Wilma Bays

Hello, I attend Cohoma Community College where I am an active member of our Social Science club. We want to take a cultural trip somewhere in the U.S. during the spring time. I was wondering if some of you could help me by suggesting what cultural city has the most going on during the months of April and May. Cities that were suggested at our last meeting were St. louis, Washington D.C., Atlanta, and Dallas. I am open to hearing all of your opinions. If you know of any other city that has some interesting cultural qualities feel free to let me know by posting a suggestion. Thanks!!!

xxx

I am not sure exactly what you are looking to do. Do you want to go to plays, the opera, museums, etc?? If so, what about New York or Chicago? Are you looking more for history? If so, then I would suggest Washington, DC or Boston which both also have alot of culture.

Sarah

I suggest you go to the calendar events section of any city you are interested in and check there. I cannot imagine a city having more cultural events than NYC. Sounds as though you may be retricted in limits. Honolulu does have many culutual events also. Dallas, St.Louis and Atlanta... hard to believe any of these is known for it's diversity or international community. Not to say that they don't have diveristy it's just that once you visit a city like NYC, Honolulu, DC you have a new idea of diversity. I actually think that Honolulu is more diverse than NYC having lived in both places. This is my experience no practical experience in Dallas, Atlanta so sorry if I have offended locals out there. This is a class experience though so go for a real example. DC sounds like your best bet lived there also and know goverment goes out of it's way to sponsor cultural events there. I would consider showing culture in Art, as well as regional festivals.

Where is Cohoma?

2Cents

I would think San Francisco is more cultural than say Dallas or Atlanta.

Joane

Wilma, if you think that Dallas, St. Louis, and Atlanda are "cultural" destinations, I think we need help in understanding exactly what your definition of "cultural" is.

I think Washington D.C. would be an excellent trip for your group. Be sure to go to Arlington Cemetery, Ford's Theater, and the Holocaust Museum.

For the rest of you: Cohoma CC is in Mississippi, which explains a lot about Wilma's perspective.

BC

I vote for either Washington, New York, San Fran or Boston. Let us know what you decide.

Merilee

Wilma, I suggest New York City because of its diversity and culture...it is also easy to travel within because of its public transportation system as opposed to say Los Angeles, where you will need a car and alot of patience to deal with the freeway traffic...New York City also offers you the opportunity to explore neighborhoods like Little Italy, Chinatown, and Spanish Harlem in Manhattan, Little Italy in the Bronx, and countless others in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island...all that and museums, plays, etc.

Big Tex

At riak of being pelted by the elitists-
consider Houston!
Spring weather is terrific, and the city offers tremendous array of museums (modern and clasical art, science, A Holocaust museum, children's and medical museums, to name a few) along with world class symphony, ballet, and theatre. And if you want to savor some of the modern American technoculture, you can visit Johnson Space Center where NASA has a great tour.
Houston is also lots cheaper than DC, Dallas, Atlanta or San Francisco, though the public transport sucks and you will need to rent a car or rely on the relatively expensive taxis.

BTilke

Add Philadelphia to your list of possibilities (not sure exactly what you mean by culture). Great museums--Rodin, Philadelphia Museum of Art, African American Museum, Franklin Institute, Mutter Medical Museum, etc. Also the Rosenbach Library on Delancey, one of the finest private libraries in the country with an amazing collection of rare books--guided tours only. Pennsylvania Hospital also gives tours of its historic wings. And of course, there's the entire early American history angle--Independence Hall, Carpenter Hall, Liberty Bell, etc. Lunch at Reading Terminal Market is an inexpensive way to sample some of the various local cultures--my vote goes to the Dutch Eating Place for delicious PA Dutch cooking.
Philly also has a wonderful classical music scene--the Philadelphia Orchestra, Curtis Institute, opera company, and so on. Your group can enjoy nature without leaving town by taking a long hike through Valley Green.
BTilke

Joanne

Sorry, Tex, why would Wilma want the Houston versions of those museums etc. when she can go to DC and see world-class stuff like the Smithsonian museums and THE Holocaust musem, national memorialas, etc?

As far as weather, since she lives in Mississippi, she's not on this trip looking for warmth, the weather in DC will be lovely, too.

Joanne

Um, sorry folks, that's "memorials" not memorialas. And BTW, DC has an excellent public transportation system, so they won't have to drive around in a strange city looking for things.

lisa

Thereis no question here - New York City is the cultural capital of the US - there is no place else in the country with the wealth of museums (Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Guiggenheim, Whitney as well as many smaller ones); galleries (Sogo, Madison svenue), restaurants, Broadway, off Broadway, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, etc, etc. Then there are the variety of cultures and communities, including Greenwhich village, soho, West Side, Fifth Avenue etc etc - besides - NY could use the business - think of this as a patriotic trip as well as a cultural one!

Huh??

Comparing Houston to New York or Washington??? Big Tex you need to quit smelling the foul air down there and travel....

Joanne

lisa, I would agree with you that NYC has loads more culture than DC.

But we are talking about a group of junior-college students from Mississippi, and it seems that DC would be a more manageable experience for them. Probably most have never dealt with subways, street people, etc., and NYC might be overwhelming. Also, for kids from the Deep South, our national monuments are a useful cultural experience that NYC desn't offer.

EmmaBovary

Wilma, there is no greater city of culture in the US than New York. I have travelled for Paris to Beijing to Sri Lanka to Rio and I think New York has it all. You have 4 of the world's greatest art museums, you have opera, classical music, dance, Broadway, restaurants, art galleries, performance spaces, concerts, film, Cloisters, Hadyn Planetarium, etc. My sister lived in New York for 3 years and she still didn't see everything she wanted to. I can't believe people here are trying to compare San Francisco to New York. There is no comparison. And I lived in San Francisco. Just my opinion.

Rebecca

Holocaust museums culture??? I am sure this would be a very worthwhile trip but I think focusing on culture Wilma will want to look a many different goups how they live, eat and express themselves. A trip may include a holocaust museum if they were going to explore other riches of Jewish culture…ie..food, lifestyle, traditions. I would think Hispanic, Caribbean, Asian street fairs not sure how well you will do in April for this, kind of think would help you out a bit. Again I would also compliment a trip to a street fair with a trip to a gallery showing an artists that reflects the mood of the culture, consider the same for music and my favorite FOOD. Sounds like you need some Internet time Wilma. AND TO THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK Community college students should take their place along side of high school students think again. These kids are frequently economically disadvantaged and have as much a desire to learn as any mainstream college kid. In mind mind it is Wilma’s job to light the path onto new and interesting experiences, not dim the bulb for some type of impaired group. FOR THAT REASON WILMA PROVIDE THEM WITH AN EXPERIENCE THEY WILL NEVER FORGET.

Joanne

Rebecca, I didn't mean to slight CC kids' abilities, needs or intentions, but just to say that they are very young, only one or two years out of HS.

As far as the Holocaust Museum in DC being "culture," it is one of the places that is visited by most people who are there for a week because they realize that it's part of everyone's culture, not just Jews.

Wilma, where are you? We desperately need you to clarify what you mean by "culture"! Some people seem to think you want museums and theaters, others want you to experience lots of different "cultures" in the international/immigrant sense. Either would be a great theme for your trip -- but which is it?

Sarah

I think the fact that Wilma is a Social Studies teacher tells us that she is looking at different cultures. Joanne : Not trying to offend but I think a simple trip to holocaust museum is out of context for Wilma's needs. I was telling her to augment a trip to the holocaust museum with other visits around Jewish culture. I have no problem with looking at Jewish culture. I think a Social Studies teacher will want to give defined looks at a number of cultures. I would want to look at the communities that defined the city I was visiting.

Lastly, freshman and sophomore college kids are the same ages as these CC kids. I went to NYC as a sophomore in College we split up and toured the city on our own. I went with an Anthropology professor but saw the city on my own.... common sense Wilma that is all the kids need.

Sarah

Wilma see you are not a teacher but a student. Oooppps so goes my idea of cultural exploration. Have fun where ever you go. Don't be afraid go some place wonderful and just research your options carefully...Again consider looking at city web pages citysearch.com is another directory.

justfor

Wilma never claimed ot be Social Studies Teacher she says she is active in the Social Science Club. Why is that hard to read? She's also looking for cultural events going on in cultural cities. This is vague.