Chixe

How about Las Vegas?

With $500.00 USD you should be able to get a round trip ticket, a room and have some spending money for a show or two and the all you can eat buffet at the Mandalay Bay.

Baseball games. So fun in the summer.

Darn. Vegas is over 200 miles away from Los Angeles.

I say a spa day in Palm Springs. From here, anyway.

@sean: Is the Mandalay Bay buffet REALLY better than the Bellagio?

Oh, both good ones. My girlfriend really enjoys baseball--nice. :)

@estarla:

It comes down to personal choice but I really love prime rib and the Mandalay Bay seemed to have better quality when it came to prime rib... yum... meat :)

@sean: I assume the Vegas hotels have vegetarian choices too?

@estarla: Hmmm, a spa day could be fun. What do you recommend for guys to do at a spa?

@Devin: Yes they do.

Pretty much if you want something, Vegas has it. It's the town that never sleeps and within walking distance you can get anything your heart can imagine.

@Devin: Well, the essential for males OR females is definitely a massage. If you can get a 90 minute massage or even a 2-hour one, there is absolutely nothing like it. You can get a swedish massage which is more light to the touch or a deep tissue (my favorite) which really gets into your muscles and as some like to say, "hurts so good." Some other varieties are a Thai massage (the therapist actually uses his/her elbows and knees and sometimes stands on you) or a Shiatsu ("finger pressure"). Usually, though, all spas have their own general relaxation massage which does the trick. I love massages because when they're done, you're floating on air.

Guys, yes, can also get a pedicure. It's not so much the nailbeds guys care about but sloughing off all the rough skin and the callouses from everyday wear and tear on your feet.

And yes, guys can also get a facial. C'mon, I know there are things on your face you wouldn't mind clearing up. ;)

Anyway, like I said, the massage is crucial. :)

@sean: Indeed. I can respect a good prime rib. Tasty.

Local sports.

Minor League baseball especially. Tons of fun and much cheaper than seeing pro teams and depending who you've got (Atlanta Braves' Richmond flavor for us) you can see some great players who are in the minors for a short time.

Zoos. I love animals and zoos are great fun in the summer. Go on a cooler and cloudy day and the animals will be more active than if its 90 degrees.

Picnics in the park. Always fun whether it's just you and a special someone or a gaggle of geeks hanging out in the green. :)

Sean, are you sure you don't work for Mandalay Bay ;)

Vegas is great for sure, but the expenses can creep up on you too, so be careful.

As for being more than 200 miles from LA, that shouldn't count since there is absolutely nothing out in that desert.

Personally, I'm going to go on a tech reading spree, buying books on PHP, SQL, Javascript and the like. I hope to be at least literate in a few subjects by the end of the summer. Not exactly the funnest idea, but it's what I'm doing.

Dang, all good answers. I'm making a list! I should throw these on 43things. :)

@estarla: The more you talk about it the more I want to go. I had a few massages in China (one at a bath house) and it's just... awesome.

@peroty: Ah the zoo! Haven't been there in years. And, I've never done a real picnic either. Nice answers...

@carmodyarc: Yeah, I'm afraid of spending more than I want, good point. I've also purchased a few books for the summer so I think we're on the same page there... pun intended. ;)

Thank you, everyone!

Where do you live?

Good question: Denver, CO

You have to check out the Tatterd Cover Book Store if you have not already.

It is a tower of paper product power and the most amazing book store I've ever been to! You could very well lose weeks there. :D

Oh yeah, awesome book store. Been to both the old and new. :)

I like to spend afternoons watching the plans take off and land.
It's free. :)

You live in Denver? ...totally off topic, but I'm being considered for a job in Denver how do you like that town? Is there a lot to do? I ski so I guess there's plenty of that in the area...

Massages are not on my list of essential things to do when on vacation.

How about just getting in the car, and heading south. There are fantastic cities south of Denver, with so many things to see and do, along with wonderful culinary delights. You can stop when you want to. There is something to be said for spur-of-the-moment stops, when you are on vacation. Some of my best memories were created that way.

You live in an area surrounded by nature, hiking trails, lakes, rivers, mountains. Why not enjoy some of the scenic and natural beauty along the way.

Durango is a great city, with so much to do, such as taking the train to Silverton. The train allows you to see nature, unlike you can see it from the road.

Personally, I'd want to do LorriM response. Get material on hikes and take advantage of nature. Spend money on a camera. Or go camping with your sweetie in one of the parks near you. The way gas prices are going, driving there and exploring the area could very well take up the money. It's all about shared good times and a big city is not neccesarily the only option.

500 $1 lap dances. Sure, you may catch something....but isn't that part of the fun? The risk of it all?

Wow, so I looked back at everything and I've picked some winners.

My favorite responses were from LorriM (head South and do spur-of-the-moment stuff), Auburn (go camping with my sweetie), and Carmodyarc (go spend a day at Tattered Cover). Thanks to everyone who made over a dozen awesome suggestions! (Special hat tip to ryanarrowsmith. Wink.)

Shoot me an email (devin at devin reams dot com) to claim your prize. :)