUR OWN BACK YARD!

When I lived in Geneva, I never went to the UN or CERN.<BR><BR>When I lived in Paris, I never did make it to the Picasso museum, which I always meant to do.<BR><BR>Bit better about the whole thing now that I live in Shanghai, but there are still one or two of the "top 10 tourist sites" that I haven't seen.

I live in London - a tourist mecca! - and I've never been to the Tower of London or St Pauls Cathedral! But when I go somewhere else I see everything. Guess you just take it all for granted....

I live near san Francisco and I've never been to Alcatraz Island

When I lived in Paris, I never made it up to the Eiffel Tower. Why, from there, I cannot see it, but I made it to La Grande Arche at La Défense (less touristy) which I think is great modern architecture.<BR>Andrea: Please put the Picasso Museum on your "must" list for your next Paris trip. It's worth it as well as the area around it known as Le Marais.<BR><BR>As for myself, being Swiss and living in Zurich, I am amazed how well some Americans do know Switzerland. I am very familiar with some areas, but I have not been quite all over my country (yet), although it is pretty small.

How funny that I read your question! I am looking under Atlanta on this site because although I was born and raised here and live here now, I have never been to the Coca-Cola Museum, Carter Center, Botanical Gardens...the list goes on. I am looking up places to go on an 'Atlanta Vacation' that my husband and I are taking next week for this very reason! I hope that all of you that have replied take the time to do the same.

I live in Vancouver, BC (Canada), and haven't been to the Capilano Suspension Bridge (one of the top tourist traps in my opinion)... but then again, there's a suspension bridge only a few miles away that's almost identical to Capilano, but it's free. ;)

I live about 35 minutes from Chicago, and I hate to visit the city. Id rather stay in my little town where the traffic is not crazy!

I lived two hours from Chicago and now regret that I didn't spend more weekends there. Now that we've moved, my husband and I are trying to go on a driving weekend trip (some with kids, some without) once a season. <BR> <BR>I've made a point this summer to take my kids to a local park or museum once a week. I've enjoyed it as much as them.