Need Some R&R on Business? Try APA’s Annual ’30 Great Places’

PHOTO: Exterior of Grand Central station in New York City at night, time lapse. (courtesy Grand Central Partnership)

Free time on a business trip is quite often an oxymoron.

But if you do find yourself with a window in your schedule, the American Planning Association has some suggestions.

The Chicago- and Washington, D.C.-based non-profit has compiled its annual ’30 Great Places To See’ list, broken down into 10 public spaces, 10 neighborhoods and 10 streets, for 2013. The APA describes itself as a group that provides leadership in the development of vital communities by advocating excellence in planning, promoting education and citizen empowerment, and providing the tools and support necessary to meet the challenges of growth and change.

Here is the 2013 Great Places list – in no particular order – with TravelPulse.com’s pick as the best in each category.

GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS

San Francisco: Chinatown

Norwich, Conn.: Downtown Norwich/Chelsea Landing

Decatur, Ga.: Downtown Decatur

Evanston, Ill.: Central Street Neighborhood

Mason City, Iowa: Downtown Mason City

Covington, Ky.: Historic Licking Riverside

Minneapolis: Kenwood

Beaufort, S.C.: Beaufort Historic District

Norfolk, Va.: West Freemason

Madison, Wis.: Williamson Marquette

TP’s PICK? Williamson Marquette. For starters, ‘Mad City’ is one of the best college towns in the country, home to the University of Wisconsin’s main campus as well as the state capitol. On its east side, Williamson Marquette is one of the oldest areas in the city and it has survived with its original Greek Revival architecture intact. ‘Willy’, as the locals call it, thrives with locally owned shops and restaurants. Its fairs and festivals, including the Willy Street Fair, are not to be missed.

GREAT STREETS

Milford, Del.: North and South Walnut Street

Pensacola, Fla.: Palafox Street

Honolulu: Kalakaua Avenue

Virginia City, Nev.: C Street

Las Vegas, N.M.: Bridge Street

Corning, N.Y.: Market Street

Jim Thorpe, Penn.: Broadway

Philadelphia: Ben Franklin Parkway

Galveston, Texas: The Strand (Avenue B)

Staunton, Va.: West Beverley Street

TP’s PICK? North and South Walnut Street, Milford, Del. Close enough, yet far enough, from the maddening crowds that populate the nearby beach towns of Lewes, Rehoboth and Dewey beaches, Milford is home to upscale boutique shopping and a vibrant arts community. It’s a great little stop if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary and fits right in with the ‘Lower Slower Delaware’ theme of the region.

GREAT PUBLIC SPACES

Anchorage: Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

Los Angeles: Grand Park

Hollywood, Fla.: Broadwalk

Boston: Norman B. Leventhal Park

Cambridge and Watertown, Mass.: Mount Auburn Cemetery

St. Louis: Forest Park

Newark: Essex County Branch Brook Park

New York: Grand Central Terminal

Chattanooga, Tenn.: Walnut Street Bridge

Vancouver, Wash.: Esther Short Park

TP’s PICK Grand Central Terminal. GCT just celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2013, and this gorgeous structure is New York, personified. More than 700,000 people pass through daily to catch a train to either Connecticut or New York City’s northern suburbs in Westchester County and the Hudson Valley.

But not everybody is a commuter. GCT boasts great food and shopping. Check out its European style market for some of the best fresh food in the city.

Follow me on Twitter: @RichTravelPulse.