Need Some R&R on Business? Try APA’s Annual ’30 Great Places’
Destination & Tourism Rich Thomaselli January 23, 2014

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.
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