The Floridian

We often sit around looking up deals to places that we consider fantastic (and therefore usually far away), but we rarely stop to consider the places that are in our own backyards. Many times the people that open our eyes to the uniqueness of our own place are those who didn't grow up in the area. This was the case for me when I started introducing my husband to the tourist destinations in the city he grew up in. Granted, he has lived in a place that is considered a tourist destination his entire life, but that doesn't mean that he is immune to the trap of doing the same things in the same places (generally with the same people).

There's nothing wrong with wishing to go someplace far away, and there's nothing wrong with being comfortable doing the same old stuff. But if you're looking for something to do, and complaining that there isn't anything there, just remember - to somebody else, the area where you live is a vacation. Almost every city and even some towns have a Visitor's Bureau. It's typically a place where they can hand out hotel pamphlets and flyers about festivals and things to do. This is one of your best bets when you are looking for something fun. Even if all that catches your eye is the local bowling alley with the cosmic bowling, it's always worth a try to browse through these flyers. Plus, there are usually coupons!

If you don't see anything there you like, you might want to try a local hotel, or a gas-station near a large highway. Many times these places have a free mini-magazine with nothing but coupons and advertisements for nearby attractions and places to stay. A favorite of mine is finding a cheap hotel with a jacuzzi room. It's perfect for a romantic night away or just to get out of the house and watch some cable tv. I don't get the time to watch tv at home very often, so for me, pizza delivery and cable is a vacation in itself!

And if you really don't find anything that sparks your interest - take it a step further! Check out some of the shows on the Travel Channel. Many of them are about places in the U.S. Pick a show that interests you (one of my faves is Man vs. Food) and then google the closest "big" city to you to see if they ever did a show in that location. When I googled Man vs. Food along with my city, I didn't find anything where I live, but I did find many helpful websites pointing me towards the closest city where it had been filmed. For instance, www.tvfoodmaps.com will show you where around 30 of the most popular foodie shows have been filmed.

As for us, we didn't have to go too far to find a neat place to eat, and I didn't even need a tv show to find it. A local area restaurant, The Floridian (know as "the Flo" to locals) is not only open 24/7, it's considered a historic piece of Fort Lauderdale that helped to build the city. The menu holds a variety of options, and you can find just about anything to match your cravings - they even have a "Fat Cat" breakfast that comes with ny strip steak & eggs for two, plus a bottle of Dom Perignon! For those of us who are short on funds, you can get the "Not So Fat Cat": the same breakfast, but with a (much) cheaper bottle of champagne. Or there's the meal my husband and I spotted the last time we were there - the "Bigg Kountry Burger". It's a two pound burger with deluxe toppings and an entire plate of chili cheese fries on the side. We shared it but, needless to say, we wish we had not also ordered an appetizer and there was a lot of food leftover.

The places that are worth visiting are a combination of opinion and perception. See yourself as a tourist in your hometown and you'll find your own Floridian!

(And yes, this is me eating my half of the giant burger. I still can't believe that was just half.)