Gainesville, Florida, United States

I'm going back to Florida this week. Gainesville is one of my favorite cities. There's not a whole lot of touristy things to do there but there are some fun things to do. Gainesville is in the northeast part of Florida and is the county seat of Alachua county. Alachua is pronounced like "ah lat chew ah" or something like that. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Gainesville had approximately 108,000 residents in 2006. That's about 15,000 more than Columbia, Missouri.

I compared it to Columbia, Missouri, because both towns are home to state universities which have decent basketball and football programs. The University of Florida is home to the Gators and are part of the SEC (Southeastern Conference). If you're a college football fan, I recommend taking a trip to the Gators football stadium. The walkway leading up to the main entrance of the stadium is lined with palm trees. In my opinion, it's very beautiful and picturesque. The official name of the stadium is the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium but it is affectionately known as The Swamp.

Also on the University of Florida campus is Lake Alice. Lake Alice is a popular place to go to view alligators in their natual habitat. By natural, I mean there is no fence protecting you from them. There is a walking trail that goes around the lake and there are signs posted warning against walking small dogs around the lake. Apparently, gators like the taste of the small ones. As long as you keep your eyes open and keep aware of your surroundings you should be fine. If you happen to get chased by a gator, try to keep in mind that you should run in a zigzag pattern instead of in a straight line. I've heard that gators are a lot slower when they have to keep turning left and right.

Like most major university towns, Gainesville is home to many restaurants and hotels. One of my favorite places to stay in Gainesville is the Cabot Lodge. They have a delicious complimentary breakfast and complimentary cocktail hours during the week. They have remodeled recently so I don't know if they still have it but they used to have a huge firepit in the middle of the lounge area. They also had a nice secluded garden area.

If you're looking for a nice day trip, I recommend visiting Cedar Key on the Gulf Coast. It is about 2 hours southwest of Gainesville on Highway 24. You can take a boat tour of the area and also charter fishing boats. There are some great seafood restaurants there.

The official website for Gainesville is City of Gainesville. The official website for Cedar Key is Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce.

Fresno, California, United States

Today, we'll be making a virtual visit to Fresno, California. If you look at a map of California, you'll find Fresno halfway between the north and south borders and halfway between the east and west borders in the San Joaquin Valley. According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2006, Fresno had approximately 466,714 residents. In 2000, 50% of the residents were listed as white and 39.9% were listed as Hispanic or Latino. The word fresno means ash tree in Spanish.

Fresno is home to California State University, Fresno, otherwise known as Fresno State. The Fresno State Bulldogs was one of eight teams that made it to the 2008 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. Fresno is also home to Fresno Pacific University and National University.

There is plenty to see and do in Fresno. For family fare, there is the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. According to their website, they are "the only zoo in North America that currently houses Northland green geckos (on exhibit) and Southern tent tortoises (off exhibit)". The Tower District is home to cultural mix of shopping, restaurants and nightly entertainment. The majority of the Tower District is located along Olive Avenue. If you're the gambling kind, there are four casinos listed on the Fresno Convention and Visitor's Bureau page.

Fresno is approximately 90 minutes south of Yosemite National Park. There are breathtaking views at Yosemite so be sure to bring your camera if you plan to visit the park. The park charges a $20 entrance fee per car. The entrance fee is good for 7 days. If you are 62 or older, you can purchase a $10 senior pass which is good for lifetime admission to the park.

If you like trains, you can visit the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad. You can choose between riding the Jenny Railcars or the Logger Steam Train. The Steam Train is $17.50 for adults. The Railroad is located between Fresno and Yosemite on Highway 41.

My choice for lodging this week isn't actually in Fresno but it's relatively close. I have chosen Tenaya Lodge as the place to stay. I picked the Lodge because the have a concierge department to assist guests in organizing activities during their stay. It's not just a place to lay your head at night. The Lodge is located in the Sierra Mountains just a few miles from the entrance to Yosemite National Park.

Fresno Convention & Visitor's Bureau
Official Fresno Website