Favourite stuff to do in your city/town/locale?

[Storico]

Dave G's Poll on New and Used books got me thinking about the used bookstores downtown, which got me thinking about one of my favourite things to do downtown: wander around, talk to people, poke my head into little stores, and just enjoy the culture. There's a definite culture there, and I adore it. Everyone's so different, and so neat in so many ways. Here's what it's like for me:

Hop a bus. Watch the city melt into the downtown district, and watch the neverending towers as I go past. Get off at the main intersection of the downtown core. On my right, a guy sits every day playing drums. He's friendly and if he knows you, he'll nod and talk for a while. If he's friends with you, he'll shake your hand or give you a sideways kind of hug.

On my right is the nearest coffee place. I see the same people in there all the time. All the 'downtowners' on breaks, or going from Point A to B, but they're always there.

Right at the crosswalk of the intersection, there's a crowd. It's my favourite part of the whole experience. Every colour, every orientation, at least a few different religions, every height, people with their pets, people with their kids, and skateboarders, bikers, cyclists, motorists, and rollerbladers weaving in and out of everything.

Sometimes I just stand there for a few minutes to enjoy it all. Sometimes I talk to a few of the people going past me. Last year I got dragged into a pride parade when a friend in it went past me and grabbed my arm.. I've been handed various religious and community pamphlets.. and if we're lucky, the ever-crusading, volunteering, self-imposed town crier will walk around with a "hear ye, hear ye" type message about a community event like a concert in the park with the proceeds going to cancer research. I love it all.

And then I go hang out at one of my favourite used bookstores and browse for 2 or 3 hours.

How about you? What do you like to do where you live, and why? Is it the distinct flavour? The familiarity? Post your experiences!

[Pilgrim]

I love taking my dog to the beach just before sunset in the off season when there's no one there and we can just take in the beauty of it all.

[Philosophickle]

Lately some friends and I have been sledding at the ski hills at night when it closes down. Pretty intense stuff.

[lilpixieofterror]

I love to sleep...

[PrometheusX303]

This is a boring town. We have a skating center, but that's mostly for middle schoolers. High schoolers and post high schoolers (those who don't have jobs, anyway) like to park in various parking lots and lounge on their cars, pet each other, and generally look like losers. Another popular activity is "cruising", which is nothing more than driving your car from Sonic about a mile down the road to McDonalds, rounding the restaurant, and driving back to Sonic, ad nauseum.

Personally, I like to go hiking with my friends, or visiting family.