The folks at lonelyplanet travel magazine & guidebooks are out with their List o' stop Cities to visit in 2018.

Having a whoooole lot of trouble believing what they picked for first runner-up.

I believe lp is an Australian company, does Oz have a different practical joke tradition than our April Fool's Day?

I guess I should admit that I've never been to the city in question...

https://www.google.com/amp/amp.timeinc. ... ities-2018

Cue the DTW crowd in 3...2...1...

Even I am scratching my head on that.

Don't get me wrong I love my hometown and all, but I always have a challenge trying to make recommendations on touristy things to do for people visiting or when I have friends / relatives coming to visit..I compare Detroit to when I visited my old college roommate and his family in Sao Paulo in the fact that not only is it spread out, but you really need to know someone who's local to enjoy the place for what it is versus a travel guide book. You really don't want to be at the mercy of a hotel receptionist giving out suggestions. While I liked some parts of Sao Paulo, I could tell my roommate and his family were all struggling to think of some things to see after day three.

Sure there's Greenfield Village / Henry Ford, the DIA downtown, Ann Arbor and (in the summer) Eastern Market, but beyond that, there's not much to stay more than two days max and things beyond that are somewhat spread out. If I were to really be grasping at straws, I'd say Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum, but that is really an arcade at the end of the day. I kinda hate to admit it as I have very fond memories growing up going there for birthday parties and all, but I digress.

However, I would love to go to Seville and Hamburg someday.

Quit the clickbait BS

Oh yes, everyone's dream is to visit Kaohsiung...
Well done LP, very reliable list you gave us, thank you for nothing

ojjunior wrote:

Oh yes, everyone's dream is to visit Kaohsiung...
Well done LP, very reliable list you gave us, thank you for nothing

The point of the list is to find cool destinations that aren’t on everyone’s dream list. Kaohsiung is an excellent place to spend a few days - as are Canberra, Oslo and Seville.

Detroit is a puzzling one though, that high on the list, but I’ve never been so can’t judge. Will have to check it out

dredgy wrote:

ojjunior wrote:

Oh yes, everyone's dream is to visit Kaohsiung...
Well done LP, very reliable list you gave us, thank you for nothing

The point of the list is to find cool destinations that aren’t on everyone’s dream list.

Exactly what I was going to say. Lonely Planet tends to cater more to people who want "off the beaten path" destinations, who want to experience some interesting local flavor and not the same old "touristy" destinations everyone else visits.

DTWorld wrote:

Cue the DTW crowd in 3...2...1...

Even I am scratching my head on that.

Don't get me wrong I love my hometown and all, but I always have a challenge trying to make recommendations on touristy things to do for people visiting or when I have friends / relatives coming to visit..I compare Detroit to when I visited my old college roommate and his family in Sao Paulo in the fact that not only is it spread out, but you really need to know someone who's local to enjoy the place for what it is versus a travel guide book. You really don't want to be at the mercy of a hotel receptionist giving out suggestions. While I liked some parts of Sao Paulo, I could tell my roommate and his family were all struggling to think of some things to see after day three.

Sure there's Greenfield Village / Henry Ford, the DIA downtown, Ann Arbor and (in the summer) Eastern Market, but beyond that, there's not much to stay more than two days max and things beyond that are somewhat spread out. If I were to really be grasping at straws, I'd say Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum, but that is really an arcade at the end of the day. I kinda hate to admit it as I have very fond memories growing up going there for birthday parties and all, but I digress.

However, I would love to go to Seville and Hamburg someday.

Similar things was mentioned when Canberra was suggested as the third option. Most Australians couldn't believe it when it was put as number three. Mostly because there isn't obviously any attentions to place, apart from few places like the National Museum of Australia, the National Monument and Parliament House.

I think sometimes they do this to encourage as part of a mixed centre holiday, like Hamburg with Bremen and Hannover or to think outside the box as places to go like Sarajevo.

Of course such a list is very personal, my list would look very different from that. Actually none of the cities on that list would be on mine. I bet every list would look different.

smallvoyageur wrote:

Similar things was mentioned when Canberra was suggested as the third option. Most Australians couldn't believe it when it was put as number three. Mostly because there isn't obviously any attentions to place, apart from few places like the National Museum of Australia, the National Monument and Parliament House.

And Bentspoke Brewery. Two of my favourite things in Canberra are the Australian War Memorial and Bentspoke Brewery....and if I include Kingsleys Fried Chicken, then there are three things I like in Canberra.

DTWorld wrote:

Cue the DTW crowd in 3...2...1...

Even I am scratching my head on that.

Don't get me wrong I love my hometown and all, but I always have a challenge trying to make recommendations on touristy things to do for people visiting or when I have friends / relatives coming to visit..I compare Detroit to when I visited my old college roommate and his family in Sao Paulo in the fact that not only is it spread out, but you really need to know someone who's local to enjoy the place for what it is versus a travel guide book. You really don't want to be at the mercy of a hotel receptionist giving out suggestions. While I liked some parts of Sao Paulo, I could tell my roommate and his family were all struggling to think of some things to see after day three.

Sure there's Greenfield Village / Henry Ford, the DIA downtown, Ann Arbor and (in the summer) Eastern Market, but beyond that, there's not much to stay more than two days max and things beyond that are somewhat spread out. If I were to really be grasping at straws, I'd say Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum, but that is really an arcade at the end of the day. I kinda hate to admit it as I have very fond memories growing up going there for birthday parties and all, but I digress.

However, I would love to go to Seville and Hamburg someday.

What a shame it’s nearly impossible to fly to Detroit. Guess people will have to drive up from Atlanta.

csturdiv wrote:

smallvoyageur wrote:

Similar things was mentioned when Canberra was suggested as the third option. Most Australians couldn't believe it when it was put as number three. Mostly because there isn't obviously any attentions to place, apart from few places like the National Museum of Australia, the National Monument and Parliament House.

And Bentspoke Brewery. Two of my favourite things in Canberra are the Australian War Memorial and Bentspoke Brewery....and if I include Kingsleys Fried Chicken, then there are three things I like in Canberra.

Lots to like in Canberra - good foodie destination now and BentSpoke is indeed awesome. Still a long ways to go for it though. If you have kids Questicon is great too.
Adelaide and Darwin have been on this list before, and I think in general they’re more deserving, but Canberra has comes leaps and bounds as a city in the last decade. I’d you are visiting Australia I think a couple of days in Canberra is definitely worthwhile.

Detroit......Lmao. There are so many other cities in the US that are safer, far more interesting, and not rife with poverty. I'll give credit where credit is due, things are getting better in Detroit but of all of the US cities I would want to visit, Detroit isn't even close to being on the list. Unless you just love American cars I would look elsewhere.

KentB27 wrote:

Detroit......Lmao. There are so many other cities in the US that are safer, far more interesting, and not rife with poverty. I'll give credit where credit is due, things are getting better in Detroit but of all of the US cities I would want to visit, Detroit isn't even close to being on the list. Unless you just love American cars I would look elsewhere.

My thoughts exactly...LOL. I have been to Detroit a couple of times on business and I was not overly impressed by the metro area. As others have mentioned though Lonely Planet does appeal to those who like to travel to unusual and different places so I can see Detroit being on their list.

dredgy wrote:

csturdiv wrote:

smallvoyageur wrote:

Similar things was mentioned when Canberra was suggested as the third option. Most Australians couldn't believe it when it was put as number three. Mostly because there isn't obviously any attentions to place, apart from few places like the National Museum of Australia, the National Monument and Parliament House.

And Bentspoke Brewery. Two of my favourite things in Canberra are the Australian War Memorial and Bentspoke Brewery....and if I include Kingsleys Fried Chicken, then there are three things I like in Canberra.

Lots to like in Canberra - good foodie destination now and BentSpoke is indeed awesome. Still a long ways to go for it though. If you have kids Questicon is great too.
Adelaide and Darwin have been on this list before, and I think in general they’re more deserving, but Canberra has comes leaps and bounds as a city in the last decade. I’d you are visiting Australia I think a couple of days in Canberra is definitely worthwhile.

I have never been Down Under, let alone to Canberra. But as I have said earlier LP was trying to say to people, hey Canberra is a big surprise why not pop along. One of my colleagues did a campervan (RV) tour of Australia along the east coast. I think LP was trying to say, when going from Sydney to Melbourne, head inland to ACT where there is a great city in the Australian Bush. It is hardly unlikely for some to travel all the way around to world to see Canberra, but it is say don't forget the capital, you will be surprised. Plus, considering that CBR is building its international links, it could be a money-spinner.

DTWorld wrote:

I'd say Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum, but that is really an arcade at the end of the day

MARVIN'S IS STILL THERE??? I dunno why this should make me so happy; it's not as if I'm likely to ever visit it again, but I'm glad to know it's survived the years since I was a kid.

masgniw wrote:

Quit the clickbait BS

Exactly my opinion.

1) The article you linked has no value whatsoever, it has been published for the sole reason of generating advertising revenue

2) The original poster even uses the same trick, I guess some people are so used to these click bait articles and their titles they don't even realize it. Why can't the thread title be: "According to a clickbait article, #1 city to visit is Seville and #2 Detroit". Why hide the answer inside the thread, and not even in the original post, so you HAVE to click it?

Birdwatching wrote:

masgniw wrote:

Quit the clickbait BS

Exactly my opinion.

1) The article you linked has no value whatsoever, it has been published for the sole reason of generating advertising revenue

2) The original poster even uses the same trick, I guess some people are so used to these click bait articles and their titles they don't even realize it. Why can't the thread title be: "According to a clickbait article, #1 city to visit is Seville and #2 Detroit". Why hide the answer inside the thread, and not even in the original post, so you HAVE to click it?

Look, I get it. One guy or focus group working for Lonely Planet made this list of what they think are up and coming places to visit.
If your city is not on the list, you cry foul and complain its biased. But ask yourself, what kind of list do you want? London, LA, New York and Hong Kong on the same list over and over again? I'll give this list credit, it's bringing up some interesting places that are not on people's radar.
There is more to see in the world then visiting LA or London.

AAIL86 wrote:

Birdwatching wrote:

masgniw wrote:

Quit the clickbait BS

Exactly my opinion.

1) The article you linked has no value whatsoever, it has been published for the sole reason of generating advertising revenue

2) The original poster even uses the same trick, I guess some people are so used to these click bait articles and their titles they don't even realize it. Why can't the thread title be: "According to a clickbait article, #1 city to visit is Seville and #2 Detroit". Why hide the answer inside the thread, and not even in the original post, so you HAVE to click it?

Look, I get it. One guy or focus group working for Lonely Planet made this list of what they think are up and coming places to visit.
If your city is not on the list, you cry foul and complain its biased. But ask yourself, what kind of list do you want? London, LA, New York and Hong Kong on the same list over and over again? I'll give this list credit, it's bringing up some interesting places that are not on people's radar.
There is more to see in the world then visiting LA or London.

That's not the point at all. It's the clickbait delivery, which trends away from legitimacy and into the world of sensationalism. Generally, it's a trick used by writers who don't have content worthy of a click, but need the ad revenue from getting people to visit their site.

Birdwatching wrote:

masgniw wrote:

Quit the clickbait BS

Exactly my opinion.

1) The article you linked has no value whatsoever, it has been published for the sole reason of generating advertising revenue

2) The original poster even uses the same trick, I guess some people are so used to these click bait articles and their titles they don't even realize it. Why can't the thread title be: "According to a clickbait article, #1 city to visit is Seville and #2 Detroit". Why hide the answer inside the thread, and not even in the original post, so you HAVE to click it?

OP probably overdosed on egg salads...

DocLightning wrote:

DTWorld wrote:

I'd say Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum, but that is really an arcade at the end of the day

MARVIN'S IS STILL THERE??? I dunno why this should make me so happy; it's not as if I'm likely to ever visit it again, but I'm glad to know it's survived the years since I was a kid.

The founder did pass away about a year ago and there were rumors of the place closing, but his family quickly put those to rest via their Facebook page.

I rarely visit it these days (Let's be honest, There's not much worth going to Farmington Hills for.) but it is a longstanding reminder of my childhood and all the birthday parties spent there. It has loads of nostalgic value to me, and I guess yourself as well.