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Pitch Your Hometown For MinnMax's Big Community Meetup (Patreon)

Published:
2024-04-15 18:00:04
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

We want to get together and we need your help. We frequently get suggestions for where we should hold a MinnMax community meetup, now we're leaving it all in your hands. In the comments below, make your best case for your hometown (USA only, sorry) as the location of the big MinnMax community meetup happening in September of 2024.

We're going to fly a bunch of MinnMax cohorts out for a weekend in September to shake some hands and create a travelogue about the experience. Can you believe some of us still haven't met in real life?

We're not necessarily looking for a big city, please pitch your hometown (or meaningful town to you) and all of the reasons it would make a great location and a compelling travelogue. Does it feature a pretty cool water park? The world's biggest ball of twine? An incredible hike? A cheap place for laser tag? A prime fishing hole? The last Blockbuster? Make your case in the comments below! We're only accepting pitches for towns in the contiguous United States. Sorry, Alaska and Hawaii. But hey, if this is successful, then you never know about next year... look out, world!

After everybody has submitted their best case in the comments below, we're going to choose our favorite options and then let you all decide in a poll on Patreon for the final pick. Then in September (exact weekend TBD) a whole bunch of us will get on planes and meet there and record our adventures.

For previous meetups folks in the community have asked if they should fly in, we've always told folks to wait until we have a "BIG" meetup. This is that meetup, it will be celebrating MinnMax turning five years old. Technically the anniversary is this October, but we want the weather to be nicer... wherever we are. So we want to be really clear that there is zero pressure for you to make this trip with us, BUT if you'll be in the area and REALLY want to come meet a group of us to talk about games - we'll be there.

As always, we cannot thank you all enough for supporting an independent media outlet like MinnMax and making all of this possible. We're really excited for this adventure. Let the pitches begin!

Files

Comments

Leafeonn (Josh K)

PHILLY FOR THE NORTHEASTERNERS!! We got independence square and old city for history, good ol genuine cheesesteaks, Reading Terminal Market, the philly art museum (steps from Rocky), and a barcade in NE philly. Independence square is a nice tourist spot, you got the liberty bell, the national constitution center, the first post office/ben franklin museum, george washingtons house, a ton of stuff. Theres also the Franklin Institute museum which is a really fun interactive museum. My local pub in Manayunk, Lucky's Last Chance, also has the best burgers and serve a joocey lucy 👀 Its also a great central location for northeast cities/states. Pretty equidistant from NY, pittsburgh, DC/Baltimore, etc.

Thom Blackburn

Erie, PA- It's equidistant from 3 major northeast cities, an hour and a half drive from Cleveland, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh! There are plenty of free things to do including a statepark made up of 11 beaches with free admission. There are microbreweries all over the place and more bars per capita than most of the country. We literally have run out of liquor licenses so a venue will be easy to find. There's also an old timer amusement park and indoor and outdoor water parks, both worth checking out

Mathew Angelly

Clermont Florida. It’s in the greater Orlando area, so easy to fly to. There’s a great public lakefront park with nearby restaurants, breweries, etc. Plus, Walt Disney World is 30-45 minutes away!

Veltis

I'm sure someone can make a better case for the city than I can, but Philadelphia is cool as hell. World class museums and architecture, very functional public transit through *most* of the city, it's birth place of American democracy (whatever that is), a diverse high quality food scene, easy access to other NE staples like NYC and Washington D.C. We have the Liberty Bell (which is free to the public, and accessible by all kinds of public transit.) The city is also home to dozens of beautiful parks and squares. During the summer season (thru Sept!), we also have a series called 'Parks on tap' that rotates through the different parks and has local food & beverage vendors. Just make sure you come in early Sept. because I have to go to a wedding in late Sept. Tyvm

Jeff Kistle

Minneapolis... You know why

PoorAndCurly

Denver, Colorado! Very big airport that has flights to and from all over the country, as well as being a very central part of the country. It's quite easy to get to. Have to mention beautiful Rocky Mountains nearby, easy to get to a beautiful hike within 30 minutes of the city. Plus we got Red Rocks Ampitheater, lots of people travel out of state just to see their favorite band play there. Lots of breweries with plenty of space for a meet-ups too.

matt ehlert

Minneapolis, but I'm sure you didn't want this pitch. You already know this one and are looking to branch out

Ariel in Seattle

Seattle during PAX West on Labor Day Weekend since a lot of us will be there anyways!

TheRealJoeRussell

Imagine if a state had 10,000 water levels. Now imagine if that state also had the nicest people in the world. Best of all, it's where MinnMax is right now! MSP would love a meet up!

Byron Black

Anywhere in Texas! Austin, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio -- they all have good flights in and are accessible from the coasts and northern U.S. Also, at least in Houston, costs are reasonable and it's Space City.

Nannooskeeska

Madison, WI! It's a straight drive down 94 from the Twin Cities. It's got some awesome parks and good bars. The students will be in town which is a bit unfortunate (means more traffic). We have the Memorial Union, which is absolutely classic, as well as the beautiful Monona Terrace. There's good hiking not far away (but you will need to drive to hike generally). It's been consistently voted as a top place to live in the US but don't take their word for it, it sucks and you DEFINITELY don't want to live here wink wink. It's also fairly bike-friendly. Yes I'm appealing to Ben specifically.

Caroline

Come on down to Asheville, NC! It's a beautiful mountain town with epic scenery, lots of great restaurants, and quirkiness galore. September is a little early for leaf peeping, but that means you'll miss the big tourist rush and still get out on some gorgeous hikes (or mountain biking), kayak or canoe, check out The Biltmore, see a waterfall, and drive the Blue Ridge Parkway without too much fuss. Also, we have our own airport and it would only be a couple hours' drive for Jacob :)

Greg Matyola

Somerville. New Jersey: Birthplace of screen legend Lee Van Cleef, and Somerville HS graduate (and activist / stage & screen legend) Paul Robeson! Since we've got a courthouse, we've also got a great, multicultural Main Street for a great diversity of food! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerville,_New_Jersey

wittynicknamehere .

Mine's practically cheating, and I'm fine with that. San Marcos, TX is a beautiful town with some fun-in-the-sun river tubing activity and a college atmosphere, PLUS it's nestled perfectly between San Antonio and Austin, a mere 30 minutes in either direction, which opens about a thousand more doors for hobnobbing with the Austin game dev scene, the touristy stuff like the Alamo and the Riverwalk, and the great little hole-in-the-wall bar and standup comedy scene in Austin, whether on (in)famous 6th Street or at the famous Cap City Comedy Club. Also, it should go without saying that the barbecue and breakfast tacos here are beyond compare. Any other region claiming to be putting up strong competition is lying or delusional.

Andrea

Not a big city, but Manchester, CT. It's a stones throw away from Hartford which is our state's capital, and is within an hour and a half of both Boston and NY. Because Manchester is so diverse, we have TONS of great food. Some of the best restaurants are in Manchester. You want Thai food? Sukhothai is great. You want Guatemalan food? Moran's restaurant is the best. Puerto Rican? Mofongo. BBQ? Thomas' Smokey Pit Stop. And many, many more. We had an awesome ethiopian place a few years ago as well. There are also amazing hiking trails in the town. Case Mountain has the best view in the spring and fall of Hartford and the surrounding area. Hartford also has a great anime/vg convention in July with food trucks, fireworks, etc. We know how to have a good time around here.

Uranousmonkey

Austin, Texas is always a solid choice, lots to do and see beautiful places to hike. Great outdoor meet up locations should be nice weather that time of year. Nice chill vibe. There’s a great jazz club called the Elephant Room for some late night music. There’s also a museum of the weird! Who can say no to that.

Travis Manick

If you come up to Blaine Minnesota, there is a bowling alley called Blainbrook with a whoooole bunch of Pinball machines. Like 40 or something. AND you could drive instead of fly. AND I'm here and I brought those stupid MinnMax temporary tattoos to Wisdom Gaming so you know I'm hilarious

Dylan Caudill

If you really want a small town, I live in Canal Fulton, Ohio. I won’t lie, there’s not much going on here like you’d have in a city obviously, but there’s some fun to be had around. The main attraction I suppose is the canal itself. They have an old canal boat on display that you can tour, and even more fun is the canal boat rides. Around Halloween they do a nighttime ride where they tell stories about the towns “haunted origins”. And yes, the canal boat is pulled by horses. Pretty sure you can charter rides and stuff too if that was something of interest. They have a bar with a deck that overlooks the canal which is nice. We have a few good restaurants and a coffee shop. Oddly enough for a small town there are 3 toy stores. The highlight being Toys Time Forgot which has a lot of retro nerd collectibles. There used to be local game shop but it shut down recently, unfortunately. Not far away in North Canton we have a barcade I quite enjoy. Lots of pinball machines there and they have tournaments and stuff for that. Clays Park is nearby which is a great campground with a big water park but I’m not sure the timing would be good for that. They hold music festivals there too which is fun. Cleveland is about an hour or so away, which has a ton of cool stuff if you’re looking for a more lively place to have this in NE Ohio.

RynaGoGo

Listen. Come down to Charlotte, North Carolina. I met Jacob in Durham for the Twisted Metal fridge I won on the charity stream. So Jacob is only a few hours away. There’s Carowinds amusement park so you could ride some coasters and hit up the wave pool for a yeast infection. We have incredible NC pulled pork bbq, a ton of breweries and a NFL stadium to watch the worst team in the league! We are only an hour and a half the largest collections of waterfalls in America. So when you’re down here you can go hiking and see Looking Glass falls and have many more outdoor adventures. We are also only a few hours to the beach. So depending on when you do it you could make a beach vacation out of it. Be honest, you’re asking because the actual meetup is only 10% of the trip. You’re wanting to find some other reason to come out. Charlotte is awesome with plenty to do. Durham is also fun, with less to do but you have Jacob around. Petey Pablo - “Raise Up”

DJ Tommy Pizza

I'm biased because I live here, but being based in Minneapolis sounds like a slam dunk for a big anniversary like #5

BEEFCAKE

I'm not gonna pitch for my Hometown because there's literally only a gas station. But about 2 and a 1/2 hours from me Is a place called Raleigh Durham, north Carolina. It's got a Jacob geller, a limited run games, epic games, an insomniac games. So maybe there could be some fun extra content with that stuff.

David Tibble

Hello MinnMax!! Allow me to make the case for my hometown, an obscure village called Chicago, Illinois! Why choose Chicago? How about a numbered list of reasons: 1. It is in the Midwest, making it easy travel distance for a majority of the MinnMax crew 2. Speaking of the MinnMax crew, it would be a homecoming for Janet, as I believe she is originally from Chicago (perhaps a surprise appearance from her Remap colleague, Chicagoland native Patrick Klepek, could be arranged?) 3. Chicago has a great arcade bar scene! A favorite of mine, Headquarters Beercade, does private events (https://www.hqrivernorth.com/private-events) 4. Late summer/early fall is peak weather for Chicago 5. There is so much to do in Chicago, whether you love bars, comedy, sports, museums, etc. 6. There is so much incredible food in Chicago! You can even take “The Bear” themed food tours of Chicago now! If you’re looking for a place to host a gathering of awesome people with big city energy and midwestern charm, look no further than Chicago!

Tanner Hoisington

Charleston, SC is great in September! The crowds have largely cleared out of Conde Nast's "Best Small City" (won 12 out of the last 13 years somehow), and the weather will be more comfortable for the beaches, boats, and the rare US walkable city. Across the bridge where I'm from is Owlbear Cafe, a board game Cafe I could probably arrange for us to book privately for the event. If not we have countless breweries in the area (my godfather owns the building of one so maybe I can secure that too). Otherwise it's a city known for good food, Kyle lived here at some point, and Jacob and the North Carolinians who already wrote in wouldn't be too far. I think for sure one of the Carolinas should be the location!

Spencer Botine

Come on, let’s do it in Chi City! We have a large chunk of the community in the vicinity (greater IL area, Wisconsin, Michigan) that could easily make it for the occasion. Janet is originally from the area, so you’d have at least someone familiar with some of the locale, but there is an infinite list of tourist attractions and fun game related activities to partake in the Windy City, not to mention some of the best cuisine options available to you in the nation (yes, THE NATION). Favorite tourist-y things: Architecture boat tour, infinite museums, prohibition bus tour. Maybe you could even work out some content with some of the devs in our area as well (Netherrealm/Jackbox games). It’s not a unique recommendation, I know, but I think it has a lot of great through-lines for the cohorts and would provide a lot of options for you all to explore. If you don’t go with Chicago, then at minimum we should at least plan a small meetup when you’re out for the FFVII RB concert in August 😉 ALSO, no offense to my east coast friends, but Chicago public transit is the easiest to navigate and use 🤫

Garrett Hulfish

Portland, OR (Also known as Bridge City, we've got a ton of them.) If you're looking for a place that is stuffed to the gills with great places to eat, welcome to Portland. I never understood how such a "small" city could have so many restaurants. There are a ton of "permanent" food cart gatherings too, with plenty of tables and fire pits to sit at. The Pacific Northwest is known for the outdoors. We've got a ton of local hikes that are less than 30 minutes away, but we're also only an hour drive from Mount Hood and Canon Beach, so there's a lot of easy access to even better hikes, water falls, lava tubes (underground cave systems), etc. If you're looking for amusement park, Oaks Park opened in 1905 and has a few rides and a roller rink. It is closer to what a State Fair is in other states, just year-round (so nothing like Six Flags or King's Dominion). For gaming, we've got some great arcades with different vibes depending on location. Conveniently, in September is also the Retro Gaming Expo at our local convention center. I also wonder if you'd be able to do some content with Panic, since they are located here. And for Ben, we're a super bike-able city, so there are tons of trails for you to travel along (just maybe more hills than Minnesota).

whitemex

Brookfield IL. Location of the Galloping Ghost Arcade which is right across the street from a brewery and in the same town as one of the largest Zoo's in North America

umryan

Portland, OR. Gaming wise, Portland Retro Gaming Expo is the weekend of Sept. 27 this year. You can also visit and document the legendary arcades here; Ground Kontrol, Quarterworld, Next Level Pinball Museum (in Hillsboro). We have amazing nature and hikes here too, first and foremost is Multnomah Falls in the Columbia gorge (look up some pics of you're unfamiliar). Another good nature park and hike (also potential outdoor meetup spot) is Mt. Tabor Park. The impressive International Rose Test Garden and Portland Japanese Garden (conveniently right next to each other) are near downtown Portland. Lastly, possibly most importantly, is the amazing food and restaurants here. A big part of the food culture here is food cart pods. Each pod has a variety of different carts surrounding outdoor/indoor eating areas. Hawthorne Asylum is a large and popular food cart pod, also ideal for a potential meetup. We also have a ton of local breweries and beer bars. Baerlic brewery in southeast is good and large, and they have a great pizza place inside called Ranch Pizza.

Andy H

Orlando because Disney

MrButtons

My recommendation is San Marcos, Texas. The city is part of the Greater Austin Metropolitan Area and is located in the Hill Country of Texas. The city is most well known for the San Marcos River which rises from natural springs, is home to numerous endangered species, and maintains a temperature of 72 degrees year round that is perfect for beating the Texas heat. The San Marcos River, as well as several other rivers in the surrounding area, are open to the public for kayaking, tubing, swimming, fishing, and glass bottom boat tours. The city is also well known for its college campus, Texas State University, which hosts the Whitliff Museum. The Whitliff Museum preserves collections of several prominent writers, photographers, musicians, and filmmakers who have heritage in Texas, the Southwest, and Mexico. Lastly, the city is home to the largest outlet mall center in the country, with over 220 stores. The city’s location also makes it a quick and easy commute to Austin allowing you to check out the many sites and sounds of the Capitol without the hassle and price of staying directly in the city!

Gabe Brandolino

Kansas City, MO 1. Nearly smack dab in the middle of the United States. Great geographic access! 2. Not a massive city. It's easy enough to get where you need to! 3. Miniatures museum! It's cool, there's all kinds of small things! A violin maker's shop inside a violin, for example. 4. Really good barbeque! My favorite is Wabash. 5. Betty Rays Ice Cream. Good ice cream and they have a Brisket flavor seasonally! 6. World's largest Shuttlecocks! They're huge and located outside the Nelson Atkins Art Museum 7. Proximity to the hometown of Dan Ryckert! I bet he could provide local insights and tales of his upbringing

Baba Yaga

Las Vegas, NV The hub for many annual conventions and expos. A fast growing arts and music scene. Home to the Punk Rock Museum and Mob Museum (invite Huber! Vegas used to be run by the mob after all). Fergusons in Downtown, a former motel renovated into a hub for shops, farmer’s markets, concerts, and art exhibits. Fergusons is a great potential spot for a meetup. Our most cozy bar, Silver Stamp, is a 70s Midwest inspired bar that feels like your uncle’s basement, and it won best Mom & Pop shop after only being opened for 4 years. Silver Stamp’s vibe is aided by their great soundtrack ranging from 70s Stax funk and soul to 90s/2000s indie rock, such as Built to Spill. Great hiking and nature at Red Rock and Mt. Charleston outside the city. Off the strip and a few minutes south of Downtown, we have a cozy tiki bar called Red Dwarf, which is home to the best Detroit style pizza in Vegas. They also host concerts and a bi-weekly one shot D&D night called Drinks & Dragons. A great thing about Red Dwarf and Silver Stamp is that there’s no smoking and no gambling of any kind. It’s common to see video poker machines at a Vegas bar, and it’s nice to not have that typical Vegas feel at a local spot. And smoking indoors is simply an ick. Fun fact about Silver Stamp: Matt’s Bar in Minnesota is one of the inspirations. Some may recognize Matt’s from the travelogue when Janet visited Minnesota. Outside the city, but still considered part of the Vegas valley, is Spring Mountain Ranch State park. Here they host outdoor theater shows and musicals, such as School of Rock and The Little Mermaid. A great spot to take the family. Not to mention it’s a beautiful large park. You can explore old buildings, go hiking, and even have a picnic while having a view of the beautiful mountains and nature. Our arts scene is mostly located in the Arts District, few minutes north of The Strip and a short drive from Downtown. It’s home to a variety of art galleries, music venues, coffee shops, restaurants, antique shops and vintage clothing stores (not to mention our beloved Silver Stamp). Arts District even has 2 skate shops (skateboarding and roller skating. The roller skate shop even has their own indoor ramp.) You’ll find all sorts of outdoor murals (including a PUBG mural lol). Arts District is a very walkable neighborhood. A unique thing about Vegas is that it holds a growing and thriving roller skating scene. So much so that it allowed not one, but two roller skate shops to open, Fresa’s Roller Skate Shop and Death Drop Roller Skate Shop. Both shops are women and Latina owned! The thriving scene also opened the doors to an annual convention called RollerCon that only happens in Vegas and brings in skaters from all over the world. Are you a fan of Fallout: New Vegas? Head on over to Goodsprings right outside Vegas where you might recognize Pioneer Saloon. Goodsprings even held a Fallout themed event the past two years. The Pinball Hall of Fame has lots of pinball machines in a big building. Enough said. Harry Reid airport has many flights in and out of Vegas. Las Vegas is more than the Strip and all the glitz and gambling that comes with it. We have a growing music and arts scene that’s only getting better from here. The best part is that you can do all the things I’ve mentioned without stepping foot on the Strip.

Doddscrong

Nashville baby! Give some love to the South in beautiful Tennessee. You don’t have to like the Country genre to enjoy wonderful live music, great food, and the rich history of Music City. We’ve got all the sports, way more than barbecue, and what the people really want, BARS! So many places to drink cold ones from honky-tonks to hazy Jazz clubs. We’ve got rooftop, cellar, on-wheels, off Broadway, cigarettes inside, sit outside, domestic, imported, anything g you can imagine! And it’s all within minutes of an international airport!

Zane Dukes

Come on down to Nashville, Tennessee! It’s party town USA. Visit the honky Tonks on lower broadway to listen to live music. Rent a party barge where minnmaxers can rove around the city drinking and dancing seeing the sights. Mid September you say? Why we have the Indycar season finale called the Music City Grand Prix which is a ton fun. We’ve got the Country Music Hall of Fame, we’ve got amazing breweries, restaurants, a top golf, several barcades, and who knows what else! Also there’s a full size replica of the Parthenon! Seriously Nashville has like everything you need to make an awesome get together and travelogue. I think the world needs to see Hanson in a cowboy hat and boots.

Nate Voris

Fort Collins, Colorado I am moving there next week, first time leaving my hometown of Los Angeles, and I know absolutely no one there and nothing about it! According to google the top things to do are rafting, snowshoeing, the Horsetooth Reservoir, and waffles.

Brandon S

My two cents? Washington DC. Has an excellent metro system (you can download an app on your phone and load money into it to pay for your fares), you can go visit the usual landmarks (Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, etc.), and there are a LOT of free museums. We could all meet up on the National Mall (is a large open grassy area between all the museums) and chill out at the Museum of Natural History. Or I can just ditch everyone and go to said museum, I can spend HOURS in that place…

Lamb Dance

Wisconsin Dells - A childhood fave for people from this area, gives outsiders a weird taste of Midwest tourism

Matt McKenna

I’m going to just give a shot and pitch Long Island NY. It’s a small enough island but there’s a good cluster of local Video Game stores, Arcades (usually associated with the stores) and Local Game shops. Town wise I’d say Huntington or Oyster Bay because there’s so much to see or do and lots of good bars/breweries for the hang out. Plus we’ve got pretty good pizza and bagels! That being said both those areas have a huge selection of delicious foods. The aforementioned arcades also have been known to do events. There’s a very good Boardgame cafe in Huntington that has food/drinks and shelves of games to play and try which could be a fun way to get people going outside of the video game stuff. I have a guest room, and a couch in my basement, it’s basically a hotel so you wouldn’t have to pay for lodging for any of the Cohorts. In all seriousness it’s a cool place and I’d love to be able to make it to a meet up! PS: I’d also like to add that it’s obviously a train ride away from NYC so if any of the MinnMax-ers were staying more than a day or so they would have plenty to do/see.

Dylan Kelly

Howdy! You've heard of Portland, Oregon? Great. This isn't that! This is St. Helens, Oregon about 45 minutes from Portland. Heard of the movie Twilight? Filmed a bit here. Halloweentown, the Disney Channel Original Movie? Also filmed here. We've got: - a DMV - an ice-cream drive-in that only takes cash and has been here since the 60's - kayaking - parks - a public library if that's not exciting enough, Portland is less than an hour away :)

TheAggroCraig

I know y’all did one in Seattle before but if it was possible to do one Labor Day weekend for PAX West that’d be cool since I’ll be out there for it! Or later in the month in Boston after I get home!

Tom Rickard

Giving it a shot with some loving sarcasm for my underdog city. Sacramento, CA! We are the capital of California that barely anyone talks about! We are the subject of a whole damn movie called Lady Bird! Maybe not Greta Gerwig’s biggest movie but damn it, we need to have at least something! We are not too big of a town where it’s a headache to get around and not too small to where it’s just pathetic! Come look at our one cool bridge! Come look at our pyramid! Come look at the capital! We have a ton of restaurants and bars and are only a hour away from other cooler cities like SF, Lake Tahoe, and Bodega Bay. Seriously that’s why people come here is because of the proximity of other cooler places, it speaks volumes of the city itself. How well am I selling this? Come one, come all!

God's Garage

I have to pitch my hometown Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati has a rich history, lots of great food, music and architecture (mostly of German influence) and plenty of places to visit for the travelogue including the Cincinnati Zoo, Music Hall, and the Union Terminal/ History museum (inspiration for DC’s Hall of Justice). We have the most bars per capita of any U.S. city, but there’s a bar/coffee shop in Batavia, Ohio called the Bean and Brew that would be awesome to show some love to for the meetup. And if not, there’s plenty of other places with arcade cabinets and the like that would be a blast as well. For a very metropolitan city, there’s surprisingly a lot of great places to hike. Cincinnati has a lot of hills, so places like the Cincinnati Nature Center, Ault Park, Eden Park, and East Fork State Park (also in Batavia) are some great places to get a good walk in. There’s a lot of Cincinnati local food that would be fun to review- skyline chili, frischs big boy, or graeters ice cream to name a few local franchises. There’s a ton of local restaurants and small businesses as well!

Brainfreeze

Metuchen. New Jersey 1. Nicknamed the "Brainy Borough." Why? I'm not sure, we can find out together! 2. The 2023 Great American Main Street Award Winner from Main Street America, an organization that recognizes strong support for local businesses and historic preservation. https://mainstreet.org/ https://njbiz.com/metuchen-wins-2023-great-american-main-street-award/ 3. Jersey's Best "Destination of the Year 2024" https://www.jerseysbest.com/community/metuchen-is-jerseys-best-2024-destination-of-the-year/ 4. You know all that talk we hear lately about "15-minute cities?" Metuchen honest to god fits the criteria, and it's walkable as heck. That makes it a great place to live, but does that make it a great place to visit? Only you can decide! https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/new-jersey/perfect-day-trip-destination-nj/ 5. Public transit right in the middle of town. Manhattan is an hour train ride north, and Philly is a 1.5 hour train ride south, and lots of other small towns along the way. Heck, Boston, Baltimore, DC? If you end up hating it here, you have so many escape routes with the train! And if you've got a car? Oooh baby, Staten Island is just 15 minutes away, your choices just exploded. (Oh and I guess the jersey shore is a thing?) 6. Surrounded on all sides by the township of Edison, New Jersey, where Thomas Edison invented the Light Bulb. That could be interesting, huh? 7. We're fairly small, so the Downtown Alliance might make a big deal out of you coming here! No promises though! 8. Tons of local restaurants, a couple of bars, a pay-by-the-hour arcade that hosts private events, a local board game shop, an indoor sports plex with soccer and basketball courts (roller skating on Fridays, Janet!), outdoor walking paths and playgrounds, and more! https://www.downtownmetuchen.org/directory/ 9. A short ride from the Newark airport, making it a small town with the access of a large city. 10. I'll be here, god dang it! Thanks for the consideration, I can answer any questions you may have.

Jeremy Banks

Kennett Square, Pennsylvania Quite literally, it is the "Mushroom Capital of the World" - If you've ever eaten/bought mushrooms, chances they were grown here - Small walkable town where *everything* is Mushroom themed; from the gift shops, to even the décor in the local convenience stores - Every year, and in 2024 it will be held on September 7th and 8th, there is the "Mushroom Festival"; it's a full-on festival (reaches around 100k people in total) where they have mushroom related food, mushroom swag, a mascot, and activities of everything from learning how mushrooms are grown to full-on cooking contests - There's a huge Mexico-heritage presence in the town with some high-quality mom-and-pop food options, outside of the mushroom-related things - About 30min west of Philadelphia, 20min north of Wilmington, DE, and ~1 hr north of Baltimore; so while it's a small town, it's a close enough drive to other major populated areas. - This is the longest of longshots to get chosen, but in my opinion, I think it would be cool to see something outside of a normal city for a meetup. You could always actually stay in Philly to do things like see the historic parts of the city (Liberty Bell,etc) or try one of the many cheesesteak options for a travelogue, but how cool would it be to include in the trip an afternoon in a place with such a specific theme as "mushrooms?" Maybe I should have vouched for Philly itself since there would be a lot more opportunity there since it's an actual city, but I wanted to shoot my shot with my home town, because I truly do think it's unique in its personality

Andy Dwyer

Milwaukee Wisconsin, Come visit Chicagos best suburb! We have a great art museum, lake access and some nice parks around the city. We also have plenty of amazing craft breweries that are open on Sundays. It’s also an easy drive for many of the Illinois Minnmax fans.

Andrew Molnar

Madison, WI: I've lived and worked in Madison for the last 10 years, and I fully consider it my adopted home town. Madison is only a hop, skip, and jump from Minneapolis! It's one of the fastest-growing tech hubs in the world and there are plenty of gaming-related businesses here, including CoD developer, Raven Software. Madison is the state capital and home to the University of Wisconsin, and has a cool, progressive vibe. Not to mention that our fair city is located on an isthmus between two big, beautiful lakes. We LOVE beer, cheese, and the outdoors. But if you're looking to have a drink indoors, we have multiple arcade bars to choose from. I/O Arcade Bar would make for the perfect meetup location. There is so much to do and see in Madison, and I think the cohorts would love it. Uff da!

Joe Garifo

I’m gonna throw another DC pitch out there! We got all the Smithsonian museums, all the different memorials. Metro is one of the best public transit systems behind the NYC subway. Cross into MD and you got Baltimore and Annapolis in an hours drive to expand what you can do. Amazing food options here, Janet can check out Jose Andreas’ Tapas restaurant, Jaleo

JHerb

Hershey, PA: I grew up around this area and it's nice. Hershey is of course known for their chocolate, but also the amusement park. They even have a small zoo inside the park! Aside from that there's great restaurants and you're within driving distance of great Appalachian Trail-esque hikes, cows, horses, and Amish PA Dutch culture if you really want to see some farms and horse-and-buggies on the road. As for a meetup location, Troeg's Brewery is in town, which is a well-known East Coast brewer that has risen up through the ranks throughout the years. I'll also give an honorable mention that Gettysburg is less than an hour away, so if you come out you can go experience the amazing Civil War history there, catch a ghost tour, or visit the excellent visitors center/museum the National Park Service has.

Russ Aaron

Here's my pitch for Dallas/Ft. Worth - You've got the National Video Game Museum in Frisco for starters. I'm sure lots of content to be had there. Gearbox Studios is also out there in Frisco. id Software is right down the road in Richardson. Crunchyroll/Funimation is based in my childhood hometown...Ben, if you stand at their front door long enough (a few days might do it), maybe they'll let you do some voice work. Kelsey can visit her hometown and speaking of which...Ben can record a video of himself and the cohorts standing outside the sad, sad Gamestop Headquarters in Grapevine. Doing what, I'm not sure, but we can leave it to the imagination. There are a TON of great bars and especially breweries in the DFW area. Some favorites are Manhattan Project Beer Co, Celestial Beerworks, Four Corners, and Revolver Brewing to name a few of the breweries. For bars, there are a ton of cool hangouts, but The Londoner in both Addison and Dallas have a really authentic pub vibe. Tons of other options too, including a lot of Alamo Drafthouse locations too if you wanted to do some sort of joint meetup/movie watching/trivia party deal. There's always the Cidercade or Freeplay locations around the Metroplex if you're looking for a more barcade-themed meetup. In September you could catch either a Rangers or Cowboys game if the schedule aligns. it's a gamble, but it MAY be nice weather. We'll say it'll be nice weather... For non-gaming site seeing, you can check out the grassy knoll and the 6th floor museum, Reunion Tower (the big Ball), The Perot Museum (dinosaurs...even 1 or 2 JP props, I believe. They'll agree with Ben that it's the power as a metaphysical concept AND the electricity). And finally...Tex-Mex and margaritas. Everywhere. Hope to see y'all there!

Stackhouse

Richmond, VA or Williamsburg, VA https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rOZw0ARmKBY9yyCYjb-UTeKrEvfxhm0SLxdpH5HJaJ8/edit?usp=sharing Here's a Google Doc with all the details. There seem to be a lot of great options in this thread with worthwhile locations and sites to hit up. Beyond easy transportation, lower costs than a major city, and tons to see and do, I'm throwing out pitches with possibilities for a MinnMax live stage show and/or mini con within a larger gaming festival I'm producing for September.

Nick from Atlanta

Are you tired of cities laid out logically on a grid? Would you love to get stuck in traffic everywhere you go, and get confused which of the many roads named Peachtree you're supposed to be on? Come on down to Atlanta, Georgia! There's TONS of history, from Civil War to Civil Rights. It's home to the largest aquarium in the United States (4th largest in the world!), the Coca-Cola museum, Nick from Atlanta, the busiest airport in the world, the best campus nestled directly in the middle of a major city (Georgia Tech, Go Jackets!), the College Football Hall of Fame, and more. Want to check in on the gaming side? The greater Atlanta is home to many studios, like Tripwire Interactive (Killing Floor, Maneater) to Blue Mammoth Games (Brawlhalla) to Hi-Rez (Smite, Paladins). There's plenty to do in the surrounding area as well. Make a trip up to Stone Mountain! Come to Smyrna, famous for being where I live (and I guess trees and stuff), as well as the home of the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park! Bike the Silver Comet trail! Just DO NOT COME LABOR DAY WEEKEND, it will be extremely busy and you won't be able to get a room anywhere. Also, I'll be drunk at Dragon Con.

McCracKenway

Laramie, Wyoming! Have you ever even been to Wyoming before? Probably not--so now's your chance! Come to the most welcoming town in the state, with a vibrant downtown supported by the Laramie Mainstreet Alliance, and the University of Wyoming, the only 4-year institution in the state, filled with bright young people! The university is very good at engaging people of interest to students. I'm sure communications or English would be excited to set up a talk for students on the games industry or games storytelling. We are kind of an unexpected magnet for good and talented people. We have old historic wild west sites, a historic downtown, beautiful mountains, good drinking options, and the bowling place I went to as a kid! Come to Laramie, best town in the smallest state, and get a cowboy hat somewhere kind!

Rhett

Tennessee is a great state and I love Nashville too - but let me make a case for Knoxville: 1. As many have pointed out in their pitches, there is no shortage of destinations that portray the beauty of this country and Knoxville is no exception. Nestled right in the shadow of the Great Smoky Mountains, you can easily find spots to enjoy a hike and appreciate the wonders of nature. Smoky Mountain National Park is less than an hour away - Ramsey Cascades is my favorite waterfall in the park. 2. SEC Football - The Tennessee Volunteers will be playing some football in September and it truly is a sight to behold. Hundreds of thousands of fans tailgating and singing "Rocky Top" at the top of their lungs may sound overwhelming (it for sure is); however, there is something so communal and special in seeing a bunch of folks unite to cheer on the Vols. Great atmosphere and a great representation of what football means in the South. 3. Low-key incredible food scene - and I don't just say that because of my career as a food scientist. Delicious pizza at A Dopo, the best burger in Knoxville at Abridged Beer Co., down-on-the-farm ice cream from Cruze Farm - and that is just the beginning. You can find authentic Mexican food, Asian cuisine, and of course some great Tennessee BBQ. Plenty of places for a community meetup - Maple Hall is a bowling alley and bar that would be perfect to hang out and have some fun! 4. Amazing downtown, called Market Square, that is so lively and accessible. World's Fair Park is a great place to hang out not too far from the University of Tennessee campus. Usually have live music or theater going on as well as a Saturday morning Farmer's Market. Art and history sights all around, particularly if you like some Civil War history. 5. Saving the best for last - We are 45 minutes away from Dollywood, Dolly Parton's theme park in Pigeon Forge, TN. Not only is it legitimately a great theme park with excellent rides, but also it will be decorated for Halloween which is just amazing to see. Perfect place for a travelogue, some unreal cinnamon bread, and the Tennessee Tornado! Show some love for Dolly! That's the pitch. Knoxville may look like a bigger city but it has a small town vibe. Great community and atmosphere and just enough to do to pack a long weekend full of cool experiences!

God's Garage

I didn’t even think about Kings Island! Depending on what week in September, they’ll probably have their huge Halloween event going on: Halloween Haunt. The entire theme park is overrun by haunted attractions, scare actors wandering the park, and huge haunted “houses” to check out. I don’t like amusement parks personally, but I make a point to go to Haunt every year. Plus September is my birthday month, so there’s a happiest birthday crossover in there somewhere.

Miguel

Dallas/Ft. Worth area!

Poofydoo

Atlanta, GA Popular airport. Should be able to get a great rates on flights. New Realm brewery would be great as they have a nice rooftop. Plenty to do. Just up to you. Several breweries. White Water park. Nice hikes in North GA. GA Aquarium. Six Flags.

Dunder

Come celebrate the 5th anniversary of MinnMax in beautiful Alexandria, MN! Just an easy two hour drive from the Twin Cities, this affords the opportunity for a road trip with the cohorts and great travelogue material. People could also fly in to Fargo which has a super easy to navigate airport and drive about 90 minutes down I-94 to Alexandria. With a population of about 15,000, Alexandria is not too big, not too small, and has much to offer for a community get together. To name just a few attractions: - Over 200 lakes - plentiful rentals and hotels - lakeside restaurants - a new arcade with 36 games (the arcade can be rented out for 2+ hours) - a large indoor water park - breweries (with trivia nights) - wineries - indoor and outdoor pickleball courts (like the Blind Squirrel Pickleball Club 🐿️) - bike trails - Elemental Games: a local game store with CCG and retro game sales - Lake Carlos State Park - Lake Brophy County Park: large outdoor playground, a new shelter that can be reserved, hiking and mountain biking trails, large public beach - Big Ole - America’s biggest Viking! If you visit September 13-15, you won’t want to miss the annual Grape Stomp Festival. It has live music, over 100 vendors, a beer garden, wine tasting, and of course the grape stomping! Who wouldn’t want to see some cohorts stomp grapes? I work for the county so I have connections with the tourism office, parks, businesses, restaurants, and more if you need help with coordination. https://www.ccwgrapestomp.com What was born in Minnesota should be celebrated in Minnesota! Come party in Alexandria! https://explorealex.com

Craig Marshall

You guys should celebrate in the best city on the state of Florida, my hometown of Tampa. We have fantastic food choices and hangout spots. You can enjoy channelside or downtown as well as Ybor where you will find great Cuban culture and food. Definitely try a delicious Cuban sandwich. September is still beach weather here if that's your thing and we have some fantastic gulf beaches. Tampa is also home to the longest continuous sidewalk on the U.S. We are also a short drive over the bay to our sister city of St pete. You can enjoy local beers such as cigar city, green bench and 3 daughters. We have the Salvador Dali museum and the florida aquarium. And if you like amusement parks, we have busch gardens and adventure island water park. We are also 1.5 hour drive from Disney world. Tampa will give you a different perspective on Florida.

Parker Aden

I’m going to advocate for probably the smallest town to be considered - Pocahontas, Iowa. It's a rural community of under 2,000 people that PlayStation visited back in 2016 as part of their My Road to Greatness tour. For being a small town, it has some many necessary and unique amenities that don't make sense on paper - hospital, grocery store, quality school - but then the unique ones like a movie theater, golf course, bowling alley, comic shop, multiple restaurants, swimming pool, hotel, coffee shop and a Kaleidoscope Factory. The Kaleidoscope Factory has drawn people from across the world to visit our small town. It's an incredibly unique store that I love to take visitors to! We also have some great county amenities where people can golf even more, go kayaking, play disc golf, etc. I pitch Pocahontas because I have all of the connections (thanks to my work) to help MinnMax take over Pocahontas for an awesome, one in a lifetime weekend. We could rent out the movie theater - the Rialto Theatre - for the weekend to use as a main hub. Watch a movie together, play games and have tournaments on the big screen, and heck you could even record an episode of the podcast in person because the theater has a stage behind the screen! I would be delighted to help coordinate the activities within the weekend. Business owners would be so excited to have MinnMaxers around town enjoying Pocahontas for the weekend. Heck, I bet we could even get the Mayor to make a special proclamation for the weekend to really honor MinnMax choosing us for the great meet up. Worried about space and accommodations? The Rialto can hold 300 people in the auditorium. Our fairgrounds has the EXPO Center - a big event room that can host approximately 400ish people. We have a hotel, but it's only two stories so it can't hold a ton of people. We do have campgrounds in Poky and throughout the county, however, there are 3 other communities within a 30 minute drive that have hotels - Humboldt, Emmetsburg, and Storm Lake. Fort Dodge has multiple hotels and is less than an hour away. (Someone once said the only difference from living in Pocahontas and a city is that when you have a drive time, you're actually driving and not just sitting in traffic to get somewhere.) And although Pocahontas doesn't have a major airport, the Fort Dodge Regional Airport has flights to Chicago and some other major cities. Plus Des Moines, Omaha, and Minneapolis are all within a 2, 3, and 4 hour drive respectively. All in all, we've hosted gamers and unique events before. PlayStation said Pocahontas was one of the best events and had one of the biggest crowds, even bigger than New York, Orlando, and Denver. (Funny enough I'm pretty certain Pocahontas is still the smallest town PlayStation has been to.) We also hosted RAGBRAI as an overnight town in 2022. (If you don't know what RAGBRAI is, it's a great big bicycle race across Iowa and you would probably be fascinated by it.) We've done it before and we can do it again, and it would be a once in a lifetime experience for the MinnMax community! Thanks for making it this far in my comment and considering Pocahontas!

Stephen Rigney

I did read US only. But in the spirit of clogging this feed I will propose Picton, NSW, Australia. We almost have a pub person person, shit load of brown snakes, and a 30,000 strong fruit bat colony that you can smell and hear from anywhere in the town

Blaine Sheasley

Cleveland, Ohio. It's a beautiful city in September with perfect weather (if not raining, but what can you do). It is situated directly on a great lake and a big beautiful river runs directly through it. There is a place called The Flats that is built on both sides of the river right where it meets the lake and at sundown it is gorgeous and there are tons or bars and restaurants right there to hang out in. Also, it's the best city in Ohio by far.

John Ford

Hi! I'm John, from Baltimore. You may know me on the Discord as John from Baltimore. I'm here to suggest Baltimore!!!! Baltimore is an amazing town to visit. I travel a lot, and Baltimore is low-key one of the best food cities in the country, everything is delicious. We're a city, right in the middle of the East Coast, easily drivable from Philly and DC and New York, and with easy access to large international airports and Amtrak. Still, as the smallest city I just named, we have a small friendly blue-collar feel. We have world-class memeable attractions such as the National Aquarium, Campden Yards, The American Visionary Arts Museum, Blacks in Wax museum, and the country's only tooth museum. Baltimore is fun to say, it's an underdog that's fun to root for, and it is dope. After the Key Bridge collapse, come be a part of the country's best comeback story here in Charm City!

ManifestEcho

St. Louis, MO Centrally located, small city, lots of great restaurants, free attractions (like our highly rated zoo! and the art museum is also free). The City Museum is also pretty cool. The Museum of Transportation has a bunch of trains if you're into trains. It's not that expensive and traffic normally doesn't get that bad. We have sports (and of course a baseball stadium). There's a Six Flags and wineries not that far away from the city. The Gateway Arch. Home of toasted ravioli and gooey butter cake. The controversial St. Louis style pizza (Cecil Whittaker's is my fave of that style).

Charlie Wacholz // Hair of the Dog

Milwaukee, WI is a spectacular city. Known for our beer and food culture, MKE punches well above it's weight class as a dining destination. Hell, we're even hosting Top Chef this year. But we also have gorgeous parks, beautiful architecture, and we're relatively cheap to visit. I'll also go to bat for Chicago, which is also an city like no other in the summer. Chicago's much cheaper than other cities its size but still has all the amenities like transit, epicurean food options, and the like. I'm a professional bar rat and food and drink writer so I know both cities' food scenes quite well. Happy to pass along recs for spots to host meetups in either MKE or CHI if y'all choose either city!!

Seabass

Gloucester, Mass! A little bit for everyone. - a blue collar history as literally America’s oldest seaport. Come see a lighthouse or two, or take a day trip on a schooner. - the setting for dirty fishing movie “The Perfect Storm” and the actual filmed location for “Manchester-By-The-Sea”. - Home of multiple beaches (Minnesotans can handle September swimming right?) and beautiful views right on the coast north of Boston. - a ton of restaurants with absolutely fresh and fantastic seafood all within a walkable downtown area. - a 30 minute drive from Boston, with rail access. - all the Dunkin’s your heart can desire, with 8 locations in a city of 30K people. Plenty of hotels/motels/campgrounds in the area, breweries in neighboring towns, and some function halls for “home base” or meetups. EDIT: plus 10 minutes from Salem, MA, home of the witches!

Fred Dinovo

If I may add another Ohio to the bunch, a lot of Ohio requests btw might be worth coming to.... Columbus, OH! It's in the center of the state so all Ohioan MinnMaxers can come easily. Not only that there is an international airport and Columbus is the gateway to the Midwest, very easy to get to from just about anywhere. You want a Zoo? We've got Jack Hanna and the Columbus Zoo. Tired of looking at animals? Then literally walk over and cool off at the attached Zoombezi Bay water park. Rather than laser tag, how about heading over to the Skate Zone 71 roller rink? Depending on when you arrive you could attend the Damn Girl dance party (third Friday of every month) You think you've seen ravenous football fans, why not come see Buckeye Country in the beginning of the season? Or if not you could arrive during the weekend of a bye week or away game and avoid the measured chaos. Great hiking opportunities at High Banks or a short drive to Hocking Hills or Mohican state parks. Curious Kelsey's might be interested in catching a Columbus Clippers minor league baseball game. If you time it right you could even attend a "Dime a Dog Night" that's right a dime for a hotdog (limit 5 per purchase). We've got it all in Columbus.

Jordan Greer

Phoenix! Definitely hot in the summer but I believe there are lots of folks who would love to see you! (Including myself!)

Andrew Niesley

Dayton, Ohio would be a great place for this meetup! I also love Columbus and Cincinnati, but Dayton is a smaller city with lots of history and personality! Dayton is the home of the Wright brothers, where they designed and built the world's first successful airplane! Related to that, our National Museum of the US Air Force is the largest museum for military aircraft in the world - with free admission! The communities for the arts are also thriving in Dayton, with several theaters downtown for stage shows, concerts, and many other performances. The Dayton Art Institute is home to many beautiful works, as well as a showcase for many traveling exhibits from around the world. October is also the peak time to see Ohio's fall foliage in our network of parks throughout the city and surrounding area! There are dozens of great hiking trails, nature preserves, and extravagant gardens that will be showcasing their wares for one last season before winter. If the weather is on the warmer end, there are boat rentals for trips up and down the Great Miami River, or indoor ice skating nearby if you prefer a cooler activity. Dayton is also a home to several Cincinnati food specialties like Graeter's Ice Cream and Skyline Chili, as well as plenty of local favorites like Marion's Pizza, Fricker's, and Submarine House. There are too many wonderful coffee shops to list if you need an energy boost, or plenty of unique bars and breweries across the city if you want a more low-key experience. I wish I could offer more for the sports fans, but the Dayton Dragons stop playing baseball in early September and there aren't any other major sports represented in the city anymore. College basketball gets crazy with the First Four games being played in University of Dayton's arena every March, but virtually every other major league can be appreciated in either Columbus or Cincinnati which are each about an hour away.

Adam_CW

Santa Ana, California! Not only is it a 30 min drive to LA (without traffic), Downtown Santa Ana is full of flavor and life! The crowning achievement is The Frida Cinema, a non-profit art house theater that could be easily rented out for any special group screening (maybe something like Jurassic Park or Advent Children??). Above it is a rooftop bar, and up and down the street are specialty restaurants and hang out spots! My favorites being Wursthaus with a hidden bar area and Vacation where you can dance in the subtle glow of neon lights! It is also very close to an airport (technically called John Wayne but the cool folks refer to it as Santa Ana Airport).

Alyssa Smith

Gonna throw out what might be a long shot, but my hometown is the coolest hometown- Frederick, MD! Downtown Frederick is historic and beautiful, plus great shopping, restaurants, and you can walk down Carroll Creek, where there is gross dirty water (gotta be honest) and super cool painted bridges! https://images.app.goo.gl/EDeqwmquwEkCkFF7A There’s art like that tucked all throughout downtown on buildings and such, where it looks 3D at *just* the right angle. Baker Park is in the downtown area as well- there are events there pretty frequently, but it’s a great place to just chill out and vibe. I think there are a couple escape rooms downtown as well, definitely one at a strip mall not too far from downtown! For the ~gamers~, there’s a pinball arcade called Spinners- they’re currently in the process of moving locations, but I’d imagine it should be open by September? Ideally lol For any history buffs, I think there’s a civil war medicine museum, along with other small museums! Honestly, I went as a child and remember very little, but it’s a pretty historic area. For the drinkers, there are so. Many. Breweries. But yeah, Frederick! I moved out of state a couple of years ago for work, and I still brag about my hometown all the time. It’s a cute area, with a lot of personality!

Tonytheswordsman

PHX, AZ An untapped market? Yes My home and heart will always be in AZ as a native to the land generationally. It’s a wonderful place with plenty of video game lovers but sadly we don’t get much opportunity. Always having it in California and us having to plan bigger trips with never holding the joy having a video game meet up in our backyard. I can attest for the food being some truly hidden gems having plenty independent places and personally will provide a list of the best places both in town and neighboring to the community. Wouldn’t you want to be a first to have a meet up in AZ? I can’t say how many community members are in AZ but trust me if you hold it in here I will be there truly excited possibly with a large ice tea and a bean burrito in hand. I mean hey don’t you want to see where they were planning on putting that Atari hotel at? (I am truly ready to hold a presentation over this, thank you)

Gamehunt64

One more vote for Orlando, FL. Let’s start with the obvious,: having Disney and Universal means everyone would have a chance to visit any of the 6 theme parks and/or 3 world class water parks. Star Wars fans can visit Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios, while Harry Potter fans can head to Islands of Adventure to visit Hogwarts (Ben, you can spend the whole day in the Jurassic Park section - need I say more?). For those of you less interested in rides and more in culture, food and drinks, the famous Food and Wine festival will be going on at Epcot during the event. Who doesn’t want to drink around the world while tasting a variety of amazing dishes? In addition to the parks, everyone would have access to great shopping, dining and bars at both Universal’s Citywalk and Disney Springs (including a completely dinosaur themed restaurant ala Rainforest Cafe). What about non-park owned areas you ask? Well, Orlando has a large variety of local bars and restaurants, including a vibrant downtown area with multiple environments to fit everyone’s liking, be it drinking/eating around a lake or bar hopping in between Church Street (take a look at the 1UP Bar for an “on theme” location) and Wall Street (much more fun than the one in NYC…) Location wise, while it may not be central to a lot of the country, Orlando is extremely well connected through its international airport. Once there, you may want to look into some of the most well themed Airbnbs in the country (just Google something like “Star Wars themed airbnbs in Orlando” and you’ll see what I mean). If those are not your thing, you’ll be sure to find a hotel to your liking, as the city places in the top 3 in the country by hotel room count. Beyond having a great time with one of the greatest communities in the internet, Orlando would give everyone the opportunity to make a whole trip out of the experience. And with that, I rest my case.

Matt Sheldon

Erie, PA! Lots of great spots to gather. I actually host game nights at a local bar that would be perfect. Why Erie? In addition to being a very scenic and tourist friendly town it's also within 500 miles of 70% of the population of the US! We are an hour and a half from Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland. You would he incredibly hard pressed to find a town anywhere in the US that more people could get to easily.

Owen S

Let’s take a look at Buffalo, NY shall we: Buffalo, NY is the 78th largest city in the U.S.. It is a place that is just big enough without being overwhelming. Buffalo maintains the Minneapolis energy. The weather can be brutal and the sports teams never win championships. We are known for wings, but I’d make a case that the food is strong across the board, as long as you don’t have the goal of being healthy. Buffalo has close proximity to Niagara Falls, an excess of breweries, a newly upgraded art museum, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House, and so much more! Why are we even still talking!? Book your trip to Buffalo today!!

Cory S

Akron OH, the best little-big city you never thought to visit. A naturally beautiful town with a quirky history and was once the fastest growing city in the nation, and a very friendly place. It's a perfect size for a short trip, easy to get around but plenty to do, with lots of locally owned businesses and eateries (especially if you like brew pubs). It's very easy to get to as we have two international airports within 30min and the city is very walkable and has a lot of cheap/free parking. But I said quirky, so let's get to the FUNky stuff. You can ride a bike from downtown into the Cuyahoga Valley National Park along an old canal system. Known as Rubber City, Akron was the rubber boom town where most major US tire companies started, and you can visit the founder of Goodyears crazy huge mansion and gardens, Stan Hywet, and maybe catch a Shakespeare performance (that inspired the Weezer song Opening Night). it's also the place where AA was founded. We have a functioning blimp hangar that's a great, monolithic photo backdrop, and do you want to run along the Soap Box Derby world championship hill? Well, it's right next to it. Luigi's (sorry, no Mario's), our oldest Pizza joint, has a working mini-animatronic band. Lebron James grew up here, and his main non-profit just renovated an old dinner theater that's open every day, with a 1960s cabaret, a Starbucks, and a secret pizza parlor (yes, you enter through a secret entrance). We have a nationally awarded Zoo, but it's not too big and great for a short visit. Gaming history and stats? The University of Akron are the 4-time Rocket League National Champs, Pro Bowling started in Akron, and the Football Hall of Fame is 20 south. Our big, central downtown park will have just finished a complete renovation. It's right next to the grand Civic theater that just got renovated and has a proper flying organ. Like I said, it's a very friendly place, I know a lot of people/places in town that’d be happy to host something, and I'd be happy to help you plan things and make suggestions. And since movie theater access seems to be a highlight for many, I actually cofounded an arthouse, non-profit cinema in town and have keys :) The Nightlight Cinema only shows films now but rentals are possible. The organization actually started by hosting small film and avant garden games festivals, so this could be a fun way to celebrate the roots of the organization!

Joshua Novalis

(EDIT: Look in the comments below for a slew of additional reasons Lancaster's awesome and worth considering for our big meet-up.) Listen: I know there are over 100 options in the comments above me. There are bigger cities, weirder cities, cities with big balls of twine and whatnot. But let me take this chance to sell you on why Lancaster, PA would be an excellent spot for a MinnMax meetup. 1. Location - Lancaster might sound like it’s out of the way, but it’s actually situated perfectly between many of the biggest cities on the East coast. We’re 2 hours or less from DC, Baltimore, and Philly, 3 hours from NYC and most of New Jersey, and 4 hours from Pittsburgh. If you came to Lancaster, you’d be a manageable drive away from all of these cities, which increases the number of supporters who may be able to attend. We also have a lot of nearby airports to fly into. 2. Sightseeing - Lancaster has a fun and thriving city life, especially if you’re into trying out new foods. There are dozens of restaurants serving different international cuisines, partly because we pride ourselves on being a welcoming space to immigrants and refugees. We also have some good bars and breweries that could work well for meetups. We also have the country’s longest continuously-running farmer’s market in the center of the city, which predates the founding of America. 3. Pennsylvania with 2 Ns. Coincidence? I think not. (And don’t you dare bring up that third N at the end.) Happy to answer more questions about Lancaster if you all end up seriously considering it. It’s a really fun city with a lot to offer, and it’s a convenient location for a lot of us in the Eastern US.

Kassandra Boss

I live in a cute college city about 30 minutes north of Dallas. Denton, Texas or “the little d” as we like to call it. Our city is home to 2 universities, one is a women’s college and the other is one of the most acclaimed music schools in the country. Because of that, we have a great music scene. Every night of the week, you can find good live music at a local spot. There’s lots of karaoke nights every week too! We have lots a local businesses, like restaurants, bars, and vintage clothing shops you couldn’t find anywhere else. The city revolves around the town square, which is always busy. If you’re lucky, you might see Josh. A chill dude on the spectrum who likes to play dancey tunes on his synthesizer keyboard while wearing a tiger mask. Spotting him always feels like an event. And once you drive close enough, a huge chunk of the city is completely walkable. My wife and I moved here because the city passed a law protecting trans people from housing discrimination. Denton is warm, adorable, granola, queer, and welcoming city. Y’all would love it. Oh AND we are only 30 minutes away from the National Videogame Museum!

Zach Killian

Little Rock, AR It’s a big enough city to have stuff to do but not huge either. There’s plenty to do downtown at the River Market. The location is good for people to fly in. It’s an affordable place.

GreenMountainState

I'm here to pitch Middlebury, VT. There's lots to hype, but I'm going to lead with the fact that it's home to the BEST chocolate milk in the nation. Monument Farms is a small dairy farm just out of town and I happen to be childhood friends with the family and owners. I'm certain we could take a farm tour and learn the secrets to their famous chocolate milk recipe. Besides that though, Middlebury is a fairly small town, home to Middlebury College, which is known for it's language school. The town has a really nice downtown which includes a bridge over a waterfall, three restaurants, and a movie theater with a bar inside. There's plenty of green space to hang out in too, which is great for eating maple creemees (what we call soft serve ice cream, but it's way better). Just down the road is an apple orchard, which will be prime to visit in September. They have the best cider donuts and fresh cider on offer. I'll stop there but there's much more to hype! It's 45 min south of Burlington Airport and there are a few quaint lodging options. Looking forward to hosting MinnMax in Middlebury!

Nubbyy

Come to Burlington, VT! Burlington is the smallest biggest city in the US - meaning it's the least populous city in the US that's also the most populous city within its state. Don't let its small size fool you - we have an airport, a recently re-opened AmTrak station, bars, and a Great Lake! (though it was only officially a Great Lake for 18 days). We also have a few tourist attractions, including the world's tallest filing cabinet. One of the best things Burlington has going for it is an awesome downtown area, in which it's easy to walk everywhere, from the shopping streets to the waterfront. There's a number of nationally recognized breweries within the downtown area, I think one of those would make a great spot to host the meetup!

Micheal Coons

I don’t have a great pitch, but you can come to Cazenovia NY and have a party at the brewery & cidery I run, Critz Farms. I’ll even brew a beer for it and let the community help design the beer. Depending on the time in September we also have apple picking going on, sweet cider (we always have hard cider), live music, nature trails, pumpkin picking, and good ole fashioned agritourism. Not a super tiny town, but a small one.

Robert Sullivan

My pitch is Trumansburg Ny it’s a small town with a pizza place that the owners are from Italy. It’s the location of the tallest waterfall in the north east called taughannock falls. Graduating classes are less than 100 people from the local school. If you wanna make a town explode in population this is a beautiful small town that is driving distance to a movie theater we could take over 15 minutes away just to make Ben happy

Justin Chen

Dallas, Texas. Four words: Randy Pitchford Medieval Times.

Michael Griffin

Tulsa OK - Home of historic Greenwood (Black Wall Street) - Lots of great local breweries in our Pearl District - Circle Cinema which is the only nonprofit arthouse theater in OK - A booming local food and coffee scene - Oklahoma is home to the fried onion burger - Lots of great parks and museum options - Large nerd/pop culture scene (we have our own anime convention every July)

Ewan Suttie

Edinburgh, Indiana I am not from Edinburgh, Indiana, I am from Edinburgh, Scotland, but I'm assuming they are about the same. There's a castle, many cool hills to climb, internationally renowned festivals, whiskey tasting and brewery tours, great bars and restaurants...oh wait I just checked and Edinburgh, Indiana has...hmm...none of that, but it does have some cool looking murals (6 of them!), some parks I guess, and you can pay your bills online (very helpful!) so...sounds perfect, right!? I'll se you all in Edinburgh, Indiana! As I always say, its a small town with big charm™

Alex Crum

Hillsboro, Oregon We have Next Level Pinball Museum, one of the World's Largest Arcades with over 615+ pinball and arcade games on free play. Voted World's Favorite Pinball Arcade 2021, 2022 & 2023. Minnmax can even rent out the location for the meetup! There are plenty of local wineries, breweries, pubs, and bars to choose. I think the location is also suitable for a good number of folks on the west coast. It's 3 hours from Seattle and easy to fly to from California.

James

Tucson, Arizona: - Tucson is full of Saguaro's AKA a real life Cactuars from Final Fantasy. - Tucson is UNESCO's first city to be awarded the title of "capital of gastronomy" for the United States. Just to say that the Sonoran food here is very good and very unique. Been all around the United States and I haven't had better Mexican food anywhere else. - Amazing natural scenery. Crazy ass flora and fauna all over the place. Snakes, lizards, cardinals, interesting looking cactuses spot the landscape. You can go to the desert museum and see mountain lions, glow in the dark scorpions, snakes etc., or you can see some snakes IN THE FLESH at one of Tucson's many hikes for all levels of difficulty and treachery. - Tucson has a great Brewery/ bar scene, I can name about four great breweries in the downtown area all within walking distance of each other. Downtown/4th-ave bar corridor is great for a night out in general. - Casa Video film bar, a video rental store that also doubles as a film bar. Great place to grab a beer and watch whatever movie they happen to be playing at the time. - Weirdly enough, Running With Scissors, the dev studio behind the Postal games is located in Tucson. Not my cup of tea but game-related nonetheless. - Relatively cheap compared to cities of the same size. - GO TUCSON

Matty Baseball

Amityville, New York Look, I live in Brooklyn, which I think would be an amazing place for a meetup, but I know there is no chance it wins this small town contest. Therefore, I'm going to go ahead and pitch my actual hometown out on Long Island! Amityville has got everything you could ever want: -The beach -That murder house they made all those movies about -Thats kinda it

Admiral Ackbar's Snackbar

Mendon, Massachusetts I grew up in this little town called Mendon, MA, located approximately 45 miles outside of Boston or 25 miles away from Worcester. Mendon is one of the original 100 English settlements founded in 1667. Mendon is a weird little town surrounded by much larger towns/cities but has essentially stayed very small (when my family moved there in 1997, it had just about 3,000 people). It only has one stop light (where a state highway Rt. 16 cuts through the other main road). one video game fact is the middle school was filmed for Guitar hero Aerosmith. The legendary rock band Aerosmith played their first paid gig in Mendon back in the 1960s and all the band members grew up in towns around Mendon. So the actual gym they played in was recreated for the game. Other fun facts about Mendon: -It has the largest zoo in New England (Southwicks Zoo) -It is also home to the Mendon Twin Drive-In (an original 1950s drive-in movie theater that has been in continuous operation since it's opening day ~70 years ago) - The Taft Family (yes the guy who got stuck in the bathtub) has ties to Mendon, the original Taft who came to America settled in Mendon before the family moved to Ohio - The town has several bars that could easily be filled by the MinnMax Community -Despite its small town charm and feel Mendon borders several larger towns/cities (i.e. Milford) so there are options for hotels - The town once infamously kicked George Washington out of its local Inn during a celebration tour in the 1780s post the Revolution - Mendon has rolling hills and beautiful wooded hills. Its truly a quaint little town full of history - It was one of the first towns attacked and burned down during King Philips War in 1675 - Its really just a quaint little historical town that I think is right up Ben's alley.

Remington Novak

Ketchum, Idaho - A little ski town of about 4,000 people. - Amazing place for mountain/road biking. - Insanely walkable with a free public bus system. - Non-stop plane flights to 6 major cities.(SEA,LAX,SFO,SLC,ORD,DEN) - A free public outdoor ice rink featured in the board game "Pond Hockey-Opoly" - Very outdoorsy, hiking, fishing, skating, running, and skiing are the norm. - Wearing costumes is highly encouraged for multiple large events per year, mostly skiing related. - Multiple venues to rent out for whatever you need. - Next to Sun Valley ski resort. - Great local news paper with a lively local gossip section. - September is right before the busy season so you'll have the whole town to yourself.

Devin Rardin

Kassandra Boss made an excellent pitch for Denton, Tx and I'll throw in mine as well. Denton is a small town 30-40 minutes from Dallas. First, Dallas is home to the National Videogame Museum. It's a perfect and fun scene for the travelogue. Also, it's close to the Medieval Times. Essentially, it's a good home base outside the hustle and bustle of Dallas with easy access to two things you would find interesting. Denton itself has a beautiful square and an even more beautiful courthouse in the center. The two most on-brand places are D20 Tavern and Free Play. D20 is a bar with 20 local craft beers and over 400 tabletop games. Free Play boasts tons of arcade machines with no knockoff parts or emulations, and, of course, drinks. There is also a candy shop with some quirky things and a local comic shop on the square. East Side Denton is a big outside area with picnic tables and a large projector screen. The main attraction is the several food trucks that offer a wide variety of very good food. There is also a lot of good coffee and good music.

FinalSin

Bentleyville,PA ...if you're looking for a small town with nothing in it,then I got the place for you. My kids graduating class had less than 80 kids, and it's a public school. Guess best part about this place is that it's about 30-40 min from Pittsburgh. And surprisingly Pittsburgh got some Really cool places to see and some awesome food...

Alexander Robbie

Basel, Switzerland!. Why is this a good contender? It's something VERY new and FRESH for the community. There is a VERY cool museum here called HEK (Haus for Elektronishe Kunst) which often has exhibitions involving video games, cutting edge interactive art, and art in the digital age. Also that cool indie game Mundaun is from close to here. And EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE, Farming Simulator is from Giants Software Nextdoor in Zurich!

Lucas Skoff

Eugene, OR is a gorgeous hippy / college town 2 hours south of Portland. OR has the most waterfalls per capita, we have a climbable 1 mile tall butte hike only 10 minute drive away. National Geographic called our river the Williamette "the most cannoeable river" Thank you

Travis in Fargo

Okey dokey! It’s no surprise, I’m recommending Fargo, ND for the MinnMax meetup! Along with fantastic fun spots like Thunder Road and Kingpinz for go karts, mini golf, laser tag, arcades, etc., there are also a million cool things to do, all in a relatively small area downtown. Bernbaums is an award winning restaurant with bagels that, according to some foodie blogger I read a while back, rival those in New York City (“New York City?!?”). Also downtown is an incredible spot called Replay Games, which is a self-described “community-supported modern-day video game and board game arcade.” There’s a two block radius that features the best cheap, authentic Thai food (Thaikota), an amazing cidery/winery called Wild Terra, which is housed in a beautiful, reclaimed barn, and a wonderful barcade (TM) called Pixeled. Just a few blocks from said “two block radius” is a giant brewery/event center/hotel/shopping center (which only features local businesses) called Brewhalla. This place is filled with pinball tables, amazing food, and craft beers by Drekker that people drive millions of miles to get to. Also in Fargo: comic book/games shops, vintage stores, lots of live music, beautiful parks with trails and kayaks available to rent (Fargo is situated next to the Red River), the wood chipper from the movie Fargo (at the visitors center), a Super Mario Bros. mural for photo ops, both indoor and outdoor water parks, the biggest/best farmers market in the region (The Red River Market, which my wife actually helped start!), and lots of shirts/mugs that say things like “I went to Fargo,” or whatever. As a bonus, Fargo is near Rugby, ND, which has the honorific of being the “geographical center of North America-“ so basically, it’s a centralized location that’s at least moderately convenient for EVERYONE! (In North America). Fargo also has an international airport for those who need to travel by sky. Thanks for considering my home - Fargo, North Dakota - for the MinnMax meet up! Uff da!

Beau Bakken

Hallock, MN. Almost as far north and west as one can get in Minnesota. Population 981 i think. We're a small town in the Red River Valley. Although we are tiny, we have a thriving downtown street bustling with libations and a couple trendy shops. A popular brewery ( Revelation Ale Works) , wine bar (Last Chance Trading Post), and coffee shop (Bully Brew) are all across the street from each other. Food trucks frequent the street also. Six miles out of town there is a fancy Distillery (Far North Spirits) and lounge. We have outdoor murals around town. We have a public pool and a public golf course. I can't think of a place with better September weather. Lodging may be a concern though. A couple small hotels and a couple air BnBs

Scott Mills

My comment is for Salem, WV. Very small town, but it is very peaceful and relaxing. They have a historical museum called Fort New Salem which is pretty cool to walk through. Lots of parks and hiking trails to explore. Also I know you are looking to visit in September, but in October they have a really cool Apple Butter festival. If not that then where I live in Brecksville, OH is really nice. Right by the Cuyahoga Valley National Park which is the 13th best national park in the US. Within driving distance of Cleveland which is great to explore with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and some good restaurants. The amusement park Cedar Point is within driving distance, and if you wanted to go to Akron/Canton area to the football hall of fame that isn't too far of a drive either.

bizkiut (Nick S.)

My comment is for Marquette, MI. It is the biggest town in what is affectionately referred to as da UP (the upper peninsula of Michigan). Our whole part of the state gets missed on official government social media posts because the UP is never talked about. September is also one of the best times to be in Marquette. Great food trucks, great bars and breweries. You can all come up and eat a pasty! (The Cornish meat pie things, not a sweat pastry). There are great outdoor trails that are so picturesque it will take your breathe away. The big Ore Dock downtown, your Instagram will thank you. We can even go tour the biggest wooden Dome building in the world! So come on up to Marquette, MI, where you will find your favorite city in the world.

Jesse Repak

You'd be hard pressed to find a cuter town than Ottawa, Illinois. It's located about one hour and thirty minute's southwest of Chicago, illinois. We have about 19000 people here and we are located in what's called "starved rock country" It's the home of Starved Rock. It's a massive state park and people from all over the world come here to hike and to birdwatch and to enjoy the 2 rivers that run through the town. In the downtown area, you'll find all sorts of cute shops and small businesses. We have a super nerdy gaming store where they sell comic books and graphic novels and board games. And you can also start a DnD campaign there and play with your friends. We also have a Local arcade that just charges for the day, so you can spend 15-20 Bucks and spend hours there playing your favorite childhood arcade games. We also have a very cute movie theater called the Roxy- you can rent out the theater for private parties! This town is also known for being very culturally inclusive. We have a really great art gallery that is constantly changing its showroom to represent citizens of Ottawa and Lasalle county. And we also have really eclectic resale shops and thrift stores that are run by insanely caring human beings who are just trying to better the community. We also are the home to a wonderful pride festival that 1 of our local small business owners helps organize. It just started a couple years ago, but the crowd has been getting bigger each year and it's just really amazing what this town does for its LGBT+ community, especially the youth. You'll find a lot of cute little places to eat. There's a couple small diners, a few asian cuisine places, hot dog joints, etc. Just recently we started welcoming food trucks in our town. So there's usually something fun to try on the weekend, especially during the summer! Ottawa is a super cute little town just outside Chicago and it's always inviting to people outside of our community and we are always looking for events or new things to happen in our town that will draw more people to come here because it's so great. I'm from Chicago, I moved here almost 10 years ago to be with my husband and I don't miss city life one bit. I absolutely love small town life. I think the MinnMax folks would find a lot of of endearing experiences here in the land "where Lincoln once walked"

Alex Hanavan

If you’re looking for adventure, culture, food, drink, and even some gaming history, come to Richmond, KY! Are you ready for an unforgettable experience in the heart of the Bluegrass state? Look no further than Richmond (no, not that Richmond), a hidden gem nestled between city life and the great outdoors. Just 20 minutes north lies the vibrant city of Lexington, the Horse Capital of the World®. One of the coolest tourist spots in Lexington is the 50 year-old Kentucky Castle, a historic marvel offering breathtaking views of 110 acres of farmland. Lexington is also home to the Blue Grass Airport, making it a convenient entry point before the short drive to Richmond. Venture 15 minutes south of Richmond to Berea and you'll find yourself in the Folk Arts & Crafts Capital of Kentucky. Located on the edge of the Appalachian Mountains, Berea is home to the Pinnacles, recognized as the best hike in Kentucky according to Outside magazine. Berea is also home to PapaLeno’s, which serves up delicious, authentic Italian food that’s perfect after a long hike. But what about Richmond? Located in the heart of bluegrass, the Richmond and Madison County area was trailblazed by the iconic American pioneer and frontiersman Daniel Boone. It’s home to Fort Boonesborough, which was founded by Daniel Boone in 1775, just one year before the Declaration of Independence. Richmond is also home to Eastern Kentucky University (where I work), which has a 9-foot bronze statue of Daniel Boone in the center of campus. As an employee of the university, I would be able to reserve whatever type of space you all need for your event(s) or even take you on a tour of campus and downtown via golf cart. Also, one of our computer science professors, Michael Hartman, is the creator of the free-to-play business model and would be more than willing to chat with you all. His game, Threshold RPG, is a text-based MUD that has been in continuous operation since 1996. After a day of exploration, you can unwind at Dreaming Creek Brewery, Richmond’s first and only microbrewery, named after the creek on which Richmond is built. You can also indulge in wine tasting at Chenault Vineyards, tucked away just outside of town in the rolling hills. No visit to Richmond would be complete without a visit to The Paddy Wagon, an authentic Irish pub beloved by locals and visitors alike. Immerse yourself in the warm Kentucky hospitality and lively Irish atmosphere as you enjoy a pint of Guinness, a glass of Kentucky bourbon, or anything in between. Directly behind The Paddy Wagon sits Wink’s, the coolest, tastiest one-man-diner I’ve ever visited. With a bar that seats only 8 people, you’ll be enthralled by the stories of owner/bartender/cook John Dale as he prepares his one-of-a-kind menu items right in front of you. Richmond is a small town with big ambitions. Whether you’re looking for adventure, relaxation, history, innovation, new culinary experiences, or just some good hospitality, we’ve got you covered.

Tom France

I'll throw my pitch in for Milford, PA. Located right at the tip of the Pocono's and 5 minutes from the border of NY and NJ, we totally have one of those rocks you can stand on that intersects all 3 states. We have a recently renovated historic local theater with a full bar. I moonlight there so I'd totally be down to help organize something if there's interest. We have a bunch of small bars and restaurants as well. We've got the natures. We're right near the Delaware River for rafting kayaking and tubing. Grey Towers National Historic Site (Gifford Pinchot's estate, the first US Forest Service chief) is located here as well. Plus a bunch of other random hiking trails and waterfalls. In terms of our location we are just 90 minutes from NYC, and all the areas in between, making it a great day trip for those who would want to travel for the day/night. We get some fun things here from time to time but nothing like this ever happens here so it would be so cool to see. A couple friends are subbed to the patreon too that live here so there's at least 3 of us that would show up. Either way I'd love to see something on the east cost area to try and make it to a meetup.

billcom6

My pitch is for Nevada, OH. Pronounced Nuh-Vay-Duh, so not like the state. Current Population: 706 (population has been relatively unchanged since the 1870s). It is located roughly an hour north of Columbus in Wyandot county. I am not originally from here but I have lived here for 3 years now and it is quintessential small town USA. So you might be wondering what we have in Nevada...well I'm not gonna lie, it's not a lot, but it's not a barren wasteland. There is a pizza place downtown, Mexican restaurant a little out of town, post office, bar, barbershop, bank, gym, salon, dog groomer, grain elevators, park, auction house, funeral parlor, winery/brewery, and three churches. And that is basically it. I am a regular at the bar (Buck's Place) so I would make sure they were ready for a crew to roll in. The auction house (The Bull Pen) is the real hidden gem in town. Every Saturday there is an auction where it is basically estate sales, so you really have no idea what is gonna be there, or how much it will sell for. The only thing more interesting than the items up for auction are the people there to bid on stuff. If there is another doc lightning I will make my doc about the auction house. The winery and brewery (White Shutter) is also quite nice. You can set outside and enjoy the rural views and they have musicians come and play during the summer. It has been a winery longer than a brewery but their beer selection is growing slowly and is pretty solid now. I run up and down every street in town every day during the summer, so I can point out the nicest houses in town and let you know which houses have dogs that I am afraid will bite me. One of my favorite things in town is our old water tower which features a really cool Village of Nevada (because we aren't legally a city) logo on it, but it is being replaced with a new water tower, so currently we have two water towers. I could also mention that the next city over is the Bratwurst Capital of America and hosts the yearly Bratwurst Festival, but I am not trying to sell you on that city, so will leave it at that.

jacob cummings

Come to Porter Ranch, CA. The AMC here is THE AMC THEATER where they filmed the "We make movies better" Nicole Kidman ad.

Gellrock Warfiend

This is not going to be chosen but I thought I'd tease you all with what you are missing out on. Take a trip up north and try out Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. Only a population of 18,000 but used in a few big name movies. A little film Tommy Boy was filmed here, plus both IT and IT Chapter 2, as well as the currently filming Welcome to Derry tv show. (The building I live in is shown in Chapter 2 and the bridge scene at the beginning was filmed in front of it too) There are a good handful of old bars, some that look like they haven't changed since they were built. Great dining areas and one of which was featured on You Gotta Eat Here: Kids Edition ( still a good joint for grownups too!) Just maybe ignore the massive low-level radioactive waste cleanup happening that has been going on for years... other than that it's a wonderful small town.

Kellogs

Baltimore! A big, mean boat knocked down our bridge :( A MinnMax meetup would really help heal the city. But also: Museums! American Visionary Arts Museums - Not Free! All art done by self-taught individuals! Weird Stuff! Baltimore Museum of Art - Free! Largest collection of Matisse in the world! Most likely other things too! Walters Art Museums - Free! I think they have a mummy! It's probably stolen! Beer! Every city has myriad breweries--samesies! Peabody Heights also has a massive arcade and very large event space *winky face*(!) There's also a Guinness brewery here! Baseball! Come see 2023's worst best team in baseball! Camden Yards is also like the best ballpark that I've been to (except for that one in Pittsburgh)! Geography! Other cities are close! They might tell you that we are close to them, but they are close to us! You could easily pop on a choo choo and skoot over to DC and commit some high crimes and misdemeanors! Parks! We have them! Zoo! It exists! National Aquarium! It's the national one! Mr. Trash Wheel! He gobbles garbage! The Wire! The only point of reference for Baltimore that one NFL announcer had! Food! People like to say we have amazing restaurants, but I think they're just fine! (Also I can give a tour of the Central Library)

Sophie

I'd like to throw my hometown into the running: Normal, Illinois! First of all, *the name*. You can joke to all your friends how you've been to *Normal*. It's not a tiny town, but has pieces of small town vibes, like corn fields! (They built a sports stadium and called it the "Corn Crib"). Mom and Pop shops! Disc golf courses! Did you know it's the original location of Steak 'N Shake? Visit one of the worlds most tallest dorm buildings! (Watterson Towers... literally the only tall thing to be seen for miles). Or visit the building seen in season four of Fargo! (Duncan Manor - less than 10 miles from Normal.) It's a college town, so there's lots of lively bars and restaurants. Soooo many restaurants. (TBH I think that's most of what to do there - eat.) Best yet, there *is* an airport! (BMI - Central Illinois Regional Airport), albeit it is super tiny and cute. So getting here could be relitively easy. I rest my case. Good luck picking a spot! Cheers, ~ Sophie

Varr

Claremont, CA woohooo The self-proclaimed City of Trees and PHDs!!! There are 9 (!) small colleges here, but it often doesn't feel like a college town somehow. Shoutout to Pomona College, though, where used it to film bits of The West Wing, Lucifer, and Gilmore Girls. There's also no fast food chains around here. At all. I think it's some kind of city policy??? The closest we have is a Blaze Pizza haha. But there are plenty of amazing restaurants, such as Menkoi Ya, my favorite ramen ever (so far) and Bardot--super fancy and pricey, but super happening and popular. Anyway. I love it here. It's beautiful, safe, and diverse, with an amazing downtown.

Vindicated

My pitch is for Greer, SC. Easy to drive around. Beautiful nature. Super affordable. Jacob could probably drive here from NC (lol). There's also... 1. Toy Federation - a store with THOUSANDS of toys from several decades, all over the floors and counters, unlike anything you've ever seen. 2. Pinky's Revenge - Retro bar arcade and game lounge, with great owners, nearly 100 games, pinball machines, wonderful atmosphere, karaoke nights, and a life sized Kratos. 3. Taylors Mill - Not only is Pinky's Revenge located here, but there's a brewery, axe throwing place, AND a model train station! 4. Upstate Games - A wonderful used game store, with a great collection, and an oddly giant Pokémon section. 5. Neighboring Falls Park, which is connected to downtown (both are among the highest rated for parks and eatery in the U.S. Falls Park is massive, with a waterfall, TONs of food options, deserts, general stores, art, and hidden mice statues to try and find with puzzles!) 6. SELECT Restaurant with custom crafted dining. 7. The ultimate driving museum. 8. Sulpher Springs Trail - Trail follows a creek that leads to cascades and waterfalls. Absolutely beautiful. 9. SC has wonderful weather in September. 10. Haywood Mall offers lots of cool shops - such as Pop Cult and Video Game World. 11. Perfect size. Small enough to be charming and easy to navigate, but big enough to have lots of things to do.

TheLastArcher

No better place for a community meetup than Sandusky, OH! Home of Cedar Point, the best amusement park in the country. Also home to Kalahari indoor water park, resort, and……convention center! The perfect spot for a community meet up. A less than one hour drive to Cleveland Ohio will land you at the doorstep of the Rock and Roll hall of fame! I rest my case. Hope to see you all!

Aviddemon

I will throw out Lowden, Iowa. It is a town of about 800 people about a 40 minute drive away from the Quad Cities and a 30 minute drive away from the world’s largest truckstop that has numerous things to do. In Lowden, we have cornfields, churches, two bars and even a hotel for some reason. Unfortunately they got rid of the one vending machine in town a while back.

Ben Feinberg

Visit scenic Albuquerque! Located at 5300 feet and nestled into the Sandia Mountains, the city offers easy access to the beautiful high desert environment. Sandia Crest rises 5000 feet over the city, visible from almost everywhere and always helping you locate east. A short drive, not so short hike, or tramway (built in 1966, the longest aerial tram in the US, and third longest in the world) takes you to the top offering incredible views of the city and surrounding area. For the less adventurous, the city borders the Cibola National Forest to the east, and Petroglyph National Monument to the west offering respectively hikes for any skill level and hundreds of year old images carved into the volcanic rock. For the more pop culture inclined you can play "I know that place" with hundreds of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul filming locations including the John B. Robert Dam and Gertrude Zachary. On the history side, the Nuclear Science and Technology Museum offers a fascinating (if somewhat jingoistic) history of the US Atomic Energy program and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center tells the story of the Pueblos of the Southwest. Conveniently reachable with direct flights from many hubs through the Albuquerque International Sunport, the weather in September is lovely with an over 70% chance of sun, and a high of 82 with almost no humidity. September is also the tail end of chile season where you can find fresh roasted Hatch chiles all around the city, and even off season New Mexican food is slathered with red or green sauce, leading to our official state question, "Red or Green?" For a meetup location, the unassuming Bow and Arrow Brewing, one of the first breweries in the country founded by native women and a 2024 James Beard semifinalist, has great beer brewed with local ingredients in an industrial chic space. Described by an Uber driver when I first moved here as "the biggest small town I've seen," consider ABQ for this occasion!

Ivan Palavra

Portland or Eugene, OR. Both for same reasons. Food carts of food all over the world. Any ethnic food you could think of. Microbreweries everywhere made with the freshest hops in the country right in our own state. Ground Control is an absolutely nutso amazing barcade. Voodoo donuts for whacky donuts novelty. And trees everywhere in the city out of the city around the city, PERFECT for fall. Oh and friend of the site Mary Kish I think is in this area.

Phelix Diaz

Fort Collins, CO. Small city where everybody knows your name. The downtown area is the original inspiration for Disneyland's Main Street. Lots of breweries, a Lake/Reservoir, lots of hiking and biking trails. Trampoline park, barcade and Fort Fun!

Medimonster

May not count since I don't live there anymore, but I grew up in the tiny town of Medimont, Idaho. I think it may be considered a "hamlet". The population is around 20 and it's about a 30 min drive to any sort of store or business. A lot of years during springtime the roads flood and the town becomes an island. We could always meet at the local Grange hall and ride the beautiful bike trail of the Coeur d'Alenes! Almost always a Moose around somewhere too!

Michael Berube

Tucson, Arizona - I lived here for 5 years before moving to the Midwest - The nature here is unlike anything you'll see in Minnesota. Canyons, cactuses, mountains, forests, and desert! So many great biomes, just like the best 90s RPGs. You could even take a day trip to the real life Cosmo Canyon (Sedona, AZ, which is a 4 hr drive north) - Saguaro National Park, Sabino Canyon, Mt Lemmon, and Kartchner Caverns are some of the best nature spots in the area - The food scene is surprisingly great for a mid size town. There are tons of places with amazing Mexican food. Not sure if it's relevant, but Tucson is also very vegetarian friendly. - You could visit Bookman's (a local chain that sells books, movies, and video games). Their stores are massive and I always find hidden gems there - Tucson is really big on astronomy and it has the clearest skies in the US (350 days of sunshine a year!) There's even a bar downtown that lets you stargaze with one of their massive telescopes while you drink a beer from one of the many local breweries - Tucson is also home to the popular video game merch website, fangamer. You could reach out to them about doing a tour / interview

Tucker Donovan

Creede, CO. A remote, rural mountain town where I spent most of my growing up. - Population of 276 at an elevation of 8,799 feet. - Situated in the San Juan Mountains of the Rockies, it's surrounded by beautiful nature, choked at the north end by cliffs that look over the town. - There's an embarrassment of gorgeous hiking trails and camping spots, though I'd just recommend the somewhat challenging Up and Over trail which provides stunning views and is fully accessible in town. - No movie theater (sorry Ben), but how about an award-winning professional repertory theatre? They've been running shows every summer since 1966! For September they currently have scheduled performances for a Sherlock Holmes mystery, Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, a latine funeral comedy set in the nearby San Luis Valley, and their hilarious late-night improv comedy show. Maybe Ben can pitch his "Borderlands 3 Announcement Event" idea to a playwright there. - Bars. Last I checked: one dive-ish with BBQ, one taphouse serving nearby brews, and one very popular bar and grill. - A downtown with galleries and shops. - This town is less than a mile long, so all of these things are in walking distance, as well as groceries and access to nature. - There's also a ton of fishing spots, including fly fishing on the Rio Grande, if that's your thing. - It is rather remote. It's a four-and-a-half-hour drive from the nearest large metro areas (ABQ and Denver). If you fly into a nearby town instead, the drive can be around one to two hours. This surely makes it a difficult choice for a meetup, but I guarantee it'd make one heck of a travelogue!

Jacob McCourt

So I am going to break the rules here, but I promise it's more of a rule-bending, then a full break. I'm pitching my hometown of Windsor, Ontario, Canada and sorta-sister city Detroit, Michigan - let's make this one a two-country affair! Windsor, Ontario is a place that Stephen Colbert (yes, that one) might have called the rectum of Canada but I like to think that he said that because the Southernmost point in Canada is in the Windsor area. This caused a near-international incident. Check out the CBC's report on it. https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/1.452402 Being as south as some parts of California leads to us have a great climate and an abundance of wineries per capita - we have at least 17 of them in the area. This town of 250K people has some great restaurants, a Caesars Palace (yes, that one) and a couple of really dope local game shops. All this, and a very walkable waterfront. Plus - your money is worth more here - ask Haley. And then for the American part, Detroit is a city that has had a major revitalization in the past 15 years. The downtown has so many fun bars and restaurants (we could go fowling, go to Corktown for cocktails or go to the Eastern Market for some beers), do any of the major sports and even though Big Sean's downtown movie theatre has been on hold for 6 years (Google it) - there are tons of movie theatres outside the city. And at least a dozen good video game stores. We could even go to the improv at Planet Ant where Sam Richardson cut his teeth as a comedian. Almost 700K people came for the NFL draft this weekend and a ton of people came last summer for WWE Summerslam. Detroit is the spot. Plus, the Detroit airport, is a major Delta hub for my Minnesotans.

Mason Cowell

Chattanooga, TN! We're a big little town. We have loads of weird little restaurants, incredible outdoor activities, lots of opportunities for good bike riding, and it's just a good all around place to spend a weekend. Some notable favorites are a local fancy cheese shop, a huge rock climbing gym, and more breweries than you could shake a stick at!

Daisy

Come to Petaluma, CA! A quaint town nestled in the rolling hills of Sonoma County, about 45 miles north of San Francisco (3 airports within an ~hour drive with shuttle services, the closest one being a small regional Snoopy-themed one). We have a river running through the historic downtown you can canoe, a dirt circle track speedway where you can watch races (salt of the earth locals activity), a punk live music hall + skate shop (it was the location of Sublime’s last live show with lead singer Bradley Nowell), an awesome retro game store (Nostalgia Alley), table top game store (Goblin Bros.), and tons of great independently owned shops and restaurants. Being in Sonoma County means we have fantastic food, wine, and beer. We actually have the Petaluma River Craft Beer Festival in early September. It also means we have fantastic hiking in the area, both in Petaluma and in the neighboring hills within 30-45 minutes. We’re also close to the Pacific Ocean (about 30 minutes or so) Petaluma is really a unique hybrid of rural farmland (was once deemed “the egg capital of the world”) and artsy small town. Did I mention American Graffiti was filmed here? Edits: Forgot to mention Rancho Obi-wan is in Petaluma for those into Star Wars! It’s an indy museum featuring the largest collection of Star Wars memorabilia. Petaluma won’t seem THAT small on paper, but it’s still got that small town Americana vibes despite the recent uptick in population. It’s a great option to have the amenities of a bigger region (airports and such), but still has those small town vibes. Also cool nearby destinations if people want to extend their trips. P.S. yes, I had to repost this cause I accidentally deleted the original as I was making an edit 🤦‍♀️

MF_GOOMBA

Geneva, OH! Sure we sit in one of the poorest counties in Ohio but Geneva is Northeast Ohio's Wine country and home of Geneva on the Lake (GOTL) where you'll find loads of bars, arcades, restaurants, zip line tours and the oldest miniature golf course in the country! GOTL also has a large amount of lodging for all your traveling needs. 15 minutes east is the Ashtabula harbor which won a best main street in America competition a few years back. It features a great local brewery, lots of restaurants, a lift bridge for boats to pass through the harbor and The Bum Boat, a boat floating in the harbor where you can drink up top or down in the vessel itself. Lastly Geneva is about an hour East of Cleveland where a possible Twins/Guardians game could be on the table. Standing room tickets are 15 bucks and include a beer! Being so close to Cleveland means Giant Bomb's Jeff Grubb and special guest Mike Minotti are close by, maybe they can be convinced to join with some Giant Bomb fans, more people more fun right?

James Martin

Ferndale, MI. Just on the outskirts of Detroit, Ferndale is widely considered the LGBTQ capital of Michigan but in a very organic and interesting way (not in the big brand, fake kind of way). It is historically a fun, quirky, gritty home to the people that are different or sit outside social norms but as those norms have shifted it has gained more popularity. It is unique in it's vibes as it somehow manages to blend traditional blue collar, industrial vibes with punk, pride, hip hop and a general celebration of inclusivity. It's the type of place where people come together and where you'll find all types of people doing all types of things together. There are breweries, craft markets, record stores, top notch bars and restaurants, night clubs, concert halls, distilleries and all other sorts of oddities and quirks. But all authentic and not 'clean' - Ferndale is still gritty for now (we'll see how long we can hold on to that before they cleanse it with their parking garages and chain restaurants, but so far, so good). The downtown (which is very very small, as cities go) is closed down for all kinds of festivals often (Pride here is epic, but there are so many festivals from Pig & Whiskey to DIY Craft Weekend to a wonderful event where the city will host a number of concerts in willing volunteers front yards throughout the weekend and people walk from concert to concert freely.)

Woodman

Scranton, PA… a city known for The Office and the best pizza outside of New York and Chicago. We’re two hours away from NYC and Philadelphia, nestled in the Pocono Mountains, and have a great and easily accessible regional airport. One of the best bars in Scranton, Bartari, features video game themed mixed drinks like the Princess Peach and has one of the best collections of pinball machines on the East Coast (plus tons of arcade cabinets and board games). If you’re a fan of the Office, you can see where the show intro was filmed, visit Dunder Mifflin, and tons of Office themed murals across the city. Kelsey can stop by our ballpark, home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Scranton is a smaller city like Ben has been looking to visit, but big enough to get a good meetup going!

Joe Baumann

Milwaukee It’s cool and good Fresh coast baby! We got water on deck. Riverwalk and a beautiful, accessible lakefront. Walkable, bikeable, public transit galore! Including a free street car. Food scene is nuts, bar scene is bubblin, coffee scene roasts any midwestern city! Affordable and full of hospitality, we are as cheesy and cheap as you’d expect a good ole midwestern city to be. Come hang cohorts and community members alike!

Jake

Atlantic City, NJ Just so Leo can go on a real Fallout 76 expedition… Leo will get it. Anyway, it has everything you could want only grosser! Obviously there is the casinos, but also an aquarium, shopping outlets, comedy spots, the boardwalk, karaoke, and a brand new waterpark. (The jersey shore sounds like a “maybe”, but AC is too yucky poo poo? My hometown is right near the beautiful beaches of Long Beach Island, NJ. It’s AC minus almost everything! Taylor Swift was there for Margaret Qualley & Jack Antonoff’s wedding recently.)

betoq92 .

Come to AURORA Illinois! Yeah the one from waynes world. A cool downtown area that you can explore tons of bars, food, and an arcade. Free historic museum and even a Zoo! Actually come next year Im getting married out of state this September lol also i forgot to mention home of the Yetee! Maybe you guys could do some content with them!

gybones

I nominate my hometown of Pueblo, CO! Not the smallest city (population of 111,000), but lots of charm. -Great food, worth it for that alone. Also home of Pueblo chile and many dishes utilizing it -Centrally located -Small town vibes downtown with an barcade/bakery, beautiful riverwalk, and fun bike trails -Some historical significance being dubbed the Home of Heros (most Medal of Honor recipients from one city, major flood that happened in 1921, huge steel factory that can be toured that’s the largest manufacturer of rail in North America) -National Lampoon’s Vacation filmed a few scenes here -Macgruber was laid to rest here in the movie “Macgruber”

Shawninator

Probably too late, but I'm nominating my hometown of Logan, Utah! A college town close to the border of Idaho. Home to Utah State University, you can experience that madness as all the college students are getting settled in for the fall. Settled in a nice valley, I hope you like big mountains, because they are all around. All sorts of outdoorsy stuff: hikes, fishing, frisbee golf, cows, rock climbing. There are two whole Walmarts, along with entirely too many carwashes. A decent selection of delicious local restaurants and well-known chains. Not super walkable, but the public transportation is free. Local attractions include Historic Downtown Logan, chapels on every corner, a fun park that has some arcades, ax throwing, and bowling. You could venture up to the nearby Bear Lake for some aquatic fun, though might be a bit cold. Great local parks and a variety of local events help keep things exciting. A bit of a drive (1.5 hours) from the major airport (Salt Lake City), but there are a few shuttles or could probably arrange some kind of convoy to come get you. A few hotels, or you could just AirBnB someone's house. It's pretty average as far as towns go, but definitely on the smaller end. Go Aggies!