I love my phone book

[spyrosmom]

Yeah, they do really still make the big yellow phone book

Yesterday or the day before DH and I were talking about some of the neat little zoos and forest preserves and farms we had taken DS. Places we had never knew existed. Where did we find them? In the phone book!

In the front of our book, after the emergency info, by the street maps and the stadium seating maps, there is a list of "entertainment" or "things to do" I can't recall what the list is actually titled. It lists forest preserves, small zoos, nature centers, gardens, living history farms, all cute (and mostly cheap) family activities. There is a good long list, maybe 4 or 5 pages, and most of them w/in and hour from home. A few of the bigger things we had heard of, but not most of them. When I found something I though was interesting, then I checked it out on the web, to make sure it looked like it was worth checking out.

I know lot of you have kids, and we have a long weekend coming up. Check the front of your phone book, and see if there is something new to do. Ours is published by RR Donelly and we get another from AT&T, but they both have those pages, but they don't share all the same info. Its not the same stuff listed under "entertainment" in the yellow pages. Check it out.

Nan

 

[syzygy314]

Not to burst your bubble, but you can google it. Every town or city has their own website and they have the same information right there! Also Google Maps shows all the little parks and preserves that you can click on and it will give you a website where you can check for activities, events and hours.

Save a tree!

ETA: There are also a lot of things going on that aren't in the BYB because they weren't scheduled before printing. So, personally, I think the internet offers much more!

Can you tell I'm really a believer in the paperless world? Not that it'll ever happen!

 

[spyrosmom]

Not to burst your bubble, but you can google it. Every town or city has their own website and they have the same information right there! Also Google Maps shows all the little parks and preserves that you can click on and it will give you a website where you can check for activities, events and hours.

Save a tree!

ETA: There are also a lot of things going on that aren't in the BYB because they weren't scheduled before printing. So, personally, I think the internet offers much more!

Can you tell I'm really a believer in the paperless world? Not that it'll ever happen!

Yes, but you can't Google if you don't know what you're looking for. Trust me, I love the Google. If you Google "things to do in my zip code" then you a bunch of hotels and junk. My town does have a website and their slogan is "if its fun, its in downtown Joliet" Um, chances are, if its fun, its not in downtown Joliet. Just sayin'

I've tried to look up new things to do on Google, but if you don't know what you're looking for specifically, then its a bunch of junk to wade thru.

I do believe in save a tree, though. We get phone books whether we want them or not, they just show up on the doorstep. Might as well use it. Can't remember the last time I actually looked up a phone #

Nan

 

[syzygy314]

Bummer. I have found so much fun stuff googling! I guess it all depends on the size of the township, etc. That's too bad! Living in New England, there are so many tourist attractions that everyone has great websites for finding events and all kinds of things to do and places to go! I guess I'm spoiled!

I know what you mean about the phone books. We don't use them so I end up throwing them right into the recycle bins every year. It's sad. Too bad you can't opt out of receiving them!

 

[Miss Lee]

Nan, how fun!! Your post reminded me of when DH first got his GPS thingy and we used it to find things to do in our area. We found tons of attractions in our town and the surrounding area that we had NO IDEA even existed!

 

[handels]

I just reconnected with my phone book this week. I live in Mexico City where it's not that easy to find services online. I needed a mover to catapult an 8ft dining table over our interior balcony and was going to just ask around for movers...then I remembered we got a local phone book when we moved in. Sure enough, found a great local company that came over and took care of business. I don't know how it works in the US, but here you have to pay to be in the phone book so it also lends a bit of legitimacy to the company (that they can afford to pay for advertising).