Sometimes, at the end of a long workweek, you simply must go away for a few days. And sometimes the place you go is somewhere you’ve been before—only you look at it in a whole new way. Every city has its well-worn history and tourist spots, but every city also has the sort of obscure destinations that are coveted like secrets by the locals. Most people, for instance, know Mardi Gras, Hollywood and Vine, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Vegas strip, and Graceland: They’re practically clichés. But what about the New Orleans that’s fun for kids, the Los Angeles that doesn’t show up on the maps to movie stars’ homes, the San Francisco of the beat generation and Dashiell Hammett, the Las Vegas of fine food, and the Memphis in which Elvis is just another singer? On the following pages we offer five unfamiliar getaways to five familiar cities easily and inexpensively accessible from Texas. We assume you’ll be flying in on Friday night and out on Sunday night, so each mini-guide takes you through two days of walking, playing, sight-seeing, and eating. So go. What are you waiting for? The weekend’s just around the corner.
These five weekend getaways will make you want to Get Outta Town!.
Los Angeles How the West is fun. by Michael Hall
New Orleans The Big Easy isn’t hard for families. by Marion Winik
San Francisco Beat the crowds; do some Spade work. by Gregory Curtis
Memphis It’s music to your ears. by Joe Nick Patoski
Las Vegas No good food? Don’t bet on it. by Paul Burka
