How to Improve Things for Tourists
In today’s PDN, the Speaking Out question (asked of tourists) was: “What can the local community do to improve your visit?”
Answers included:
“More signs on where to turn to Hurricane Ridge…”
“I was saddened to find that…Swains [in Port Townsend] was closed. I like visiting local stores to buy things that I forgot, so opening another would be grand.”
“Directions to a local restaurant turned out to be too far to walk. It would have been nice to have a shuttle bus to go back and forth downtown.”
“Somehow we totally missed the sign for the national park…”
“I think they need more stuff for youth to do downtown. We have an 11-year-old and he’s looking for something to do. Maybe something like miniature golf or touristy stuff.”
“I was hopefully looking for a daily farmers market for us tourists. You need local food on a daily basis. I’ve been here before, but that’s all I can think of that you need.”
“Get rid of that construction equipment I see sitting downtown. It reminds me of work. Traffic is not nearly as bad as L.A.”
“You need outdoor café dining or a sidewalk café. We are killing some time before we catch the ferry, and we need something to eat that’s simple and fast.”
Answers included:
“More signs on where to turn to Hurricane Ridge…”
“I was saddened to find that…Swains [in Port Townsend] was closed. I like visiting local stores to buy things that I forgot, so opening another would be grand.”
“Directions to a local restaurant turned out to be too far to walk. It would have been nice to have a shuttle bus to go back and forth downtown.”
“Somehow we totally missed the sign for the national park…”
“I think they need more stuff for youth to do downtown. We have an 11-year-old and he’s looking for something to do. Maybe something like miniature golf or touristy stuff.”
“I was hopefully looking for a daily farmers market for us tourists. You need local food on a daily basis. I’ve been here before, but that’s all I can think of that you need.”
“Get rid of that construction equipment I see sitting downtown. It reminds me of work. Traffic is not nearly as bad as L.A.”
“You need outdoor café dining or a sidewalk café. We are killing some time before we catch the ferry, and we need something to eat that’s simple and fast.”
posted by Tom Harper at 6:07 PM
44 Comments:
“More signs on where to turn to Hurricane Ridge…”
This much I know to be true, but it has to be big and stand out, like a road construction sign with flashing lights.
On the corner of Front and Race what do you notice? A Jackpot sign, put up a simple white sign as big as it is that says, HURRICANE RIDGE with an arrow pointing south, done deal.
Question: These new directional signs, will they be located where out of towners can pull over and study them or are they expected to read them at 30 MPH while paying attention to traffic in front of them?
For a town that is headquarters for Olympic National Park and the Olympic Coast Marine Sanctuary, there is little to no signage telling people how to get to the visitor centers for each place. There should be huge billboards proudly proclaiming the City's status as the home of these HQ facilities, yet all we have is one small brown sign on a street post near Race Street that mentions the ONP Visitor Center. No wonder people got lost.
It's as if the city is ashamed of the ONP and Marine Sanctuary. Yet those are some of the main reasons why tourists come here.
Where did the good old days go? You know, when you came to the city limits of a town and there was a chamber of commerce shack there where you could stop and get all kinds of useful information and maps?
Here it's smack in the middle of the downtown area without even good directions to it.
Sigh, I sure do miss the good old days.
I just took a look at the City of PA's web site. Not one mention on its home page about the Visitor Center for Olympic National Park being here. No wonder people come here and wonder where to find the main attractions. The City resents being The Center of it All when the "All" is related to enjoying the natural environment.
"These new directional signs, will they be located where out of towners can pull over and study them or are they expected to read them at 30 MPH while paying attention to traffic in front of them?"
20 mph. I think they're just downtown, supposed to be with a few large signs for motorists and more smaller signs for pedestrians and giant green squares for bicyclists.
The restaurant in the Landings has outside seating. It's not fast food; it's quality sit down and eat family style dining. There's just not a lot of places that can do a full seating area outside because of space.
And geez, yes, more prominent signs to places of interest.
THIS SONG explains everything about our politicians and capitalists that are taking us down.
As a tourist, I'd really, really like for the city to have a polluting power plant, maybe one with big, tall smakestacks, right near downtown. That would be such a cool thing to see as I sit and eat my meal on the (hoped for!) sidewalk cafe. Thanks!
Vi Sitor
Walla Walla WA
We entertained visitors from eastern WA this past weekend and took them for a dinner at Downriggers. They remarked about how their enjoyment of the beautiful sunset scene was marred by the smokestacks and industrial foreground of the Nippon Mill. They were shocked when they learned that the mill is being allowed to expand its operations and burn even more wood and wood waste. Another of their remarks: It's too bad that Port Angeles looks so much more attractive from a distance than up close. They enjoyed the view back toward the city from Ediz Hook; but were intimidated and nauseated by having to drive through the mill to get to/from the viewing point.
How can anyone go away from Waller Waller WA and bitch about what they see other places? Hehehehe
If you think the economy is bad now you wouldn't want that mill to shut down, those monkeys make good money there and it's closing would really hurt.
No, it's not pretty but many see it as money. Maybe after the big quake they will relocate it, or simply not rebuild.
"As a tourist, I'd really, really like for the city to have a polluting power plant, maybe one with big, tall smakestacks, right near downtown."
"They remarked about how their enjoyment of the beautiful sunset scene was marred by the smokestacks and industrial foreground of the Nippon Mill."
Oh...please stop...my ribs are hurting from laughter.
As the crow flies, the Nippon Plant is over 1.5 miles from Downriggers. Hardly the "foreground".
p.s. did they like the sand sculptures?
There was sand sculptures? Wouldn't know about that, I'm a busy man.
BTW, just pays those artists to come here and do those sand sculptures that are just here for a few days?
The business community downtown that hopes to draw some money there, or the city? The city of course being the taxpayers.
Randall Page with the hurting ribs:
Go to Downriggers on an uncloudy day at sunset, and look to the west. Instead of seeing the sun setting over the water or the mountains or anything natural and beautiful, it sinks amid plumes of smoke and smokestacks. The Mill is huge, ugly, visible for miles, and it detracts from the quality of life here for local residents and the quality of tourist experiences. That is the plain truth, and there is nothing funny about it. It is sad.
Oh don't be silly, dears! The few seasonal, minimum wage part-time jobs we gain from tourism will MORE than make up for the hundreds of family-wage jobs we lose by tearing down those unsightly mill! La la la!
Tap, tap, tap. La te da.
Just sitting back and waiting.
"Family wage jobs" versus personal health and welfare for those living downwind of the mill. Yes --- unfortunately there are many in town who prefer the money to the quality of life in the short and long term.
The "family wage jobs" are little consolation for those who have died and will die from the mill's pollution.
Let's just prostitute the future of our city so that a polluting corporation can continue to exploit the greed of a few.
Watch your ribs, Randall. We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself again laughing. You might need those ribs to support your lung capacity.
Go to Downriggers on an uncloudy day at sunset, and look to the west. Instead of seeing the sun setting over the water or the mountains or anything natural and beautiful, it sinks amid plumes of smoke and smokestacks.
I knew that there was a reason that I never go to Downriggers. Get in a boat and go out in the sound a ways West for wonderful sunsets.
Or drive over to Hobuck Beach.
I think that the camping fee at Hobuck Beach is a little steep for just dry camps but it is very peaceful there with miles of wonderful sand to stick your feet into on a sunny day.
So sometimes it's worth the 20 bucks to me.
Gee, I moved to a mill town and then I found out there was a mill there…Duh.
But what would improve things for tourists? I think the PADA would object, but clear signage at Race St. directing tourists up Race and out would be good. At the bridge should be signage directing them South (to the Ridge) or West (to the lakes and beyond).
I think there is tourist money to be made west of town boarding dogs (who really aren’t welcome in the park) both daycare and overnight. A “motorcycle only” campground would work too. Additionally, a campground geared for kids, with activities and equipment. In town, I’m thinking paintball, mini golf, laser tag, a lid on the skate park, etc. In fact, I think exploring ideas in the realm of “family vacation” would be a real good idea. Just some ideas relating to the original thread. I now return you to your regularly scheduled bitching and whining.
Maybe a restaurant at about Race and Park? Quite enough up there that I could likely hold a few of them up for more of their money before they leave town.
These are ideas for other people to invest their money in, I assume?
A “motorcycle only” campground would work too.
The bikers can go 2.9 miles west of the Sol Duc hot springs turn off and go South on the forest service road into the state forest lands at the three mile marker, there's lot of places in that area they can camp at and not bother anyone else.
Of course to enjoy the state forest lands now requires a 32 buck a year permit. 35 bucks at Swain's, bought mine yesterday cuz I do go into the state forest areas to camp, hardly ever anyone else out there, very peaceful.
Questions heard from tourists. Is there a vegan restaurant? Where is the Greyhound Bus depot? No Greyhound. Then how do I get to Seattle tonight? (Asked at 7pm).
Question: hasn't PA shooed away every potential "destination resort" idea in the last 40 years?
I know that when I first moved here, and didn't have local plates, I was harassed (yelled at and spit on) by some good ol'local boys, told to "go home". This town is not welcoming to anyone. How to improve things, hahahaha. Yeah. Maybe try having some restaurants open on July 4th, businesses open on Sunday, attitude adjustments, and light a fire under the ass of most service works.
Yeah, I don't think so. It's a redneck, logging mentality town. How are you going to change the basic nature of the place? Airlift in some educated people with money?
It's a redneck, logging mentality town. How are you going to change the basic nature of the place?
I'm not interested in changing their redneck logging mentality, I was raised in mining and logging towns myself.
Those that don't like our type can damn well go somewhere else, our type is what built this town in the first place.
Those slick assholes with 'educations' and the money can't do anything for themselves, they have to hire us 'low lifes' to to build things for them.
From Sperling's Best Places:Air quality in Port Angeles Metro Area, WA is 99 on a scale to 100 (higher is better). Nat'l average is 87. This is based on ozone alert days and number of pollutants in the air, as reported by the EPA.
From the EPA website: "0 days of air pollution concern for the average citizen in 2010."
2011 data not yet listed. Anyone who has serious concerns should hold their breath until the report is posted...lol
From Sperling's Best Places:Air quality in Port Angeles Metro Area, WA is 99 on a scale to 100 (higher is better).
More smart assholes with money over populating this area will degrade that figure. And if you look deep into your soul you will see that also.
Hey, some of us don't mind being poor and having good air and peace and quite.
BBC, your clientele just noted that you called them "slick a$$holes"...and you think I'm an "idiot"...rofl
Yeah, I know. What I actually see out the window of the local food joint, those smokestacks dominating the view as the sun sets, that isn't what my girl and I actually see. We think of the crap people say, telling us we shouldn't see it as gross, and then it is all okay.
I'm so glad there are people here that know better than I, and can tell me my opinions don't count.
BBC, your clientele just noted that you called them "slick a$$holes"...and you think I'm an "idiot"...rofl
First, they are not my clientele, and I don't care that they know what I think of them. Back when I was in the PABA I told them what I thought of them. :-)
Folks, you don't have to look at those smoke stacks, it was you that chose to move here, and you can choose to leave if you don't like looking at them.
You're right! The comments were made by tourists and visitors, though. They aren't moving here, they seem to be commenting on what they see.
Will they "move away"? Will they promote Port Angeles to others?
Why should we care; they knew they were coming to a mill town.
I don't think so many would be offended by the mill if it was nicely painted. Maybe let some learning artists paint the stacks and walls some.
As for what is coming out of the stacks, it's mostly just steam, water. When you make electricity the way they are you are going to get steam. Almost all power plants (short of dams) produce steam.
Now, bitch about the stacks and then go blow off some nasty fireworks, hehehehe
OT
Is it just me or does anyone else think the sanctification of the rusty I-beam from the WTC is kind of creepy?
Is it just me or does anyone else think the sanctification of the rusty I-beam from the WTC is kind of creepy?
For me, 9/11 was just an interesting event that happened, a strike at our greedy capitalistic system that was just asking for it. True, a lot of innocent people died but when you get right down to it more than that many die everyday on this rock for lessor reasons.
That beam means nothing to me other than the fact that it should be shoved up some capitalists and bankers butts.
Anyway, that isn't want I dropped in to comment about, I just read a news story that pointed out that just because you may draw a lot of tourists to an area it doesn't mean that you are going to draw a lot of tourism money from it.
Kind of like window shopping I guess.
If you want people to actually stay in town and spend money instead of using it for a base to go sightseeing in the country you need major attractions in town.
I don't know, a casino, whorehouse, great night life (like in the good old days), arboretum.
So they can get a meal here before heading into the wilds, big deal. Actually, I'm thankful that they don't stick around here.
If you want to make some income from them charge them to go through Monkeyville. No pass? No go.
Shit, I have to have a pass for the National Park and now the State lands that my taxes has always supported, the goddamn tourists should have to pay to come here also.
anonymouse 3:40...
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
--Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4,1777
"Is it just me or does anyone else think the sanctification of the rusty I-beam from the WTC is kind of creepy?
3:40 PM, July 27, 2011"
Yes, it is kind of creepy. You're not alone.
Which has what bearing on the regular schmucks that were just going to their jobs like anyone else on the planet, on 9/11, in NYC?
Randall, I agree whole heartedly with Paine. I'm just having a little trouble placing a I-beam into his construct.
If it were accompanied with a list of assaults on the Constitution that have been justified by its existence then I could see the connection.
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