Where do get your destination information?

[LimaVictor]

After our first two trips, I've been spending a lot of time thinking about the resources available for information while traveling and am curious to hear from those of you who have been doing this for a while.

On our trips, we tended to default to Yelp for some things like places to eat and shop, but I realized that I ended up going off recommendations from the locals we talked to more often than by what I read on reviews.

For other things, like activities, I found the resources pretty limited, or difficult to find unless you already knew where to look...

So this brings me to my question:

What resources do you use to find information about a place you are visiting, and if there was a service (or app) that allowed you to connect to locals and ask questions based on food interests or activities (hiking, biking, fishing, photography, for example), would you be inclined to use it over the more traditional resources (review sites, forums/discussion boards), or is there a similar service already out there that I just haven't come across?

Thanks for your input, I'm interested for future trip planning, as well as gauging interest level in something like this within the traveling community.

[Ductape]

We use online resources to identify the top attractions, and then we avoid those places. :B

Campground hosts and special interest forums are good sources of local intel, or find a good local diner and ask questions. Most people are happy to share.

[DutchmenSport]

We always make "tentative" plans and never fix anything in stone. We use to do it that way and found ourselves frustrated when we didn't achieve all our destinations or simply so exhausted we couldn't enjoy ourselves once there.

We pick a destination and once that destination becomes final, start searching the internet "local attraction near whatever spot", or "strange and unusual attractions", or even the "Weird" series... which in my opinion is awesome. "Weird" gives lots of suggestions for things not necessarily on the beaten path.

For example, you profile says your in Texas. If you have a chance, go to a book store and browse through this book: Weird Texas. They also have a web site for the "Weird" series: Weird U.S.

Putting the word, "Weird" or "Strange" in front of any location turns up some very interesting local points of interest that might have been completely missed.

And another thing ... people who are local to an area many not fully appreciate what they have around them. For example, when I purchased the book, "Weird Indiana" I was really surprised to find that the Indian Mounds at Mounds State Park has such a "weird" history. The State Park is only about 10 miles from my house, been there all my 62 plus years of life, and never appreciated the "weirdness" of the State Park before. So, just because "Weird" is in your search, does not necessarily mean anything "bad". But locals may not appreciate "differences" in the way others see "things" around them then the way they do.

Here's another one from Indiana - the Pink Elephant. Now the "Pink Elephant" has been an icon in Fortville, Indiana as long as I can remember. I think it's been there forever. Actually, I thought it was really silly. Until I saw it in the book. And then all of a sudden I looked at it in a different way. Rather than just being something really dumb in my opinion, it all of a sudden became "unique" and a bit of Indiana that doesn't exist anywhere else. If others will travel to see it, then maybe I need to look at it different too. And all of a sudden, I did! The Pink Elephant is only about 10 miles from my house (a different direction) and I travel by it when going to Indianapolis via US 67 rather than I-69 (4 or 5 times a years). So every time we pass through Fortville now, I actually look forward now to seeing the "Pink Elephant". Actually, I'm now kind of proud of it. But it took the eyes of someone else for me to appreciate it.

So you know, "locals" are not always the best resource either. I'm not saying Internet searches or books are the best source either. But, taking them all into consideration (including forums, such as this one) will give you lots of ideas and potential attractions and eateries that are really off the beaten path ... which in my opinion, are really the best places to go!

And for an FYI.... here it is:

[jplante4]

For eats, I tend to ask locals (check-in person at the campground, rental car driver if I'm doing th Enterprise thing). The DW leans towards Yelp.

Local attractions, I start with "Things to do in XXXX" on Google. We found a lot of neat things just doing this.

[colliehauler]

Usually most campgrounds can tell you about attractions and restaurants in the area. I actually talk to people.

As for finding areas I would like to visit I use a variety of sources such as Trailer Life magazine, forum, Internet, word of mouth and exploration on my own.

[toedtoes]

I know what I enjoy and what I don't. And my interests don't fall in the mainstream. So, I do my own research using AAA guidebooks (I find them very nice as they just describe the museums, etc., and don't make subjective ratings on them). I also check out the internet for additional information. Then I pick those sights, restaurants, shopping areas, etc., that are of interest to me.

This has allowed me to visit the university in Peterborough, ON where the first Canadian independent record was recorded while skipping a visit to a shoe museum. For restaurants, I usually don't plan as I'm not a big foodie. If someone gives me a recommendation and it's convenient, I will give it a try. Otherwise, I just stop when I'm hungry and see a menu that interests me.

My biggest thing is to plan no more than 2 sights per day. Before the trip, I count up all the sights that interest me and count those that will take less than 3 hours as 1 sight, and those that take more than 3 hours as 2 sights. Then I add those up and divide by two to determine how long to spend in that city/area. This provides me enough time to: do all the things I know I want to do; adjust things due to unexpected closures, weather, etc.; add any sights that are brought to my attention while I'm there; have time to relax.; It works well for me and I have never been disappointed with my choices.

[LimaVictor]

This is a big reason why I joined the forum...I've never been a heavy discussion board user, but since we decided to try this RV thing, I figured this had to be a good resource for the information I was struggling to find elsewhere.

Thanks for the reply,

-Ryan

Thom02099 wrote:
Right here is also a good resource.

Further in this forum are sub-forums.

"RV Parks, Campgrounds, and Attractions" is a good place to ask questions or, if you know an answer to a question, to post it. Lots of folks do this. As one of the "locals", if someone has a question about my neck of the woods, or further afield for that matter, I try to offer whatever answers I can provide.

There's also "Roads and Routes" here as well. Same thing as above. Detailed information on the best way(s) to get from point A to point B and maybe some deviations as well. In addition to exchanges of information and insider details, I've received PMs from folks asking even more details questions, and again, as a "local" I try to give the query as much detailed response as I can.

I'm not alone in this. There's lots of really good folks here with a lot of really good information. I have yet to see any location in these United States that someone on here has NOT been to, or knows something about.

So...go there. Ask questions! I assure you, you'll get informed responses from "locals".

[Thom02099]

Right here is also a good resource.

Further in this forum are sub-forums.

"RV Parks, Campgrounds, and Attractions" is a good place to ask questions or, if you know an answer to a question, to post it. Lots of folks do this. As one of the "locals", if someone has a question about my neck of the woods, or further afield for that matter, I try to offer whatever answers I can provide.

There's also "Roads and Routes" here as well. Same thing as above. Detailed information on the best way(s) to get from point A to point B and maybe some deviations as well. In addition to exchanges of information and insider details, I've received PMs from folks asking even more details questions, and again, as a "local" I try to give the query as much detailed response as I can.

I'm not alone in this. There's lots of really good folks here with a lot of really good information. I have yet to see any location in these United States that someone on here has NOT been to, or knows something about.

So...go there. Ask questions! I assure you, you'll get informed responses from "locals".

[LimaVictor]

Thanks for your input.

I have the same issues with the standard review sites...just because there's 10,000 reviews for a place doesn't mean a whole lot to me, there's no way to tell who's reviewing and what their motivation might have been.

And when it comes to anything besides just food or shopping, there's often little to no info and/or what info is there may or may not be accurate and up to date.

GordonThree wrote:
I use books and the Great and Powerful Google! Check out various publications from the Church's.

Google has a local guide program where folks from the area are encouraged to describe and document local attractions and restaurants. Problem I've found it's still in it's infancy. High traffic areas have an overwhelming amount of reviews making it hard to separate wheat from chaff. While less popular areas have very little information.

[LimaVictor]

Thanks for your reply, you've said exactly what I was thinking, and that's often what I prefer to do.

Being of the generation that is never without my phone, though, I of course started to look for an app that could emulate this experience and help find the locals that were best suited to give the advice we were looking for...what if the best tip just walked out the bar 5 minutes before you got there?

I missed my chance to be literate enough with computers to build something like this myself, but I've been thinking a lot about whether or not something like this would be a feasible project, and wanted to get some feedback first.

I appreciate you taking the time to reply,

-Ryan

Old-Biscuit wrote:
We our very low tech folks.....didn't even have a computer or cell phones until we went FT

Destinations....."That a way"

Stay a week and then move on

After setting up we would go find a local 'watering hole' and strike up a conversation with the locals.
They would give us tips/info on where to go, what to see, where to eat and MORE importantly what was a big waste of time/monies

For 7 yrs it worked GREAT for us.......

Plain ole face to face conversations!

[GordonThree]

I use books and the Great and Powerful Google! Check out various publications from the Church's.

Google has a local guide program where folks from the area are encouraged to describe and document local attractions and restaurants. Problem I've found it's still in it's infancy. High traffic areas have an overwhelming amount of reviews making it hard to separate wheat from chaff. While less popular areas have very little information.

[Old-Biscuit]

We our very low tech folks.....didn't even have a computer or cell phones until we went FT

Destinations....."That a way"

Stay a week and then move on

After setting up we would go find a local 'watering hole' and strike up a conversation with the locals.
They would give us tips/info on where to go, what to see, where to eat and MORE importantly what was a big waste of time/monies

For 7 yrs it worked GREAT for us.......

Plain ole face to face conversations!