I got an email from a reader the other day, with some frank advice about our time in the South. She asked:
"I have to ask, why two nights in Pensacola? Don't get me wrong, they do have a nice beach... [but] it is mainly a military town with lots of urban sprawl. I'm not saying you should skip it entirely, however I would suggest just 1 night in Pensacola, then your next night in the Orange Beach or Gulf Shores area of Alabama. The beaches there are pristine, and there are a ton of fun things to do. Then your next night would be in Mobile! On your way from the beach to Mobile, I would suggest a stop at Alligator Alley. Wes is awesome! Just my 2 cents."
This is soooooooo good. This is exactly the kind of feedback we've been trying to elicit from people. And we've received some pretty fantastic comments, just like this one, which are fairly straightforward in their advice but bring a shade of familiarity and comfort to the topic that can't be faked.
At the restaurant where I work, a nearby hotel brings in a fair share of visitors who have plenty to tell me about where they're from. Last night I waited on a guy from Chicago, who came to town with his wife who needs surgery and can't get it anywhere else but here in Philly. He told me that first and foremost, if I want to have a great time in Chicago, I gotta go to Wrigley Field. Which, of course, we were already planning on doing, but having heard that guest say it out loud makes me so much more excited to be there.
Our next meeting is Sunday, and you can bet we'll be acting swiftly on the email I received about Pensacola. The more feedback we get, the better this trip will be for us, and in turn for all the people who are coming along for the ride. So keep 'em coming.
-Tom
