So you’ve sat in the airport for hours. Spent the whole day in a new office working with people you’ve never met. Finally, the day is done and you’re on the way home to your corporate housing apartment for a good nights sleep. Except the idea of sitting alone in an unfamiliar place in a new city watching TV while chowing on some Taco Bell sounds awful. You want to get out there and see the sights and meet some new people but you’ve never been here before and have no idea where to start. Here are some handy guides for searching out the best in food and fun in a big, new city.
The Happy Hour Finder
For those lucky enough to bail out of the office before the 5 o’clock rush hour, this trusty app for the Iphone will direct you straight to the happiest of hours in the surrounding area. The Happy Hour Finder was voted one of the top “must have” app’s of 2010 by MSN and has been promoted heavily in publications such as Cosmopolitan magazine. It’s simple, easy to use, and has a network of more than 10,000 happy hours nationwide. The perfect travel companion for a thirsty soul in a new city.
Foodspotting
Looking to sample some fine cuisine and local fare instead of finding some liquid courage? Foodspotting is different than other restaurant review apps/sites because it allows users to review and recommend specific dishes rather than entire establishments. Check out what the locals like to eat when out around town and you might just find that “1-star” Chinese food restaurant actually features an out of this world secret dish that you would never have stumbled across otherwise. Luckily it is supported by Iphone, Android and Windows phones, with a Blackberry edition coming soon in addition to its website.
Yelp
If you haven’t heard about Yelp yet…wait, seriously? You haven’t? There’s a reason it’s one of the most popular social networking tools on the web today. It allows you to search out just about any business, restaurant, gas station, bank, or ice cream truck in the area for all their info as well as reviews and comments from fellow yelpers. Literally, just about anything you could possibly need to search for is on Yelp with a handy map to guide you to boot! The mobile app also features a creative “monocle” which, when activated, allows you to hold up your phone and use the camera to display nearby restaurants/bars/etc in real-time.
With these trusty tools, you can let your inner social butterfly truly shine even in places where you don’t even know where to find the local 7-11. Enjoy!
Images courtesy of:
Glutenfreechef.com
Imaginelifestyles.com
Howstuffworks.com