What To See and Do In My Town (Executive Edition)

Over the past six weeks, ModSquad’s Mods, Project Managers, and Account Managers have all contributed insights into the towns which they call home. We’ve had a great time compiling these guides, as we’ve read first-hand accounts of local hot spots in cities and towns all around the world from our ModSquad family. Now, the ModSquad executive team gets its chance to share their takes on what visitors typically do when they come to their home towns — and what those visitors really should be doing.

El Dorado Hills, CA

What people typically do: Visit the state capitol.
What they should do: Go whitewater rafting. It’s more adventurous and exciting — and really very fun! However, the ex-civics teacher in me, along with my degree in political science, tells me to advise that you visit the state capitol… and then go whitewater rafting!

—Gina Miller

Oak Park, IL

What people typically do: The Frank Lloyd Wright tour.
What they should do: I highly encourage visitors to tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s studio and homes throughout Oak Park — it’s a must do! I also suggest they check out the Ernest Hemingway Museum, which is a nice walk from Wright’s studio. You can not only see the incredible artifacts from the Hemingway family, you can also go across the street to Hemingway’s birthplace and tour his home. Another must see? Our trees. That’s right: Oak Park is declared a national arboretum. Oh, and we’re also home to John Mahoney, Bob Newhart, Betty White, Kathy Griffin, and Cecily Strong (of SNL fame). We produce many comedians. Recently dubbed the coolest suburb outside of Chicago, we’re a quick trip on either the CTA or Metra trains from the center of Chicago. A walkable 4.7 square mile town o’ fun.

—Blagica Bottigliero

San Francisco, CA

What people typically do: People normally visit the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz, Lombard Street, and Union Square, to name a few of the many popular destinations. All of which I recommend.
What they should do: While San Francisco is well known for its liberal community, hilly terrain, Victorian architecture, scenic beauty, summer fog, and great ethnic and cultural diversity, most people don’t realize that San Francisco has a rich history and wonderful appreciation of the military as well. So take the time to visit Fort Point in the Presidio and the adjoining lands of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

The Spanish were the first Europeans to settle the area in 1776, building the Mission San Francisco de Asis (what today is called Mission Dolores) and a military post near the Golden Gate named El Presidio Real de San Francisco. In 1821, Mexico gained independence from Spain and housed their troops in El Presidio. Then in 1846, the United States claimed California, and in July of that year the U.S. Navy raised the flag over the Presidio. When the Gold Rush started in 1848, there was a need to build a series of coastal defenses, including Fort Point at the foot of the Presidio. Fort Point was so important to the history of the city that when it came time to build the Golden Gate Bridge in the 1930s, they changed the design of the bridge to preserve the fort. Today you can visit Fort Point for free, climb to the top, and look up under the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s the best place for unique photos of the bridge and the bay. Plus, the military bunkers and buildings around the Fort and throughout the Presidio are full of history. If you have time to walk some of the trails connecting them, you’ll see the best views of both the city and the Pacific Ocean. These wonderful hikes also offer the opportunity to see abundant wildlife, from gray foxes and coyotes and to sea lions and whales.

—Mary Lex

New Orleans, LA

What people typically do: Go to the French Quarter.
What they should do: Go to the French Quarter.

—Mike Pinkerton

Austin, TX

What people typically do: A lot folks come to Austin for various festivals, to hit the town on a weekend, or for business. They’ll generally stick to the usual spots (downtown or Sixth Street) and don’t venture out beyond that.
What they should do: Check out the many food options: breakfast tacos, world class BBQ, Tex-Mex, queso, Mexican martinis, food trucks galore, Amy’s Ice Creams, or one of the many restaurant options around town. Some amazing grocery stores (Central Market and Whole Foods’ flagship store) and a growing number of breweries are worth a visit.

Cool off with water activities and swimming holes! Visit Barton Springs, Wimberly Blue Hole, Krause Springs, or Hamilton Pool. Paddleboard or kayak Lady Bird Lake, boat on Lake Travis, or tube down a river with friends, just to name a few of the better-known options.

Live music is everywhere, seven days a week! Austin is known as the live music capital of the world, so take advantage of the many music venues around town. There’s music for all styles; just pick up a copy of The Austin Chronicle to see what’s going on.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Austin is a great place to chill, take things in at your own pace, and hang out with friends and locals. I think the main thing is to explore the many unique activities and neighborhoods that Austin and central Texas have to offer

—Steve Henry

Playa Del Rey, CA (the westside of Los Angeles)

What people typically do: Surf, walk the beach, or go to the airport (we’re a stone’s throw from LAX).
What they should do: Have a campfire on Dockweiler Beach, surf (bring your wetsuit), and watch the gorgeous sunset! Get there early and stake your claim (holiday weekends are beyond busy). Go north a bit to Marina del Rey and take a boat cruise with the family, or get sailing lessons on the weekend. Hang out on the Venice pier and watch the fisherman battle the seagulls and pelicans. Walk up the Venice boardwalk, past legendary Muscle Beach; just be sure to protect your wallet. Check out all the street performers, artists, hippies, and whackadoos (careful of the man with the two-headed turtle — I’m pretty sure his “shop of wonders” is a trap of sorts). Walk a few blocks inland and enjoy the tranquil neighborhood lining the Venice canals. Check out Abbot Kinney Blvd. and watch all the wealthy SoCal versions of hipsters spend heaps of money on white T-shirts. All snark aside, it is a seriously adorable street in Venice, filled with shops and great food. Keep an eye out for celebs; it’s like a non-stop “Where’s Waldo” game. The westside of Los Angeles (Playa, Marina, Venice, Santa Monica, etc.) are all great for tourist ease, scenery, and fantastic people watching. There’s now a train that comes directly from downtown L.A. to the Promenade shopping area (a stone’s throw from the famous Santa Monica Pier). It takes about 50 minutes from downtown, but it’s brand new and a smooth ride.

—Izzy Neis

Washington, DC

What people typically do: Everyone who visits D.C. for holiday goes to the Smithsonian Museums, the National Mall, and the monuments.
What they should do: All of these are amazing things to do, and I highly encourage them, but it’s worth taking an extra couple of days to see some of the other wonderful places in the area as well.

First, if you plan far ahead, you can get tickets to visit the White House or the Capitol, but it takes planning and some luck, so as soon as you know you might come to the area, jump on that.

Second, the live performances in D.C. are fantastic. We may not have Hamilton, but the Kennedy Center has everything from hip-hop dance contests to high opera, while the 9:30 Club has some of the best bands in the world come to a space that literally used to be a movie theater. I’ve seen everyone from Adele to Cowboy Mouth to Snoop Dogg to The Word and have never been farther away than 80 feet.

Third, outside of D.C., there are still some wondrous sights. If you’re flying through Dulles airport during the day, you should plan to see the nearby Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (part of the National Air and Space Museum). It has five times the space and half the crowds of the Air and Space Museum downtown. If the Space Shuttle Discovery, an SR-71 Blackbird, and the Enola Gay aren’t enough to get you excited, you can also ride in a VR dogfight or take in a movie in one of the very few laser 3-D full-sized IMAX theaters anywhere. That’s not even counting the area’s 185-mile-long walking and biking trail or the amazing bike trail to Mount Vernon, home of President George Washington.

—Lucien Parsons

Bay Area, CA

What people typically do: Go to the beach.
What they should do: Go to the beach, duh!

—Amy Pritchard