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Old 03-29-24, 11:34 AM
  #28  
Tourist in MSN
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Location: Madison, WI
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Originally Posted by mev
I think routing is a tougher problem where I don't expect a generic AI chatbot to do as well for a while. For trip planning it might be closer to giving an overview of the area. For example, if I were visiting Madison one thing I could do is a search or find a site like TripAdvisor and it could give me a list of top attractions, e.g. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Wisconsin.html I could also use that search to find a blog posting like: https://www.traverse-blog.com/48-hou...son-wisconsin/

A different approach using a generative AI is below:
> I have two days visit in Madison Wisconsin, what should I do?
Madison, Wisconsin offers a variety of attractions for visitors. Here are some suggestions for your two-day visit:

Day 1:
1. Start your day at the Wisconsin State Capitol building, where you can take a free guided tour to learn about the history and architecture of this iconic landmark.
2. Head over to the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus and explore Bascom Hill, where you can find the Memorial Union Terrace, a popular spot for locals and visitors alike to relax by Lake Mendota with a picnic or a beverage from the nearby Union South.
3. Take a scenic stroll around Lake Monona, the second largest lake in Wisconsin, which offers beautiful views of the city and surrounding countryside. You can also rent a kayak or paddleboat for an on-the-water experience.
4. End your day with dinner at one of Madison's renowned restaurants, such as Graze or L'Etoile, both known for their farm-to-table menus that showcase the region's fresh and local ingredients.

Day 2:
1. Begin your day by visiting the Henry Vilas Zoo, home to over 200 species of animals from around the world.
2. Spend the afternoon exploring the Olbrich Botanical Gardens, which feature more than 16 acres of beautiful gardens and landscapes, including a Thai pavilion, rose garden, and rock garden.
3. For those interested in art, visit the Chazen Museum of Art on the UW-Madison campus, where you can see a collection of over 20,000 works spanning from ancient to contemporary times.
4. End your day with a sunset view from the top of Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, which offers stunning views of Lake Monona and the city skyline. You can also enjoy dinner at one of the restaurants or bars located inside this architectural gem.
*********
Now Google recently announced that they were essentially adding some of those features into Google Maps - https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/27/2...ts-translation so I expect some of this technology to be integrating with tools you otherwise use in any case.
I moved here in 1988, I still have not been to the zoo or some of the other attractions it lists. I need to get my act together on that.

Usually if I do a sightseeing day, it is because; (1) the day before was a really long day, or (2) bad weather and I would rather walk around in the rain and high wind that ride in it, or (3) have not had a break for a week or more, or (4) I got to my final destination at least a day early and have to hang around before my flight back home.

In those cases, it usually is spur of the moment, wondering what there is to see. I am more interested in historical features that the more modern attractions like museums, etc. And if there is not much worth seeing, make it a laundry day, etc.

The tour I am planning now, not scheduling any days off for sightseeing, but I am sure that some will occur on spur of the moment. That tour ends with Amtrak, not a flight, so I will order my train ticket less than a week in advance so that the end of my trip is not as tied to the calendar. I like a more flexible schedule and it is generally pretty easy to schedule Amtrak on shorter notice than an airline without having to pay an exorbitant fee in the process.

That of course is easier for retired people like me, I do not have a work schedule like I used to. My longest vacation before I retired was a week long, it was hard to map out a long trip with a work schedule.
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